List of NCAA Division I wrestling programs explained
This is a list of men's collegiate wrestling programs in the United States that compete in NCAA Division I. For the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's wrestling season, 77 schools in the United States sponsor Division I varsity men's wrestling.[1] This list reflects each team's conference affiliation as of that season.
Wrestling conferences
- Before its 2024 expansion, the Big Ten Conference was the only all-sport conference whose members (14) all competed in wrestling. The four newest members, Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington, do not sponsor wrestling.
- The seven wrestling schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) are all currently full members of the conference.
- The Mid-American Conference (MAC) has eight affiliate members in addition to five full members after adding the seven members of the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) as new affiliates starting in the 2019–20 season.[2]
- The Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12) has six wrestling members in 2019–20. It had operated with three full members plus two affiliates after the elimination of Boise State's program, but restored its wrestling membership to the six required for NCAA recognition by adding Little Rock as an associate member in 2019–20.
- The Southern Conference (SoCon) with three full members meets the membership requirement by having six associate members, with the newest associate, Bellarmine (in transition from Division II), being the most recent addition in 2020–21.
- The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) is a wrestling-only conference that had 16 members in the 2018–19 season, and added another member for 2019–20 and beyond. EIWA member Franklin & Marshall is the only Division III school competing in Division I wrestling. Joining for 2019–20 were the LIU Sharks, created by the merger of Long Island University's two athletic programs—the Division I LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds, which did not sponsor wrestling, and the Division II LIU Post Pioneers, which did. The former LIU Post wrestling program has continued to compete as the LIU Sharks.
- The Ivy League is the newest Division I wrestling league, having been formed after the 2023-2024 academic year. The six members that sponsor wrestling were previously members of the EIWA, but broke off after the 2023-24 season to have their own conference and tournament.[3]
- The Big 12 Conference (Big 12) had lost its NCAA recognition when wrestling membership fell to only four full member schools, despite the fact that three of those four schools had won a combined 49 NCAA Division I wrestling team titles. On July 29, 2015, the Big 12 announced that the members of the Western Wrestling Conference (which had six members, but was not recognized by the NCAA) had been accepted as affiliate members of the Big 12, increasing the number of participating schools to ten and restoring the conference's automatic bids. The Big 12 has since added three more wrestling affiliates, though one of these, namely Fresno State, dropped the sport after the 2020–21 season.[4] California Baptist was officially granted Division I status in August 2022.[5] Missouri, previously a full Big 12 member before moving to the Southeastern Conference, where it is currently the only school that sponsors wrestling, moved back to the conference as an affiliate in 2021-22 after spending the previous nine years as an affiliate member of the MAC.[6] Oklahoma remained in Big 12 wrestling after otherwise joining the SEC in 2024.
Current Division I schools
| School | Location | State | Nickname | Head Coach | Conference | Primary conference | National titles[7] |
|---|
| American University | Washington | DC | Eagles | Jason Borrelli | EIWA | Patriot League | 0 |
| Appalachian State University | Boone | NC | Mountaineers | JohnMark Bentley | SoCon | Sun Belt | 0 |
| Arizona State University | Tempe | AZ | Sun Devils | Zeke Jones | Big 12 | 1 – 1988 |
| | | Knights | Ned Shuck | | | 0 |
| Binghamton University | Vestal | NY | Bearcats | Kyle Borshoff | EIWA | America East | 0 |
| Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania | Bloomsburg | PA | Huskies | Marcus Gordon | MAC | PSAC (Div. II) | 0
[8] |
| Brown University | Providence | RI | Bears | Jordan Leen | Ivy League | 0 |
| Bucknell University | Lewisburg | PA | Bison | Dan Wirnsberger | EIWA | Patriot League | 0 |
| Buffalo | NY | Bulls | Donnie Vinson | MAC | 0
[9] |
| California Baptist University | Riverside | CA | Lancers | Derek Moore | | WAC | 0
|
| California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) | San Luis Obispo | CA | Mustangs | Jon Sioredas | Pac-12 | Big West | 0
[10] |
| California State University, Bakersfield | Bakersfield | CA | Roadrunners | Luke Smith | Pac-12 | Big West | 0
|
| Campbell University | Buies Creek | NC | Fighting Camels | Scotti Sentes | SoCon | CAA | 0 |
| Central Michigan University | Mount Pleasant | MI | Chippewas | Ben Bennett | MAC | 0 |
| Charleston | SC | Bulldogs | Ryan LeBlanc | SoCon | 0 |
| (Clarion) | Clarion | PA | Golden Eagles | Keith Ferraro | MAC | PSAC (Div. II) | 0 |
| Cleveland State University | Cleveland | OH | Vikings | Josh Moore | MAC | Horizon League | 0 |
| Columbia University | New York | NY | Lions | Zach Tanelli | Ivy League | 0 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca | NY | Big Red | Mike Grey | Ivy League | 0 |
| Davidson College | Davidson | NC | Wildcats | Nate Carr Jr. | SoCon | Atlantic 10 | 0 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia | PA | Dragons | Matt Azevedo | EIWA | CAA | 0 |
| Duke University | Durham | NC | Blue Devils | Glenn Lanham | ACC | 0 |
| (Edinboro) | Edinboro | PA | Fighting Scots | Matt Hill | MAC | PSAC (Div. II) | 0 |
| Franklin & Marshall College | Lancaster | PA | Diplomats | Mike Rogers | EIWA | Centennial (Div. III) | 0 |
| Gardner-Webb University | Boiling Springs | NC | Runnin' Bulldogs | Daniel Elliot | SoCon | Big South | 0 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax County | VA | Patriots | Frank Beasley | MAC | Atlantic 10 | 0 |
| Harvard University | Cambridge | MA | Crimson | Jay Weiss | Ivy League | 0 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead | NY | Pride | Dennis Papadatos | EIWA | CAA | 0 |
| (Illinois) | Champaign–Urbana | IL | Fighting Illini | Mike Poeta | Big Ten | 0 |
| Indiana University Bloomington (Indiana) | Bloomington | IN | Hoosiers | Angel Escobedo | Big Ten | 1 – 1932 |
| Iowa City | IA | Hawkeyes | Tom Brands | Big Ten | 24 – 1975-76, 1978–86, 1991–93, 1995-2000, 2008–10, 2021 |
| Iowa State University | Ames | IA | Cyclones | Kevin Dresser | Big 12 | 8 – t-1933, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1972–73, 1977, 1987 |
| Kent State University | Kent | OH | Golden Flashes | Jim Andrassy | MAC | 0 |
| Lehigh University | Bethlehem | PA | Mountain Hawks | Pat Santoro | EIWA | Patriot League | 0 |
| (Little Rock) | Little Rock | AR | Trojans | Neil Erisman | Pac-12 | OVC | 0 |
| (LIU) | Brookville | NY | Sharks | Joe Patrovich | EIWA | NEC | 0 |
| Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania | Lock Haven | PA | Bald Eagles | Scott Moore | MAC | PSAC (Div. II) | 0
|
| (Maryland) | College Park | MD | Terrapins | Alex Clemsen | Big Ten | 0 |
| Ann Arbor | MI | Wolverines | Sean Bormet | Big Ten | 0 |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing | MI | Spartans | Roger Chandler | Big Ten | 1 – 1967 |
| Minneapolis and St. Paul | MN | Golden Gophers | Brandon Eggum | Big Ten | 3 – 2001-02, 2007 |
| Columbia | MO | Tigers | Brian Smith | Big 12 | SEC | 0 |
| Morgan State University | | | | Kenny Monday | Independent[11] | | 0 |
| (Nebraska) | Lincoln | NE | Cornhuskers | Mark Manning | Big Ten | 0 |
| North Carolina State University (NC State) | Raleigh | NC | Wolfpack | Pat Popolizio | ACC | 0 |
| (North Carolina) | Chapel Hill | NC | Tar Heels | Rob Koll | ACC | 0 |
| North Dakota State University | Fargo | ND | Bison | Obe Blanc | Big 12 | Summit League | 0
|
| Greeley | CO | Bears | Troy Nickerson | Big 12 | Big Sky | 0 |
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb | IL | Huskies | Ryan Ludwig | MAC | 0 |
| Cedar Falls | IA | Panthers | Doug Schwab | Big 12 | MVC | 1 – 1950
|
| Northwestern University | Evanston | IL | Wildcats | Matt Stormiolo | Big Ten | 0 |
| Athens | OH | Bobcats | Joel Greenlee | MAC | 0 |
| Columbus | OH | Buckeyes | Tom Ryan | Big Ten | 1 – 2015 |
| Norman | OK | Sooners | Roger Kish | | SEC | 7 – 1932.1951-52, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1974 |
| Oklahoma State University–Stillwater (Oklahoma State) | Stillwater | OK | Cowboys | John Smith | Big 12 | 34 – 1928-31, t-1933, 1934–42, 1946, 1948–49, 1954–56, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2003–06 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis | OR | Beavers | Chris Pendleton | Pac-12 | 0 |
