Inaugural girls state tournament to be held at Ohio State

Event will run in unison with boys state tournament

The girls high school state wrestling tournament is coming to the Jerome Schottenstein Center next March.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association announced on May 16 that the inaugural, OHSAA-sanctioned girls state wrestling tournament wll be held in unison with the boys state wrestling tournament from March 10-12 — Fridaythrough-Sunday. Both tournaments will be in a doubleelimination format.

The OHSAA said in a news release that it is determining where adjustments will be made to the time schedule, as well as other aspects.

“We are very excited for the girls to wrestle in the same environment at the Schottenstein Center that the boys do,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. “We have been working through the logistics of having both state tournaments held alongside each other at the Schott and we are pleased that it can be done. The excitement and energy will be incredible.”

More than 50,000 fans come to the boys state wrestling tournament every year. Adding the girls tournament to the mix will likely increase the attendance.

The Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association has conducted the girls wrestling state tournament since 2020 at Hilliard Davidson High School. In January 2022, the OHSAA announced that girls wrestling and boys volleyball would be added as sanctioned sports beginning with the 2022-23 school year.

The girls wrestling regional tournaments will be held on the same weekend as the boys district tournaments, but could occur on a Sunday to allow coaches who coach both teams to be with their teams that weekend. A total of 224 girls will qualify for the state tournament, with 16 wrestlers in each of the 14 weight classes.

The Schottenstein Center has hosted the OHSAA wrestling state tournament since 1999 except for 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.