Extremely unique circumstances for the the ending of CAA wrestling, when compared to other conferences & regionals that the sport has lost over the years. Most of the time when a conference discontinues sponsorship for a sport, it is because of a lack of schools that sponsor the sport. Now while the CAA did lose programs over the years due to this reason, it was not why the CAA stopped sponsoring wrestling.
The CAA stopped sponsoring wrestling because of a decision of four members of the conference to join another conference. Binghamton, Boston, Drexel & Hofstra made the decision to join the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), leaving the CAA without enough teams to justify sponsorship. Old Dominion would then join the Mid-American Conference (MAC) & Rider would join the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL).
Eventually Boston would drop their wrestling program, as would Old Dominion, but neither influenced the CAA's decision to discontinue wrestling as a sponsored sport.
CAA wrestling began in the 1991-1992 season, giving the conference 21 seasons of wrestling.
Hofstra dominated winning 12 titles, including the last one in 2013.
George Mason won 5 titles
Virginia Tech & James Madison (another team we have lost) won 2 titles
Binghamton and Old Dominion won one title
Now for a look at the last individual champions of the final CAA tournament
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| Steve Bonanno Champion at 125 lbs |
Steve Bonanno enjoyed a successful career while wrestling for the Pride. Making the CAA finals as a true freshman & as a redshirt sophomore, he won his first title as a junior. That season he also earned All American status with an eighth place finish at the NCAA tournament. His senior season of 2013, he'd cap off his illustrious career with a second CAA title, making him the final CAA 125 lbs champion.
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| Jamie Franco Champ at 133 lbs |
After taking runner-up honors at the CAA tournament as a sophomore, Franco would win the CAA title here as a junior. As Hofstra moved to the EIWA for his final year of competition, he placed sixth at the EIWA tournament.
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| Chris Mecate Champion at 141 lbs |
One of the most successful wrestlers in Old Dominion history, Mecate showed immediate promise when he won a title at the final CAA tournament. Moving to the MAC for his final three years of competition, Mecate would make the finals as a sophomore & junior, before adding a title to his resume as a senior in 2016. Not only did Mecate end his career having won two titles in two different conferences, but he also made All American Status twice as well. Sixth in 2015, he was fifth in 2016.
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| Donnie Vinson Champion at 149 lbs |
After making the CAA finals twice in 2010 & 2011, Vinson won his first CAA title in 2012. He'd go on to have a miraculous run at the NCAA tournament, losing his first round match & coming back to finish an impressive third. He'd add another CAA title to his resume in 2013, making him the final CAA 149 lbs champion.
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| Nestor Taffur Champion at 157 lbs |
I guess Avery Esdaile wasn't paying much if any attention when he announced Boston would be dropping it's wrestling program after the 2013-2014 season, due to a lack of success & what he foresaw as an inability to succeed. Nestor Taffur ended his career as one of the most successful in Terrier wrestling history & he continued to represent what Boston wrestling was capable of producing as he won a Bronze Medal at the PAN-American championships post his collegiate career.
In 2013, Taffur was a junior when he won the final CAA title at 157 lbs. He'd go on to have a standout senior season becoming Boston's one & only EIWA champion & ending his career with 119 victories, the most in Boston wrestling history.
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| Ramon Santiago Champion at 165 lbs |
After runner-up & third place finishes as a freshman & sophomore, Santiago captured the CAA title as a junior at the final tournament. Rider would then go on to compete in the MAC, where Santiago became the first Bronco to win a title. (Connon Brennan would win a title at 174 lbs that season as well.)
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| Billy Curling Champion at 174 lbs |
I'll say the same thing about Curling here that I did when I wrote about Old Dominion a few weeks ago. He's a story of perseverance and never giving up on yourself. A losing record as a freshman & a mediocre performance as a sophomore, Curling kept working hard & kept improving. By his junior season he was a whole new man. A man that would win the final CAA title at 174 lbs.
As a senior Curling continued his success making the MAC finals.
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| Cody Reed Champion at 184 lbs |
Finishing in fourth place at the CAA's as a sophomore, Reed would win the title here as a junior. He went on to make the EIWA finals as a senior in 2014.
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| Brandon Palik Champion at 197 lbs |
After finishing third & runner-up in two previous tournaments, Palik will forever hold the distinction of being the Dragon's final CAA champion in 2013. As a senior in 2014, he took seventh at the EIWA championships earning his fourth NCAA qualification.
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| Kevin Innis Champion at HWT |
After taking third place honors at the CAA tournament as a sophomore in 2012, Innis won what would be the final match in CAA wrestling history, taking the title at HWT. Not sure if it was injuries or other reasons, but Innis did not compete for his final season of 2013-2014.
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And there you have it! The final CAA tournament. Another of many in wrestling that is now nothing more than memories.
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