Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

John Parker Named Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year For Men’s Wrestling

John Parker has been named the Conference Carolinas 2024-25 Winter Scholar-Athlete of the Year Presented by Hudl for men’s wrestling.
John was the NCAA Super Region 2 Champion at 197 pounds, advanced to the NCAA Championships, posted a 27-9 record, with five wins against nationally ranked opponents and ranked #11 in his weight class.
It was the second consecutive season he was the Super Region title and advanced to nationals. … more at … https://newberrywolves.com/news/2025/6/11/john-parker-named-conference-carolinas-scholar-athlete-of-the-year-for-mens-wrestling.aspx

June 21, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

How Cleveland State responded to lawmakers’ last-ditch effort to save its wrestling program

Despite an Ohio House budget amendment and letters from a state lawmaker and a U.S. Senator, President Laura Bloomberg didn’t waver on the decision to cut the sport, records show.
Cleveland State University held its final home wrestling match on Feb. 20, less than a month after its board of trustees announced plans to eliminate the sport and two others. 
University leaders said the cuts were part of a continued, broader push to address a budget shortfall once projected to hit as high as $40 million.
But off the mat, another match was taking shape between Cleveland State leaders, state lawmakers and wrestling supporters.
Earlier this spring, Ohio Rep. Phil Plummer, a Republican from Dayton and former wrestling coach, introduced an amendment as lawmakers worked on the state budget. It called for giving $1.6 million over two years to restore Cleveland State’s men’s wrestling program and establish a new women’s team. 
Plummer’s amendment came as supporters of the wrestling program kept up a very public push to try to convince the university to reverse their decision. 
Plummer’s proposal made it into the House’s version of the budget, but his counterparts in the state Senate left the funding out of theirs. As lawmakers in both chambers reconcile their differences on the budget before sending it to Gov. Mike DeWine, it’s highly unlikely Cleveland State’s wrestling program will reappear.
Public records requested and reviewed by Signal Ohio offer a behind-the-scenes look at tension between public university leaders, determined to stay the course on their own budget priorities, and the lawmakers who help fund the institution.
Politicians saw issue as a possible political win
Shortly after the announcement to end the wrestling program, Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno – a former university board chair and donor –  sent a letter to university President Laura Bloomberg in mid-February asking to talk to her about the decision. 
The two spoke by phone on Feb. 23 and Bloomberg then wrote Moreno a letter of her own on March 4, records show (Cleveland State’s legal department released these documents June 11 in response to a request Signal Ohio made back on April 7).
Two weeks later, Plummer sent a letter to Bloomberg informing her he was adding in the House amendment to give the university money for wrestling. His March 19 letter echoed some talking points from wrestling supporters, including concerns about cutting the program just a year before the City of Cleveland will host the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. 
He also touted the growing popularity of women’s wrestling and how the university would benefit from launching that program.  “In Ohio, not a single Division I university has a women’s wrestling program,” he wrote. “This is an opportunity for CSU to be a trailblazer in women’s athletics.” … more at … https://signalcleveland.org/cleveland-state-ohio-lawmakers-last-effort-save-wrestling-program/

June 21, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment