Tickets on sale on January 22 for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
22 JANUARY 2024 - CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday, January 22 at 10:00 a.m. CT for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC), the annual national championships for NCAA women’s wrestling programs. The NCWWC will be held at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 8-9, 2024.
Coalition leaders react to NCAA announcement that women’s wrestling is
“on track for championship consideration”
23 OCTOBER 2023 - WASHINGTON, DC - A major milestone for women’s wrestling was achieved this past week, with the announcement from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) that women’s wrestling is “on track for championship consideration.”
WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL TO LEAD US DEPARTMENT OF STATE SPORTS DIPLOMACY EXCHANGE BETWEEN US AND MONGOLIA
20 JANUARY 2023 - WASHINGTON, DC – Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that it will lead the 2023 US State Department Sports Diplomacy Division’s International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) US/Mongolia sports exchange. This exchange program is a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of State , the US Embassy in Mongolia, Women Win, Mongolia’s Rebel Grappling, and Wrestle Like A Girl to utilize the incredible power of sport to champion solutions for social progress and inclusion.
Upper Iowa to Add Women’s Wrestling
Upper Iowa University announced on Wednesday, Dec. 28 that the Peacock Athletics Department will be adding women's wrestling in a shift of the department's women's sport offerings. UIU will remain at 23 intercollegiate sports including eleven women's sports, ten men's sports and two mixed gender sports. The women's wrestling program will begin competition in the fall of 2024.
Wrestle Like A Girl Announces The Inaugural Adrienne Arsht Leadership Award Donna de Varona as the first recipient
28 SEPTEMBER 2022 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wrestle Like A Girl will present the Inaugural Adrienne Arsht Leadership Award at the 6th Annual Wrestle Like A Girl Gala at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. at the National Portrait Gallery on October 11, 2022.
The Adrienne Arsht Inaugural Leadership Award was established in 2022, in honor of business leader and impact philanthropist, Adrienne Arsht. This award recognizes a person who, over time, has personified extraordinary leadership under challenging circumstances. The 2022 Adrienne Arsht Leadership Award will be presented to Donna de Varona. Her leadership in sport, media, and advocacy initiatives amplifies girls' and women’s sporting chances across the globe
U.S. Embassy Sponsors American Wrestling Envoys visit to Azerbaijan
26 SEPTEMBER 2022 - BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - The United States Embassy in Azerbaijan is pleased to sponsor the visit of the American Wrestling Envoys John Smith & Sally Roberts visit to Azerbaijan from September 25 to October 3, 2022. This program is under the U.S. Department of State’s Sports Envoy Program and in partnership with the Azerbaijan Wrestling Federation and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports.
While in Azerbaijan, the American coaches will engage youth in a dialogue on the importance of leadership and respect for diversity through presentations. The envoys will teach about how sports help develop leadership skills, which empower career success and art of positive coaching.
2022 Congressional Wrestling Caucus Breakfast & Girls Wrestling Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill
9 SEPTEMBER 2022 - CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wrestle Like A Girl, led by Team USA bronze medalist, Sally Roberts, is hosting the 2022 Congressional Wrestling Caucus + Girls Wrestling Advocacy Day on Capitol Hill on September 21, 2022.
Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) is celebrating 50 years of Title IX by leading an initiative to empower girls and women using the sport of wrestling. WLAG will be guiding a delegation of over 140 girls from key states, as they use their voices to advocate for increased support and opportunities in sports in their home states.
Wrestle Like A Girl Announces Appointment of Two New Board Members, Nate Ackerman and Kerry McCoy
6 JULY 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC - WLAG announced the appointment of Nathaneal (Nate) Ackerman, a British-American mathematician, and Kerry McCoy, Executive Director and Head Coach, as directors to its Board of Trustees.
“Nate and Kerry’s leadership and deep industry knowledge and experience will be immensely valuable in supporting WLAG’s ongoing growth,” said Sally Roberts, CEO of WLAG. “Their strategic input and guidance will be a powerful asset as we continue to advocate for and expand the opportunities and access for girls and women’s wrestling worldwide.”
WHSAA sanctioning was a long time coming for girls wrestling
27 APRIL 2022 - CHEYENNE, WY - There are enough schools that have said they’ll sponsor girls wrestling that it was approved for sanctioning by the Wyoming High School Activities Association board of directors Wednesday.
The sport will start with the 2022-23 season. A committee will iron out the details about the format of the regular season and postseason, WHSAA associate commissioner Trevor Wilson confirmed in a text to WyoSports on Wednesday afternoon.
NCHSAA Sanctions GIRLS WRESTLING
27 APRIL 2022 - DURHAN, NC - For the first time since lacrosse was sanctioned as a sport in 2010, there will be a newly sanctioned sport for N.C. High School Athletic Association-member schools in the coming years.
In a unanimous vote on Wednesday morning, the NCHSAA Board of Directors approved a proposal from the N.C. Wrestling Coaches Association to sanction girls wrestling as a sport in North Carolina. Girls wrestling will become a sanctioned sport for the 2023-2024 season.
WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF DAN HYMAN TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
13 APRIL 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC – Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) is pleased to announce that Dan Hyman was elected to the Board of Trustees, effective immediately.
Dan has nearly twenty years of investment experience and now serves as Managing Director and portfolio manager at PIMCO, one of the world’s premier fixed income investment managers. Dan wrestled for Arizona State University and Lehigh University, where he became the 2002 Eastern Intercollegiate
Wrestling Association Champion.
OLYMPIAN HELEN MAROULIS ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL
23 MARCH 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC - Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) is pleased to announce that Olympian and three-time World Champion Ms. Helen Maroulis was elected to the Board of Trustees.
In 2016, Ms. Maroulis became the first-ever American woman to win Olympic gold in freestyle wrestling. Her path back to the 2021 Toyko Olympics was made more difficult by a pair of concussions suffered in 2018 and a grueling experience with PTSD. Despite the long odds, Ms. Maroulis preserved and earned a bronze medal.
ALASKA GIRLS WRESTLE TO HOST A WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL EMPOWERMENT CAMP FOR 64 GIRL WRESTLERS ACROSS 20 ALASKAN COMMUNITIES
9 MARCH 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC – Alaska Girls Wrestle (AGW) will host a Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) Empowerment Camp for 64 girls across 20 Alaskan communities in PALMER, AK. The aim is to support the intentional growth of girls wrestling in Alaska, along with the leadership development of Alaska’s next generation of wrestlers.
EMILY SHILSON ANNOUNCED AS A
WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL BRAND AMBASSADOR
23 FEBRUARY 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC – Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Emily Shilson is a 2022 Brand Ambassador. Shilson, a Junior at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN, has had stellar success at both the collegiate and international levels. During the 2019-20 and 2020-21 college seasons, Shilson won three collegiate national titles. The first was the WCWA National Championship and the next two have been the Cliff Keen/NWCA NCWWC (NCAA) National titles.
ALAN MELTZER ELECTED TO WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
8 FEBRUARY 2022 - WASHINGTON, DC – Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Mr. Alan Meltzer was elected to the Board of Trustees. Mr. Meltzer is the Founder of The Meltzer Group, a highly successful insurance agency that was sold to NFP, and now serves as CEO of NFP/The Meltzer Group. Mr. Meltzer’s strong core values and work ethic were the driving forces behind the company’s exponential growth and continue to be cornerstones of the company’s ethos.
Alma College's athletics department will add women's wrestling as the 28th varsity sport at the start of the 2022-23 academic year.
8 DECEMBER 2021 - Alma, MI - Alma College's athletics department will add women's wrestling as the 28th varsity sport at the start of the 2022-23 academic year. The women's wrestling program will begin as a club sport in 2022-23 and transition to a varsity sponsored sport in 2023-24.
"We are thrilled to announce the addition of women's wrestling," Athletics Director Sarah Dehring said.
Wrestle Like a Girl Co-Founders Running Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim
1 OCTOBER 2021 - Grand Canyon National Park, AZ - In support of the She Can Wrestle campaign, Wrestle Like a Girl co-founders Sally Roberts and Amy Zirneklis are preparing to take on one of ultrarunning’s greatest challenges: running the Grand Canyon from Rim to Rim in one day.
Chadron State College adds Women’s Wrestling
17 JUNE 2021 - Chadron, NB. - Following approval from the Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees, Chadron State College has officially added women's wrestling to its athletics' program. With women's wrestling, the first such collegiate program in Nebraska, CSC will sponsor 14 sports. Women's wrestling, a winter sport, will begin competition in 2021. A search for a head coach is underway.
MSHSL ADDS GIRLS WRESTLING
11 MAY 2021 - Minneapolis, MN - The Minnesota State High School League on Tuesday voted to approve adding girls wrestling as a varsity sport in the 2021-22 season…
MHSAA Approves girls wrestling
6 MAY 2021 - EAST LANSING, Michigan - The addition of a girls division to the Individual Wrestling Tournament series and approval of a common start date for all Fall sports highlighted actions taken by the Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association during its annual Spring Meeting on May 3.
MOLLY CULHANE ELECTED TO WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
3 MAY 2021 - Washington, DC – Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Molly Culhane was elected to the Board of Trustees and will serve as Treasurer. Ms. Culhane, Senior Vice President and Mid-Atlantic Director for Amalgamated Bank is the co-founder of the Bank’s political banking sector. As the head of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Ms. Culhane has managed the largest commercial deposit growth experienced by a region of the bank in its entire 98-year history.
NICHOLAS STONESTREET ELECTED TO WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
14 APRIL 2021 - Washington, DC - Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Mr. Nicholas Stonestreet was elected to the board of trustees. Mr. Stonestreet, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for Thrivent Trust Company, is active in developing the company’s strategic initiatives, oversees the overall management of the organization and its divisions, and leads the board in providing governance and direction.
NDHSAA Approves girls wrestling.
30 MARCH 2021 - Valley City, ND - The North Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors met in person on Tuesday, March 30. The Board of Directors voted to approve the sanctioning of girls wrestling as a NDHSAA-sponsored sport starting in the 2021-22 school year.
PENNSYLVANIA DESIGNATES MARCH 21 “GIRLS WRESTLING DAY”
19 MARCH 2021 - Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania General Assembly named March 21, 2021 “Pennsylvania Girls' Wrestling Day" and recognized the efforts of Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG), and the SanctionPA Taskforce in helping to establish girls' wrestling as a sanctioned sport by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA).
COACHING BEST PRACTICES LAUNCHES
1 DECEMBER 2020 - Collective coaching knowledge provides resources for those new to coaching female wrestlers
mason and page to wrestle at nlwc
21 NOVEMBER 2020 - Penn State College, PA - Mason and Page to face off as only women’s match at NLWC on Nov. 24th
FRIENDS UNIVERSITY ADDS women’s & men’s WRESTLING, MEN'S GOLF
6 OCTOBER 2020 - Wichita, KS - Friends University has announced the addition of Men's and Women's Wrestling and Men's Golf to the list of sports the athletic department offers starting in the Fall semester of the 2021 season.
