Completed Event: Volleyball versus Nebraska on April 11, 2026
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Iowa State University Athletics
Iowa State Women's Wrestling Frequently Asked Questions
With the exciting news that Iowa State University is adding women’s wrestling as its 18th varsity sport for the 2027-28 academic year, an FAQ has been developed to help prospective student-athletes, and their families learn more about the Cyclone Women’s Wrestling program—and what to expect ahead of the first season of competition. Please check back with this page for future updates.
Why is Iowa State adding women’s wrestling?
Participation in women’s wrestling has exploded at both the high school and collegiate levels over the last decade. Nationally, participation at the high school level has grown from 22,000 in 2029 to more than 80,000 in 2025. In the state of Iowa, more than 200 high schools currently sponsor women’s wrestling as a varsity sport and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has held a state championship since 2023. Furthermore, every state that is contiguous to Iowa offers a sanctioned state tournament in the sport at the high school level.
Part of that growth has been fueled by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) identifying women’s wrestling as an emerging sport in 2020 which led to the first NCAA national championship held March 5-7, 2026, in Coralville, Iowa. There are more than 100 NCAA members that currently sponsor wrestling with Iowa State and Iowa being the only P4 institutions to feature varsity programs.
How did Iowa State choose women’s wrestling to add?
Women’s wrestling offers Iowa State University the best combination of strategic fit, start-up efficiency, growth potential, and institutional cultural fit for ISU Athletics. It also aligns with the University’s goals of providing more opportunities for Iowans, first generation and low-income students. Furthermore, the deep history, tradition and affinity for the sport in Iowa made for an easy decision.
What type of academic programs does Iowa State offer?
As the state of Iowa’s Land Grant University, Iowa State University offers more than 100 bachelor’s degree programs, 120 master’s degree programs, and 80 doctoral degree programs, administered through eight colleges including the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Engineering, the Graduate College, the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the College of Design, Debbie and Jerry Ivy College of Business, and the College of Health and Human Sciences.
To learn more about Iowa State University, visit iastate.edu.
When will the ISU program officially begin competition?
The ISU women’s wrestling program will begin its first competitive season in 2027–2028, with recruitment and enrollment beginning in the fall of 2026.
Has a coaching staff been hired?
Alli St. John was introduced as ISU’s first head women’s wrestling coach on April 16, 2026, and she is in the process of hiring a coaching staff. You can learn more about Coach St. John here.
When will the program begin recruiting?
Recruiting will begin immediately with the first official team set to represent the Cardinal & Gold during the 2027-28 academic year.
What style of wrestling will the program compete in?
NCAA collegiate women’s wrestling follows freestyle rules, the Olympic style used globally. Women’s wrestling differs from collegiate men’s wrestling which follows folkstyle rules.
How big will the roster be?
The women’s wrestling roster will be capped at 30 student-athletes per NCAA roster regulations.
Will scholarships be offered?
Yes. Women’s wrestling will have a limit of 10 scholarship equivalents, which is the same as the men’s wrestling program. The Head Coach can choose to use those as partial or full athletic scholarships.
Where will the team train and practice?
The Cyclone women’s wrestling program will have a dedicated practice room, locker room and team lounge within Beyer Hall with competitions in James H. Hilton Coliseum. ISU’s men’s and women’s wrestling teams will have their own team training facilities. In addition to the training facilities, ISU women’s wrestling student-athletes will receive the same sports medicine, academic support, strength & conditioning, nutrition, and leadership development resources as all Iowa State teams currently have access to daily.
What academic support will Women’s Wrestling Student-Athletes receive?
All student-athletes have access to dedicated academic advisors who ensure they are meeting NCAA eligibility and on track to graduate, in addition to tutoring, study hall resources. All Iowa State student-athletes have access to the Stark Performance Center, which houses ISU’s student-athlete academic and dining facilities.
Who should prospective student-athletes contact if they have questions?
Questions may be directed to womenswrestling@iastate.edu.
