Further enhancing its reputation of leadership within the NCAA Division III in providing athletics opportunities for women, Central College is adding women’s wrestling as its 21st intercollegiate sport. The Dutch will launch the program with a limited schedule in 2023-24.
The late Dr. Kenneth J. Weller, Central’s president from 1969-90, held several posts within the NCAA during his presidency and was instrumental in helping integrate women’s championships into the organization in 1981. Central won the first NCAA women’s championship ever staged, the 1981 Division III women’s cross country championship. Ten of Central’s 11 national championships are in women’s sports with titles in volleyball, softball, track and field and cross country.
Athletics director Eric Van Kley also announced that the college has named former Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association and NAIA national champion Paige Baynes as head coach. Speaking on the hire, Van Kley said that Baynes was the perfect candidate for the job.
“She was actually at a startup college last year that started up women’s wrestling in Kansas City, so knows the area knows the Midwest a little bit. And she’s just passionate about helping young ladies. I think it’s something that is very evident when people meet her. She really has a heart and a passion for helping them every bit as much off the mat as on the mat, which really mirrors what we feel at Central College.”
Baynes, a Houston, Texas-area native, was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the 2017-18 WCWA national tournament when she captured the national title at 191 pounds while competing for Grays Harbor College (Wash.). She was a three-time WCWA All-America honoree.
She transferred to Wayland Baptist University (Texas), winning the 2018-19 NAIA national crown by scoring six points in the final minute in the title match after trailing 5-1. She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wayland Baptist and served as a graduate assistant coach there. Since 2019 she has served as the Texas team coach for the USMC National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota and this past season was also an assistant coach at William Jewell College (Mo.).
The campus facilities include the new P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium wrestling center, which opened in 2018 as part of the $18 million Forever Dutch® initiative. The center features three full mats as well as training equipment including treadmills and free weights. There are 112 Division III schools that offer men’s wrestling and Central is the 61st to offer women’s wrestling.