Lmu adds women’s and men’s wrestling as dII
24 SEPTEMBER 2020 - Harrogate, TN - Lincoln Memorial University will be adding field hockey and men's and women's wrestling to its athletics portfolio beginning in 2021-22.
Sacred Heart First In New England with NCAA D1 Women’s Wrestling
21 SEPTEMBER 2020 - Fairfield, CT - The Sacred Heart University Pioneers will set a regional precedent with the launch of an NCAA Division I women's wrestling team.
NICOLE KELSEY ELECTED TO WLAG BOARD OF TRUSTEES
21 SEPTEMBER 2020 - Washington DC - Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Ms. Nicole Kelsey was elected to the Board of Trustees and will serve as Secretary.
Alvernia university Announces Addition Of women’s wrestling
3 AUGUST 2020 - Reading, PA - Alvernia will add Esports beginning in the 2021-22 school year and add Women's Wrestling and Men's Ice Hockey in the 2022-23 school year.
Women’s collegiate wrestling festival
22 JULY 2020 - Washington, DC - Wrestle Like A Girl to host Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Festival to educate prospective wrestlers and parents the current and future landscape of collegiate women’s wrestling.
NIAA APPROVES GIRLS WRESTLING INVITATIONAL
29 JUNE 2020 - Nevada - The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA), in its recent Board of Control meeting, approved a Girls Wrestling Invitational to be held alongside its Boys State Wrestling Championships, beginning next season.
Wiaa board approves girls wrestling
24 JUNE 2020 - Stevens Point, WI - The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Board of Control reviewed and acted on coaches committee recommendations impacting winter sports–including the addition of an individual State Tournament Series for girls wrestling in 2022–and other rule and budget considerations in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, at its June virtual meeting today.
Albion College ADDS WOMEN’S AND MEN’S WRESTLING
24 JUNE 2020 - Albion, MI - Albion College Athletic Department will bring back men's wrestling after a more than 40-year absence as well as add women's wrestling and esports. Competition to begin 2021-22.
Women’s Wrestling IS ADDED TO NCAA EMERGING SPORTS FOR WOMEN PROGRAM
17 JUNE 2020 - NCAA - Acrobatics and tumbling and women’s wrestling will be added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in Division I, the Division I Council decided Wednesday.
Illinois adds girls state championship
16 JUNE 2020 - Illinois - The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board approved a recommendation to begin an Individual Girls Wrestling State Series beginning in the 2021-22 school year.
Florida sanctions HS Girls wrestling
9 JUNE 2020 - Orlando, FL - “Girls wrestling will be an official FHSAA-sanctioned sport beginning in the 2021-22 season.”
#sanctionoh launches
8 JUNE 2020 - Ohio - Campaign to Sanction High School Girls Wrestling in Ohio Launches.
William Jewell College ADDS WOMEN’S WRESTLING
1 JUNE 2020 - Liberty, Missouri -William Jewell to Add Women’s Wrestling, Reinstate Men’s Wrestling beginning in 2021-2022.
USAW OFFERS FREE EDITION OF MAGAZINE
21 MAY 2020 - Colorado Springs, CO -USA Wrestling provides free Bonus Digital Edition of USA Wrestler magazine to the wrestling community
LISA FLANARY ELECTED TO WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
1 MAY 2020 - Washington, D.C. - Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) announced today that Ms. Lisa Flanary was elected to the board of trustees.
St. Andrews University adds women’s wrestling
25 APRIL 2020 - Laurinburg, NC - The NAIA Knights will be bringing Women's Wrestling and Women's Beach Volleyball to Laurinburg.
South Dakota Sanctions Girls wrestling
22 APRIL 2020 - RAPID CITY, SD - SDHSAA approves adding girls’ wrestling.
Oklahoma Adds girls state championship
20 APRIL 2020 - OKLAHOMA - OSSAA board approves addition of girls wrestling division at state championships fo 2020-21 season.
Campaign to Sanction High School Girls Wrestling in
Alabama Launches
9 APRIL 2020 - MONTGOMERY, AL - The Alabama Girls High School Wrestling Task Force announces the launch of SanctionAL, a grassroots effort to work towards getting high school girls wrestling approved as a sanctioned sport in Alabama.
Augustana college to add WOMEN'S WRESTLING IN 2021-22
2 APRIL 2020 - ROCK ISLAND, IL - The addition of women is wrestling pushes to 26, the number of intercollegiate varsity sports offered by Augustana. This will give the Vikings 13 women's sports and 13 men's sports.
Aurora University to add Women’s Wrestling
27 MAR. 2020 - AURORA, IL - The Spartan wrestling program's will begin in the 2021-2022 season and become AU's 23rd and 24th collegiate sport.
Campaign to Sanction High School Girls Wrestling in
Pennsylvania Launches
4 MAR. 2020 - Harrisburg, PA The Pennsylvania Girls High School Wrestling Task Force announces the launch of SanctionPA, a grassroots effort to work towards getting high school girls wrestling approved as a sanctioned sport in Pennsylvania.
ADELINE GRAY TO TRAIN WITH THE CALIFORNIA RTC AT STANFORD UNIVERSITY IN PREPARATION FOR TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS
25 FEB. 2020 - STANFORD, CA - Five-time Senior World Champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic hopeful wrestler, Adeline Gray will supplement her training at the California Regional Training Center (“CRTC”) alongside Stanford’s Men’s Wrestling program and the guidance of Assistant Coach Mr. Nate Engel.
NMU ADDS WOMEN’S WRESTLING
14 FEB. 2020 - MARQUETTE, MI The Northern Michigan University Board of Trustees approved Friday (Feb. 14) the recommendation for the NMU Department of Athletics to begin a women's wrestling program.
