Wheeling, W. Va. – During the 2024-2025 season, the Wheeling University Athletic Department made a commitment to opening pathways for women in athletics with the addition of Women's Rugby and Acrobatics & Tumbling, as well as the reinstatement of the Women's Lacrosse program. On Thursday, the department continued this commitment with the announcement of Women's Wrestling as the 23rd intercollegiate varsity sport on campus.
Beginning in the 2026-2027 season, the Cardinals will join a group of more than 90 programs across the country in the NCAA's newest national championship sport.
"The recent growth of women's wrestling in our tri-state area and across the country is impressive and speaks to the passion and interest of our local wrestling communities," said Wheeling University Athletic Director Carrie Hanna. "Wheeling University is pleased to invest and contribute to the future of the sport while expanding opportunities for young women through our Cardinal Athletic Programs."
Women's Wrestling became an NCAA Emerging Sport in 2020, joining Acrobatics and Tumbling that same season. This put the sport on the path to becoming an NCAA championship sport, providing that enough schools sponsored the program in a timely manner. In just three years, the sport had 42 school sponsored programs across the country. In 2024, the recommendation was made that leaders across all three levels of the NCAA to elevate the sport to championship status. In January of 2025, the vote officially passed, and Women's Wrestling officially became the 91st NCAA Championship sport. Since the emerging sport program was first established in 1994, six sports have been elevated to championship status, with Women's Wrestling joining Rowing (1996), Ice Hockey (2000), Water Polo (2000), Bowling (2003), and Beach Volleyball (2015).
Unlike Men's Wrestling, Women's Wrestling features freestyle wrestling, which mirrors the style of matches at the Olympics. There are two main differences between scoring in Men's Wrestling and Women's Wrestling, athletes cannot be rewarded for escapes, the focus remains on offense, and athletes must wrestle within the circle, pushing out an athlete will result in points for the offensive wrestler. Women's Wrestling features 10 weight classes, 103lb, 110lb, 117lb, 124lb, 131lb, 138lb, 145lb, 160lb, 180lb, and 207lb. Match results differ from the men as well, with each match having the possibility of eight different outcomes, pinfall, injury default, technical superiority in which the losing athlete scores no points (win by 10 without allowing points), technical superiority in which the losing athlete scores (win by 10 and allow points), decision in which the losing athlete scores points (win by less than 10 without allowing points), decision in which the losing athlete scores points (win by less than 10 and allow points), and mutual disqualification.
The Wheeling University Women's Wrestling team will begin competition during the 2026-2027 Athletic Season and will host their home matches inside the Alma Grace McDonough Center. They are now the fourth established Women's Wrestling program among Mountain East Conference (MEC) opponents, with Wheeling joining West Liberty, Frostburg State, and Point Park. While they will not compete in a conference during their first season, the Cardinals will have several opponents in close proximity, with Bethany, Waynesburg, East Stroudsburg, and Baldwin Wallace all featuring Women's Wrestling programs.
With the announcement of the women's program, a national search has begun for the first Head Women's Wrestling Coach to help lead the Cardinals into the future.
