Girls’ wrestling has made tremendous strides in Iowa since its first sanctioned season in 2022-23. The sport has expanded rapidly, with teams now competing in two classes. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) has announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously approved the implementation of a State Duals tournament for the 2026-27 wrestling season. This news has sent waves of excitement throughout the wrestling community, with coaches and athletes alike hailing it as a major milestone for the sport.
- Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach Zach Becicka
- East Buchanan co-head coach Dan Stiefel
The IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich stated that the state dual meet tournament is a long-overdue addition to the Iowa high school wrestling scene. “A state dual meet tournament is something that our wrestling schools have wanted,” Gerlich said. “The impressive growth of girls’ wrestling in Iowa along with more schools being able to field a full roster of wrestlers in every weight class shows that girls wrestling is ready for a dual team tournament.”
The Benefits of a State Duals Tournament
The introduction of a state duals tournament will provide female athletes with another top-tier stage to compete on. According to Dan Stiefel, co-head coach of East Buchanan, this new tournament will help develop teams and give them more opportunities to compete. “It gives them another top-tier stage,” Stiefel said. “It helps try to develop teams. Something more to compete for that way.”
| Weight Class | Competition |
|---|---|
| 1A | State Duals |
| 2A | State Duals |
| Other weight classes | Traditional State Tournament |
The tentative dates for the inaugural State Duals have been set for January 22, 2027, with qualifying competition taking place on January 18. The location and number of classes for the event are still undecided and will be announced at a later date.
Coaches Weigh In
The news has been met with enthusiasm from coaches across the state. Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach Zach Becicka expressed his excitement about the new tournament. “I’m super excited for our girls and our sport,” Becicka said. “Although I think we should have had them this past season, these things take time. I’m very happy with the IGHSAU moving forward with them.”
According to Stiefel, the growth of girls’ wrestling in Iowa has been remarkable. “The growth from each year amazes me on how good these girls get,” Stiefel said. “It’s a different level from when we started. It’s not the same. A lot tougher to win all these matches. A lot of these girls have figured out how to wrestle. I figure by the time we get there it will be a lot tougher.”
Quotes from Coaches
“It gives them another top-tier stage. It helps try to develop teams. Something more to compete for that way.” – Dan Stiefel, East Buchanan co-head coach
“I’m super excited for our girls and our sport. I’m very happy with the IGHSAU moving forward with them.” – Zach Becicka, Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach
The Impact on Female Athletes
The introduction of a state duals tournament will provide female athletes with another chance to compete at a state level. According to Stiefel, this new tournament will help to develop teams and give female athletes more opportunities to compete. Something more to compete for that way.”
The Buccaneers were competitive with all teams in the 1A state tournament, and Stiefel believes that the State Duals will give female athletes another chance to wrestle at a top-tier event. Something more to compete for that way.”
The number of classes and location of the event are still undecided and will be announced at a later date. The traditional state tournament is currently held at Xtream Arena in Coralville.
Development of Teams
The introduction of a state duals tournament will provide teams with another opportunity to develop and improve their skills. According to Becicka, this new tournament will give teams more opportunities to compete and develop their strengths. I’m very happy with the IGHSAU moving forward with them.”
The IGHSAU has stated that the dual tournament will take place before the postseason, providing teams with an additional opportunity to compete and develop before the state tournament.
A dual tournament is a competition between two teams, with each team competing against the other team in a series of matches.
A state duals tournament is a specific type of dual tournament that takes place at the state level, with teams competing against each other in a series of matches to determine a champion.
Conclusion
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s announcement of a state duals tournament for the 2026-27 wrestling season has sent shockwaves of excitement throughout the wrestling community. The introduction of this new tournament will provide female athletes with another top-tier stage to compete on, and will give teams more opportunities to develop and improve their skills. With the tentative dates and location of the event still undecided, fans and coaches alike will have to wait until a later date to find out more about this exciting new tournament.