Greensboro College to Offer Women’s Wrestling
14 FEB. 2020 - GREENSBORO, NC Greensboro College Becomes First College in North Carolina to Offer Women’s Wrestling as a Varsity Intercollegiate Sport
U of O Adds Women’s Wrestling
10 FEB. 2020 - Clarksville, Ark. University of the Ozarks will launch a women's wrestling program beginning the 2020-21 academic year, Eagles Athletic Director Jimmy Clark announced today.
The program will be a club sport for the 2020-21 year and will move to an NCAA Division III varsity intercollegiate program starting in the fall of 2021, according to Clark. The new team will expand Ozarks' varsity sports offerings to 21 intercollegiate programs.
WCWC launches #ThankYouMonth
5 FEB. 2020 - USA, The Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Coalition (WCWC) is launching #ThankYouMonth tomorrow, Wednesday, February 5, 2020, on National Girls and Women in Sports Day (#NGWSD).
NCAA VOTES YES FOR FULL EMERGING SPORT STATUS
25 JAN. 2020 - ANAHEIM, CA The NCAA vote yes on Full Emerging Sport Status for Women’s Wrestling.
Trine university to add women’s wrestling
17 Jan. 2020 - The program located in Angola, Indiana will begin competition in the 2020-21 season.
MARYANN BRUCE IS INCOMING CHAIR OF WRESTLE LIKE A GIRL'S BOARD OF TRUSTEES
10 Jan. 2020 - Maryann Bruce, an experienced corporate director and former Fortune 100 Division President & CEO with expertise in strategy, sales and marketing, and new product development, will be the Chair of Wrestle Like A Girl’s Board of Trustees starting in January 2020.
Hiram College Athletics to add Women’s and men’s Wrestling Programs
10 Jan. 2020 - The NCAA Division III institution is scheduled to begin women’s wrestling competition in the 2021-22 academic year.
Emory & Henry To Add Women’s and men’s Wrestling
9 Jan. 2020 - Competition will begin competition during the 2020-21 academic year.
inaugural NCAA Women’s Nationals at Adrian
16 Dec. 2019 - Inaugural Cliff Keen National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships set for Adrian College in Michigan, March 6-7, featuring NCAA women’s wrestling programs
CIAC Creating Girls Wrestling Invitational Tournament
18 Nov. 2019 - CIAC will host a Girls Wrestling Invitational Tournament in conjunction with the CIAC Wrestling State Open February 28-29 at the Floyd Little Center in New Haven
Leigh jaynes named Head Women's Wrestling Coach for delval university
13 Nov. 2019 - 2015 World Bronze Medalist Leigh Jaynes has been named the upstart Aggies' women's wrestling program as the first full-time head wrestling coach.
Siena Heights University Adds Women’s Wrestling
2019 Sept. 27- The NAIA Saints will be starting competition in 2020 with a full program scheduled for 2021.
LINCOLN COLLEGE Adds Women’s Wrestling
2019 Sept. 26 - The Lincoln College Athletic Department will be adding Women’s Wrestling and Archery for the 2020-2021 season.
Concordia University (WI) Adds Women’s Wrestling
2019 Sept. 19 - Concordia University Wisconsin adds Women’s Wrestling for 20-21 academic year
Julia salata - WLAG’s Latest Team Member
2019 Sept. 13 - Julia Salata Named Wrestle Like A Girl’s Collegiate Initiatives Program Manager
Ohio gets a 2019-2020 state tournament
OHSWCA to sponsor Girls State Wrestling Tournament in 2019-2020 season.
nWCA ON THE NEXT STEPS FOR RECOMMENDED NCAA ESS
The NWCA includes the next steps in moving the recommendation of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics to make Wrestling an official emerging sport.
Having the committee recommend emerging sport status is the first goal in the process. And the administrators are most thankful for all the hard work the affiliates put in to get it to this point.
Next comes the behind the scenes lobbying for approval by the member institutions.
The attached Press Release indicates the plan the members hope will bring success to the movement so that by August 2020 women’s wrestling will be an official emerging sport with the NCAA.
New Mexico is sanctioned!
June 13, 2019
NCAA RECOMMENDS EMERGING SPORTS STATUS FOR WOMEN'S WRESTLING
For Immediate Release, 3 June 2019
Wrestling community applauds NCAA Committee for Women’s Athletics decision recommending women’s wrestling for Emerging Sports Status
For immediate release, June 2, 2019 10:30 a.m. ET
Wrestling community applauds NCAA Committee for Women’s Athletics decision recommending women’s wrestling for Emerging Sports Status
The U.S. wrestling community, including its leading organizations, is celebrating today’s announcement from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) concerning women’s wrestling.
The NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) has “recommended that all three divisions of the NCAA governance structure add women’s wrestling as an NCAA emerging sport, effective August 1, 2020.”
Each NCAA division (Division I, Division II and Division III) will address this recommendation separately, and will determine independently if women’s wrestling is added to the division’s Emerging Sports list.
Beginning in August 2017, a coalition of wrestling organizations, including Wrestle Like A Girl, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and expanding to include the National Collegiate Wrestling Association, worked together to submit an application to the NCAA CWA for women’s wrestling to attain Emerging Sport Status. All of the national leaders in wrestling have supported this effort and supplied information for the bid that was sent to the NCAA CWA, in compliance with all of the requirements of Emerging Sport Status.
The wrestling community applauds and thanks the NCAA’s Committee for Women’s Athletics for its governance and vision in reviewing the women’s wrestling application and recommending wrestling for NCAA Emerging Sport Status.
