Wrestling champion who shared viral moment with 6-foot-2 fiancée now a coach at University of Pennsylvania
NCAA national champion Lucas Byrd is starting a new chapter in Philadelphia with his fiancée, Ellie Holzman, who towers over him by several inches but stands right by his side.
Byrd, a four-time All-American, is now an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Pennsylvania, fulfilling a dream that began when he first entered the sport.
"I knew from out of the gate, from when I started wrestling, I wanted to be a wrestling coach," Byrd said.
The position brings Byrd's career full circle. In 2025, he won the NCAA national championship at 133 pounds in Philadelphia.
"It's awesome to practice so close to where we compete," Byrd said.
After capturing the title, Byrd celebrated by hugging his coaches and supporters. But one embrace stood out: the hug he shared with his then-girlfriend, now-fiancée, Ellie Holzman.
The moment went viral, introducing wrestling fans to the woman Byrd calls his "greatest teammate."
Holzman, a nurse, is a former two-time Gatorade State Volleyball Player of the Year who stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall. Byrd is 5 feet, 6 inches tall. The couple has embraced their height difference, turning it into social media content that has found an audience on TikTok.
The two met during their freshman year at the University of Illinois—at a bar. There was, however, one important detail: Byrd was sitting down.
"He was always cocky—ohh, in a good way," Holzman said.
Byrd was trying to impress her without realizing how impressive she was. Holzman's athletic accomplishments include appearing on a trophy alongside basketball legends Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Now engaged, the couple is using their growing platform to share a message that extends beyond wrestling and volleyball.
"You limit yourself when you care what other people think about you," Holzman said.
As Byrd moves from national champion to coach, he said Holzman has remained by his side through it all.
"I tell people my national championship wasn't just for me—it was for her," Byrd said.
The 25-year-olds have not set a wedding date and say they are still unsure about having children. For now, they are enjoying their next chapter together in Philadelphia.
