Marietta, Georgia, September 13, 2013 – It seems like only a few years ago that headlines were made when females entered the realm of amateur wrestling. What might have been viewed by some as a novelty, has now evolved into growing trend that has seen women’s wrestling added to the Olympic Games.

In keeping with this trend, Life University (LIFE) announced this week that it would be adding women’s wrestling as a scholarship sport to its expanding athletics program. This is the first and only women’s college wrestling program in the state of Georgia. Mike Miller, LIFE’s head wrestling coach said, “We are excited to start Georgia’s first women’s wrestling program here at Life University.

Coach Ron Gorman and I look forward to helping female wrestlers realize their dreams by creating an opportunity for them to wrestle in college.” Since 1994, the number of women who wrestle in high school has grown from about 800 to more than 7,000, creating a demand for opportunities beyond that level.

Team Georgia Wrestling, a non-­‐profit organization dedicated to furthering the sport of amateur wrestling in the state, is a huge proponent of women’s wrestling. Robert Horton, the Women’s Liaison for Team Georgia, said, “Life University is paving the way. The Team Georgia Girl’s Committee has worked hard the past few years to get more opportunities for females to wrestle females in this state.” In fact, Team Georgia has been successful in creating female tournaments in both Folkstlye (high school and college-­‐style) and Freestyle (Olympic-­‐style). Having a collegiate program at LIFE will further their initiatives of hosting female-­‐only practices and national-­‐level tournaments in Georgia. Said Miller, “Team Georgia has been a huge supporter, not just for wrestling in this state, but specifically to Life University as we build our men’s, and now our women’s wrestling programs. Wrestling is a great sport that takes commitment, dedication and character. Those attributes can be found in both men and women.”

The LIFE women’s wrestling team anticipates competing with the 2014-­‐2015 season, and expects to sign their first scholarship athlete later this year. The men’s team kicks off their second season of competition in late October.

About Life University Founded in Marietta, Georgia in 1974, Life University is a health sciences institution most known for its chiropractic program, the largest in the world. Life University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award four-­‐year undergraduate and graduate degrees in a variety of health care, science, business and general studies fields, and also has programmatic accreditation through the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) and the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

The mission of Life University is to empower students with the education, skills and values necessary for career success and life fulfillment, based on a vitalistic philosophy. About Team Georgia Wrestling In Georgia, over 6,000 student athletes participate in the world’s oldest sport through Team Georgia Wrestling. With 140 clubs throughout the state and 120 tournaments throughout the year, Team Georgia is committed to expanding participation and promoting excellence in amateur wrestling. From elementary age through college, from beginner to national champion, Team Georgia is committed to safety, opportunity, character, training and member satisfaction.