NCAA Div. III Washington & Jefferson College in Pennsylvania adds women's wrestling

WASHINGTON, Pa. — Washington & Jefferson College is excited to announce the addition of women's wrestling and men's volleyball to its NCAA Division III athletic department, increasing the number of NCAA varsity sport offerings to 28 (14 men, 14 women).

Both teams are expected to begin their full competition varsity seasons during the 2026-27 academic year. This will be the college's first sports addition since women's lacrosse debuted in the spring of 2008.

"Washington & Jefferson College has a proud athletic tradition and represents one of the most successful athletic programs in the Presidents' Athletic Conference. We are excited to bring two new sports online that, I am certain, will match in quality and competitiveness all our existing programs," stated Dr. Elizabeth MacLeod Walls, President.

Washington & Jefferson College hopes to play a leading role in forming a Division III women's wrestling conference within the region; however, it will initially compete as an independent. Currently, there are over 150 collegiate women's wrestling programs.

"W&J has sponsored varsity athletics since 1890, and the introduction of women's wrestling and men's volleyball continues our commitment to provide a balance of robust, comprehensive learning experiences and competitive athletic teams," said Scott McGuinness, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Athletics.

"We are excited to expand our athletic offerings to women and men in the arenas of wrestling and volleyball. This expansion mirrors growth in sports in our region and throughout DIII NCAA campuses," stated Eva Chatterjee-Sutton, Vice President of Student Life & Dean of Students. "We look forward to welcoming these programs into our community and our outstanding athletic tradition at W&J."

Participation in girls' wrestling and boys' volleyball has been on the rise for the past few years. Scholastic girls' wrestling had 64,257 nationwide participants last year (2023-24)— an increase of 102 percent from 31,654 athletes in 2021-22. According to the latest National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) participation data, boys' high school volleyball had 85,255 participants in 2023-24, an increase of 8,000.

In February 2024, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics voted to recommend Divisions I, II and III sponsor legislation to add a national collegiate women's wrestling championship. Each division is expected to vote on the proposals during the 2025 NCAA Convention, and if adopted on that timeline, the first women's wrestling championship will be held in winter 2026.

When the men's volleyball team joins the Presidents' Athletic Conference, they will become the 24th W&J program to compete in the league. During the 2024 season, 125 men's volleyball programs competed for the NCAA Division III championship. The first NCAA Division III men's volleyball national champion was crowned in 2012.

Coaching staff searches will begin immediately with roster recruitment starting once the new coaches are hired. Recruitment will continue during the 2025-26 academic year with the possibility of competition at the club level, while rosters are constructed.

For more information on the addition of men's volleyball and women's wrestling, please contact Scott McGuinness at 724-250-3308 or email athletics@washjeff.edu. Students interested in being pioneers in the new sport offerings at W&J can apply today: https://www.washjeff.edu/future-students/apply/