National Wrestling Hall of Fame Executive Director Search

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum's Board of Governors is still accepting applications for its Executive Director position.

The board seeks a passionate and credible Champion of the NWHOF’s vision, mission and values who will steward the institution’s legacy while propelling it into a new era of innovation, growth, and impact.

Olympic Champion Hildebrandt Returns; Over 255 Senior Women's Freestyle Entries at 2026 U.S. Open Championships

The table is set for an electric 2026 U.S. Open Championships being held next week at The Expo at World Market Center Las Vegas, and the Senior women’s freestyle is expected to deliver some of the most memorable moments of the event. 

Over 255 athletes have entered the Senior women’s freestyle division, which is set for April 23-24. Fans will witness the much-anticipated return of an Olympic champion, plus see highly-contested brackets filled with World medalists of all ages, 13 past World Team members, six returning U.S. Open champions, college national champions, and top high school prospects battling for national titles. 

Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners Announced

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced the state winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA). 

The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation. 

The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Five Olympians, Eight 2025 World Team Members Headline Greco-Roman World Team Trials

The Senior Greco-Roman field for the 2026 U.S. Open Championships has a strong mix of experience and young, up-and-coming wrestlers looking to make the 2026 World Team at The Expo at World Market Las Vegas.

Over 200 athletes have entered the Senior Greco-Roman division, which is set for April 23-25. Olympians, past Senior World Team members, current National Team members, age-group World medalists and high school stars are all in the mix looking to take home gold next week.

The tournament will serve as the World Team Trials and establish the 2026 Greco-Roman Senior World Team. The winner of the best-of-three series final at each weight class will represent the U.S. at the 2026 World Championships in Manama, Bahrain, from October 24-November 1.

Iowa State Adds Women's Wrestling; Announces Wrestling Leadership Changes

Women's wrestling will debut as Iowa State University's 18th intercollegiate athletics program during the 2027-28 academic year, Endowed Cyclone Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced.

Two-time World Wrestling Championships silver medalist Alli St. John (Ragan) has been selected as the first head coach of the Iowa State women's wrestling program.

After a storied 20-year collegiate coaching career that saw Iowa State and Virginia Tech return to national prominence, Kevin Dresser will transition into a new role within the Iowa State Athletics Department as Director of Men's & Women's Wrestling.

Brent Metcalf, who has spent the past nine seasons helping Kevin Dresser methodically return the proud Cyclone program to national prominence, has been selected as the ninth head coach of the Iowa State men's wrestling program.

Eight athletes accept automatic bids to 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Final X will determine the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team in two-of-three international disciplines—men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle. In total, 20 weight classes will be contested, 10 in each discipline. The top two U.S. athletes in each weight class will wrestle a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the U.S. representative for the 2026 Senior World Championships in Manama, Bahrain.

20 athletes will be added to the Final X lineup at the U.S. Open, which is set for April 22-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The champions in the Senior Men’s Freestyle and Senior Women’s Freestyle divisions advance to Final X.

Five World Medalists Declare for 2026 Senior Pan American Championships in Iowa

Levi Haines, Trent Hidlay, Zahid Valencia, Real Woods and Kylie Welker have declared to represent the U.S. at the 2026 Pan American Championships in Coralville, Iowa. The five reigning World medalists will guide Team USA on home soil, May 7-10 at Xtream Arena.

Reigning World champions Valencia and Hidlay look to defend their Pan American titles after winning gold in Monterrey, Mexico, last spring. Valencia enters this year’s tournament as a two-time Pan American champion after winning his first title in 2022.

Two-time World bronze medalist and three-time age-group World champion Welker returns to the Pan American circuit after a gold medal performance last year.

Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners Announced

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). 

The Hall of Fame’s High School Excellence Awards are proudly sponsored by the Hyman Family, whose generous support and passion for the sport help ensure the continued recognition and development of wrestling’s next generation. 

First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.