When fans pile into gyms across the country this winter for high school wrestling, the competitions are going to look quite different.
The National Federation of High School Sports are adjusting multiple rules for wrestling, some in significant ways, effective for the 2024-25 season.
First include changes to scoring points. Starting this winter, wrestlers will be awarded three points when securing a takedown instead of two.
This comes one year after the NCAA changed its rule to a three-point takedown.
Also like the college rules, when going for a near-fall, points will be awarded based on how long the move is performed. Two seconds equals two points, three seconds equals three points and four seconds equals four points.
Five points will be awarded if the defensive wrestler is injured, indicates an injury or bleeding occurs after the four-point near-fall has been earned.
“The goal in wrestling is to pin the opponent,” said Elliot Hopkins, the NFHS director of sports and student services and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee. “Changing the near-fall points should motivate wrestlers to work for a fall.”
Additionally, there is a slight change to the technical fall rule
The rule now states that “if a takedown or reversal, straight to a near-fall criteria creates a 15-point advantage, the match shall continue until the near-fall criteria is no longer met. Conclusion of the near-fall criteria is immediate.”
Another rule change affects out-of-bounds calls. Beginning in 2024, high school wrestlers will be inbounds with only one point of contact of either wrestler inside or on the boundary line.
Under the old rules, wrestlers were considered to be inbounds if two supporting points of either wrestler were inside or on the boundary line.
Supporting points could be two points on one wrestler or one point on each wrestler.
The idea behind this rule is to help reduce the subjectivity of the out-of-bounds call for officials.
“The change also helps officials to call ‘out-of-bounds more consistently, and it provides wrestlers, coaches and spectators a better understanding of out of bounds,” Elliot said.
One minor change made to the rules includes the 10-foot circle on wrestling mats as optional. Wrestlers will be encouraged to stay in the center of the mat rather than inside the circle.
“With the new mat designs that have a large mascot or logos, it gives a refreshing look to the mats,” Elliot said. “Wrestlers and officials know where the center of the mat is located without the 10-foot circle.”
Lastly, the rules committee approved a new ‘time-out’ signal for officials. It is now both hands and fingers pointing inward towards the chest.
IGHSAU moves to two classes
The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is adopting all of these new rules as well as another significant change — a second classification.
Due to the popularity of the sport, the IGHSAU felt it was necessary to make this move as it moves into a third year of sanctioned girls’ wrestling in Iowa.
Starting this winter, the 64 largest schools will wrestle in Class 2A with the remaining schools competing in Class 1A.
“The rapid rise of participants in girls wrestling has exceeded even our expectations,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich. “Adding a second class is the next building block in our efforts to help the sport grow. The hope is that the addition of a second class will encourage more schools to add girls’ wrestling programs.”
The most substantial impact of the rule change comes to the state tournament and its qualification process.
There will be eight regional qualifying sites across both classes for 16 in total.
The champion and runner up from each qualifying site will qualify the state tournament, which will still be held at the Xtream Arena in Coralville. Previously, the top four finishers in a regional bracket qualified for a 32-person state tournament bracket.
The state wrestling tournament will still be a two-day event, but with separate sessions for each class on day one. Championship sessions on day two will remain a combined event.
Due to the change, there will be twice as many state champions crowned at the state tournament.
West Liberty will wrestle in Class 1A. No River Valley Conference school is classified in 2A for the upcoming season.
Examples of schools just inside the tentative Class 2A cutoff include Clear Lake, Carlisle, LeMars, Boone, Spencer and Nevada. These schools have a BEDS count between 577 and 539.
Schools just missing the line include Mount Vernon, Tri-Center, Oskaloosa, Burlington Notre Dame, Highland and Glenwood. These schools have a BEDS count between 524 and 453.
Some River Valley Conference schools have cooperative sharing agreements with 2A schools such as Regina Catholic with Iowa City High and Iowa City West, Beckman Catholic with Western Dubuque and Monticello with Anamosa.
Last season, there were 204 schools that sponsored a girls’ wrestling program, while 61 other schools had cooperative sharing agreements.