Univ. of Oregon wrestlers sue the university to prevent them from dropping the program … Is title nine the real reason the college wrestling programs are being dropped ?
According to statistics furnished by the Oregon School Activities Association, wrestling is the second most popular boys’ winter sport in Oregon high schools. For the 2006-07 school year, the latest figures available, some 4,659 boys wrestled on Oregon scholastic teams. This number does not include the 55 girls, 31 home schoolers, and 17 foreign exchange students who also participated in wrestling on the high school level.
Eugene, OR (June 9) — Members of the University of Oregon’s wrestling team filed suit Friday afternoon in the Oregon Circuit Court for Marion County, seeking to prevent the University from dropping wrestling as an intercollegiate sport. Circuit Judge Albin Norblad will hear the case.
The complaint alleges that the UO’s plan to eliminate wrestling would violate not only the procedural requirements for dropping an intercollegiate team but also the substantive requirements of the equal privileges and immunities clause of Oregon’s constitution, an Oregon anti-discrimination statute known as Section 659.850, and the Oregon University System’s implementing regulations.
In essence, the University mistakenly believed that gender equity under the federal Title IX statute required UO to eliminate men’s wrestling to enable UO to add men’s baseball, without considering whether that would violate Oregon’s constitution and statutes, as well as established University procedures. After acknowledging that Title IX did not require UO to eliminate wrestling to make room for baseball, UO spokesmen developed several new reasons to justify their original decision to drop wrestling. Like the original Title IX reasoning, however, the University’s new reasons fail to consider violations of Oregon law and University procedures.
The complaint seeks a preliminary injunction that orders UO to defer dropping wrestling until the athletic department completes the required intra-University consultation with UO’s Intercollegiate Athletics Committee and offers the affected students the opportunity for a hearing. Either UO’s president or the Oregon University System’s chancellor would make the final decision after the hearings. If UO still intends to drop wrestling after the required hearings, the parties would return to court to challenge that decision before the preliminary injunction dissolves.
The plaintiff, Equity in Athletics in Oregon, is an Oregon non-profit corporation that represents returning members of the Oregon wrestling team, prospective students who wish to wrestle at the University, and other Oregon citizens interested in the University’s proving an equitable athletic opportunity. The defendants are the University of Oregon, UO President David Frohnmayer, the Oregon University System, OUS Chancellor George Pernsteiner, UO Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny, UO Associate Athletic Directors Reneé Baumgartner and Neal Zoumboukos, and UO General Counsel Melinda Grier.
When Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny announced the resumption of the Oregon baseball program, suspended since 1981, during a press conference on July 13, 2007, he cited the need to comply with the gender equity provisions of U.S. Department of Education policy under Title IX by dropping wrestling and adding women’s competitive cheerleading. Wrestling boosters have argued that Title IX does not require UO to drop men’s wrestling simply because UO intends to add men’s baseball. In response, UO appears to have conceded that its initial Title IX rationale was flawed. On two occasions, in a Feb. 27, 2008, interview in the student newspaper, the Daily Emerald, and in a March 6, 2008, article in the fan publication, Ducks Illustrated, Zoumboukos acknowledged that Title IX did not require UO to drop wrestling.
Instead, Zoumboukos indicated that UO now was dropping wrestling for a combination of four criteria, neither one of which was determinative: (1) UO lacks a wrestling facility; (2) the Eugene area lacks a dedicated fan base; (3) the opportunity to capitalize on an investment; and (4) the lack of support in the Pac-10 and NCAA Division I.
While the plaintiff disagrees that the federal Title IX law even allows UO to cut wrestling, the complaint alleges that UO violated Oregon’s stronger anti-discrimination laws by not applying the same criteria evenly to both men’s and women’s teams. For example, interscholastic wrestling is more popular in Oregon and nationally than women’s lacrosse and competitive cheerleading, the Pac-10 and NCAA Division I support wrestling as much or more than those women’s sports, UO wrestling has higher attendance than several women’s teams, no women’s teams are required to pay their own way, and the wrestling community has offered significant financial contributions to endow UO wrestling.
