The singlet uniform is considered synonymous with the sport of wrestling, but the one-piece outfit has been used in amateur competition only since 1970 and is falling out of favor on the collegiate level. Despite its relatively short shelf-life, the singlet always will be associated with the sport.
The Singlet
The singlet is the one-piece uniform worn by amateur wrestlers at the high school and collegiate levels. Usually made of spandex or nylon, the singlet is a tight-fitting outfit, designed to prevent competitors from grabbing the uniform to aid their performance and to allow referees to see the bodies of the combatants more clearly, helping to award points in a match.
Pre-Singlet History
Prior to 1970 on the collegiate level, wrestlers often wore no shirt top, depending on the style favored by the home team. If a school chose not to wear shirts, the visiting team was notified 10 days before the match to conform with that style. But in 1966, the NCAA made mandatory a three-piece uniform of shirt, trunks and tights. That three-piece ensemble became the forerunner of the singlet.
Introduction of Singlet
The singlet emerged on the wrestling scene in the early 1970s. The NCAA had banned such one-piece uniforms as late as 1963, but following their use in Olympic competition in Rome in 1960, the singlet gained favor in the United States and became the standard-issue uniform at both the high school and collegiate level.
Changes to Singlet
In 2005, after more than 30 years of using the singlet as its wrestling uniform, the NCAA approved an alternate two-piece version modeled after the uniforms worn by world-class cyclists, with short sleeves instead of the singlet's trademark shoulder straps. Although the new uniform was adopted at the collegiate level, the singlet remains the uniform of choice at the high school level.
