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Notre Dame High School Graduate Back In Wrestling Spotlight

Posted: Jul 31st 2007 By: CMBurnham

Notre Dame High School graduate Beth Carolan, who performs under the name Beth Phoenix, worked long, hard years to achieve her goal of making it to the big time in professional wrestling. But just a few weeks after joining the cast last year of World Wrestling Entertainment's primetime show, she broke her jaw in a match. The injury ended her run on the show.

It was, she said, one of the most heartbreaking things ever to happen to her.

But the mythical phoenix is best known for rising from the ashes, and that's just what Beth has done. Some 13 months after her injury, Beth, who was known as Beth Kocianski growing up in Elmira, is back in the spotlight on WWE's Monday night show "Raw." She returned to the program July 9 and is again a regular.

Beth responded to questions in an e-mail interview while traveling for WWE. She wrote that the support of her friends and family kept her from losing heart while recovering.

"I'm very lucky that I have a great support group back home that really did their best to keep my spirits up," she wrote. "As hard as it was to be away, I never thought about giving it up. The feeling of being back in front of the crowd was enough to keep me going."

She said her story line on the wrestling show involves supporting former champion Melina in her struggles with the current champ, Candice Michelle, but she has her eyes on the title belt herself.

"I'm looking for nothing less than to dominate the women's division and bring the WWE women's championship home with me one day to Elmira," she wrote.

Beth was the first girl to join Notre Dame's wrestling squad. She graduated in 1998 and, based in Buffalo, wrestled for several years on the independent scene while she studied at Canisius College.

She signed a developmental contract with WWE in 2005, and wrestled for many years with the Ohio Valley Wrestling promotion, where she was women's champion twice.

Her first call up to WWE happened last year.

She's married to independent wrestler Joey Carolan, who wrestles as Joey Knight.

She wrote that standing in the ring before throngs of fans again is just as great as she remembers.

"It's an indescribable feeling to be back," she wrote. "The travel and schedules are very hectic, but it's worth it once you are in front of thousands of screaming WWE fans. It was definitely worth the wait."

"Raw" airs at 9 p.m. Mondays on USA.