At the Li’l Abner Foundation, our focus has always been on providing a helping hand to the youth in our community. While our main pillars are education, literacy, and basic needs, we also believe in the power of youth sports to foster discipline and focus. Through our modest support of local athletic programs, we get a front-row seat to see what happens when local kids give everything they have to a dream.
Today, we want to take a moment away from our usual programming to highlight the truly spectacular national achievements of two student-athletes from the Miami Southridge Wrestling Team—a program we are incredibly proud to support alongside a village of dedicated parents, coaches, and local sponsors.
Jovanni Tovar and Abigail Gonzalez have put in years of relentless work on the mats, and this past season, they took their talents to the absolute highest levels of national competition.
Jovanni Tovar: Climbing the National Rankings
Jovanni Tovar has put together a staggering high school season, earning respect from wrestling analysts nationwide. Competing for Miami Southridge, Jovanni compiled a spectacular 60-4 record for the 2025–2026 season.
Even more impressive is his 87% bonus win percentage, meaning nearly nine out of every ten matches he wrestled resulted in a pin, technical fall, or major decision.
The National Standings
Following the most recent postseason updates, Jovanni has firmly established himself among the elite high school wrestlers in the country:
National Ranking: Currently ranked #6 in the Nation at his weight class.
International Experience: In addition to domestic tournaments, Jovanni has shown his skills on the international stage, previously capturing a Silver Medal at the U17 Pan-American Championships and placing 5th at the U17 World Championships.
Abigail Gonzalez: A Top-Tier All-American Contender
Representing both Miami Southridge and the Miami Wrestling Club, Abigail Gonzalez continues to prove why she is one of the most resilient freestyle wrestlers in the country.
Abigail put on a technical masterclass this past season, logging a stellar 56-10 record with a 77% bonus win percentage. Her drive was fully on display at the highly competitive 2026 USA Wrestling Women’s National Championships this past spring.
All-American Performance
Nationals Finish: Abigail battled through a deeply stacked national bracket to reach the 3rd Place podium match in the U17 53kg division.
The Record: Boasting an incredible career high school record of 119-18, Abigail stands tall as a multi-time All-American and a premier leader for the Southridge girls’ program.
It takes incredible sacrifice from coaches, families, and teammates to send athletes to national podiums.
While the grueling hours on the mat belong entirely to Jovanni and Abigail, the Li’l Abner Foundation is deeply grateful to play a supportive role in their journey. Providing a bit of community backing for programs like Miami Southridge wrestling is exactly why our foundation exists—to help ensure that local kids have the stable support they need to pursue their highest goals.
To Jovanni and Abigail: Your community is incredibly proud of your work ethic, your humility, and your achievements. We look forward to watching you continue to grow as both athletes and leaders!
