NCAA adds women’s wrestling as 91st championship
Sport becomes sixth in Emerging Sports for Women program to reach championship status
The NCAA added women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, providing another athletics opportunity for female athletes to compete. Divisions I, II and III approved the addition at the Association’s annual Convention this week in Nashville, Tennessee.
Women’s wrestling now advances from the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program to become a national collegiate championship, featuring female athletes from all three divisions competing against one another. The NCAA’s first women’s wrestling championship will be in 2026. “We are thrilled that women’s wrestling will be an NCAA sport, making it the 91st championship that we host,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said. “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.”
There were 76 women’s wrestling programs at NCAA schools in 2023-24, with projections pointing to an additional 17 programs in 2024-25. More than 1,200 women wrestlers are competing at NCAA schools today. The sport is also diverse. At least 45% of the student-athletes competing are of diverse or international backgrounds. “This means so much to women’s wrestling and to women’s sports in general,” said University of Iowa student-athlete wrestler and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades. “It gives women’s wrestling recognition and shows that it is important, not just around the world, but also in our country. College sports are huge in the United States. This shows how much women’s wrestling is growing. Since I was a little girl, I dreamed about being an NCAA national wrestling champion. It will fulfill so many little girls’ dreams, including mine.”
USA Wrestling, the national governing body for the sport, and organizations such as Wrestle Like a Girl have steadily supported efforts for an NCAA championship in the sport “USA Wrestling salutes the NCAA leadership for its historic decision to make women’s wrestling its 91st NCAA championships,” said Rich Bender, executive director of USA Wrestling. “Women’s wrestling has been an Olympic sport since 2004 and is the fastest-growing sport for young women in our nation. We thank each of the NCAA institutions which have already added women’s wrestling for their leadership and vision and invite others to consider providing this opportunity. We celebrate today with all of those within wrestling and college athletics who have worked so hard to make this dream a reality,” Bender said.
Sally Roberts, chief executive officer and founder of Wrestle Like a Girl, also shared her excitement. “I am filled with immense pride and gratitude as we celebrate the landmark … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/1/17/national-wrestling-coaches-association-ncaa-adds-womens-wrestling-as-91st-championship.aspx
Top five undefeated as dual season heats up
Manheim, Pennsylvania – The dual meet season kicked into high gear this past week with the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals highlighting the calendar as well as a top-five dual meet in Stillwater. Five teams remain undefeated among Division I men’s wrestling programs and all five are ranked atop the most recent NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll released on Tuesday.
Penn State (7-0) remained the unanimous No. 1 in the poll after a 55-0 win over Michigan State, extending the school’s win streak to 63 straight dual victories. Second-ranked Iowa also improved to 7-0 with a conferences shutout. The Hawkeyes blanked Wisconsin 45-0 in Madison over the weekend. Oklahoma State improved to 8-0 after topping then-No. 5 NC State its first loss of the season 34-3. The dual was slated for Sunday, but travel issues related to the winter storm on the East Coast delayed the Wolfpack’s departure, pushing the dual back to Monday night. The Wolfpack shut out Duke 47-0 to open the weekend.
Ohio State (10-0) remained fourth after a pair of ranked wins. The Buckeyes first beat No. 11 Illinois 24-9 before needing All-American heavyweight Nick Feldman’s win to pull out a 17-15 win at home against No. 16 Rutgers.
Northern Iowa improved to 8-0, sweeping the field at the NWCA Multi-Divisional National Duals at the UNI-Dome. The Panthers dropped just five individual matches on the weekend, earning wins over Sacred Heart, Ohio, Northern Colorado and South Dakota State. The Panthers moved up to No. 5 this week, the highest ranking since February of 2014, when they finished the season ranked fifth.
Nebraska rebounded from last week’s loss to Northern Iowa to upended Minnesota 21-13. The Huskers (6-1) moved up two spots to No. 7, while Minnesota (4-1) slid three spots to No. 8.
Virginia Tech dropped out of the top 10 as the Hokies fell over the weekend to then-No. 25 North Carolina 20-17 in Chapel Hill. North Carolina jumped six spots to No. 19, while the Hokies slid out of the Top 10, falling to No. 11. The upset bug also bit then-No. 9 Michigan, as unranked Maryland beat the Wolverines 19-18 on the second criteria in Ann Arbor. It’s the first time Maryland has beaten a top 10 team since the 2007-08 season That win was also against Michigan.
