Pennsylvania up to 18 schools
Pennsylvania made the jump to 18 girls wrestling schools on Monday night with the addition of Milton, which was preceded Monday night by Seneca and last week by Newport.
Milton and Seneca were the first schools from Districts 4 and 10, respectively, to approve a girls wrestling program. They also mark three schools in seven days to make that announcement.
A push across Pennsylvania is starting to yield results that many within the Sanction PA movement believe are starting to build serious momentum. At the same time, Sanction PA is working alongside the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association to hit their marks and accelerate the process.
PIAA bylaws dictate a new sport must be approved in 100 schools before the organization can sanction a championship event. The hope now is the two sides can meet somewhere between the current number of 18 schools and the stated goal of 100.
Emerging sport status is also a distinct possibility, which would further serve and recognize the growth process for girls wrestling. That step would mirror NCAA women’s wrestling, which currently carries the emerging sport designation.
Sanction PA is optimistic that the momentum from the past week will continue, even pick up steam, between now and the start of the 2021-’22 wrestling season.
Pennsylvania girls wrestling programs, with dates they were approved:
JP McCaskey (District 3): March 2020
Easton (District 11): May 2020
Executive Education Academy (District 11): May 2020
North Allegheny (District 7): June 2020
Central Mountain (District 6): Sept. 2020
Governor Mifflin (District 3): Sept. 2020
Annville-Cleona (District 3): Sept. 2020
Gettysburg (District 3): Oct. 2020
Brandywine Heights (District 3): Nov. 2020
Delaware Valley (District 2): April 2021
Western Wayne (District 2): June 2021
Bald Eagle (District 6): June 2021
Parkland (District 11): June 2021
Exeter Township (District 3): August 2021
Souderton (District 1): Sept. 2021
Newport (District 3): Oct. 2021 Seneca (District 10): Oct. 2021 Milton (District 4): Oct. 2021