SIOUX CITY, IOWA – Morningside revealed its second sport affiliation move in as many days today, as the Great Plains Athletic Conference announced that it would begin sponsoring women's wrestling for the 2024-25 season.

"With the growth of high school girls wrestling in the Midwest and in other parts of the country, we feel that we are well positioned to be a place for those wrestlers to compete in college," said GPAC Commissioner Corey Westra.

The inaugural season will include a championship event at Doane in March, with the regular season open for schools to compete as they choose.

"We're pleased that the GPAC and its member schools have recognized the growing popularity of women's wrestling," stated Morningside Athletic Director Jim Sykes. "Morningside would like to thank the KCAC for accepting us as an affiliate for our inaugural season of women's wrestling, but we look forward to having that program at home in the GPAC this season."

"It will be great to be competing alongside our fellow GPAC schools as we all work to establish the identity of the conference in women's wrestling," said Morningside Head Coach Jordan Cliff.

The GPAC has six member schools that currently sponsor women's wrestling, with Morningside joined by Hastings, Doane, Midland, Waldorf, and Dakota Wesleyan.

"We have a solid core group of schools right now that will continue to grow as the sport does," commented Westra."