Could Clemson Add Women's Wrestling in 2022?

Women's wrestling could potentially be added as a varsity sport in Tigertown.

Division one college wrestling in the south is extremely limited, let alone women’s wrestling programs. Clemson University in South Carolina is looking to add a new women’s varsity sport in January 2022 and the wrestling community is pushing for the Tigers to add a women’s wrestling team. 

Clemson had a men’s team that was cut in the 1994-1995 season even though they had a National Champion in 1993 and 1994, Sam Henson. Henson was a standout at Clemson going 71-0 in two seasons and winning two National titles in the 118 pound weight class. 

Since then, Clemson started a club men’s team that competes against other collegiate club teams in the south. 

With the announcement of the Tigers athletic department wanting to add a new women’s sport, the men’s club team has fully backed the cause and is pushing very hard for the addition. 

The sport of wrestling continues to dwindle with some programs being cut and some being added. In recent years, Old Dominion, Fresno State and Eastern Michigan cut men’s wrestling programs but, Cal Poly and Arkansas Little Rock added men’s programs and even had athletes compete at the National tournament. 

Women’s wrestling is even more on the rise with Sacred Heart adding a division one women’s program this past offseason. Even at the high school level, my home state Connecticut added a women’s division for the state tournament for the 2019-2020 season. 

If Clemson brings a women’s team to Tigertown then we could see a revival of collegiate wrestling in the south.