Women's wrestling will be joining the sports roster at Baker University in fall 2018, the Kansas-based school announced this week.
Cody Garcia, currently head coach of the men's wrestling team at Baker, will also coach the new women's program.
"The opportunity for Coach Garcia to start our women's wrestling program is something we are excited about," said Baker Director of Athletics Nate Houser. "We know he will take his success that he has already garnered for us on and off the mat and mold that same success into both of our programs."
Garcia is currently in his third year at the helm of the men's program. During that time, he has coached two NAIA National Champions for the Wildcats.
"It is an honor to continue to lead the growth and impact of Baker Wrestling with the addition of the women's program," said Garcia. "As exciting as it is to see the surge of so many programs recently, I am even more encouraged and thankful to see it happening at a school that believes in the vision of the program, recognizes its value, and that understands the resources needed to develop champions. Our purpose, our brand, and the sport shouldn't be limited when the need is there for everyone to benefit from it."
The sport of women's wrestling is in emerging sport status within the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). It currently isn't recognized as a varsity NAIA sport, as men's wrestling currently stands.
With the addition a women's program, Baker University sees significant upsides for the school, and for student-athletes.
"Women's wrestling at Baker University will serve as a tremendous opportunity for passionate student-athletes to chase their bold aspirations in an environment that cultivates and strengthens those expectations," said AD Houser. "This program will look to immediately align and match the prestige and standard of success associated with Baker University. We believe we can create an elite training center for high caliber wrestlers and prepare them for success on the mat as they first represent us in Baker orange in hopes of one-day donning the red, white, and blue. More importantly though, we can prepare them for their greater impact beyond the mats as they move on to the next phase in their lives."
In addition to a new women's wrestling program, Baker University is adding men's bowling, which adds up to 25 varsity sports available to student-athletes.
Baker University is a private, four-year school located in Baldwin City, Kansas. Founded in 1858 as the first university established within Kansas, Baker has an enrollment of approximately 3,100 students.
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