The best wrestlers at NCAA Division 2 wrestling colleges could easily compete at the Division 1 level. Wrestlers of this caliber may select a D2 school instead of D1 for either social or academic reasons. Division 2 wrestling colleges simply give a student-athletes more of a sense of balance between the social, academic, and athletic aspects of college. Variables that can impact a student-athlete’s decision to go D2 can be:
- On average, Division 2 wrestling colleges require less training than in D1, which gives student-athletes more time for other pursuits off of the wrestling mat.
- D2 schools have a range of student population sizes, and more than half of the schools have less than 3,000 students. Student-athletes that require a more involved learning process most likely can thrive in these types of institutions, compared to the huge lectures with hundreds of students that are staples of D1 schools.
Keeping a social life that balances with academics and athletics can be easily attained at D2 wrestling colleges. Wrestling will of course take up a lot of time, but D2 student-athletes will have the ability to be involved in activities on campus, unlike many D1 wrestlers.
How many Division 2 wrestling colleges are there?
The latest data shows there are 64 Division 2 wrestling programs. The scholarship limit for D2 colleges is 9.0, so full scholarships are extremely rare, and most received are partial scholarships. A wrestler who would be likely to reach top 10 at the D2 level, though, could potentially earn a full scholarship.
D2 wrestling rankings. Top Division 2 wrestling colleges.
NCSA puts together a Power Rankings list of best D2 wrestling colleges that take other variables impacting the college experience into account beyond just team performance. NCSA’s goal is to inform student-athletes and their families and help guide them to a decision that is best for them.
- Colorado School of Mines
- Maryville University
- University of Indianapolis
- Gannon University
- San Francisco State University
- Mercyhurst University
- Augustana University – South Dakota
- Ashland University
- University of Findlay
- Seton Hill University
To see the top Division 2 wrestling colleges, based only on the team’s rankings, check out the NCAA rankings.
Full List of D2 Wrestling Colleges
School
City and State
Type
Conference
Division
Alamosa, Colorado
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Philippi, West Virginia
Private
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Columbia, South Carolina
Private
Independent
NCAA D2
Springfield, Massachusetts
Private
Independent
NCAA D2
Ashland, Ohio
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Private
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Louisville, Kentucky
Private
Southern Conference
NCAA D2
Belmont, North Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D2
Bluefield, West Virginia
Public
Independent
NCAA D2
Chadron, Nebraska
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Hartsville, South Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Grand Junction, Colorado
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Golden, Colorado
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Pueblo, Colorado
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
Elkins, West Virginia
Private
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Springfield, Missouri
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Public
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Franklin Springs, Georgia
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Emory, Virginia
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Fairmont, West Virginia
Public
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Hays, Kansas
Public
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Erie, Pennsylvania
Private
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Glenville, West Virginia
Public
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Owensboro, Kentucky
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Bristol, Tennessee
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Public
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Painesville, Ohio
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Greenwood, South Carolina
Public
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Gaffney, South Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Harrogate, Tennessee
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
St. Charles, Missouri
Private
Independent
NCAA D2
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Public
Mid-American Conference
NCAA D2
Saint Louis, Missouri
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
Lebanon, Illinois
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
Erie, Pennsylvania
Private
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Millersville, Pennsylvania
Public
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Mankato, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Moorhead, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Minot, North Dakota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Newberry, South Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Wichita, Kansas
Private
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Cleveland, Ohio
Private
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
Charlotte, North Carolina
Private
Independent
NCAA D2
Quincy, Illinois
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
San Francisco, California
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Private
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Shippensburg, Pennsylvania
Public
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Marshall, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Crestview Hills, Kentucky
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Tiffin, Ohio
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Warrensburg, Missouri
Public
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Edmond, Oklahoma
Public
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Findlay, Ohio
Private
Great Midwest Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Indianapolis, Indiana
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
Bismarck, North Dakota
Private
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Mount Olive, North Carolina
Private
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Kearney, Nebraska
Public
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
NCAA D2
Pembroke, North Carolina
Public
Conference Carolinas
NCAA D2
Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Public
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Public
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
Fayette, Iowa
Private
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference
NCAA D2
West Liberty, West Virginia
Public
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Gunnison, Colorado
Public
Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
NCAA D2
Wheeling, West Virginia
Private
Mountain East Conference
NCAA D2
Liberty, Missouri
Private
Great Lakes Valley Conference
NCAA D2
