Vision. Precedent. Plan of action. 

That’s the winning formula Brown University has in mind as it develops a women's wrestling program. The club received a historic $1 million gift as a step toward achieving a sanctioned Division I women’s team. 

“It’s one of the first known first fully-funded, endowed teams right now, which is incredible,” said Nick Lattanze, a Brown alumnus and the team’s head coach. “Yeah, we’re a club team and we want to become a varsity team, but we’re not going to let that get in the way of providing Olympic-caliber experiences here.

“(This gift) turned the heads of our athletic department and trustees. I think it’s very possible here. I truly think it’s going to happen because of Brown’s history behind it. Essentially, we need to be fully funded. This also unlocks a significant amount of institutional support, which is the most important aspect. We have a history of elevating women’s sports at the club level.”

Calli Was Called To Lead

Lattanze is building the team around Calli Gilchrist, a five-time Fargo All-American and 2023 finalist (3rd, 6th, 3rd, 2nd, 3rd). Gilchrist will be one of five to six wrestlers on the club team who will compete in seven events during the season, including the Princeton Open, Bill Farrell Memorial International, Midlands, USA D1 Club Nationals, Will Abele Open, U20 World Team Trials, and the US Open. 

Selecting the right women establishes culture, and that's more important than high participation — for now. The recent gift covers a full travel schedule and varsity perks (gear packages, etc) for next season, but the goal is to double or triple the endowment to add a senior-level athlete and a full-time women’s coach. 

Gilchrist is embracing her trendsetting role. She and Sarah McLaughlin established the women’s wrestling team at Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Connecticut, and she’s ready to do the same at Brown. 

“This was something I was looking for when I didn’t know where I wanted to go,” Gilchrist said. “I felt drawn to newer programs. I felt like it was more powerful for me to go to a school that was starting something instead of a school that had something solidified. I feel like that was where I belonged. 

“I did something similar at Choate as one of two recruits my first year. We got to headline this next recruiting class of girls, and that team is picking up speed, and I want to do something on a grander scale at Brown.” 

Brown’s commitment provides a blueprint and lays the foundation for other programs to follow. Tarleton State is expected to add a D1 women’s wrestling team next season, while Northwestern, Columbia, and Oklahoma State are developing club teams. 

Trendsetting Programs: Who's Next?

This is a positive trend, and Brown’s million-dollar donation proves that support for women’s wrestling is there. 

It also doesn’t hurt that former Oklahoma State head men’s coach John Smith — a six-time World and Olympic champion — is joining the Cowgirls wrestling club as a volunteer assistant. It sends a powerful message that our biggest names understand wrestling’s intrinsic value regardless of gender. 

Last year, four of the five Tricia Saunders Regional Award winners chose to attend programs without an established women’s team, although Lehigh recently added, and Persaeus Gomez transferred from Oklahoma State to McKendree. 

Audrey Jimenez, this year’s Senior World Teamer at 50 kg, did the same when she picked Lehigh. 

“If I’m able to go to a D1 program or an Ivy League school, that’s really saying something,” Jimenez said during a FloWrestling story called Top High School Girls Wrestling With Higher Education. “It’s going to impact younger people in my community to do the same. There are a lot of D2 and D3 schools that have great programs, but I feel like building and being part of that movement in getting D1 women’s wrestling is really important.”

Well, guess what? Brown is an Ivy League school. And having a D1 women’s wrestling team in Providence, Rhode Island, is the shape-shifting moment women’s wrestling needs. 

“Sometimes, people forget we’re an Ivy League school because they think of Columbia, Harvard, and Yale growing up,” Lattanze said. “This place is a sleeping giant in both realms, women’s and men’s. It’s got crazy alumni support. Crazy school support. We can build championships in men’s and women’s programs. We’re excited.”