Despite losing to Ohio State, Illinois moved into the Top 10, partially due to the losses by Michigan and Virginia Tech. The Fighting Illini (7-1) did beat Northwestern 33-7 following the loss to Ohio State and are in the Top 10 for the first time since February 9, 2021.
Cornell also moved into the Top 10 following a 23-19 win over then-No. 19 Lehigh.
The rest of the poll saw considerable shuffling. Ranked head-to-head matchups that impacted this week’s poll included: No. 13 Iowa State beating No. 22 West Virginia 24-18, then-No. 14 South Dakota State defeating then-No. 17 Little Rock 23-13, then-No. 18 Pittsburgh beating then-No. 15 Stanford and West Virginia and Stanford beating then-No. 21 Missouri. … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/1/14/ncaa-division-1-men-top-five-undefeated-as-dual-season-heats-up.aspx
DI Live Streaming Guide (1/22 – 1/26/2025)
Conference dual season is in full swing. It’s crazy to think that there’s only about a month left in the regular season. In January, we’ve settled into a regular schedule, primarily focused on dual competition. A total of 60 duals will be contested.
Since it can be difficult to figure out where and when to watch all of these events, InterMat has put together a list of all of the live-streamed events occurring this week. Below are the dates/times and how to watch each match (with links).
To make this guide even easier to find, we’ve added a link on our homepage and the latest Live Streaming Guide will appear right under the header articles.
All times Eastern
Wednesday, January 22:
Arizona State at Missouri 7:30 PM UFC Fight Pass: CFFC Match Day
Friday, January 24:
Air Force at Presbyterian 11:00 AM ESPN+
Drexel at Bucknell 6:00 PM ESPN+
Bellarmine at Campbell 6:00 PM FloWrestling
Bloomsburg at Cleveland State 6:00 PM FloWrestling
Nebraska at Michigan 6:00 PM Big Ten Network
Penn at Columbia 7:00 PM ESPN+
The Citadel at Davidson 7:00 PM FloWrestling
Virginia Tech at Duke 7:00 PM ACC Network … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/47_streaming-guide/di-live-streaming-guide-122-1262025-r99950/
Huskers Battle No. 1 Penn State in Front of Record Crowd, Fall 31-7
In front of a record crowd of 6,736, the No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team took on No. 1 Penn State on Friday night. Despite two top-five wins, the Huskers fell 31-7 to the Nittany Lions, and to 6-2 (1-1 Big Ten) on the season. PSU improved to 8-0 (2-0 Big Ten) to continue its five-year dual win streak.
No. 4 Ridge Lovett scored bonus points in his first ever matchup against No. 2 Shayne Van Ness, and No. 16 Van Dee took down No. 5 Braeden Davis. The 24-point Husker loss was the smallest margin yet for Penn State’s 2024-25 season, but with three tech. falls and a major decision, PSU notched another Big Ten victory and pushed the series lead to 13-8-1 PSU.
Kicking the dual off at 174 was No. 15 Lenny Pinto, taking on No. 2 Levi Haines. Haines got an early takedown to take a 3-0 lead into the second period. The Nittany Lion got an early escape, and Pinto fired back with a reversal. Late in the third period Haines took back control, scoring with another … more at … https://huskers.com/news/2025/01/18/huskers-battle-no-1-penn-state-in-front-of-record-crowd-fall-31-7
NCAA Women’s Freestyle Wrestling Has Officially Arrived!
The NCAA approves women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, Jason Moorman lands at Tarleton State, and Taina Fernandez takes on the boys.
It has arrived. The NCAA voted to include women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport. For now, Division I, II, and III institutions will compete in the 2026 NCAA Championships.
Click here for the full story about a monumental moment for women’s wrestling.
He’s Baaaaack!
Jason Moorman’s surprise departure from King University on October 18, 2024, sent shockwaves through women’s wrestling. We still don’t know why he left, but we know where he’s going. Moorman has landed in Stephensville, Texas, as the new head women’s wrestling coach for Tarleton State University. The program offers club wrestling with an expected move to NCAA Division I designation.
Click here for the full story on Moorman’s new role.
Women’s Wrestling Weekly: The Show
Episode 11 of Women’s ‘Wrestling Weekly: The Show’ has dropped. Topics covered include:
— 2025 NWCA National Duals recap.
