On Friday, the NCAA officially added women’s wrestling as a new sport, increasing the total number of championships to 91. This decision was made at the annual convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Before this, women’s wrestling had been categorized as an “emerging sport for women.” Now, female athletes from Division I, II, and III will compete for titles. The first official women’s wrestling championship, hosted by the NCAA, will take place in 2026.
“We extend a big thank you to everyone who supported this effort and the athletes, coaches, and fans for their passion for a fast-growing and exciting sport that brings even more opportunities for women to participate in athletics,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker.
In the 2023-24 season, there were 76 women’s wrestling programs across NCAA schools, and projections suggest that 17 more programs will be added in 2024-25. Currently, over 1,200 female wrestlers are competing at NCAA schools, with 45% of them coming from diverse or international backgrounds.
Back in February, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics recommended that the top NCAA divisions create legislation to promote women’s wrestling to championship status. In response, the NCAA Board of Governors approved $1.7 million in funding in April to help establish the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.
