Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU) announced on Tuesday that it will be adding women’s wrestling to its athletic offerings, beginning competition in the fall of 2025. This will mark the 26th intercollegiate sport at the university. The search for a head coach will begin this fall, with assistant coaches to be hired thereafter.
“It’s always exciting to add a new opportunity for our students,” said Ken Oliver, executive vice president of advancement and university operations. “This new program balances our athletic offerings by introducing a female-specific competition and supports a sport with a strong Midwest base. But more than that, these types of additions provide our students with chances to compete and learn valuable life skills that athletics can teach.”
Oliver also highlighted the university’s ongoing investments in its facilities, including new and renovated residence halls and the upcoming opening of a new dining hall, all aimed at enhancing the student experience at KWU.
This is the first new sport KWU has introduced since adding men’s volleyball in September 2020. Over the past decade, the university has also added Esports, women’s flag football, and men’s and women’s bowling to its athletic department.
The women’s wrestling team will practice in Muir Gym, utilizing a suspension mat system, and KWU plans to renovate a locker room specifically for the team.
Kansas Wesleyan will become the sixth school in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) to sponsor women’s wrestling, joining a growing number of NAIA schools across the country. Currently, 37 NAIA schools offer women’s wrestling programs, with more than a third of them located in Kansas, Missouri, or Nebraska. The sport received championship status in the NAIA in 2024.
Athletic Director Miguel Paredes expressed enthusiasm about the new program, stating, “Women’s wrestling is on the rise nationally and is especially popular in the Midwest, but more than that, this is another addition to a fantastic Coyote experience. Our department has been at the forefront of adding emerging sports for years, and I’m pleased that this announcement continues that trend.”
