The Lehigh Women's Wrestling club practices twice a week in Grace Hall in the men’s wrestling room, with an additional workout on Fridays. Here, Sophie Gani '24 trains.
On Feb. 4, the club made more history. During intermission of the Lehigh and Army men’s match, the women’s club wrestled in an exhibition match with Rutgers and Alvernia Universities. It marked the first women's match in Lehigh history and coincided with the 50th anniversary of Title IX, which prohibited gender discrimination in educational programs and activities.
“We showed people that girls can wrestle, and there were a lot of people wearing T-shirts that said ‘LEHIGH WOMEN'S WRESTLING.’ It was really amazing.” McGinley, who is in her first year as the club’s president, says.
The club also participated in its first tournament in November, the Princeton Open.
As a school with an excellent wrestling tradition—Lehigh’s men’s program has had 28 individual national champions, 159 NCAA All-Americans, 16 top five NCAA team finishes and are 38-time EIWA champions—McGinley hopes one day that the women’s wrestling program can enjoy success that rivals the men’s team.
"I've been impressed with the women who are part of the club program, and also by the support they have received from the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club as well as the coaches in our men's program,” Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett ’76 says. “Lehigh's wrestling tradition was built as much by the quality of the participants and coaches throughout our history, as by the specific successes earned by individual wrestlers or teams. The sport demands from its participants unusual dedication and devotion to continuous improvement, and I do see those qualities in the women who are involved in the club program. That bodes well for their futures and the future of their sport."
GAINING MOMENTUM
The women’s club began with just three members but quickly grew its roster to 12.
“Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the country,” McGinley says. “In Pennsylvania alone, there [are] almost 100 high schools with women's wrestling programs.”
