Iowa State Adds Women's Wrestling After Gymnastics Cut

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Iowa State University announced on Thursday that it will be adding a women's wrestling program to begin competing in the 2027-28 season. This comes after the school made the decision last month to drop its women's gymnastics program.

Why it matters

The addition of a women's wrestling program at Iowa State is seen as an effort to continue providing athletic opportunities for female student-athletes after the elimination of the gymnastics team. Women's wrestling is a growing sport at the collegiate level, and this move aligns with Iowa State's goal of maintaining a diverse array of women's sports offerings.

The details

Iowa State's new women's wrestling team will begin competing in the 2027-28 academic year. The school did not provide details on the size of the program or coaching staff, but noted that the decision to add wrestling came after the recent discontinuation of the women's gymnastics team.

• Iowa State announced the new women's wrestling program on April 16, 2026.
• The women's wrestling team will begin competing in the 2027-28 season.

What’s next

Iowa State will now begin the process of hiring a head coach and recruiting student-athletes to build the new women's wrestling program ahead of its inaugural season in 2027-28.