As I did for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II & NCAA Division III, here is a list of NAIA programs that have wrestling, that had wrestling but no longer do & ones that have never had wrestling. Again this is to the best of my knowledge. If a NEVER should be a HAD, please let me know.
Alice Loyd (Kentucky) = NEVER
Antelope Valley (California) = HAD
Aquinas (Michigan) = NEVER
Arizona Christian = HAS
Arkansas Baptist = HAS
Ava Maria (Florida) = NEVER
Avila (Missouri) = HAS
Bacone (Oklahoma) = HAD
Baker (Kansas) = HAS
Bellevue (Nebraska) = NEVER
Benedictine (Kansas) = HAS
Benedictine Mesa (Arizona) = NEVER
Bethany (Kansas) = HAS
Bethel (Indiana) = NEVER
Bethel (Kansas) = NEVER
Blue Mountain (Mississippi) = NEVER
Bluefield (Virginia) = HAS
Brenau (Georgia) = NEVER
Brescia (Kentucky) = NEVER
Brewton Parker (Georgia) = HAS
Briar Cliff (Iowa) = HAS
British Columbia (Canada) = NEVER
Bryan (Tennessee) = HAD
Bushnell (Oregon) = NEVER
Cal State Maritime = NEVER
UC-Merced = NEVER
Calumet St Joseph (Indiana) = HAS
Campbellsville (Kentucky) = HAS
Cardinal Stretch (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Carlow (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Carroll (Montana) = NEVER
Central Baptist (Arkansas) = HAS
Central Christian (Kansas) = HAS
Central Methodist (Missouri) = HAS
Clarke (Iowa) = HAD
Cleary (Michigan) = HAS
Costal Georgia = NEVER
Columbia (Missouri) = NEVER
Columbia (South Carolina) = NEVER
Columbia International (South Carolina) = NEVER
Concordia (Michigan) = NEVER
Concordia (Nebraska) = HAS
Corban (Oregon) = HAS
Cornerstone (Michigan) = HAS
Cottey (Missouri) = NEVER
Crowling's Ridge (Arkansas) = NEVER
Culver Stockton (Missouri) = NEVER
Cumberland (Tennessee) = HAS
Cumberlands (Kentucky) = HAS
Dakota State (South Dakota) = HAD
Dakota Wesleyan (South Dakota) = HAS
Dalton State (Georgia) = NEVER
Dickinson State (North Dakota) = HAS
Dillard (Louisiana) = NEVER
Doane (Nebraska) = HAS
Dordt (Iowa) = NEVER
Eastern Oregon = HAS
Embry Riddle (Arizona) = HAS
Evangel (Missouri) = HAD
Evergreen State (Washington) = NEVER
Faulkner (Alabama) = NEVER
Fisher (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Fisk (Tennessee) = NEVER
Florida College = NEVER
Florida Memorial = NEVER
Florida National = NEVER
Freed Hardeman (Tennessee) = NEVER
Friends (Kansas) = HAS
Georgetown (Kentucky) = HAD
Georgia Gwinnett (NEVER)
Goshen (Indiana) = NEVER
Governors State (Illinois) = NEVER
Grace Seminary (Indiana) = NEVER
Graceland (Iowa) = HAS
Grand View (Iowa) = HAS
Hannibal LaGrange (Missouri) = HAS but considering dropping
Harris Stowe (Missouri) = NEVER
Huskell Indian Nations (Kansas) = NEVER
Hastings (Nebraska) = HAS
Holy Cross (Indiana) = NEVER
Hope International (California) = NEVER
Houston Victoria (Texas) = NEVER
Huntington (Indiana) = NEVER
Huston Tillotson (Texas) = NOT SURE
College of Idaho = NEVER
Indiana Tech = HAS
Indiana Wesleyan = NEVER
Indiana East = NEVER
Kokomo (Indiana) = NEVER
Indiana Northwest = NEVER
Indiana South Bend = NEVER
Indiana Southeast = NEVER
Iowa Wesleyan = HAS
Jamestown (North Dakota) = HAS
Jarvis Christian (Texas) = NEVER
John Brown (Arkansas) = NEVER
Johnson (Tennessee) = NEVER
Judson (Illinois) = NEVER
Kansas Wesleyan = HAS
Keiser (Florida) = HAS
Kentucky Christian = NEVER
La Sierra (California) = NEVER
Langston (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Lawrence Tech (Michigan) = NEVER
Lewis Clark State (Idaho) = NEVER
Life Pacific (California) = listed as HAS but pretty sure they have already dropped
Life (Georgia) = HAS
Lincoln (Illinois) = HAD (entire college is closing)
Lincoln Christian (Illinois) = NEVER
Lindsey Wilson (Kentucky) = HAS
Louisiana Christian = NEVER
LSU-Alexandria = NEVER
LSU-Shreveport = NEVER
Lourdes (Ohio) = HAS
Loyola New Orleans = NEVER
Madonna (Michigan) = NEVER
Marian (Indiana) = HAS
Marymount California = NEVER
Master's (California) = NEVER
Mayville State (North Dakota) HAD
McPherson (Kansas) = NEVER
Menlo (California) = HAD
Michigan Dearborn = NEVER
Mid-American Christian (Oklahoma) = NEVER
MidAmerican Nazarene (Kansas) = NEVER
Middle Georgia State = NEVER
Midland (Nebraska) = HAS
Midway (Kentucky) = HAS
Milligan (Tennessee) = HAD
Missouri Baptist = HAS
Missouri Valley = HAS
Mobile (Alabama) = NEVER
Montana State Northern = HAS
Montana Tech = NEVER
Montana Western = HAD
Montreat (North Carolina) = HAS
Morningside (Iowa) = HAS
Morris (South Carolina) = NEVER
Mount Marty (South Dakota) = NEVER
Mount Mercy (Iowa) = NEVER
Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) = NEVER
Multnomah (Oregon) = NEVER
North Texas Dallas = NEVER
Northern New Mexico = NEVER
Northwest (Washington) = NEVER
Northwestern (Iowa) = HAS
Oakland City (Indiana) = NEVER
Ohio Christian = NEVER
Ohio Valley (West Virginia) = HAS
Oklahoma City = HAS
Oklahoma Panhandle State = NEVER
Oklahoma Wesleyan = HAS
Olivet Nazarene (Illinois) = HAD
Oregon Tech = HAD
Ottawa (Arizona) = NEVER
Ottawa (Kansas) = HAS
Our Lady of the Lake (Texas) = NEVER
Pacific Union (California) = NEVER
Park (Missouri) = NEVER
Park Gilbert (Arizona) = NEVER
Paul Quinn (Texas) = NEVER
Penn State Schuykill = NEVER
Peru State (Nebraska) = HAD
Philander Smith (Arkansas) = NEVER
Pikeville (Kentucky) = Kentucky
Point (Georgia) = NEVER
Point Park (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Presentation (South Dakota) = NEVER
Providence (Montana) = HAS
Providence Christian (California) = NEVER
Reinhardt (Georgia) = HAS
Rio Grande (Ohio) = HAS
Rochester (Michigan) = HAS
Rocky Mountain (Montana) = HAD
Roosevelt (Illinois) = NEVER
Rust (Mississippi) = NEVER
St Ambrose (Iowa) = HAS
St Andrews (North Carolina) = HAS
St Francis (Illinois) = NEVER
Saint Francis (Indiana) = NEVER
Saint Katherine (California) = NEVER
St Louis Health & Pharmacy = HAS
Saint Mary (Kansas) = HAS
Saint Mary of the Woods (Indiana) = NEVER
Saint Xavier (Illinois) = NEVER
San Diego Christian = NEVER
Savanna Art & Design (Georgia) = NEVER
Savanna Art & Design Atlanta (Georgia) = NEVER
Science and Arts (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Shawnee State (Ohio) = NEVER
Siena Heights (Michigan) = HAS
Sierra Nevada = NEVER
Simpson (California) = HAS
Soka American (California) = NEVER
South Carolina Beaufort = NEVER
Southeastern (Florida) = HAS
Southern Oregon = HAS
University of the Southwest (New Mexico) = NEVER
Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) = NEVER
Southwestern Christian (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Southwestern (Kansas) = NEVER
Spring Arbor (Michigan) = NEVER
Stephen's (Missouri) = NEVER
Sterling (Kansas) = NEVER
Stillman (Alabama) = NEVER
Tabor (Kansas) = NEVER
Talladega (Alabama) = NEVER
Taylor (Indiana) = HAD
Tennessee Southern = NEVER
Tennessee Wesleyan = NEVER
Texas A&M San Antonio = NEVER
Texas A&M Texarkana = NEVER
Texas College = NEVER
Texas Wesleyan = HAS
Thomas (Georgia) = NEVER
Thomas More (Kentucky) = HAS
Tougaloo (Mississippi) = NEVER
Trinity Christian (Illinois) = NEVER
Trinity International (Illinois) = NEVER
Truett McConnell (Georgia) = HAS
Union (Kentucky) = NEVER
Valley City State (North Dakota) = HAD
Vanguard (California) = HAS
Victoria (Canada) = NEVER
Virgin Islands = NEVER
Viterbo (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Voorhees (South Carolina) = NEVER
Waldorf (Iowa) = HAS
Walla Walla (Washington) = NEVER
Warner (Florida) = NEVER
Washington Adventist (Maryland) = NEVER
Warner Pacific (Oregon) = HAS
Wayland Baptist (Texas) = HAS
Webber International (Florida) = NEVER
West Virginia Tech = HAS
Westcliff (California) = NEVER
Westmont (California) = NEVER
Wiley (Texas) = NEVER
Wilberforce (Ohio) = NEVER
William Cary (Mississippi) = NEVER
William Jessup (California) = NEVER
William Penn (Iowa) = HAS
Williams Baptist (Arkansas) = HAS
Xavier (Louisiana) = NEVER
York (Nebraska) = HAS
North American (Indiana) = NEVER
Oakwood (Alabama) = NEVER
Southern (Louisiana) = NEVER
*NOTE* = I hate to do it, but I think I have to add in 3 HAD's. Lincoln (Illinois) is shutting down the entire school. Hannibal-LaGrange isn't official yet, but there has been a lot of discussion about wrestling being eliminated & unfortunately I think that is going to happen. Then I believe Life Pacific in California is also dropping if they haven't already dropped.
