Bethany College announces addition of women's wrestling; Names Everett Wine as inaugural head coach

BETHANY, W.Va. – Bethany College Director of Athletics Brian Sansom is pleased to announce the addition of women's wrestling, making Bethany the third school in W.Va. to add the sport.

"There is substantial momentum for women's wrestling across the nation, which makes this an ideal time for Bethany to create more competitive opportunities for highly competent and capable female student-athletes," says Bethany President Dr. Jamie Caridi. "Welcoming women's wrestling to our roster of athletic programs shows our unwavering commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowering environment for female athletes. We have a legacy of breaking barriers, and just as we added women's acrobatics and tumbling, we now take another stride forward to provide exceptional opportunities for women in the realm of sports."

Women's wrestling will be the 23rd sport added to the Bison's lineup. It becomes the second women's sport and third overall sport announced this year by the College after the addition of men's volleyball and acrobatic and tumbling.

"We are excited to add another female sport to our growing Athletics Department," says Sansom. "Adding this program is a major step forward and part of Bethany College's commitment to growing opportunities for female student-athletes."

Bethany College also announces Everett Wine as the inaugural head coach for women's wrestling. Wine comes to Bethany from USA Wrestling Team West Virginia, where he has been the director and head coach of TEAM WV Club, Colossians 3:23 Training since 2015.

"We want to welcome Everett to our Athletic Department and the Bison family," says Sansom. "Everett quickly rose to the top of our candidate pool with his experience with USA Wrestling and knowledge of women's wrestling. We are excited to have Everett lead us in building history in women's wrestling both on and off the mats here at Bethany."

"I am truly grateful to be joining the Bison family," says Wine. "God has blessed me to be a part of something truly special with the launching of a new program. There is nothing but progression on the horizon for women's wrestling in the United States. Bethany College has a mindset for growth and development while working toward being distinctive."

Wine has an abundance of wrestling experience over the course of 20+ years. His coaching career began at the high school level in Lindsborg, Kan. In 1999. He spent most of his coaching career in W.Va., with stints at Morgantown High School and Glenville State.

Outside of wrestling, Wine has experience as an assistant athletic director and strength and conditioning coach with Braxton County.

Prior to joining USA Wrestling, he was the head coach at Hopewell High School in Huntsville, N.C., for a year before returning to Braxton County for his second stint.

"I would like to thank the visionary leader Bethany President Dr. Jamie Caridi, Director of Athletics Brian Sansom, and the positive and impactful faculty and staff at Bethany College," adds Wine. "I humbly admit that I am the product of a faith-filled family, a supportive and encouraging church family, and countless remarkable leaders who have sacrificially mentored and trained my attributes. It has taken unmeasurable faith, limitless hope, and unconditional love from others to get me to this point."

Women's wrestling is also an emerging NCAA sport, as over 28,000 girls compete at the high school level. The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is the governing body for the sport, with the NWCA hosting the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) in early March.

Bethany becomes the 53rd NCAA Division III school to offer women's wrestling and will compete in 2024-25.