State Dual Wrestling Starts for Girls

January 30, 2024

In an unprecedented event, the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association (NSWCA) sponsored the first ever girls state wrestling dual on Friday, January 26, at Pierce High School. 

“The NSWCA State Duals is a huge event for these young ladies,” comments Pierce head coach Les Painter. “Just for us to prove to the NSAA that the girls can host an event like this and that there are enough teams that have full rosters and the duals were competitive.”

Along with Pierce, whose team finished runner-up, other teams in the dual tournament included Grand Island Senior High, who claimed first place, Norfolk High School, who finished third, South Sioux City, who ended fourth, as well as Minden, North Platte, Millard South, and Papillion-La Vista.

With girls wrestling all being in one class, Class A, with the NSAA (Nebraska School Activities Association), only one wrestling dual tournament was needed. 

Currently the NSAA website lists under duals, “No scores for Girls Wrestling in 2023-24.” Starting a girls wrestling dual tournament is one way to show that the sport does have enough competition. 

“The NSWCA goal is to host events till the NSAA is willing to take them over. Our overall goal is to grow the whole sport of wrestling,” Painter says.

Since being sanctioned as a sport in Nebraska in 2021, girls wrestling has grown exponentially. In the 2023-24 season, sub-district competitions are scheduled to accommodate the growth and eliminate the need for a 2-day district tournament. 

As of November 28, 2023, in Nebraska there were over 16oo girls on 173 teams.  To see this growth is amazing, especially in the past five years when Nebraska had less than 100 girls on rosters. Over 45 individual girls only wrestling competitions are available in the state of Nebraska this year alone. 

From 1928-1960, boys wrestling was all only one class, Class A. Then from 1961-1966, boys wrestling evolved into Class A and Class B. From 1967-1969, NSAA sponsored three classes, A-C. Since 1970, the NSAA has operated with four classes, A-D. 

The spring of 2021 saw significant advances in Nebraska girls wrestling, as the NSAA sanctioned girls wrestling as an event. In the spring of 2022, the first girls state wrestling tournament was held. 

State champions hail from all different sized schools since girls wrestling is grouped into one class, some coming from schools with only a double digit student enrollment all the way up to student enrollment in the thousands.

For the 2024 road to state, four districts will be held, with 40-43 teams in each district, for a total of 168 teams competing. 

Nebraska state girls wrestling will be held in conjunction with the boys wrestling tournament on February 15-17.