Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

New College Wrestling programs

TDR Editor’s Notes; The following programs are just some of the new college teams that will be starting up. So far over 50 new teams have been announced for next season while about 10 teams will be dropped mostly due to schools’ closures. So far over 10 new teams in the following year while 2 teams will be dropped due to a school closure. While most of these schools are far away they are exaamples of the growth in collegiate and scholastic wrestling.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Wrestling Returns To Wittenberg
Wittenberg to Sponsor Donor-Supported Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Programs Starting in 2026-27 School Year
SPRINGFIELD, OH – The last time wrestling singlets were adorned with the iconic Wittenberg logo, the year was 1990, and the majority of Wittenberg’s intercollegiate athletics teams had just started competition in a new league.
Fast forward to 2025 and Wittenberg, which discontinued its wrestling program at the conclusion of the 1989-90 school year, has won more than 130 team championships across a variety of sports as a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). While the league has never sponsored competition in the sport, calls from Wittenberg alumni to bring wrestling back have never ceased.
Those calls have grown louder in recent years until they reached a crescendo this year. A group of wrestling alumni stepped forward to support the University by providing financial backing to not only re-start Wittenberg’s men’s wrestling program but also offer a new women’s wrestling program as well.
“We are deeply grateful to our supportive alumni and friends who, as donors, are allowing us to expand our athletics offerings without requiring additional investments from the University,” said Wittenberg President Christian M.M. Brady, DPhil (Oxon.). “This model preserves our financial future and positions us to offer a program of great interest and an overall excellent academic and educational experience to our current and prospective students.”
Both teams will start competition in the 2026-27 school year, following a year that will be dedicated to recruiting. A search for a new coach is already underway. “We are extremely excited about the reinstatement of our wrestling program, which will include a women’s team,” … more at … https://www.wittenberg.edu/news/07-31-25/wrestling-returns-wittenberg

Women’s Wrestling Coming to St. Ambrose in 2026-27
St. Ambrose University is announcing the addition of a varsity women’s wrestling program, building on its legacy of athletic excellence and opportunities for student-athletes. The team will begin official competition in the 2026–27 academic year, with a head coach to be hired during this academic year to lead recruiting, scheduling, and program development.
“As early as four years ago, we saw the tremendous momentum behind girls’ wrestling at the high school level, especially in Iowa and Illinois,” said Mike Holmes, Director of Athletics at St. Ambrose. “We’ve had our eye on this opportunity ever since, and we’re excited to bring that vision to life for our Ambrosian student-athletes.”
The launch of the women’s program builds upon the university’s strategic facilities plan, which included future expansion when the men’s wrestling program was launched in 2021. The current wrestling facility was constructed with dedicated space for a women’s team, including locker rooms and office space.
The university is applying for the women’s wrestling team to compete in the Heart of America Athletic Conference, the same conference where the men’s wrestling team competes as an affiliate. Adding a women’s team expands opportunities for Ambrosian student-athletes and allows St. Ambrose to further engage in conference-level competition and contribute to the rapid national and regional growth of the sport. “We designed our wrestling facility with this expansion in mind,” … more at … https://www.saubees.com/sports/wwrest/2025-26/releases/20250804g72d65
And …

Mount St. Joseph to Add Women’s Wrestling as 22nd Athletic Team
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Mount St. Joseph University is announcing the addition of women’s wrestling to the Universities athletic programs. The team is slated to begin competition in the fall of 2026 and will increase the total number of athletic teams to 22 at The Mount. 
Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports among high schools across the country and specifically in the state of Ohio. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) sponsored their first state championship in 2024. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the number of female high school wrestlers nationally has exploded 804 in 1994 to more than 50,000 in 2024.
At the collegiate level, women’s wrestling was listed as an “emerging sport” by the NCAA in 2020-21. Since that time the sport has seen tremendous growth at the collegiate level and became the NCAA’s 91st championship level sport in January of 2025. 
The MSJ women’s wrestling program will become the NCAA’s 58th Division III team. It will be the seventh D-III program in the state of Ohio and the first south of Westerville.  … more at … https://msjlions.com/news/2025/8/5/general-mount-st-joseph-to-add-womens-wrestling-as-22nd-athletic-team.aspx

