Takedown Report

Delaware State Hosting Free All-Girls Wrestling Clinic

Delaware State is hosting a free all-girls clinic on August 19 with Olympians Toccara Montgomery and Randi Miller.

DOVER, Del. — Delaware State University in collaboration with the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Wrestling Initiative (HBCUW), Wrestle Like a Girl (WLAG), the Black Wrestling Association (BWA), and Division I Women’s Wrestling (D1WW), announces it will host an All Girls Wrestling Clinic next month.

Guiding this empowering clinic are Olympians, Toccara Montgomery and Randi Miller. Montgomery was the first Black woman to win a medal at the World Championships for the United States, seizing a silver in 2001 in her debut Senior World Championships appearance. She also secured another silver in 2003, competed in the 2002 World Championships, and made history as the first Black woman to wrestle for the United States in the Olympics, finishing seventh in 2004, the year women’s wrestling was introduced to the Olympic Games.

Following Montgomery’s achievements, Randi Miller, a native of Arlington, Texas, became the first Black woman and Texan to win an Olympic medal (bronze) in women’s wrestling during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was the sole Black woman to win a medal in USA Wrestling until fellow Texan Tamyra Mensah-Stock captured gold in 2021.

Aimed at expanding opportunities for young women in wrestling, DSU Athletic Director, Alecia Shields-Gadson, shared, “Delaware State University (DSU) proudly presents the groundbreaking “All Girls Wrestling Clinic,” a transformative event that champions access and opportunity for aspiring female wrestlers. In collaboration with esteemed organizations such as HBCUW, WLAG, BWA, and D1WW, this clinic aims to empower young women with the skills, confidence, and support needed to thrive in the world of wrestling. Join us as we pave the way for a future where gender barriers crumble, and every girl’s passion for wrestling is nurtured and celebrated.”

Jahi Jones, Executive Director of HBCU Wrestling Initiative, expressed his enthusiasm about the growing interest in girls’ wrestling and the event’s potential. “Girls wrestling is the fastest-growing sport on the high school level,” Jones noted. “I am incredibly excited about the prospect of adding opportunities for women to compete at the highest level while still experiencing the rich cultural offerings that HBCUs provide to their students.”

Further emphasizing the significance of women’s wrestling, Lori Ayres, Founder D1 Women’s Wrestling shared, “The sport of wrestling builds leaders. With over 50,000 high school girls wrestling in the 2022-2023 season, there are plenty of athletes hungry for opportunities on D1 campuses.  It’s a big deal that Delaware State University is opening up its doors like this and they’re smart to do it now A press release from several national wrestling organizations earlier this year stated that women’s wrestling has met the criteria to begin to move from NCAA emerging sports status to championship status. All D1 institutions would be wise to familiarize decision-makers with women’s wrestling. Bravo to Delaware State University for being curious about the sport and its potential for empowering women.”

The clinic is part of a larger vision, and it signifies an important step in creating a vibrant and inclusive wrestling community around campus. DSU, along with its partners, believes that fostering leadership through sports like wrestling contributes to holistic student development and will produce leaders who have the potential to change the trajectory of their families, community, and country for the better. … rest of story at … Flowrestling.org/articles/11156682-delaware-state-hosting-free-all-girls-wrestling-clinic

July 27, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

USA WRESTLING SHATTERS RECORDS WITH 7,134 TOTAL ENTRIES IN THE 2023 USMC JUNIOR/16U NATIONALS IN FARGO

By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling | July 25, 2023,

FARGO, N.D. – The combined USMC Junior and 16U Nationals, hosted in the FargoDome in Fargo, N.D., is recognized as the largest wrestling tournament in the world.

In 2023, not only did the tournament see substantial growth in overall participation, but it also saw growth in five of the six national tournaments included in the week-long competition.

USA Wrestling blitzed the overall record with 7,134 entries this year, blasting through the 7,000 athlete barrier and topping the 2022 record of 6,646 athletes by 488 athletes, a healthy increase of 7.3%.

2023 USMC Junior/16U Nationals entries by tournament
• USMC 16U Women’s Freestyle Nationals: 740
• USMC 16U Men’s Freestyle Nationals: 1,595
• USMC 16U Greco-Roman Nationals: 1,206
• USMC Junior Women’s Freestyle Nationals: 853
• USMC Junior Men’s Freestyle Nationals: 1,596
• USMC Junior Greco-Roman Nationals: 1,144
Total: 7,144 total entries

Of the five tournaments which saw growth in 2023, the 16U Women’s Freestyle Nationals had the most increase, with 222 more entries than last year, which is a whopping 42.8% increase in just one season.

Other tournaments with impressive increases were the 16U Greco-Roman Nationals with 162 more wrestlers and the 16U Men’s Freestyle Nationals, with 159 more entries. Both the Junior Men’s Freestyle Nationals (with 33 more athletes) and the Junior Greco-Roman Nationals (with 3 more athletes) saw growth as well.

The only event which saw a decrease was the Junior Women’s Freestyle Nationals, which went from 944 athletes last year to 853 wrestlers. The main change that impacted this event was the fact that for the first time, the 16U Women’s Nationals and the Junior Women’s Nationals were held at the same time. In the past, many 15- and 16-year old women athletes that were also in high school could compete in both tournaments. This year, almost all of the athletes chose to compete in one of the tournaments. In fact, only three women wrestled in both the 16U and Junior divisions. There were more individual women athletes competing in Fargo this year, even though the total in the Junior division was lower.

2023 USMC Junior/16U Nationals entries, in comparison to 2022 record event
• 16U women’s freestyle: 740 vs. 518 (+ 222 entries)
• 16U men’s freestyle: 1,595 vs. 1,436 (+159 entries)
• 16U Greco-Roman: 1,206 vs. 1,044 (+162 entries)
• Junior women’s freestyle: 853 vs. 944 (- 91 entries)
• Junior men’s freestyle: 1,596 vs. 1,563 (+33 entries)
• Junior Greco-Roman: 1,444 vs. 1,141 (+ 3 entries)

The growth this year came at the 16U level, where there were 543 more entries in the three national events than last year. … rest of story at … Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/July/25/Fargo-participation-records-set

July 27, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment