By: Sarah Seaman, Hiram Sports Information
HIRAM, Ohio - January 22, 2026 - The NCAA announced that Division III women's wrestling will have a standalone championship this past week at the NCAA Convention. Beginning in the 2027-28 academic year, D-III women's wrestling teams and individuals will have a chance to compete against other Division III competition for an NCAA championship.
The NCAA had already added women's wrestling as its 91st championship sport this past July, which includes Division I, Division II and Division III teams competing against each other, beginning with this year's championship in 2026. With this most recent news, the Division III level will eventually gets its own stage in 2028.
"With more than 50 Division III institutions now sponsoring women's wrestling, establishing a Division III-specific national championship is a natural next step," said vice president of Division III, Louise McCleary, in an NCAA press release. "This championship will ensure that Division III student-athletes compete at the highest level in a manner that reflects the division's philosophy, promotes competitive equity and delivers a true Division III championship experience. It also supports the continued growth of women's wrestling and expands meaningful opportunities for women in collegiate athletics."
With 55 schools, Division III makes up the majority of NCAA institutions currently sponsoring women's wrestling. A standalone championship gives Division III student-athletes the opportunity compete against peers from similar programs.
Leading up to that 2027-28 championship, Division III schools will continue competing against Division I and Division II student-athletes as part of the NCAA Championship. The NCAA's first women's wrestling championship will be held from March 6-7, 2026 in Coralville, IA.
Hiram is in its fifth season of competition in women's wrestling and has achieved a remarkable run filled with milestones, including seven national qualifier selections between Kylee Bentley, Lexi Doerflinger, Mallory Chunat and Erika Novak. The Terriers have had a national qualifier in three of their four completed seasons, including their first year as a program (Bentley).
Since 2022, Christy Powell has been at the helm as head coach of the emerging program. In 2023-24, the team set a program record with a 10-win season and finished the campaign with a program-best three national qualifiers. Last season, Powell led the Terriers to a first-place finish at the AMCC Invitational, which included six all-conference selections and another three national qualifiers. The Terriers were led by former head coach Andy Vogel in their inaugural season back in 2021-22.
Hiram returns to action at the Indiana Tech Warrior Open on Friday, with their sights also set on the AMCC Championship on Saturday, Feb. 7 and the NCAA Northeast Regional from Feb. 20-21 in Tiffin, OH.
