Delaware State Makes History: First HBCU Division I Women's Wrestling Team Advances to NCAA Championship

Delaware State University (DSU) is making history on the mat, sending two student-athletes to the NCAA National Championship in the inaugural season of its groundbreaking women's wrestling program—the first-ever Division I women's wrestling program at an HBCU.

Less than two years after announcing the program's launch, the Hornets have achieved what many new programs take years to accomplish. Icart Galumette and Louise Juitt will represent DSU at the NCAA Women's Wrestling Tournament on March 6 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, marking a significant milestone for both the university and HBCU athletics.

Impressive Inaugural Season

The team's rapid rise has been nothing short of remarkable. According to Andscape, the Hornets' competitive journey began in November at the East Stroudsburg University Open in Pennsylvania, where they finished eighth out of 32 teams in their very first competition. By December, the team secured its first match victory against Greensboro College.

The momentum continued to build. In January, at the Tornado Open in Tennessee, DSU finished in second place out of 23 teams—an extraordinary accomplishment for a program still in its infancy.

Championship Qualifiers

The university announced in February that both qualifying wrestlers had distinguished themselves throughout the season.

Cultural Impact Beyond Competition

For team members, the program represents more than athletic achievement—it's about representation and breaking barriers. Freshman Christina Lisboa spoke to the cultural significance of the team's presence in the sport:

"It's incredible because when you look around, we're the only team where it's like every single person on our team is a person of color and is very, very deep into their culture. When we go into tournaments, we're chanting, we're being loud, we're not fitting into that box."

Lisboa continued, emphasizing the team's growing reputation: "It's great to set the tone at these tournaments and to just see people watch us. People come up to us all the time, and it's like, 'Wow, you guys are Delaware State women's wrestling.' It's honestly really exciting to hear and really inspiring."

As Galumette and Juitt prepare to compete on wrestling's biggest stage in Iowa, they carry not only their own aspirations but the pride of Delaware State University and the entire HBCU community. Their journey from program launch to national championship in less than two years demonstrates the talent, determination, and excellence that HBCU athletics continue to bring to collegiate sports.

Originally reported by Black Enterprise.