Girls wrestling sanctioned as MSHSL activity; boys volleyball 2 votes shy
A 48-member committee that meets once annual on behalf of the Minnesota State High School League voted Tuesday in favor of creating section and state tournaments for girls wrestling, but they voted against doing the same for boys volleyball.
The Representative Assembly legislative body of the MSHSL fell two votes shy of adding boys volleyball as a league-sanctioned activity, meaning the approximately 50 member schools with boys volleyball teams will remain a club sport rather than MSHSL-supported league.
Two-thirds votes (32 of 48) are needed to pass a proposal, and the proposal to create section and state tournaments for girls-only wrestling was approved by a 44-4 vote.
What this means for girls participating in high school wrestling, according to the MSHSL:
"Under the approved amendment, girls will train and compete with the boys’ teams during the regular season, but will have the option of competing in a girls-only individual section and state tournament that would occur simultaneously with the boys postseason individual tournaments. As part of the approved amendment, girls would be eligible to remain a part of the boys’ team for postseason dual tournaments."
The MSHSL says there were 153 girls participating in wrestling during the 2019-20 school year.
"The decision by our membership to offer our girls in wrestling the chance to compete for individual honors in their own postseason division is a big step. Minnesota now joins other regional states like North and South Dakota, Wisconsin, Kansas and Missouri in offering this opportunity for girls wrestlers," said MSHSL Executive Director Erich Martens, in a statement.
The next Representative Assembly meeting will be held in May 2022.
