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The following criteria are required to be met by the Head Coach and all Assistant Coaches:
Complete a basic questionnaire on the NCWA registration website.
Pay the NCWA coach’s registration fee on the NCWA website.
Have had a background check through the university in the last 2 years.
The following criteria are considered “best practices” that should also be met:
Complete an online SafeSport Certification Course.
Should have a current Basic Life Saving (BLS) and/or First Aid and CPR Certification.
Be in good standing with the NCWA and member institutions as well as lacking a history of rules violations.
Should attend practices on a regular basis, travel to events with the team, and must live within a reasonable distance from the school being coached.
To share the duties of a member team, the following structure is recommended (at a minimum):
Head Coach:
Has the responsibility for scheduling events, monitoring practices, responsible for team conduct during competition, registering athletes online each year on the NCWA website, and submitting signed Waivers and Release of Liability Forms via upload to the NCWA website. Head Coach is also responsible for uploading head shots of staff and all wrestlers.
BLS and/or CPR / First Aid Training: All coaches, including volunteers, should be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Similarly, coaches and volunteers should be certified in basic first aid.
Team Compliance Officer:
Each team must have an individual (school staff or team member) who is responsible for monitoring the rules and regulations of the NCWA, NCAA and other eligibility requirements of their institution.
A message from Jim Giunta - NCWA Chairman of the Board
For the past twenty-six years, the NCWA has remained committed to a vision that has at its core increased leadership opportunities, expanded wrestling competition, inspired community involvement and academic excellence for all student athletes.
Founded in 1997 as a 501(c) 3 non-profit association, the NCWA was designed to fill a gap in the wrestling community created by outside influences, including budgetary cutbacks and restrictive governmental legislation that forced institutions to drop their NCAA wrestling programs. Although participation interest among students remained high, many schools were forced to offer fewer athletic opportunities. The NCWA was born out of a mission to provide additional opportunities to the increasing number of high school seniors searching for both academic excellence and wrestling competition at the collegiate level.
The NCWA is the youngest of the four collegiate wrestling National Governing Bodies (NGB), which include the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA. The NCWA stands uniquely as the only collegiate governing body devoted exclusively to the success of wrestling. We serve as a spawning ground for new wrestling programs, offering opportunities for students to experience wrestling at all skill levels.
In addition to athletic departments, the NCWA recognizes programs developed under alternative administrative bodies, including student services and sports club departments. Our educational model uses wrestling as a platform to teach students leadership skills including budgeting, conflict resolution, time management, bargaining and negotiation, motivation, discipline, and work ethic. Coaches guide athletes in the development and oversight of a nonprofit wrestling organization.
Because NCWA teams may be funded by students themselves, wrestling boosters and outside community resources, there are few and limited budgetary concerns for the member institution.
The NCWA is composed of volunteers committed to helping our young people accomplish their goals and dreams, and to reach for excellence in everything they do. Through athletic endeavor, academic excellence, team leadership responsibilities and community involvement, NCWA student-athletes graduate college ready to meet the demands of a competitive world. They emerge from college equipped through their academic achievements and athletic success to take the competition to the mat, score and emerge as a champion.
We encourage you to take the next step in expanding the way your school sees student involvement in athletics. Join us in changing lives. — Jim Giunta
Expanding Athletic Opportunity to Tomorrow's Leaders
The National Collegiate Wrestling Association was organized in 1997 as a 501(c)3 non-profit association designed to promote, support, and regulate collegiate-style wrestling on the college and university level. The member schools give regulatory authority to the NCWA as a National Governing Body (NGB). Institutions of higher learning may apply for membership through the NCWA Board of Directors. All junior colleges, trade schools, colleges, and universities, both private and public, are eligible for NCWA membership.
The Board of Directors, along with appointed officers, committees organized under the purview of the NCWA Board of Directors, and the Judicial Council, function to provide the administration, regulation, and promotion of amateur wrestling at the college level for all member institutions.
Membership in the NCWA is open to all accredited institutions of higher education. Member teams are generally chartered under the jurisdiction of the Athletic Department, the Sports Activity Coordinator or any department granted the administrative authority by the member institution. Institutions may sponsor only one NCWA-governed wrestling program during any season, unless these rules specifically provide otherwise.
All teams, coaches, wrestlers, and member institutions agree to adhere to the rules and regulations set forth herein. Any act of deceit or willful and calculated disregard of any portion of the NCWA Rules and Regulations and/or the NCWA or NCAA Codes of Conduct may result in the suspension of any NCWA member school. Any act intended to circumvent any rule or evade penalty by the NCWA may be treated as though the said rule violation occurred.
The NCWA functions only as an organizational body and does not accept any liability for athletes during practice, travel, and / or competition. Wrestlers and Teams must be insured by the liability coverage of their respective school. Most programs are automatically covered by their officially recognized school status. All athletes are required to carry personal health or injury insurance coverage. In addition, the NCWA may choose to carry liability insurance and, at its discretion, cover member athletes and institutions.
New schools may apply for membership in the NCWA by first contacting the NCWA at 214-378-9900 or by email at membership@ncwa.net. Upon making initial contact with the NCWA, the Director of respective division (Men’s or Women’s), if any, or appropriate NCWA official shall send the prospective member a “New Team Application.” After the New Team Membership Application is received by the NCWA in good order, then ‘due diligence’ will be performed to verify the information and clarify any questions or concerns with the Administration of the applying institution.
Once accepted into the NCWA, new programs will be assigned to a NCWA Conference by geographical location as per Articles 5.1 and 5.2 and assessed a Conference fee as per Article 7.3.
No new programs are accepted after December 15th of each season unless approved by the NCWA Board of Directors.
All actively participating member schools must renew their membership each year. The Annual Renewal Application Form is available on the NCWA website.
An annual membership fee will be due between April 1st and October 1st each season as provided on the team membership renewal form on www.ncwa.net. From October 2nd to October 15th, a late fee of $50 will be assessed. From October 16th to November 1st, the late fee assessed will be $100. From November 2nd to November 15th, the late fee assessed will be $150. No team renewals will be accepted after December 15th each season. All Membership Dues, Late Fees, and Fines must be paid prior to the Conference Championships of each season for a team and its members to be eligible to compete in the postseason.
NCWA Membership Classifications are determined by the NCWA Board of Directors and commissioned officers.
NCWA Men’s Division 1
NCWA Men’s Division 2 This division includes emerging programs that are moving toward NCWA Division 1 status and those programs that are unable to be classified as NCWA Division 1 due to already having a non-NCWA athletic department sponsored program. Programs that also have a non-NCWA athletic department program will be labeled with the moniker ‘NCWA’ before their institution’s name. The NCWA does not recognize the term “club” or use of “WC” for its accepted programs.
NCWA Women’s Division (currently there is no distinction between programs.)
Should a school or university field both a Transition program (i.e. NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, etc. program) and a NCWA WC (NCWA-D2), both teams shall follow the transition team’s rules as it applies to roster limitations, national championship bid eligibility, etc.
Men's Division 1
$1000
$125
Men's Division 2
$1000
$125
Transition Teams are permitted membership in the NCWA. Transition programs are defined as established wrestling programs at institutions changing competition divisions within the NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA. Transition Teams are permitted to enter their NCWA Conference Championships and are permitted to advance to the National Championship if they qualify. The number of Qualifiers for the Nationals is limited by the rules of the division they are transitioning into (e.g.: 1 qualifier per weight class for NCAA, etc.). Teams that were already members of the NCWA as of the 2022-2023 season are not subject to increased team fees and financially treated as NCWA-Division 1 programs.
The Judicial Council may rule that teams be suspended or forfeit membership in the NCWA through serious or repeated violations of the NCWA Rules and Regulations, or automatically after two years of past due Association Membership dues.
Programs that are currently subject to any disciplinary actions by their host institution or association must report such discipline to their Conference Boards and the National Compliance Officer. If warranted, the Judicial Council may rule the disciplinary action by a host institution will render a team ineligible for NCWA membership.
NCWA wrestlers are limited to a total of 4 years of competition (consecutive or not) in the NCWA, NCAA, NAIA or NJCAA and any combination thereof, while the wrestler is enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
Student-wrestlers must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours each semester while competing (6 hours for Graduate students) and maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA after their first year of eligibility in order to be eligible to compete. [This requirement will change to 12 credit hours each semester while competing for Undergraduate students beginning in the Fall of 2027]
Graduating seniors are exempt from the 9-unit requirement if they will complete their graduation requirements at the end of the current semester.
Any NCWA athlete that has transferred from another institution of higher education, must submit a Transfer Eligibility Form to the NCWA prior to competing.
Only NCWA athletes who have not entered any NCAA, NAIA, or NJCAA recognized collegiate postseason championship series during the current season shall be eligible to compete in the current NCWA Championship Series. The CCCAA’s season ending championships are not recognized by the NCWA as a national championship.
Women's Division
$500
$125
Transition Teams
$1500 initial season
$125
No rules published.
No rules published.
A student who is enrolled at an NCWA member institution and participates in an open tournament or team competition (dual or individual tournament) after the start of the NCWA season, without being properly registered and cleared for competition with the NCWA, will be subject to immediate suspension from the NCWA UP TO a time period of the remainder of the season and retroactive to the date of infraction OR a calendar year suspension depending upon the timing of the infraction. Team fines for this violation SHALL also apply. The suspension of the athlete may be challenged utilizing Section 6 of this document. The final determination of suspension/eligibility of the athlete if challenged will be adjudicated by the NCWA Judicial Council as set forth in this document and is based upon the pertinent facts of each individual case.
An institution shall not permit any wrestler to represent their team in collegiate competition within the NCWA unless that wrestler maintains the minimum academic eligibility requirements of that institution. It is the responsibility of the individual wrestler, and his coach, to monitor academic status. The NCWA does not track individual academic performance, however, will uphold the academic institution’s decisions regarding eligibility if the standards are higher than that set forth by the NCWA.
To compete in the Conference Championships, a wrestler must have a Cumulative Overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.0 or better after 1 year of eligibility, as verified by the school’s Registrar on the Conference Academic Eligibility Form**.**
To certify eligibility, all Student-Athletes must register online with the NCWA Clearinghouse. Only properly registered athletes are eligible to compete on, or for, any NCWA member institution during the competition season. No wrestler may practice, compete, or travel in any NCWA event until their online Individual Wrestler Registration and their Waiver and Release of Liability Form have been properly completed, submitted, and received by the NCWA. The deadline for submitting the online Individual Wrestler Registration is January 25th of each season.
Any NCWA team that enters an ineligible wrestler in a competitive event during the season will be sanctioned according to their Conference Board. Additional penalties may be determined for the Head Coach and/or coaching staff for the violating team including but not limited to suspension for a time period determined by the Judicial Council. Additional violations may result in additional sanctions and fines above and beyond that written in Section 6, including but not limited to, a team being banned from competition within the NCWA for a calendar year or longer as determined by the Judicial Council.
All wrestlers must be invited to register by a certified coach through the official Coaching Portal. Coaches are required to send registration invitations directly to the wrestler's personal e-mail address; institutional or school-issued e-mails are not permitted.
By submitting a wrestler's personal e-mail address, the coach confirms that the e-mail belongs to a verified student-athlete. Upon registering via the invitation link provided by their coach, the wrestler confirms both their identity and their status as an enrolled student-athlete at the academic institution.
September 15th through January 25th
Before the beginning of any practice, competition, or travel, all athletes are required to be registered online with the NCWA Clearinghouse on the Official NCWA website. (www.ncwa.net).
Individual Wrestler Online Registration opens September 15th and ends January 25th of each season. Online registration fees apply for each individual wrestler.
The Individual Wrestler Registration Process:
Each wrestler must complete the registration process through the official NCWA website. This process begins with an invitation sent by a certified coach to the wrestler's personal e-mail address. School-issued e-mail addresses are not permitted.
On the online registration portal, the individual wrestler must enter their first and last name onto the registration as they want it to appear on all brackets, awards, and rosters. Do not enter names in all CAPS. Use upper/lower case letters. Note that if the wrestler is a returning athlete, this step does not have to occur a second time. The athlete can be paid for and all information uploaded onto the existing roster.
All athletes must have a clear, straight-on head shot photo wearing the school uniform, logo shirt or warmup. All apparel should be consistent. The photo must be uploaded by their Head Coach from the Team’s web page.
Individual athlete dues payment may be made at the time of the registration, or later by the wrestler, the coach or the sponsoring school and will only be payable by credit/debit card on the NCWA website.
Once ALL STEPS provided above have been completed, the wrestler enters their required “10-day practice” window, during which time it is recommended that each wrestler participates in a minimum of 10 days of mat practice. Coaches can view the athletes progress through the 10-day competition blackout period in their password protected roster webpage.
Only wrestlers who have submitted their online individual Wrestler Registration and have progressed through the 10-day practice window, will appear on the team’s public roster.
NCWA member institutions may assume that wrestlers who appear on a team’s public roster within the NCWA website have met all the proper Clearinghouse requirements and are eligible for competition.
As new members join a team, they may not practice, travel, or compete in any NCWA event until their on-line Individual Wrestler Registration has been properly completed and their dues have been paid.
Contact Information: Each member team must always maintain its contact information on the official NCWA website (www.ncwa.net). It is the responsibility of the Head Coach, or in the absence of a Head Coach, the Team President, to keep all email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses current. This will include accurate, up-to-date contact information, current athlete records and biographical information including an appropriate individual photo, a schedule of events and competition results. Failure to do so could result in fines from the NCWA enforced by the National Compliance Officer.
The NCWA is not responsible to communicate with any individual Coach, Athlete or Team who is not properly listed on the NCWA website.
Athlete & Coach Photo – All athletes, and all Coaches, are REQUIRED to upload an appropriate head shot photograph in team uniform, shirt, or warm-up for each season.
Head shots only – no group photos. Coach’s head shot is required at the coach’s registration at the National Championships. An appropriate athlete’s photo is required before an athlete satisfies all Clearinghouse requirements to become eligible.
Athlete Photos and Videos: All athlete photos and video images captured by the NCWA or its representatives during competition at any NCWA event are the property of the NCWA and may be used in any way deemed appropriate by the NCWA without compensation to the athlete or the school they represent.
Teams competing in the NCWA must be separate from other recognized wrestling teams on campus governed by other NGBs (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, etc...). Rosters in these situations must be separated by December 1st each season (i.e. if on NCAA roster, the individual cannot be on the NCWA roster). By rule, NCWA programs with another recognized governing body wrestling team must be NCWA-D2 and have Wrestling Club (WC) added to the name. Individuals rostered with the NCWA WCs can be moved to the other governing body roster (i.e. NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, etc..); however, after December 1st, if they are moved from the NCWA roster to the other roster, they are no longer eligible to compete within the NCWA the remainder of the season (including postseason).
Should a school or university field both a Transition program and a NCWA-D2 program, both teams shall follow the transition team’s rules as it applies to roster limitations, national championship bid eligibility, etc.
No wrestler may participate in any practice, competition, nor travel as part of an NCWA team before the completion of the Clearinghouse process. Only after the online registration is completed. dues are received, and the athlete has progressed through their 10-day practice window will the athlete’s name appear on the official team roster as “cleared for competition.”
This document outlines WCC-specific rules and operational guidelines for NCWA-WCC wrestling programs. All rules have been proposed for formal inclusion in the WCC Coaches Guide and are subject to adaptation by the WCC Board.
No school that has an NCWA-sanctioned team in the West Coast Conference may host an event (tournament or dual) on the same weekend designated for the National Duals by the NCWA National Board.
No school that has an NCWA-sanctioned team in the West Coast Conference may host an event (tournament or dual) on the same weekend designated for the Regional Duals if it is being held in the West Coast Conference territory.
A fine of $500 shall be assessed per team to the NCWA team of any school hosting a wrestling event (tournament or dual) on the same weekend as National Duals or Regional Duals (if held in the WCC). The fine shall be payable to the WCC treasurer prior to being allowed to register for the WCC Championships.
No exceptions or exclusions.
2.2 Eligibility for National or Regional Duals
Only NCWA-sanctioned teams can participate in the National Duals or Regional Duals. Attendance is by application. Teams with fewer than eight weights may still apply and compete, but will not accrue points toward the National Collegiate Cup per the national NCWA rules. Wrestlers must compete as part of a collegiate-endorsed team to participate in National Duals.
Rule 7.3.3, Paragraph 5: Only two wrestlers per weight class are permitted for the Men’s divisions at the West Coast Conference Championships.
Transition schools will follow NCAA standards — one wrestler per NCAA weight class.
Any wrestler who participates in the Conference Championships must be both eligible for and committed to competing at the National Championships. A wrestler who withdraws from or fails to enter the National Championships without prior approval from the Board for good cause may be subject to disqualification from competition in the following year, monetary sanctions as deemed appropriate by the Board and payable by the wrestler’s institution or team, or both.
All byes in brackets must be randomly drawn and evenly distributed among participating teams.
No team should receive a disproportionate number of byes across the tournament.
Tournament directors are responsible for verifying fair distribution prior to competition start.
The vote for the following season’s conference location will take place at this year’s WCC Conference Championship.
Infraction
Fine
Notes
A fine of $500 shall be assessed to the NCWA team of any school hosting an event (tournament or dual) on the same weekend as National Duals or Regional Duals (if held in the WCC) per team. The fine shall be payable to the WCC treasurer prior to being allowed to register for the WCC Championships.
$500
Payable to WCC Treasurer
Missing dues payment deadline (Per team)
$50
Invoiced by WCC Treasurer
No rules published.
No rules published.
No rules published.
No rules published.
No rules published.
No rules published.
The NCWA will comply with the published rules of competition as distributed by the NCAA. The current edition of the NCAA Wrestling Rules and Interpretations will be observed unless otherwise revised by the NCWA Board of Directors, and/or the Judicial Council. Free digital copies and mobile device apps of NCAA Wrestling Rules are available from the NCAA Sports Library at their web page.
No cameras are allowed in the coaches’ 8 ft Reserved Zone at the mat corner. Photographers in the mat areas must have media credentials and must be dressed appropriately.
Appropriate attire for coaches and staff personnel (as per current NCAA rule) is also required.
NCWA member schools may host competition ONLY between wrestlers and teams that are active members of the NCWA, NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA or CCCAA. All matches will count toward the NCWA records and National NCWA Points if the hosted event was officiated by a Registered Wrestling Official representing a recognized sanctioning Officials association.
At all competitions, the host team must provide a certified trainer and / or EMS staff.
During the competition season, an Open Tournament, hosted by an NCWA team, is defined as a competition open ONLY to currently collegiately eligible members of a nationally or regionally recognized COLLEGIATE, governing body listed above.
All NCWA competitions must include a weigh-in according to NCAA rules and a documented weigh-in sheet for tracking eligibility requirements.
The official NCWA competition season for all divisions will begin on the published date each season (as provided on "Important Compliance Dates") and will conclude with the presentation of awards at the NCWA National Championships. During the competition season, rules contained in the NCWA Rules and Regulations will apply.
The NCWA does not set maximum limits on the time and conditions of practice or competition. The number of competitive events, practices, schedules, and times are only limited by the individual member institution.
The NCWA strongly encourages the use of Competition Contracts for all events. Further, the NCWA will arbitrate event disputes only if all involved parties have signed an NCWA Competition Contract. NCWA Competition Contracts are available on the NCWA website under “forms.”
It is the goal of the NCWA to grow and develop women collegiate wrestling. As such, it is the experience of the NCWA that following the examples that have led to the success illustrated in similar wrestling associations, that sex separated competition is the best practice.
All physical wrestling activities (i.e., practices, NCWA hosted competitions, etc.) shall be sex separated. Men and women may not engage in physical wrestling activities at NCWA hosted wrestling events or practices at any time.
NCWA hosted competition shall be defined as any wrestling match, meet, tournament, or exhibition hosted by an NCWA institution or NCWA team per these rules.
Violation of this rule shall result in referral to the NCWA Judicial Council for deliberations, which may include findings of a rules violation and appropriate sanctions. Before engaging in any non-sex-separated activities and as any questions regarding this rule arise, teams are advised to seek an advisory opinion from the NCWA Compliance Officer.
The NCWA has approved 11 weight classes for the Men’s Division as follows:
125 - 133 - 141 - 149 - 157 - 165 - 174 - 184 - 197 - 235 (min. 173) - 285 (min. 183)
The NCWA has approved 11 weight classes for the Women’s Division as follows:
103 - 110 - 117 - 124 - 131 - 138 - 145 - 160 - 180 - 207 -240 (min. 179)
The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) has developed a weight management program, the Optimal Performance Calculator (OPC) that has been adopted for use by all the NCWA programs as part of the benefits of membership in the NCWA. It is recommended to use the OPC for all wrestlers.
NCWA member programs hosting events will conduct competitions using Collegiate Folkstyle rules.
The NCWA may adapt optional team scoring (apart from NCAA team scoring) at the discretion of the NCWA National Commissioner and NCWA Board of Directors.
NCAA Policy and Position: The NCWA Taskforce on Wrestling Equality submitted this policy for approval by (what was formerly known as) the NCWA Legislative Council after having reviewed available best practices, policies, and scientific and sociological research from the athletic and scientific community and receiving input from member institutions. The NCWA has adopted the following policy:
The NCAA approved a transgender participation policy in an August 2011 Press Release. The NCAA based this policy in part on a 2010 report from the National Center of Lesbian Rights and the Women Sports Foundation. The report titled “On the Team: Equal Opportunity for Transgender Student Athletes”, provides background information on the issue of athletic participation by transgender students and suggests athletic participation policies for post-secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. The report recommends a collegiate participation policy based on medical treatments involving the hormone testosterone.
As such, the NCWA has chosen to adopt a policy based on those of the NAIA, USA Wrestling and two member institutions.
A transgender student-athlete may participate in sex-separated approved season and post- season wrestling competition as a member of the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) under the following conditions:
A male-to-female (MTF) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed hormone (i.e., testosterone suppressant and/or estrogen) treatment related to gender transition may participate against men or on a men’s team at any time, but must complete one year of documented hormone treatment related to gender transition and demonstrate that her total testosterone level in serum has been below 10 nmol/L for at least 12 months prior to her first competition against women or on a women team.
A female-to-male (FTM) transgender student-athlete who is taking medically prescribed testosterone related to gender transition may not participate against women or on a women team after beginning hormone treatment. Any female-to-male (FTM) transgender student- athlete who is taking medically prescribed testosterone may compete on a men team only after the student provides medical documentation and receives a medical exception from the NCWA (e.g. prescription from a physician) allowing the use of medically prescribed testosterone.
All competition singlets (collegiate-cut) or approved two-piece competition apparel must carry the NCWA Official Logo. All competition singlets and apparel must be purchased from vendors that have secured proper logo licensing from the NCWA.
TRADEMARK: The letters NCWA and Associated Logo are trademarked under US Trademark Serial #85379223 and may not be used without specific written permission of the NCWA.
VENDOR LICENSE FEES: Vendors should contact the NCWA directly at or call 214-378-9900 for detailed information on contracts, fees, licensing, and other permissions required for the use of NCWA lettering or logos. The NCWA grants both single use and contracted period licenses for duplication and use of the name and or logos.
NCWA teams will follow NCAA rules for singlets and competition gear. Teams are not required to meet the NCAA rule for matching singlets / competition gear / warm-ups in the same round of an NCWA-only tournament. However, matching singlets / competition gear will be required for duals. Properly placed NCWA Logo must appear on all competition uniforms.
(adopted from NCAA Rules and Interpretations unless modified by the NCWA)
Sportsmanship is a core value of the NCAA, and the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee believes that participation in athletics is an integral part of the educational experience for student-athletes.
Therefore, it expects the highest standards of sportsmanship, integrity and conduct of all individuals associated with contests, as well as of all aspects of administration.
It is the moral obligation of all collegiate wrestling coaches to conduct themselves in such a way as to reflect credit upon their institutions, their profession and themselves. Personal grooming and appropriate dress are a standard of professionalism. Jeans, T-shirts, sweatshirts/sweatpants, and non-institutional logoed warm-up suits (top and/or bottom), headwear and similar apparel are not considered suitable attire and are prohibited. Moral obligation and ethical conduct are part of winning and losing. Good sportsmanship, appearance, pride, honor, and concern for the well-being of the competitors should be placed before all else. The rules have been established in the spirit of this statement.
It is the responsibility of all wrestlers to conduct themselves in such a way as to reflect credit upon their institutions, the sport and themselves. Further, all wrestlers should realize that their personal appearance, behavior, and standards are related closely to the image of the sport as perceived by all segments of the public and wrestling communities. This applies to conduct as a competitor on the mat, while attending the event and while traveling to and from the event, and while both on and off campus. Moral obligation and ethical conduct are part of winning and losing. Good sportsmanship, pride, honor, and personal behavior should be placed above all else. The rules have been established in the spirit of this statement.
Wrestling referees have the responsibility for conducting bouts in a dignified, professional, and unbiased manner and shall deal with all situations in the spirit of good sportsmanship and in the best interest of the wrestlers and the sport. The character and conduct of referees must be above reproach. When in uniform or on site, a referee shall not fraternize with contestants and/or coaches. Referees must keep themselves prepared both physically and mentally to administer bouts.
Referees will enforce the rules firmly and fairly in both letter and spirit in such a way that attention is drawn to the wrestlers rather than themselves.
The purpose of this policy is to clarify the authority of NCWA Conferences to adopt rules and regulations that address their specific competitive and administrative needs while maintaining consistency with NCWA national rules, regulations, and bylaws.
This policy applies to all NCWA-recognized Conferences and to all rules, regulations, procedures, and policies adopted by those Conferences that govern member teams, student-athletes, coaches, and conference-sanctioned events.
Each NCWA Conference is authorized to adopt additional rules, regulations, and administrative procedures that apply within its geographic or organizational jurisdiction, including but not limited to:
Competition formats and scheduling within the Conference.
The student-athlete must meet all other requirements to compete in the NCWA, including but not limited to college or university registration status, minimum academic qualifications, and If an athlete fails or refuses to comply with any aspect of the liability determination processes, while that is his/her right as an individual, he/she will not be eligible to participate as a competitor. All cost for testing and medical review shall be borne by the wrestler.
Committee Note: NCWA Teams may participate in non-NCWA-hosted open tournaments. However, said tournaments must be hosted by a currently collegiately-eligible member of nationally recognized collegiate wrestling associations. (e.g.: NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA) and properly insured by the host entity.
Freestyle rules may be used as an additional, but not an alternative competition format at the same location.
If only one event is staged, it must be conducted using Collegiate Folkstyle rules.
Reasonable conduct standards and disciplinary procedures for Conference events.
Conference election and voting procedures.
Conference rules adopted under this section are valid only within that Conference and may not be represented as NCWA national rules.
Conference rules shall not conflict with:
The NCWA Constitution and Bylaws.
NCWA national competition rules and regulations, including eligibility, weight classes, and championship qualification standards.
Decisions, interpretations, or directives issued by the NCWA Board of Directors or Judicial Council.
In the event of any conflict or inconsistency, NCWA national rules, regulations, and interpretations shall control, and the conflicting Conference rule shall be void to the extent of the conflict.
Conferences may adopt rules that are more restrictive than NCWA national minimum standards, provided those rules do not diminish or negate any right, protection, or minimum standard established by NCWA national rules.
Conferences may not adopt rules that:
Expand eligibility beyond that permitted by NCWA national rules.
Alter national weight classes or match procedures for events that serve as qualifiers to NCWA national championships.
Modify qualification criteria for NCWA national tournaments, except as expressly authorized by NCWA national regulations.
Each Conference shall maintain its rules and regulations in written form and shall:
Adopt them through a documented Conference governance process.
Provide written notice of additions or amendments to all Conference member institutions and the NCWA within a reasonable time before they take effect.
Make current Conference rules reasonably accessible to member institutions, coaches, and student-athletes.
The NCWA Board of Directors, or its designee, reserves the right to review Conference rules to determine consistency with NCWA national rules and may direct modification or rescission of any Conference rule that is determined to be inconsistent.
Conferences shall cooperate with NCWA in any such review and promptly implement any required changes.
Any dispute regarding whether a Conference rule conflicts with NCWA national rules, regulations, bylaws, or official national interpretations shall be resolved pursuant to the NCWA rules compliance and adjudication procedures in effect at the time of the dispute.
Any dispute regarding the substance of a Conference rule itself, including its meaning, interpretation, application, wisdom, fairness, or operation within the Conference, and not whether the rule conflicts with a national rule, shall first be submitted to the Conference Board for review and decision.
A decision of the Conference Board on such a dispute may be appealed to the NCWA in accordance with its adjudication and appeal procedures.
Pending final resolution, the Conference Board or NCWA may stay enforcement of a disputed Conference rule where necessary to preserve competitive equity, orderly administration, or athlete welfare.
The NCWA is divided into nine (9) Conferences aligned geographically as follows (as of the 2023-2024 season). Teams must be a part of a NCWA Conference in order to be a member of the NCWA.
Great Lakes Conference (GLC) Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Ontario (CA)
Mid-Atlantic Conference (MAC) North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
Northeast Conference (NEC) Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, New Foundland (CA), Quebec (CA)
Northwest Conference (NWC) Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming, Alberta (CA), British Columbia (CA), Saskatchewan (CA)
Puerto Rican Conference (PRC) Puerto Rico
Southeast Conference (SEC) Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi
Southwest Conference (SWC) Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
West Coast Conference (WCC) Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Nevada, Utah
An established program in the NCWA may apply for membership in a conference other than their geographical conference as provided on NCWA website that is contiguous to their Conference’s boundary.
This must be approved by the Chairman and the Commissioner of the conference they intend to leave.
They must then apply for membership in the new conference and be accepted by the Chairman and the Commissioner of that conference.
Final approval of the transfer shall be made by the NCWA Board of Directors.
A one-time exit fee of $250 shall be paid to their original conference and the program must then pay the current conference fee of the accepting conference that year and moving forward. The exit fee may be waived by the original conference.
A change in the conference is for a minimum period of three (3) years or when the NCWA redraws geographical conference lines.
New teams, approved for NCWA membership, may elect to join any conference contiguous with the border of the Conference in which they are geographically located.
Within the NCWA structure, there will be 9 Conferences with their own local Conference Board of Directors that will consist of the following:
Chairman (Chair)
Commissioner / Compliance Officer
Treasurer / Director of Development
and should have the following:
Conference Sports Information Director (C-SID)
Conference Alumni Director
A list of each current Conference Board is available on the NCWA’s official website.
Each Conference will fill the positions of their Conference Board by an election to be held at their annual Conference Championships. The newly elected Conference Board will assume their duties at the conclusion of the National Championship Finals.
The current Board members will attend and vote at all conference and National meetings and sessions through the end of the National Championships. The new Board members may attend the meetings and advise the current Board Members but may not vote on any motions.
The Conference Board of Directors shall be the investigative body and finders-of-fact for the rules and regulations set forth herein. All decisions made by the Conference Board of Directors may be appealed to the Judicial Council, in writing, following the guidelines in Section 6.
A Conference Board of Directors may choose to appoint optional (advisory) positions to their Board. While an appointee to the any advisory positions may be adopted from year-to-year, said positions shall automatically dissolve at the end of the season, thus requiring the re-appointment of individuals by the newly elected Board of Directors. These appointed positions will assist their Conference counterpart in their identified state and shall not have a vote on matters presented to the Conference Board of Directors.
The Chairman duties: will be to set and administer all conference meetings; document all competition results for their Conference teams. The Chairman is responsible for completion and submission of the entire Conference Championship packet to the NCWA National Secretary/Treasurer for entry into the National Championships. In addition, Chairmen are responsible for the coordination of table help at NCWA Nationals event.
The Commissioner / Compliance Officer duties: will be to verify schedules for all teams and tournaments within the Conference; responsible for certifying the eligibility of all Conference and National Qualifiers; responsible for competition contract disputes and establish a working relationship with the local Wrestling Officials Associations. The Conference Commissioners will also function as the Conference Compliance Officers and report compliance infractions to the National Compliance Officer. It is recommended that the Conference Commissioners not be an active NCWA coach.
The Conference Treasurer / Director of Development duties: are to encourage the expansion of the NCWA within their Conference, including but not limited to, initial school contacts, an invitation to membership, fundraising and advertising the NCWA and Conference events and their respective results. As Conference Treasurer, they will be responsible for establishing a Conference bank checking account and responsible for maintaining records of the Conference membership funds.
The Conference - Sports Information Director (C-SID) duties: shall include the publication of a minimum of two (2) articles of at least 250 words each season promoting the accomplishments of their Conference. In addition, the C-SID shall facilitate the compliance of conference schools in the timely publication of competition results and required team articles on the NCWA website. C-SIDs should establish media relationships with newspapers, websites, magazines, and sports reporters.
The Conference Alumni Director duties: are to encourage the expansion of the Alumni information base of each Conference school, promote participation by the Alumni at local and national events and encourage membership in the National NCWA Alumni Association.
The Conference Board’s composite duties: will also include the following:
Oversee all NCWA and NCAA rules within their Conference.
Promote new programs within their Conference.
Report information and competition results to the NCWA.
Promote local / conference events to the various media.
Selecting the Conference Championship host team and approving the venue.
Oversee and direct their local NCWA Conference Qualifying Championships.
Determine which Official(s) and tournament workers will be recommended for the NCWA National Championships
The NCWA National Commissioner is responsible for:
authoring NCWA rules and policies including adoption of the rules of competition
upholding the bylaws and rules of the NCWA
presiding over official meetings of Conference Commissioners and the NCWA Rules Committee.
be accountable for oversight of all national team-point earning competitions including National Duals, Regional Duals, and National Championships in collaboration with the NCWA Board of Directors.
This position shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the NCWA Board of Directors.
The National Commissioner can be reached at .
The NCWA National Compliance Officer is responsible for:
upholding the bylaws and rules of the NCWA.
investigating reported rule infractions
presenting findings to the NCWA Judicial Council
informing the involved parties of the Board's decision and resolutions of the problem
The NCWA Judicial Council will consist of the following five (5) voting members:
Chairman: NCWA National Compliance Officer
Vice-Chairman: NCWA National Commissioner
Member: Current or retired Wrestling Official (Appointed) *
*Appointees to be nominated by the National Compliance Officer.
Persons appointed membership on the Judicial Council shall be nominated by the National Compliance Officer confirmed unanimously by the NCWA Board of Directors, and shall serve for a period of one season, ending at the conclusion of the NCWA National Championships, or upon resignation or removal, whichever happens first.
If a unanimous confirmation is not received, the NCWA Board of Directors shall offer a new appointment nomination for confirmation.
The Judicial Council shall render advisory opinions, which shall be made public and posted on the secure area of the NCWA website for all questions of interpretation received outside of official proceedings. All advisory opinions are to be non-binding on the Judicial Council in any official proceedings.
Conference boards can enforce conference fines and penalties that can be appealed to the National Judicial Council. The Judicial Council sets its own fines and penalties. The following are recommended fines, but not all-encompassing of applicable fines and/or penalties. All fines levied may be adjudicated by the Judicial Council.
When it has been alleged that a team or coach is in violation of the NCWA rules, the offending party shall be notified of the allegations and will be given 10-days to provide an appeal. If it is ultimately ruled that a violation did occur, notification shall be sent to the school’s administration. Notice of the offense will be posted on the secured section of the NCWA website as an Article 6.4 Violation.
When it has been alleged that a team, coach, wrestler, or member institution is in violation of the NCWA rules, the offending party (hereafter “offender”) shall be notified of the allegations in writing by the Conference Commissioner or the National Compliance Officer and will be given 10-days to provide a written response to the allegations as set forth in Article 6.7.
The Conference Commissioner or National Compliance Officer shall notify the offender of their rights under this section to respond to the allegations. All monetary fines may be levied on offenders without initiating of the processes set forth in this Section. Article 6.11 may still be utilized by offenders.
A team that has been formally assessed a fine may file an appeal no later than 14-days after issuance. In any case, no fine may be appealed later than the day of the Conference Championship tournament regardless of the date of the assessment.
Any offender (or their representative), responding in writing to the allegations as set forth in Article 6.6 shall include the following:
A recitation of facts underlying the allegations or defense to the allegations.
Contact information for witnesses who may confirm the facts as set forth.
Documents or other physical evidence supporting any defense or request for leniency or exception to the rule alleged to have been violated.
All teams, coaches, wrestlers, and member institutions shall be afforded the right to obtain and employ legal counsel to represent them in any proceedings herein. Should legal counsel be employed to represent an offender, all proceedings shall cease immediately, and the matter forwarded to the NCWA General Counsel, or any other legal representative engaged by the NCWA. All matters recommended to the NCWA General Counsel or legal representative shall be heard within 90 days of the close of the current wrestling season.
The team, coach, wrestler, or member institution shall forfeit their right to compete effective as of the date of the legal actions and for the remainder of the season, or until the matter is resolved to ensure no further liability arises for either the NCWA or the offender.
Similarly, should a lawsuit be threatened or filed against the NCWA, its volunteers, officers, members, other representative, or similar person or entity by any wrestler, coach or institution, that wrestler’s, coach and / or institution’s membership shall be suspended immediately, unless and until such lawsuit or matter underlying the threatened lawsuit is terminated and a waiver of all claims is signed by the wrestler, coach and/or institution, or until such claim has been adjudicated by the proper judicial authority.
The Conference Board or NCWA Judicial Council shall render a finding of fact and render sanctions, if appropriate, in writing, within 15 days of receiving a response from an offender (or following the failure of an offender to provide a response as set forth in Article 6.6). Copies of the findings of fact shall be sent to the party identified in the written allegations, the team coach, the NCWA Executive Director (for the Men’s or Women’s Division), and the NCWA National Compliance Officer. If it is ultimately ruled that a violation did occur, notification shall be sent to the school’s administration. Notice of the specific rule number violated, and the school of the offender will be posted on the secured section of the NCWA website as a Rules Violation. All findings shall be confidential unless fines are levied, or actions are required by any NCWA Board or Committee (e.g., the forfeiting of a wrestler’s matches, disqualification of a wrestler or team, etc.). Only such information required to be disclosed to take appropriate actions shall be made available to the public.
The findings of a Conference Board shall be enforced until up to 48 hours after an appeal is submitted and may be continued as set forth in Section 6 or as determined by the Judicial Council or NCWA National Compliance Officer.
The findings of the Judicial Council may not be appealed for any reason and are final upon the Article findings having been issued. The findings of a Conference Board of Directors shall be appealable to the NCWA Judicial Council for up to no more than ten days of the Article 6.10 findings having been issued. On the eleventh day, any rights to appeal the decision of the Conference Board of Directors shall be forfeited, and the findings upheld.
The Judicial Council shall within 48-hours, make two decisions:
Whether the appeal is to be heard.
If the appeal is to be heard, whether the findings/rulings of the Conference Board of Directors shall be enforced or suspended until the conclusion of the appeal.
The NCWA Judicial Council may hear an appeal at the request of a member of the Judicial Council, even if the findings/ruling is not appealed by the offender. The NCWA Judicial Council may refuse a request for appeal upon a review of the Conference Board written Article 6.10 – Findings / Rulings and upon a unanimous vote of the Judicial Council. When the Judicial Council either denies hearing an appeal or upholds the findings of the Conference Board after conducting the appeal, the findings of the Conference Board shall be confirmed.
Any offender (or their representative), requesting, in writing, an appeal of the Article 6.10 - Findings -Ruling of a Conference Board of Directors shall include the following:
A comprehensive explanation of the offender’s basis for appealing the Article 6.10 - Findings / Ruling.
Information not provided to the Conference Board and an explanation of why said information was not provided.
Documents or other physical evidence not provided to the Conference Board and an explanation of why said documents or physical evidence was not provided; and
The written appeal must be sent via online email to the following persons:
National Compliance Officer
National Commissioner
National Executive Director (Men’s or Women’s Division)
Conference Chairman of the related Conference
The NCWA Judicial Council shall either uphold or reverse the finding of fact and/or sanctions rendered by the Conference Board, in writing, within 20 days of receiving an Article 6.12 written request for appeal and any further items the NCWA Judicial Council requests from an offender.
Copies of the ruling shall be sent to the offender, the team coach, the NCWA Executive Director, the NCWA National Compliance Officer and sent to the school administration if it is ultimately ruled the violation did not occur. If it is ultimately ruled that a violation did occur, notification shall be sent to the school’s administration. After an appeal, a notice of the violation will be posted on the secured section of the NCWA website. Confidentiality is waived after an appeal is requested and a finding issued to ensure precedent is maintained in all future appeals.
The NCWA recognizes a wrestler’s, a coach’s, or an institution’s right to engage both legal counsel and the justice system for alleged violations of the law. The NCWA takes all threats of litigation seriously. As such, for the protection of the NCWA, its member wrestlers, coaches, institutions, and its volunteers, should any legal proceeding or lawsuit be threatened or filed against the NCWA, its volunteers, officers, members, other representatives, or similar person or entity by any wrestler, coach, or institution, challenging the NCWA’s Rules and Regulations, in any manner whatsoever, that wrestler’s coach’s and/or institution’s membership shall be suspended immediately.
Unless and until such lawsuit or matter underlying the threatened lawsuit is terminated and a waiver of all claims is signed by the wrestler, coach and/or institution, or until such claim has been adjudicated by the proper judicial authority.
For the sake of clarity, this provision and the resulting suspension are not intended to include any legal proceeding or court action brought against any individual NCWA agent or employee whose purported actions are outside the scope or capacity of their employ or engagement.
Any member wrestler or institution that chooses to threaten or file a lawsuit waives their right to compete, host, or participate at any NCWA team or organization hosted practice or event until the litigation concludes, or a waiver of claims is signed by the member.
A suspension under this section shall render the wrestler unable to practice with any member institution or engage in NCWA hosted competition.
It is the duty of all individuals associated with the NCWA to report to the NCWA Board of Directors and the organization’s legal counsel if any threat or filing of any lawsuit falling within the terms of this section.
This position shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the NCWA Board of Directors.
The National Compliance Officer can be reached at compliance@ncwa.net .
Member: NCWA Coach (Appointed) *
$50
$100
Disqualified
------------
Inaccurate contact info on NCWA website
Warning
$50
$50
$100
The Conference Board, Conference Commissioner or NCWA National Compliance Officer may require further information be provided in the written response. The Conference Board, Conference Commissioner or NCWA National Compliance Officer shall provide a notice to the offender if no written response is received, or if the information required in a written response is missing within five (5) days of the deadline to submit said information. The offender shall have two (2) days from the date of notice to provide the missing response or information. On the third day following notice, failure to provide a response or required information will represent an admission that no such information is available, or that the offender is guilty of the alleged conduct.
Conference Commissioner of the related Conference
The Judicial Council may require further items be required in the written appeal or may request a follow-up statement from the offender after the submission of the written appeal.
Use of Non-Registered Official
$50
$100
$200
Disqualified
Committee Note: Advisory opinions are non-binding as the Judicial Council may not have access to details and facts that would be required to render an official ruling on the interpretation or application of a rule. As such, advisory opinions merely offer guidance on the interpretation or application of a rule, and nothing more. The NCWA Judicial Council, along with the NCWA Board of Directors, has the authority to remove or suspend any program, coach, or wrestler that it deems to be detrimental to the NCWA.
Wrestling a Non-Registered Athlete
The NCWA Board of Directors has the authority to hold an NCWA National Championship Series. The series may include a National Dual Tournament (“National Duals”), a Regional Dual Tournament (“Regional Duals”), a Conference tournament in each conference, and a National Collegiate Championships (“National Championships”), which is an individual tournament with team scoring. These four events will be considered the National Championship Series (NCS). A team may compete in only one of the dual portions of the NCS in a season.
The National Commissioner is charged with oversight and implementation of all NCS duals and tournaments.
Teams competing in the National Duals or the Regional Duals may earn points that will be awarded after the conclusion of the National Tournament in March to crown a “Collegiate Cup Champion” Team. (see Article 7.4.3)
All NCWA programs in good standing are eligible to apply to the National Duals and Regional Duals Selection Committee which is overseen by the Board of Directors (“NDSC”) for inclusion in the dual tournaments. The NCWA Board of Directors have final authority on selection of programs to compete in all National and Regional Dual tournaments.
NCWA Men’s and Women’s National Duals Contracts will be handled exclusively by the National Commissioner as given authority by the NCWA Board of Directors. Failure to compete in National Duals after completed contract may result in fines. Failure to fill at least eight (8) weight classes at the weigh-ins for the duals or complete competition in National Duals tournament will result in forfeiture of National Duals points towards the Collegiate Cup.
The NCWA National and Regional Duals contracts will be made available on .
The Regional Duals contracts will include the following which are enforceable by the National Commissioner:
Entry fee for the Regional Duals will be determined by the host and due by the posted deadline. A late fee may be accessed by the host. School purchase orders are acceptable in lieu of immediate payment.
All fees are non-refundable.
Failure to compete in the Regional Duals after being accepted may result in an additional fine by the host.
Awards for the National Duals will be provided by the NCWA to the top-3 teams in both the Men’s and Women’s Divisions. The host for each respective Regional Duals must provide the awards for a minimum of the top-2 teams from their tournament finances.
Conference Championships will include a Men’s and Women’s Division.
The NCWA Conference Championships will be contested on the weekend 11 to 12 days prior to the start of the NCWA National Championships.
The Conference Board is responsible for selecting the tournament host and for approving the venue. Bids for hosting the following season’s Conference Championships should be submitted to their Conference Board at the Conference Championships of the current season.
All teams must join a Conference to be eligible for postseason competition. Each Conference will charge a Conference Membership Fee to join that Conference according to the following scale: Conference Fees may range from $100 to $250 per member school.
Each Conference is responsible for assigning entry fees for wrestlers and/or teams into the Conference Championship tournament with a nominal fee from each entry going to the NCWA for awards.
Conferences may hold Regional Championships to qualify for their Conference Championships as deemed necessary by their Conference Board. Any pre-conference requirements must be published to each Conference Team no later than October 15th of each season.
Team awards for these events are the responsibility of the host Conference.
Athletes or teams that do not intend to compete in the National Championships should not compete in their Conference Championship tournament. Athletes that earn a National Qualifying bid that do not intend to advance to the National Championship may be subject to disciplinary action by the NCWA Compliance Officer and the Judicial Council.
The “Conference Tournament Committee” must be established prior to the start of the event. It is typically made up of the following 3 individuals (Primary Responsibility listed below):
Host Institution Coach: Facility, Venue set-up, tear-down, Medical Staff, Tournament Staff.
Conference Chairman: Obtaining officials and reporting results and National Qualifiers to the NCWA.
Conference Commissioner: Athlete check-in, Academic and Eligibility Compliance, collecting fees & fines.
The Conference Board is to set deadlines for submitting all forms.
To be eligible to compete in the Conference Championships, an athlete must have competed in a minimum of two (2) separate collegiate wrestling events.
An ‘event’ is defined as a separate weigh-in at SCRATCH weight and the match must be contested. A ‘forfeit’ is considered as a contested match. A waiver to this rule may be granted by the Conference Board. Only NCWA athletes who have not entered any NCWA recognized collegiate postseason championship series during the current season shall be eligible to compete in the current NCWA Championship Series
FORM # 1: Conference Championship - Official Entry Forms Forms are available on the NCWA website, and the information must be submitted before entering the seeding meeting of the Conference Championship. The form will supply the tournament committee with the following information: wrestler’s name, school, academic class, year of eligibility, and overall record at all weight classes during the current season for each entrant.
FORM # 2: NCWA Conference Championship - Academic Verification Form In order to verify that a wrestler is an active student at the represented school, the NCWA requires that the school’s Registrar verify enrollment data, attendance, and cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of each wrestler by means of the Registrar’s signature and affixing their official school seal to the NCWA Academic Verification Form. The Academic Form hardcopy must be brought to the NCWA National Championships by a Conference Board member..
Note: Every Conference entrant must be listed on an Academic Verification Form. Each wrestler must have a GPA entered regardless of their academic eligibility. Failure to provide administrative (Registrar’s) verification will disqualify a wrestler(s) from participation in the Conference event.
Failure to submit the two forms listed above by the seeding meeting deadline may result in a wrestler not being allowed to compete. The Conference tournament committee has the authority to fine teams for late entries. The “late fee” is to be deposited into their Conference treasury.
The number of entrants per team, per weight class, is limited by the local Conference Board. However, the number of Conference Qualifiers in the Men’s Division that may advance to the National Championships is limited to two per team, per weight class, with the exception of Transition Teams that must comply with their respective transitioning NGB rules.
For the NCWA Women’s Division, there is no limit to the number of entries for Conference and there is currently no limit to the number of bids to advance to the NCWA National Championships. Participants in the NCWA Women’s Division must participate in the conference tournament by submitting the proper paperwork and weighing in at the conference tournament even if they are the only participant in the weight class at the conference.
In both the NCWA Conference Championships and the NCWA National Championships, when wrestlers from the same team meet “head-to-head” during the event, two (2) “bonus points” will be awarded to the winner regardless of if the match ended in a decision or technical fall. This eliminates the potential moral hazard of one of the teammates intentionally getting pinned.
If a competitor in the NCWA Men’s Division is unable to compete in the Conference Championship due to injury or illness, they may submit an NCWA-provided waiver (‘Conference Medical Waiver Form’), in writing, to their Conference Board to waive normal national qualification procedures. This request must be presented, in writing, at least 48 hours before the seeding meeting for the Conference Championship. The team of the wrestler must present medical documentation to support the injury or illness which prevents the wrestler from competing in the Conference Championship. The Conference Board may grant a medical waiver and award the athlete one of their allotted wildcard entries to the National Championships. The approved Conference Medical Waiver Form(s) are to be submitted to the NCWA National Compliance Officer prior to the National Championships. If the waiver is accepted by the Conference Board, and a wildcard bid is granted, the team must present medical documentation clearing the athlete to compete in the National Championships (‘NCWA Medical Release to Participate’ form). This documentation must be presented to the NCWA National Compliance Officer prior to weigh-ins at the National Championships.
If any wrestler is unable to qualify for the National Championships through their Conference Championship due to extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances, they may petition their Conference Board for a bid into the National Championships. If the Conference Board accepts that the petition has merit, the Conference Board shall present the petition to the NCWA Board of Directors for consideration. By a simple majority vote of the NCWA Board of Directors, a Wildcard berth may be granted, provided that the petitioner has met the weigh-in procedures as set forth in the NCWA Rules and Regulations. In addition, if the wrestler is not able to be present at their Conference weigh-in site at the posted time, they may be granted permission to weigh-in ‘off-site’ at the same time as the Conference weigh-ins, have the weigh-in witnessed and verified by at least two individuals. This weigh-in sheet must be submitted to the Conference Board within 24-hours of the completion of the Conference Championship.
For the Conference Championships, the NCWA will supply each Conference with individual medals as directed by the NCWA Board of Directors each season.
The local host and/or Conference Board will be responsible for all team awards and any special awards deemed appropriate, and must pay for the additional awards.
1) All allotted Conference Qualifying Bids (both automatic and wild card which are allotted by the NCWA National Commissioner) must be selected at the conclusion of the Conference Championships by the Conference Board. No additional berths will be allotted after the conclusion of the submitted entries to the National Championships. Further, no additional bids will be granted or awarded for automatic bids not used at a weight class. CLARIFICATION: For example, if a Conference receives 4 automatic bids at a specific weight class and only 3 of the spots are used, the remaining unused spot is forfeited, it cannot be used for another weight class.
2) All National Entry fees must be paid by credit or debit card to the NCWA (using established and published procedures) prior to leaving the Conference tournament.
3) All collected fees for the Conference entries must be paid by credit or debit card to the NCWA as required by the Conference Board and/or host by 7 days prior to the beginning of the National Championships.
4) The Conference Chairman of each Conference is responsible for submitting the Conference Championship Results to the NCWA National Commissioner.
An athlete who has qualified for the NCWA National Championships may scratch (withdraw) from the National Championships, without competition penalty, up to 7 days prior to the beginning of the National Championships. The wrestler must notify the NCWA National Commissioner of the withdrawal from the tournament by email as provided on NCWA website. However, the entry fee is non-refundable. An individual that withdraws from the tournament as described above will be removed from the National Championship bracket.
Any athlete who, for any reason, scratches from the National Championships after the deadline may be ineligible for postseason competition for one year as enforced by each individual Conference. A ruled ineligible athlete may apply for a ‘NCWA Waiver to Compete in Postseason’ in the following year’s Conference Championship by submitting the proper form and waiver fee to Conference Board at least 30-days prior to the Conference Championship seeding meeting.
The NCWA will host an annual National Championship for all Conference Qualifiers with published dates and location announced each season by the NCWA Board of Directors.
No wrestler’s eligibility shall be called into question after they have been submitted by their Conference Board and accepted by the NCWA National Compliance Officer. All eligibility questions must be settled before the Conference Championships. However, athletes declared ineligible after the National Championships will be subject to all applicable NCWA fines and penalties.
Weigh-ins at the National Championships will use at least 4 certified scales. The scheduled time for all weigh-ins will be established by the NCWA National Commissioner and enforced by the NCWA National Compliance Officer.
Weigh-ins for the NCWA National Championships start at the posted time for skin check (as per NCAA rule), which is 15-minutes prior to the Official Weigh-in times at the same location.
A National Tournament Committee will be established by the NCWA National Commissioner under the direction of the NCWA Board of Directors.
NCWA All-American Awards in the NCWA Men’s AND Women's Divisions will be presented to the top 8 placers in each of the 11 weight classes.
For the NCWA Women’s National Championships, all wrestlers must be entered at the same weight class for which they qualified at the Conference Championships.
Note: As of the 2024-2025 competition season, the NCWA Women’s National Championships shall be held as a 3-day tournament to align with the NCWA Men’s Championships.
Women weigh-in attire: singlet and optional bra. All weigh-ins for the NCWA Women’s Division should be performed by female staff or personnel. Hair must be in a net or braided.
The Collegiate Cup is the responsibility of the NCWA National Commissioner. The NCWA National Commissioner may alter point values as the Collegiate Cup Champion award evolves. The points calculation process being used as of the 2022-2023 season is as follows:
Calculating Team Scores for the Collegiate Cup Trophy will include the following components:
Men’s Team Scores - Place Point Values
Women’s Team Scores - Place Point Values
National Duals Place Points Values *
Regional Duals Place Points Values*
* Scoring Place points values: All NCWA Programs, in good standing, are eligible to score points from their National & Regional Duals. Placement in the top-8 at the National/Regional Duals will earn each team that is eligible, points towards winning the Collegiate Cup Trophy to be awarded after the NCWA Nationals in March. Teams will not be awarded Nationals Team Points with less than 8 weight classes filled at the beginning of the National/Regional Duals tournament. Teams leaving before fulfilling their contractual obligations will also forfeit Nationals Team Points.
After all the National Championship Matches are completed the various team scores will be calculated to include the National and Regional Place Point Values (as shown in the following table).
The Collegiate Cup. The Collegiate Cup Champion Team will also be presented a “take home” plaque. Teams placing 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th will also be presented place plaques.
**Listed Men’s Regional Duals Points are based on 8 teams meeting the 8-weight class minimum criteria competing in the event. If 8 teams do not compete meeting the minimum criteria, Collegiate Cup Placement Points will not be awarded. A minimum of two (2) conferences must be represented for the event to be considered a NCWA Regional Dual.
Failure to have eight (8) teams meet the minimum weight class criteria (#4 above) and compete in the event representing at least two (2) conferences will result in the event not being awarded points towards the Collegiate Cup.
Set the Conference Seeding Meeting date, time and location and conduct the meeting. This information must be shared a minimum of 10 days prior to the meeting.
Resolve any disputes or official protests during the event, using the NCAA Rulebook where applicable.
Conducting a meeting after the Conference Championships to address:
-- Men’s Wildcard selections to Nationals
-- Discussing rule change proposals to be brought to the NCWA at the Vision Forum by the Conference Chairman or appointed Representative.
-- Determining the host of the following year’s Conference Championships
-- Changing any guidelines of their Conference
-- Voting on new Conference leadership (Conference Board Members)
-- Newly elected leadership will take office at the conclusion of that year’s National Championships Tournament
11
20
11
2
56
56
17
9
17
9
3
52
52
14
7
14
7
4
48
48
11
6
11
6
5
44
44
8
5
8
5
6
40
40
7
4
7
4
7
36
36
6
3
6
3
8
32
32
5
2
5
2
9
28
28
10
24
24
11
20
20
12
16
16
13
12
12
14
8
8
15
4
4
Placement
Men’s Nationals Placement (Overall)
Women’s Nationals Placement
Men’s National Duals Placement
Men’s Regional Duals Placement **
Women’s National Duals Placement
Women’s Regional Duals Placement
1
60
60
20