Mount Olive Women’s Wrestling Sits Third After Day One of NCAA Women’s Wrestling Regional #3
FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. — The University of Mount Olive women’s wrestling team delivered a strong showing on day one of the 2026 NCAA Women’s Wrestling Regional #3, hosted by Emmanuel University on Friday in Franklin Springs, Ga. The Trojans ended the opening day in third place with 62.5 points, placing five wrestlers into the championship semifinals and three into the consolation bracket.
According to the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) team rankings, updated Feb. 12, Presbyterian and King entered the weekend tied for fifth, while Emmanuel stood 10th nationally. After day one of competition, the team standings are as follows:
- Presbyterian – 85 points (10 championship semifinalists)
- Emmanuel (Ga.) – 67 points (6 championship, 3 consolations)
- Mount Olive – 62.5 points (5 championship, 3 consolations)
- King – 55.5 points (6 championship)
- Delaware State – 42 points (3 championship, 4 consolations)
Championship Bracket Performances
At 110 pounds, Katie Simmons opened with a dominant 10–0 technical fall over Aniyah Baker (Huntingdon) before pinning Dusti Casperson (Southern Virginia) in 2:29 during the quarterfinals. Simmons will face Chloe Dearwester of Presbyterian College in the semifinals.
Top-seeded Lilian Prendergast (103) received a first-round bye and then needed just 1:05 to pin Celeste Welch (Newberry) in the quarterfinals. She advances to the semifinals against Rebekah Jean-Baptist of Emmanuel.
At 207 pounds, Zaria Robinson impressed with two quick victories, pinning Riley Stokes (Newberry) in 0:31 and earning a 10–0 technical fall over Allison Gabarrete (Emory & Henry). Robinson will face L.J Peters (Randolph) in the semifinals.
Kaylsee Hill (138) recorded back-to-back falls, pinning Seani Casperson (Southern Virginia) in 2:03 and Aalijah Pineda (Emmanuel) in 5:29. Hill will meet Carina Gianeruso of Presbyterian in the semifinals.
At 180 pounds, second-seeded Journey Land received a first-round bye and then pinned Jehieli Velez (Delaware State) in 2:20 to move into the semifinals, where she will take on Morgan Linton (McDaniel).
Consolation Bracket Highlights
Ahriana Scales (117) rebounded after a quarterfinal loss with a 2:58 pin over Rebekah Kinkade (Allen) and will continue in the consolation bracket against Ariana Carnahan (McDaniel).
At 131 pounds, Bella Murillo opened with a 14–2 technical fall over Nadia Ungurean (Frostburg State), … more at … https://umotrojans.com/news/2026/2/20/womens-wrestling-mount-olive-womens-wrestling-sits-third-after-day-one-of-ncaa-womens-wrestling-regional-3.aspx
App. State Improves to 6-0 in SoCon with Road Win
DAVIDSON, N.C. — Remaining unbeaten in SoCon duals, App State Wrestling started its final road swing of the regular season by taking nine of 10 matches in a 38-3 victory at Davidson on Friday night.
The first-place Mountaineers (9-5, 6-0) wrestle again Sunday at preseason favorite Chattanooga, which is 8-5 overall and 5-1 in SoCon duals, with the lone league setback being a 19-18 loss to The Citadel in a showdown decided by tiebreaking criteria. An 18-all tie in that dual was broken by the fact that the only pin of the night belonged to The Citadel, which fell to 4-1 in the league via a 23-13 loss at App State.
With two SoCon duals left on App State’s schedule, the outcome Sunday in Chattanooga could play a big role in determining if there is one outright champion or co-champions in the regular season race.
App State wrestled seven of its 10 primary starters at Davidson, and redshirt senior Joe Zovistoski earned the first dual win of his career with a 9-4 decision against Josh Lange at 174 pounds.
Making his third career dual appearance after being named a NWCA Scholar All-American last year, Zovistoski took a 3-1 lead by recording a takedown late in the second period and finishing the period on top. Lange followed Zovistoski’s escape to open the third with a tying takedown, but Zovistoski responded with a tiebreaking escape and sealed the match on a takedown shortly thereafter.
Joe Fongaro, a Rutgers transfer in his first year at App State, made his SoCon dual debut and earned his second dual win of the season at 141 pounds, while Kai O’Dell improved to 3-0 in his career as a dual starter.
App State built a 22-0 lead through four matches thanks to two forfeits (at 197 and 125) and a pair of tech falls (from heavyweight Stephan Monchery and Jarvis Little at 133) before Fongaro fired in immediately and recorded a takedown less than five seconds … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2026/2/13/wrestling-improves-to-6-0-in-socon-with-road-win.aspx
No. 7 Hawkeyes Come Back to Defeat No. 10 Michigan, 19-17
The seventh-ranked Iowa wrestling team defeated No. 10 Michigan, 19–17, on Friday night on Mediacom Mat at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The seventh-ranked University of Iowa wrestling team defeated No. 10 Michigan, 19–17, on Friday night on Mediacom Mat at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Iowa and Michigan split the matches 5–5, but Iowa got technical falls at 133 and 165 pounds, which proved to be the difference. “It is important to the team,” said head coach Tom Brands. “Those are five-point wins, each of them. There was never a question like, oh, I’m going to feel it out and see if this guy is going to crack or not. It was foot on the gas, smart wrestling, foot on the gas. They just went out and got the tech fall.”
The Hawkeyes had 18 takedowns to Michigan’s 10 and outscored the Wolverines in total match points, 67–58. With the dual starting at 141 pounds, Kale Petersen was first on the mat for the Hawkeyes, dropping an 11–2 major decision to No. 26 Dylan Ragusin, who used a cradle to secure a takedown in the final 10 seconds and earn bonus points for the Wolverines.
Michigan then extended its lead with an 8–3 decision from No. 15 Lachlan McNeil over No. 19 Ryder Block. Trailing 4–0 in the third period, Block got a takedown with just over a minute left, but a takedown by McNeil with three seconds remaining clinched the bout for the Wolverine.
At 157 pounds, No. 13 Cameron Catrabone made it three straight victories for the Wolverines with a takedown with 32 seconds left in the bout to overcome a 3–2 lead from No. 14 Jordan Williams. No. 3 Michael Caliendo went out in style in his final Carver match as a Hawkeye, using seven takedowns to notch a 21–6 tech. fall over Justin Gates at 165 pounds to get Iowa on the board and cut Michigan’s lead in half.
Michigan won a 6–3 decision in sudden victory at 174 pounds to close out the first half of the dual. A late third-period takedown from No. 11 Beau Mantanona gave him the lead over third-ranked Patrick Kennedy before a stall call made it 3–3 and sent things to overtime, where a takedown after a scramble gave Mantanona the victory. A second straight match went to overtime as Gabe Arnold defeated No. 7 Brock Mantanona, 3–2, in tiebreakers with 10 seconds of riding time at 184 pounds. … more at … https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2026/02/14/no-7-hawkeyes-come-back-to-defeat-no-10-michigan-19-17
IOWA STATE Victories
No. 4 Cyclones Dominate No. 18 West Virginia 32-7
AMES, Iowa – It was all Cyclones in a top-20 Big 12 showdown Friday night at Hilton Coliseum, as No. 4 Iowa State won eight matches to beat No. 18 West Virginia 32-7. It was the eighth-straight win over the Mountaineers, as Iowa State improved to 23-2 all-time against West Virginia.
Iowa State (10-2, 6-1 Big 12) won the takedown battle, 27-5, over the Mountaineers (9-4, 5-3 Big 12).
The Cyclones kicked things off with an upset at 125 pounds, as No. 11 Stevo Poulin beat No. 8 Jett Strickenberger by 14-4 major decision. Poulin was 0-4 all-time against Strickenberger entering the match, but got the best of him thanks to a big opening period. Poulin led 7-1 early after a takedown and four near fall, but Strickenberger cut the lead to 7-4 with a takedown to close the period. A second period takedown, followed by a pair of stall calls in the third led to the major decision. At 133 pounds, No. 19 Gunner Andrick defeated Adrian Meza 5-0.
No. 3 Anthony Echemendia earned the second major decision of the night for the Cyclones at 141 pounds, as he beat Jordan Titus 1-3. Echemendia used a takedown in each of the three periods to pick up his fifth major decision of the season. Echemendia improved to 14-2 on the year with the win, including a 7-2 dual record, while also earning his 50th career victory.
At 149 pounds, No. 11 Jacob Frost used a late escape to seal a 6-5 victory over Willie McDougald. Frost had a takedown in the first period, but gave one up with :36 left to tie the match. The escape with :34 remaining earned Frost his 13th victory of the year, improving to 9-2 in dual matches.
In the match of the night, No. 8 Vinny Zerban knocked off No. 6 Ty Watters 5-2 at 157 pounds. Down 1-0 going into the third period, Zerban escaped to even the match before getting a takedown with :43 remaining to lock up the win.
No. 15 Connor Euton took care of business at 165 pounds, earning a 20-4 technical fall against Sasha Gavronsky in 6:02. Euton led 7-1 after the first period thanks to a takedown and a four-point nearfall. He added two more takedowns in the second period and two in the third for his seventh technical fall of the season.
At 174 pounds, No. 13 MJ Gaitan picked up the second ranked win of the night for the Cyclones, as he … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2026/2/13/wrestling-no-4-cyclones-dominate-no-18-west-virginia-32-7
And …
No. 4 Cyclones Derail No. 15 Panthers, 28-6
AMES, Iowa – No. 4 Iowa State defeated in-state rival No. 15 UNI Sunday night in front of a rowdy Hilton Coliseum crowd. The Cyclones took eight of 10 matches from the Panthers, including the first five of the dual, to come out on top, 28-6.
Iowa State (11-2, 7-1 Big 12) held a 24-8 advantage in takedowns against UNI (10-8, 4-4 Big 12). This marks the first time since the 2003-04 season the Cyclones notched dual victories over both of their in-state rivals, Iowa and UNI.
ISU won three matches via bonus-point margin, including heavyweight Yonger Bastida’s 12th tech fall of the season, tied for the most nationally (James Conway; Franklin & Marshall). Bastida’s last three wins inside of Hilton Coliseum, and seven of his last nine overall, have come via tech fall. Bastida now owns a 95:2 takedown ratio on the season.
No. 11 Stevo Poulin got the Cyclones started with a decisive 4-1 decision against No. 31 Trevor Anderson. After a scoreless first period, Poulin reversed Anderson to start the second period and rode the Panther for the remainder of the period. Poulin also rode Anderson for the entirety of the third period as he amassed well over three minutes of riding time.
In an upset at 133 pounds, Garrett Grice topped No. 22 Julian Farber in a tight match, 5-4. Grice flashed his scrambling ability and turned a Farber attack into a takedown of his own in the opening period. The Cyclone would add a reversal in the final period to cap his first dual appearance of the season after missing much of the year to injury.
No. 3 Anthony Echemendia got out to a big lead against Max Brady at 141 pounds but surrendered a pair of third period takedowns to thwart the tech fall. Nonetheless, Echemendia rolled to a 19-10 major decision over Brady.
No. 11 Jacob Frost notched his fourth ranked win of the season with a commanding 8-2 decision over No. 32 Caleb Rathjen. The Cyclone tallied takedowns in the second and third periods as he improved to 14-4 on the season.
At 157 pounds, No. 8 Vinny Zerban made it five in a row for the Cyclones with a 15-5 major decision over Cael Rahnavardi. Zerban recorded three first-period takedowns, along with a reversal and riding time point in the third, as he improved to 13-3 on the year.
No. 15 Connor Euton dropped a tight match to No. 6 Ryder Downey in overtime, 8-5. Both wrestlers exchanged takedowns in regulation, but it was Downey who prevailed in the extra frame.
In the dual’s marquee matchup at 174 pounds, No. 13 MJ Gaitan won an overtime thriller over No. 12 Jared Simma, 8-5. Simma struck first with a takedown in the opening period before Gaitan responded with one of his own in the second and again … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2026/2/15/wrestling-no-4-cyclones-derail-no-15-panthers-28-6
Cowboy Wrestling Fends Off No. 6 Virginia Tech
STILLWATER – The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team defeated No. 6 Virginia Tech, 19-12, on Sunday afternoon inside Cassell Coliseum.
The Cowboys took six of 10 bouts, with No. 2 Sergio Vega collecting the lone bonus-point win of the dual. The win improves the Cowboys to 14-1, while the loss drops the Hokies to 10-3. Oklahoma State has now won 11 consecutive duals.
In the premier matchup in the country this weekend between two unbeaten freshmen, No. 10 Jax Forrest (133) took on previously unbeaten No. 6 Aaron Seidel in a rematch of the PIAA State Championship bout from a year ago. After a pair of takedowns from Seidel in the first, Forrest rallied to pick up a takedown and four near fall points, giving himself a 9-6 lead that he would not relinquish. Forrest would go on to take a 10-9 win to improve to 9-0 in his collegiate career. The win is Forrest’s first top-10 win of his career.
