NCHSAA adds girls wrestling as official sport for 2023-24 season

The North Carolina High School Athletic Association Board of Directors voted Wednesday to add girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport.

The sport will be added for the 2023-24 season. The NCHSAA will conduct some exercises during the 2022-23 season to prepare for the addition.

“Let me just say how excited I am that (the NCHSAA’s sports committee) arrived at this,” said Commissioner Que Tucker as reported by WRAL’s Nick Stevens. “This is a historical moment for us.”

“This provides a pathway for continued growth of the sport while continuing to allow the flexibility of participation opportunities in the current structure,” said Board of Directors member Cathy Moore.

Polk County had one female wrestler, Tori Strickland, compete in the program for the past four seasons.

The NCHSAA board unaimously approved the addition of the sport.

In other action:

• The board approved a three-year pilot program for basketball that will allow ninth and 10th grade players to participate in up to five quarters of basketball in a single day. The program is designed to help boost participation, especially at the junior varsity level.
• Approved a five percent distribution from interest earned on the Association’s General Endowment Fund to member schools, including a 5.05 percent distribution from the Education/Health and Safety Endowment Fund.
• Approved Membership Fees remaining at $1 per pupil for 2022-2023. Board eliminated the $100 administrative fee for all member schools, effective 2022-2023
• Revised NCHSAA revenue share to 20 percent for all fourth round contests in all team and bracketed sports. As a result of the recent memorandum of understanding with the State Board of Education, the Association will receive its share in all rounds from the net revenues of all playoff and championships rather than the gross receipts.