The wrestling community celebrates the role Title IX has played in developing women’s wrestling opportunities, and pledges to continue to build the sport with that spirit of inclusion until it achieves official Championship status within the NCAA, and thereafter.
“This is a great day for wrestling. The recommendation from the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics could impact the lives of thousands of women student-athlete wrestlers for generations to come. We thank the efforts of all the wrestling organizations who have led the charge seeking Emerging Sport Status. USA Wrestling is fully committed to supporting wrestling for women and girls at all levels and is excited about the future. We are encouraged by today’s decision, and fully expect it to help accelerate the growth of women’s wrestling,” said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling.
“The NWCA is eternally grateful for all of the collaborative efforts between the wrestling community and the NCAA to make this day possible. This is a great day for countless young women across the nation who are one step closer to having access to an NCAA championship for women’s wrestling,” said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
“Wrestle Like A Girl and its national partners share in the glory of the women’s wrestling recommendation to the NCAA Div. I, II, and III Committees for Emerging Sports Status. Collaborating with state high school athletic associations and the Olympic movement, and powered by Title IX, thousands of women will now have access to the NCAA’s annual pool of $2.9 billion in athletic scholarships providing powerful sports experiences and educational opportunities. Wrestling, as a one-on-one contact sport, uniquely teaches women agency over space, voice and body. We are proud to be a leading voice for equality in the sport of wrestling, and at-large,” said Sally Roberts, two-time World Bronze medalist, combat veteran and founder of Wrestle Like A Girl.”
“The National Wrestling Hall of Fame fully supports Emerging Sports status for women’s wrestling and takes great pride in sharing the message that wrestling does not discriminate based on gender, size, ethnicity or physical limitations and it is truly a ‘Sport For All’ and ‘Any BODY Can Wrestle’,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “We look forward to welcoming many more females into the Hall of Fame as women’s wrestling continues to grow as a result of this decision.”
“The NCWA is proud to have been a small part of this collaborative effort to provide women the inclusive opportunity to compete at the highest levels in college sport through the NCAA. With this outstanding victory for wrestling we remain committed in our efforts to the expansion of wrestling opportunities to student athletes at all levels,” said Jim Giunta, Executive Director of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association.
Currently, there are 23 NCAA programs (varsity or club) that have met the qualifications to be included in the NCAA ESS bid, with a minimum roster size of six, and a competition schedule with at least five contests. An additional 13 NCAA programs are scheduled to add women’s wrestling for the upcoming 2020 or 2021 competition season. In addition, dozens of women’s wrestling clubs have been established on other NCAA-affiliated campuses and are working towards increasing their rosters and competition schedules.
Current varsity or club programs that have met the minimum requirement of a roster size of 6, and 5-contest competition schedule include: Adrian College, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado State University, Dixie State University, Emmanuel College, Ferrum College, Gannon University, King University, Lakeland University, Liberty University, Lindenwood University, MacMurray College, McKendree University, Pacific Lutheran University, Pacific University, Presbyterian College, Simon Fraser University, Tiffin University, Schreiner University, University of Houston, Fresno State University, and University of Texas – Arlington, Texas A&M.
NCAA programs that are adding women’s wrestling for the upcoming seasons, as of May 30, 2019:
1. Alderson Broaddus University 2019–2020 (Div. II)
2. Augsburg University 2019-20 (Div. III)
3. Davenport University 2020–2021 (Div. II)
4. Delaware Valley University 2019–2020 (Div. III)
5. East Stroudsburg University 2019–2010 (Div. II)
6. Fontbonne University 2019-2020 (Div. III)
7. Iowa Wesleyan University 2020-2021 (Div. III)
8. Limestone College 2019–2020 (Div. II)
9. Lock Haven University 2019-20 (Div. II)
10. New Jersey City University 2020-21 (Div. III)
11. North Central College 2019–2020 (Div. III)
12. University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point 2019–2020 (Div. III)
13. Westminster College 2019–2020 (Div. III)
Overall, the number of women’s college wrestling programs from all college sports associations combined (both existing and announced) is over 83 and growing.
Girls and women’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. There are currently 16 state high school athletic associations that have created or approved official girls state high school wrestling championships, with many other states in-process. With inclusive wrestling opportunities, and girls and women being afforded the opportunity to wrestle other girls and women, female wrestling has grown rapidly in recent years.
The high school state associations with sanctioned girls divisions (alphabetically): Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Tennessee, Texas, Oregon, Washington, Washington, DC.
We encourage more state associations to create or add girls high school divisions to support the female wrestlers in their states. USA Wrestling Girls High School Development Committee co-chairs Joan Fulp and Andrea Yamamoto, (usawgirlssanctioning@gmail.com), as well as Wrestle Like A Girl’s Director of Programs Amy Zirneklis (amy@wrestlelikeagirl.org) are uniquely positioned and prepared to assist.
Women’s college wrestling has existed since the early 1990’s, with the first varsity team created in 1993. There have been women’s college wrestling national championships, including institutions from all affiliations since 2004. This past year, the NAIA gave invitational sport status to women’s wrestling and held its first national invitational championships at Jamestown University in 2019.
Women’s wrestling has been an Olympic sport since 2004, and will be contested in its fifth Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2020. United World Wrestling has conducted Senior World Championships in women’s wrestling since 1987.
The most recent sport which has been added to the list of NCAA emerging sports was Beach Volleyball in 2010. To date, five women’s sports have moved from NCAA Emerging Sports Status to Championship Status: rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling and beach volleyball.
The NCAA emerging sports process was created in 1994, with a new guide released in September 2016. Under these new procedures, which provided additional guidance and objectivity in the process, wrestling submitted its initial bid in August 2017, followed by a resubmission in August 2018, with two more updates in 2019. Through the combined and unified effort of the wrestling community, today’s decision by the NCAA CWA has moved wrestling to the next stage of the process. With the possibility of reaching official Emerging Sport Status in August 2020, the wrestling community is poised to continue the excitement and momentum moving forward.
NCAA Emerging sports status recommended for women’s wrestling
Women’s wrestling, acrobatics and tumbling, get backing to join NCAA emerging sports
The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics has recommended that all three divisions of the NCAA governance structure add two sports — women’s wrestling, plus acrobatics and tumbling — to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. If adopted, the sports would join the program Aug. 1, 2020.
The committee identifies sports to be added to the Emerging Sports for Women program, which is a pipeline supporting the advancement of women’s sports to NCAA championship status. The program also provides athletics opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship options for colleges and universities. Schools also may use an emerging sport to help meet membership minimum sports-sponsorship requirements and financial aid requirements.
A sport must have a minimum of 20 varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that have competed in a minimum of five contests to be considered for the emerging sports program. The sport must reach 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration.
The Wrestle Like a Girl organization, in conjunction with USA Wrestling, indicated there are 23 NCAA schools currently sponsoring the sport. The committee applauded the groups for the overall continued growth of women’s wrestling, and specifically for the potential growth of the sport at colleges and universities that currently sponsor men’s wrestling. They also noted the relatively low cost to sponsor women’s wrestling and the organizations’ commitment to increasing opportunities for a more diverse student-athlete base and to expanding coaching opportunities for women.
The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association currently has 20 NCAA colleges and universities sponsoring the sport, which is a discipline of gymnastics involving tumbling, tosses, acrobatic lifts and pyramids. The Committee on Women’s Athletics commended acrobatics and tumbling for showing how its student-athletes already were integrated fully within athletics departments; how they are enjoying experiences comparable to those of other NCAA student-athletes; and how the sport could grow.
“On behalf of the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics, I would like to commend the leaders of both the acrobatics and tumbling and the women’s wrestling communities and thank them for their extensive work to ensure young female athletes in these sports are able to continue their participation at the collegiate level,” said Julie Cromer Peoples, committee chair and senior deputy athletics director for administration/senior woman administrator at Arkansas. “The CWA worked with representatives of both sports for several years to prepare them for advancement to NCAA emerging sport status, and we encourage all three divisions to support this expansion of opportunities for young women on NCAA campuses that choose to sponsor these sports.”
The Emerging Sports for Women program has been in existence since 1994. In the past 21 years, several sports have reached championship status, including beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo and bowling. The program currently has three sports: equestrian, rugby and triathlon.
Girls Wrestling Proposal Passes in Illinois
IHSA Approves By-Law Amendment Paving the Way for High School Girls Wrestling
December 21, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this week the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member schools approved an amendment that paves the way for them to create and participate statewide in the sport of Girls Wrestling.
The by-law proposal (#25) was submitted by the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association and was one of eleven amendments that passed in the annual by-law referendum process. Saying many details still need to be worked out, the IWCOA stated it would “continue its focus and efforts in facilitating Girls Wrestling as an emerging sport in Illinois.”
The full text of the approved amendment proposal can be seen here: https://www.ihsa.org/documents/announcements/201819%20Proposal%20to%20Membership.pdf
“We are thrilled to see the approval of the IWCOA By-Law Proposal for Girls Wrestling,” said Wrestle Like A Girl Executive Director, Sally Roberts, a U.S. Army combat veteran, 3x National Champion and 2x World Bronze Medalist. “As an organization whose mission is empowering girls and women through the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life, we salute the member schools, families, athletes and communities that will be positively impacted by this vote.”
Illinois joins the momentum being seen in other states such as Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Kansas where efforts are taking hold to support the recognition of girls wrestling and movement towards putting on official girls’ state wrestling championship events is gaining steam.
“This is an exciting time for Illinois women’s wrestling. Many women have paved the way for this by-law change to occur. Many thanks goes out to them as well as the collaborative work that has occurred between the IHSA and the IWCOA,” said Colleen McGlynn, Co-Chair of the IWCOA Steering Committee on Girls Wrestling. “Our job is not done yet, but we recognize we have a wonderful opportunity to build a framework that works for Illinois and the women who wrestle here.”
In 2018, six more states officially recognized girls wrestling as a high school sport: Oregon, Georgia, Missouri, Arizona, Massachusetts and New Jersey.
Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to empower girls and women through the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. More information is available at WrestleLikeAGirl.Org.
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Wrestle Like A Girl to Open New Headquarters in Washington, DC
Organization Seeks to Grow Female Wrestling in Nation’s Capital and Beyond
December 18, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wrestle Like a Girl, an organization that empowers girls to become leaders in life through the sport of wrestling, is moving its headquarters to Washington, DC.
U.S. Army combat veteran Sally Roberts, a 3x National Champion and 2x World Bronze Medalist in women’s wrestling, launched the organization in 2016 to introduce the sport to more girls and young women, and to expand opportunities for their participation across the country.
“The benefits these girls and young women get out of wrestling are profound,” said Roberts. “Through wrestling, they learn where their self-confidence is; learn what resilience means; and learn about healthy choices both physically and mentally.”
Wrestle Like a Girl host camps and clinics for girls ages 5-18; supports the development of new high school wrestling programs and tournaments; and is working with organizations to bring women’s wrestling to the NCAA.
“Washington, DC is the perfect home for Wrestle Like a Girl,” said Roberts. “The nation’s capital is full of women leaders, and we’re an organization dedicated to inspiring young women to dig deep within themselves to become leaders both on and off the mat.”
