The NCAA has recently made a historic decision that will bring women’s wrestling into the spotlight as an official championship sport. As women’s wrestling continues to experience rapid growth at the collegiate level, the NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics recently recommended it as the 91st NCAA championship sport.
This move is expected to mark a new era for female athletes in wrestling, recognizing the sport’s increasing prominence both in the United States and internationally.
Since its inception, women’s wrestling has steadily gained traction. There were four U.S. women to win Olympic gold in wrestling, and 3 of them competed collegiately in their past. Their success has helped elevate the visibility of women’s wrestling and inspired many young athletes to pursue the sport at the collegiate level.
“It gives women’s wrestling recognition and shows that it is important, not just around the world, but also in our country,” says Kennedy Blades, a Paris Olympic silver medalist, in an interview with nbcsports.com.
Blades, who has long dreamed of becoming an NCAA national wrestling champion, believes the NCAA’s decision will help fulfill the aspirations of young girls. In fact, the sport’s growth is already evident.
fhsuathletics.com notes that in the 2023-24 season there were “76 women’s wrestling programs at NCAA schools,” and that projections for the 2024-25 season are “pointing to an additional 17 programs.”
The NCAA’s recommendation comes on the heels of Iowa’s groundbreaking decision to add women’s wrestling to its athletic offerings in 2021, which nbcsports.com notes was the “first power conference school to offer the sport.”
The program has already garnered significant attention, with athletes like Blades serving as ambassadors for the sport.
“This is a huge moment for women’s wrestling, and I’m excited to see the hard work of these athletes get the recognition it deserves,” said Frank Yattoni, head coach of Lindenwood University’s women’s wrestling team in an interview for lindenwoodlions.com. “We’re looking forward to continued growth and visibility now that we’re officially part of the NCAA.”
NCAA.org mentions that “women’s wrestling will become the sixth sport to earn NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women Program.”
As women’s wrestling continues to gain momentum, its inclusion in the NCAA’s ranks serves as a testament to the hard work of athletes, coaches, and advocates who have long pursued for equal recognition for the women in the sport. It’s a monumental step forward for women’s athletics, one that will undoubtedly inspire future generations of female wrestlers to chase their dreams on the highest stage of college sports.
With the NCAA now adding the sport, the future of women’s wrestling looks brighter than ever.
