By Joe Bob Van Gundy
This story first appeared on mcmurrysports.com.
McMurry is expanding its athletic offerings by launching men’s and women’s wrestling teams, with the combined program set to begin fall 2025.
This new addition reflects McMurry’s dedication to offering students more competitive opportunities that build valuable skills for both academic success and personal growth, fostering leadership, integrity, and perseverance.
Wrestling is the first athletic program McMurry has added since 2019 when Esports joined the slate.
On September 27, 2024, the McMurry University Board of Trustees approved the addition of men’s and women’s wrestling programs. The search is now underway for a head coach, who will be instrumental in recruiting athletes and building a strong foundation for the program’s future.
“As we continue to build a competitive and inclusive athletics department, wrestling is a natural fit,” said Director of Athletics Larry Dockery. “It brings a rich tradition of discipline, teamwork, resilience, and values that align with our university’s mission both on and off the mat. By adding men’s and women’s wrestling, we are not only expanding opportunities for scholar-athletes but also creating an even stronger sense of community and school spirit.”
Wrestling is gaining popularity at both the high school and collegiate levels. As of the 2023–24 school year, 291,874 boys competed in high school wrestling at 11,149 schools, while girls’ participation surged to 64,257 at 7,138 schools, more than doubling since 2021, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. In NCAA Division III, 109 institutions sponsor men’s wrestling, and 44 sponsor women’s wrestling. This rise in participation, especially among female athletes, underscores the sport’s growing national appeal.
McMurry is the first university in Abilene to offer collegiate wrestling. The university hopes to join the Saint Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) as an affiliate and hold exhibitions with NAIA programs Texas Wesleyan, Wayland Baptist, as well as Schreiner and the other SCAC schools with wrestling programs. McMurry currently offers 10 women’s sports (basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, diving, tennis, track, and volleyball), 10 men’s sports (baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, diving, tennis, and track), and two coed sports (Esports and Cheer). With the addition of men’s and women’s wrestling, McMurry will have 24 sports programs in total.
“I want to thank our university leadership, our athletics staff, and our entire community for supporting this initiative. Together, we are creating new opportunities and setting the stage for success. We look forward to seeing our wrestling teams in action and making us proud in the seasons to come,” said Dockery.
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The Emerging Sports for Women program – overseen by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics – was established in 1994 based on a recommendation from the NCAA Gender Equity Task Force. Since then, five sports have become championship sports (beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo and bowling), while women’s wrestling is on track to become the sixth, pending membership approval at the 2025 NCAA Convention. In 2022-23, emerging sports accounted for over 4,200 participation opportunities for student-athletes based on NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates data.
COURTESY NCAA COMMUNICATIONS
