FSU has many impressive alumni and students, from comedians to politicians. Being one of the top athletic schools, FSU is home to many athletes who bleed garnet and gold. One of our talented alum athletes recently recognized is World Wrestling Entertainment’s (WWE) Michelle McCool.
Who is Michelle McCool?
Michelle McCool, a now-retired wrestler, began her career in 2004 at 24 years old. Before wrestling, she was a middle-school teacher in her hometown of Palatka, Florida.
As a WWE fan, she entered as a contestant in the 2004 Diva Search, a reality TV show contestant searching for aspiring “Divas,” which was the term used for female wrestlers that posed beauty and strength. The show intended to draw more female wrestlers into the WWE universe, giving winners a women’s division position.
Fans chose winners based on their overall appeal and athleticism after a series of challenges with other female wrestlers. Though McCool didn’t win the Diva Search the year she participated, WWE invited her to join the Women’s Division anyway!
Throughout her WWE career, McCool has garnered four championships: the WWE Divas Championship (twice) and the WWE Women’s Championship (twice). After seven years of wrestling, McCool retired in 2011 due to injuries and a desire to start a family.
A year before retiring, McCool married fellow WWE legend and wrestler Mark Calaway, known as The Undertaker. The couple now have two kids together, three from Calaway’s previous marriages, and a whole lot of wrestling championships to their name! 14 years after McCool’s retirement, she’s finally getting her rightful spot in the WWE Hall of Fame alongside many of the sports’ greats!
Early Days in the WWE Divas Champion
After years of wrestling and practicing, McCool’s hard work paid off when she became the first-ever Divas Champion in 2008. The Divas Champion was created as an additional title on Friday Night Smackdown to the Women’s Championship on Monday Night Raw (two different titles for two divisions). Being one of the last two female finalists, McCool won against Natalya to make history as the first woman to hold the Diva’s Championship Title.
The Divas Championship faced lots of controversy and what many felt was deserved criticism. First, female wrestlers experienced unfair treatment compared to their male counterparts in terms of wage disparity and lack of opportunity. Many fans also felt that branding female wrestlers as “divas” was another major problem within the wrestling community.
Fans expressed concern over female wrestlers becoming sexualized and subjected to a predominately male audience. I feel that the art of the sport was lost within the Divas era as wrestlers had to focus more on their looks and persona over the actual skill, regressing the profession of female wrestling heavily.
The branding of female wrestlers as “Diva” and the Divas Championship was retired in 2016 after immense backlash from fans and frustration from wrestlers. Even though this era of wrestling had its fair share of flaws, it still gave a platform for female wrestlers and allowed for more airtime and attention given to women than ever before.
Regardless of all the problems, these women paved the way for the future of wrestling. And, of course, one of these women was Michelle McCool.
Impact on Women’s Wrestling Division
As the first Divas Champion of WWE, McCool set the standard for showcasing athleticism and grace within the division. Her matches displayed incredible skill and determination, both in and out of the ring, that was hard to miss.
From Tag Teams and Royal Rumbles to winning Championships, it’s clear that McCool has earned her respective titles as inaugural Divas Champion and the sole WWE Unified Divas Champion. She had two titles at once because she was just that good!
To this day, McCool remains one of the prominent names within wrestling. So much so that she landed herself a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame. To get in, you must be deemed a wrestler who’s helped shape the sport and business into what it is today. Fellow WWE Wrestler and now WWE’s chief content officer, Triple H (Paul Levesque), inducted McCool into the 2025 Hall of Fame class.
Even better, the news was revealed to her as a Valentine’s Day surprise on ESPN! Who would’ve ever thought that a ‘Nole would be sitting in the Hall of Fame for wrestling?
McCool’s time at FSU
McCool earned her Master’s degree from FSU in educational leadership. With a passion for teaching and sports, she transitioned her education and passion into personal training and eventually wrestling, fulfilling her childhood dream to become a wrestler. After her WWE Hall of Fame announcement, McCool was celebrated by her fellow ‘Noles for her achievements in the wrestling world.
On behalf of all wrestling fans, congratulations to Michelle McCool for her well-deserved recognition, and thank you for being another alum we can add to the list of FSU greats!
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