— Will Iowa ever lose?
— Is Life University the second-best team in the country?
— The Anaya Falcon-Paige Morales rivalry continues.
— McKendree’s line-up takes form.
— Katie Gomez makes college debut.
— Scott Beck basks in his rankings glory.
— Can Grand Valley State win three matches against Iowa? … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13496466-ncaa-womens-freestyle-wrestling-has-officially-arrived?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Roanoke Wrestling takes second at Budd Whitehill Duals
The Facts:
Scores: No. 8 Roanoke 26, Springfield 12, No. 5 Wisconsin Eau Claire 31, No. 8 Roanoke 16
Location: Williamsport, Pa., Lycoming College
The Short Story: The Roanoke College wrestling team finished in second place at the 16-team Budd Whitehill Duals Saturday, hosted by Lycoming College. The Maroons, ranked No. 8 this week in dual match rankings by TheOpenMat.com, defeated Springfield College (Mass.) 26-12 before falling 31-16 to No. 5 Wisconsin Eau Claire. Roanoke had gone 3-0 Friday.
Jonah Paulino earned a spot on the all-tournament team at 133 pounds.
How it happened:
*The Maroons won seven of the 10 matches against Springfield and three of the first five bouts against Wisconsin Eau Claire to take a 13-9 lead.
*Jonah Paulino rolled to wins against both teams, one by major decision and one by technical fall.
*Mark Samuel had two technical fall victories at 141 pounds. … more at … https://roanokemaroons.com/news/2025/1/11/roanoke-wrestling-takes-second-at-budd-whitehill-duals.aspx
Army Wrestling Wins Dual at LIU
BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Army West Point Wrestling won eight of 10 bouts in Nassau County Sunday on their way to a convincing 37-6 dual win at the LIU Sharks. The Black Knights improve to 5-1 in dual matches and 2-0 vs. EIWA opponents. Of Army’s eight bout victories, six came in bonus point fashion and two by fall. Two Black Knights— Mason Barvitskie at 149 lbs and Jakob Gilfoil at 184 lbs—made their career dual match debuts. At 133 lbs and 141 lbs respectively, Conor Collins and Richard Treanor wrestled in their first duals of the season.
Gunner Filipowicz at 165 lbs moved to 19-2 overall on the season and 5-1 in duals, while also recording his fifth fall of the season in Army’s opening bout Sunday. LIU never got closer in the team score. At 174 lbs, Dalton Harkins recorded his first EIWA dual action this year and secured a technical fall, his first of the year and seventh bonus point victory.
Wolfgang Frable secured Army’s second fall vs. LIU and his second oval this season at 197 lbs. At heavyweight, Lucas Stoddard made his debut in EIWA action and logged a 10-2 major decision.
Charles Farmer (125 lbs) and Collins (133lbs) made … more at … https://goarmywestpoint.com/news/2025/1/12/wrestling-wins-dual-at-liu
#6 N.C. State Takes Care of Virginia with a 32-4 Score
Charlottesville, Va. – Sixth-ranked NC State wrestling picked up its second conference win Friday night by claiming nine of 10 bouts on Virginia’s home turf. The 32-4 victory makes it the Pack’s 11th consecutive win over the Cavaliers.
Virginia boasts three ranked wrestlers all within the top-30 of their weight classes. NC State was able to defeat two of the three, but the most notable was for Troy Hohman to re-enter the lineup at 133 lbs and take out No. 27 Gable Porter. In the only ranked against ranked matchup of the night, 33rd-ranked Koy Buesgens was able to defeat No. 28 Jack Gioffre by a tight 4-2 score.
The dual started at 125 pounds with Vince Robinson, now ranked third in the country, kicking off the energy for the Pack. He quickly handled business with Virginia’s Anthony Rossi by securing a technical fall in the second period to put the Pack up 5-0.
At 133 pounds, Troy Hohman re-entered the lineup to face one of three members of the Cavaliers ranked nationally. The redshirt-sophomore was able to secure a takedown in the first period over No. 27 Gable Porter that would allow him to hold an edge throughout the rest of the match. With Hohman starting in the down position for the third period, he was able to add another point from an escape to strengthen his lead and hold off his opponent’s attacks … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/1/18/-6-wrestling-takes-care-of-virginia-with-a-32-4-score
Revived Humboldt Wrestling Dominates Simpson in Historic Dual
ARCATA, Calif. – Wrestling returned to Cal Poly Humboldt for the first home dual in 33 years in electric fashion as the Lumberjacks showcased their dominance in a commanding 39-10 victory over Simpson University (Calif.) on Friday night. With a packed house at Lumberjack Arena fueling the energy, the evening was highlighted by thrilling performances, capped by Jayson Victoria’s stunning comeback victory in the 149-pound bout.
