Girls wrestling to host state duals tournament coming in 2027

Iowa will add an official state duals championship to the girls wrestling season

In 2027, a girls state dual tournament will be held, marking a first for the ever-growing sport. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union announced on Wednesday the creation of an official girls wrestling state dual tournament. The event will begin with the 2026-27 season and be held yearly.

“A state dual meet tournament is something that our wrestling schools have wanted,” IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich said. “The impressive growth of girls wrestling in Iowa along with more schools being able to field a full roster of wrestlers in every weight class shows that girls wrestling is ready for a dual team tournament.”

The decision was approved unanimously by the board of directors of the IGHSAU.

Plans are to hold the state dual meet before the state qualifying and state individual wrestling tournaments. The tentative date for dual state qualifying meets is January 18, 2027 with the state tournament taking place four days later. 

The number of classes and state meet venue have yet to be determined.

Last year, the girls state wrestling tournament split into two classes for the first time.