Takedown Report

Hiram College Athletics to add Men’s and Women’s Wrestling Programs

TDR Editor’s Notes ; WOW! At least four schools this week have announced they are adding a team or teams. Division III and NAIA schools seem to be able to add programs but the much wealthier Division I schools plead poverty and say they can not expand opportunities. Let us encourage the decision makers to broaden wrestling opportunities for students.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HIRAM, Ohio – January 10, 2020 – Hiram College Athletic Director Todd W. Hibbs announced on Friday the addition of men’s and women’s wrestling programs as the Terriers’ 17th and 18th varsity sports.
“Men’s and women’s wrestling are strategic additions as we continue to grow the Hiram College athletic department,” Hibbs said. “Similar to recent additions of men’s volleyball and women’s cheer and STUNT, we expect these programs to have an immediate impact on our campus.”
A search for a head men’s wrestling coach and director of wrestling operations will begin immediately, with men’s wrestling expected to begin competition in the 2020-21 season. A search for a head women’s wrestling coach will begin no later than the fall of 2020 with the program expected to begin competing in 2021-22.
The addition of men’s wrestling re-establishes a program that competed from 1954 to 1971 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and from 1972 to 1987 in the Presidents Athletic Conference (PAC). Over 33 years, 10 Terriers earned All-America honors, and 25 former wrestlers have since been inducted into the William H. Hollinger Hall of Fame.
During their 17-year history in the OAC, 29 Terriers earned conference championships, 40 were named All-OAC and the Terriers won six OAC Tournaments. And in their 16 years in the PAC, 31 Terriers earned conference championships and five were named the PAC’s Most-Outstanding Wrestler.
“We will need assistance from our proud alumni base to ensure a quick rise to excellence for these programs,” Hibbs said. “A high standard in collegiate wrestling was established under previous coaches and administrations, and we fully expect to rise to that level in each of these programs. I encourage anyone in the wrestling community who wants to be supportive to reach out to us.”
The Terriers will join 114 other men’s wrestling programs competing at the NCAA Division III level in the 2020-21 season, including 18 in the Ohio, Michigan and Indiana area and two within the North Coast Athletic Conference, while the NCAA’s Committee on Women’s Athletics recently “recommended that all three divisions … Rest of the story at https://www.hiramterriers.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20200110hg3smv

January 10, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized