Menlo women's wrestling will compete for an NCAA championship in 2027 after the college was granted active NCAA Division II membership status.

The NCAA Division II Management Council Subcommittee overturned an earlier decision by the Division II Membership Committee and approved Menlo's waiver request, moving the college to active membership effective Sept. 11. The decision makes Menlo eligible for NCAA championships beginning with the 2026-27 academic year.

Menlo originally was approved to advance to the third year of the Division II membership process rather than active membership. The college appealed that decision and the Management Council Subcommittee ultimately reversed the ruling. Menlo joins Jamestown, Point Park, Roosevelt, Sul Ross State, UT Dallas and UC Merced among schools receiving active Division II membership for 2026-27.

For the women's wrestling program, the ruling ends a postseason drought that began when Menlo transitioned from the NAIA to NCAA Division II. The Oaks last competed in the postseason at the 2024 NAIA Women's Wrestling Championships, where they captured the team title with 172 points, finishing 38 points ahead of runner-up Life University.

Head coach Michael Ayala has built Menlo into one of the most accomplished programs in women's college wrestling. The Oaks have won three national team championships, capturing the 2019 WCWA and NAIA titles before winning another NAIA championship in 2024, and have produced 15 individual national champions across multiple governing organizations. The program's history dates to 2004, when Sara Fulp-Allen became Menlo's first women's college national champion.

The ruling clears the way for Menlo wrestlers to pursue qualification for the 2027 NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships, scheduled for March 5-6 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa. It will be the second NCAA Women's Wrestling Championships after the sport held its inaugural championship in 2026.