“Since we all agree that federal law does not require UO to cut wrestling,” said attorney Richard Franklin, “the question is whether Oregon law allows UO to use a one-sided analysis to cut wrestling.” Last month, the Oregon Supreme Court held that the Oregon State Activities Association violated Section 659.850 by failing to schedule basketball playoff games around the Saturday Sabbath of athletes of the Seventh Day Adventist faith.
The plaintiff alleges that UO’s mistakes were compounded by the athletic department proceeding without the required hearings and consultations. “Oregon does not require administrative procedures to make people feel good,” said Franklin, “we require it because it helps agencies make better, more informed decisions when they publicly air an issue and allow the affected public to voice their concerns.” In 1987, when Frohnmayer served as Oregon’s Attorney General, he authored an interpretation of the Oregon Administrative Procedures Act that required universities to provide students who failed a drug test the opportunity for a hearing before terminating the right or privilege of participating in athletics. The plaintiff argues that the same rationale applies to terminating an entire team. “If UO had held a pre-termination hearing, it would have become obvious before UO took any final action that the athletic department had misconstrued Title IX and failed to consider Oregon law at all,” added Franklin.
Since Kilkenny announced the planned elimination of Oregon wrestling last year, a coalition of alumni led by former UO wrestling coach Ron Finley formed the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation and has raised more than $3 million in cash and pledges to endow UO wrestling. Such efforts have succeeded at other schools. Last month, Arizona State University announced plans to drop intercollegiate wrestling, but ASU reversed the decision two weeks later after boosters promised enough money to endow the sport. To date, however, Duck athletic department officials have shown little interest in working with the Save Oregon Wrestling Foundation.
According to statistics furnished by the Oregon School Activities Association, wrestling is the second most popular boys’ winter sport in Oregon high schools. For the 2006-07 school year, the latest figures available, some 4,659 boys wrestled on Oregon scholastic teams. This number does not include the 55 girls, 31 home schoolers, and 17 foreign exchange students who also participated in wrestling on the high school level.
Some 70% of University of Oregon wrestlers, averaged over the past three seasons, are graduates of Oregon high schools. This represents the largest percentage of native Oregonians on an UO intercollegiate athletic team. Only one other Duck athletic squad, the women’s cross country team, has more than 50% Oregonians on its roster. The University sponsors intercollegiate sports, such as women’s lacrosse, in which Oregonians do not compete on the high school level.
Wrestling at the University of Oregon has existed since 1913 as a club sport and since 1953 as an intercollegiate sport. Oregon wrestlers have won 32 All-American honors and 69 individual conference championships. Five Ducks have wrestled and one has coached in the Olympic Games.
The plaintiff is the Oregon chapter of Equity in Athletics, which is suing the U.S. Department of Education and James Madison University in Virginia over JMU’s plans to eliminate men’s and women’s archery and gymnastics, women’s fencing, and men’s track, swimming, and wrestling. Equity in Athletics also is working with a foundation formed by parents and alumni to save the Syracuse University men’s and women’s swim teams, which Syracuse had scheduled for elimination next year. In response to those efforts, Syracuse extended the elimination date forward three years to allow all matriculated swimmers to complete their athletic careers at Syracuse, which that foundation hopes will allow enough time to endow the swimming teams.
Equity in Athletics in Oregon is represented by Richard D. Franklin of Portland, Oregon, and Lawrence J. Joseph of Washington, D.C.
Attached are the 2nd Annual recruiting rankings and analysis courtesy of D1CollegeWrestling.Net. The team atop the rankings for 2008 is the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Minnesota’s recruiting class consists of All-American’s from New Jersey, Colorado, Oregon, Kansas and of course, Minnesota. The teams who round out the top three (Rutgers 2nd, and Central Michigan 3rd) are schools that have not traditionally been known as recruiting powers. In 2007, the Missouri Tigers were awarded the number one spot in these rankings.
