May 13, 2008...12:47 pm
Sad Day in Tempe: ASU wrestling dropped
A lot has happened over the last 18 hours regarding the news about the alleged dropping of wrestling at Arizona State University. A lot of rumors, message board posts, e-mails, IM’s, text messages and phone calls have been circulating.
The one thing I have been informed by Arizona State Sports Information Director Alex Ryan is “The rumblings are true.”
Update: 12:53 p.m. (Eastern)
The pending announcement from Arizona State’s sports information office is expected to come “shortly,” according to Ryan.
Sadly, this comes the same day Thom Ortiz had confirmed three additional signees to the Sun Devil program, including two talented Junior College transfers Joe Cornejo and Erik Nye along with High School All-American Jake Meredith of Temecula Valley, Calif.
One member of the Arizona State wrestling team, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The athletes feel shut out by the administration.”
Earlier this morning, e-mail correspondence between Ortiz and InterMat seemed to indicate these rumors were unjustified.
At 8:14 a.m. Eastern, Ortiz confirmed he had five signed letters of intent, including two from prior verbal commitments Te Edwards of Virginia and Eric Starks of Washington.
Update 1:02 p.m.
It’s officially been released by the school: Click here for the release.
School citing finanical woes, despite the fact three teams are announced as being cut, men’s wrestling, men’s tennis and men’s swimming. The school is “financially” cutting two teams where the same facilities are used for women’s athletics, too.
Update: 2:05 p.m.
Brian Stith, two-time All-American and 2006 NCAA finalist for the Sun Devils and current ASU assistant coach finally replies to my text message.
“We done Twink. Can’t talk now. I’m a mess.”
Just got off the horn with Aaron Simpson, former assistant and ASU alum. He’s got some interesting things to say. A few more phone calls to make and we’ll see if we can start to push this in another direction, because there’s so much wrong with this decision.
Update: 4:43 p.m. — Some stats to think about
As you might think, the swimming and tennis communities are also pretty angry about this decision. SwimmingWorld.com posted this story, which included a form letter e-mailed to the student athletes.
One thing in the form letter, probably the most emotionless thing you can send to someone, a meeting is mentioned at 1 p.m. … I must ask this, WHERE are the students on May 13. When exactly did classes end at ASU for the spring semester.
Here are some numbers, courtesty of NCAA.org and the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS).
In Arizona, there were 5,474 high school wrestlers according to the 2006-07 participation numbers posted by the NFHS. There were 2,015 male high school swimmers and 2,086 male high school tennis players.
Wrestling-wise, if the ASU decision stands, there will not be a Division I wrestling opportunity in the state of Arizona. There will only be TWO four-year opportunities, one at Division II Grand Canyon University and one at NAIA Embry-Riddle Aeronautical. There are no Division III opportunities in Arizona.
Effectively, Arizona State has wiped out the option for in-state wrestlers with tax-paying parents to attend Arizona State, denying over 5,000 wrestlers the opportunity — the option even — of competing at the Division I level in their home state. They will also be denying a public school option, because Grand Canyon and Embry-Riddle are both private institutions.
The demise in swimming is just as bad, despite half the participation in Arizona. The loss of ASU men’s swimming would leave just the University of Arizona as the only Division I swim team in the state. Like wrestling, it would create only one public school option, rival U of A. Grand Canyon University, again in Division II, would be the only other four-year varsity opportunity for men’s swimmers within Arizona as the NAIA and NCAA Division III do not have teams within the state.
In men’s tennis, it’s again, similar. Three Division I programs would be cut to two, leaving Northern Arizona and Arizona. There is no Division II or III programs in the state. There are also no NAIA programs.
Arizona State isn’t honoring its duty to offer opportunities to its in-state tax-supporting residents.
While this isn’t an attack on any other particular sport, Arizona State does sponsor women’s water polo, a sport, according to the NFHS, fielded zero high school programs in Arizona. Not a single rostered athlete on the women’s water polo team is from Arizona. Not one.
NWCA official statement
National Wrestling Coaches Association Executive Director Mike Moyer has issued an official statement regarding the announced elimination of intercollegiate wrestling at Arizona State University. You can read it here.
13 Comments
May 13, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Sounds like this was a closed door decision and everyone was left in the dark. While it sounds like there may be a potential to save the program if money is raised, by the tone of the article, I doubt that window will be opened.
May 13, 2008 at 1:21 pm
This is just another example of Title IX stupidity run amok. A FEMALE Athletic Director cuts THREE sports and ALL THREE are Men’s Sports. It’s no coincidence folks.
May 13, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Its a battle that we’ve been losing and will continue to lose.
We jsut don’t have the backing, money or politically, to beat these Title 9 freaks.
We need to figure out a way to keep college wrestling and at the same time, ensure it won’t be cut.
There is a lot of things that need to change before that happens though. we need to break out of this 2000 yr old mold and change our ways.
May 13, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Read on the CA board that the athletes were notified by email and the change is effective immediately.
May 13, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I set up SaveASUWrestling.com
Whatever content comes up through you guys, Danielle, etc.. let me know. I can give you and anyone else who needs it Admin access to manage it.
May 13, 2008 at 4:48 pm
As stunning and disappointing as this news is, it is now more clearly evident that the athletic directors in the Pac-10 have an anti-wrestling agenda. Where does this leave Stanford and OSU?
May 13, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Well, Stanford doesn’t have a coach now and OSU seems secure, but who knows.
May 13, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Title IX needs a new name. Entitlement IX is more fitting. Women don’t have to do a thing to keep their teams. Men’s football and basketball finance them. They have it made.
May 13, 2008 at 8:41 pm
In answer to your somewhat-rhetorical question…
ASU’s finals ended May 7, with commencement on May 8 — FIVE days before this announcement.
May 13, 2008 at 8:51 pm
[...] until 45 minutes beforehand; form letter sent to student-athletes five days after finals were over InterMat blog entry - includes solid argument points and more [...]
May 13, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Money is not the issue. Arizona State University Wrestling is the cornerstone of our National wrestling program in the Southwest. Now what do the kids have. Bad, bad, move.
May 14, 2008 at 11:10 am
Oregon State is on solid ground. They moved into a brand new 9000 sqaure foot facility two weeks ago. They also have a very nice sized endowement, which others should have as well. OSU will be bothered by another team outwest going down in terms of regional competition, but the overall state of the program is very safe. I would say in the top 5 nationally. They have an endowement to fund the program. Losing Pac 10 teams hurts in terms of a nice rivalry,etc.
May 14, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Over 5,000 high school wrestlers in Ariz. vs. no women’s water polo even offered in the state, and they cut WRESTLING? Absurd!! Asinine! It’s not about $$, it’s Title 9 and politics. I’m mad in San Diego!!
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