Two Big Changes Coming to Indiana High School Wrestling in 2023-2024

A state finals venue change and more matches allowed in one day of competition.

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INDIANAPOLIS - Two big changes will be made for the upcoming high school wrestling season.

The first big change is a change in venue for the annual IHSAA Wrestling State Finals. The IHSAA announced this spring that a change in venue for the is necessary for the 2024 State Finals due to Indianapolis playing host to NBA All-Star Weekend.

Since Gainbridge Fieldhouse will be unavailable, the Wrestling State Finals will move to the Ford Center in Evansville. This will be the first time the City of Evansville has hosted the IHSAA State Finals in any sport.

The dates for next year’s state finals are Friday and Saturday, February 16-17.

The State Finals are expected to return to Indianapolis in 2025. 

Another change in high school wrestling for the 2023-24 season includes the allowance of six matches in one day of competition. The six-match limit includes championship and consolation matches and excludes forfeits.

The increase from five to six matches for regular season competition follows the change two years ago which permitted six matches in any one day of tournament competition. With experiments conducted last year by state associations with no reported injuries, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee through the increase to six for regular season competition was a natural progression.