ITHACA, N.Y. -- Ithaca College Associate Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Susan Bassett '79 announced today that the college is adding the sport of women's wrestling to its list of intercollegiate athletic offerings.

"I am thrilled to announce that Ithaca College will sponsor the sport of women's wrestling in the 2025-2026 academic year," said Bassett. "After several years of consideration and analysis, Ithaca College has made the commitment to bring women's wrestling forward as an intercollegiate program. I have every confidence that IC will thrive in this endeavor as we have in men's wrestling and all our intercollegiate programs."

The Ithaca College women's program will share facilities with the men's program and operate out of the Hill Center. They will have their own dedicated coaching staff, with the head coach search beginning immediately. Once hired they will recruit for the 2024-25 season. Women's wrestling will begin competition in the fall of 2025 and increase the total number of athletic offerings at Ithaca to 28 varsity sports. Since 1968, the IC athletics department has added 14 intercollegiate programs including 13 women's sports, with the most recent addition of women's sculling in 2012.

"The addition of a sport program is an extraordinarily important decision for the athletics department as well as for Ithaca College," Bassett said. "In consideration of IC's esteemed history and tradition of intercollegiate athletics competition, it is essential to take the long view on a decision like adding a sport."

"Understanding the national interest at the high school level, the opportunity for viable intercollegiate competition, facility needs, required staffing support from coaching to athletic training and athletics communication, and funding all go into the equation for our analysis. Post-pandemic we have had the chance to conduct these analyses and arrive at this monumental decision to add women's wrestling to Ithaca College's sports sponsorship."

Ithaca College now joins the 51 colleges and universities that had women's wrestling programs competing in 2022-23, and more than 70 schools reported that they intended to sponsor the sport during the 2023-24 academic year. Women's wrestling has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, with the sport designated an NCAA emerging sport during the 2020-21 academic year. It's on track to become the 91st NCAA Championship sport, with its projected first NCAA championship occurring in winter 2026. Current NCAA women's wrestlers compete in a season-ending national competition that is organized by the coalition of wrestling organizations.
According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the number of females who wrestle in high school has grown from 804 to more than 50,000 since 1994. In 2023, women's high school wrestling participation numbers are higher than the NCAA-sponsored sports of crew, fencing, skiing, and rifle and NCAA emerging sports of rugby, sand volleyball, and equestrian. Women's wrestling has also expanded as a sport in the State of New York, as within the past year the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) now recognizes it as a varsity sport in sections around the state. NYSPHSAA hosted its second girls wrestling invitational in January and will have its first state championship in February 2025.

"Women's wrestling has seen amazing growth, especially within NYS, and I am very excited that Susan Bassett and our Ithaca College administration decided to add a women's wrestling program," said Marty Nichols '90, men's wrestling head coach. "There are young women all across our country who will now have the opportunity to share and experience all that Ithaca College has to offer."

"We are very excited to begin the next chapter of Ithaca College wrestling and I'm sure that the future women's coach will have the same passion for wrestling and will want to serve our student-athletes at the highest level," Nichols added.

"On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors and our President Coach Tony Ersland, I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Susan Bassett and the Ithaca College Administration for enhancing the rich history and tradition of Ithaca College athletics with the addition of a women's intercollegiate wrestling program," said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. "It's men's wrestling program has been a gold standard in D3 wrestling for decades."

"The inclusion of women's wrestling in Ithaca College's sports programs is not only a win for gender equity, but also an acknowledgment of the strength and determination of female athletes," remarked Nicole Eversley Bradwell, Ithaca College Executive Director of Admission.

"This addition aligns perfectly with our enrollment goals. Women's wrestling helps us continue to attract a diverse group of strong, dedicated women who are seeking to compete at the collegiate level. I am proud to support this initiative and am excited to see the positive impact it will have on our campus community."

"I'm grateful to be a part of the college's commitment to growing opportunities that create greater equity across our department while providing a first-class student-athlete experience," said Sarah Smith, Ithaca College Senior Woman Administrator. "We're looking forward to providing additional opportunities for female wrestlers to pursue their sport and continue their education at Ithaca College."