August 12, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

DI graduation rates remain at highest level

Division I student-athletes are graduating at record rates, according to the latest Graduation Success Rate data announced Wednesday. The overall single-cohort rate held steady at 91%, which is the highest rate recorded.  
Figures released Wednesday reflect graduation numbers among student-athletes who entered college in 2017.
Since the implementation of Division I academic reforms initiated over two decades ago — including modifications of initial-eligibility requirements and progress-toward-degree standards, as well as application of the Academic Performance Program — long-term graduation rate increases have been observed overall and across sport and demographic subgroups. 
Since 2002, overall student-athlete GSR has increased from 74% to 91%, with notable increases in diverse student-athlete populations. 
Black student-athlete graduation rates have increased from 56% to 82%. When analyzed by sport, Black Football Bowl Subdivision student-athlete rates have increased from 54% to 82%, and Black men’s basketball student-athlete rates have increased from 46% to 84%. Hispanic/Latino student-athlete rates have increased from 64% to 89%. 
“The increases and record highs in graduation success rates over the last two decades demonstrate the unique talents, abilities and tenacity of college athletes to achieve academic excellence, while performing at the highly competitive level of Division I athletics,” said Robert Davies, president emeritus of Central Michigan and chair of the Division I Committee on Academics. “The Committee on Academics applauds student-athletes for their remarkable achievements and celebrates college educators and campus leaders for their commitment to advancing student-athlete academic success.”
For more than 20 years, significant gains have been demonstrated within all student-athlete sport subgroups.
Baseball student-athlete graduation rates have increased from 66% to 91%. Football Bowl Subdivision rates have increased from 63% to 85%, while Football Championship Subdivision rates have increased from 62% to 80%. Men’s wrestling rates have increased from 61% to 88%. … more at … https://www.ncaa.org/news/2024/11/20/media-center-di-graduation-rates-remain-at-highest-level.aspx

November 24, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , | Leave a comment

Upstart Lindsey Wilson Women’s Wrestling Ready To Take On The Nation

Lindsey Wilson’s women’s wrestling team will test the NAIA’s best during its inaugural season.
The Lindsey Wilson women’s wrestling program is ready to launch. And head coach Devane Dodgens couldn’t be more excited. 
The Columbia, Kentucky-based college competes in the Mid-South Conference and will take on the NAIA’s best. Dodgens has built a team capable of cracking the top 10 in year one.
The Blue Raiders have a few high-profile transfers and top high-school talent to get things started. It took eight months for Dodgens to build a roster of 40 wrestlers — but he wants more.  “Having a first-year women’s wrestling program is a transformative experience,” Dodgens said. “The opportunity to build something from the ground up with support can help build a winning culture and attitude for our ladies and the team. “We want to be the hardest working, best conditioned, most professional, unselfish, toughest, meanest, and funniest team in the NAIA. My vision is to see the program grow to 50-60 ladies who all want to have an enjoyable college experience. As a team, we want to grow as a family.”
Dodgens coached the men’s and women’s teams at Brewton-Parker before assuming the head women’s role at Lindsey Wilson. He was a two-time All-American at Life University, finishing seventh at the 2015 NAIA Championships and third in 2017. 
Leidaly Rivera and India Page are returning NAIA All-Americans,  and Josselinne Campos, Brielle Bibla, Alesandra Burgos, and Sierra Hartfelder are college national qualifiers. Add a handful of nationally ranked high school girls and this team could make some noise. “We want to be in the top five at some point like a lot of great teams in our conference are,” Dodgens said. “We want to bring back national titles and a bunch of All-American honors. As a first-year program, we have to remember two words: temper expectations. We are good on paper but that doesn’t mean anything when we toe the line. We will get what we ultimately work for. “This group is exciting and has a balanced group of youth mixed in with veterans. I am excited to work with such an outstanding group of ladies.”
117 Pounds
Kamilah Brooks, FR — TDR’s Olivia Neal Award winner
— 2024 North Carolina state champion
— 4x state placer
— Ranked 28 in the nation … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/12880074-upstart-lindsey-wilson-womens-wrestling-ready-to-take-on-the-nation

October 15, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , | Leave a comment