When Collegiate Wrestling Finally Comes to Mississippi Where Will It Be?

 Anything is possible. I could drop dead of a heart attack before the end of this sentence.  However, I imagine that at 35 years of age, I have ahead of me quite a few more years in this life.  I'm going to see a lot of things between now and the day I die.  A whole lot of things.  One of those things I predict is the growth of amateur wrestling in Mississippi. 

It'll of course start with getting the sport sanctioned at the high school level. Something many in the amateur wrestling community have already been working diligently on for a long period of time. It will happen. It's not a matter of if, it is a matter of when.   Once it happens, then the idea of wrestling getting into colleges and universities becomes more and more realistic. 

My ideas here are nothing new.  Hell, back in 1968 Arnold "Swede" Umbach came to both the University of Mississippi and Mississippi State with the idea of adding men's wrestling teams. Fifty-three years ago, both responded with answers of "No!" and "Never!"  They've held fast to their stance for a half a century. 

Yet we live in a day of change.  This isn't going to happen overnight.  I'm not predicting amateur wrestling to have a sudden burst of growth in Mississippi any time soon.  I am saying however, that during my life time, I will see it.  I will live to see a sanctioned high school state championship held in Mississippi.  I will live to see a university or college in the state field a varsity wrestling program. 

My prediction? I say it happens in the next twenty years. I say that by the time I'm in my mid fifties or maybe even slightly before, we'll see wrestling at the collegiate level in Mississippi. 

Where? 

Well that's the question.  Division I where everyone would love to see it, is the most unrealistic.  I don't see it here.  It'd be nice to have a University of Arkansas-Little Rock situation one day pop up, but I don't want to get greedy with what few miracles come around for the sport in terms of addition.  

Division II is unlikely and I think Division III is as well. 

What would really be a treat is if we could somehow, someway get wrestling into all of the NJCAA programs in Mississippi. Their are 15 NJCAA schools in the state.  That's enough for a full conference schedule & a conference tournament.  They could wrestle everything with exception to the NJCAA tournament itself right there in the state.   Again, wishful thinking. 

What I think IS realistic and quite doable in twenty years time or less is getting wrestling in Mississippi at the NAIA level. 


Blue Mountain College and William Carey University to be specific.  Both are in the Southern States conference for most of their sports, which includes Brewton-Parker.  Brewton-Parker the only school in the Southern States conference to field varsity wrestling, is in the Mid-South conference for wrestling.  

The Midsouth includes Brewton-Parker, Campbellsville, Cumberland, Cumberlands, Life, Lindsay Wilson, Midway, Southeastern, Thomas More, Rido Grande, St Thomas and Keiser.   The addition of Blue Mountain and William Carey would make for a total of 14 teams in the conference.  

Very doable schedule for both teams. 

That's my prediction.