EXECUTIVE NOTES By Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director
The connection between USA Wrestlng and American college wrestling continues to get stronger This is a very exciting time for the wrestling community in the United States as high school and college wrestling programs begin practice and compete in early-season events. All of the hard work and effort that young wrestlers put in over the sum- mer will now be put to good use in pursuit of state high school titles and college All-American honors. We traditionally provide a preview of the men’s and women’s college season in the December issue of USA Wrestler. It will be an interesting year at all levels of college wrestling, as we see which teams and individuals step up this year. There has been a strong connection between USA Wrestling and the college wrestling community for a long, long time and as time goes on, it seems this partnership continues to expand and strengthen.
The development of Regional Training Centers (RTCs) on col- lege campuses has been a big boost to our international pro- grams, as well as a great resource for the college programs and their local communities. It’s no accident that Ohio State, which won their first NCAA team title in 2015, has helped build the Ohio RTC into a strong training location for top Olympic hope- fuls. The development of RTCs all over the country has improved our international effort, while helping raise the bar on the college level. In addition, the local wrestling communities at all levels receive direct benefit from this relationship. We head into an Olympic year, and USA Wrestling will once
again partner with the college community, as we bring the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials back to Carver Hawkeye Arena on the campus of the University of Iowa, April 9-10. The 2012 Olympic Trials in Iowa City were such a big success that USA Wrestling will continue that great relationship, working to make the 2016 edition an even better event that will raise the bar for the sport. Our college programs have worked very hard to help expand the fan base for wrestling and build interest in the sport at all levels. The NCAA Wrestling Championships is a major success which sells out arenas and gets great ratings on national televi-
sion. We also applaud the efforts of col- lege teams to expand their attendance at events and promote the sport in their communities.
On November 14, the two programs which have won the most NCAA wrestling titles, Oklahoma State and Iowa, will com- pete in a dual meet outdoors in Kinnick Stadium at Iowa. The Grapple on the Gridiron is expected to smash the college
wrestling attendance record and expose even more people to the best our sport can offer. It is this kind of innovative promo- tion of wrestling which will grow our sport moving forward. Both of these programs have been leaders within USA Wrestling and have made a tremendous impact on our Olympic success. It is also a promising time of growth in women’s college wrestling, as the WCWA women’s college season is well under- way. This year, four new colleges started varsity women’s pro- grams, expanding the WCWA to just under 30 teams. USA Wrestling has actively supported women’s college wrestling since its inception. We need to continue to increase the number of college teams to a level where wrestling’s leadership can apply for NCAA Emerging Sport status for women. If women’s wrestling becomes an official sport at the college level, the potential for growth at all levels is very promising. Women’s col- lege wrestling is already making a big difference in our Olympic program, and will be an even bigger factor in the future. We have another big upgrade within wrestling to look forward to later in the season. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. will be closed this winter as it goes through an extensive expansion through a construction project. Already one of the best sports Halls of Fame in the nation, the renovated Wrestling Hall of Fame will be something we can all be proud of. The NWHOF Dan Gable Museum is also expanding and improving in Waterloo, Iowa. Our sport is blessed to have such impressive shrines for wrestling, where we can preserve the his- tory of wrestling and inspire future generations. This gives us more great things to celebrate and enjoy during the 2016 Olympic year.
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