KINGWOOD – Girls wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in America.
Over 40 states have sanctioned girls wrestling at the prep level, with West Virginia doing so last year. The 2026-2027 wrestling season will be the first to be sanctioned by the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission.
With the addition of the sport to the WVSSAC, an advisory committee for girls wrestling was created.
One school that has made plenty of noise on the mat in The Mountain State is Preston High, whose girls wrestling program continues to be a leading voice for their sport.
Jayme Bishop, Athletic Director at PHS, was recently named one of 12 members of the committee that will help guide and grow the sport of girls wrestling in WV.
“Girls wrestling is becoming a massive sport all over the country, and obviously we have some girls who are very active as far as the team goes,” Bishop said. “Our girls, led by the Turner family, traveled to Charleston to speak publicly in advocacy for girls wrestling and why it was so important to be sanctioned by the WVSSAC.”
A preliminary sanction was approved in response. Bishop says she knew from the time of the announcement she wanted to be involved.
“I reached out to some other ADs that I knew were getting involved to fill them in on my background,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be a part of that and wanted to make it known.”
Bishop, originally from Pittsburgh, wrestled growing up and was constantly around the sport, as her father, Dave Kling, was a 30-year head coach at Keystone Oaks High School and is in the top five for all-time victories as a head coach in the WPIAL conference.
“This felt like a step in the right direction for me to try and get myself involved,” Bishop said. “I am thrilled. Basically, we want to be there to help set the groundwork for the sport and make sure we do things the right way first.”
Seeing the sport’s growth and recognition continue on the positive trajectory it’s been on is simply the goal, Bishop says.
“We already have so many amazing female wrestlers in the state, and I think that number will continue to grow,” she said. “There’s opportunity for great things to happen all over West Virginia and we hope to help inspire the next generation of girls wrestlers to get involved sooner and grow with the sport.”
