PIAA wrestling team tournament moves from Hershey to Altoona
Teams that qualify for the PIAA dual-meet wrestling tournament this season will not be able to boast, “We’re going to Hershey.”
The PIAA announced in a press release Thursday morning that the 2025 Team Wrestling Championships for both classifications will be held at the Altoona Area High School Field House.
The tournament had been held at the Giant Center in Hershey since 2003, with the exception of the 2021 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A new venue was needed because of the Giant Center and the PIAA not coming to an agreement to host the team championships.
The individual state wrestling championships will still be held in Hershey March 6-8.
The venue is not the only change. The format for the tournament has been altered. The preliminary and first-round dual meets in both classifications will be held at eight regional sites Feb. 4.
The regional champions from Districts 1, 7 (WPIAL), 3, 10, 5, 11, 4 and 6 will host in Class 2A while the champions from Districts 7, 2, 1, 6, 3, 10, 12 and 11 will host the preliminary and first rounds in Class 3A.
In addition to the changes in venue and format, if a team loses in the first round, it will be eliminated from the competition instead of having the opportunity to wrestle-back.
The consolation rounds will begin Feb. 8 at 9 a.m. for the teams that lose in the quarterfinals.
The 16 teams from both classifications that win their first-round dual meets will head to Altoona for the quarterfinals Feb. 7 with Class 2A matches starting at 5 p.m. and Class 3A scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
The semifinals for both classifications will be contested at 11 a.m. The finals for 2A and 3A are set for 3 p.m.
The change in venue and format will impact travel plans.
“We had reserved some rooms in Hershey, but we will have to find some in Altoona now,” Connellsville coach Bill Swink said.
The opportunity to wrestle under the bright lights in an arena is something that every student-athlete strives for, but that experience will not occur for at least one year.
“We do a postseason interview every year with all our kids, and every kid says that the best experience they have is wrestling at team states in Hershey,” Swink said.