MES, Iowa – 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 today.
“Iowa State enjoys a rich wrestling tradition, and we believe the addition of women’s wrestling will afford tremendous opportunities for young women not only in Iowa, but around the country, to compete at the highest level in the sport,” Pollard said. “This is a great day for wrestling in the state of Iowa and at Iowa State University, and we look forward to growing a program under Coach Alli St. John that will build off the historic success of our men’s team.
“As we considered future opportunities for female athletes, it became clear that women’s wrestling offered Iowa State University the best combination of strategic fit, start-up efficiency and growth potential,” he added. “Women’s wrestling is recognized as one of the nation’s fastest growing sports at both the high school and collegiate level, and we are excited to help grow the sport for future generations of young women.”
Identified as an emerging sport in 2020 by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for all three divisions, the NCAA held its first national championship in the sport last month in Coralville, Iowa. Currently, there are 113 NCAA members that sponsor wrestling as a varsity sport, including six at the Division I level—Iowa, Lehigh, Delaware State, Lindenwood, Presbyterian and Sacred Heart with Kent State having announced plans to begin a program in 2027-28. Within the state of Iowa, there are 15 universities and colleges that currently sponsor the sport.
“Women’s wrestling has been an Olympic sport since 2004 and is the fastest-growing sport for young women in our nation,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director upon the announcement that the sport would become the NCAA’s 91st championship in 2026.
At the high school level, 218 Iowa high schools sponsor women’s wrestling and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union held its fourth state championship meet in February 2026 and will add a state dual meet championship next year. Every state that is contiguous to Iowa offers a state tournament in the sport at the high school level and nationally, 8,100 high schools sponsored the sport for 74,064 female student-athletes according to the 2024-25 National Federation of High Schools annual athletics participation summary.
“The addition of women’s wrestling is an exciting opportunity for Iowa State Athletics,” ISU Director of Wrestling Kevin Dresser said. “The fact that it is one of the fastest growing sports at the high school level coupled with the overall love of wrestling in the state of Iowa makes this a very good decision. I can envision the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk dual already and the excitement it will bring to the sport. I am excited to roll up my sleeves and help start another wrestling program.”
With the addition of women’s wrestling, the first sport added at ISU since women’s soccer in 1996, the Cyclones will sponsor 18 sports—11 women’s teams and seven men’s programs. ISU will offer 10 scholarships and have a roster of 30 positions on its inaugural team in 2027-28.
Women’s Wrestling Sport Sponsorship Timeline:
June 2020 — Women’s wrestling added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, giving the sport formal recognition and a pathway toward future championship status.
October 2023 — The sport surpassed the threshold of 40 schools sponsoring varsity programs.
February 7, 2024 — The NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics officially recommended that all three NCAA divisions sponsor legislation to elevate women’s wrestling from emerging sport to full championship status.
January 17, 2025 — Women’s wrestling officially became the NCAA’s 91st championship sport.
March 7, 2026 — McKendree wins first NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championship at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
April 16, 2026—Iowa State University announces women’s wrestling as its 18th intercollegiate athletics program and names two-time World Wrestling Championship silver medalist Alli St. John (Ragan) as the program’s first head coach.
AMES, Iowa – 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, ISU Endowed Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced today. The Cyclones will begin competing in the sport during the 2027-28 academic year; however, St. John’s program is open for business as it begins to build a roster for its debut season.
“Alli St. John is one of the United States’ most-decorated women’s wrestlers ever, and we are thrilled that she has agreed to lead the Iowa State women’s wrestling program as we launch an exciting new era in Cyclone Athletics,” Pollard said. “She enjoys an outstanding reputation in the wrestling community, and we look forward to watching her build a championship program on the mat at Iowa State.
“She has done an outstanding job cultivating and working with donors to the Cyclone Regional Training Center the last three years, and her engaging personality and competitive spirit, coupled with the success she has enjoyed in the sport competitively, make her the right candidate to lead this program,” he added.
In 2013, St. John represented the U.S. at the Summer Universiade and took silver in the women’s 59 kg event. She again won silver in the women’s freestyle 60 kg event at the 2016 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary and in the same event at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in Paris, France. All-told, she represented Team USA on six Senior World Teams during her 10-year professional career for USA Wrestling.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to be the first head coach of women’s wrestling at Iowa State University,” St. John said. “This is a historic moment not only for Iowa State University, but for the sport of wrestling, too. Iowa State has a rich wrestling tradition, and I’m excited to expand that legacy on the women’s side as we work to build a premier program in Ames that produces not only NCAA champions, but World and Olympic champions as well.”
As an undergraduate student at King (Tenn.) University, St. John was a two-time Women’s College national champion and a four-time finalist. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Kings in 2014.
She spent two years as women’s coach of the Big Game Wrestling Club (2021-23) and then served as an assistant coach of the Grand View College women’s wrestling program during the 2021-22 campaign. St. John earned her master’s degree in Sports Management from Grand View in 2022.
“Having had Alli work for me and the Cyclone Regional Training Center the past three years just reinforces Jamie’s decision to hire Alli as our new head women’s wrestling coach,” said ISU Director of Wrestling Kevin Dresser. “She has the resume, work ethic, name recognition and drive to successfully lead this program and build a team from scratch. Alli also knows the Cyclone fan base well and enjoys a strong relationship with it. I look forward to working with Alli and her staff to set this program up for success when it launches in in 2027-28.”
The first women’s wrestler inducted into the Glen Brand National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2020), St. John is also a member of the Illinois Wrestling Coaches and Officials Hall of Fame (2024).
The Carbondale, Ill., native and her husband, Derek, an assistant coach on the ISU men’s wrestling staff, reside in Ames with their daughter, Stevie.