Takedown Report

College Wrestling News – # 115

TDR Editor’s Notes ; A scan across the country with news of programs ending, seasons postponedor canceled by some teams. Letters to school officials and fund raising efforts are included as some of the efforts to reinstate programs and to continue wrestling opportunities.
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1 } – Twenty sports teams sign letter in support of reinstatement for cut teams
On Oct. 13, 20 Dartmouth sports teams issued an open letter addressed to College President Phil Hanlon and athletics director Harry Sheehy calling for the reinstatement of the five varsity teams eliminated in July. The letter, sent by diver Isabella Lichen ’22, calls upon the College to “rethink their decision, provide transparency and find a more equitable solution” to the financial issues posed by COVID-19 and admissions concerns, concluding with the message, “We are #OneDartmouthTeam.”
The letter argues against the idea that “recruiting more non-athletes will improve the Dartmouth experience.” The signees — 18 varsity teams and two club teams — voiced concern over what they argued was lack of transparency and accountability in the administration’s decision-making process. The letter also contends that the cuts will cause “permanent damage to Dartmouth’s ability to recruit in good faith.”
The letter, Lichen said, demonstrated the solidarity of 20 Big Green athletic teams and their opposition to the administration’s decision in a “concrete way.” … rest of story at _{https://www.thedartmouth.com/article/2020/10/twenty-sports-teams-sign-letter-in-support-of-reinstatement-for-cut-teams?mc_cid=69b31ff737&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Letter to the administration: On Stanford wrestling
Distinguished Administration of Stanford University: 
In response to your decision to eliminate wrestling at Stanford University, it is important that you understand the impact that wrestling has on the lives of so many socio-economically diverse people who benefit from the demands and challenges of the sport. Wrestling helps so many open their eyes to a new world, forge unbreakable family bonds and learn toughness, discipline and humility. It taught me the greatest values of the sport: how to selflessly commit to a greater purpose. Those I wrestled with helped me redefine what the word “family” meant, and I realized — through wrestling — the importance of education. Stanford is setting a terrible example by discontinuing the sport.
For a large part of his life, my father had never heard of Stanford University; he probably would still struggle to find Palo Alto on a map. His education ended after seventh grade when he turned to a full-time job to help bring income to a financially struggling family. His grandson, however, began attending Stanford University in the fall of 2020 on a wrestling scholarship. How, in just two generations, did a family go through such an educational transformation? … rest of story at _{https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/10/28/letter-to-the-administration-on-stanford-wrestling/?mc_cid=69b31ff737&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}
Keep Stanford wrestling: An open letter to University administrators
An open letter to Stanford University administrators:
Wednesday, July 8 was one of those days you can never forget as a mom; to see my son with his head hanging, and with a deep sigh, telling me that the sport which he has loved since the age of four was going to be cut at the end of this year. My heart sank. As I read the open letter to the community posted on behalf of President Tessier-Lavigne, Provost Drell and Athletic Director Muir, I became even more confused by the logic of the decision to cut the Stanford wrestling program. I must express my concern for the lack of researching all possible solutions and avenues to keeping the program, and the abrupt manner with which the news was delivered.  I am disheartened, and must respectfully disagree with this decision. I understand the immensity of the responsibilities placed upon the University administration, especially trying to navigate through a pandemic. However, I would hope that the Stanford University administrators would take a step back and recall some of the core values that Stanford is known for: “ethics, boldness, and foundations.” … rest of story at _{https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/11/05/keep-stanford-wrestling-an-open-letter-to-university-administrators/?mc_cid=b6ed949da8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}
Keep Stanford Wrestling raises $10 million in attempt to preserve varsity status
Despite funding, future of wrestling program remains unclear
By Tammer Bagdasarian on November 15, 2020
Keep Stanford Wrestling, an alumni-run group dedicated to convincing the University to maintain the wrestling program’s varsity status, announced that it had raised over $10 million from alumni and supporters as of Oct. 29. The efforts come following the July 8 announcement that the University intended to eliminate the wrestling program along with 10 other varsity sports after the 2020-21 season.
It is unclear whether the subsequent fundraising efforts will have any impact on the University’s decision to cut the program, however.  In a statement to The Daily, Stanford Athletics spokesperson Brian Risso wrote that “the decisions to reduce our sports offerings are final, and any future philanthropic interest in these sports may be directed towards supporting them at the club level.” … rest of story at _{https://www.stanforddaily.com/2020/11/15/sports-wrestling-10-million/?mc_cid=7e05e44971&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – SUNY Brockport reinstates wrestling program
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — SUNY Brockport has reinstated its wrestling program.
The college suspended wrestling back in September, saying the program was found to have violated SUNY’s social distancing and mask policies during at least two organized team activities. SUNY Brockport reported the violations to the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The team is cleared to begin team activities on Nov. 1 but is now on conduct probation. … rest of story at _{https://www.whec.com/back-to-school-rochester/suny-brockport-reinstates-wrestling-program/5910711/?mc_cid=69b31ff737&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – The heartbreaking reality — and staggering numbers — of NCAA teams cut during the pandemic
Stanford junior Justin Lui had a plan: He was going to get a five-year integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree in management science and engineering — all the while playing volleyball. Then, represent Canada at the Olympics in 2024. That was before Stanford cut 11 sports, including volleyball, on July 8.
“For most prospective Olympic hopefuls, we have a small window — miss it and you’ll miss the entire road to the Olympics. This year — with the virus and the program cut — could very well be that window of opportunity I am missing, but I am doing everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Lui said. About 2,000 miles away, Eli Hoeft dreamed of running for the Minnesota track team just like his father and brother once did.  … rest of story at _{https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/30116720/the-heartbreaking-reality-staggering-numbers-ncaa-teams-cut-pandemic?mc_cid=5c187c6cfd&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Ithaca College, Liberty League Announce Decision on Winter Sport Competition
ITHACA, N.Y. – Throughout the fall semester, the presidents, vice presidents, and directors of athletics at Liberty League institutions have engaged in planning and analysis for the possibility of a safe return to competition for the winter sport season. 
After careful consideration of each campus’s safety measures to mitigate risk of exposure to COVID-19, including limiting off-campus travel; restricting visitors to campus; strict protocols for physical distancing; robust testing; quarantine and isolation needs; and significant academic calendar modifications, the Liberty League has reached the difficult decision to cancel all conference competition and championships for the winter season. … rest of story at _{https://athletics.ithaca.edu/news/2020/11/9/general-ithaca-college-liberty-league-announce-decision-on-winter-sport-competition.aspx?mc_cid=799fb85b6c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Princeton wrestling coach reacts as Ivy League cancels winter sports
There will be no cool slogans for the Princeton University wrestling team this year, no #GetIn or #Burntheships. There will also be no defending the Ivy League wrestling title it won dramatically over Cornell last year and no wrestlers headed to the NCAA Wrestling Championships in St Louis to chase All-American titles. The Ivy League announced on Thursday it was canceling winter sports – the first Division I league to do so – including wrestling, where Cornell was expected to compete for a national title and Princeton had put itself in the national spotlight the last two years. … rest of story at _{https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/11/princeton-wrestling-coach-reacts-as-ivy-league-cancels-winter-sports.html?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – MASCAC CANCELS WINTER SPORTS
The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference has canceled winter sports, and the schools have canceled all winter competition. This includes Bridgewater State wrestling.
“After an in-depth review of the information from the state and NCAA, consultation among the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) presidents, athletic directors, and athletic trainers and after exhausting all possibilities, including a review of the risks involved, the eight MASCAC presidents have made the difficult decision to cancel all winter sports competition. This includes the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey and men’s and women’s indoor track and field. The MASCAC Council of Presidents has confirmed that this will include all non-MASCAC sports as well.“ … rest of story at _{https://www.d3wrestle.com/mascac-cancels-winter-sports/?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – A Message From Andy Noel
Dear alumni, parents, friends and fans of the Big Red…
Last evening the Ivy League Presidents announced that the pause on athletics competition will continue through winter as the global COVID-19 pandemic has worsened. The earliest any of our teams will have a chance to compete will be March 1, and only if conditions improve and are deemed safe to do so.
Though there are promising reports regarding therapeutics and the development of vaccines, they do not immediately change the situation on the ground that includes record daily infection numbers and near-record hospitalizations. The prognosis is no better than when spring and fall 2020 sports were canceled, and by most metrics the situation is worse now. There remains uncertainty over long-term effects of the virus on the infected. Though Cornell has done an impressive job containing the virus on campus, it is in large part due to restrictions that would need to be lifted to allow athletic competition, including current travel and visitor policies. … rest of story at _{https://cornellbigred.com/news/2020/11/13/general-amessage-from-andy-noel.aspx?mc_cid=870ca1d130&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – Athletic Department Announces Winter Sports Update
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rochester Institute of Technology has canceled all winter sports competition for the 2020-21 season.  
Affected teams include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field and wrestling.  
“This was a very difficult decision and we understand the disappointment this brings to our student-athletes and coaches,” said RIT President David Munson. “But given the rise in COVID-19 in our community, as well as across the nation and globe, this is the right thing to do for athletes and community safety. We remain committed to providing RIT Tigers the highest-level academic experience as well as a safe environment where they will be able to continue their growth as individuals and as teams.” 
RIT’s men’s and women’s ice hockey teams play at the Division I level, with the men playing in the Atlantic Hockey Association and the women playing in College Hockey America. While these conferences are still scheduled to play, RIT leadership felt the obstacles were too high to play during a global pandemic. … rest of story at _{https://ritathletics.com/news/2020/11/9/winter-sports-update.aspx?mc_cid=799fb85b6c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – Yetzer is building program at Roanoke, promoting wrestling despite the pandemic
It’s hard enough to start a brand new program at an NCAA institution, but when you’re dealing with the coronavirus pandemic as well it adds an extra degree of difficulty. However, that’s not stopping Nate Yetzer from carrying on in his new position as head wrestling coach at Roanoke College.
Roanoke announced that the college would be adding wrestling in January of this year, and Yetzer was hired in March, right after folks started realizing this pandemic was going to be serious. RC athletic director Scott Allison announced the Maroons would first field a team for the 2021-22 season, joining Emory & Henry, Shenandoah, Washington & Lee and Ferrum as schools in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to offer the sport. The Maroons hired Yetzer away from Ferrum, where he built the Panthers into a solid Division III contender. … rest of story at _{https://fincastleherald.com/yetzer-is-building-program-at-roanoke-promoting-wrestling-despite-the-pandemic/?mc_cid=61e8f19369&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

December 14, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized