How Do You Earn A Women’s College Wrestling Scholarship?
Five head women’s coaches from different divisions weigh in on how to earn a college scholarship (and a few of the myths behind them).
How do you earn a scholarship to compete in a women’s wrestling program? The answer is more complicated than one might think.
Below are seven general insights from head women’s coaches at the NCAA (DI, II, and III), NAIA, and junior college levels.
1. Every Program Is Different
This seems obvious, but every school has different tuition rates, different coaches, different needs, different scholarship availability, and different internal expectations.
You might be one of the best high school wrestlers in the nation, but a program has two quality wrestlers at a weight, so the timing and scholarship amount might change based on need.
Some schools have different scholarship amounts. Travis Mercado coaches at Colorado Mesa — a Division II program in Grand Junction. He started with half a scholarship for his entire program, but now he’s at six. “Nobody gets a full athletic scholarship,” said Presbyterian coach Brian Vutianitis. “We are all partial. We have 30 girls, so we have six scholarships to host a team of 30.”
Junior colleges have a different athletic scholarship model. They can offer athletic scholarships to 22 LOI (Letter of Intent) wrestlers. Using a fictitious and even number of $100,000 athletic dollars means a junior college can give varying amounts to 22 athletes. One athlete might get $20,000, another $10,000, and another $5,000 — as long as it adds up to $100,000 between a maximum of 22 athletes. “Junior college commitments are only for one year,” Iowa Central coach Zak Hensley said. “All of our athletes have to re-sign if they return. That price can go up. We never like to take money away from kids, but if they’re not the right fit, you can go a different way, even though we never want to do that to a kid. You can go up or down, but it will pretty much go up for our returners.”
2. There Are Myths About Athletic Scholarships
Clout comes from telling everyone you’re on an athletic scholarship, but math teachers around the world are collectively rolling their eyes.
Tuition at college A might be $50,000, and a coach offers a $10,000 athletic scholarship.
Tuition at college B might be $25,000, and a coach offers a $5,000 athletic scholarship.
Option B is offering less money, but you’ll pay double at Option A. You can tell all your friends and family that you received twice as much athletic scholarship money and neglect to tell them you’re paying twice as much in tuition. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14920493-how-do-you-earn-a-womens-college-wrestling-scholarship
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
Knop Making Impact In Sixth Season With NC State Wrestling
Senior Christian Knop waited his turn to crack the NC State lineup, and now he’s ranked #24 nationally at 197 pounds.
Every top-tier college wrestling program, like the current six-time reigning ACC champion NC State Wolfpack, for example, has found numerous recruiting hotbeds across the country. From Pennsylvania to New York to Ohio to Georgia to many other states, NC State casts a wide net to find the best recruits that fit into their #PackMentality.
But the Wolfpack dipped into one state not known for producing All-Americans, one state much more known for football than wrestling — Alabama. Christian Knop joined the Pack in the summer of 2019 from Anniston, Alabama, and has ascended into the Pack’s starting lineup at 197 pounds for his final season of eligibility.
With the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers football programs dominating headlines year-round, Knop took a different route than most to find the wrestling mats when he was growing up. “I saw a flyer one day for an after-school program,” Knop said. “I’m not sure what it was, but it caught my eye. I wanted to try it, but I had to really convince my dad to let me try wrestling. “Once I did, I fell in love with it.”
Knop took the sport quickly and enjoyed a lot of success during his prep career. He was a four-time state champion, the first wrestler in AHSAA history to win four consecutive state titles and to go undefeated in his high school career. In fact, he went 321-0 in high school!
Even while pressured to join his high school’s football team by many coaches, Knop was adamant about sticking to the mat and keeping healthy for wrestling. He was a 2019 NHSCA Senior Nationals champion and 2018 Flo Nationals All-American. But perhaps his most impressive honor, even beating out the numerous high school athletes in that football-dominated state, Knop was named the #1 high school athlete on the AL.com High School 101 list.
During a recent interview, NC State head coach Pat Popolizio even harkened back to the honor for Knop. “That honor speaks to his athleticism and who he is as an overall athlete,” Popolizio said. Knop became familiar with the NC State wrestling program during the 2018 NCAA Championships in Cleveland. That season, NC State brought home its first team trophy with a third-place finish and crowned a national champion in Michael Macchiavello. “I noticed a lot of blue-collar guys that probably were not expected to do much,” Knop said. “I remember watching Tariq (Wilson) and Michel Macchiavello and seeing the success they had that weekend.
“That really drew me to the program. When Mach won the title, I was sold. If he can do that being a small-town guy like I am, then I can do that too.” Knop came to NC State with impressive recruiting rankings as well. He was a top-100 recruit and ranked high at 195 pounds during his senior campaign at Alexandria High School. “I was still pretty small for that weight in high school,” Knop said. “The lifting program here really helped get me to where I am today.” … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/13369327-knop-making-impact-in-sixth-season-with-nc-state-wrestling
This Week in Women’s Collegiate Wrestling (11/19/2024)
Top 3 Takeaways and Highlights
1. All-Star Classic Highlights Top-Ranked Wrestlers from NAIA and NCAA
The 2024 All-Star Classic got kicked off with five matchups between top-ranked athletes from NAIA and NCAA schools, and both conferences walked away with big wins. Starting at 110 lbs, #4 (NCAA) Kendra Ryan of North Central won a close decision against #1 (NAIA) Emma Baertlein of Southern Oregon. North Central then snagged another win when #1 (NCAA) Amani Jones pinned her opponent, #2 (NAIA) Maya Davis of Grand View, a 2x All-American.
The 131-pound matchup was my most anticipated as #1 (NCAA) Victoria Baez Dilone of King took on #1 (NAIA) Carolina Moreno of Southern Oregon. Moreno is a 3x NAIA champion and looked tough in this match, but Baez Dilone hit a huge move to laces early and held on to that lead to win 6-2. I would love to see these two compete again because their styles created a few flurries that could have been big points either way.
The evening finished off with back-to-back pins from the McBryde sisters of Life University against their opponents from King. First, #1 (NAIA) Jamilah McBryde got the quick pin of #2 Aine Drury in just 48 seconds. Her sister Latifah who is also #1 (NAIA) got the fall in just under 4 minutes against #1 (NCAA) Cheyenne Bowman. The McBryde sisters continue to show their dominance and gain notoriety for their impressive performances.
2. Grand Valley State University hosts inaugural home dual
#4 Grand Valley State hosted their first dual at Fieldhouse Arena over the weekend against Northern Michigan. The team reported a crowd of over 580 people for the matchup, following a youth clinic they hosted earlier in the day to coincide with the dual. Northern Michigan unfortunately did not present a full lineup, so there were two forfeits in favor of Grand Valley State. Outside of those matches, the Lakers secured wins in seven, only losing at the 207 lbs match. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/women/this-week-in-womens-collegiate-wrestling-11192024-r99750/
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
Jones, McBryde sisters secure pins in women’s division at NWCA All-Star Classic
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The women’s division at the 2024 NWCA All-Star Classic got the marquee college event off to an explosive start with three pins across the five NCAA versus NAIA themed matchups. Top ranked NCAA wrestler and returning NCWWC champion Amani Jones of North Central struck fast with an inside trip to the back in the opening seconds of her 124-pound bout against Grand View’s Maya Davis. Jones pounced with a claw-ride finish for a pin in 1:20 over the two-time NAIA All American.
Jones is a two-time age-group World medalist for Team USA with bronze medal wins at the 2023 U20 World championships and the 2024 U23 World Championships. The Life duo of Jamilah and Latifah McBryde, both ranked No. 1 in the NAIA ranks, joined Jones with pinning combinations on Saturday evening at Penn State’s famed Rec Hall. It only took 48 seconds for Jamilah McBryde to end things against NCAA No. 2 Aine Drury of King at 145 pounds. Drury went for an over-under body lock toss, and nearly landed it, but McBryde was able float her hips over and wind up on top for the pin.
Latifah McBryde was pushed a little harder by top-ranked NCAA athlete Cheyenne Bowman of King. Bowman took a 4-0 lead just over one minute into the 160-pound contest with a takedown-to-turn sequence. McBryde took the momentum in the back half of period one with a step out and takedown heading into the break. Early in the second period, McBryde went high-flyer off a Bowman single leg to get the pin in 3:40. Earning decision wins were athletes representing the NCAA division … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/november/16/jones-mcbryde-sisters-secure-pins-in-women-s-division-at-nwca-all-star-classic?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
College wrestling notebook: Virginia Tech bests Missouri in top ten matchup, stars shine at NWCA All-Star Classic, Sasso wins in return to action
The third week of the college wrestling season is complete. Fans enjoyed the annual NWCA All-Star Classic that captivated the crowd at the Rec Hall on Penn State’s campus, top-10 dual matchups, and much more. Check out full recaps of the men’s and women’s cards at the All-Star Classic.
Here are a few things to note week three of the college wrestling season.
Dual of the Week
No. 7 Virginia Tech hosted No. 8 Missouri and picked up its first ranked win of the season. The Hokies secured seven victories en route to a 23-10 win over the Tigers at the Cassell Coliseum on Friday night, moving to 2-0 on the season.
No. 7 Virginia Tech – 23, No. 8 Missouri – 10
125 – No. 13 Eddie Ventresca (VT) dec. Gage Walker (Mizzou), 6-5
133 – No. 10 Connor McGonagle (VT) dec. No. 29 Kade Moore (Mizzou), 3-0
141 – No. 18 Sam Latona (VT) dec. No. 13 Josh Edmond (Mizzou), 4-2
149 – No. 1 Caleb Henson (VT) maj. dec. No. 24 Logan Gioffre (Mizzou), 9-0 … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/november/18/college-wrestling-notebook-virginia-tech-bests-missouri-in-top-ten-matchup-stars-shine-at-nwca-all-star-classic-sasso-wins-in-return-to-action
Davidson Wrestling Releases 2024-25 Schedule
DAVIDSON – The Davidson College wrestling team and head coach Nate Carr Jr. have released the 2024-25 schedule. This year’s slate features nine home dual matches, the second annual Davidson Duals and the end-of-year Wildcat Open. “We’re excited to announce this year’s schedule,” said Carr. “Getting the opportunity to be at home for nine home dual matches and also host two home tournaments is a great opportunity for our program to showcase the progress we’ve made.”
The Wildcats begin the season with a pair of tournaments, starting with the Southeast Open in Salem, Va., on Nov. 2 hosted by Virginia Tech. The following weekend, the ‘Cats head to App State for the Mountaineer Invitational on Nov. 9.
Davidson’s first home action will come on Nov. 14 with a doubleheader dual against Belmont Abbey and Saint Andrews starting at 6 p.m. The team then travels to Presbyterian for an early SoCon dual on Nov. 17, then to Duke on Dec. 6. Two more home duals wrap up the 2024 calendar year, as the Wildcats welcome Edinboro on Dec. 8 and American on Dec. 15.
After the new year, Davidson will compete at Chattanooga’s Southern Scuffle on Jan. 4-5 before returning home for four straight events. The second annual Davidson Duals will be held on Jan. 16-17, with the full slate of teams and matches yet to be announced.
On Jan. 24, the wrestling team resumes SoCon action when … more at … https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2024/10/18/wrestling-releases-2024-25-schedule
Randolph College Opens New Wrestling Facility
LYNCHBURG, Va.- On Thursday afternoon, more than 100 people gathered on Bedford Avenue to celebrate the opening of Randolph’s new wrestling facility.
The 4,700-square-foot building will house the women’s and men’s wrestling programs, which are currently in their first year. The facility’s renovation was led by Penny Lane Properties, and the new space includes a practice facility, locker rooms, changing rooms, and offices.
Members of Randolph’s Board of Trustees attended the ribbon cutting, along with faculty, staff, students, representatives from the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, and other community members and leaders. After the ceremony, the facility’s garage doors rose to reveal Wanda WildCat and both wrestling teams while music blared. “It is such an exciting time to be at Randolph College, and we’re happy to partner with the community on projects such as this,” President Sue Ott Rowlands told the gathered crowd. “This athletic facility is the result of much hard work. With Randolph’s recent enrollment growth, it was necessary for us to find additional space to accommodate some of our programs, and this building was the perfect match.”
Both Ott Rowlands and Athletic Director Tom Galbraith spoke about the process of expanding the athletics department with the addition of four new sports over the last two years. “When we talked about wrestling, we ran into one roadblock, and that was a facility,” Galbraith said. “You are now standing in front of the answer to that question. This building not only represents the College’s commitment to wrestling, it represents the College’s commitment to the athletics department as a whole and our nearly 350 student-athletes who call themselves WildCats. Thirty of those this year will be wrestlers.”
Women’s wrestling coach Brooke Richards, men’s wrestling coach Paul Biggs, and two student-athletes also spoke during the event, sharing their enthusiasm for their upcoming seasons.
Megan Lucas, CEO and chief economic development officer of the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, echoed that sentiment in her remarks. “This is my route to and from work every day, and I have been so excited watching this building transform into an amazing athletic center,” Lucas said. … more at … https://randolphwildcats.com/news/2024/10/4/mens-wrestling-randolph-college-opens-new-wrestling-facility.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
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