Takedown Report

Coaching and Program Changes

TDR Editor’s notes ; It can be sobering, baffling at times, and sad whenever a wrestling program ends at a college. It is more understandable when the entire school closes. The most recent school to announce they are closing is MacMurray in a town in Illinois that we visited in 2016. We stopped in Jacksonville to see the home and markers for General Benjamin Grierson who led Union troops in the Civil War. His most famous action was his raid through Mississippi (only state w/o sanctioned high school wrestling) during the siege of Vicksburg. John Wayne played him in the movie ‘Horse Soldiers’. Grierson’s interesting history also includes post war service leading the ‘buffalo soldiers’ of the 10th U.S. Cavalry. We visited their memorial at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on our 2015 summer trip as we went southward to Stillwater, Oklahoma to see the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, of course!
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MacMurray College, wrestling programs to close
The Board of Trustees of MacMurray College in Illinois has announced the small private college will be closing down after 174 years … along with its men’s and women’s intercollegiate wrestling programs, which were added to their sports roster less than four years ago.
As InterMat reported in January of 2016, the school had announced it was bringing back its men’s wrestling program which had been eliminated decades earlier, and was introducing a new women’s intercollegiate program. Both took to the mats in fall 2017.
The men’s roster listed ten team members, about evenly split between wrestlers from Illinois and Missouri, and the rest from as far away as Maryland and Texas. By contrast, the 14-member women’s wrestling roster had only one Illinois native; Texas and California each can claim five women wrestlers. MacMurray wrestling has three coaches: head coach Graham Karwath, and assistant coaches Jeff Haley and Conner Linehan. MacMurray College sports programs competed in NCAA Division III.
3More on the MacMurray College closing
Here’s how the State Journal News of nearby Springfield opened its news story on the closure: “After years of financial struggles, MacMurray College will close its doors at the end of the spring semester, the college announced Friday.” The newspaper went on to say that MacMurray had battled financial challenges for a number of years. ….. story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23470?fbclid=IwAR3zXCgVsgC34IgnVci1CC0PKU2mdWQx4_rF4zLFW_PwTa4IiBXXloMlx-Q

Oregon State Program to Have Leadership Change
Corvallis — Oregon State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Monday that there will be a change of leadership of the wrestling program at the conclusion of the season.
 “I want to thank Coach Jim Zalesky for his dedication to Oregon State University and his commitment to the young men in our wrestling program,” Beaver Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes said. “We wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors.”
 Zalesky started his head coaching career at OSU in 2006 after eight years leading the University of Iowa program.
 Two Beaver wrestlers, Devan Turner (133) and Grant Willits (141), are guaranteed to represent OSU at the NCAA Championships at the March 19-21 tournament in Minneapolis. Turner won the Pac-12 title last week and Willits was runner up at his weight. … story at https://osubeavers.com/news/2020/3/9/wrestling-program-to-have-leadership-change.aspx?mc_cid=178e8cf0d6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Ritchey to retire after 25 seasons as SOU men’s wrestling head coach
ASHLAND – Mike Ritchey, who shaped the culture of Southern Oregon University athletics over the course of four decades in the department, announced his retirement Tuesday after 25 seasons as the Raiders’ head men’s wrestling coach. A nine-time regional coach of the year and the two-time NAIA Coach of the Year, Ritchey’s role in sustaining SOU’s status as a national powerhouse began with his run as the team’s first four-time NAIA All-American from 1984-88. After winning one NAIA team championship, one NWCA dual championship and overseeing 22 of the Raiders’ 35 NAIA individual titles, he’ll leave matched with his predecessor, Bob Riehm, as the longest-tenured head coach in the history of SOU athletics. “I would like to thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the SOU community for 36 years and feel he has a plan for my future in retirement,” Ritchey said. “All things come to an end and this is my ending as a head coach. I feel the time is right in my life and in the program’s trajectory that we find a fresh set of eyes and new philosophies to bring the program back to prominence. I am so grateful to have coached so many great young men; there are too many to mention. I feel our current wrestlers are ready to make some ‘Natty’ noise next year and I’m so very sorry that I can’t continue in this role for many different reasons. However, I will be involved as long as possible.” Ritchey, starting with his first season in 1995-96, guided the Raiders to 23 consecutive winning dual records and finished with an overall mark of 235-107. …. story at https://souraiders.com/news/2020/3/10/ritchey-to-retire-after-25-seasons-as-sou-mens-wrestling-head-coach.aspx?mc_cid=11ed9cb2ed&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Slippery Rock administration commits to wrestling, contingent upon funding
News coming out of PA regarding men’s and women’s wrestling.
…. article at https://rokfin.com/article/947?affiliate_id=1826&mc_cid=11ed9cb2ed&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Navy Announces Wrestling Coaching Change
ANNAPOLIS, Md. —  Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk announced Friday that Joel Sharratt will not return as head coach of the Navy wrestling program. A national search will begin immediately for the program’s next head coach. “My gratitude to Joel for his efforts and the many contributions he has made to the Naval Academy over his tenure,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. “We have realized some very successful moments that will be remembered for many years to come. On behalf of those within the NAAA and wrestling community, our sincerest appreciation and very best wishes as he moves forward with new opportunities.” Sharratt, who guided the Midshipmen to an 8-6 mark in 2020, closed out his Navy career with a 43-24 record. Under his leadership, Navy sent five or more wrestlers to the NCAA Championship in four of his six seasons, including two four-time NCAA qualifiers and one All-American. Four wrestlers completed their careers ranked on Navy’s all-time top 20 individual wins list, while student-athletes won four EIWA individual titles under his tutelage. …. story at https://navysports.com/news/2020/3/13/navy-announces-wrestling-coaching-change.aspx?mc_cid=dd3ca5e7e5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Riggs named head men’s wrestling coach at Ferrum College
FERRUM, Va. — Director of Athletics John Sutyak has announced the hiring of Ryan Riggs as head men’s wrestling coach at Ferrum College. Riggs has been with the Panther wrestling program the past four seasons and recently completed his second year as associate head coach. “We are extremely pleased that Ryan Riggs has agreed to be the next head men’s wrestling coach at Ferrum College,” said Sutyak. “Ryan has been instrumental in helping to build Ferrum into a national program and regional power within the NCAA. Having an accomplished coach already on staff allows us to continue the upward trajectory of Ferrum men’s wrestling on the national level. In having the opportunity to work with him and observe him as a coach the last few months, I have full confidence in Ryan and how we will work together to keep Ferrum men’s wrestling strong.” Riggs was promoted to associate head coach at Ferrum in July 2018. In doing so, he took on more day-to-day operations of the program, including recruiting, fundraising, practice development and coordinating Ferrum men’s wrestling social media presence. He was instrumental in helping Ferrum host the 2019 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia. Riggs also helped the Panthers host the NCAA Southeast Regional tournaments in 2017 and 2018. He has served as tournament director for the Star City Classic, Southeast Duals and Panther Open, all tournaments hosted by Ferrum. …. story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23482?fbclid=IwAR3m4q4pAJ8SI6c3BqLIGkcFodk6DHiPpGKwuvZ-8gh1YDjzj0FMhgMt4Bg

April 1, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized