Oklahoma City University added a women's wrestling to its athletic roster on Tuesday, becoming just one of six teams in the country.Oklahoma City University is the first university in Oklahoma to create a women's wrestling program. Other women's wrestling programs are at Cumberland (Ky.), Menlo, Missouri Valley, Northern Michigan, Pacific and Trinity (Conn.) Seven universities have field club teams.
OCU Head Wrestling Coach Archie Randall and his staff have sent 350 letters to prospective wrestling. Randall expects to have 30 women on the team by next year. His recruiting could last until July.
"One of our goals is to allow them the opportunity to pursue their Olympic goal,” Randall said.
Randall expects to bring about 30 women into the program.
The women's college wrestling season runs April through June. Some 5,000 girls wrestle in the nation with 2,500 girls wrestling at 180 schools in Texas.
"I know beyond a shadow of a doubt we'll be at the forefront of women's wrestling,” OCU athletic director Jim Abbott said.