WAYNESBURG, Pa. (March 27) – Waynesburg University Director of Athletics Tim Fusina announced the addition of women's wrestling as a varsity sport starting in 2024-25 and named Karli Thomas the program's head coach on Wednesday.

When the Jackets hit the mats in 2024, Waynesburg will become the eighth collegiate institution to field a women's wrestling team in Pennsylvania and the first in southwestern PA.

"We are excited to announce the addition of women's wrestling as our next varsity sport beginning this coming winter," said Fusina. "We have seen a great deal of interest in this sport over the last few years and it is a natural fit to our athletic department. With women's wrestling being designated as an emerging sport and the popularity the sport has in our region, we are looking forward to providing female student-athletes the opportunity to compete at our institution."

Thomas is an accomplished amateur MMA competitor at several local and regional promotions, including 247 Fighting Championships and Ohio Combat league. She holds 4-2 record in MMA amateur competition. 

"This a dream come true, the opportunity to engulf myself into something I've been passionate about since I was 10 years old," said Thomas. "I've always envisioned something like this but about 15 years from now. It's an incredible time in the history of women's wrestling. I'm ready to start growing the women's team at Waynesburg and build the program into something life changing for these young ladies."

Thomas holds a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under coach Isaac Greeley. She captured several tournament titles and medals in jiu-jitsu competitions. Thomas' MMA grappling style is a hybrid of wrestling and jiu-jitsu and is an active participant in Greeley's weekly wrestling sessions at The Mat Factory Wrestling Club.

Thomas is a member of the Mat Factory and coached the first season of girl's wrestling at Kiski Area High School in 2023-24. Kiski Area's Ava Golding captured the WPIAL's inaugural 136 pound title and went on to collect PIAA all-state honors with a third-place finish at the state tournament. Thomas oversees the Mat Factory's Friday evening girl's wrestling sessions for student-athletes in junior high and high school. 

"Karli is an accomplished athlete who is a bright and passionate young coach," said Fusina. "Her passion for her sport and ability to communicate with young people will help her in this new role. She had a great first year as a head coach at Kiski with one of her athletes winning a WPIAL title and all-state honors. She will also be a tremendous role model for the female athletes that she mentors."

Women's wrestling has been designated as an Emerging Sport for Women by the NCAA and is on track to become the association's 91st NCAA championship based on the latest sports sponsorship data. In the 2022-23 academic year, 51 women's wrestling teams competed across the NCAA and a projected 75 teams were fielded in the 2023-24 season.

Thomas is a 2017 graduate of Albert Gallatin High School in nearby Fayette county. She played soccer for the Colonials and wrestled throughout junior high.