Women’s wrestling is the sixth emerging sport to earn NCAA championship status. Since the emerging sports program was established in 1994, five women’s sports have earned NCAA championship status: rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003) and beach volleyball (2015).

The NCAA approved the addition of women’s wrestling at the Division I, II and III levels as a championship sport, it announced Friday. The sport’s first NCAA women’s championship will take place in 2026.

NCAA Convention, women's wrestling was voted to become an official NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III championship sport. The vote comes after several seasons of participation in the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.