CEDAR FALLS – UNI wrestling cracked the top-10 nationally in attendance for the first time since 2017, according to the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA).
The Panthers finished eighth in the nation among Division I dual meet attendance during the 2022-23 season, averaging 2,812 fans during its six home duals. This season marked UNI’s first full season competing in the McLeod Center. A season-high 5,754 spectators packed the McLeod Center for the Panthers’ Feb. 10 dual against Iowa State, the second-largest wrestling event to be held inside the arena and third-most attended UNI wrestling dual in program history.
UNI has ranked inside the top-20 nationally every year since the 2007-08 season. Since head coach Doug Schwab‘s arrival in 2011, the Panthers have cracked the top-10 five times (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023).
Iowa led Division I attendance for the 16th consecutive year with an average of 14,858 attendees this season, with Penn State ranking 2nd (9,225). The Panthers posted the third-best attendance average in the Big 12 Conference behind only Iowa State (3rd / 5,287) and Oklahoma State (5th / 4,067).
This season marks the first time at least 25 schools nationally broke an average of 1,000 fans per dual. There were 140 single duals that drew over 1,000 fans, up from 117 from last year. Fifteen schools drew over 1,000 fans for each of their home duals this season, up from 12 last year. Forty schools in 2022-23 drew crowds of at least 1,000 fans, which is up from 2021-22, where 33 schools reported at least one home dual event drawing over 1,000.
Founded in 1989, the NWMA is a professional organization of wrestling journalists, photographers, content creators and athletic communications professionals. The group assumed the responsibility of tracking of Division I wrestling attendance records in 2017. More information on the NWMA can be found at nationalwrestlingmedia.com.
2022-23 NCAA Division I Wrestling Attendance Figures (Home Dual, Tri and Quad Events)
| Rank | School | AVG | TOTAL | Dates | 1K+ | Top Draw | Best |
| 1 | Iowa | 14,858.75 | 118,870 | 8 | 8 | 6 Opponents | 14,905 |
| 2 | Penn State | 9,225.29 | 64,577 | 7 | 7 | Iowa | 15,998 |
| 3 | Iowa State | 5,287.43 | 37,012 | 7 | 7 | Illinois (B&B) | 8,757 |
| 4 | Rutgers | 4,294.80 | 21,474 | 5 | 5 | Penn State | 7,848 |
| 5 | Oklahoma State | 4,067.86 | 28,475 | 7 | 7 | Oklahoma | 6,373 |
| 6 | Ohio State | 3,849.71 | 26,948 | 7 | 7 | Penn State | 4,585 |
| 7 | Virginia Tech | 3,137.75 | 12,551 | 4 | 4 | Missouri | 2,892 |
| 8 | Northern Iowa | 2,812.50 | 16,875 | 6 | 6 | Iowa State | 5,754 |
| 9 | Minnesota | 2,786.50 | 16,719 | 6 | 6 | Iowa | 5,250 |
| 10 | Michigan | 2,700.33 | 16,202 | 6 | 6 | Ohio State | 7,897 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 2,513.67 | 15,082 | 6 | 6 | Minnesota | 3,821 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 2,347.67 | 14,086 | 6 | 6 | Iowa | 5,256 |
| 13 | NC State | 2,327.60 | 11,638 | 5 | 5 | Pittsburgh | 3,017 |
| 14 | Arizona State | 2,150.40 | 10,752 | 5 | 4 | Cal Poly (B&B) | 3,645 |
| 15 | Missouri | 2,139.25 | 8,557 | 4 | 3 | Iowa State | 4,819 |
| 16 | Oregon State | 2,080.00 | 12,480 | 6 | 3 | Oklahoma State | 6,764 |
| 17 | Army West Point | 1,887.00 | 3,774 | 2 | 2 | Iowa | 1,903 |
| 18 | Indiana | 1,717.00 | 8,585 | 5 | 5 | Penn State | 2,943 |
| 19 | Lehigh | 1,497.20 | 7,486 | 5 | 5 | Arizona State | 1,855 |
| 20 | Michigan State | 1,439.60 | 7,198 | 5 | 1 | Michigan | 4,900 |
