I was asked the other day how many NAIA wrestling programs we have lost over the years. It's a great question and a difficult one to answer. I for one don't think it's fair to list programs of schools, when the school itself no longer exist. For example Dana, South Dakota Springfield, Westmar, Si Tanka, Ashford & Yankton. Yes, the schools no longer have wrestling programs but they no longer exist at all. So I don't count those.
One also has to take into effect the number of schools that have since transitioned to another division. There have been many schools that no longer have wrestling programs that had success at the NAIA level. However they moved to Division III, II or I before dropping the program. I think it's only fair in that case to consider them to be a dropped DIII, DII or DI program, considering that is when they dropped wrestling.
If you're curious as to the numbers on that statistic we're talking 62 teams that had success of some sort on the NAIA level, that moved up to NCAA DIII, DII or DI and have since dropped wrestling.
I feel when speaking about NAIA programs that have dropped wrestling, that the only fair thing to do is to speak of the schools that are still NAIA in athletics.
With the tremendous growth of NAIA wrestling over the past 19 years, its difficult to believe that we have lost NAIA programs. Even more difficult to believe that some of these NAIA programs were rather successful. The beauty of it is, I don't think it'd be difficult to reinstate wrestling in these schools, especially with the history that some of them have.
TAYLOR University in Upland, Indiana was rather successful throughout the mid to late 70's. They placed 6th in 1976, 10th in 1977, 7th in 1978 and 10th in 1979 at the NAIA tournament. 11 All Americans earning 15 All American honors and one national champion.
VALLEY CITY STATE in Valley City & MAYVILLE STATE in Mayville would both be excellent additions to collegiate wrestling in North Dakota. Valley City state placed 9th in 1997. They have 18 All Americans earning 27 All American honors & four individual national champions. Mayville has 9 All Americans earning 13 All American awards.
OLIVET NAZARENE in Bourbannais, Illinois had 7 All Americans earning 10 All American awards, with two national champions.
BACONE in Muskagee, Oklahoma had 12 All Americans earning 16 All American awards.
PERU STATE in Peru, Nebraska had three All Americans and one national champion.
DAKOTA STATE in Madison, South Dakota had an All American.
The most successful team in the NAIA that no longer has wrestling would have to be MONTANA WESTERN in Dillon, Montana. A dominant team throughout the late 80's through the mid 90's. Five top four NAIA finishes, including winning the 1994 team title. 32 All Americans earning 38 All American honors. 8 individual national champions.
Then there's also Alaska Pacific in Anchorage, Alaska, which I'm not sure how to categorize. From what I understand they don't have sports at all anymore. If they did, I wonder if they'd still be NAIA. I like to include them in this blog because I don't think many are aware of the success they had in wrestling. I think many would shocked to learn. Alaska isn't a state where you'd think collegiate wrestling could thrive, let alone survive. For one look at the travel schedule. You have to go through an entire other country just to get to your closest dual! Yet look at what they did when they had a wrestling program. 1987 they took second at the NAIA championships and then placed 4th in 1988 and 8th in 1990. 13 All Americans earning 17 All American awards. Two National champions. I guess I think of that when negative and pessimistic attitudes of "what can't be done" is brought up in talking about the potential growth of wrestling.
I write all of this because I think there is a misconception that all plausible growth to the NAIA would be brand new programs. A lot of them are, but there is still a place for reinstating teams that were once successful.
I know I'm excited. I have a ton of reason to be. Arkansas, Texas, Kentucky, Florida & Georgia. Five states where when I was in high school there was no collegiate wrestling. Now all of them have varsity programs. Some of them even more than NAIA.
And look at the potential for growth. This is more than a day dream. This is realistic expectations. In the past few years we now have three NAIA programs in Florida. There are seven more NAIA schools. 8 more we could add in Georgia. 8 more in Kentucky. 4 in Alabama.
California could sure use more wrestling programs and there are I believe 6 NAIA schools in California without wrestling.
There's no collegiate wrestling in Louisiana, but six NAIA schools.
How cool would it be to see wrestling at the only NAIA school in Nevada or do what seems impossible at the moment and see wrestling at one of the four NAIA schools in Mississippi?
Hell even my beloved Iowa has room for growth. St. Ambrose to reinstate their wrestling program and for Mount Mercy, Dordt & Clarke to all add wrestling for the first time.
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