Women's Wrestling begins a new era at Barton #GoBarton

Barton continues its commitment to expanding opportunities for student-athletes with the addition of women's wrestling, bringing the College's athletic offerings to 23 varsity programs.

The launch of women's wrestling reflects both the rapid growth of the sport across Kansas and the nation and Barton's commitment to providing new opportunities for female student-athletes to compete at the collegiate level.

The program is led by Head Wrestling Coach Nathan Broeckelman, who has played an instrumental role in the growth of wrestling throughout Kansas and now oversees both the men's and women's programs.

"I am looking forward to continuing to build Barton's wrestling program that will now involve the women's side," Broeckelman said. "I got to see firsthand the unique side of women's wrestling when it became an official KSHSAA sport. College women's wrestling is on another level, as they compete in freestyle instead of the traditional folkstyle used on the men's side. I believe this, coupled with our growing men's squad, marks the beginning of a new wrestling era at Barton Community College."

Joining the coaching staff is Hoxie native Marissa Posch, who works primarily with the women's program. Alongside Broeckelman and assistant coach Peyton Besco, the Cougars provide a dedicated coaching staff committed to developing student-athletes both on and off the mat.

Barton Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs said the addition of women's wrestling aligns with the College's mission of responding to the evolving landscape of collegiate athletics.

"With the growth and popularity of women's wrestling in the state of Kansas at the KSHSAA level, it makes perfect sense to expand on our athletic programming here at Barton by adding the sport," Rolfs said. "With an exceptional men's wrestling program already in place, and the chance to add opportunity for young women in Kansas to continue their wrestling careers at the collegiate level, I am very excited about this endeavor."

Women's wrestling has experienced tremendous growth since becoming an officially sanctioned Kansas State High School Activities Association sport in 2019, with colleges and universities throughout the state continuing to add programs to meet increasing demand.

Prospective student-athletes interested in joining the Cougar wrestling family are encouraged to complete the prospective student-athlete questionnaire or contact Coach Broeckelman at (620) 786-1157 or broeckelman@bartonccc.edu.