Post by johnnythompsonnum1 on Jul 3, 2014 11:01:15 GMT -5
It's well known common knowledge that the area college wrestling is hurting the most is in the south. When we take the time to look at far too many collegiate wrestling programs that have been dropped over the years, many of them come from the southern states. To give you an idea of what I am talking about, here is a list of teams that have been dropped throughout the south.
Alabama (7)
Auburn (DI)
Birmingham Southern (DI)
Troy (DI)
Alabama (DI)
Jacksonville State (DII)
Huntingdon (DII)
Livingston (NJCAA)
Arkansas (1)
Arkansas State Jonesboro (DI)
Florida (16)
Florida A&M (DI)
Florida Atlantic (DI)
Florida International (DI)
Florida State University (DI)
Jacksonville (DI)
Florida (DI)
Stetson (DI)
Central Florida (DI)
Southern Florida (DI)
Florida Tech (DII)
Tampa (DII)
Pensacola (NJCAA)
Brevard (NJCAA)
Edison (NJCAA)
Miami Dade (NJCAA)
Santa Fe (NJCAA)
Georgia (8)
Georgia State (DI)
Georgia Tech (DI)
Georgia (DI)
Augusta (DII)
Emory (DIII)
Oglethorpe (DII)
Southern Tech (NAIA)
Macomb County Tech (NJCAA)
Hawaii (1)
Hawaii (DI)
Kansas (5)
Kansas State (DI)
Kansas (DI)
Emporia State (DII)
Dodge City (NJCAA)
Garden City (NJCAA)
Kentucky (6)
Eastern Kentucky (DI)
Moorehead State (DI)
Northern Kentucky (DI)
Kentucky (DI)
Centre (DII)
Georgetown College (NAIA)
Louisiana (4)
Louisiana State (DI)
Louisiana Lafayette (DI)
Northeast Louisiana (DI)
Southwest Louisiana State (DI)
Nevada (2)
UNLV (DI)
Reno (DI)
Tennessee (12)
East Tennessee State (DI)
Memphis State (DI)
Middle Tennessee State (DI)
Tennessee State (DI)
Tusculum (DI)
Memphis (DI)
Tennessee Martin (DI)
Vanderbilt (DI)
Knoxville (DIII)
Maryville (DIII)
University of the South (DIII)
Chattanooga C.C. (NJCAA)
Texas (13)
North Texas State (DI)
Richland College (DI)
Southwest Texas State (DI)
Southwestern (DI)
Texas A&M (D1)
TCU (DI)
Texas Tech (DI)
Arlington (DI)
El Paso (DI)
Letourneau (DIII)
Amarillo (NJCAA)
Eastfield (NJCAA)
Trinity (NJCAA)
Utah (4)
Brigham Young (DI)
Southern Utah (DI)
Utah State (DI)
Weber State (DI)
Now I'm not trying to undermine the devastation that other states have had endure when it comes to the numerous collegiate wrestling programs that have been dropped in them over the last 42 years. However, most of them are not hurting for collegiate wrestling opportunities, near as bad as the states I mentioned.
Which brings me to my next point. Wrestling's popularity at the high school level IS growing. Matter of fact it is growing tremendously and this creates a need for collegiate wrestling programs in certain states. Not to be pessimistic but as far as Hawaii and Mississippi are concerned, I think the best we can hope for is college wrestling to grow in 48 out of the 50 states. I just don't see Mississippi getting on board anytime soon and Hawaii just doesn't seem feasible.
So I have to question. Was one of the main reasons wrestling was dropped seemingly without much of a fight because at the time of elimination wrestling was NOT popular in the state? I mean I would like to see lineups of southern teams from back throughout the 70's, 80's and early 90's and see just how many of the athletes were from the home state. University of Kentucky, how many of the wrestlers on the team were from Kentucky? Louisiana State University, how many of the wrestlers on the team were from Louisiana? Did the level of high school interest and participation have anything to do with why wrestling was nearly wiped out in the south?
It makes me look at the current situation with the NAIA. The area where collegiate wrestling is actually growing.
Arkansas (2)
Central Baptist
William Baptist
Tennessee (2)
Carson-Newman
Cumberland
Kentucky (4)
Campbellsville
Cumberland
Lindsey Wilson
St. Catherine
Kansas (6)
Newman
Fort Hays
Baker
Benedict
Bethany
Ottawa
Georgia (2)
Life
Truett McConnell
Texas(1)
Wayland Baptist
These are mostly teams that have been added in the last 10 years. A need for a wrestling program was assessed and as a result these schools added wrestling programs. I imagine that the growth of popularity and participation at the youth, junior high and high school level had a lot to do with it.
Had wrestling been as popular at the youth, junior high and high school wrestling level that it is today, would college wrestling have taken the enormous blow that it over the last 42 years?
