Slippery Rock University has announced the return of men’s wrestling and the addition of women’s flag football as varsity sports programs, reinforcing SRU’s longstanding commitment to strengthening competitive opportunities for all student-athletes.
Both programs are slated to begin competition in the 2027-28 academic year. The reinstatement of men’s wrestling builds on a legacy that spanned nearly five decades, while the launch of women’s flag football introduces new competitive opportunities for female students at SRU. Fundraising for men’s varsity wrestling is underway to support its return to NCAA Division II, and women’s flag football will begin its fundraising efforts in spring 2026.
The addition of women’s flag football and wrestling at SRU will increase the total number of NCAA sponsored sports at the University to 19 in 2027-28, including 11 women’s teams and eight men’s teams.
Men’s varsity wrestling
Slippery Rock’s wrestling program built its reputation from 1958 to 2006 as a program that emphasized a strong balance between athletics, academics and personal development. The program went 362-294-7 over that stretch with many of those wins coming at the NCAA Division I level.
Eight different men oversaw the team as head coach with the most impactful being Fred Powell, who coached the program from 1967-91 with a winning percentage of 66 percent. He coached some of the best collegiate wrestlers in NCAA history, including world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Stan Dziedzic ’72. Powell earned the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” award and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005.
SRU expects to launch a national search for a head coach during the 2026 spring semester to allow an academic year for recruiting before the program begins competing in the 2027-28 academic year.
“Athletics, in many ways, serves as the front door to our university, and the return of wrestling at The Rock is so exciting,” said SRU President Karen Riley. “We have a long history of excellence in the sport and look forward to adding it back to our compliment of exceedingly successful athletic programs. We are so grateful to members of the SRU community for their advocacy and continued support.”
The Rock will compete at the NCAA Division II level as NCAA rules have changed since the last time SRU fielded a wrestling team and a return to the Division I level is no longer possible. There are currently 70 NCAA Division II wrestling programs competing across the nation in 2025-26.
The University recently launched a wrestling campaign with an initial goal of $2 million. Former SRU wrestler Robert Dudley ’77 has created a dollar-for-dollar match challenge (up to $250,000) to effectively double the impact of each additional dollar raised to help bring the program’s return to the next level.
“I’m excited to team with SRU to help support the return of one of the most respected collegiate wrestling programs as well as honor the legacy of coach Fred Powell. It’s important for me to give back to the school that provided me the framework of my life and vocation, and I look forward to watching the SRU wrestling program as it develops and matures in the years to follow,” commented Dudley.
“Slippery Rock wrestling will return and develop into a nationally competitive team again; and every gift directly strengthens the program’s long-term success by creating a program that attracts and develops top-tier student-athletes,” commented John Stroup ’80, a former Rock wrestler. “Your support today does not determine if Slippery Rock wrestling returns — it determines how strong it returns.”
“Slippery Rock University is excited to revive its storied wrestling tradition, and counts on the support of alumni, fans, and friends to get us to the mat,” said Roberta Page, director of athletics. “The campaign will help fund essential needs such as equipment, coaching, travel, and scholarships, ensuring SRU wrestlers can compete among the nation’s best once again.”
“After 20 years, we are back!,” commented John Butch ’72, chair of the SRU Wrestling Alumni and Friends Committee.
Donate to the men’s varsity wrestling program online.
Women’s flag football
The growing popularity of women’s flag football at area high schools and the sport making its Olympic debut at the 2028 games is further bolstered by an upcoming NCAA vote to identify it as an emerging sport, placing SRU at the forefront of providing opportunities for regional student-athletes.
“Athletics is a vital component of our residential campus experience, and adding women’s flag football is tremendously exciting,” said SRU President Karen Riley. “This emerging sport represents growth, inclusion, and opportunity, and we look forward to building a tradition of excellence that empowers additional female student-athletes to join our many highly successful athletic programs. We are deeply grateful to the SRU community for their vision, advocacy, and support in making this possible.”
SRU expects to launch a national search for a head coach during the 2026 spring semester to allow an academic year for recruiting student-athletes before the program begins competitive play in 2027-28.
“Slippery Rock University is proud to expand opportunities for female student-athletes through the addition of women’s flag football as a varsity sport,” said Roberta Page, director of athletics. “This is more than just adding a team, it’s about empowering women to compete, lead, and excel on a national stage. With the support of our alumni, fans, and friends, we will provide the resources that ensure our student-athletes thrive and help shape the future of this exciting and fast-growing sport.”
Details for the fundraising campaign will be announced in the spring.
