NCAA Makes Recommendations For Inaugural Women’s Wrestling Championships
The NCAA made its initial suggestions for the inaugural 2026 women’s wrestling championships.
The NCAA has released recommendations for the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. The report is from a March 24, 2025, videoconference.
Although this is not final, the committee suggested that the 2026 NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships include 21 qualifiers per weight (210 total) with a maximum of one qualifier per school. Click here for the full NCAA report.
This starkly contrasts the 2025 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, which included 32 wrestlers per weight (320 total) and a maximum of 15 qualifiers per team.
The committee recommends seven regional tournaments, allowing three wrestlers per region to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
All three Divisions (I, II, and III) currently compete at the NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. Here is the current breakdown of teams per division.
D1: 5
D2: 34
D3: 68
Teams that qualified … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14185493-ncaa-makes-recommendations-for-inaugural-womens-wrestling-championships
2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Duals to return to the UNI-Dome, Jan. 9-10
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced today that the 2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division National Dual Meet Championships, presented by A Better Way Athletics, Capitol Construction, and Defense Soap, will return to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the third consecutive year. The event will take place Friday and Saturday, January 9-10, 2026.
The 2026 edition will feature a record 120 teams across seven divisions of collegiate wrestling. New this year is the addition of an NCAA Division III Women’s bracket. Programs competing in NCAA Division III will now have the option to participate either in the new DIII women’s bracket or the combined NCAA Division I/II women’s division.
“We are pleased to welcome the NWCA back to Cedar Falls for another impactful and exciting event,” said UNI Director of Athletics Megan Franklin. “Wrestling is part of the fabric of Iowa, and the Multi-Division National Duals only adds to the legacy of memories made in the UNI-Dome.”
NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer echoed the excitement, stating, “We are thrilled to bring the nation’s largest dual meet championship back to the UNI-Dome. The National Duals are a true celebration of our sport, with many of these programs having been added over just the past 15 to 20 years.” … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/april/29/2026-nwca-usmc-multi-division-national-duals-to-return-to-the-uni-dome-jan-9-10
Key Change in High School Wrestling Rules Focuses on Reducing Injury Risk
In an effort to minimize risk of injury in high school wrestling, a revision in the leg block or cut-back maneuver was recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 6-8 meeting in Indianapolis.
This revision to Rule 7-1-5n of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book was one of eight changes recommended by the committee – all of which were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
Although the leg block/cut-back maneuver already was an illegal move, the committee added “when leaving the feet and using the foot or leg to ‘cut out’ an opponent’s leg, to include from the rear-standing position.”
Elliot Hopkins, director of sports and student services and editor of the NFHS wrestling rules, said the committee added language about leaving the feet to help ensure that this move is not attempted because of the significant risk of injury.
In other rules changes, near-fall criteria language was added to the Technical Fall section in Rule 5-11. In Rules 5-11-2c and 5-11-4b, the following statement was approved: “If the near fall creates a 15-point advantage, the match shall continue until the near-fall criteria is no longer met. Conclusion of the near-fall criteria is immediate.” … more at … https://www.nfhs.org/articles/key-change-in-high-school-wrestling-rules-focuses-on-reducing-injury-risk/
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 