“It was a crazy match,” Forrest said. “I had to fight through some adversity with the crowd and being down early. I knew I needed a rally, and that’s what I did. Scored some points, got a takedown and some back points, and then rode him out. It was a crazy match, but it all worked out… He’s having a very good year, so I knew I had to find a way to dig deep and come out on top.” With the Cowboys leading the dual 16-12 heading into the final bout of the afternoon, No. 7 Konner Doucet (HWT) slammed the door on a potential Virginia Tech comeback, picking up a 6-1 win. Doucet improved to 13-2 on the season and picked up his sixth ranked win.
No. 2 Vega (141) collected the lone bonus-point win of the dual with an 11-2 major decision victory over VT’s No. 22 Tom Crook. Vega collected his eighth ranked win of the season, tied for the team lead with No. 2 Dee Lockett. Lockett (165) used an early takedown under 10 seconds into the bout to propel himself to an 8-2 victory over No. 33 Mac Church. Lockett and Vega are a combined 27-0 with 16 combined ranked wins.
Other true freshman No. 7 Landon Robideau (157) moved to 13-1 in his young career, after his sixth ranked win of the season. Robideau defeated No. 16 Ethen Miller, 3-2, for his sixth-straight win.
Tied 1-1 late in the third period, No. 7 Alex Facundo (174) picked up the winning takedown … more at … https://okstate.com/news/2026/2/15/cowboy-wrestling-fends-off-no-6-virginia-tech
Taina Fernandez Makes Maryland Wrestling History, Becomes First Female MIAA Champion
Ranked nationally among girls and boys, Fernandez’s dramatic 5-4 championship win powered Spalding to a team title and etched her name alongside Maryland wrestling legends.
Billy Buckheit | Feb 12, 2026
Taina Fernandez discusses strategy with coach Brian Leitzel at the MIAA Championships, where she made history as the tournament’s first female champion. / Trini Navia
Archbishop Spalding’s Taina Fernandez achieved another history making milestone by becoming the first female to win a MIAA Wrestling Tournament Title.
A Historic Night in the Toughest Conference
Traditionally the toughest conference in Maryland. The MIAA is a premier collection of private schools that have a monopoly on the Legacy Wrestling State Rankings with six of the state’s top ranked teams doing their work out the MIAA “A” Conference. “Once I reached the finals, knowing that I would make history if I won, I just tried to block that thought from my mind,” revealed Fernandez. “Although it would sneak its way into my head every now and then, I just keep reminding myself that I’m going to go out there and wrestle to the very best of my ability, just like I do in every other match. “There was extra pressure from that (potential to be first girls champ), especially at first, as I thought about it the days leading up to the tournament. However, I think once the day of the tournament came, I just knew I was going to do my best, regardless of whether it resulted in a win or a loss. Most importantly, I just kept reminding myself of how grateful I was to be able to compete at all, and that I knew my team and coaches had my back through it all.”
Taina Fernandez shows off her Outstanding Wrestler Award and championship Gold Medal after becoming the first female champion at the MIAA Wrestling Tournament. / Trini Navia
More Than a Milestone — A Team Difference-Maker
Fernandez’s Spalding conglomerate is ranked number one in Maryland as is Taina amongst the 140-pound girls in the state and nationally as well for High School on SI. Fernandez is ranked third on the boys list at 138 pounds by Legacy Wrestling in Maryland. The junior’s title winning efforts last Saturday at the Gilman School aided her Cavaliers’ title defense over Mount Saint Joseph, 274.5-266.
Fernandez taking down a St. Joe foe in the finals helped the cause as without that win, the Cavaliers would have fallen to the Gaels, 270.5-270. It was trending towards the top-seeded Fernandez finally suffering a defeat to a boy that was not a teammate as the Cavalier trailed 4-2 with 25 seconds left on the clock. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/maryland/taina-fernandez-makes-maryland-wrestling-history-becomes-first-female-miaa-champion-01kh92zjs75w
NCAA D1 Wrestling Week 15 Roundup: Duals Do Matter
The world’s finest collection of noteworthy happenings from the 15th week of the 2025-26 NCAA D1 wrestling season.
I hope you enjoyed the “Big Game” this weekend. I have to call it the “Big Game” because if I say the words Super Bowl™ the NFL will sue me into oblivion.
Oh no, I’ve just said it! I take it back! I’m sorry NFL, I didn’t mean to! Please don’t destroy me and all those whom I hold dear in a litigious tidal wave of pain and destruction!
Week 14 Rankings | Week 15 Box Scores
Roundups: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14
I guess I’ll just have to cross my fingers and pray Roger Goodell takes mercy on a humble college wrestling blogger.
In the meantime, we’ve got another week’s worth of NCAA D1 action to recap! Here are all the noteworthy happenings from week 15 of the 2025-26 season!
The Dual of the Century of the Week
Mania in Jersey Mike’s Arena: Rutgers Defeats Minnesota for the 1st Time Ever
It was a rapturous evening for wrestling fans on the banks of the Raritan River last Friday. This is exactly the thing people mean when they say “dual meets matter”. Dual meet final scores still have no bearing on a program’s finish at the NCAA Championships, however, the right environment and performance in home duals is what grows a fan base, attracts recruits, and builds the foundation upon which improvements in NCAA Championship results are made.
The Scarlet Knights got command performances from #28 Ayden Smith at 125, Andrew Clark at 149, and #32 Anthony White at 157, where they registered upsets of #8 Jore Volk, #19 Drew Roberts and #15 Charlie Millard, respectively.
Things were still in the balance going into the penultimate bout, as #16 Remy Cotton and #25 Gavin Nelson are very evenly matched 197-pounders. That played out on the mat, as the bout went into suddent victory, where Cotton came up huge with a pinfall and a nine point swing for the home team. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15392598-ncaa-d1-wrestling-week-15-roundup-duals-do-matter
Why is Penn State wrestling, Cael Sanderson more dominant than ever?
Penn State wrestling is still finding ways to outdo itself.
What’s next for the No. 1 team in the nation, the one that somehow appears even more dominant than its two previous record-setting versions?
The Nittany Lions and coach Cael Sanderson, who are well on their way to their 13th national title in the past 15 years, seem to be only distancing themselves further from the rest of the country, including the preeminent Big Ten.
The Lions are in the midst of an NCAA-record 82-match winning streak. They have six No. 1-ranked wrestlers for the first time in history. They’ve stunningly shut out seven opponents this season, another school record.
The top sports dynasty in America? It’s to the point where the biggest question is whether Top 10 opponents, like Nebraska Friday night in the Bryce Jordan Center, will simply score.Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!
When asked recently about they’re ever-growing dominance, Sanderson talked about culture and their long-standing program process. “I mean, we have a special thing going here, right? The kids know that. They see that,” he told reporters last week in State College. “I think I have a pretty good idea of what we’re doing and what we’re not doing. I think, in this era, the NIL era, and all the different motivations to go to different programs, our kids know that they’re coming here because they want to be the best wrestlers they can possibly be.
“I think when we look back, we’ll see that this era has been good to us because we do our best to follow the rules. And we’re going to get the kids that are coming here for the right reasons. Because the kids know, recruits know, parents know.
“Kids are coming here with very high character, wanting to be the best wrestlers in the world.”
How a Penn State wrestling dynasty grows even stronger
Their overall dominance of the sport in the past 15 years is one matter. How they continually find new ways to improve upon themselves is quite another. They certainly own an even deeper roster than the past two teams that broke overall points records at the NCAA Championships. They certainly seem possible of tying or bettering records for most individual finalists (six) and winners (five) at those national championships in Cleveland in late March. … more at … https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/2026/01/27/why-is-penn-state-college-wrestling-cael-sanderson-more-dominant-than-ever/87702514007/
App. State Improves to 4-0 in SoCon with Impressive Takedown of Knights
BOONE, N.C. — Only one team could exit Varsity Gym with an unbeaten SoCon record Monday.
With App State Wrestling putting together its most complete performance of the season in a 30-6 home win against Bellarmine, the same scenario likely will be in play Sunday.
In a delayed-by-a-day matchup of teams with 3-0 league marks, the Mountaineers took eight of 10 matches against Bellarmine, highlighted by impressive victories from a pair of true freshmen (Colt Campbell, Cooper Foster) and Stephan Monchery’s strong finish in a showdown of talented heavyweights.
Next up for App State (7-5, 4-0 SoCon) is a 2 p.m. home dual on Super Bowl Sunday against The Citadel, which will take a 7-6 overall record and 3-0 league mark into a Thursday match at Gardner-Webb.
