FCI Staff Writer Sacramento 
fcielitecompetitor.com, fciwomenswrestling2.com, femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com Evgeniia-Shikhaleeva-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-use-
October 26, 2022,
It is well chronicled that competitive female grappling is surging in the United States.
As reported by the industry insiders at teamusa.org, “An Olympic sport for nearly two decades, women’s wrestling has charted explosive growth. The National Wrestling Coaches Association estimates that more than 28,000 high school women wrestled in 2021, compared with just 804 in 1994—an increase of more than 3,300 percent.”
With all of this growth, after graduating from high school, the girls need to explore their careers at the collegiate level and fortunately universities are adding women’s wrestling teams at a very fast pace to meet the growth.
The industry leader teamusa.org adds, “University of Dubuque president Jeffrey Bullock, PhD, has announced the addition of women’s wrestling as a varsity sport beginning 2023-24. UD joins Buena Vista University, Central College, Simpson College, and Wartburg College who have all announced the addition of women’s wrestling in the American Rivers Conference.”
They also share that Women’s Wrestling is the 23rd varsity sport at UD and Iowa is one of 34 states who offer female wrestling in high school.
The American Rivers Conference (ARC) is an NCAA Division III athletic conference.
Previously member teams fielded men’s and women’s teams in cross country, basketball, track and field, golf, soccer, tennis. Men’s teams are field for baseball, football and wrestling. Women’s teams are field for softball and volleyball.
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving championships is an annual invitation held by the conference in which all of the teams that sponsor the sport attend.
We are happy to see women’s wrestling added to that list.
Another industry insider and leader in providing news and information about collegiate women’s wrestling, Flowrestling reported, “The NAIA made waves on April 9 when it announced that women’s wrestling was being added as its 28th championship sport. An NAIA Invitational has taken place since 2019 but this is the first time that women’s wrestling will have an officially-sanctioned collegiate national championship at any level.
As such, the upcoming season will have added significance. This will be the first recognized women’s collegiate wrestling championship, which means history will unfold at this year’s national tournament held in Jamestown, North Dakota, on March 10-11.”
Women’s collegiate wrestling is certainly coming up in the world.
We desire to hear more. Let’s keep the good news rolling. This time we travel to the great state of New Jersey.
On October 7, 2022, at northjersey.com they announce, “Centenary University will soon be the second college in New Jersey with a women’s wrestling program.
The university on Thursday announced plans to launch the D-III program by next year. Recruitment is underway for the program’s first coach and an inaugural roster, university officials said.”
It is great to know more scholarships are becoming available for the girls to compete.
They add that in 2021, New Jersey City University made history by establishing the state’s first collegiate wrestling program for women.
The informative source oskaloosa.com posted, “Further enhancing its reputation of leadership within the NCAA Division III in providing athletics opportunities for women, Central College is adding women’s wrestling as its 21st intercollegiate sport.
Athletics director Eric Van Kley also announced that the college has named former Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association and NAIA national champion Paige Baynes as head coach.”
Very good news indeed.
Central College is a private college located in Pella, Iowa, and affiliated with the Reformed Church in America.
An innovative university, Central College’s 130-acre campus is a few blocks from Pella’s downtown square, two minutes from Iowa’s largest lake and 40 minutes from Des Moines.
Pella’s annual Tulip Festival attracts more than 100,000 visitors each spring.
Central is a residential campus where students can live in dormitories, townhouses, and apartment style “green pods.”
The college was founded in 1853 and has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1942. Central has a student body of approximately 1,100 undergraduates and 73 academic programs.
Are you ready for more important women’s college wrestling news?
Here goes.
U.S. Wrestling Foundation Launches #LetsWrestle Featuring Sports and Hollywood Stars
News provided by
Oct 11, 2022, 09:49 ET
First National Campaign to Increase Participation in Wrestling
SHORT HILLS, N.J., Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, the U.S. Wrestling Foundation, a nationally known non-profit organization, officially launches the first national #LetsWrestle program to help more high school students prepare for success and overcome challenges through the principles of wrestling.
The campaign features prominent and nationally recognized celebrities, who attribute the disciplines learned in wrestling as part of their professional success. Stars from Hollywood, the NFL and other sports, business leaders and scientists, include Tommy Hilfiger, Chris Pratt, NASA astronauts, IndyCar drivers and NFL Super Bowl champions, among others.
Posters of the stars and other recruiting materials are being sent to over 11,000 high school wrestling coaches across the country. The campaign will increase awareness of wrestling and inspire kids to get active after the covid pandemic.
“Wrestling changes lives. It teaches you how to respond to challenges in a positive way,” said Jeff Waters, Chairman of the U.S. Wrestling Foundation.
“The process of wrestling instills the values of courage, hard work, perseverance, and humility. These are the building blocks for success in anything,” said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
“The lessons learned in wrestling translate directly to making better choices and better outcomes in life,” said Bruce Baumgartner, President of USA Wrestling.
“Wrestling is a great precursor to success. It sets the course for life and we want more boys and girls to have that experience, now more than ever,” commented Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Wrestling is currently the sixth most popular boys high school sport and is the fastest growing girls high school sport.
The materials can also be downloaded at WrestlingChangesLives.com.
About the U.S. Wrestling Foundation:
The U.S. Wrestling Foundation is a non-profit coalition of the major wrestling organizations, including USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, along with key supporters and business leaders to drive growth in participation, audience, and sponsorship of wrestling. Learn more: USWrestlingFoundation.org
Media Contact:
Jack Clark
Executive Director, USWF
Jack@USWrestlingFoundation.org
SOURCE U.S. Wrestling Foundation
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OPENING PHOTO fcielitecompetitor.com, fciwomenswrestling2.com, femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com Evgeniia-Shikhaleeva-Shutterstock-photo-credit-Editorial-use-
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2022/October/07/U-of-Dubuque-adds-womens-wrestling
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Rivers_Conference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_College_(Iowa)
https://www.fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
https://fciwomenswrestling.com/
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