Of the four female wrestlers representing the USA here, none attended a high school with a dedicated girls’ team. Only two wrestled on a women’s team in college.
The remaining pair, Elena Pirozhkova and Adeline Gray, went directly from high school into the sport’s senior circuit, attending college on the side — Pirozhkova at Pikes Peak Community College, Gray at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and DeVry University.
According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, just 28 NCAA schools sponsor a women’s wrestling program; in comparison, 350 schools have a men’s program.
So largely unlike their male counterparts, it’s been a difficult road to these Olympic Games. But it’s been a path aided in recent years by the increasing number of female competitors in combat sports leagues such as the MMA — and by the growing popularity of many female starts, most notably Ronda Rousey, who has transcended the sport to become a household name.
“As far as how people are perceiving women in combat sports, I think the whole world is changing,” said Adeline Gray, a three-time world champion and Rio medal favorite.
To read the full article written by Paul Myerberg, please visitUSA Today.
