She also ran track, and was a member of the drama club.[3][4][11] After graduating high school, she studied Radiology at college part-time while wrestling on the independent circuit.[4] She later saw a poster for a local independent promotion, contacted the promoter, and began training a shortly after under the ring name Lexi Lane.[4] She later left college to pursue a full-time wrestling career, having had a 4.0 GPA at the time of her leaving.[10] After completing her training under Jeff Cannon, she began her wrestling career in her home state of Ohio.[6] Her first match took place in her former high school and was refereed by former WWE Diva Ivory.[6]