In a historic decision, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) board of directors has officially recognized girls wrestling and boys volleyball as fully fledged sports. Both sports had previously been approved as emerging sports in 2022 with a plan to achieve full recognition this year. IHSAA commissioner Paul Neidig highlighted the significant growth of girls wrestling, which saw participation increase from fewer than 300 girls five years ago to 1,444 girls from 177 high schools this winter.
Despite anticipating slower growth due to the number of athletes required to form a team, boys volleyball has also experienced rapid expansion, with 105 schools registered to participate this spring. This surpasses the threshold of 100 schools across the state’s three districts needed for full recognition. During a previous meeting with athletic directors at Plainfield, a straw poll showed overwhelming support for adding girls wrestling and boys volleyball as recognized sports, with a vote of 62 to 4 in favor.
This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available. For further inquiries, contact Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.