It's SHORT TIME SHOTS … a quick look at the day's top wrestling stories. Here’s the good stuff for Thursday, October 19.
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The University of Iowa's women's wrestling team is making history as the first Division I Power Five school to introduce a women's wrestling program. Led by Head Coach Clarissa Chun, the team is set to kick off its inaugural season on November 4 against East Stroudsburg University. With a diverse roster and high expectations, the Hawkeyes are poised to make a significant impact in the world of collegiate wrestling. The team is not only breaking new ground but also aims to set the standard for future women's wrestling programs across the nation. There’s three stories in the newsletter today, with coverage from The Daily Iowan, The Gazette and WIN Magazine.
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In podcasts, Andy Hamilton and Kyle Klingman talk with new Stanford head wrestling coach Chris Ayres on the most recent episode of On The Mat. Ayres spent 17 years as the head coach at Princeton University in New Jersey, taking the team from the bottom of Division I to putting Pat Glory on the top of the podium this past March. Glory was Princeton’s first N.C.A.A. champion since 1951. You can listen to the show here at Mat Talk Online.
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The Rhode Island Interscholastic League is set to offer girls wrestling weight classes for the first time in its history, starting with the this winter sports season. This groundbreaking move includes the integration of female wrestling into the existing Dual Meet Schedule and In-State Tournaments, as well as the addition of 12 exclusive weight classes for females at the R.I.I.L. State and New England Championships. The decision comes amid a surge in girls' participation in wrestling nationwide, with the number of female wrestlers in the RIIL alone jumping from 8 in 2014 to 68 last season. The state becomes the 44th in the country to sponsor girls wrestling at the high school level.
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The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) has announced the approval of freestyle wrestling for the Girls Wrestling State Championships, making New York the first state to offer a scholastic freestyle state wrestling championship. The freestyle rules will be fully implemented in fall of 2024.. Kyra Barry, USA Wrestling Women's Leader and chair of the New York Girls Wrestling Working Group, praised the decision, highlighting that it was a result of collective efforts and will benefit future generations of female wrestlers. More on that story is at FloWrestling.
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Dr. Tom "Doc" Allen, former Dean of the Oklahoma State Medical School and longtime physician for the Cowboy wrestling team, has passed away. Allen, who began his involvement with wrestling in 1975, served as the team physician for Oklahoma State's wrestling team from 1995 to 2020, during which time the team won four NCAA titles and 25 individual NCAA championships. Honored with the Lifetime Service Award by the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012, Allen was remembered by head coach John Smith as more than just a team doctor, but as a great friend who made a significant impact on the program. The full story can be found at O.K. State dot com
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The full breakdown of the day’s wrestling news can be delivered to your inbox daily, courtesy of Mat Talk Online’s Daily Wrestling Newsletter, delivered by Resilite. Sign up free at mattalkonline.com/news.
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The Houston Astros are still dirty, dirty cheaters. I know, I programmed them.