High school wrestlers look to opportunities women's wrestling gains with NCAA Championship status
Wrestlers at a central Iowa club said the NCAA's decision to incorporate women's wrestling as a championship sport changes the potential for their wrestling careers.
Friday, the organization announced plans to recognize women's wrestling and create a championship for the sport starting in 2026.
Now, wrestlers with college prospects in Iowa are training with added vigor, in hopes of seizing the new opportunities they expect to follow the news.
"I think the amount of colleges that we'll see that will have girls wrestling is going to double or triple," high school junior Calista Rodish said. "Our careers would be able to go further than just high school. That'll be really exciting."
Rodish, who's currently seeded second in her weight class in the state, is one of many well-performing Iowa wrestlers at Raccoon River Wrestling. The team is ranked the 17th best in the nation.
Senior wrestler Naomi Templeman is currently looking for an opportunity to wrestle in college. If she finds an opportunity to do so, she'd be part of the first generation of atheletes underthe new rule, which she said brings a newfound sense of credibility to women’s wrestling.
"It feels more official now, and you're more recognized," Templeman said.
The change is indicative of a larger trend of young women gaining interest in wrestling. In 2020, the NCAA named women's wrestling an "emerging sport," and last season, the number of girls participating in high school wrestling doubled compared to two seasons prior. At Raccoon River Wrestling, more than 40 high school girls compete as a team. Less than a decade prior, such a club was unavailable to many of the longtime participants.
"I was wrestling guys that were older than me, heavier than me. They didn't necessarily want me in their room and in their space," Rodish said. "Now, being with my girls team, it's really nice to see just the energy and the atmosphere that we've built for us and the community that we've built up. It's really different."
Girl wrestlers from around Iowa will compete to be championed as the best in the state. The postseason qualifier is Jan. 31, followed by the state tournament on Feb. 6-7 at the X-Tream Arena in Coralville.