The NCAA voted this week to make women’s wrestling an official NCAA championship sport, beginning in the 2025-26 season.
In February 2024, the Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended Division I, Division II and Division III sponsor the addition of women’s wrestling, beginning in the winter of 2026. At the NCAA Convention this week in Nashville, the final step to making it a reality was completed as Division I voted yes on Wednesday, followed by Division II and III on Friday.
“This means so much to women’s wrestling and to women’s sports in general,” Iowa wrestler Kennedy Blades said in a release from the NCAA. “It gives women’s wrestling recognition and shows that it is important, not just around the world, but also in our country. College sports are huge in the United States. This shows how much women’s wrestling is growing. Since I was a little girl, I dreamed about being an NCAA national wrestling champion. It will fulfill so many little girls’ dreams, including mine.”
Women’s wrestling is now the 91st championship under the NCAA, according to a press release. Currently one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, 76 programs sponsored women’s wrestling at the Division I-II-III levels in 2023-24, with another 17 projected to do so this year. That compares to 41 in 2022-23 according to the NCAA. More than 1,200 women compete in wrestling at NCAA schools.
“Competing for an NCAA championship is a dream for every student-athlete,” Iowa athletics director Beth Goetz said in a release. “We are thrilled women’s wrestling athletes will have that reality next season. Women’s wrestling continues to see record growth at the high school and youth levels. Providing a championship experience will only enhance the excitement surrounding this sport.”
Currently, the sport operates under the Women’s College Wrestling Coalition, made up of several organizations like USA Wrestling and the National Wrestling Coaches Association, among others. Schools compete under the National College Women’s Wrestling Championship banner. The final national tournament before NCAA-sanctioned status takes place will be held March 7-8 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
Iowa won the national team championship last year in the program’s first season.
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Coaches are anticipating that women’s wrestling will move from 15 starters in a lineup to 10 for the national championship tournament next season. Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun said at media day that the program had been planning for that already, with other coaches signaling the same thing.
Programs such as Iowa and North Central have been able to stockpile recruits with an additional five starting spots to give out. With the 30-athlete roster cap for wrestling also on the way, these changes would presumably see talent be more spread out rather than consolidated between some of the top programs in the nation.
Regardless, Chun has continued calling for more Division I schools to create women’s wrestling programs, stating that again after winning the program’s second National Duals title last weekend. Chun said more top-tier wrestling programs would increase the skill level to help her program improve through competition. Additionally, it would increase fan interest.
“I’m always pushing for more programs to start at the Division I level,” Chun said. “It really truly is what our sport needs.”
Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.
