By Cheryl Conway
Those wrestling with financial circumstances to be successful on the mat no longer have to face those barriers alone.
A nonprofit organization established five years ago was recently launched nationally so wrestlers near and far can tackle the sport with financial and development support. Mat Angels is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting promising middle-school, high-school and early collegiate wrestlers.
The organization was founded by a local family who understood firsthand the financial and developmental challenges young wrestlers can face while pursuing the sport competitively.
“Competitive wrestling can be extremely expensive,” says Elaine “Ellie” Murtagh of Chester, founder and CEO of Mat Angels. “Travel, tournament fees, training,
equipment, nutrition, medical treatment and academic demands can quickly become overwhelming for families. Many talented athletes are forced to miss important opportunities simply because the resources are unavailable. Mat Angels exists to help close that gap.”
Established as a non-profit in October 2021, the organization took several years to blossom.
“Following several years of development and planning, we officially launched nationally on June 1, 2026,” says Murtagh.
“Mat Angels was created by our family and inspired largely by our son Anthony’s wrestling journey,” she explains. “Through his experiences, we saw firsthand that talented and hardworking young athletes do not always have equal access to the resources and opportunities necessary to reach their potential.
“Our purpose is to ensure that financial circumstances do not determine how far a deserving young athlete can go,” she adds. “Our mission is summarized by the statement: “Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.”
Mat Angels works with both female and male athletes. Its focus is “on removing financial and developmental barriers that can prevent them from progressing in the sport and in life,” says Murtagh.
How does it work?
According to Murtagh, athletes may be nominated or referred to Mat Angels by coaches, families, wrestling programs and members of the wrestling community.
“We learn about each athlete’s individual circumstances and determine how we can assist through five primary areas: Competition access; health, recovery and injury prevention; academic continuity; nutrition and performance sustainability; and mindset and personal development,” she explains.
“Support is based on each athlete’s particular needs and may include direct assistance, mentorship, guidance, access to resources or connections within the wrestling community,” she adds.
Passion Driven Through Experience
Murtagh’s involvement in the wrestling world began as the mother of a competitive wrestler.
“Our son Anthony has competed nationally for many years and currently attends and wrestles for Blair Academy,” she explains. “Traveling through the wrestling community and meeting athletes, families and coaches allowed us to see both the extraordinary commitment the sport requires and the significant financial challenges many families face.”
With hundreds of thousands of young athletes participating in wrestling nationwide, the need for financial and developmental support can extend from middle school through college.
According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, more than 374,000 high school students wrestled nationwide in 2024–25, including more than 74,000 girls. These statistics do not include student athletes that wrestled while in middle school.
How does one qualify as a recipient of financial assistance through Mat Angels?
“Athletes are considered individually based on demonstrated need, commitment to wrestling, character, academic responsibility and potential,” says Murtagh. “A nomination does not automatically guarantee financial assistance. Each situation is reviewed based on the athlete’s circumstances, the type of support requested and the resources available to the organization.”
The non-profit raised its funds to support these athletes through individual contributions, corporate sponsorships, Founders Circle, community partnerships, wrestling clinics and ambassador-led fundraising initiatives, explains Murtagh.
“We are also developing relationships with businesses and individuals who share our belief in expanding opportunities for young athletes,” she adds.
“Since our national launch, Mat Angels has raised more than $150,000 through the generosity of our founding supporters, donors, sponsors and community partners,” she shares.
“Our immediate goal is to raise approximately $1 million over our first 12 months of national operation, with the majority of those funds directed toward our five areas of athlete support,” she breaks it down. “Our broader goal is to build a sustainable national organization capable of helping young wrestlers for generations.”
Just three months into its national status, Mat Angels already has support by a dozen states.
“We are continuing to organize community wrestling clinics, athlete-led fundraising initiatives and partnership events as we currently have representation in 12 states in under three months since launch,” says Murtagh. “Upcoming dates and locations will be announced through our website and social-media channels as they are finalized.”
In the meantime, Mat Angels welcomes financial contributions, corporate sponsorships, athlete nominations, introductions to potential partners, volunteer involvement and help sharing its mission.
“Support at every level can make a meaningful difference,” says Murtagh. “Mat Angels is supported by a growing leadership team, board, strategic partners, volunteers, donors, coaches and Athlete and Community Ambassadors. It has truly become a collaborative effort involving people from throughout the wrestling and business communities who believe in the mission.”
Murtagh is pleased with the progress so far.
“The response has been incredibly encouraging,” she says. “Since our June 1 launch, we have received more than 25 athlete nominations and referrals, directly engaged with 14 athletes through individualized assistance, mentorship and guidance, and reached more than 350 athletes through clinics and team-building activities. Our growing ambassador network now represents wrestling communities across numerous states. What has been most meaningful is hearing from families, coaches and athletes who tell us that Mat Angels is addressing a genuine and often overlooked need within the sport.
“We are proud of what has been accomplished in such a short period, but this is only the beginning,” she concludes. “My goal is to ensure that Mat Angels becomes a lasting resource for the wrestling community and helps deserving young people realize that their circumstances do not have to define their futures. Additional information is available at www.matangels.org.