Formerly based in Colorado Springs, Wrestle Like a Girl’s new DC headquarters is located in the District’s burgeoning NoMa neighborhood in the recently refurbished Uline Arena Building at 1140 Third Street, NE, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20002.
The building, best known as the Beatles first American venue, is home to over 30 startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits, including the Biden Cancer Initiative, Mia Learning and The Washington Center.
About Wrestle Like A Girl
Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to empower girls and women through the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. More information is available at WrestleLikeAGirl.Org.
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The Nation’s Top Fighters Gather to Support One of Their Own in His Cancer Battle
Grapplethon to raise money for Jiu Jitsu player Jeff Stoike
November 30, 2018
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Wrestle Like a Girl, Inc. and its Ambassadors, including Helen Maroulis, 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, Adeline Gray, 2016 Olympian and 4X World Champion and Tecia Torres, #6 ranked UFC Strawweight, are joining together with BETA Academy in Washington, D.C. on Saturday December 1st to support a fight against cancer at the 2018 Grapplethon.
The continuous 12-hour Brazilian Jiu Jitsu event will benefit Mr. Jeff Stoike, who is currently involved in his own personal battle with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), a blood cancer normally found in children.
Stoike is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has trained worldwide. He was diagnosed with ALL in April and immediately started an aggressive chemotherapy treatment. With the diagnosis, he, like many cancer patients, has faced enormous costs and loss of income.
“While Jeff is focusing on his health and tackling this life-threatening illness like a champ, we are collectively taking on this challenge to help our friend, fellow athlete, and to raise awareness about patient needs in these uncertain and difficult times,” said Sally Roberts, Executive Director of Wrestle Like A Girl. “Jeff has done so much for the Jiu Jitsu and wrestling community, we are all now giving back and it’s fantastic to see how many professional and amateur athletes are coming in to be part of this.”
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art and combat sport system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting. Stoike continues to practice Jiu Jitsu as much as he can, using the martial arts elements to overcome the pain and discomfort of his cancer treatments.
DETAILS:
Where: BETA Martial Arts Academy, 1353 Florida Avenue NW, Washington, DC
When: Saturday, December 1st
Time: 9AM – 9PM
Athlete Meet and Greet: 12 noon – 1PM
Available for interviews:
Helen Maroulis – first American women to win an Olympic Gold Medal in women’s wrestling, Adeline Gray 2018 World Champion
Tecia Torres – #6 ranked UFC Strawweight fighter
Sally Roberts – Founder and Executive Director for Wrestle Like A Girl,
Eddie "The Wolverine" Cummings – Black Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Fighter
Nakapan Phungephorn – Owner of BETA Academy Martial Arts and a Black Belt in Muay Thai
More information on the 2018 Grapplethon can be found at: 2018 Grapplethon
Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to empower girls and women through the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. More information is available at WrestleLikeAGirl.Org.
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UFC, Wrestle Like a Girl team up for Empowerment Camp and Clinic at UFC Performance Institute
MMAJunkie.com - By: John Morgan and Ken Hathaway | July 3, 2018 3:30 pm
LAS VEGAS – The UFC’s latest International Fight Week kicked off Monday with a couple of fighters teaching the community to wrestle like a girl.
UFC fighters Jessica-Rose Clark (9-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Gina Mazany (5-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) teamed up with Wrestle Like a Girl to host a wrestling clinic at the UFC Performance Institute for aspiring female amateur wrestlers between the ages of 5 and 18.
“What our goal is, is to bring to them the sport of wrestling so they can learn how to fight – fight for their sport, fight for their physical activity, fight for their values, fight for their beliefs – knowing that the mothers, the women in this world, they’re the caretakers of our families, of our planets,” Wrestle Like A Girl Founder and Executive Director Sally Roberts told MMAjunkie. “They’re the ones that are able to help really bring something special to the table, and by helping them learn how to fight, we can help empower them in a level that is unprecedented.”
Girls from Nevada and six other surrounding states attended the clinic, which Roberts said focused not just on wrestling technique, but also the empowerment of attendees in hopes of potentially changing the trajectory of their life – which the Wrestle Like a Girl founder says she did through her own experience in the sport.
After hosting the clinic, UFC officials also presented the organization with a donation of $10,000.
Roberts – a former wrestling national champion, as well as an Army Special Operations veteran – believes that the UFC’s assistance efforts could not only change participants’ lives but also help find future athletes willing to step into the octagon, which will only help increase the quality of competition.
“You’re going to get more people tuning in,” Robert said. “You’re going to be able to draw on more sponsors that are able to recognize the value because now you’re opening up even more to the other half of the population, so this is just a wonderful fit between local organizations because it’s not just impactful on the family trajectory and the family lives, but what happens in the business world when you see you can include women and still be successful.”
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Sally Roberts named USA Wrestling Woman of the Year
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | JUNE 26, 2018, 2:22 P.M. (ET)
Sally Roberts receives her Woman of the Year award from USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender during Final X at Lehigh. Photo by Justin Hoch.
Sally Roberts of Colorado Springs, Colo. has been named Woman of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States. This award recognizes an outstanding woman for her contributions to the sport of wrestling.
Roberts is the founder and Executive Director of Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc., a non-profit organization focused entirely on creating opportunity for girls and women in the sport of wrestling. In just its first few years, Wrestle Like A Girl has made a tremendous impact on wrestling, not only in the United States but also globally.
“I am extremely honored. First and foremost, it is always a bit humbling when an organization like USA Wrestling decides to recognize the work of Wrestle Like A Girl. But it is also exciting due to the fact that we are collaborating so much on creating opportunities for girls to wrestle now, and will also continue to collaborate to build the sport well into the future. I am thrilled about this,” said Roberts.
