Women’s College Wrestling Is Changing (Fast)
Here’s what’s happening in women’s college wrestling and what to expect during the 2026-27 season.
This has been one of the most important years in college women’s wrestling. Let’s look at what’s transpired and what we can expect.
And Then There Were 10
Presbyterian kicked things off as the first Division I women’s wrestling program with a December 7, 2017, announcement. Today, there are 10, with Mercyhurst, Iowa State, and Columbia adding in 2026.
Here are the 10 colleges that offer Division I women’s wrestling with the year the program was announced.
Lindenwood started in 2008 but didn’t receive D1 designation until 2022.
| College | Year Announced | Location | Head Coach |
| Presbyterian | 2017 | Clinton, SC | Brian Viutianitis |
| Sacred Heart | 2020 | Fairfield, CT | Paulina Biega |
| Iowa | 2021 | Iowa City, IA | Clarissa Chun |
| Lindenwood | 2022 | St. Charles, MO | Frank Yattoni |
| Lehigh | 2025 | Bethlehem, PA | Brazel Marquez |
| Delaware St. | 2025 | Dover, DE | Kenya Sloan |
| Kent State | 2025 | Kent, OH | Pending |
| Mercyhurst | 2026 | Erie, PA | Alexia Wagner |
| Iowa State | 2026 | Ames, IA | Alli St. John |
| Columbia | 2026 | New York, NY | Emma Randall |
Iowa State Got To Work
The Cyclones begin competition during the 2027-28 season, but new head coach Alli St. John has already built a title contender within weeks of recruiting. She hired former William Penn coaches Jake Kadel and Cash Wilcke, then made a full-court press for top high school, portal, and club talent.
Here’s who Iowa State has (so far).
Jumoke Adekoye, 131, JR, Akure, Nigeria
Two-time NAIA champion (2025-26) for Dickinson State
Molly Allen, 124, SO, Oakland, Iowa
Spent a season with Oklahoma State’s club team
Greta Brus, 145, FR, Blue Grass, Iowa
Flipped her commitment to McKendree
Makennah Craft, 103, SO, Jackson, Ohio
3rd at the 2026 NAIA Championships for Campbellsville … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/16051433-womens-college-wrestling-is-changing-fast?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
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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
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