Takedown Report

A kick in the Gut

TDR Editor’s Note : That is what it feels like whenever we hear of a college or university making the choice to cast aside their athletes opportunity to continue wrestling at their school. This time struck particularly hard as the school has had wrestling for over 60 years. The timing of the announcement was a bit underhanded as there was no warning to the wrestling community and there was no one on campus due to the COVID-19 virus. The pandemic was also used as a reason to justify this along with the usual Title IX and having to save money for basketball and football. They did not specifically name those two sports but instead used a euphemism citing the NCAA major sports. No opportunity or option was presented when this was declared. Dozens of schools are adding wrestling on the other levels in the NCAA and NAIA and women’s teams are rapidly growing. Division I NCAA schools are addicted to their football team being a minor league feeder to the pros (who pay nothing to the schools) and thus other sports that do not lose millions of dollars, as most football programs do. This is dispiriting, discouraging, disheartening and I am tired of seeing this happen. We hope that this and the trend in the football addicted Divisio I will change but the doubts are hard to dispel.
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Old Dominion University Discontinues Wrestling Program
NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University Athletics announced it will discontinue the sport of wrestling effective immediately. Currently enrolled students will retain their scholarships through the completion of their fourth academic year if they remain at ODU. Per NCAA rules, the students can be immediately eligible if they transfer to another institution under these circumstances. The students that signed National Letters of Intent for the 2020-21 year will retain scholarships for the upcoming year if they enroll at ODU. Members of the athletics staff have reached out to each of the students impacted and will help with the transition. There are 32 students in the program currently, seven of which are seniors.
 “We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” said director of athletics Dr. Camden Wood Selig. “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but we are required to be responsible with departmental resources. Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.”
The decision in part developed from the findings of a six-month study of the athletics program by an outside consultant. The comprehensive report reviewed the national college sports landscape, identified current and future financial challenges and evaluated Title IX compliance, which led to the recommendation to discontinue a varsity sport. Once completely implemented, it is estimated that athletics will have an expense savings of approximately $1 million. Steve Martin who was an ultra-successful high school coach at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake before taking over the ODU program, has been the head coach of the Monarchs for the past 16 seasons. He has agreed to remain on staff to assist the currently enrolled and signed recruits with the transition. 
“I would like to thank President Broderick and Wood Selig for the support of the wrestling program over my 16-year career at ODU,” said Martin. “I understand these are challenging times for everyone, not only in athletics, but in every walk of life.  “I care a great deal about the student-athletes and coaches in the wrestling program at ODU, and I’m committed to work with each one of them to assist them during this transition,” Martin continued. “I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish over my tenure in the wrestling program, on the mat, but more importantly, off the mat as we were able to use the sport of wrestling to propel many young men into distinguished professional careers.”  Martin recorded 172 dual meet victories as the head coach at Old Dominion, matching the record set by Peter Robinson, the program’s first head coach. …. Full press release at https://odusports.com/news/2020/4/2/odu-discontinues-wrestling-program.aspx?mc_cid=c504aeb86a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion athletics faces drastic cost-cutting measures to remain financially solvent, study says
An independent study of Old Dominion’s athletic department commissioned by the university paints a potentially bleak picture for the future of many of its programs, in part because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a comprehensive examination of the department’s finances by former college athletic director Dr. Richard L. Sander, dated March 30 and acquired by The Virginian-Pilot via the Freedom of Information Act, among the conclusions was that in addition to eliminating the school’s wrestling program, ODU will likely have to take other drastic cost-cutting measures to keep the department financially solvent. The addition of a women’s volleyball program, set to begin competition in the 2020-21 academic year, will come at an annual cost of $1.2 million a year. The wrestling program, which was eliminated Thursday after 63 years of competition, operated at a cost of about $1 million a year. An athletic department spokesman said AD Dr. Wood Selig would not comment on the study or its findings until next week. “Without question, the historic way of ‘doing business’ must be modified if ODU is going to be nationally competitive in NCAA Division I,” Sander wrote. “Each program (sport) must be reviewed and evaluated to determine its value and future. ODU must have a plan where significant resources be identified and allocated or reallocated to insure maximum value. The idea that significant new sources of revenue (and maybe some current resources) are available, is risky and improbable. Continuing sports that bring minimal return on investment will drain the sports that bring value and national recognition and exposure.” Sander is a former AD at Virginia Commonwealth and East Tennessee State who operates his own consulting firm. Among the other conclusions in the study are: …. story at https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/college/old-dominion/vp-sp-odu-athletics-study-20200403-akwhwiad2zfmrbvob7j6dlzcjy-story.html?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion eliminates wrestling, forces former Panthers to look elsewhere
Former Washington High wrestlers Tyler Delaware and Jared Head are now looking for a new college home. Old Dominion cited financial challenges, made even more severe by the coronavirus pandemic, for announcing Thursday the elimination of its wrestling program after 63 years.
