In most styles of wrestling, opponents are matched based on weight class.
[4] As of 2019, female youth compete in freestyle wrestling on an international level in one of four age categories: U15, cadets, and juniors.
[3] U15 (female youths aged 14–15, and female youths at age 13 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3] Cadets (female youths aged 16–17, and female youths at age 15 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following 10 weight classes:[3] Junior (female youths aged 18 to 20, and female youths at age 17 with a medical certificate and parental authorization) compete in freestyle wrestling in the following eight weight classes:[3] Elementary school students competing in wrestling have multiple ways weight classes are determined.
The weight classes regulated by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) are the following:[7] As of the 2023-2024 season, each state must select one of three sets of weight classes (12, 13, or 14 weight classes) provided by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) for high school competition in the United States, one for boys competition (which includes girls wrestling boys) and another for girls competition.
[9] Prior to the 2023-2024 wrestling season high school students in the United States competing in scholastic wrestling did so in the following 14 weight classes set by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS):[10] Other states had additional or modified weight classes, such as: College and university students in the United States competing in collegiate wrestling do so in the following 10 weight classes set by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA):[16] Also: The NCWA has also approved the following eight weight classes for its women's division, which uses collegiate rules instead of the freestyle ruleset used in NCAA-recognized women's wrestling:[18] Women's college wrestling is also governed by the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA), an arm of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).