Morningside adds women’s wrestling to athletic offerings

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Morningside University has announced the addition of women's wrestling to its list of sports, with the first season of competition for the program slated for the 2023-24 season.

"We are excited to add women's wrestling as the 13th women's sport to our athletic department," Athletic Director Jim Sykes said. "Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports in the region, and we are excited to give high school athletes an opportunity to compete at the next level."

Morningside is the sixth Great Plains Athletic Conference school to offer women's wrestling, joining Dakota Wesleyan, Doane, Hastings, Jamestown, and Midland. Four of the GPAC schools offering women's wrestling are affiliate members of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, with Dakota Wesleyan not competing in a conference.

Morningside also announces Jordan Cliff as the first head coach for women's wrestling at the school. Cliff comes to Morningside from Roundup, Montana, where he started a wrestling program and taught at the school district.

"We want to welcome Jordan to our athletic department and to the Morningside family," Sykes said. "Jordan's experience building up the Roundup High School wrestling program was something we valued, and we can't wait to see what he builds here."

"I would like to thank President Albert Mosley, Athletic Director Jim Sykes, and the hiring committee for the opportunity to become the first Head Women's Wrestling Coach at Morningside University. I feel blessed to be called by Morningside University to establish and lead the women's wrestling program. It is an exciting time to be a Mustang," Cliff said. "As the first women's wrestling coach at Morningside University I am driven to build a program that will be competitive on the regional and national level, but more importantly I am thrilled to introduce prospective student athletes to the close knit academic and athletic community that Morningside offers."

With the addition of women's wrestling, Morningside now offers 29 total athletic programs, with 13 men's, 13 women's, and three co-ed sports.