The National Collegiate Athletic Association announced on January 17 that women’s wrestling will now be considered a NCAA championship sport, with the first championship being held in 2026.

Quincy student and athlete Kaylee Luker started wrestling in 2018. When she started wrestling in high school the men’s team was the only team. This meant practicing and wrestling against men. It wasn’t until her career proceeded that more women started to join the sport and more opportunities presented themselves.

“Wrestling becoming a champion sport gives me a lot of pride as an athlete, as a woman I feel both pride and representation. It holds more meaning being a woman in a championship sport especially in a combat sport,” Luker said.

Women’s wrestling being recognized as a championship sport creates so many opportunities for women wrestlers. There are 76 colleges in the United States with the sport. The recognition gives an opportunity not only for more colleges to acquire women’s wrestling programs but also more openings for athletes to compete at the collegiate level.

Jacqueline Ghent, Quincy University’s women’s wrestling assistant coach, has been wrestling for nine years. In this time she has seen the sport evolve into what it is today. She has watched teammates and her athletes receive the opportunity to move on and wrestle at the collegiate level and it excited the new openings women high school wrestlers will have.

“When I was in high school women’s wrestling was still in its growing stage, and there must have been less than one hundred programs even available to choose from and just to see how it has like exponentially grew it’s exciting because that means there’s so much opportunity for young girls to wrestle at the next level and get an education while doing something they love,” Ghent said.

Student Athlete Autumn Van Bremen has been wrestling for  years and is grateful for all the opportunities wrestling at the collegiate level has brought her.

“Coming to college, a lot more opportunities opened up for learning techniques and being part of a team that pushes each other no matter what thanks to our coaching staff and the girls that are a part of the program. I’ve noticed a huge difference technique-wise in my wrestling. Overall I know it’s prepared me for literally anything that might come my way in the future. Knowing that if I can do this, I can do anything is comforting. I’m definitely walking away with a lot of valuable life lessons,” Van Bremen said.

As a whole, women’s wrestling has come a long way and has further to go. Being recognized as an NCAA championship sport is a huge accomplishment, with the next goal aiming to get enough women wrestlers to split up the divisions at the collegiate level.