Penn State Altoona Athletics said it would add both Men's and Women's wrestling to its DIII varsity sport offerings, with competition beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
The Penn State satellite campus, located just 44 miles southwest of Penn State's University Park campus, is hoping to fill the head coaching position for both teams by January 1, 2024.
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Director of Athletics at the Altoona campus, Brent Baird, commented on the addition of wrestling in both Men's and Women's capacities:
“Penn State Altoona is excited to add men’s and women’s wrestling to our lineup of teams for the 2024-25 academic year. Sitting in the heart of central Pennsylvania, it is a natural fit to have wrestling as part of our NCAA Division III program. There is no better group of passionate wrestling fans than here in this region.”
Penn State Altoona hosted wrestling for roughly a decade starting in 1971-72 but the sport was cut from the school in the 1980s. The school's team won a Commonwealth Championship in 1972-73, and that team was inducted into the Penn State Altoona Athletics Hall of Fame in April.
Many colleges across the country are adding women's wrestling as the sport has gained notoriety and has grown significantly over the past few years.
Girls wrestling was officially sanctioned by the PIAA in May, so the Altoona campus could be a hotspot for Pennsylvania wrestlers to flock toward, especially with Penn State's rich tradition in the sport.
Baird said the sanctioning of girls wrestling will help fuel even more growth:
“We believe this sport will grow even faster now that Pennsylvania has sanctioned it in the high schools, and we want to provide the opportunity for women to continue their participation in it at the college level.”
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