Included in the activities of Wrestle Like A Girl (WLAG) is a strong advocacy focus, working with organizations in all walks of life to integrate women’s wrestling into their activities and opportunities. She has provided “out of the box” leadership in this effort, reaching out and partnering with organizations outside the traditional wrestling and sports community.
Roberts and her team have been instrumental in the effort to achieve NCAA Emerging Sports Status for women’s wrestling, as well as expand college wrestling on all levels including NAIA, NJCAA and club activities. Working with USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee, Roberts helped create the proposal to the NCAA for Emerging Sports Status, submitted on August 1, 2017. A revised version will be provided on August 1 this year, when the NCAA is expected to
The organization has also played an active role in high school state sanctioning for girls wrestling, as well as the development of youth programs for girls. Just this year, the number of states which will host official state high school programs in girls wrestling has grown from six to 12. WLAG also hosts empowerment camps and clinics for girls, which go well beyond just wrestling technique.
“What has kept me in this line of work is that this effort supersedes the sport of wrestling. I saw it at a team workout just today. These girls have the work ethic, the desire, the dedication and skills that are beyond others. These are the kind of women I would want to hire. For USA Wrestling to support me and the organization as we work together is amazing. We won’t know the impact of our efforts for 10 years or more from now, when these women become leaders and CEOs and change society. Wrestling is the platform for these girls to take off from,” said Roberts.
Roberts was a two-time Senior World bronze medalist in women’s freestyle wrestling, as well as a successful high school and college athlete. Roberts was third in the 2003 and 2005 Senior World Championships for Team USA. She was a three-time national champion, a 2003 World Cup champion and was the first U.S. woman to win the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia two times. She placed second in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
She competed on the women’s wrestling teams at the University of Minnesota-Morris and at Pacific University, before becoming a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete.
Roberts has been a sports psychology consultant. She has been a board member of USA Wrestling, the United States Olympic Committee Youth Development Working Group and the Association for Applied Sports Psychology.
Sally received the 2016 Women in Sport Award on behalf of United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee. She is an athlete ambassador for TrueSport, the grassroots organization for the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Sally and Wrestle Like A Girl were recently featured on Megyn Kelly’s Today show.
The youngest of three children growing up in Washington, she was the first in her family to graduate high school, graduate college and earn an advanced degree. She served six years in the Army as a Special Operations soldier where she volunteered for deployment to Afghanistan.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from University of Colorado - Colorado Springs and a Master of Arts degree in Sport and Performance Psychology from University of the Rockies. She has a certification in nutrition from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
The first USA Wrestling Woman of the Year was Tricia Saunders for 1997. The most recent Woman of the Year was Helen Maroulis in 2016.
PAST USA WRESTLING WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2017 – Sally Roberts
2016 – Helen Maroulis
2015 – Kyra Tirana Barry
2014 – Toska Adams
2013 – Marcie Van Dusen
2012 – Christina “Kiki” Kelley
2011 – Dr. Kristen Kells
2010 – Patricia Fox
2009 – Ginger Lile
2008 - Sue Hesser
2007 - Dr. Lin Miller
2006 - Sharon Dowden
2005 - Kim Martori-Wickey
2004 - Patricia Miranda
2003 - Kristie Marano
2002 - Pat Short
2001 - Paula McGahee
2000 - Sandy Stevens
1999 - Sue Siar
1998 - Nancy Schultz
1997 - Tricia Saunders
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Axa Molina - State Sanctioning Manager
Axa Molina Hired As State Sanctioning Manager - Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc.
March 22, 2018
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. hired Axa Molina as the State Sanctioning Manager. She will be working with USA Wrestling’s State Sanctioning Task Force and each of the remaining 42 unsanctioned states to get more Girls High School Wrestling Divisions established. Female wrestling in the United States is one of the fastest growing sports. Wrestle Like A Girl is committed to helping the growth so that our girls and women wrestlers get the opportunities they deserve.
Axa is originally from Federal Way, WA, where she started wrestling her sophomore year of high school. She was a multi-time state placer before she accepted a wrestling scholarship to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. While at Lindenwood, she served as a captain and earned All-American honors, including qualifying and competing at the Rio 2016 Olympic Trials. In 2016, she graduated from the Lindenwood University earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Athletic Training and a minor in nutrition.
Axa participated in the Miss Seafair Scholarship program for women as the Hispanic Seafair community representative and earning the coveted Seattle title of Miss Seafair. Axa’s community service platform was Wrestle Like a Girl where she continues to create awareness of women’s wrestling in the greater Seattle area and the Latino community of Washington state. Through the Miss Seafair program, she also earned the community service award for her dedication to growing girls’ wrestling and was most notably quoted for saying: “Wrestling is not just done on the mat. We wrestle every day to balance our work life and our family life. We wrestle to work for studies and obtain our degrees. Or, if you are like me, you wrestle with the voice that whispers ‘I can’t’. Today, I stand before you as a confident young woman and a testament to what wrestling can do for a girl. Not only will Wrestle Like a Girl teach your daughters to wrestle physically, but we will show them to believe they can breathe fire.”
Axa is currently an assistant coach at Grays Harbor College where she’s coached five All-Americans and one national champion in her first year. In her free time, Axa volunteers at clinics and local high schools to teach technique and to educate young ladies about the possibility to continue their educational career through college wrestling and encouraging them to participate in USA wrestling cadet and junior events.
Wrestle Like A Girl, Inc. is a 501(c)3 whose mission is to empower girls and women through the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. More information is available at WrestleLikeAGirl.Org.
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