State compels group to look at restoring UD wrestling

NEWARK – Twenty-five years after the University of Delaware eliminated its varsity wrestling program, another effort has surfaced to have it reinstated.

Unlike previous attempts, this one involves the state government.

Delaware Senate Bill 295, an appropriations measure approved by both branches of the General Assembly at the close of the 2016 legislative session and signed by Gov. Markell, including a section calling on UD to conduct a feasibility study on bringing back wrestling.

That is expected to be done through a working group of high school coaches and athletic directors, Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association personnel, UD administrators and state government representatives. The first meeting is at 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Carpenter Center. It’s open to the public.

Bill 295 Section 41 reads: “The working group’s feasibility study shall include, but not be limited to, the landscape of high school wrestling in Delaware including where resident high school wrestlers attend college to continue wrestling, start-up costs associated with initiating a Division I wrestling program, projected ongoing costs with a wrestling program including the impact on female athletics at the University, and the potential for the University of Delaware hosting state high school wrestling tournaments and regional collegiate wrestling tournaments.’’

Sen. Nicole Poore (D-New Castle) had introduced the legislation. Poore has a son, nephew and other family members who’ve been involved in wrestling.

“We have no program in Delaware for anyone to give back to,” Poore said, referring to how those associated with wrestling stay involved. “We need to bring back a middle-class sport that allows our young men and women to have an opportunity.”

An amendment to Senate Bill 295 removing the wrestling directive had been sponsored by Sen. Gregory Lavelle (R-Sharpley) but was defeated in a 12-8 vote with one abstention.

Delaware announced the elimination of its wrestling program June 18, 1991, as a way of cutting athletic department costs. Title IX gender-equity concerns were not cited. Edgar Johnson, athletic director at the time, said annual savings would be between $55,000 and $60,000.

The move came in the wake of Paul Billy’s May 1 retirement after 28 years as coach. Delaware’s record over the previous 11 seasons — 6-44 in the East Coast Conference and 69-98 overall — was also cited as a reason.

At that time, the annual athletic budget was $4.3 million and it left UD with 11 men’s and 11 women’s varsity outfits. Delaware had revenue and expenses of $29.4 million in 2014-15, the most recent school year for which information is available through the U.S. Department of Education.

Eight men’s and 13 women’s teams now hold varsity intercollegiate status at Delaware. UD dropped men’s indoor track and field in 2009 and men’s cross country and outdoor track and field in 2011. Title IX gender-equity concerns — even though Delaware had not received any complaints — and economic factors were cited.

Since dropping wrestling, Delaware has added women’s rowing (2001) and women’s golf (2011). Previous attempts to convince UD to restore wrestling, including several with strong funding resources, have been ignored. The present push would include a recommendation that women’s wrestling also be added, said Vic Leonard of the Delaware Wrestling Alliance. There are presently 30 college women’s wrestling programs nationally, according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

While UD has not had varsity wrestling since the 1990-91 season, it has been the site of one of the nation’s most competitive and best-attended high school tournaments — the Beast of the East — held the weekend before Christmas at the Carpenter Center. The 2016 event will be the 24th annual.

The Beast raises scholarship money that the Delaware Wrestling Alliances uses to honor members of its annual state All-Academic team. According to Beast founder Leonard, approximately $860,000 has been awarded in scholarship money and roughly one-third of the recipients have attended UD, including many who competed on its club wrestling team.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.