HAS = 75
HAD = 18
NEVER = 154
I could be wrong on some of my NEVER's. Seems no matter how much time, energy and passion I put into my studies of discontinued wrestling programs, someone always provides information to me providing proof that a school indeed did have a wrestling program. I'm sure that I have some NEVER's on here that should be HAD's, but I wasn't able to find any information.
Still even if the number is anywhere close to 155, I think that leaves the door wide open to unlock some potential. NAIA wrestling has grown tremendously over the years & I think it's going to continue to grow. I think a lot of these NEVER's & even some of these HAD's will he HAS's within the next 10 to 15 years.
Saturday, April 30, 2022
HAS, HAD, NEVER = NAIA
Friday, April 29, 2022
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Adding to the List
My last Gone, Lost & Forgotten (a series I did on discontinued wrestling programs) was on Marcy 14th, 2021. At that time I had written about 427 programs. 427 discontinued wrestling programs. It's insane isn't it? Heartbreaking. Depressing. Am I allowed to say infuriating? I'm told that the number is actually something closer to 700. I wasn't able to find that many. However over the past couple of days, I've found a few more.
Not a lot on any of the teams, but enough to know that they did indeed exist.
 |
| PENN STATE BERKS |
Found information of a Mike Moyer (Pictured) that coached PSU-Berks to a 25-27 dual record, winner of a 1973 Regional Team Title.
 |
| EASTERN UNIVERSITY (St. Davids, Pennsylvania) |
Have a trusted source that wrestled for Lebanon Valley that told me they used to dual against Eastern.
 |
| EAST TENNESEE STATE |
Via help from a former Chattanooga Wrestler, found results of the Mocs wrestling ETSU in both 1981 and 1982.
 |
| NORTHWESTERN STATE (Natchitoches, Louisiana) |
Wasn't able to find anything out about the Demon wrestling program, but I trust the source that told me that there was varsity wrestling here at one point. Had it in late 60's, early 70's per source.
 |
| NORTH CAROLINA CENTRAL |
Good ole Screwy Louie provided photographic evidence of North Carolina Central participating in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC).
 |
| TENNESEE TEMPLE |
Was able to find through the Crusaders Club team that Tennessee Temple dropped their varsity program in 1985.
 |
| MONTANA STATE BILLINGS |
Part of the confusion for me here is that Montana State Billings used to be known as Eastern Montana College. So when you try doing research on Montana State Billings Wrestling, you come up with Jack Squat, BUT when you search Eastern Montana Wrestling, you get a few scraps. What I was able to find in reference to Yellowjacket wrestling was James Dow, more known for his football career that put together a 33-3 career record & Bob Uffelman who qualified for the NAIA's in 1973.
 |
| CENTRAL STATE (Wilberforce, Ohio) |
Again, another football player that also wrestled is my only link to Central State wrestling. Harvey Adams Jr, who graduated in 1981.
 |
| VALLEY FORGE (Wayne, Pennsylvania) |
I've been able to find absolutely nothing on Valley Forge wrestling, but I've been told by a few different sources that they did have varsity wrestling at one point.
 |
| NORTHWESTERN (St Paul, Minnesota) |
I can tell you exactly how I got confused on this one. I found results for the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) tournaments. They had wrestlers from Northwestern written down. Here's the problem. Some of these wrestlers represented Northwestern College in Iowa (Where I actually attended college for a while) & others represented University of Northwestern in St. Paul. You know what though? They're both written down as simple "Northwestern"! Ah!! Drives me nuts!
But I got it figured out now.
The Northwestern Eagles, which we are talking about now were 1992 NCCAA champions. I found a bunch of names, but the only one that led me anywhere was Chad Gerlach, an Alaskan state champion for Glennallen high school. He was 3rd in the NCCAA in 1991 & an NCCAA champion in 1992.
===
So now my list of teams that I've found is up to 437.
Has, Had, Never = NCAA Division III
As I have already done for NCAA Division I & NCAA Division II, and as I will do for the NAIA & the CCCAA (Won't for NJCAA, as I do not have enough information) this is a list of NCAA Division III institutions that currently have wrestling, ones that had wrestling but no longer do & ones that never had wrestling.
AGAIN keep in mind this is current status of the institution. There may be cases where when a school had wrestling they were DI, DII, NAIA or NJCAA, but they are NOW DIII & if they were to reinstate wrestling it would NOW be NCAA DIII.
Schools that are in a transition into DIII, will be counted in this list.
Adrian (Ohio) = HAS
Agnes Scott (Georgia) = NEVER
Albertus Magnus (Connecticut) = NEVER
Albion (Michigan) = HAS
Albright (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Alfred (New York) = HAD
Alfred State (New York) = HAS
Allegheny (New York) = HAD
Alma (Michigan) = HAS
Alvernia (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Alverno (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Amherst (Massachusetts) = HAD
Anderson (Indiana) = HAD
Anna Maria (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Arcadia (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Asbury (Kentucky) = NEVER
Augsburg (Minnesota) = HAS
Augustana (Illinois) = HAS
Aurora (Illinois) = HAD
Austin (Texas) = NEVER
Averett (Virginia) = HAS
Babson (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Baldwin Wallace (Ohio) = HAS
Bard (New York) = NEVER
Baruch (New York) = NEVER
Bates (Maine) = NEVER
Belhaven (Mississippi) = NEVER
Beloit (Wisconsin) = HAD
Benedictine (Illinois) = HAD
Berea (Kentucky) = NEVER
Berry (Georgia) = NEVER
Bethany (West Virginia) = NEVER
Bethany Lutheran (Minnesota) = NEVER
Bethel (Minnesota) = HAD
Birmingham-Southern (Alabama) = HAD
Blackburn (Illinois) = NEVER
Bluffton (Ohio) = NEVER
Bob Jones (South Carolina) = NEVER
Bowdoin (Maine) = NEVER
Brandeis (Massachusetts) = HAD
Brevard (North Carolina) = NEVER
Bridgewater (Virginia) = NEVER
Bridgewater State (Massachusetts) = HAS
Brooklyn (New York) = NEVER
Bryn Athyn (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Bryn Mawr (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Buena Vista (Iowa) = HAS
Buffalo State (New York) = HAD
Cabrini (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Cairn (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Cal Tech = HAD
Cal Lutheran = HAD
UC Santa Cruz = NEVER
Calvin (Michigan) = HAD
Capital (Ohio) = HAD
Carleton (Minnesota) = HAD
Carnegie Mellon (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Carroll (Wisconsin) = HAD
Catharge (Wisconsin) = HAS
Case Western Reserve (Ohio) = HAS
Castleton (Virginia) = HAS
Catholic (Washington D.C.) = HAD
Cazenovia (New York) = NEVER
Cedar Crest (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Centenary (Louisiana) = NEVER
Centenary (New Jersey) = HAS
Central (Iowa) = HAS
Centre (Kentucky) = HAD
Chapman (California) = NEVER
Catham (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Chicago = HAS
Christopher Newport (Virginia) = NEVER
City College New York = HAD
Claremont Mudd Scripps (California) = HAD
Clark (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Clarks Summit (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Clarkson (New York) = HAD
Coe (Iowa) = HAS
Colby (Maine) = NEVER
Colby Sawyer (New Hampshire) = NEVER
Colorado College = HAD
Concordia (Minnesota) = HAS
Concordia (Illinois) = HAD
Concordia (Wisconsin) = HAS
Concordia (Texas) = NEVER
Connecticut College = NEVER
Cornell (Iowa) = HAS
Covenant (Georgia) = HAD
Crown (Minnesota) = NEVER
Curry (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Dallas (Texas) = NEVER
Dean (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Defiance (Ohio) = HAS
Delaware Valley (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Denison (Ohio) = HAD
DePauw (Indiana) = HAD
DeSales (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Dickinson (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Dominican (Illinois) = NEVER
Drew (New Jersey) = HAD
Dubuque (Iowa) = HAS
Earlham (Indiana) = HAD
East Texas Baptist = NEVER
Eastern Connecticut State = NEVER
Eastern Mennonite (Virginia) = HAD
Eastern Nazarene (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Eastern (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Edgewood (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Elmhurst (Illinois) = HAS
Elmira (New York) = HAD
Elms (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Emerson (Massachusetts) = HAD
Emmanuel (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Emory (Georgia) = HAD
Endicott (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Eureka (Illinois) = HAS
Farleigh Dickinson Florham (New Jersey) = NOT SURE
Farmingdale State (New York) = HAD
Ferrum (Virginia) = HAS
Finlandia (Michigan) = NEVER
Fitchburg State (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Fontbonne (Missouri) = HAS
Farmington State (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Franciscan Stuebenville (Ohio) = NEVER
Franklin (Indiana) = HAD
Gallaudet (Washington D.C.) = HAD
George Fox (Oregon) = HAD
Gettysburg (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Gordon (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Goucher (Maryland) = NEVER
Greensboro (North Carolina) = HAS
Greenville (Illinois) = NEVER
Grinnell (Iowa) = HAD
Grove City (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Guiliford (North Carolina) = NEVER
