U15 (male youths aged 14–15, as well as male youths at age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
34–38 kg (75-84 lbs)
41 kg (90 lbs)
44 kg (97 lbs)
48 kg (106 lbs)
52 kg (115 lbs)
57 kg (126 lbs)
62 kg (137 lbs)
68 kg (150 lbs)
75 kg (165 lbs)
85 kg (187 lbs)
Cadets (male youths aged 16–17, as well as male youths at age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
41 to 45 kg (90 to 99 lbs)
48 kg (106 lbs)
51 kg (112 lbs)
55 kg (121 lbs)
60 kg (132 lbs)
65 kg (143 lbs)
71 kg (157 lbs)
80 kg (176 lbs)
92 kg (203 lbs)
110 kg (243 lbs)
Juniors (men aged 18 to 20, as well as male youths at age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling and/or Greco-Roman wrestling in the following weight classes:[3]
57 kg (126 lbs)
61 kg (134 lbs)
65 kg (143 lbs)
70 kg (154 lbs)
74 kg (163 lbs)
79 kg (174 lbs)
86 kg (190 lbs)
92 kg (203 lbs)
97 kg (214 lbs)
125 kg (276 lbs)
Juniors over the age of 18 are allowed to participate in senior competitions with a medical certificate.[4]
For women's freestyle wrestling
As of 2019, female youth compete in freestyle wrestling on an international level in one of four age categories: U15, cadets, and juniors.[3]
U15 (female youths aged 14–15, and female youths at age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
29 to 33 kg (64 to 73 lbs)
36 kg (79 lbs)
39 kg (86 lbs)
42 kg (93 lbs)
46 kg (101 lbs)
50 kg (110 lbs)
54 kg (119 lbs)
58 kg (128 lbs)
62 kg (137 lbs)
66 kg (146 lbs)
Cadets (female youths aged 16–17, and female youths at age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3]
36 to 40 kg (79 to 88 lbs)
43 kg (95 lbs)
46 kg (101 lbs)
49 kg (108 lbs)
53 kg (117 lbs)
57 kg (126 lbs)
61 kg (134 lbs)
65 kg (143 lbs)
69 kg (152 lbs)
73 kg (161 lbs)
Junior (female youths aged 18 to 20, and female youths at age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following eight weight classes:[3]
50 kg (110 lbs)
53 kg (117 lbs)
55 kg (121 lbs)
57 kg (126 lbs)
59 kg (130 lbs)
62 kg (137 lbs)
65 kg (143 lbs)
68 kg (150 lbs)
72 kg (159 lbs)
76 kg (168 lbs)
Scholastic weight classes in the United States
Elementary school
Elementary school students competing in wrestling have multiple ways weight classes are determined.
"Madison system" - This is a popular tournament format where there are no weight classes and the tournament director pairs wrestlers into brackets (usually 8 or 16 man) based on weight at weigh-ins. This is a popular method because it discourages "weight cutting" in young athletes.[5]
Division-based system - In this system, the tournament director separates athletes by age (ex: Grade 2 and under, Grade 4 and under, and Grade 6 and under), and by weight class. Weight class and division is at the tournament director's discretion.[6]
Pure-weight based system - In this system, the athletes are not divided by age but rather just by weight class. This is rarely used because it pairs younger, less experienced athletes with older, more experienced athletes.[7]
As of the 2023-2024 season, each state must select one of three sets of weight classes (12, 13, or 14 weight classes) provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for high school competition in the United States, one for boys competition (which includes girls wrestling boys) and another for girls competition.[9]
Boys competition weight classes
If a state chooses to use twelve weight classes for boys competition, the weight classes are as follows:
108 lbs
116 lbs
124 lbs
131 lbs
138 lbs
145 lbs
152 lbs
160 lbs
170 lbs
190 lbs
215 lbs
285 lbs
If a state chooses to use thirteen weight classes for boys competition, the weight classes are as follows:
107 lbs
114 lbs
121 lbs
127 lbs
133 lbs
139 lbs
145 lbs
152 lbs
160 lbs
172 lbs
189 lbs
215 lbs
285 lbs
If a state chooses to use fourteen weight classes for boys competition, the weight classes are as follows:
106 lbs
113 lbs
120 lbs
126 lbs
132 lbs
138 lbs
144 lbs
150 lbs
157 lbs
165 lbs
175 lbs
190 lbs
215 lbs
285 lbs
Girls competition weight classes
If a state chooses to use twelve weight classes for girls competition, the weight classes are as follows:
100 lbs
107 lbs
114 lbs
120 lbs
126 lbs
132 lbs
138 lbs
145 lbs
152 lbs
165 lbs
185 lbs
235 lbs
If a state chooses to use thirteen weight classes for girls competition, the weight classes are as follows:
100 lbs
106 lbs
112 lbs
118 lbs
124 lbs
130 lbs
136 lbs
142 lbs
148 lbs
155 lbs
170 lbs
190 lbs
235 lbs
If a state chooses to use fourteen weight classes for girls competition, the weight classes are as follows:
100 lbs
105 lbs
110 lbs
115 lbs
120 lbs
125 lbs
130 lbs
135 lbs
140 lbs
145 lbs
150 lbs
155 lbs
170 lbs
190 lbs
235 lbs
Exceptions
In boys' wrestling, New York uses a modified 13 weight class set, that uses the same weight classes of the 12 weight class set with the addition of a 101 pound weight class.[10]
The NCWA has also approved the following eight weight classes for its women's division, which uses collegiate rules instead of the freestyle ruleset used in NCAA-recognized women's wrestling:[19]
105 lb
112 lb
121 lb
130 lb
139 lb
148 lb
159 lb
200 lb
Women's college wrestling is also governed by the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA), an arm of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). The WCWA uses freestyle rules instead of collegiate rules. Freestyle wrestling became an NCAA-recognized sport as part of the Emerging Sports for Women program in 2020–21. The WCWA currently has 10 weight classes:[20]
^The minimum allowed weight for the Heavyweight class is 184 lb for the NCWA. "2008-09 NCWA Wrestling Plan"(PDF). p. 14. NCWA. 2008-09-01. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
