Takedown Report

2023 National High School Girls Wrestling Guide and other girls’ wrestling news

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Inaugural Season Of Girls Varsity Wrestling In Wyoming Was A Success For Sheridan
Regardless if they won a state championship or not, history was made in Wyoming as girls varsity wrestling took to the mat for the first time this season. In the past, girls that wanted to wrestle competed and practiced against boys, but not everyone was ok with that idea. 
Eventually enough schools in the state were able to put a varsity girls team together and before this season started, the Wyoming High School Activities Association gave the sport the green light to begin practice and competition. Becca Oetken of Sheridan ended up winning the state championship in the 235 pound weight class. 
She says she had no experience when the season started, and wanted to try something new, plus inspire other girls to compete. She adds a lot has changed since practice started about 3 months ago. … rest of story at Sheridanmedia.com/news/inaugural-season-of-girls-varsity-wrestling-in-wyoming-was-a-success

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Louisiana HSAA ANNUAL CONVENTION: GIRL’S WRESTLING APPROVED
In a historic move that echoes the national trend, the LHSAA membership voted to establish a division for girls’ wrestling starting in the 2024-25 season. This groundbreaking decision aligns Louisiana with 40 other states that already offer a dedicated division for girls’ wrestling. The move comes as girls’ wrestling has experienced a remarkable 400% increase in participation numbers over the last decade, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). … story at … Lhsaa-annual-convention-girls-wrestling-approved-non-select-select-united

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Oklahoma University Women’s Wrestling Club in the Works
Last week we did a story on the “Cowgirl Wrestling Club”, a grassroots effort by some students at Oklahoma State to establish a wrestling club team with hopes of eventually becoming an official part of the Oklahoma State Athletic Department. This week, we’ve learned that a few students at OU are looking to do something similar. Maureen Manzon, the treasurer of the University of Oklahoma Women’s Wrestling Club wrote the following on the group’s GoFundme. “I hope this message finds you well. My name is Maureen Manzon, and I am reaching out on behalf of Leslea Helm and a group of fourteen determined young women, including myself, at the University of Oklahoma. We all share a collective dream of establishing the Women’s Wrestling Club on our campus. 
Leslea Helm, our passionate leader, is driving this initiative with a vision to create an empowering space for women in wrestling. We’ve launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for essential needs like equipment, uniforms, practice space, coaching, and potential travel costs for competitions. Your contribution, no matter the amount, will be instrumental in turning our dream into reality. It will not only support Leslea and our team in pursuing our passion for wrestling but will also contribute to fostering women’s sports at our university. … story at … https://owrestle.com/womens-wrestling-club-in-the-works-at-ou/

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Why Are High Schoolers Winning College Opens?
High schoolers are winning college opens, Olympic fever is here, and six regionals are set for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships
Carley Ceshker made the wrestling world take notice when she won the 123-pound bracket at the 2022 Midlands Championships as a high school freshman. The Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, native made the 90-minute trip to the prestigious tournament that included a women’s division for the first time.  “Going into the tournament I didn’t know much about Midlands,” Ceshker said. “It was just another tournament. I could feel nerves once I got there but I also didn’t know the girls I was wrestling. I was just going out there and doing what I do. It was a good turnout.” A good turnout might be an understatement. She won three matches including a 7-6 victory over North Central’s Amani Jones and a 31-second fall over Augsburg’s Gabby Skidmore.
Jones is a two-time NCWWC All-American, 2023 national finalist, and 2023 U20 World bronze. Skidmore is a four-time All-American and a 2020 WCWA finalist.  That trend continued this season as multiple high schoolers — including multiple freshmen — are finding success at college opens.  “I think it’s a result of girls being exposed to quality coaching at a younger age than ever before,” North Central coach Joe Norton said. “This is thanks to the growth of girls and women’s wrestling across the country. It’s awesome to see some of the best clubs in America with girls now training there full-time. You didn’t see women in the best clubs five to 10 years ago like you do now. They’re being coached the way freshmen girls in high school were never coached before.” … story at … Flowrestling.org/Why-are-high-schoolers-winning-college-opens

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2023 National High School Girls Wrestling Guide Celebrates Success With Data From Every State
By Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
USA Wrestling’s Girls High School Development Committee has released its 2023 National High School Girls Wrestling Guide to educate and inspire the nation about the explosive growth of girls high school wrestling in our nation. This 122-page online document provides extensive history on the development of girls high school wrestling, as noted on the cover, “compiled and shared in celebration of the growth of girls wrestling across the nation.” This guide is posted on USA Wrestling’s website, and has been provided to all of the major organizations within the wrestling community. People can view the guide in an on-line format, or download a PDF of the entire document. 
The National High School Girls Wrestling Guide
The document was developed by Andrea Yamamoto and Joan Fulp of the USA Wrestling Girls High School Development Committee, with cooperation from numerous stakeholders. It was designed by accomplished graphic artist Victoria Francis, a USA Wrestling Senior World Team member with an extensive career in wrestling.
Included in the document are data from each state in the nation, including a list of 2023 state champions, the NWHOF Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners from the state, a list of college programs in the state, and a participation growth chart for the state in terms of high school wrestling participants and USA Wrestling membership. 
Other sections include information on the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the 2023 U.S. U17 and U20 World Teams, plus extensive national data on girls wrestling on the high school level and within USA Wrestling. “Gratitude and Celebration are at the center of our vision for the 2023 USAW National Girls HS Wrestling Guide. … story at … NWHOF.org/2023-national-high-school-girls-wrestling-guide-celebrates-success-with-data-from-every-state

February 6, 2024 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized