The Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) board of directors has officially recognized girls wrestling and boys volleyball as fully fledged sports. Both sports were previously 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 over 1,444 girls from 177 high schools this winter.
While it was anticipated that boys volleyball would experience slower growth due to the number of athletes required to form a team, there are now over 105 schools registered to participate in boys volleyball this spring, surpassing 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 is an evolving story, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available. To get further insights, contact Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.