New men’s and women’s wrestling teams at Arcadia University are establishing a strong foundation for the program’s long-term future during their first season, writes Katie Lewis for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The university’s newest athletic programs found their home in a transformed basketball gymnasium on campus.
“Compared to most wrestling rooms, we have a very open facility,” said men’s coach David Stevens. “We have three full-size wrestling mats and a turf field. We have treadmills, standalone bikes, and a weight room. [Arcadia] did a really good job of supporting us.”
Women’s wrestling is not only new to the Glenside school, but it also became an NCAA-sponsored championship sport this year.
“Wrestling is very popular in the state of Pennsylvania and has very passionate fans, but countrywide, it is still a niche sport,” said women’s coach Michael Childs. “So introducing that to the Arcadia community in general and the administration, it’s been a growing year for us.”
The women’s team has 11 athletes at the moment, while the men’s roster includes 32 wrestlers. In their inaugural seasons, the Knights are primarily competing against programs within Division III’s Middle Atlantic Conference.
Read more about Arcadia University’s wrestling program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
