The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships executive committee has accepted recommendations from the NCAA Wrestling Coaches Leadership Group that will impact next season. 

There was talk of reducing the number of national qualifiers for each team, but the leadership committee suggested staying at a maximum of 15 for another season and the executive committee accepted that recommendation. That number will likely decrease to 10 (one per weight) when the NCAA is expected to sanction women’s wrestling during the 2025-26 season.

Six teams had more than 10 qualifiers at the 2024 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships: Iowa (15), North Central (15), King (15), Sacred Heart (13), McKendree (12), and Simon Fraser (11). 

The number of national qualifiers will increase from 24 to 32 next season and the number of regions will increase from six to eight. The top four wrestlers from each region will qualify for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships. 

Next season, 96 NCAA women’s teams will compete between all three divisions (I, II, and III).

Adrian coach Cliff Cushard, president of the NCAA Women’s Coaches Leadership Group, is encouraged by the continued growth of women’s wrestling and is happy that the executive committee accepted the leadership group's suggestions. 

"I'm pleased that the executive committee understood the stance of the leadership group and our recommendations,” Cushard said. “It was a collaborative effort by everybody involved to get to where we are. Hopefully, the last year of the NCWWC will be successful and will allow all of our athletes to show off what they got.”

Now, the focus shifts to regional alignment. There is concern that certain pockets are at a disadvantage with powerhouse teams taking most of the qualification spots. Iowa and McKendree dominated Region V by sending 27 to nationals out of 40 available spots.

“You have two pockets where wrestling is the strongest,” Simpson coach Jeff McGinness said. “Pennsylvania and around them and Iowa and around us. You end up in a situation like last season where there were 21 All-Americans from our region and Region Six had two (All-Americans). We had five girls get fifth at weights whereas Iowa and/or McKendree had two people qualify. The next big step is who goes where and what region."

Proposed Regional Alignment