Launched in July 2007 D1CollegeWrestling.Net is devoted to covering NCAA wrestling at the division one level. The site located at www.d1collegewrestling.net, provides rankings, interviews, recruiting information and lineups for each of the schools that participates in wrestling at the division one level. If there are any questions about these rankings or the website in general, I can be reached by contact information provided below.
1) Minnesota
Top Recruits: (141) Matt Mincey-Apple Valley, MN, (149) Mario Mason-Moorestown, NJ (Blair Academy), (157) Jake Deitchler-Ramsey, MN, (174) Cody Yohn-Alamosa, CO, (197) Ryland Geiger-Scappose, OR, (285) Atticus Disney-Shawnee Heights, KS.
Minnesota’s recruits combined to win a staggering 17 state championships and 3 prep national championships. The Gophers get two wrestlers ranked number one at their respective weight classes by Intermat, Deitchler and Geiger. Also two wrestlers (Mincey and Mason) who are ranked number two at their weight class. Add in Yohn and Disney at two weight classes where Minnesota has needs and you get the top class in the country.
2) Rutgers
Top Recruits: (125) Joe Langel-Howell, NJ, (133) Zac Coulas-Ocean, NJ, (149) Trevor Melde-Wayne, NJ, (157) Nick Menditto-Ocean, NJ, (157) Greg Zannetti-Edison, NJ, (165) Scott Winston-Jackson, NJ, (174/184) Dan Rinaldi-Lodi, NJ (197) Jesse Boyden-Kenilworth, NJ
Transfer: (141) David Greenwald-Rutherford, NJ (Iowa Central CC)
Rutgers recruits accounted for NINE New Jersey State Titles and four runner-up finishes throughout their careers (remember NJ only has one state tournament). If that’s not impressive enough there are two Sr. National Champs, Winston and Langel. Winston is the only NJ wrestler to finish his high school career undefeated. It has taken less than a year for Coach Scott Goodale to turn Rutgers into a force to be reckoned with in the recruiting scene.
3) Central Michigan
Top Recruits: (125) Ben Sergent-Troy, OH, (125/133) Scott Sentes-Fort Myers, FL, (165) Eric Cubberly-Pemberville, OH, (174) Ben Bennett-Rockford, MI, (197) Marcel Dubose-Highland Park, MI
An impressive THREE Sr. National Champions have signed with CMU. Sentes, Bennett and Dubose all came away with titles in Virginia Beach, while Eric Cubberly came home with a third place finish, too. Coach Borrelli’s crew of freshman should all have the luxury of redshirting in 09, before being unleashed on the MAC.
4) Wisconsin
Top Recruits: (125) Tom Kelliher-Apple Valley, MN, (133) Tyler Graff-Loveland, CO, (149) Ben Jordan-St. Paris, OH, (157) Cole Schmitt-New Glarus, WI, (157/165) Andrew Howe-Hanover, IN, (174) Travis Rutt-Jackson Co., MN
The Badger’s class of 08 features three 3x champs from big-time wrestling states. Jordan, Schmitt and Howe are the three timers, while Colorado’s Graff is a four-time champ and ranked #2 in the nation. Wisconsin also was able to steal two solid prospects from Minnesota (Kelliher and Rutt).
5) Oklahoma State
Top Recruits: (133) Jordan Oliver-Easton, PA, (149) Jake Peck-Marlow, OK, (157/165) Alex Meade-Camden, DE, (157) Johnny Koepp-Dallas, TX, (197) Tyson Yoder-Weatherford, OK
Transfer: (133) Chris Notte-Palmyra, NJ (Nassau CC)
This class is headlined by two of the biggest blue-chipper’s of 2008, Jordan Oliver and Alex Meade. Both of these wrestler’s should thrive under the tutelage of Coach John Smith. Each could start as true freshman. Koepp is the latest Bishop Lynch product to make his way to Stillwater. Peck is yet another body in the OSU room to compete for the 149lbs position.
