WESTMINSTER, Md. - McDaniel College has announced the addition of women's wrestling to the intercollegiate athletics program. The team is slated to start competition in the fall of 2024 and increase the total number of athletic teams at McDaniel to 25.

One of the fastest-growing sports in high school, women's wrestling is rapidly expanding at the collegiate level. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the number of female high school wrestlers has exploded from just 804 in 1994 to more than 50,000 in 2023. In addition, the National Federation of State High School Associations reports that the number of high school girls participating in wrestling has increased 55% since 2021-22. Today, 44 states offer separate state wrestling championships for girls.

At the collegiate level, women's wrestling is currently offered at 169 institutions and became an NCAA emerging sport in 2020-21. Based on the most recent participation rate, women's wrestling is on track to become the NCAA's 91st NCAA championship and is the highlighted sport among the six existing NCAA Emerging Sports for Women.

McDaniel's women's wrestling program will become the 61st Division III program, the third Centennial Conference program, and the first Division III collegiate program in Maryland.

McDaniel's women's program will be developed under the leadership of Head Men's and Women's Wrestling Coach Mason Goretsas.

"I am incredibly excited to play a role in the formation of a women's wrestling program that provides female athletes an opportunity to pursue their academic and athletic goals at McDaniel." said Goretsas. "I am confident that our strong tradition in men's wrestling will assist in building a highly competitive program for the women."

To help kickstart the program, Coach Goretsas McDaniel will be holding a prospect clinic on Sunday, Dec. 10 beginning at noon inside the Gill Center. More information about that will follow.