Sylstad, Overhiser, Kruggel aim to inspire growth of women officials in the United States

Jessica Overhiser’s story began on the mats at Wayland Baptist University, where she competed in college. Overhiser then made the transition to coaching, and during a tournament after disagreeing with a call, she was angry with an official who responded with "Why don't you come out here and try this?". She discovered a new passion for officiating, which sparked a nearly eight year journey that has continued through many local, national and international events.

Her journey as an official took her from hometown tournaments to state and national competitions, and eventually international events. One of the challenges that she recalls facing is the high-paced environment of freestyle and Greco-Roman, but she remains calm on the mat. "It's about getting into your groove, finding that flow," said Overhiser. The transition to international events brought new challenges, notably the language barriers and the heightened level of talent.

As Jessica sets her sights on reaching the highest levels of international officiating, she remains grounded in her commitment to coaching and developing the next generation of wrestlers. Recently, she helped initiate a club program at Tarleton State University, and is working to transform it into Texas's first NCAA Division I wrestling program for men and women.

Elizabeth Kruggel’s connection to wrestling began long before she entered the world of officiating. Both of her parents are international mat officials, and inspired her to become a part of the strong community. Kruggel’s family has been involved in the sport for as long as she can recall. She wrestled when she was a child and started officiating matches in middle school and high school. Kruggel recalled the differences between starting the journey when she did and starting the journey now, including the process and how much it has changed for the better.

Kruggel joined the United States Marine Corps and was in the military for six years. Similarities that she had seen between wrestling and the military included both being team and individual based and the mental strength and fortitude that was developed. After she returned to civilian life, her father influenced her to return to the mat as an official. She explained that officiating is one of the best ways for athletes to remain in the sport if they choose to not follow the route of becoming a coach.

If women have an interest of becoming a mat official, Kruggel wants them to reach out to her or her dad as she aims to be a solid resource. Officiating gives you a connectivity to the sport that you can’t achieve on other ends, and you don’t dissect wrestling in any other way than officiating.

As of 2024, there are currently 4,957 women’s wrestling leaders in the USA Wrestling Membership system, up 20 percent since 2023. For reference, five years ago there were 3,960 women’s wrestling leaders in the system. The growth of women’s officiating in the United States continues to be on the rise. Women like Susanna Sylstad, Jessica Overhiser and Elizabeth Kruggel inspire to embrace the challenge of officiating. Find mentors, ask questions, and take that first step toward becoming a part of something special – a inclusive community that celebrates the power and potential of women in wrestling officiating.