Campbell won a 17-3 major decision at 174 pounds against redshirt junior Grant O’Dell, who arrived in Boone with a 19-6 record, and Monchery won a 7-3 decision despite giving up a first-period takedown and rideout to graduate student Daulton Mayer, whose 38-20 record (with 25 pins) over the last two seasons included an opening-minute fall last year when Monchery was a true freshman.
Foster, who got caught in a bad position and was pinned in less than 30 seconds Friday at Campbell, bounced back to win a 5-0 decision against Damion Ryan, whose 4-0 record against SoCon opponents this season included a win against the same Campbell wrestler.
Jeremiah Price (7-0 decision at 157 pounds to start the dual), Tomas Brooker (19-4 tech fall at 184), Logan Eller (6-2 decision at 197) and Jarvis Little (4-2 decision at 133) also prevailed before Kaden Keiser ended the dual with a first-period pin of Zac Cowan, who had beaten Keiser a year earlier in the dual at Bellarmine.
App State, Bellarmine and The Citadel began this week as the only teams without a SoCon loss, as the Bulldogs won at Chattanooga on Saturday in a dual decided by criteria (an 18-all tie was broken by the fact that the lone pin of the night belonged to The Citadel).
There doesn’t appear to be much separation between Chattanooga, The Citadel, App State and Bellarmine this season — that was the predicted order of finish in the preseason coaches’ poll, with BU having beaten The Citadel last season in between close losses to App State (23-19) and Chattanooga (16-15).
With that laid out, App State was probably the clear favorite on paper in just two of the 10 matches Monday against Bellarmine (6-5, 3-1). They were supposed to meet Sunday, but the weekend snow in Boone postponed the match until Monday.
The dual was tied at 3-all after Price pitched a shutout and Bellarmine won a 10-5 decision at 165, as Noah Hall quickly followed Anthony Conetta’s tiebreaking takedown in the third period with a reversal and four near fall points.
Campbell gave up a first-period takedown to O’Dell in the next match before producing two near falls during a second-period rideout as a 3-1 deficit turned into a 9-3 lead. Campbell added an escape and a takedown in the third period, finishing on top as three penalty points for stalling from the bottom position increased the margin.
After Brooker had six takedowns at 184, Eller used takedowns in the first and third periods at 197 … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2026/2/2/wrestling-improves-to-4-0-in-socon-with-impressive-takedown-of-knights.aspx
Mercyhurst Adds Women’s Wrestling to Division I Profile
TDR Editor’s Note; WRESTLING CONTINUES TO GROW! In the 2025-2026 season we saw over a dozen new and restarted Men’s College & University teams and 40 new Women’s teams. So far it has been announced we will have 9 new or restarted Men’s College & University teams and over 25 Women’s teams will be started. We hope that these numbers will increase especially on the Division level. The growth in college teams on a national level will inspire an increase of participation of the sport in all younger age group levels.
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ERIE, Pa. — Mercyhurst University is excited to announce the addition of women’s wrestling as a Lakers varsity sport, beginning in the 2026–27 academic year. “Wrestling has deep roots and tremendous popularity in our region, and the growth of women’s wrestling nationally has been incredible to watch,” said Director of Athletics, Joe Spano. “With Mercyhurst’s move to Division I and the NCAA elevating women’s wrestling to full championship status, this is the right opportunity at the right time. Adding women’s wrestling creates another meaningful pathway for young women to compete at the NCAA Division I level.”
The Lakers will compete as a Division I program, making women’s wrestling Mercyhurst’s 31st varsity sport.
Mercyhurst becomes the eighth Division I institution to add women’s wrestling, joining Iowa, Lehigh, Lindenwood, Presbyterian, Sacred Heart, Delaware State, and Kent State.
Mercyhurst will be just the second Division I women’s wrestling program in Pennsylvania, joining Lehigh, which announced the addition of the sport in May 2025. “This is an exciting and historic step for Mercyhurst University,” said Laura Zirkle, Mercyhurst Vice President for Student Life. “Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation and adding it as a Division I program aligns with our mission to expand opportunities for women while competing at the highest level. Mercyhurst has a long tradition of athletic excellence, and women’s wrestling will be a powerful addition to that legacy.”
The establishment of the women’s wrestling program aligns with the sport’s rising prominence nationally. In January 2025, the NCAA officially added women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, elevating it from Emerging Sport status to full championship status and paving the way for its first national championship in 2026. A national search for the program’s inaugural head coach has begun. Interested applicants … More at … https://hurstathletics.com/news/2026/1/28/mercyhurst-adds-womens-wrestling-to-division-i-profile.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
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 