State-by-state listing of planned high school wrestling seasons in 2021

By Rob Sherrill

The foll0wing is an update to WIN’s state-by-state itinerary of when and if high school wrestling will be held in 2021, according to each state’s governing body. While some states are set to begin in December and complete a normal winter season, Vermont cancelled its wrestling season and the states of California, Illinois Massachusetts, North Carolina and New Mexico will begin later this spring and end in summer.

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Last updated Nov. 24, 2020

Alabama – regular season events limited to four teams; dual state tournament week of Jan. 22; individual state tournament Feb. 18-20. Read Return to Play for Winter Sports here.

Alaska – competition to start Nov. 13; state tournament Jan. 29-30. Read Out-of-State Travel Restrictions here.

Arizona – dual meets only, one match limit per day, out-of-state travel prohibited; regular season ends Jan. 30; boys sectionals Feb. 6, girls sectionals Feb. 13; state tournament not scheduled. Read Winter Sports Modifications here.

Arkansas – limited to 18 events; maximum per event eight teams or 114 individuals; dual meets encouraged; state tournament Feb. 18-20. Read COVID-19 Wrestling Guidelines here.

California – wrestling to move to summer season; wrestling state tournament June 11-12.

Colorado – practice starts Jan. 4, competition Jan. 7; seven dual meets and seven competition days; one-day state tournament Mar. 6.

Connecticut – start of winter sports season postponed to Jan. 19; approval to contest wrestling TBA; state health department has recommended canceling the 2020-21 season.

Delaware – approval to contest wrestling TBA.

Florida – competition starts Nov. 30; minimum match requirements for state tournament eligibility waived; dual state tournaments Jan. 22-23, individual state tournament Mar. 5-6. Read Winter Sport Safety Considerations here.

Georgia – competition starts Nov. 23; dual tournaments limited to two teams per mat; individual tournaments limited to 16-man brackets; dual state tournament preliminaries Jan. 22-23, dual state finals Jan. 30, individual state tournament Feb. 11-13. Read Rule Modifications here.

Hawaii – approval to contest wrestling TBA.

Idaho – state tournament Feb. 26-27.

Illinois – wrestling to move to summer season; competition to start Apr. 19, state tournament ends June 26.

Indiana – state tournament Feb. 19-20. Read COVID-19 Resource Center document here.

Iowa – single and double duals recommended; reduction of teams and out-of-state restrictions in tournaments; state tournament Feb. 18-20. Read COVID-19 Guidance here.

Kansas – state tournaments Feb. 26-27. Read COVID-19 Participation Considerations here.

Kentucky – start of practice delayed to Dec. 14, competition to Jan. 4; state tournament Feb. 19-20, but expected to be modified. Read Healthy at Sports Winter Guidance here.

Louisiana – state tournament Feb. 26-27. Read General Guidelines for Winter Sport Competitions here.

Maine – wrestling to be contested in modified season in late winter or early spring. Read Winter Athletics and Activities Update here.

Maryland – practice starts Dec. 7, competition Jan. 4 by local school district option; state culminating event Mar. 1-13.

Massachusetts – wrestling season to begin Apr. 26; if approved to be contested, it will be outdoors.

Michigan – practice starts Dec. 9, competition Jan. 4 pending Department of Health and Human Services approval; regular season events to be limited to four teams; masks required both to practice and compete; dual state tournament Feb. 26-27, individual state tournament Mar. 5-6. Read Winter Season Approval release here.

Minnesota – start of wrestling practice delayed until at least Dec. 18 by executive order issued by Gov. Tim Walz; 30 percent reduction in matches; state tournament TBA (season ends Mar. 6).

Missouri – wrestling classifications release date postponed to Dec. 11; state tournament Feb. 18-20.

Montana – dual meets only; two-match limit per day, events limited to 40 wrestlers; state tournament Feb. 14-15. Read 2020-21 Wrestling Considerations here.

Nebraska – tournaments limited to eight teams; 18 total dates; dual state tournament Feb. 6, individual state tournament Feb. 19-20. Read Winter Season Guidelines here.

Nevada – approval to contest wrestling TBA. Read Wrestling Return to Competition Guidance here.

New Hampshire – competition to start Jan. 11 (tentative); state tournament TBA.

New Jersey – wrestling moved to spring season in response to Executive Order 196; practice starts Mar. 1, competition Mar. 16; season ends Apr. 24; post-season TBA. Read NJSIAA Updates Winter Sports Calendar here.

New Mexico – wrestling to move to summer season; state tournament June 14-16.

New York – start of wrestling season delayed to Jan. 4; dual state tournament Jan. 31, individual state tournament Feb. 26-27.

North Carolina – wrestling to move to summer season; limit of 14 duals or double duals, two dates per week; practice to start Apr. 12, competition Apr. 19, state tournament June 26. Read Modified Sports Manual here.

North Dakota – state tournament Feb. 18-20.

Ohio – Ohio High School Athletic Association reaffirmed commitment to start winter sports on schedule; dual state tournament canceled; individual state tournament Mar. 12-14. Read Wrestling Rules Modifications here.

Oklahoma – single duals, in-state and single day tournaments recommended; dual state tournament Feb. 12-13, individual state tournament Feb. 26-27. Read Considerations for Wrestling here.

Oregon – approval to contest wrestling TBA; practice to start Dec. 28, competition Jan. 11; state tournament Mar. 6 (all dates tentative). Read Bend Bulletin article previewing Oregon School Activities Association Executive Board meeting here.

Pennsylvania – competition to start Dec. 11; dual state tournament Feb. 11-13, individual state tournament Mar. 11-13. Read Return to Competition: Individual Sport Consideration document here.

Rhode Island – approval to contest wrestling TBA.

South Carolina – dual state tournament Feb. 20, individual state tournament Mar. 5-6. Read Return to Play Winter Sports here; read Spectator/Venue Requirements here.

South Dakota – regular-season events limited to 112 competitors and 12 teams; two competitions per week, four-match daily limit; state tournament Feb. 25-27. Read Winter 2020-21 Rule Modifications here.

Tennessee – dual state tournament Feb. 5-6, individual state tournament Feb. 18-20. Because the site for both tournaments is being used as a county COVID-19 testing center, the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association must secure an alternate site, which could result in format changes.

Texas – competition to start Feb. 15; state tournament Apr. 23-24. Read Wrestling Calendar here.

Utah – winter sports suspended through Nov. 23; 1A state tournament Feb. 12, 2A state tournament Feb. 13, 6A state tournament Feb. 17, 5A state tournament Feb. 18, 3A state tournament Feb. 19, 4A state tournament Feb. 20.

Vermont – wrestling season canceled for 2020-21.

Virginia – practice to start Dec. 14, competition Dec. 28; limit of eight contests; one-day state tournaments Feb. 18-20, with 8-man brackets. Read Guidelines for Return to Participation – Edition 2 here.

Washington – approval to contest wrestling TBA; state tournament Feb. 26-27 (tentative). Read Return to Play Guidelines here; read Process for Commencing Sports Seasons here.

West Virginia – competition limited to duals, double duals and quads with a maximum of 56 competitors; state tournament Mar. 4-6. Read COVID-19 Winter Sports Modifications here.

Wisconsin – practice to start Nov. 23, competition Nov. 30; season to conclude week of Feb. 15; state tournaments TBA. Read Alternate Season Guidelines here.

Wyoming – masks required when not competing; 2A state tournament Feb. 25, 3A state tournament Feb. 26, 4A state tournament Feb. 27. Read Updated Wrestling Information here.