With the growth of wrestling in the NAIA, will we see wrestling programs pop up in New Mexico, Alabama, Florida and Nevada? Will we see more wrestling programs pop up in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Utah, Texas and Georgia?
Alabama (7)
Auburn (DI)
Birmingham Southern (DI)
Troy (DI)
Alabama (DI)
Jacksonville State (DII)
Huntingdon (DII)
Livingston (NJCAA)
Arkansas (1)
Arkansas State Jonesboro (DI)
Florida (16)
Florida A&M (DI)
Florida Atlantic (DI)
Florida International (DI)
Florida State University (DI)
Jacksonville (DI)
Florida (DI)
Stetson (DI)
Central Florida (DI)
Southern Florida (DI)
Florida Tech (DII)
Tampa (DII)
Pensacola (NJCAA)
Brevard (NJCAA)
Edison (NJCAA)
Miami Dade (NJCAA)
Santa Fe (NJCAA)
Georgia (8)
Georgia State (DI)
Georgia Tech (DI)
Georgia (DI)
Augusta (DII)
Emory (DIII)
Oglethorpe (DII)
Southern Tech (NAIA)
Macomb County Tech (NJCAA)
Hawaii (1)
Hawaii (DI)
Kansas (5)
Kansas State (DI)
Kansas (DI)
Emporia State (DII)
Dodge City (NJCAA)
Garden City (NJCAA)
Kentucky (6)
Eastern Kentucky (DI)
Moorehead State (DI)
Northern Kentucky (DI)
Kentucky (DI)
Centre (DII)
Georgetown College (NAIA)
Louisiana (4)
Louisiana State (DI)
Louisiana Lafayette (DI)
Northeast Louisiana (DI)
Southwest Louisiana State (DI)
Nevada (2)
UNLV (DI)
Reno (DI)
Tennessee (12)
East Tennessee State (DI)
Memphis State (DI)
Middle Tennessee State (DI)
Tennessee State (DI)
Tusculum (DI)
Memphis (DI)
Tennessee Martin (DI)
Vanderbilt (DI)
Knoxville (DIII)
Maryville (DIII)
University of the South (DIII)
Chattanooga C.C. (NJCAA)
Texas (13)
North Texas State (DI)
Richland College (DI)
Southwest Texas State (DI)
Southwestern (DI)
Texas A&M (D1)
TCU (DI)
Texas Tech (DI)
Arlington (DI)
El Paso (DI)
Letourneau (DIII)
Amarillo (NJCAA)
Eastfield (NJCAA)
Trinity (NJCAA)
Utah (4)
Brigham Young (DI)
Southern Utah (DI)
Utah State (DI)
Weber State (DI)
Now I'm not trying to undermine the devastation that other states have had endure when it comes to the numerous collegiate wrestling programs that have been dropped in them over the last 42 years. However, most of them are not hurting for collegiate wrestling opportunities, near as bad as the states I mentioned.
Which brings me to my next point. Wrestling's popularity at the high school level IS growing. Matter of fact it is growing tremendously and this creates a need for collegiate wrestling programs in certain states. Not to be pessimistic but as far as Hawaii and Mississippi are concerned, I think the best we can hope for is college wrestling to grow in 48 out of the 50 states. I just don't see Mississippi getting on board anytime soon and Hawaii just doesn't seem feasible.
So I have to question. Was one of the main reasons wrestling was dropped seemingly without much of a fight because at the time of elimination wrestling was NOT popular in the state? I mean I would like to see lineups of southern teams from back throughout the 70's, 80's and early 90's and see just how many of the athletes were from the home state. University of Kentucky, how many of the wrestlers on the team were from Kentucky? Louisiana State University, how many of the wrestlers on the team were from Louisiana? Did the level of high school interest and participation have anything to do with why wrestling was nearly wiped out in the south?
It makes me look at the current situation with the NAIA. The area where collegiate wrestling is actually growing.
Arkansas (2)
Central Baptist
William Baptist
Tennessee (2)
Carson-Newman
Cumberland
Kentucky (4)
Campbellsville
Cumberland
Lindsey Wilson
St. Catherine
Kansas (6)
Newman
Fort Hays
Baker
Benedict
Bethany
Ottawa
Georgia (2)
Life
Truett McConnell
Texas(1)
Wayland Baptist
These are mostly teams that have been added in the last 10 years. A need for a wrestling program was assessed and as a result these schools added wrestling programs. I imagine that the growth of popularity and participation at the youth, junior high and high school level had a lot to do with it.
Had wrestling been as popular at the youth, junior high and high school wrestling level that it is today, would college wrestling have taken the enormous blow that it over the last 42 years?
With the growth of wrestling in the NAIA, will we see wrestling programs pop up in New Mexico, Alabama, Florida and Nevada? Will we see more wrestling programs pop up in Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Utah, Texas and Georgia?