Girls Wrestling by State: Who's Leading the Charge?
Not all states are growing at the same pace. Here's a complete ranking of female wrestling participation across the country—and what's driving the differences.
Top 10 States by Female Participation Rate
Percentage of active wrestlers who are female:
Wyoming Leads the Nation
With 25.3% of wrestlers being female, Wyoming has the highest girls wrestling participation rate in the country. That's 1 in 4 wrestlers!
25.3%
Female Rate
443
Female Wrestlers
#1
Nationally
Regional Patterns
Girls wrestling growth isn't uniform across the country. Clear regional patterns emerge when we look at the data, with the Mountain West and Great Plains leading while the Southeast lags behind.
| Region | Key States | Avg Female % |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain WestLeading | WY, MT, ID, CO | 21.2% |
| Great Plains | KS, ND, SD, NE | 20.1% |
| Pacific Northwest | OR, WA | 18.4% |
| Southwest | TX, OK, AR, AZ | 18.7% |
| Midwest | MO, IA, IL, IN | 17.2% |
| Southeast | GA, FL, NC, TN | 12.8% |
What's Driving the Differences?
State Sanctioning Matters
The biggest factor is whether a state has officially sanctioned girls wrestlingas a separate sport. Texas sanctioned in 2020 and has seen explosive growth since. States without official sanctioning force girls to compete in boys divisions, which discourages participation.
Small States, Big Impact
Notice how smaller states like Wyoming and Montana lead the rankings? In tight-knit communities, word spreads fast, success becomes visible, and cultural shifts happen quickly. Larger states have more infrastructure but also more competing sports and slower cultural change.
Population vs. Participation
Some large states have lower percentages but higher absolute numbers. Kansas stands out with both high percentage (23.0%) and high volume (2,804 female wrestlers)—a rare combination.
Youth Pipeline
States with strong youth wrestling (folkstyle clubs, USA Wrestling chapters) feed into high school programs. States investing in youth girls wrestling today will see high school numbers climb in 3-5 years.
States to Watch
🏆 Highest Percentage
States leading in female participation rate:
🏋️ Most Total Wrestlers
Largest female wrestling populations:
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