| 21 | Pittsburgh | 1,317.57 | 9,223 | 7 | 4 | Iowa State | 2,162 |
| 22 | Cal Poly | 1,224.20 | 6,121 | 5 | 4 | Michigan | 1,482 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 1,221.40 | 6,107 | 5 | 1 | Oklahoma State | 3,150 |
| 24 | South Dakota State | 1,193.00 | 8,351 | 7 | 4 | Minnesota | 1,603 |
| 25 | Utah Valley | 1,053.25 | 4,213 | 4 | 2 | Northern Colorado | 1,194 |
| 26 | Cornell | 985.00 | 3,940 | 4 | 0 | Wisconsin, Lehigh, Princeton, Penn | 985 |
| 27 | Rider | 952.60 | 4,763 | 5 | 1 | Penn State | 3,229 |
| 28 | Princeton | 946.80 | 4,734 | 5 | 1 | Rutgers | 1,894 |
| 29 | Lock Haven | 938.80 | 4,694 | 5 | 2 | Davidson | 1,497 |
| 30 | West Virginia | 932.29 | 6,526 | 7 | 2 | Iowa State | 1,494 |
| 31 | Illinois | 871.00 | 4,355 | 5 | 2 | Purdue | 1,161 |
| 32 | Northern Colorado | 788.86 | 5,522 | 7 | 0 | North Dakota State | 962 |
| 33 | Northwestern | 785.00 | 3,140 | 4 | 1 | Illinois | 1,149 |
| 34 | Maryland | 779.50 | 4,677 | 6 | 2 | Ohio State | 1,212 |
| 35 | Appalachian State | 779.33 | 4,676 | 6 | 1 | Quad (Campbell, Davidson, Presbyterian) | 1,000 |
| 36 | North Carolina | 760.17 | 4,561 | 6 | 2 | NC State | 1,362 |
| 37 | Chattanooga | 724.29 | 5,070 | 7 | 1 | Iowa | 2,743 |
| 38 | Edinboro | 713.60 | 3,568 | 5 | 0 | Oklahoma | 998 |
| 39 | Wyoming | 711.00 | 2,844 | 4 | 0 | Northern Colorado | 827 |
| 40 | Purdue | 699.14 | 4,894 | 7 | 2 | Iowa | 1,956 |
| 41 | North Dakota State | 665.57 | 4,659 | 7 | 2 | Minnesota | 1,156 |
| 42 | Northern Illinois | 635.00 | 1,905 | 3 | 1 | Buffalo (B&B) | 1,043 |
| 43 | Penn | 616.00 | 4,312 | 7 | 0 | Princeton | 987 |
| 44 | Navy | 611.00 | 1,222 | 2 | 0 | Lehigh, Binghamton | 611 |
| 45 | Central Michigan | 554.00 | 2,770 | 5 | 1 | Michigan State | 1,003 |
| 46 | Virginia | 472.20 | 2,361 | 5 | 0 | Pittsburgh | 767 |
| 47 | Cal Baptist | 470.40 | 2,352 | 5 | 0 | Tri (Cal Poly, Vanguard) | 878 |
| 48 | CSU Bakersfield | 418.20 | 2,091 | 5 | 0 | Michigan | 587 |
| 49 | Gardner-Webb | 392.86 | 2,750 | 7 | 0 | Appalachian State | 900 |
| 50 | Kent State | 376.50 | 1,506 | 4 | 1 | Clarion (B&B) | 1,014 |
| 51 | Drexel | 362.40 | 1,812 | 5 | 0 | Army West Point | 489 |
| 52 | Bucknell | 345.63 | 2,765 | 8 | 0 | Oklahoma State | 864 |
| 53 | Binghamton | 334.60 | 1,673 | 5 | 0 | Princeton | 412 |
| 54 | Sacred Heart | 326.57 | 2,286 | 7 | 0 | Bucknell | 425 |
| 55 | Little Rock | 324.67 | 1,948 | 6 | 0 | Stanford | 503 |
| 56 | Campbell | 318.43 | 2,229 | 7 | 0 | Quad (American, Central Michigan, CSU Bakersfield) | 557 |
| 57 | Air Force | 310.71 | 2,175 | 7 | 0 | North Dakota State | 351 |
| 58 | Cleveland State | 306.00 | 1,836 | 6 | 0 | Kent State | 498 |
| 59 | Hofstra | 275.60 | 1,378 | 5 | 0 | Drexel | 317 |
| 60 | Franklin & Marshall | 275.00 | 1,650 | 6 | 0 | Millersville | 525 |
| 61 | American | 271.38 | 2,171 | 8 | 0 | Army West Point | 454 |
| 62 | Bellarmine | 271.17 | 1,627 | 6 | 0 | Lindenwood | 520 |
| 63 | Buffalo | 266.63 | 2,133 | 8 | 0 | Quad (Edinboro, Bucknell, Ohio) | 350 |
| 64 | Bloomsburg | 226.00 | 1,582 | 0 | 0 | Not Available | N/A |
| 65 | Ohio | 200.80 | 1,004 | 5 | 0 | Northern Illinois | 307 |
| 66 | LIU | 200.00 | 600 | 3 | 0 | Tri (Drexel, George Mason) | 250 |
| 67 | VMI | 185.71 | 1,300 | 7 | 0 | Southern Virginia | 325 |
| 68 | Clarion | 174.20 | 871 | 5 | 0 | Lock Haven | 325 |
| 69 | Presbyterian | 136.00 | 544 | 4 | 0 | Gardner-Webb | 155 |
| 70 | Queens | 117.00 | 468 | 4 | 0 | Belmont Abbey | 140 |
