division I wrestling

A few of my wrestling buddies and I were discussing this past weekend the possibility of division I wrestling in Kansas. More specifically Kansas State. I am sure this has been discussed before and may be more appropriate in the college category, but more people view the kids. Anyway I had couple questions/comments.

One of my buddies had mentioned that there is fund with a good amount of money already in it at Kansas State. Any truth to this? He said Title 9 is what holds Kansas state back.

I believe a division I wrestling program would be a great step for Kansas wrestling. I think there is enough talent in Kansas as well.

I think this would increase interest in Kansas Kids wrestling. With a division I program in Kansas this may give the youth of Kansas wrestling something to dream about when they get older. I coach football and hear all the time how kids want to grow up and play football at Kansas State or play basketball at KU. Obviously very few of those dreams come true, but it helped motivate those kids to excel in their sport of choice.

forgot to add...I wouldn't mind if KSU dropped men's basketball to add wrestling. LOL And yes I am a KSU fan.

Any of our D1 schools in Kansas would have a hard time adding Wrestling unless they dropped another male sport or came up with another womans sport so the scholarships would equal out. Title 9 made sure of that. So the best bet would be to add Mens and Womens wrestling at the same time. I keep hearing that the most unclamed D1 scholarship right now is for womens wrestling (I don't know if that is true or not). I would love to see KSU or even (I can't believe I'm saying it) KU get a program and you can bet I'd be a season ticket holder.

Any of our D1 schools in Kansas would have a hard time adding Wrestling unless they dropped another male sport or came up with another womans sport so the scholarships would equal out. Title 9 made sure of that. So the best bet would be to add Mens and Womens wrestling at the same time. I keep hearing that the most unclamed D1 scholarship right now is for womens wrestling (I don't know if that is true or not). I would love to see KSU or even (I can't believe I'm saying it) KU get a program and you can bet I'd be a season ticket holder.

I believe Washburn has a pretty new program and it is doing great from what I have read. I am with you on the thought process that we are missing a great opportunity. OU and OSU use feeder community colleges in Ks and OK to get some great talent. Why not keep Kansas wrestlers in Kansas. The problem is the title 9 and that if it doesn't have a ball involved that it doesn't make enough money. Someone needs to look at the numbers for Iowa, OSU, Min. ect. Big programs big draw!

Jamie Davis
Andover, Kansas

My son would like to wrestle in college so any new programs would be welcome D1 or not.

Washburn has no wrestlng program. The program in NE Kansas is at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas.

Does anyone know what the Baker camp is like or is this the first year?

Adding men's and women's wrestling at the same time might be the answer to establishing D1 wrestling in Kansas. The hold back on that is how to grab interest in women's wrestling. Add women's wrestling to the high schools. I often joked with my son that as soon as he graduated and had some free time on my hands, I was going to pursue adding high school girls wrestling. What a wonderful sport it has been for our young men, why not let young women enjoy the same experience. The only venue now for HS girls is to join the boy's team or kid's clubs and have to wrestle boys. Those that stick it out then are experienced enough to wrestle in college. If the state of Kansas wants to make an impact on college wrestling, add girl's wrestling to our HS programs and give our D1 colleges the opportunity to add both programs and have the home grown athletes to support it. Girls HS wrestling could be a fall or spring sport as to not conflict with boys.

... I am not sure how anxious K-State or any D1 school would be, to be the first D1 Womens wrestling team!

The youth wrestling families who are interested in this issue should look at the two topics on the high school and college forum today about the impending announcement by the University of Nebraska - Omaha that they are intending to drop both their football and wrestling programs. The wrestling program is one of the most successful NCAA D-II in the nation. It learned of this decision yesterday right after it had just won its 3rd National D-II team title in a row and the 8th in its history.

This is devasting news for college wrestling and it shows why it is so difficult to get a new D-I program anywhere including in our State of Kansas.

It is so important for the entire wrestling community to be aware of these issues and we need to support college wrestling financially. It is not too early for any new wrestling families who follow this youth forum to start getting involved. Study the issues and start to support the college wrestling programs in your state as soon as you can. We do not have D-1 wrestling in Kansas but we do have several schools like Fort Hays State, Labette Community College, Newman University, Baker University, Neosho Community College, Pratt Community College, Colby Community College, NW Kansas Tech and now Bethany College is starting a new program. I encourage the youth families to support these programs in your area thru attending their events and sending any annual contributions that you can afford to these schools. This will help support college wrestling in our State of Kansas. We need these smaller college wrestling programs in Kansas for college wrestling opportunities for our young Kansas wrestlers to prosper and grow. It is very very difficult to start a new D-1 wrestling program today so we have to support the programs we have. It is more likely that we will get more NAIA Kansas wrestling programs before we get any D-1 wrestling programs. And it is a very good thing for the entire wrestling community when a NAIA, D-II or D-III program is added. Not everyone can be a D-1 wrestler and it is good for those who cannot that these other opportunities are available. There is often a better balance between wrestling and academics at these NAIA, D-II and D-III schools too for the student athletes.

We have lost a lot of programs in the nation and in Kansas too over the years. KU and KSU once had college wrestling programs!

However you want to get involved in supporting college wrestling would be good. Your support is needed.

. There are already div. 1 womens wrestling programs. San jose st. And stanford both have it, while univ. Of hawii and lock haven have div 1 club programs. 33 total colleges supposedly have womens wrestling and growing.

I wanted to bump this topic and post from back in March of this year that was shortly after UNO-Omaha shocked the national wrestling community by dropping their multiple national championship wrestling program now that we do have the Kansas College Wrestling Fund established within the USAW-Kansas organization. I think this is a great opportunity for the families of Kansas youth wrestlers to start to support the Kansas colleges and universities that will offer the opportunities for our young wrestlers to further their wrestling and academic careers in Kansas. Please support this fund with your contributions of money, time and talent. It is very important for the future of college wrestling in Kansas for all of us to support the colleges and universities in Kansas that have college wrestling programs.

Wouldn't you just love to see Frank Martin scowling on the sidelines of a mat, pacing back and forth, throwing water bottles if you didn't execute your move!

Generally, I do not care to see basketball coaches, players, or basketballs anywhere near our beloved wrestling mats. Now the cheerleaders are another matter entirely.

Cheerleaders can stay with the basketball team.