LATHAM — The New York State Public High School Athletic Association has announced it will conduct its first ever girls’ wrestling individual tournament at SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga Community College on Friday, Jan. 27.
The event will bring together 208 girls from member schools around the state to compete in 13 weight classes. Each weight class will consist of 16 girls wrestling through to an individual championship or competing in wrestlebacks to sixth place. Section II is among 10 sections to have girls participating in wrestling, and one of six of which have all-girls teams within their sections.
“This is an exciting time for us as we host our first formal event for only girls’ wrestlers to compete in a statewide invitational tournament,” NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas said in a release. “There are nearly 1,000 girls competing on girls wrestling teams across the state and we’re pleased to be able to have an event to showcase them on Jan. 27. We are hopeful this will develop into a state championship in the near future.”
NYSPHSAA began the process of establishing this event when girls’ wrestling was approved last August as an “emerging sport,” where there at least four teams in four or more sections. “Emerging sport” status means a sport committee can be established and an event may be developed.
The girls’ wrestling committee met in September and proposed to the NYSPHSAA Executive Committee to run a statewide invitational tournament. After approval was given in October, the wrestling committee then met in December and this past Sunday to continue the planning of the invitational. The association fielded 456 registrations of interest for the event and planned the largest feasible one-day event. It resulted in selecting 208 girls to compete by invitation based on experience, grade and representation across the state. Track Wrestling/FloSports will stream all the matches on the NFHS Network.
Tickets are $11.50 each and available only online by visiting www.gofan.co/NYSPHSAA.
The single-session event starts at noon with opening ceremonies, with competition beginning at 12:15. Championship matches are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Categories: -Sports-, High School Sports
