CEDAR FALLS – The UNI wrestling team notched the nation’s 12th-highest attendance average during the 2023-24 season according to the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA).
In four home duals during their 100th anniversary season, the Panthers averaged 3,103 fans inside the McLeod Center, the program’s second full season competing inside the arena. A season-high 3,411 spectators filled the building for UNI’s Feb. 23 dual against No. 7 Missouri, while all four duals saw at least 2,700 fans in the stands. Northern Iowa is one of 12 Division I programs to average over 3,000 fans this year.
UNI has ranked inside the top-20 nationally for attendance every year since the 2007-08 season and have cracked the top-ten five times in the last 11 years (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023).
Iowa led Division I attendance for a 17th consecutive year with an average of 14,847 attendees this past season, while Penn State ranked second (12,049). Northern Iowa ranked fourth among programs in the Big 12 Conference behind third-ranked Iowa State (6,691), fourth-ranked Oklahoma State (5,871) and tenth-ranked Missouri (3,393).
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 Division I wrestling attendance records in 2017.