Numerous colleges in Georgia offer wrestling as a club sport.
According to Georgia Tech’s website, as of 2010, there were over 230,000 high school wrestling participants and over 9,000 high school wrestling teams in the United States. However, the number of collegiate wrestling teams decreased rapidly after the 1970s. Because high school wrestling teams are so popular, the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) established collegiate teams for these high school graduates to participate in at the college level. Numerous colleges in Georgia participate in the NCWA program.
Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech established a wrestling team when the school first opened, eliminated it in 1992 and reestablished it in 1995 with the NCWA. Referring to themselves as the "Wrecking Crew," Georgia Tech’s wrestling team finished in the top 20 teams nationwide for six consecutive years, as of 2010, and in 2000 was ranked 1st place at the Southeastern Open Tournament. The team competes against NCAA Division I and Division II teams. The team practices wrestling for three hours three times per week, and they participate in conditioning twice a week for one hour each day.
Georgia Tech
350309 GA Tech Station
Atlanta, GA 30332
gatech.edu
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University established a wrestling team in 1997, eliminated it and then reestablished it in 2008 with the NCWA. In 2010, the team was ranked fifth in the NCAA Division II Standings, the team’s top point leader won the National Champion award, and the team was ranked sixth at the Southeastern Conference Championships and third at the Georgia State Championships. The top point leader on the team had 23 wins in 2010, with 17 pins and 181.45 points. The team practices two hours per day, Monday through Friday.
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, GA 30460
912-592-5235
georgiasouthern.edu
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw State University offers numerous club sports teams, including cheerleading, fishing and paintball. The school offers wrestling through the NCWA. KSU’s wrestling team was ranked sixth in 2008 Nationals. The team’s top point leader has won 24 matches as of the 2010 wrestling season, with 19 pins and 192.65 points. If you’re interested in becoming part of the team, paperwork must be completed and turned in by mid-September before recruitment begins. Past experience is not necessary.
Kennesaw State University
1000 Chastain Road
Kennesaw, GA 30144
770-329-5559
kennesaw.edu
The University of Georgia
The University of Georgia included wrestling as one of its original sports. Now the school participates in the NCWA, competing against other NCAA Division II and Division III schools. The team practices Tuesday and Thursday nights from 8 to 10 p.m. during season. Practices consist of a warm-up activity, such as running, rowing or cycling, drilling and stretching for about an hour, and then training for situations typical to a live wrestling match for 30 to 45 minutes. In 2010, UGA placed fifth at the Southeast Conference Championships with nine wrestlers participating.
The University of Georgia
Athens, GA 30605
404-824-7495
uga.edu
Tags: high school, University Georgia, wrestling team, Georgia Southern, Georgia Southern University, Georgia Tech, high school wrestling