6) Iowa
Top Recruits: (125) Nate Moore-Iowa City, IA, (133) Matt McDonogh-Linn-Mar, IA, (141) Mark Ballweg-Shell Rock, IA, (174) Grant Gambrell-Iowa City, IA
Transfer: (157/165) Colby Covington-Springfield, OR (Iowa Central CC)
The Hawkeye’s took advantage of a very good crop of Iowa high school wrestlers. Two of the recruits, Moore and Gambrell ended the season ranked number one in the nation at their respective weight classes. Also coming aboard is 2007 NJCAA National Champ Colby Covington. He will attempt to fill in for departing 2x National Champ Mark Perry. The Hawks would find themselves higher on this list if their current lineup wasn’t filled with talented juniors-to-be. McDonogh, Ballweg, and Gambrell may not get to compete as redshirt freshman because of the upperclassmen above them.
7) Michigan
Top Recruits: (133) Zac Stevens-Monroe, MI, (141) Mark Weber-Goodrich, MI, (149) Coby Boyd-St. Paris, OH, (157) Jake Salazar-Heber City, UT, (174/184) Hunter Collins-Gilroy, CA, (197) Ben Apland-Downers South, ILL
The two Sr. National Runner-Up’s (Weber and Collins) highlight yet another impressive class in Ann Arbor. Two talented middleweights (Boyd and Salazar) will push for mat time in their freshman seasons. A couple of the late signee’s can fill needs for the Wolverine’s. One is Apland who will help a Michigan team that has struggled recently at 197/285, and the other is Stevens who placed at Sr. Nationals and won a Michigan State Title as a senior.
Iowa State
Top Recruits: (125) Andrew Long-Creston, IA, (133) Anthony Valles-South Windsor, CT (Blair Academy), (141) Matt Brown-Cyprus, UT, (174) Chris Spangler-Nequa Valley, ILL, (174) Cole Shafer-Heber City, UT, (285) Eric Thompson-Shell Rock, IA
Transfer: (165) Nate Carr Jr-Jones Co., GA (Iowa Central), Duke Burk-Peoria, ILL (Northern Illinois)
The instate bookend’s highlight another solid recruiting class for the Cyclones. Thompson finished the season as the top ranked heavyweight by every wrestling publication. A focal point of this recruiting season was 174, which could be solved immediately by 2x NCAA qualifier Duke Burk, and then in the future by either Spangler or Shafer. The wild card of this class is Valles. If he can stay healthy he will be a steal.
9) Illinois
Top Recruits: (125) BJ Futrell-Chicago, ILL, (149) Reece Taylor-Rock Island, ILL, (157) Conrad Polz-Orland Park, ILL (174/184) Jordan Blanton-Richmond, ILL, (285) Pat Walker-Lombard, ILL
Illinois’ best stayed in state in 2008. Polz and Blanton both have the potential to be stars for Coach Mark Johnson, after combining to win six state titles in Illinois. Pat Walker was a late addition that will contribute at heavyweight after a redshirt season. Whether or not this is an excellent recruiting class could hinge on Futrell. He has the talent to be a successful D1 wrestler; the only question is whether he will be able to grow into a full sized 125lber.
10) Missouri
Top Recruits: (125) Nathan McCormick-Blue Valley, KS, (141) Nick Hucke-Arrowhead, WI, (157) Nick Gregoris-Chapel Hill, NC, (184) Brent Haynes-Oak Park, MO, (197) Jake Glore-St. Louis, MO
Transfer: (133) Todd Schavrien-Poway, CA (Arizona State)
Senior National runner-up Haynes and third-place finisher Hucke headline the Tiger’s class. Hucke hails from the same Wisconsin HS that produced the Askren brothers, where he won three state titles. Coach Smith has also made a habit of getting some spring signee’s that flew under the radar in the beginning of the season. This year’s group includes Sr. National All-Americans Gregoris and Glore. Finally, Schavrien will immediately be able to step in and start at 133.
11) Old Dominion
Top Recruits: (141) Brennan Brumley-Warren, MI, (141) Craig Wilson-Farmington, MO, (165) Jared King-Chesapeake, VA, (184) Joe Budi-Kaukauna, WI, (197) Jake Kahnke-Prior Lake, MN, (285) David Wilson-Norfolk, VA
Transfer: (174) Eric Decker-Wells Bridge, NY (Virginia Tech)
Another star-studded recruiting class for ODU and Coach Steve Martin. Four Monarch recruits placed at this spring’s Sr. National Tournament (Brumley 6th, Budi 3rd, Kahnke 7th, and Wilson 4th). That does not include 4x Missouri State Champ Craig Wilson. The only senior starter in 2008 was at 174 and transfer Eric Decker should fill that spot nicely. Decker was an NCAA qualifier in 2007, as a true freshman.
12) Ohio State
Top Recruits: (141) Caleb Messerall-Worthington, OH, (149) Tony Jameson-Austintown, OH, (184) Cody Magrum-Oak Harbor, OH, (285) John Hiles-Columbus, OH
Transfers: (174) David Rella-Cuyahoga Falls, OH (Penn State), (197/285) Cody Gardner-Christiansburg, VA (Virginia Tech)
The Buckeyes had merely a “very good” class up until the two transfers were announced. Rella will fill the largest hole in the OSU lineup at 174, while Gardner will attempt to wrestle at 197. 4x Ohio D1 State Champ Jameson is the most talented of the HS recruits. He is one of the most exciting wrestlers to watch, among the Class of 2008. Hiles is also a joins a talented young group of possible “heavyweights of the future”.
13) Wyoming
Top Recruits: (133) Jimmy Eggemeyer-Kodiak, AK, (149) Jared Hatley-Torrington, WY, (165) Eric Jones-Auburn, WA, (184) LJ Helbig-Mason, MI, (197) Alfonso Hernandez-Blackfoot, ID, (285) Jacob Scarborough-Weiser, ID
Most of the abovementioned teams are mainstays in the recruiting rankings; Wyoming crashes the party in 2008. The Cowboys are the only team in the nation with three Dave Schultz Awards winners among their recruits (Eggemeyer, Hatley, and Scarborough). Helbig was also an All-American at NHSCA Senior Nationals (7th). Hatley and Jones were both All-American’s in freestyle last season at the Junior level.
14) Boise State
Top Recruits: (125) Brian Owen-Spokane, WA, (141) Jason Chamberlain-Springville, UT, (165) Brad Sweet-Kapowsin, WA, (174) Randy Larson-Hermiston, OR
Transfer: (149) Nathaniel Holt-Provo, UT (Central Michigan)
The Bronco’s got two immediate starters coming in with the 2008 class. Chamberlain is one of the top recruits in the country and has won the following events/honors-Dave Schultz National Award, Fargo Jr. Freestyle, NHSCA Sr. Nationals, Dapper Dan and Utah state tournament 4x’s. Owen came back from a serious injury in 2007 to finish second in Jr. Freestyle and will win matches out of the gate for BSU. The rest of the recruits may have to wait to start because of the young, talented lineup the Broncos return.
15) Nebraska
Top Recruits: (141) Aldon Isenberg-Edgerton, KS, (149) Jon Burns-Raleigh, NC, (184) Romero Cotton-Hutchinson, KS, (197) Josh Ihnen-Sheldon, IA
Nebraska got an early commitment from one of the years fastest risers, Jon Burns. The NC resident burst onto the scene at the Ironman beating Minnesota recruit Mario Mason and Wisconsin recruit Ben Jordan. Also the Huskers got two of Kansas’ best, Isenberg and Cotton. Cotton was a 3x Kansas State Champ and a double Cadet champ at Fargo in 2006. Getting Ihnen, a 2x State Finalist, to leave Iowa is a steal.
16) Northwestern
Top Recruits: (141) Eric Galka-Hobart, IN, (157/165) Jason Welch-Walnut Creek, CA, (174) Brian Roddy-Lakewood, OH
Though not the biggest class, the Wildcats certainly deserve mention. They were able to nab Jason Welch, the top ranked wrestler in the nation according to Intermat. Welch joined the ranks of California’s all-time great HS wrestlers by winning three state titles while appearing in four finals. He also entered the Midlands tournament in 2007 and was able to finish in sixth place. Expect Welch somewhere in NU’s lineup in 2008. The other big time recruit for the Wildcats is Roddy, yet another import from St. Edward HS in Ohio.
17) Virginia
Top Recruits: (125) Joe Trause-Bergan, NJ, (133) Derek Valenti-Kittantiny, NJ, (149) Dan Clarke-Ramsey, NJ, (157) Jedd Moore-Marion Pleasant, OH, (197) Adam Cogar-Barberton, OH
This is the second consecutive strong recruiting class for Coach Steve Garland. Both Trause and Moore were two-time state champs from their respective states. Moore could be penciled in already for the Cavaliers 157lb slot in 2008-09. Two other recruits Valenti (3rd) and Clarke (5th) placed at Sr. Nationals. Valenti, a NJ state champ, has the bloodlines, as his brother was a 2x NCAA Champ.
18) Oregon State
Top Recruits: (133) Caleb Vallotton-Foothill, CA, (149) Michael Mangrum-Auburn, WA, (184) Ty Vinson-Great Falls, MT, (285) Bubba Owens-Tillamook, OR
This is another class that is not very deep but has big-time star power. Each of these OSU recruits placed at last summer’s Freestyle/Greco tournament at Fargo. Mangrum won his second junior Freestyle title, two years after winning both titles at the Cadet level. Vinson and Owens were both 2x state champs in Montana and Oregon, respectively.
19) Purdue
Top Recruits: (125) Kegan Handlovic-Easton, PA, (141) Matt Bryan-Broken Arrow, OK, (149) Brennan Cosgrove-Hobart, IN, (149) Ryan Gambill-Casstown, OH, (174) Ethan Smith-Heber City, UT
Transfers: (133) Carson Beebe-Western Springs, ILL (Central Michigan)
A nice class for Scott Hinkel in his first full season as Head Coach at Purdue. Handlovic, Bryan, Gambill and Smith all combined to win nine state titles. Cosgrove perhaps the biggest recruit of the bunch was a state champ in Indiana and one of two future Boilermaker’s to earn All-American honors (6th) at Sr. Nationals (Smith’s 4th place was the other). Beebe, whose older brother Chase wrestled at Purdue, transfers in from Central Michigan and could be the starter at 133.
20) Kent State
Top Recruits: (125) Steve Mitcheff-Elyria, OH, (125) Troy Opfer-Sandusky, OH (141) Chase Skonieczny-Cuyahoga Falls, OH (157) Mallie Shuster-Big Spring, PA, (174) Kevin Witt-Oak Harbor, OH
Another very solid class for a Kent State program that is on the rise. The most notable recruit is Sr. National Champ, Skonieczny a 4x Ohio place winner and 2008 state champ. Witt, Shuster and Mitcheff were all state champ and place at their state tournaments at least three times each.
Other Top Recruiting Classes:
21) Virginia Tech
22) Cornell
23) Tennessee-Chattanooga
24) Ohio
25) Navy
My wife Shannon and I are currently in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia (Russia) completing the adoption process of a beautiful infant girl…She is very beautiful. We plan to bring Mikayla back home to the US in a couple of weeks.