Rochester University (MI) NAIA Adds Women’s Wrestling
Courtesy of Rochester Athletics – Link
ROCHESTER, Mich — Rochester University Athletic Department is excited to announce the addition of women’s wrestling beginning in the fall of 2022-23. Current head men’s wrestling coach, Wesley Maskill, will be the first head coach of the women’s wrestling program. Maskill took over as the men’s head coach three years ago after the Warriors finished their inaugural season. At that time there were only three wrestlers in the program and the Warriors now have twenty-eight wrestlers competing.
Women’s wrestling became an NAIA invitational sport during the 2018-19 school year, consisting of 21 teams. Following three years of growth, there are now 39 schools that sponsor women’s wrestling in the NAIA. The wrestlers compete for individual national championships in ten weight classes and a team championship based on individual wrestler finishes at the national tournament. Double elimination format is used at the nationaltournament to determine the top six wrestlers in each weight class who earn NAIA All-American honors. “Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is committed to growing women’s wrestling from the grassroots level to the colleges. The NWCA is currently in the process of pursing emerging sport status for women’s wrestling in the NCAA and NAIA,” states NWCA.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach the Rochester University men’s and women’s wrestling programs and to help build a strong foundation here at RU,” said Coach Maskill. “Rochester is rated one of the safest cities in Michigan and we are very proud of our beautiful campus. The state of Michigan and the metro-Detroit area offer a lot of opportunities for strong competition. The addition of women’s wrestling at RU will be beneficial both to the institution and to the young women who will compete at the collegiate level,” states Maskill.
Like men’s wrestling in the NAIA, the women wrestle throughout the winter season, from early November to the championships in mid-March. Rochester University Senior Vice President, Dr. Klint Pleasant, had this to say on adding women’s wrestling, “We have been pleased with the growth of our men’s wrestling program the last few years. The sport has generated excitement and has added value to the University in multiple ways. We are thrilled to announce that we would like to begin a women’s wrestling program as well. There are already a few programs in our conference who sponsor wrestling on the women’s side and we want to join in with giving those same opportunities. We look forward to watching Coach Maskill grow this program.”
Rochester has opened its recruiting and is searching for talented women to take the mat when the Warriors open their inaugural season in the fall of 2022. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested in wrestling at the collegiate level, please contact Coach Maskill at wmaskill@rochesteru.edu.
Courtesy of Rochester Athletics – Link
ROCHESTER, Mich — Rochester University Athletic Department is excited to announce the addition of women’s wrestling beginning in the fall of 2022-23. Current head men’s wrestling coach, Wesley Maskill, will be the first head coach of the women’s wrestling program. Maskill took over as the men’s head coach three years ago after the Warriors finished their inaugural season. At that time there were only three wrestlers in the program and the Warriors now have twenty-eight wrestlers competing.
Women’s wrestling became an NAIA invitational sport during the 2018-19 school year, consisting of 21 teams. Following three years of growth, there are now 39 schools that sponsor women’s wrestling in the NAIA. The wrestlers compete for individual national championships in ten weight classes and a team championship based on individual wrestler finishes at the national tournament. Double elimination format is used at the nationaltournament to determine the top six wrestlers in each weight class who earn NAIA All-American honors. “Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is committed to growing women’s wrestling from the grassroots level to the colleges. The NWCA is currently in the process of pursing emerging sport status for women’s wrestling in the NCAA and NAIA,” states NWCA.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to coach the Rochester University men’s and women’s wrestling programs and to help build a strong foundation here at RU,” said Coach Maskill. “Rochester is rated one of the safest cities in Michigan and we are very proud of our beautiful campus. The state of Michigan and the metro-Detroit area offer a lot of opportunities for strong competition. The addition of women’s wrestling at RU will be beneficial both to the institution and to the young women who will compete at the collegiate level,” states Maskill.
Like men’s wrestling in the NAIA, the women wrestle throughout the winter season, from early November to the championships in mid-March. Rochester University Senior Vice President, Dr. Klint Pleasant, had this to say on adding women’s wrestling, “We have been pleased with the growth of our men’s wrestling program the last few years. The sport has generated excitement and has added value to the University in multiple ways. We are thrilled to announce that we would like to begin a women’s wrestling program as well. There are already a few programs in our conference who sponsor wrestling on the women’s side and we want to join in with giving those same opportunities. We look forward to watching Coach Maskill grow this program.”
Rochester has opened its recruiting and is searching for talented women to take the mat when the Warriors open their inaugural season in the fall of 2022. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested in wrestling at the collegiate level, please contact Coach Maskill at wmaskill@rochesteru.edu.
Comments are closed here.