Delaware, a 2016 Illinois state champion and runner-up in both 2017 and 2018 for the Panthers, had just finished his redshirt freshman year for ODU with a career 10-15 record in limited action. Head, a state runner up in both 2018 and 2019 for Washington, did not compete as a first year freshman because of a shoulder injury. ″“It’s really heartbreaking,” said Head. “I’m still kinda in shock. It hasn’t really hit me that it’s real. I just never thought it would happen to us.” The decision comes with Old Dominion on the rise in wrestling. The Monarchs had two consecutive Top 20 recruiting classes and had four wrestlers qualify for the NCAA tournament. According to an ODU press release, the decision came after a six-month study of the college’s program by an outside consulting firm. The recommendation was to eliminate one sport, which would save an estimated $1 million. The team was informed by coach Steve Martin and his staff through a Zoom online video meeting Thursday evening. “They pretty much told us they were going to do everything they can to help us get to another school, pretty much whatever we need help with they will help to make the transition as smooth as possible,” Head said. “They’re just as heartbroken as we are. They put in just as much work in as we did.” ODU was 10-9 overall this past season, including a 6-2 record in the Mid-American Conference. …. story at https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20200403/old-dominion-eliminates-wrestling-forces-former-panthers-to-look-elsewhere?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Buford’s 4-time state champ Nick Stonecheck in a bind with Old Dominion folding wrestling program
High school seniors nationwide have lamented the loss of events like prom and graduation ceremonies. Nick Stonecheck found out this week he lost something even bigger. The Buford senior and 2020 Daily Post Wrestler of the Year is without a college scholarship because Old Dominion announced Thursday it will discontinue its wrestling program, effective immediately. Stonecheck, a four-time high school state champion, signed with Old Dominion in November and committed to the Virginia school last August. The decision to cut the wrestling program, which began in the 1957-58 season, was made for financial reasons in part because of the coronavirus, but it was based on the result of a six-month study by a consultant that recommended discontinuing a varsity sport for future financial challenges and Title IX compliance for women’s sports. The decision leaves Stonecheck without a college wrestling option barely more than a month away from his high school graduation. He expected to report in June until he got a call from the Old Dominion coach on Thursday. “I honestly thought it was an April Fool’s joke,” Stonecheck said. “The coach called me and said due to corona they had to make budget cuts. I don’t know why they picked wrestling. I feel like that’s always the first one to get cut.   They’ve had success in the past (in wrestling). They’ve been around for 63 years. I’m just taking it as everything happens for a reason. …. story at https://www.gwinnettprepsports.com/sports/bufords-4-time-state-champ-nick-stonecheck-in-a-bind-with-old-dominion-folding-wrestling/article_7478526a-b28d-5cc2-b891-f1d42249d6d0.html?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

End of Old Dominion wrestling program may finally separate Drugac twins
Even before they were born, Luke and Dean Drugac were together. But Old Dominion University may have figured out a way to sever the identical twins’ bond. On Thursday afternoon, athletic director Camden Wood Selig told the wrestlers the program was being cut. There are 32 ODU student wrestlers, including Paulsboro alumnus Santino Morina. They got the news via Zoom meeting, which Dean Drugac described as “a crazy experience… looking at each other on the five-by-seven grid, everyone’s little faces.” By phone from the family’s Hibernia home, Luke Drugac added, “Everything I’d been working toward, all the hard work and all the time we put into it, they swept it under the rug, and took the rug out from underneath us. At the time, there were a lot of emotions, a lot of different thoughts. Right then and there, we knew we were going to have to make a big decision that would make a huge impact on what we were going to do the rest of our lives.” The Drugac twins went from Morris Knolls to the Norfolk, Virginia university together on a five-year plan. They both redshirted as freshmen, so they have one more year of NCAA eligibility. …. story at https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/sports/college/2020/04/06/old-dominion-university-wrestling-cut-drugac-twins-morris-knolls/2950326001/?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Florida wrestlers scramble after Old Dominion suddenly eliminates wrestling program
Moments after Old Dominion freshman Shannon Hanna found out his wrestling program was folding, he called his high school coach Danny Walker. The Lake Gibson coach was on his way to his mother-in-law’s when he answered and at first he thought the Old Dominion freshman was pulling an April Fools prank. “No coach, April Fools’ was yesterday,” Hanna said. On April 2, Old Dominion wrestlers were sent a note from athletics director Wood Selig to join an urgent meeting on Zoom. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was no in-person meeting option available. During the videoconference, Selig informed the coaching staff and team the program was being eliminated immediately due to budget issues and economic projections related to the coronavirus pandemic. “We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” Selig said. “Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.” …. story at https://www.orlandosentinel.com/coronavirus/os-sp-hs-wrestling-odu-wrestling-eliminated-20200408-hiqcrwsmsvfc5e7pumdj64o3ay-story.html?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion’s canceled wrestling program forces new path for Catholic Central wrestlers
