Hannibal-LaGrange College adds wrestling
DATE: 3/3/2007 2:00:00 PM
Hannibal, MO
Rhonda Hufty
HLC
The Hannibal-LaGrange Athletic Department will add men’s wrestling to its list of NAIA sports, beginning the fall of 2007.
“As an expansion of the Building for the Future capital campaign, we are happy to announce the trustees’ authorization to establish a men’s wrestling program,” reported Dr. Woodrow Burt, HLG President. Approval of this addition came during the full-board trustee meeting held on Friday, February 9.
The team will consist of 30-40 student athletes who will receive scholarships for participation. HLG’s Athletic Department staff has already begun the student recruiting process with plans to hire a new head coach by the end of May.
Dr. Tom Hufty, vice president for collegiate affairs and administrator for the athletic department, is optimistic about the implementation of the wrestling program. “The addition of this program is a perfect fit for our area. There are student athletes locally, as well as within a two-hour radius of Hannibal, that will greatly benefit from the HLG wrestling program,” continued Hufty. “These athletes will be able to perfect their skills, raise their level of competition, and get a quality education in a healthy, safe environment.”
HLG plans to begin construction of a field house on the north end of Blackwell Field this spring with a groundbreaking ceremony set for sometime in March. The new field house will serve as a wrestling practice facility along with providing added locker rooms and training space for outdoor sports.
HLG is a Division I NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) school and a member of the America Midwest Conference. Those interested in the HLG men’s wrestling program should contact Jason Nichols, assistant athletic director, at extension 300.