Gustavus Adolphus (Minnesota) = HAD
Gwynedd Mercy (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Hamilton (New York) = NEVER
Hamline (Minnesota) = NEVER
Hampden-Sydney (Virginia) = HAD
Hanover (Indiana) = HAD
Hardon-Simmons (Texas) = NEVER
Hartwick (New York) = HAD
Haverford (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Heidelberg (Ohio) = HAS
Hendrix (Arkansas) = NEVER
Hilbert (New York) = NEVER
Hiram (Ohio) = HAS (Damn near positive reinstatement)
Hobart (New York) = HAD
Hollins (Virginia) = NEVER
Hood (Maryland) = NEVER
Hope (Michigan) = HAD
Houghton (New York) = NEVER
Howard Payne (Texas) = NEVER
Hunter (New York) = HAS
Huntingdon (Alabama) = HAS
Husson (Maine) = HAD
Illinois College = HAD
Illinois Wesleyan = HAD
Immaculata (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Ithaca (New Jersey) = HAS
John Carroll (Ohio) = HAS
John Jay Criminal Justice (New York) = HAD
Johns Hopkins (Maryland) = HAS
Johnson & Wales (Rhode Island) = HAS
Juniata (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Kalamazoo (Michigan) = HAD
Kean (New Jersey) = HAD
Keene State (New Hampshire) = NEVER
Kenyon (Ohio) = HAD
Keuka (New York) = NEVER
Keystone (Pennsylvania) = HAS
King's (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Knox (Illinois) = HAD
La Roche (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
La Verne (California) = HAD
LaGrange (Georgia) = NEVER
Lake Forest (Illinois) = HAS
Lakeland (Wisconsin) = HAS
Lancaster Bible (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Lasell (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Lawrence (Wisconsin) = HAD
Lebanon Valley (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Lehman (New York) = HAD
Lesley (Massachusetts) = NEVER
LeTourneau (Texas) = HAD
Lewis & Clark (Oregon) = HAD
Linfield (Oregon) = HAS
Loras (Iowa) = HAS
Luther (Iowa) = HAS
Lycoming (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Lynchburg (Virginia) = NEVER
Macalester (Minnesota) = HAD
Maine Farmington = NEVER
Maine Maritime Academy = NEVER
Maine Presque Island = HAD
Manchester (Indiana) = HAS
Manhattanville (New York) = NEVER
Maranatha Baptist (Wisconsin) = HAD
Marian (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Marietta (Ohio) = HAD
Martin Luther (Minnesota) = NEVER
Mary Baldwin (Virginia) = NEVER
Mary Hardin Baylor (Texas) = NEVER
Mary Washington (Virginia) = NEVER
Marymount (Virginia) = NEVER
Maryville (Tennessee) = HAD
Marywood (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Massachusetts Boston = NEVER
Massachusetts Liberal Arts = NEVER
Massachusetts Dartmouth = NEVER
MIT = HAD
McDaniel (Maryland) = HAS
McMurry (Texas) = NEVER
Medaille (New York) = NEVER
Medgar Evers (New York) = NEVER
Meredith (North Carolina) = NEVER
Messiah (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Methodist (North Carolina) = HAD
Middlebury (Vermont) = NEVER
Mills (California) = NEVER
Millsaps (Mississippi) = NEVER
Milwaukee School of Engineering = HAS
Minnesota Morris = HAD
Mesericordia (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Mitchell (Connecticut) = NEVER
Monmouth (Illinois) = HAD
Montclair State (New Jersey) = HAD
Moravian (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Morrisville State (New York) = NEVER
Mount Aloysius (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Mount Holyoke (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Mount Mary (Wisconsin) = NEVER
Mount St Joseph (Ohio) = HAS
Mount Saint Mary (New York) = NEVER
Mount Saint Vincent (New York) = NEVER
Mount Union (Ohio) = HAS
Muhlenberg (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Muskingum (Ohio) = HAS
Nazareth (New York) = NEVER
Nebraska Wesleyan = HAS
Neuman (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
New England College (New Hampshire) = HAS
U of New England (Maine) = NEVER
College of New Jersey = HAS
New Jersey City = HAS
SUNY Brockport = HAS
SUNY Canton = HAD
SUNY Cobleskill = HAD
SUNY Cortland = HAS
SUNY Delhi = HAD
SUNY Fredonia = HAD
SUNY Geneseo = HAD
SUNY Maritime = HAD
SUNY Tech = NEVER
SUNY New Paltz = HAD
SUNY Old Westbury = NEVER
SUNY Oneonta = HAD
SUNY Oswego = HAS
SUNY Plattsburg = HAD
SUNY Potsdam = HAD
SUNY Purchase = NEVER
New York U = HAS
Nichols (Massachusetts) = NEVER
North Carolina Wesleyan = NEVER
North Central (Illinois) = HAS
North Park (Illinois) = HAD
Northern Vermont Johnson = NEVER
Northern Vermont Lyndon = NEVER
Northland (Wisconsin) = HAD
Northwestern St Paul = NEVER
Norwich (Vermont) = HAS
Notre Dame Maryland = NEVER
Oberlin (Ohio) = HAS
Occidental (California) = NEVER
Oglethorpe (Georgia) = NEVER
Ohio Northern = HAS
Ohio Wesleyan = HAS
Olivet (Michigan) = HAS
Otterbein (Ohio) = HAS
Ozarks (Arkansas) = HAS
Pacific Lutheran (Washington) = HAD
Pacific (Oregon) = HAS
PSU Tech = HAS
PSU Abington = NEVER
PSU Altoona = NEVER
PSU Berks = NEVER
PSU Behrends = HAS
PSU Harrisburg = NEVER
Pfeiffer (North Carolina) = HAD
Piedmont (Georgia) = NEVER
Pitt-Bradford = HAS
Pitt-Greensberg = NEVER
Plymouth State (New Hampshire) = HAS
Pomona Pitzer (California) = HAD
Pratt Institute (New York) = NEVER
Principia (Illinois) = NEVER
Pugent Sound (Washington) = HAD
Ramapo (New Jersey) = NEVER
Randolph (Virginia) = NEVER
Randolph Macon (Virginia) = NEVER
Redlands (California) = HAD
Regis (Massachusetts) = NEVER
RPI (New York) = HAD
Rhode Island College = HAS
Rhodes (Tennessee) = NEVER
Ripon (Wisconsin) = HAD
Rivier (New Hampshire) = NEVER
Rochester (New York) = NEVER
R.I.T. (New York) = HAS
Rockford (Illinois) = NEVER
Roger Williams (Rhode Island) = HAS
Rose-Hulman Tech (Indiana) = NEVER
Rosemont (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Rowan (New Jersey) = HAD
Rutgers Camden (New Jersey) = NOT SURE
Rutgers Newark (New Jersey) = NOT SURE
Russell Sage (New York) = NEVER
Saint Benedict (Minnesota) = NEVER
Saint Catherine (Minnesota) = NEVER
Saint Elizabeth (New Jersey) = NEVER
St John Fisher (New York) = HAD
Saint John's (Minnesota) = HAS
Saint Joseph (Connecticut) = NEVER
St Joseph's (New York-Brooklyn) = NEVER
St Joseph's (New York - L.I.) = NEVER
St Joseph's (Maine) = NEVER
St Lawrence (New York) = HAD
St Mary's (Minnesota) = HAD
St Norbert (Wisconsin) = HAD
St Olaf (Minnesota) = HAD
Scholastica (Minnesota) = NEVER
St Thomas (Texas) = NEVER
Saint Vincent (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Salem (North Carolina) = NEVER
Salem State (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Salisbury (Maryland) = HAD
Salve Regina (Rhode Island) = NEVER
Sarah Lawrence (New York) = NEVER
Schreiner (Texas) = HAS
Scranton (Pennsylvania) = HAS
University of the South aka Sewanee (Tennessee) = HAD
Shenandoah (Virginia) = HAS
Simmons (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Skidmore (New York) = NEVER
Simpson (Iowa) = HAS
Smith (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Southern Maine = HAS
Southern Virginia = NEVER
Southwestern (TEXAS) = NOT SURE
Spalding (Kentucky) = NEVER
Springfield (Massachusetts) = HAS
Steven's Tech (New Jersey) = HAS
Stevenson (Maryland) = NEVER
Stockton (New Jersey) = NEVER
Suffolk (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Sul Ross (Texas) = NEVER
Susquehanna (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Swarthmore (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Texas Dallas = NEVER
Texas Lutheran = NEVER
Thiel (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Thomas (Maine) = NEVER
Transylvania (Kentucky) = NEVER
Trine (Indiana) = HAS
Trinity (Connecticut) = HAS
Trinity (Washington D.C) = NEVER
Tufts (Massachusetts) = HAD
Union (New York) = HAD
United States Coast Guard (Connecticut) = HAS
United State Merchant Marine (New York) = HAS
Ursinus (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Valley Forge (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Utica (New York) = NEVER
Vassar (New York) = NEVER
Virginia Wesleyan = NEVER
Wabash (Indiana) = HAS
Warren Wilson (North Carolina) = NEVER
Wartburg (Iowa) = HAS
Washington & Jefferson (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Washington & Lee (Virginia) = HAS
Washington (Maryland) = HAD
Washington (Missouri) = HAD
Waynesburg (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Webster (Missouri) = NEVER
Wellesley (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Wells (New York) = NEVER
Wentworth Tech (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Wesleyan (Georgia) = NEVER
Wesleyan (Connecticut) = HAS
Western Connecticut State = NEVER
Westfield State (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Westminster (Missouri) = HAS
Westminster (Pennsylvania) = NOT SURE
Wheaton (Illinois) = HAS
Wheaton (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Whitman (Washington) = HAD
Whittier (California) = HAD
Whitworth (Washington) = HAD
Widener (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Wilkes (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Williamette (Oregon) = HAD
William Paterson (New Jersey) = NEVER
William Peace (North Carolina) = NEVER
William Smith (New York) = NEVER
Williams (Massachusetts) = HAS
Wilmington (Ohio) = HAS
Wisconsin Eau Claire = HAS
Wisconsin La Crosse = HAS
Wisconsin Platteville = HAS
Wisconsin River Falls = HAD
Wisconsin Stevens Point = HAS
Wisconsin Whitewater = HAS
Wittenberg (Ohio) = HAD
Wooster (Ohio) = HAD
Worcester Tech (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Worcester State (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Yeshiva (New York) = HAD
York (New York) = NEVER
York (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Hartford (Connecticut) = HAD
Lyon (Arkansas) = HAS
Johnson & Wales (North Carolina) = NEVER
====
Ok so here we go again...
The NOT SURE's....
I know that the larger Farleigh Dickinson at one time had a wrestling program, but I'm not sure if the smaller one did or not. It's kind of confusing. In today's world teams usually stick to competing against teams in their division. It wasn't always like that back in the day. Years ago it was nothing to see D3's compete against D1's, so on and so forth. So I always take it when I see Farleigh Dickinson to mean the larger school, but maybe the smaller one had wrestling too.
I'm almost positive that the "smaller" Rutgers schools had wrestling too. I'm just not sure if both of them did or only one of them did.
The Southwestern deal is the same as it was when I did the DII results. I would doubt the Southwestern I've seen in Southern tournaments is the one in Texas, but it very well could have been. Not sure.
Westminster? Well, sort of a same deal. I've seen Westminster in historical results & to make it even more confusing the Westminster that has wrestling today, Westminster in Missouri at one time also dropped their wrestling program before reinstating it. So that makes it all the more confusing. Did the one in Pennsylvania ever have wrestling? Not 100% Positive.
Now the #'s....
HAS = 110
HAD = 119
NEVER = 191
Wednesday, April 27, 2022
Has, Had, Never - NCAA Division II Wrestling
As I did for NCAA Division I wrestling, this is a list of NCAA Division II institutions that currently have wrestling, those that had wrestling but no longer do & those that never had a varsity/official wrestling.
***NOTE*** - Of the schools that HAD wrestling, they may not have been DII at the time. Some may have been DI or NAIA, but they would be (most likely) DII today.
***NOTE*** - Some DII institutions have DI wrestling. These include Bloomsburg, Clarion, Edinboro & Lock Haven
***NOTE*** - Schools that are looking to transition into DII from another division next season will be included in this list.
Academy of Art (California) = NEVER
Adams State (Colorado) = HAS
Adelphi (New York) = HAD
Alabama Huntsville = NEVER
Alaska Ancorage = NEVER
Alaska Fairbanks = NEVER
Albany State (New York) = NEVER (Don't confuse with DIII Albany)
Alderson Broaddus (West Virginia) = HAS
American International (Massachusetts) = HAS
Anderson (South Carolina) = HAD
Angelo State (Texas) = NEVER
Arkansas Tech = NEVER
Arkansas Fort Smith = NEVER
Arkansas Monticello = NEVER
Ashland (Ohio) = HAS
Assumption (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Auburn Montgomery (Alabama) = NEVER
Augusta (Georgia) = NEVER
Augustana (South Dakota) = HAS
Azusa Pacific (California) = HAD
Barry (Florida) = NEVER
Barton (North Carolina) = NEVER
Belmont Abbey (North Carolina) = HAS
Bemidji State (Minnesota) = HAD
Benedict (South Carolina) = NEVER
Bentley (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Biola (California) = HAD
Black Hills State (South Dakota) = HAD
Bloomfield (New Jersey) = NEVER
Bluefield State (West Virginia) = HAS
Bowie State (Maryland) = NEVER
Bridgeport (Connecticut) = HAD
Caldwell (New Jersey) = NEVER
California Pennsylvania = HAD
Humboldt State (California) = HAD
Cal Poly Pomona = HAD
Chico State = HAD
Cal State Dominguez Hills = NEVER
Cal State East Bay = HAD
Cal State Los Angeles = HAD
Cal State Monterey Bay = NEVER
Cal State San Bernardino = HAD
Cal State San Marcos = NEVER
Cal State Stanislaus = HAD
Cameron (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Carson Newman (Tennessee) = HAD
Catawba (North Carolina) = HAD
Cedarville (Ohio) = HAD
Central Missouri = HAS
Central Oklahoma = HAS
Central State (Ohio) = HAD
Central Washington = HAD
Chadron State (Nebraska) = HAS
Chaminade Honolulu (Hawaii) = NEVER
Charleston (West Virginia) = HAD
Chestnut Hill (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Chowan (North Carolina) = HAD
Christian Brothers (Tennessee) = NEVER
Claflin (South Carolina) = NEVER
Clark Atlanta (Georgia) = NEVER
Clayton State (Georgia) = NEVER
Coker (South Carolina) = HAS
Colorado Christian = NEVER
Colorado Mesa = HAS
Colorado Mines = HAS
Colorado State Pueblo = HAS
Colorado Colorado Springs = NEVER
Columbus State (Georgia) = NEVER
Concord (West Virginia) = HAD
Concordia Irvine (California) = NEVER
Concordia St Paul (Minnesota) = NEVER
Converse (South Carolina) = NEVER
Daemen (New York) = NEVER
Dallas Baptist (Texas) = NEVER
Davenport (Michigan) = HAS
Davis & Elkins (West Virginia) = HAS
Delta State (Mississippi) = NEVER
UDC = NEVER
Dominican California = NEVER
Dominican New York = NEVER
Drury (Missouri) = HAS
East Central (Oklahoma) = HAD
East Stroudsburg (Pennsylvania) = HAS
East New Mexico = NEVER
Eckerd (Florida) = NEVER
Elizabeth City State (North Carolina) = HAD
Embry Riddle (Florida) = NEVER
Emmanuel (Georgia) = HAS
Emporia State (Kansas) = HAD
Eskrine (South Carolina) = NEVER
Fairmont State (West Virginia) = HAS
Fayetteville State (North Carolina) = NEVER
Felician (New Jersey) = NEVER
Ferris State (Michigan) = HAD
Findaly (Ohio) = HAS
Flagler (Florida) = NEVER
Florida Southern = NEVER
Florida Tech = HAD
Fort Hays State (Kansas) = HAS
Fort Lewis (Colorado) = HAD
Fort Valley State (Georgia) = NEVER
Francis Marion (South Carolina) = NEVER
Franklin Pierce (New Hampshire) = NEVER
Fresno Pacific (California) = NEVER
Gannon (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Georgia College & State = NEVER
Georgia Southwestern State = NOT SURE
Georgian Court (New Jersey) = NEVER
Glenville State (West Virginia) = HAS
Goldey-Beacom (Delaware) = NEVER
Grand Valley State (Michigan) = HAS
Harding (Arkansas) = NEVER
Hawaii Pacific = NEVER
Hawaii Hilo = NEVER
Henderson State (Arkansas) = NEVER
Hillsdale (Michigan) = HAD
Holy Family (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Holy Names (California) = NEVER
Illinois-Springfield = HAD
Indiana of Pennsylvania = HAD
Indianapolis = HAS
Thomas Jefferson (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Johnson C Smith (North Carolina) = NEVER
Kentucky State = NEVER
Kentucky Wesleyan = HAS
King (Tennessee) = HAS
Kutztown (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Lake Erie (Ohio) = HAS
Lake Superior State (Michigan) = HAD
Lander (South Carolina) = HAS
Lane (Tennessee) = NEVER
Le Moyne (New York) = NEVER
Lee (Tennessee) = NEVER
Lee's MaRae (North Carolina) = NEVER
LeMoyne Owen (Tennessee) = NEVER
Lenoir-Rhyne (North Carolina) = NEVER
Lewis (Illinois) = HAD
Limestone (South Carolina) = HAS
Lincoln (Missouri) = HAD (whole school is shutting down)
Lincoln (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Lincoln Memorial (Tennessee) = HAS
Livingstone (North Carolina) = HAD
Lubbock Christian (Texas) = NEVER
Lynn (Florida) = NEVER
Malone (Ohio) = HAD
Mansfield (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Mars Hill (North Carolina) = NEVER
Mary (North Dakota) = HAS
Maryville (Missouri) = HAS
McKendree (Illinois) = HAS
Mercy (New York) = NEVER
Mercyhurst (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Metropolitan State Denver = NEVER
Michigan Tech = HAS
Midwestern State (Texas) = NEVER
Miles (Alabama) = NEVER
Millersville (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Minnesota State Mankato = HAS
Minnesota State Moorhead = HAS
Minnesota Crookston = NEVER
Minnesota Duluth = HAD
Minot State (North Dakota State) = HAS
Mississippi College = NEVER
Missouri Tech = NEVER
Missouri Southern State = NEVER
Missouri Western State = NEVER
Missouri St. Louis = HAD
Molly State (New York) = NEVER
Montana State Billings = HAD
Montevallo (Alabama) = NEVER
Morehouse (Georgia) = NEVER
Mount Olive (North Carolina) = HAS
Nebraska Kearney = HAS
New Haven (Connecticut) = NEVER
New Mexico Highlands = HAS
Newberry (South Carolina) = HAS
Newman (Kansas) = HAS
North Carolina Pembroke = HAS
North Georgia = NEVER
North Greenville (South Carolina) = NEVER
Northeastern State (Oklahoma) = HAD
Northern Michigan = HAD
Northern State (South Dakota) = HAS
Northwest Missouri State = HAD
Northwest Nazarene (Idaho) = HAD
Northwestern Oklahoma State = NEVER
Northwood (Michigan) = NEVER
Notre Dame (Ohio) = HAS
Nova Southeastern (Florida) = NEVER
Nyack (New York) = NEVER
Ohio Dominican = NEVER
Oklahoma Baptist = NEVER
Oklahoma Christian = NEVER
Ouachita Baptist (Arkansas) = HAS
Pace (New York) = NEVER
Palm Beach Atlantic = NEVER
Wisconsin Parkside = HAS
Pittsburg State = NEVER
Pittsburg Johnstown = HAS
Point Loma Nazarene (California) = NEVER
Post (Connecticut) = NEVER
Puerto Rico Bayamon = Not Sure
Puerto Rico Mayaguez = Not Sure
