Monday marked a historic moment for girls wrestling and boys volleyball as the Indiana High School Athletic Association board of directors officially approved them as fully recognized sports. Both sports had previously been approved as emerging sports in 2022, with a plan to become fully recognized this year.
IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig highlighted the significant growth of girls wrestling, with participation increasing from less than 300 girls five years ago to 1,444 girls from 177 high schools this winter. On the other hand, boys volleyball experienced slower growth due to the number of athletes required to form a team. However, there are now 105 schools registered to participate in boys volleyball this spring, surpassing the threshold of 100 schools across the state’s three districts needed for full recognition.
The decision to add both sports as recognized sports was met with overwhelming support during a previous meeting with athletic directors at Plainfield, with a vote of 62 to 4 in favor. This is a developing story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available. For further inquiries, contact Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.