| (Penn) | Philadelphia | PA | Quakers | Roger Reina | Ivy League | 0 |
| Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) | University Park | PA | Nittany Lions | Cael Sanderson | Big Ten | 12 – 1953, 2011–14, 2016–19, 2022-2024 |
| Pittsburgh | PA | Panthers | Keith Gavin | ACC | 0 |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton | SC | Blue Hose | Mark Cody | SoCon | Big South | 0 |
| Princeton University | Princeton | NJ | Tigers | Joe Dubuque | Ivy League | 0 |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette | IN | Boilermakers | Tony Ersland | Big Ten | 0 |
| Rider University | Lawrenceville | NJ | Broncs | John Hangey | MAC | MAAC | 0 |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick (Rutgers) | New Brunswick | NJ | Scarlet Knights | Scott Goodale | Big Ten | 0 |
| Sacred Heart University | Fairfield | CT | Pioneers | John Clark | EIWA | MAAC | 0 |
| South Dakota State University | Brookings | SD | Jackrabbits | Damion Hahn | Big 12 | Summit League | 0 |
| (SIU Edwardsville or SIUE) | Edwardsville | IL | Cougars | Jeremy Spates | MAC | OVC | 0
|
| Stanford University | Stanford | CA | Cardinal | Chris Ayres | ACC | 0 |
| (Chattanooga) | Chattanooga | TN | Mocs | Kyle Ruschell | SoCon | 0 |
| (Air Force) | Colorado Springs | CO | Falcons | Sam Barber | Big 12 | Mountain West | 0 |
| (Army) | West Point | NY | Black Knights | Kevin Ward | EIWA | Patriot League | 0 |
| (Navy) | Annapolis | MD | Midshipmen | Cary Kolat | EIWA | Patriot League | 0 |
| Utah Valley University | Orem | UT | Wolverines | Adam Hall | Big 12 | WAC | 0 |
| Charlottesville | VA | Cavaliers | Steve Garland | ACC | 0 |
| Virginia Military Institute (VMI) | Lexington | VA | Keydets | Jim Gibson | SoCon | 0 |
| Virginia Tech | Blacksburg | VA | Hokies | Tony Robie | ACC | 0 |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown | WV | Mountaineers | Tim Flynn | Big 12 | 0 |
| (Wisconsin) | Madison | WI | Badgers | Chris Bono | Big Ten | 0 |
| Laramie | WY | Cowboys | Mark Branch | Big 12 | Mountain West | 0 | |
Notes
Map of Defunct Division I men's wrestling programs (Since 1953)
Notes
- The NEIWA merged into ECC which merged into the CAA[13]
- Dropped Collegiate Programs since 1953[14]
- Dropped College Wrestling Teams[15]
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: NCBA.org . NCAA Sports Sponsorship . June 30, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308022601/http://web1.ncaa.org/onlineDir/exec2/sponsorship . March 8, 2017 . dead .
- Web site: MAC Announces Historic Wrestling Expansion . Mid-American Conference . March 5, 2019.
- Web site: Ivy League To Launch Wrestling Tournament Starting in 2025 . ivyleague.com . December 19, 2023 . December 21, 2023.
- Fresno State Athletics Announces Program Changes . Fresno State Bulldogs . October 16, 2020 . October 17, 2020.
- CBU Wrestling Accepts Conditional Membership Status from Big 12 Conference . California Baptist Lancers . February 16, 2021 . February 25, 2021.
- News: Mizzou Wrestling Program Returns To Big 12 Conference . June 28, 2021 . University of Missouri Athletics . April 22, 2021.
- Web site: NCAA . Division I Wrestling Championship History . March 21, 2015.
- Web site: NAIA . Wrestling Championship Records/Championship History . March 21, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120424223613/http://www.naia.org/fls/27900/1NAIA/SportsInfo/Championships/WR_Championship.pdf?SPSID=646081&SPID=100496&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=27900 . April 24, 2012 . dead .
- Web site: NCAA . Division III Wrestling Championship History . March 21, 2015.
- Web site: NCAA . Division II Wrestling Championship History . March 21, 2015.
- Largest Donation in Morgan State University Athletics History Paves Way for Return of Division I Collegiate Wrestling, Following 24-Year Hiatus . Morgan State Athletics . October 21, 2021 . October 21, 2021.
- Welcome To The Lake Show: Mercyhurst University Accepts Northeast Conference Membership Invite . Northeast Conference . April 4, 2024 . April 6, 2024.
- Web site: NCAA Qualifiers by Conference . EIWA . January 13, 2024.
- Web site: College Programs Dropped Nationally . USA Wrestling-Kansas . February 22, 2017 . January 1, 2024.
- Web site: Dropped College Wrestling Teams . mattalkonline.com . February 23, 2017 . January 1, 2024.
