Cleary University adds women's wrestling to athletics program

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August 18, 2025
 
Cleary University adds women’s wrestling to its athletics program
 
(HOWELL, MI) Cleary University is excited to announce it has expanded its athletics program to include women’s wrestling. The 21st sport at Cleary will begin its inaugural season in the fall of 2026. Cleary will compete in the WHAC.
 
“This new opportunity to add women’s wrestling reflects our continued commitment to providing a well-balanced student athlete experience and expanding our presence in the WHAC and at the NAIA level,” announces Max Ballinger, Cleary director of Athletics.
 
Women’s collegiate wrestling has been exploding in popularity over the past few years as women’s sports in general increasingly are being recognized as competitive, inclusive and accessible, studies are showing. As a result of increased participation at the high school level with more than 50,000 women in 46 states competing, many colleges are adding this sport. Today, there are more than 140 women’s college wrestling programs in the US, including 47 in the NAIA.
 
“With so much momentum building for women’s wrestling across the country, it made sense for Cleary to add this sport,” Ballinger reports. “The growing excitement and interest in this sport, made it a logical decision for Cleary to add this sport.
 
Cleary also added competitive dance as a new sport for the 2026/27 season. Beth Strom was hired as the team’s head coach. She previously served as head coach for the past 10 years at Concordia University, a NAIA national championship finalist team for many years. Strom was named 2025 NAIA Coach of the Year.
 
Recruitment is underway for the 2026/27 Cleary co-ed competitive dance team. The university will offer scholarship opportunities.
 
If you are interested in joining the Cleary competitive dance team, send an email to Coach Strom at bstrom@cleary.edu. Strom will accept recruitment videos.
 
About Cleary University
Founded in 1883, Cleary University is a four-year, private, nonprofit accredited university, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees from a unique Business Arts curriculum, and driven by a faculty of thought leaders with deep, practical experience in their industries. Offering on-campus and online education models, Cleary also provides a robust athletic program of 20 sports and a rich residence life with nearly 200 students living on the quiet, rolling 50-acre campus. The university was ranked #1 in Michigan for return on investment among private, nonprofit business schools and #1 in Michigan for earnings one year post graduation. Cleary recently earned the #4 spot in Michigan for Best Business College and has one of the lowest tuition rates among private colleges in Michigan.
 

Cleary University adds women's wrestl...