The Ironman and Women of Ironman will have a new address in 2027.
A staple of the high wrestling scene for over three decades, the Ironman, which enters its 32nd season on Dec. 11-13, will still grace the halls of Walsh Jesuit High School this winter.
After that, it will be on the move according to a press release exclusively obtained by the Beacon Journal.
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“The passion and support we share with the wrestling community is something we deeply value and never take for granted,” tournament director Pete Zaccari said. “With that in mind, we want to keep our community informed of an important update regarding the future of the event. … We look forward to welcoming athletes, coaches and fans once again for what promises to be an outstanding event. Walsh Jesuit has long been an iconic home for the Ironman and its administration and staff have been exceptional partners and supporters over the years.”
When will the Ironman move out of Walsh Jesuit?
Following the 2026 tournament, Walsh Jesuit will begin a significant construction project that will limit its ability to host the event.
As a result, the Ironman board began a detailed search into a new venue with the hopes of identifying a location that will not only enhance the tournament experience but keep the standard that has made former coach Bill Barger’s brainchild the best high school wrestling event in the country.
The tournament that began in 1994 as a 15-team tournament now welcomes more than 200 programs, expanding into an event featuring schools from as far away as Hawaii and as close as CVCA, which is located across the street.
As might be expected, there has been a ton of interest outside of Walsh in terms of bringing the event to another location.
Will the Ironman Tournament come back to Walsh Jesuit?
The Ironman LLC has plans of announcing the future site this fall.
“We’re leaving the door open right now,” Zaccari said. “We want to evaluate any and all who are interested to determine what’s best to enhance the tournament overall and its participants.”
While the Ironman LLC won’t name who has shown interest, the most prominent high school programs and many local universities have been in contact to host the event.
The one thing the Ironman won’t do is move out of Northeast Ohio.
Other than that, the rest is up in the air.
“Everything is to be determined,” Zaccari said. “It has been left open to bring it back to Walsh or not. It’s pretty much up to the Ironman Tournament LLC where we hold the event. It will all play out over the next couple years and we’ll see how everything goes.”
Brad Bournival can be reached by email at bbournival@usatodayco.com and is on X at @bbournival.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ironman wrestling tournament to move from Walsh Jesuit after 2026
Reporting by Brad Bournival, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
