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Grand View announces women's wrestling program to start in fall 2019

The Des Moines Register

Grand View's women's wrestling program will begin next season.

Troy Plummer, Grand View's athletic director, announced Monday that Grand View will launch a women's wrestling program beginning in the fall of 2019. The search for a head coach is underway.

"Due to the increased interest and participation in the sport of women's wrestling locally and in the (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), along with the success of our men's program, we believe this is the best fit for Grand View as the 26th varsity program," Plummer said in a release.

"We are excited to offer the opportunity for females to compete collegiately in the sport of wrestling."

Women's wrestling will be the 10th varsity program added during Plummer's tenure, which began in 2007. Grand View will also become just the second college in Iowa to offer women's wrestling. Waldorf, in Forest City, launched a women's wrestling program in 2010. The Warriors compete in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA).

Grand View added men's wrestling in 2008. Under head coach Nick Mitchell, the Vikings have won seven consecutive NAIA national team championships and produced 36 individual national title winners and 82 All-Americans.

"I’m really excited Grand View has decided to bring women’s wrestling to campus," Mitchell said in a release. "It’s cool to be one of the pioneers of an emerging women’s sport in Iowa.

"I’m looking forward to working alongside the new coach and doing whatever I can to help them build one of the top women’s wrestling programs in the nation."

Women's wrestling gained invitational status from the NAIA beginning during the 2018-19 academic year. Once there are 40 women's wrestling teams and the sport completes two years at invitational status, it may apply for championship status. Currently, 25 NAIA schools offer women's wrestling.

"We are proud to add women’s wrestling to Grand View’s strong athletic offerings," Grand View president Kent Henning said in a release. "There is a lot of excitement about the sport and we are committed to offering young women the same level of access to college-level athletics as is available to young men.

"We look forward to welcoming female student-wrestlers to our campus this fall."

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Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.