Humboldt wasted no time making an impression in the opening match. Caleb Tatad pinned Simpson’s Peyton MacDonald in just 1:11 at 125 pounds, setting the tone for the night. Isaiah Miller (133) and Nathan Aguilar (141) followed with technical falls, showcasing their superior control and technique to extend Humboldt’s lead.
The standout moment of the night came at 149 pounds, where Victoria faced a daunting deficit against Tyler Diaz. With the crowd roaring, Victoria staged an incredible comeback, sealing an 8-7 decision in the final moments. His determination and grit brought the fans to their feet and secured his place as the night’s hero. “This was a special night for Humboldt wrestling,” said Head Coach Lennie Zalesky. “The energy from the fans and alumni paired with the resilience shown by our team, made this return unforgettable.”
Humboldt continued to shine in the middle and upper weights. Cole Zoller edged William Schwertscharf in a tight 3-2 decision at 165 pounds and Abdurrahmann Garner earned decisive victories in their respective weight classes. Garner’s 19-3 technical fall at 197 pounds was another dominant display for the Lumberjacks. … more at … https://humboldtathletics.com/news/2025/1/10/mens-wrestling-wrestling-dominates-simpson-in-historic-dual.aspx
Virginia Duals
No. 13 ISU Defeats Rider, Bucknell at Virginia Duals
HAMPTON, Va. – No. 13 Iowa State (7-3, 2-0 Big 12) recorded a pair of victories over Rider, 30-9, and Bucknell, 28-12, Saturday at the Virginia Duals inside Hampton Coliseum. The Cyclones combined to win 14 of their 20 bouts on the day, including nine by bonus-point margin.
ISU’s 2-0 day completed a perfect eastern road trip that saw the Cyclones defeat No. 22 West Virginia on Wednesday before besting the Broncs (2-6, 0-1 MAC) and Bison (4-4, 2-0 EIWA) Saturday. Iowa State’s 30 dual points against Rider tied for its most in a dual this season (vs. Lock Haven). The Cyclones have won three duals in-a-row, and six of their last seven, since a 1-2 start to the season.
Individually, seven Cyclones had 2-0 days: Kysen Terukina (125), Evan Frost (133), Jacob Frost (141), Paniro Johnson (149), Cody Chittum (157), Evan Bockman (184) and Daniel Herrera (285).
J. Frost had two ranked victories on the day while Chittum improved his team-best winning streak to seven-consecutive matches. After recording his first-career pin Wednesday at West Virginia, Johnson registered his first-career tech fall against a Division I opponent in the dual against Bucknell.
Dual recaps and box scores can be found below.
Up Next
Iowa State is back in action Sunday, Jan. 19 when it hosts the Harold Nichols Cyclone Open in Hilton Coliseum. Action starts at 10 a.m.
No. 13 Iowa State 30, Rider 9
Iowa State defeated Rider, 30-9, in its first dual of the day after taking seven of 10 bouts from the Broncs. The Cyclones won five matches by bonus-point margin, including a pin by 141-pounder Jacob Frost. After Rider started with a decision at 197 pounds, Daniel Herrera got the Cyclones on the board with a 15-2 major decision over Steyn De lange at heavyweight. Herrera tallied three takedowns in the win, in addition to a four-point near fall, but came up short of a technical fall against De lange, who represented South Africa in the Olympics.
No. 19 Kysen Terukina got to his offense early and often in a 20-3 tech fall over Kaden Naame at 125 pounds. The Hawaiian logged five takedowns in the win. At 133 pounds, No. 8 Evan Frost made it back-to-back tech falls for ISU with a commanding 15-0 victory over Nieko Malone which included a pair of four-point turns.
At 141 pounds, No. 15 Jacob Frost reversed No. 24 McKenzie Bell to his back in the third period for … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2025/1/11/wrestling-no-13-isu-defeats-rider-bucknell-at-virginia-duals.aspx
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 