Puerto Rico Piedras = Not Sure
Purdue Northwest = NEVER
Queens (North Carolina) = HAS
Queens (New York) = NEVER
Quincy (Illinois) = HAS
Regis (Colorado) = NEVER
Roberts Wesleyan (New York) = NEVER
Rockhurst (Missouri) = NEVER
Rogers State (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Rollins (Florida) = NEVER
Saginaw Valley State (Michigan) = HAD
Saint Anslem (New Hampshire) = NEVER
Saint Augustine's (North Carolina) = NEVER
St Cloud State (Minnesota) = HAS
St Edward's (Texas) = NEVER
Saint Leo (Florida) = NEVER
Saint Martin's (Washington) = NEVER
St Mary's (Texas) = NEVER
St. Michael's (Vermont) = NEVER
Saint Rose (New York) = NEVER
St Thomas Aquinas (New York) = NEVER
Salem (West Virginia) = NEVER
San Francisco State = HAS
Savanna State (Georgia) = NEVER
U of Sciences (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Seattle Pacific (Washington) = HAD
Seton Hill (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Shaw (North Carolina) = NEVER
Shepherd (West Virginia) = NEVER
Shippensburg (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Shorter (Georgia) = HAD
Simon Fraser (Canada) = HAS
Slippery Rock (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Sonoma State (California) = HAD
South Carolina Aiken = NEVER
South Dakota Mines = HAD
Southeastern Oklahoma State = NEVER
Southern Arkansas = NEVER
Southern Connecticut State = HAD
Southern Indiana = NEVER
Southern Nazarene (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Southern New Hampshire = NEVER
Southern Wesleyan (South Carolina) = NEVER
Southwest Baptist (Missouri) = NEVER
Southwest Minnesota State = HAS
Southwestern Oklahoma State = NOT SURE
Spring Hill (Alabama) = NEVER
Stone Hill (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Tampa = HAD
Texas A&M Kingsville = NEVER
Texas A&M International = NEVER
Texas Permian Basin = NEVER
Texas Tyler = NEVER
Tiffin (Ohio) = HAS
Trevecca Nazarene (Tennessee) = NEVER
Truman State (Missouri) = HAD
Tusculum (Tennessee) = NEVER
Tuskegee (Alabama) = NEVER
Union (Tennessee) = NEVER
Upper Iowa = HAS
Ursuline (Ohio) = NEVER
Valdosta State (Georgia) = NEVER
Virginia State = HAD
Virginia Union = NEVER
Virginia Wise = NEVER
Walsh (Ohio) = NEVER
Washburn (Kansas) = NEVER
Wayne State (Nebraska) = HAD
Wayne State (Michigan) = HAD
West Alabama = NEVER
West Chester (Pennsylvania) = HAD
West Florida = NEVER
West Georgia = NEVER
West Liberty (West Virginia = HAS
West Texas A&M = NOT SURE
West Virginia State = NEVER
West Virginia Wesleyan = NEVER
Western Colorado = HAS
Western New Mexico = NEVER
Western Oregon = HAD
Western Washington = HAD
Westminster (Utah) = HAD
Wheeling Jesuit (West Virginia) = HAS
William Jewell (Missouri) = HAS
Wilmington (Delaware) = NEVER
Wingate (North Carolina) = NEVER
Winona State (Minnesota) = HAD
Winston-Salem (North Carolina) = HAD
Young Harris (Georgia) = NEVER
Allen (South Carolina) = HAS
D'Youville (New York) = NEVER
Edward Waters (Florida) = NEVER
Emory & Henry (Virginia) = NEVER
Frostburg State (Maryland) = HAD
Staten Island (New York) = NEVER
South Carolina Beaufort = NEVER
Thomas More (Kentucky) = HAS
Of the NOT SURES...
I've found in various wrestling tournament results in the south throughout the years a "Southwestern." Now what I don't know is if this referred to Southwestern Oklahoma State, Georgia Southwestern or the Southwestern in Texas. I highly doubt that it referred to the Southwestern in Chula Vista, California (Which by the way, for sure DID have wrestling). So that still remains a mystery
One of the Puerto Rico schools DID have wrestling at one time, I'm just not sure which one. I've seen them in a few dual results, but have no idea which campus sponsored the sport out of the three.
As to West Texas A&M? Well, I heard in an interview with Dory Funk Jr that his father Dory Funk Sr started a wrestling program here, but I've never heard or seen anything other than that about it. I know that Dory Funk Sr was very instrumental in getting high school wrestling into the private schools in Texas. I had Devin Nicholson ask Terry Funk about it once & Terry responded that his Dad has something to do with wrestling at West Texas A&M. I once asked Jerry Briscoe about it too & he wasn't for sure. So I think they had something at West Texas A&M but I'm not sure what it was. Intramural? Club? Or was it actually varsity? The mystery remains.
Not sure - 6
Has - 70 (I'm still counting Wheeling Jesuit, because wrestling is still listed as a varsity sport on their website)
Had - 69
Never - 162
Monday, April 25, 2022
Has, Had, Never - NCAA Division I Wrestling
While this is going to be very long, it's going to be simple and to the point. There are XXX sports programs in NCAA Division I today. Counted in this list will be teams that are currently transitioning into NCAA Division I as well as teams that are pending transition.
It's very simple
Abilene Christian (Texas) = NEVER
Akron (Ohio) = HAD
Alabama = HAD
Alabama A&M = NEVER
Alabama Birmingham = NEVER
Alabama State = NEVER
Albany State = HAD
Alcorn State = NEVER
American (Washington D.C.) = HAS
Appalachian State (North Carolina) = HAS
Arizona = HAD
Arizona State = HAS
Arkansas = NEVER
Little Rock (Arkansas) = HAS
Arkansas Pine Bluff = NEVER
Arkansas State = HAD
Auburn (Alabama) = HAD
Austin Peay State (Tennessee) = NEVER
Ball State (Indiana) = HAD
Baylor (Texas) = NEVER
Belmont (Tennessee) = NEVER
Bethune Cookman (Florida) = NEVER
Binghamton (New York) = HAS
Boise State (Idaho) = HAD
Boston College = HAD
Boston U = HAD
Bowling Green (Ohio) = HAD
Bradley (Illinois) = HAD
Brigham Young (Utah) = HAD
Brown (Rhode Island) = HAS
Bryant (Connecticut) = NEVER
Bucknell (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Buffalo (New York) = HAS
Butler (Indiana) = NEVER
California = HAD
UC Davis = HAD
UC Irvine = HAD
UCLA = HAD
Cal Poly = HAS
Cal Poly Pomona = HAD
UC Riverside = HAD
UC Santa Barbara = HAD
CSU-Bakersfield = HAS
Fresno State = HAD
CSU-Fullerton = HAD
Long Beach State = HAD
CSU-Northridge = HAD
CSU- Sacramento = HAD
Campbell (North Carolina) = HAS
Canisius (New York) = HAD
Central Arkansas = NEVER
Central Connecticut State = HAD
Central Florida = HAD
Central Michigan = HAS
Charleston (South Carolina) = NEVER
Charleston Southern (South Carolina) = NEVER
Chicago State = HAD
Cincinnati = HAD
The Citadel (South Carolina) = HAS
Clemson (South Carolina) = HAD
Cleveland State = HAS
Costal Carolina = HAD
Colgate = HAD
Colorado = HAD
Colorado State = HAD
Columbia (New York) = HAS
Connecticut = HAD
Coppin State (Maryland) = HAD
Cornell (New York) = HAS
Creighton (Nebraska) = NEVER
Dartmouth (New Hampshire) = HAD
Davidson (North Carolina) = HAS
Dayton (Ohio) = HAD
Delaware = HAD
Delaware State = HAD
Denver = HAD
DePaul (Chicago) = HAD
Detroit Mercy = NEVER
Drake (Iowa) = HAD
Drexel (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Duke (North Carolina) = HAS
Duquesne (Pennsylvania) = HAD
East Carolina = HAD
East Tennessee State =HAD
Eastern Illinois = HAD
Eastern Kentucky = HAD
Eastern Michigan = HAD
Eastern Washington = HAD
Elon (North Carolina) = HAD
Evansville (Indiana) = HAD
Fairfield (Connecticut) = NEVER
Farleigh Dickinson (New Jersey) = HAD
Florida = HAD
Florida A&M = HAD
Florida Atlantic = HAD
Florida Gulf Coast = HAD
Florida International = HAD
Florida State = NOT SURE (Long story to this one)
Fordham (New York) = HAD
Furman (South Carolina) = HAD
Gardner Webb (North Carolina) = HAS
George Mason (Virginia) = HAS
George Washington (Washington D.C.) = HAD
Georgetown (Washington D.C.) = HAD
Georgia = HAD
Georgia Tech = HAD
Georgia Southern = HAD
Georgia State = HAD
Gonzaga (Washington) = HAD
Grambling State (Louisiana) = NEVER
Grand Canyon State (Arizona) = HAD
Hampton (Virginia) = HAD
Hartford (Connecticut) = HAD
Harvard (Massachusetts) = HAS
Hawaii = HAD
High Point (North Carolina) = NEVER
Hofstra (New York) = HAS
Holy Cross (Massachusetts) = HAD
Houston (Texas) = NEVER
Houston Baptist (Texas) = NEVER
Howard (Washington D.C.) = HAD
Idaho = HAD
Idaho State = HAD
Illinois-Chicago = HAD
Illinois State = HAD
Illinois = HAS
Incarnate Word (Texas) = NEVER
Indiana = HAS
Indiana State = HAD
Indiana Purdue = NEVER
Iona (New York) = NEVER
Iowa = HAS
Iowa State = HAS
Jackson State (Mississippi) = NEVER
Jacksonville (Florida) = NEVER
Jacksonville State (Alabama) = HAD
James Madison (Virginia) = HAD
Kansas = HAD
Kansas State = HAD
Kennesaw State = HAD
Kent State = HAS
Kentucky = HAD
La Salle (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Lafayette (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Lamar (Texas) = NEVER
Lehigh (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Liberty (Virginia) = HAD
Lipscomb (Tennessee) = NEVER
Long Island (New York) = HAS
Longwood (Virginia) = HAD
Louisiana = HAD
Louisiana Monroe = HAD
Louisiana State = HAD
Louisiana Tech = NEVER
Louisville (Kentucky) = NEVER
Loyola Chicago = NEVER
Loyola Maryland = HAD
Loyola Marymount (California) = NEVER
Maine = HAD
Manhattan (New York) = NEVER
Marist (New York) = HAD
Marquette (Wisconsin) = HAD
Marshall (West Virginia) = HAD
Maryland Baltimore County = HAD
Maryland = HAS
Maryland Eastern Shore = HAD
Massachusetts = HAD
Massachusetts Lowell = HAD
McNeese State (Louisiana) = NEVER
Memphis (Tennessee) = HAD
Mercer = HAD
Miami (Florida) = HAD
Miami (Ohio) = HAD
Michigan = HAS
Michigan State = HAS
Middle Tennessee State = HAD
Minnesota = HAS
Mississippi = NEVER
Mississippi State = NEVER
Mississippi Valley State = NEVER
Missouri = HAS
Missouri Kansas City = NEVER
Missouri State = HAD
Monmouth (New Jersey) = HAD
Montana = HAD
Montana State = HAD
Morehead State (Kentucky) = HAD
Morgan State (Maryland) = HAS
Mount St Mary's (Maryland) = NEVER
Murray State (Kentucky) = NEVER
Nebraska = HAS
Nebraska-Omaha = HAD
UNLV = HAD
Nevada-Reno = HAD
New Hampshire = HAD
New Jersey Tech = HAD
New Mexico = HAD
New Mexico State = HAD
New Orleans (Louisiana) = NEVER
Niagara (New York) = NEVER
Nicholls State (Louisiana) = NEVER
Norfolk State (Virginia) = HAD
North Carolina A&T = HAD
North Carolina Ashville = NEVER
North Carolina Central = HAD
North Carolina = HAS
North Carolina Charlotte = HAD
North Carolina Greensboro = HAD
North Carolina State = HAS
North Carolina Wilmington = HAD
North Dakota = HAD
North Dakota State = HAS
North Florida = HAD
North Texas = NEVER
Northeastern (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Northern Arizona = HAD
Northern Colorado = HAS
Northern Illinois = HAS
Northern Iowa = HAS
Northern Kentucky = HAD
Northwestern (Illinois) = HAS
Northwestern State (Louisiana) = HAD
Notre Dame (Indiana) = HAD
Oakland (Michigan) = HAD
Ohio = HAS
Ohio State = HAS
Oklahoma = HAS
Oklahoma State = HAS
Old Dominion = HAD
Oral Roberts = NEVER
Oregon = HAD
Oregon State = HAS
U of Pacific (California) = HAD
Pennsylvania = HAS
Penn State = HAS
Pepperdine (California) = NEVER
Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) = HAS
Portland (Oregon) = NEVER
Portland State (Oregon) = HAD
Prairie View A&M (Texas) = NEVER
Presbyterian (South Carolina) = HAS
Princeton (New Jersey) = HAS
Providence (Rhode Island) = NEVER
Purdue (Indiana) = HAS
Purdue Fort Wayne (Indiana) = NEVER
Quinnipiac (Connecticut) = NEVER
Radford (Virginia) = NEVER
Rhode Island U = HAD
Rice (Texas) = NEVER
Richmond (Virginia) = HAD
Rider (New Jersey) = HAS
Robert Morris (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Rutgers (New Jersey) = HAS
Sacred Heart (Connecticut) = HAS
Saint Bonaventure (New York) = NEVER
St Francis (New York) = NEVER
St Francis (Pennsylvania) = HAD
St John's (New York) = NEVER
St Joseph's (Pennsylvania) = NEVER
Saint Louis (Missouri) = HAD
St Mary's (California) = HAD
Saint Peter's (New Jersey) = NEVER
Sam Houston (Texas) = NEVER
Samford (Texas) = NEVER
San Diego (California) = NEVER
San Diego State (California) = HAD
San Francisco (California) = NEVER
San Jose State (California) = HAD
Santa Clara (California) = HAD
Seattle (Washington) = NEVER
Seton Hall (New Jersey) = HAD
Siena (New York) = NEVER
South Alabama = NEVER
South Carolina = NEVER
South Carolina State = HAD
South Carolina Upstate = NEVER
South Dakota = HAD
South Dakota State = HAS
South Florida = HAD
Southeast Missouri State = HAD
Southeastern Louisiana State = NEVER
Southern (Louisiana) = NEVER
USC = HAD
SIU-Carbondale = HAD
SIU-Edwardsville = HAS
SMU (Texas) = NEVER
Southern Mississippi = NEVER
Southern Utah = HAD
Stanford = HAS
Stephen F. Austin = NEVER
Stetson (Florida) = HAD
Stony Brook (New York) = HAD
Syracuse (New York) = HAD
Temple (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Tennessee = HAD
Chattanooga = HAS
Tennessee Martin = HAD
Tennessee State = HAD
Tennessee Tech = HAD
Texas A&M = HAD
Texas A&M Corpus Christi = NEVER
Texas Arlington = NEVER
TCU (Texas) = Not Sure (Long Story)
UTEP (Texas) = HAD
Texas = HAD
Texas Rio Grande Valley = NEVER
Texas San Antonio = NEVER
Texas Southern = NEVER
Texas State = NEVER
Texas Tech = NEVER
Toledo (Ohio) = HAD
Towson (Maryland) = HAD
Troy (Alabama) = HAD
Tulane (Louisiana) = HAD
Tulsa (Oklahoma) = NEVER
Air Force (Colorado) = HAS
Army (New York) = HAS
Navy (Maryland) = HAS
Utah = HAD
Utah State = HAD
Utah Valley = HAS
Valparaiso (Indiana) = HAD
Vanderbilt (Tennessee) = HAD
Vermont = HAD
Villanova (Pennsylvania) = HAD
Virginia = HAS
Virginia Commonwealth = HAD
VMI (Virginia) = HAS
Virginia Tech = HAS
Wagner (New York) = HAD
Wake Forest (North Carolina) = HAD
Washington = HAD
Washington State = HAD
Weber State (Utah) = HAD
West Virginia = HAS
Western Carolina = HAD
Western Illinois = HAD
Western Kentucky = NEVER
Western Michigan = HAD
Wichita State (Kansas) = HAD
William & Mary = HAD
Winthrop (South Carolina) = HAD
Wisconsin Green Bay = NEVER
Wisconsin = HAS
Wisconsin Milwaukee = HAD
Wofford (South Carolina) = NEVER
Wright State (Ohio) = HAD
Wyoming = HAS
Xavier (Ohio) = HAD
Yale (Connecticut) = HAD
Youngstown State (Ohio) = HAD
California Baptist = HAS
North Alabama = NEVER
Merrimack (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Bellarmine (Kentucky) = HAS
UC-San Diego (California) = NEVER
Dixie State (Utah) = HAD
Tarleton State (Texas) = NEVER
St Thomas (Minnesota) = HAD
Lindenwood (Missouri) = HAS
Southern Indiana = NEVER
Stonehill (Massachusetts) = NEVER
Texas A&M Commerce = NEVER
So the two unsures....
Florida State had something in the mid 1960's. To this day I've heard a lot of rumor and speculation but I've never had anything officially verified or nullified. All I know is that from 1962-1963 through 1965-1966, you can find wrestlers representing Florida State at various tournaments throughout the southeastern United States. Yet, I've never ran across any duals for them, nor have I ever seen them listed in any official qualifying tournaments for the NCAA's. It may have been a varsity program, but I am thinking it was a club or maybe a team that was looking at transitioning into a varsity position.
Sorta the same story with Texas Christian. In the 70's you can find dual results Vs Texas Christian & you can occasionally find them scattered throughout tournaments in the south. However, like Florida State, you won't find them listed participating in any qualifiers for the NCAA tournament. From what I understand there was a time from the late 60's into the 70's when there was a strong movement to get wrestling into universities/colleges in Texas. UTEP bit & had a team for a few years as SMU had intramural wrestling with a commitment to start if other programs would. I think TCU was in a similar position.
So we have the 2 unsure, then we have...
75 (80) NCAA Division I programs (This includes some in transition & in pending transition)
193 NCAA Division I Programs That At One Time Had Wrestling But Don't Today
98 NCAA Division I Programs That Never Had Varsity Wrestling in Athletics History
****NOTE**** - Now I have to put this to avoid confusion and misconstruction. Understand that in the 190 programs that at one time had wrestling, not all of them were NCAA Division I at the time they had wrestling. Some were DII. Some were DIII. Some were NAIA. Some were ever NJCAA.
Also keep in mind that not all of the Division I programs around today were always DI either. Some of them have (or are currently) transitioning from a lower division.
So no, there was never a time when NCAA Division I wrestling had 265 teams all operating at the same time. It's simply that if no team had ever discontinued, then we would be at 265 teams today. From my studies, a little less than 160 DI programs is the most we've ever had all operating at the same time.
***Second NOTE***
There are Non-DI schools with DI wrestling. Makes it nice and confusing, and difficult to track. I meant to add these teams in, but I didn't.
Here they are....
Lock Haven
Clarion
Edinboro
Franklin & Marshall
Bloomsburg
So the # for DI teams is actually 80....but these four programs are not considered to be DI athletics, even though they have DI wrestling.
Sunday, April 24, 2022
Down Goes The #1! Part 3
There were so many times during the 1960's when the #1 seed got knocked out before the NCAA finals, that I had to separate the decade into two separate categories. Today we'll be taking a look at 1960 through 1965.
 |
| 1960 157 - U.S. Ron Pifer Penn State Upsets Sid Terry Oklahoma 8-5 in Round 2 |
Coming fresh off two Pennsylvania state titles won in 1957 & 1958, Penn State's Ron Pifer made the most of his first NCAA tournament performance when he knocked off returning NCAA runner-up & #1 seed Sid Terry 8-5 in round two. Pifer would go on to place 4th, while Terry did not place. Pifer would then earn All American honors twice more for the Nittany Lions, taking runner-up honors in 1961 & 3rd place in 1962. He went on to coach at Army. Terry ironically enough became a Flight Instructor for the Air Force.
 |
| 1960 191 - U.S. Jack Stanbro Ithaca Upsets #1 Gordon Trapp Iowa 6-2 in Semi-finals |
An unseeded wrestler from itty bitty Ithaca College who had been a Section IV champion in New York in the days before the Empire State had an official high school championship came out of nowhere to upend Iowa's #1 seed Gordon Trapp 6-2 in the semi-finals. Jack Stanbro would end up finishing as that year's silver medalist, as Trapp came back to take 4th. Trapp had placed 3rd in 1959. Stanbro would later coach before turning his attention to wrestling photography.
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| 1961 137 - #5 Ron Finley Oregon State upsets #1 Bill Carter 5-4 in Semi-Finals |
It was a wild semi-final match between two juniors that saw Oregon State's Ron Finley pull off a 5-4 upset over #1 Bill Carter of Oklahoma. Finley would finish as the NCAA runner-up as Carter had to settle for 3rd. In 1962, Finley would come short of a second NCAA medal as Carter won the title that he had been denied in 61'. Despite not placing at the NCAA's as a senior, Finley days of glory were ahead of him. He won PAN-AMERICAN Gold in 1963 as he made the Olympic team in 1964. He then turned his attention to coaching where he took over rival Oregon, as he lead the Ducks to three conference team titles.
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| 1961 167 - #5 Don Conway Oregon State Upsets #1 Thad Turner Lehigh 8-8, 2-1 in the Semis |
Finley wasn't the only Beaver to pull off a huge upset at the 1961 NCAA's. Teammate Don Conway also knocked off the #1 seed in his bracket, ironically enough also in the semi-finals & also as the #5 seed! It was the first time Conway had earned All American honors & he figured he might as well go out on top as he went on to win the NCAA title. His opponent, Thad Turner of Lehigh who had been the NCAA runner-up in 1960, fell one match short of placing. So difficult to accept the fact that there was a time when even making the NCAA Semi-finals didn't guarantee you All American status. Nevertheless both Conway and Turner turned their attention to coaching post their collegiate careers. Conway coached at UCLA as Turner went on to eventually take the reigns at Lehigh. He led the Mountain Hawks to 8 EIWA conference titles as well as a high 3rd place team finish at the NCAA's in 1979.
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| 1961 177 - U.S. Art Siml Illinois Upsets #1 Jim Detrixhe Lehigh 6-4 in Round One |
Art Siml's claim to fame while at the University of Illinois is when he knocked off #1 seed Jim Detrixhe of Lehigh 6-4 in round one of the 1961 NCAA's. He would finish one match shy of All American honors. Detrixhe who was a junior at the time, came back to place 4th as a senior in 1962. He would later lose his life during the Vietnam War in 1966. He was one of a select few who owned a victory over Wayne Baughman during college.
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| 1962 130 - #4 Al DeLeon Mankato State Upsets #1 Tom Huff Iowa 4-1 in Semi-Finals |
In Dan Gable's entire wrestling career he was only beaten a handful of times & he was only pinned once. It's hard to believe that the man who pinned him, Iowa's Tom Huff who ironically also won three Iowa high school state titles for Waterloo West, never won a national title. He was slated to his junior season of 1962, but it was Minnesota State Mankato's Al DeLeon, a three time state champion out of Blue Earth, who would upset Huff 4-1 in the semi finals. DeLeon, who had placed 4th in 1961, would take 2nd as Huff worked his way back to 3rd. Huff would finish as the NCAA runner-up the following season of 1963. DeLeon would turn to coaching, taking over the historic Britt program in Iowa.
1962 - U.S. Tom Mulder Michigan State Upsets #1 Ron Finley Oregon State 5-4 in R1
"T-Bird" as he was known to coaches, friends and teammates stopped Ron Finley dead in his tracks for a bid at the NCAA title after finishing 2nd in 1961, when he upset him in the first round 5-4.
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| 1962 191 - U.S. Joe James Oklahoma State Upsets #1 Nick Kohls Colorado State 3-2 in QF |
Joe James only lost three times his entire collegiate career and one of those times was in the finals of the 1962 NCAA championships, after he had upset his way into the finals, including a 3-2 victory over the #1 seed Nick Kohls of Colorado State. James who was only a sophomore at the time, went on to take 3rd place in 1963, before capping off his collegiate career with a NCAA title in 1964. In between his junior and senior seasons, he became the first black from the United States to win a PAN-AMERICAN Gold medal.
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| 1963 115 - U.S. Gil Sanchez Colorado State Upsets #1 Lowell Stuart Fall 5:49 in Semi Finals |
A three time Skyline Conference Champion, Sanchez had yet to make All American Status during his career. Having already established himself with a top 6 finish, he secured himself a spot in the finals when he pinned #1 seed Lowell Stewart of Iowa State in the semi-finals. Sanchez would place 2nd, as Stewart, another Waterloo West product took 4th.
1963 123 - #4 Mike Johnson Pittsburgh Upsets #1 Mark McCracken Oklahoma State 7-3 in SF
Big things were expected out of Mike Johnson a four time state champion with an 84-0 high school record that included never being taken down. Although his collegiate career didn't quite turn out the way he was hoping, his shining moment came in 1963 during his junior season when he upset #1 Mark McCracken 7-3 in the semi-finals in route to a 2nd place finish. McCracken who had finished 2nd in 1962, came back to take 3rd.
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| 1963 167 - #4 Steve Combs Iowa upsets #1 Terry Isaacson Air Force 2-1 in Semi-Finals |
Ironically enough, even though neither wrestled for an Illinois school, both Combs of Moline High School & Isaacson of Oak Park were Illinois natives. Not much scoring took place between the two, as the Hawkeye edged the Falcon by 1 point. Isaacson who had placed 2nd in 1962 as a sophomore, would take 4th, finishing up his career with a 6th place finish in 1964. An all state quarterback in high school, Isaacson had come to the Air Force to play football, but decided to wrestle as well. Combs, a senior at the time, would make the Olympic team in 1968. He then took over the USWF, growing membership from 9,000 to 90,000.
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| 1963 UNL - #4 Larry Kristoff SIU-Carbondale Upsets #1 Joe James Oklahoma State 1-1 SF |
1964 130 - U.S. Jim Hanson Colorado Upsets #1 Mike Johnson Pittsburgh R1
We talked about Mike Johnson earlier as he pulled off a huge upset in the semi-finals of the 1963 NCAA championships. Unfortunately for him, he'd be the victim of a huge upset himself in 1964 when Colorado's Unseeded Jim Hanson took him out 8-4 in round one. Hanson would place 2nd that season. After not placing in 1965 as a junior, Hanson came back to take 4th in 1966 as a senior. He was later piolet during Vietnam.
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| 1964 137 - U.S. Gary Wilcox Michigan Upsets #1 Bob Buzzard Iowa State 2-1 in Semi-finals |
Despite earning All American honors in 1963 with a 6th place finish, Gary Wilcox of Michigan was still unseeded when he pulled off a 2-1 upset over Iowa State's #1 Bob Buzzard in the 1964 NCAA Semi-finals. Buzzard a product of East Waterloo came back to take 4th as Wilcox finished 2nd. Buzzard would earn All American honors again in 1965 with a 3rd place finish, earning a spot on the Olympic Team in 1972.
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| 1964 157 - U.S. Bill Lam Oklahoma Upsets #1 Jack Flasche Northern Colorado 4-3 in QF |
Jack Flasche, a three time conference champion, had won a NCAA title in 1962 as a sophomore. With a standout season, he was predicted to win another title in 1964 as a senior, but he would lose a heartbreaker to unseeded Bill Lam of Oklahoma 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Lam would then lose in the semi-finals, but work his way back to a 3rd place finish. In 1965, Lam made the NCAA finals, taking runner-up honors. Unfortunately he suffered broken ribs in 1966 & was unable to participate in the national tournament. Lam would go on to a successful coaching career at the University of North Carolina & today runs Wrestling With Life. We sadly lost Flasche in a auto accident in 2010.
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| 1964 167 - U.S. Don Millard SIU-Carbondale Upsets Tom Peckham Iowa State F-7:05 in QF |
Don Millard marks yet another small school wrestler that was more than happy to show the big school wrestlers that he could hang. A two time Illinois state champion out of Pekin High School, Millard made the most out of his final season as a Saluki. He won the NCAA DII title (College Division back in those days) & then pulled off a huge upset when he stuck #1 seed Tom Peckham of Iowa State. Millard would win the NCAA DI title as Peckham took 5th. Peckham a three time state champion out of legendary Crestwood High School, would not see defeat at the NCAA tournament again, as he won back to back titles in 1965 and 1966. He made the 1968 Olympic team, finishing one match shy of a medal.
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| 1964 UNL - U.S. Bob Billberg MSU-Moorhead Upsets #1 Jim Nance Syracuse 2-1 in QF |
There's one thing that Syracuse football & Wrestling superstar Jim Nance didn't do much during his illustrious career and that was lose. The two time NCAA champion who won titles as a sophomore in 1963 & as a senior in 1965, stepped on the mat and he almost always got his hand raised at the end of the match. One of the only times he didn't was against Bob Billberg, from the NAIA program Minnesota State Moorhead. Billberg who had won the NAIA title, upset Nance 2-1, in route to taking NCAA DI runner-up honors. In 1965 as a junior, Billberg finished 3rd in the NAIA & that was not a good enough finish to be invited to the NCAA DI's. He'd come back strong as a senior in 1966 though, winning a second NAIA title & again finishing second in NCAA DI.
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| 1965 115 - #4 Glenn McMinn Arizona State Upsets #1 Rich Warnke Lehigh 7-7, 3-1 S.V. in SF |
Now here is an interesting story. Rich Warnke didn't win the EIWA's. Matter of fact, he didn't even place at them. He went 0-1 at the tournament. Even more interesting, up to the EIWA tournament, he had be a reserve for most of the season. Yet, he still went to the NCAA's as the #1 seed. How in the world did that work? Well, back in these days the NCAA had a 115 lbs weight class, where as the EIWA's lowest weight class was 123. Both Warnke & teammate Mike Caruso wanted to drop down to 115 for the NCAA's. Caruso from 123 & Warnke from 130. Warnke won the wrestle-off against Caruso. This alone gave the seeding committee reason to seed Warnke #1. He darn near lived up to expectation as he had one heck of a match with Arizona State sophomore Glenn McMinn in the semi-finals. McMinn would finish as the NCAA runner-up as Warnke took 3rd. Now we've seen some miraculous things happen in collegiate wrestling before, but I doubt we'll ever see this again. Can you imagine entering the NCAA tournament with a 4-1 record & you're given the #1 seed just because you were able to beat your teammate? That's insane. Granted Mike Caruso was a three time NCAA champion in his own right, but that's still asinine. As to McMinn he would not place in 1966 as a junior, but he would come back for a strong 3rd place finish in 1967 as a senior. He ended his career at Arizona State with a record of 104-11.
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| 1965 137 - #5 Wayne Hicks Navy Upsets #1 Bob Buzzard Iowa State 8-4 in SF |
Buzzard would again be on the receiving end of an upset when he dropped an 8-4 decision to Wayne Hicks of Navy in the NCAA semi-finals. He came back strong to finish 3rd as Hicks took 2nd. Hicks a junior at the time, did not place at the 1966 NCAA's, although he did win his second EIWA title.
1965 147 - Bobby Douglas of Oklahoma State has to Medical Forfeit out of the Tournament
As far as I'm concerned, Bobby Douglas makes yet another case for the toughness of NAIA wrestling. He began his career at NAIA West Liberty, where he won an NAIA title & finished 2nd at the NCAA DI's as a sophomore in 1963. He then transferred to Oklahoma State, where in 1965 as a senior he was picked to win the NCAA title, but he suffered a concussion which ended his collegiate career. If you read a lot of JT#1 you know that I often go to bat for the NAIA & Douglas is often a go to for me in my testimony. Not many people can say they own an 11-1 freestyle tech fall over Dan Gable. Bobby Douglas, an NAIA wrestler can.
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Be sure to check out DOWN GOES THE #1! Part 4 which will cover times from 1966 through 1969 when #1 seeds went down before the NCAA finals!
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
4 Times When Basketball Was a Friend To Wrestling
Exactly how or when our animosity towards basketball began is rather a mystery. Common sense says that it primarily comes down to competing with the sport for athletes, space, time & media coverage. The two take place during the same season, and both for many isn't an option. It would seem that this hostile rivalry between the two sports is perpetual, but history proves otherwise.
As an amateur historian of our sport, I have been pleasantly surprised by the rather large number of some of our top wrestlers of the 1920's, 30's, 40's, 50's & early 60's, who also had success in basketball. It's not until the mid to late 1960's, when you really start to see the two sports go from friendly contemporaries to bitter adversaries.
I think you would be shocked to learn of some of the names that also had some background in basketball. Harold Nichols ring a bell? Believe it or not, he got his start in collegiate coaching not on the mat, but on the court. He worked as an assistant basketball coach at Arkansas State, before starting the Red Wolves wrestling program that he ran from 48'-49' through 52'-53'. We're all very familiar with his career once he headed north to Ames, Iowa to take over the Cyclone wrestling program.
Point is, many of us in the wrestling community see basketball as the enemy. Furthermore there are stories of when and how basketball truly has been an enemy. There have been programs that have gotten the shaft in favor of basketball. There have even been programs that have been cut because of basketball. Where I grew up, I can name a high school that refused $$ to start a wrestling program, because they thought it might put their basketball rich tradition at stake. So, I'm well aware of the realities that surround the stereotypes.
Yet, believe it or not, I am not one of these guys that hates basketball. Matter of fact, I've pretty much never hated basketball. When I was little I wore the T-shirt with the The only thing I adore on a basketball floor is wrestling mats from door to door & I played along within the rivalry but by the time I got to junior high, I simply saw wrestling as the sport that was for me and basketball as the sport that wasn't. I attended basketball games in high school to support the kids that supported me by attending my wrestling duals. To this day I attend two or three basketball games a season. Comparatively speaking to the 25+ wrestling duals/tournaments I attend.
I'm not here to sell you on basketball or suddenly make you into a pumpkin pushing lover. However, I want you to be aware that basketball isn't always our enemy. Matter of fact, there have been times when Basketball has been our friend.
Here are 4 examples of when Basketball was a friend to wrestling.
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| 4 - High School Basketball Star Starts Collegiate Wrestling Program at Marin |
During his youth, Jim McGowan was vastly interested in martial arts. He took an assortment of classes from judo to jiujitsu. Competing for Tamalpais High School (California) he was a standout on both the gridiron and the court, helping lead his school to league titles in both sports. Joining the Marines after high school, McGowan wouldn't discover wrestling until he enrolled at classes post his time in the Marines at San Francisco State University. It was there he saw wrestling and figured that it was a martial art that he had to add to his repertoire. Although sought after for the basketball team, McGowan found himself soon in love with the sport. By the time his collegiate career was over, he had earned conference honors. Soon after he got a job at the College of Marin. The only thing he didn't like about the school was that it didn't have a wrestling program. So in the winter of 1963, he started one. It would last until it was discontinued after the 1996-97' season.
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| 3 - Another High School Basketball Star Becomes a Fixture in Wrestling |
During his high school days, Russ Thurman was a star on the basketball court and on the track. He came to Linfield with the intention of competing for the Wildcats in both. Yet at the time, Linfield was starting a wrestling program. For one reason or another Thurman's track coach Hal Smith thought that time on the mat would be better for him than time on the court. Only one small problem stood in the way. Linfield couldn't find anyone to coach the team. Thurman who knew nothing about wrestling went to the library and got some books. He then went around to the local high schools that had programs & began to pick the brains of any and all of the coaches that would teach him the sport. Linfield would not allow Thurman to coach as an athlete, so Thurman found the first professor willing to learn and taught him enough so that he could be named coach. Post college, Thurman had grown to love wrestling so much that he took over the Crook County High school team. He led his team to 500 dual victories against only 76 losses. This included 17 district team titles, 2 State team titles & finishing in the top 10 at the state tournament on 18 occasions. Not bad for a guy that had originally gone to college to shoot hoops.
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| 2 - A Good Friend's Passion Leads to One Developing A Passion Himself |
Frank Furtado grew up with a deep passion for both football and basketball, where he was a standout on both teams during his high school days growing up in Ripon, California. Although he never lost his love for basketball & it was probably always his deepest passion, he began a passion for wrestling in one of the strangest ways. Post high school, he began going to a Dentist that he had a deep respect and admiration for. This Dentist had been a wrestler & he had started a wrestling club that he encouraged Furtado to check out. At the time Furtado was coaching basketball at George Fox, but as he learned more and more about wrestling, he made it a mission to start a program at George Fox too.
It wasn't too long after that Furtado found himself at Seattle-Pacific where he took it upon himself to take over the wrestling program. The time for Falcon wrestling was short and sweet, only last 10 seasons, but Furtado made the most of his time. He had at least one NCAA qualifier to the DII championships every season, taking his team to a 9th place finish in 1971 & a 7th place finish in 1972. When Seattle-Pacific decided to discontinue wrestling, Furtado turned his attention back to basketball. He got a job working with the Seattle Supersonics for the next 35 years.
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| 1 - Legendary Basketball Coach Brings Varsity Collegiate Wrestling to Texas |
The history of collegiate wrestling in our southern states is a long, convoluted and complicated one. There have been many over the years who have done their best to grow wrestling in the south, but one who is often overlooked as well as underappreciated is the late George McCarty. Already a legend for various reasons, one of which was breaking the color barrier by recruiting Texas El Paso's first African American athlete, basketball star Charlie Brown, McCarty was extremely instrumental in starting up the wrestling program at UTEP.
Matter of fact, it was his idea. He was aware of the work that Swede Umbach had been doing getting wrestling programs in the SEC & despite the fact that he was the head basketball coach, he thought it would be great for the Miners to field a wrestling program. He worked diligently hiring Bruno Rolack as the head coach, as he worked with Rolack in developing a pipeline with Joliet Community College in Illinois for recruiting purposes. He worked hard to try and get other schools in Texas to consider adding wrestling, but most wouldn't. Southern Methodist made a commitment as did Texas Christian that if the other schools in the Lonestar state would field teams, they would too, but nothing came to fruition. (Which is a mostly true statement, although there were some club programs & LeTourneau had a varsity program, as well as a couple of NJCAA's).
Lasting from the 68'-69' through the 70'-71' season, the costs of keeping the wrestling team became too much as all of the competitions were away. McCarty could not convince any of the schools with wrestling to make the long, treacherous trip down to El Paso, Texas, nor could they afford the long trips themselves. As a result, the program came to an end.
Nevertheless it should be remembered as well as celebrated that a man whose business was more or less coaching basketball, took it upon himself to not only start a wrestling program at his college, but to also try and help the sport of wrestling grow in an area where it had practically no presence. So even if 99% of you still hates the sport of basketball after you've read this article, let that be the 1% of you that doesn't.