Criteria For School Eligibility

• Participating schools must be accredited by an established regional, independent school accreditation organization that is recognized by the appropriate state department of education and the National Association of Independent Schools.

• Wrestling must be a recognized varsity sport at participating schools and an interscholastic competition schedule must be published by the school for public viewing not later than December 1st.

• Participating schools may not take part in their state's public school state wrestling championships.  

• Participating Schools must join the NWCA prior to their first competition and follow the NWCA / Trackwrestling / National Prep OPC weight management guidelines. 

• Participating schools are required to operate in accordance with the National Federation Rulebook

• Schools that are virtual or on-line schools must be accredited and affiliated with a participating National Prep Tournament network school. 

• Participating schools must have a curriculum and programming that supports a progression toward earning an accredited secondary school diploma. 

• Schools that rely on public funding to sponsor operations do not qualify.

• Schools must participate in their qualifying zone tournaments in order to be eligible to participate in the National Prep Tournament.

• Eligible schools that are not located in a qualifying zone will be assigned to a qualifying zone by the National Prep Board.

• Schools must be approved by the National Prep Board, for National Prep Tournament eligibility  not later than November 1st of the season in question.  

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Eligibility for Individual Wrestlers

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student at a school approved by the National Prep Board for participation not later than the end of the second week in January.

• May not have reached one's 19th birthday prior to August 1st of the school year in question. 

• Eighth grade student athletes who are enrolled full-time, as an eighth grader, at an approved National Prep network school are eligible. 

• Student-athletes, grades eight - post graduate, who are enrolled as full time students at schools that meet the national prep eligibility criteria are eligible to participate in the National Prep Tournament.

• A wrestler must  "Officially" weigh-in at his or her certified weight class ONCE, prior to competing in their respective zone's regional qualifier, in order to be eligible for that weight class at National Prep School Wrestling Championships.