Marc Shaeffer thought it was a poorly-timed April Fools joke.  When the Detroit Catholic Central senior wrestler looked at his phone after finishing his work on his family’s farm, he saw it had exploded: notification after notification, call after call, text after text.  Shaeffer, committed to Old Dominion wrestling at the time, returned the call of his upcoming assistant coach Kevin Beazley, a former All-American wrestler for the Shamrocks. “‘We don’t know many details right now, but yeah, they are shutting us down,’” Shaeffer said Beazley told him. “I’m so sorry.’”  Old Dominion, the wrestling program in Norfolk, Virginia, both Shaeffer and heavyweight Steven Kolcheff committed to join this fall, announced April 2 it would discontinue the sport.  “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but …. story at https://www.hometownlife.com/story/sports/high-school/novi/2020/04/09/old-dominions-canceled-wrestling-program-forces-new-path-catholic-central-wrestlers/5121275002/?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

She’s still fighting for her husband, and to keep ODU wrestling alive
CHESAPEAKE (WAVY) – Many have described Old Dominion wrestling as much more than just a “team.” Jacqueline Kelly, who’s husband wrestled for the Monarchs in the 1990’s, says the sport is “a brotherhood, like no other sport I’ve seen before.” Facing tough financial times due to the Coronavirus pandemic, ODU was forced with the decision to cut the wrestling program after 63 years. For Kelly, losing the program felt like losing family. “My husband immediately came to mind,” said Kelly. Her husband, Jamie, was a team captain and two-time national tournament qualifier for the Monarchs. Before that, he wrestled at Great Bridge High School for a young head coach named Steve Martin. Martin, ODU’s wrestling head man for the past 16 years, recently tied the great Pete Robinson for the most dual meet wins in school history with 172; a record which had stood since Robinson began coaching the Monarchs in 1957. On August 27th of last year, Jacqueline Kelly received a phone call that would change her and her family’s life forever. “I got a call from my daughter that daddy won’t wake up,” said Kelly. “(He) went out for a run, and ended up having a massive heart attack in the garage.” At a perfectly healthy 44 years old, with no history of family illness, Jamie had passed away. “It was probably the saddest day of my life,” said Curt Krazer, who wrestled alongside Jamie at ODU from 1993 to 1997. Now, Kelly is trying to keep the memory of her husband, as well as the Old Dominion wrestling program, alive. “My husband would be putting up a fight,” said Kelly. “Since (Jamie’s) not here, I’m going to do the fighting for him.” She’s looking to spread word throughout the community with the hopes of reviving the program. More than 11,000 have signed a petition to bring ODU wrestling back. An independent analysis found ODU would save $1 million without the program. “There are people out there who would be donors. We didn’t know we needed to,” said Kelly. An an email to another former ODU wrestling alum, Dr. Wood Selig, the school’s athletics director, explained he would need a $25 million endowment in order for wrestling to come back. “I think if Jamie Kelly were sitting here right now, I think Jamie would tell you…they handled it in the wrong way,” said Krazer. Whether anything will come out of Kelly and Krazer’s efforts is yet to be determined. Either way, Kelly will continue to fight for ODU wrestling, and for Jamie. “If he was here, he’d be fighting,” she said. “I’m going to show my two kids that mom can do it for dad too.” …. story and video at https://www.wavy.com/sports/shes-still-fighting-for-her-husband-and-to-keep-odu-wrestling-alive/?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Wrestling with the news: Old Dominion fans, alum upset with decision to discontinue wrestling program
NORFOLK, Va. – Wrestling no longer has a home at Old Dominion University after the school announced Thursday it would discontinue its wrestling program. Since the news was released, the school has drawn plenty of criticism from fans and alum. “I was really angry and disappointed,” former ODU wrestler Buddy Scarborough said. “Really blindsided like I think everyone else was,” former ODU wrestler Tristan Warner added. “I don’t know whether or not to take everything that was blue and silver in this room and toss it into a heap,” NCAA/Olympic PA Announcer and ODU alum Jason Bryant said. “It felt like I was mourning something,” former ODU wrestler Chris Mecate said. “A heartbreak, like my heart hurt.” Before the athletes reached the stage of heartbreak, each former ODU wrestler we talked with admitted they thought they were on the receiving end of an April Fools joke. “I was like good one. Ha Ha,” Mecate said. “My buddy who actually sent it to me works in the athletic program still,” Warner said. “So I thought maybe he found a way to type it up as a joke.” Instead, the announcement was real and shared that ODU brough in a consultant for a 6-month study. Financial Challenges and Title IX compliance were cited as factors in a report’s recommendation to discontinue a varsity sport. ODU athletic director Dr. Wood Selig addressed the decision in a statement released by the school.
“We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” Selig said. “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but we are required to be responsible with departmental resources. “Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.” The discontinuation of wrestling, which has been an ODU sponsored varsity sport since the 1957-58 season, is expected to save the school roughly $1 million. The end of ODU wrestling means an end to head coach Steve Martin’s 16 years as a Monarch. …. rest of story at https://www.wtkr.com/sports/wrestling-with-the-news-old-dominion-fans-alum-upset-with-decision-to-discontinue-wrestling-program?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 15, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized