ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– Athletic Director Eric McNelley has announced that the Department is actively involved in a search for a Director of Men's and Women's Wrestling with the intention of competing in the MAC and the NCAA in both sports in 2026-27.
McNelley emphasized that the goal is to hire a director as soon as possible with the intention of bringing on a pair of full-time assistants in in 2025-26 to give the programs a chance recruit and build in advance of their opening competitions.
In its current period of growth, Eastern Athletics has seen precedent for early success in new programs with football winning five MAC games in just its second season this past fall.
“I am excited to announce the launch of men's and women's wrestling. We are eager to find a Director of Wrestling that can start these programs from the ground floor and build programs that can compete in a competitive MAC. With the rich talent in the State of Pennsylvania as our foundation we are confident we can hit the ground running in the sport by offering a Christ-centered education just outside the city of Philadelphia. The addition of men's and women's wrestling enhances our ability to recruit student-athletes from all over the United States to join our diverse community.”
With other new programs announced, the MAC is slated to have ten men's wrestling programs and seven women's programs when the Eagles begin to compete in the late fall of 2026. Over 100 high schools in Pennsylvania offer Women's Wrestling and the sport was recently sanctioned by the PIAA. Pennsylvania has nearly 500 boys wrestling programs.
Eastern has some history with Men's Wrestling before the University became affiliated with the NCAA. The school sponsored the sport for a period starting in 1965 and again for a short period beginning in 1985.
MAC Schools compete in the NCAA Division III Southeast Regional for Men's Wrestling. Women's Wrestling is an NCAA Emerging sport which will likely have Division III National Championships in place when or shortly after Eastern begins competition.
"With the addition of men's and women's wrestling," Megan Morrison, Executive Director of the Middle Atlantic Conference said. "Eastern is enhancing the competitive landscape of our conference while also underscoring our commitment to fostering inclusivity and supporting the growth of women's sports."
Eastern added Football in 2022 and Flag Football for Women for this year. The addition of the two wrestling programs will bring Eastern's total sport sponsorship to 25 teams. Learn more about Eastern Athletics at goeasterneagles.com.
About Eastern University
Eastern University is a Christian university enrolling approximately 8,700 students in its undergraduate, graduate, and seminary programs. The university’s main campus is located in St. Davids, PA, with many programs available online. Eastern’s core values of faith, reason, and justice are woven into all of its educational programs. For more information visit eastern.edu or contact Ally Rosario, Director of Marketing & Communications: ally.rosario@eastern.edu.