On National Girls and Women in Sports Day today, USA Wrestling puts special focus on college wrestling

Alongside the #NGWSD logo is a posting from the University of the Cumberlands women's wrestling team, which put up these photos to celebrate women's wrestling on National Girls and Women's Sports Day.


Today, Wednesday, February 3, the nation celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This event, which was created in 1987, has brought focus on the growth of women in sports, celebrating current achievements and the positive influence of sports participation for females of all ages.


Women's wrestling at all levels is a growing sport which is making positive impact on the lives of young women. Although there are almost 30 years of development of women's wrestling, our sport has not been as active in the women's athletics community as we could be and should be.


USA Wrestling is putting special focus on women's college wrestling, as we look to jumpstart this expanded involvement on women's athletics nationally.

Those involved in women’s wrestling, starting specifically with the women’s college teams and also including high school and club teams, are asked to take photos or videos and post them to social media on Wednesday, to stand up and represent our sport.


VERY IMPORTANT: Please make sure to put these hashtags on the posts so our sport gets credit for participation.

#NGWSD

#GirlsWrestle


The USA is entering its fourth Olympic Games with women’s wrestling in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, and all 10 of the past women Olympic wrestlers have been college students. Of the 10 past Olympians, all but one competed on either a men’s college team or an all-women’s college team as part of their college experience.


Those Olympians who were on men’s teams included Patricia Miranda (Stanford), Sara McMann (Lock Haven) and Kelsey Campbell (Arizona State).


Those who were on women’s teams during college were Tela O’Donnell (Pacific), Sara McMann (UM-Morris), Tocarra Montgomery (Univ. of the Cumberlands), Clarissa Chun (Missouri Valley College), Marcie Van Dusen (UM-Morris), Randi Miller (Neosho CC, MacMurray College, Northern Michigan USOEC) and Ali Bernard (Univ. of Regina, Univ. of Alberta).


The first women’s college varsity team was the University of Minnesota-Morris, which was coached by Doug Reese in the mid-1990s. Some of the earliest programs were at Missouri Valley College, Menlo College, the University of the Cumberlands, Pacific University and others. They competed in freestyle, the Olympic style of the sport, something that has been a huge success and a boost to our Olympic program.


The first women’s college national tournament was hosted in 2004 at Missouri Valley College, a tournament won by Missouri Valley College. Below are the first-ever women’s college national champions:
2004 Women’s College Nationals champions

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Sara Fulp-Allen (Menlo College)

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Debbi Sakai (Missouri Valley)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Desiree Lockhart (Pacific)

59 kg/130 lbs. - Brooke Bogren (Missouri Valley)

63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Mollie Keith (Missouri Valley)

67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Alaina Berube (Cumberland College)

72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kelly Branham (Missouri Valley)

80 kg/176 lbs. - Toccara Montgomery (Cumberland College)


In the 2007-2008 year, the coaches and leaders in women’s college wrestling created its own national organization, the Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA). Since this organization was founded, women’s college wrestling has shown steady growth and improvement.


The first WCWA National Championships was held at Oklahoma City University, and the tournament was won by the University of the Cumberlands, which edged host Oklahoma City in the final standings. The first ever WCWA women’s college champions are below:
2008 WCWA Women’s College National Champions

44 kg/97 lbs. - Melissa Girard (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Sadie Kaneda (USOEC/Northern Michigan)

51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Jessica Medina (Univ. of the Cumberlands)

55 kg/121 lbs. - Sandy Do (Univ. of Cumberlands)

59 kg/130 lbs. - Kelsey Campbell (Arizona State)

63 kg/138.75 lbs.- Briana Conway (Oklahoma City)

67 kg/147.5 lbs.- Amberlee Ebert (Missouri Valley College)

72 kg/158.5 lbs.- Melissa Simmons (Oklahoma City)

82 kg/180.5 lbs. - Carrie Clark (Oklahoma City)

95 kg/209 lbs. - Theresa Fennell (Univ. of Cumberlands)


There have been some great athletes and great competitions in women’s college wrestling, going back to that first Women’s College Nationals in 2004. Below are the college programs which have won women’s college national titles:
Women’s College National Team Champions

Oklahoma City, 4 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Univ. of the Cumberlands, 3 (2006, 2007, 2008)

Missouri Valley College 2 (2004, 2005)

King Univ. 2 (2014, 2015)

Simon Fraser, 1 (2013)


There are some big individual stars who were developed through the women’s college programs. Below is the list of four-time women’s college national champions and three-time women’s college national champions:


Four-time women's college individual champions

Helen Maroulis, Missouri Baptist/Simon Fraser (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)

Victoria Anthony, Simon Fraser (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014)

Emily Webster, Oklahoma City Univ. (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)


Three-time women's college individual champions

Sara Fulp-Allen, Menlo College (2004, 2005, 2007)

Alaina Berube, Univ. of the Cumberlands (2004, 2006, 2007)

Michaela Hutchison, Oklahoma City Univ. (2009, 2010, 2012)

Brittany Delgado, Oklahoma City Univ. (2010, 2011, 2012)

Danielle Lappage, Simon Fraser (2010, 2011, 2013)

Justina Distasio, Simon Fraser (2012, 2013, 2014)


This year, the WCWA Women’s College Nationals will return to Oklahoma City University next weekend, Feb. 12-13. King University will be seeking its third straight WCWA national team title, but there is expected to be a fierce team contest with Oklahoma City, Simon Fraser, Campbellsville, the University of the Cumberlands, Lindenwood and others in the hunt. A record number of colleges are expected to attend, perhaps breaking the 25 team mark for the first time. Flowrestling will do live coverage from the WCWA Nationals for the first time.


At the NAIA level, women’s college wrestling is on the verge of being an official sport. A big focus within wrestling right now is getting emerging sport status for women’s wrestling through the NCAA. USA Wrestling is also encouraging the leadership of Div. I institutions to become a trailblazer, and create the first NCAA Div. I varsity program in women’s wrestling. It is an exciting time of growth


With that in mind, let’s recognize colleges which have made the commitment to women’s college wrestling, with either varsity programs or strong club programs that compete at the WCWA level. This list is growing, and will be updated as more teams make a commitment to this…


WCWA programs (freestyle)

Adrian College, NCAA Div. III (MI)

Campbellsville University, NAIA (KY)

Eastern Michigan University club program, NCAA Div. I (MI)

Emmanuel College, NAIA, (GA)

Ferrum College, NCAA Div. III (VA)

King University, NCAA Div. II (TN)

Life University, NAIA (GA)

Lindenwood University-Belleville, NAIA (IL)

Lindenwood University - St. Charles, NCAA Div. II (MO)

Lyon College, NAIA (AR)

McKendree University, NCAA Div. II (IL)

Menlo College, NAIA (CA)

Midland University, NAIA (NE)

Missouri Baptist University, NAIA (MO)

Missouri Valley College, NAIA (MO)

Northwest Kansas Technical College, NJCAA (KS)

Oklahoma City University, NAIA (OK)

Ottawa University, NAIA (KS)

Pacific University, NCAA Div. III (OR)

Simon Fraser University, NCAA Div. II, (BC, Canada)

Southern Oregon University, NAIA (OR)

Southwest Oregon CC, NJCAA (OR)

Springfield Technical CC, NJCAA (MA)

University of Jamestown, NAIA (ND)

University of the Cumberlands, NAIA (KY)

Waldorf College, NAIA (IA)

Warner Pacific University, NAIA (OR)

Wayland Baptist University, NAIA (TX)

Added for 2016-17

Eastern Oregon University, NAIA (OR)

MacMurray College, NCAA Div. III (IL)