Last year, the National Federation of State High School Associations released a report that estimated girls’ wrestling had 64,257 participants nationwide, and it ranked 11th among all girls' sports in terms of the number of schools that sponsor it.
Today, Taylor High School in Kokomo, Ind., is rebuilding its girls’ wrestling program in hopes of increasing those statistics.
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Last year, the National Federation of State High School Associations released a report that estimated girls’ wrestling had 64,257 participants nationwide, and it ranked 11th among all girls' sports in terms of the number of schools that sponsor it.
Today, Taylor High School in Kokomo, Ind., is rebuilding its girls’ wrestling program in hopes of increasing those statistics.
Head coach Samantha Wheeler told WRTV, “If you’re a girl involved in anything boy-related, you’re going to get the stigma of ‘you’re a girl, you can’t do it. I was told that I couldn’t do it, and that was my drive to push through. I did six years, I’m proud of my accomplishments, and that’s what I want to bring to these girls.”
The Indiana High School Athletic Association sanctioned girls’ wrestling as a varsity sport in 2024. As a club team, wrestling a Taylor High School attracted only a handful of girls, but Wheeler said this year nearly 30 girls answered the recruitment call.
“I love seeing the involvement from all the girls. It makes my heart happy, especially being a senior, knowing that this is a legacy left behind,” said Lily Spane, who competed with the Titans for multiple seasons.
The team’s motto, ‘Wrestle Like a Girl,’ aims to break stereotypes and continue encouraging more girls to join the team. Wheeler said she will host a series of camps this summer to continue increasing awareness of Taylor’s Girls’ wrestling program.
And, girls’ wrestling is getting a boost at the college level as well. This year, the NCAA elevated women’s wrestling to a championship-level sport, making it the 91st sport for the organization. In May, Lehigh University took advantage of the new classification and announced it would add women’s wrestling as the school’s 26th varsity sport.
Women’s wrestling was a club sport at Lehigh, previously, and the team will maintain head coach Brazel Marquez.
"Competing in the first NCAA Women's Wrestling Championship is something we're all looking forward to," Marquez said. "I'm grateful to work with an administration that truly understands how important this opportunity is – not just for Lehigh, but for the sport nationwide."
"Elevating women's wrestling to varsity status is a natural and exciting next step for Lehigh University and our athletics department,” Murray H. Goodman, Lehigh’s dean of athletics, told the National Wrestling Coaches Association. “This decision reflects our deep commitment to equitable opportunities for all student-athletes and to sustaining excellence – both on the mat and in the classroom. We are thrilled to welcome women's wrestling to our varsity family and look forward to building a program that upholds the high standards that have long defined Lehigh wrestling."
Lehigh joins a short, but growing, list of D-I universities that sponsor women’s wrestling as a championship program. Currently, six universities offer women’s wrestling, but more than 100 NCAA member schools have announced plans to include the sport.
There are currently 26 female wrestlers on Lehigh’s 2025-26 roster, and the athletic department plans to recruit additional student-athletes this summer before the first season kicks off.
