Stanford wrestling's future?

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

While wishing Coach Koll all the best at his alma mater UNC, it's worth asking:  what of Stanford wrestling's future?



        Stanford's recent NCAA champion Shane Griffith's at Michigan now, as a grad. student:   

https://mgoblue.com/sports/wrestling/roster/shane-griffith/24926

But what if he opted to coach in California now that there's an opening?   I realize that coaching experience is good to have.  OK, maybe vital to have.   But who could add more instant enthusiasm to the crusade to keep the Stanford wrestling program alive?   Who could recruit better than someone who knows what it's like to wrestle at AND ATTEND Stanford?   

     If that option's not viable (and I admittedly do not know Shane), who is?     Current assistant coaches are listed here:

https://gostanford.com/sports/wrestling/coaches 

In no way is my enthusiasm for Shane's candidacy meant to belittle those assistant coaches' abilities to contribute, perhaps even at the head coaching level.  I know none of these folks.   

     Meanwhile it's worth asking the alumni (obviously), and the incoming recruits:

https://gostanford.com/news/2023/7/27/wrestling-class-complete.aspx

As well as those on the roster:

https://gostanford.com/sports/wrestling/roster

    Meanwhile, with the change in athletic directors at Stanford, that's a known unknown...  I don't pretend to have the answers.   I bet you have a worthwhile opinion though.   Please share it, if you like.  

Hopefully Stanford wrestling can & will survive?   

Edited September 1, 2023 by TitleIX is ripe for reform

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

 

 

 

[Tripnsweep]

Maybe they should try poaching Jason Welch. 

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

Now that you mention the potentially intriguing Northwestern avenue, I did think of former Northwestern assistant coach Andrew Howe earlier today:

https://nwhof.org/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame/champions-database?wrestler=3032

I think I read that he's running a wrestling school nowadays.   I'm not recommending him for the job (or advocating that he not get it); I'm just mentioning him.    

 

[11986]

Wonder if Jon Sioredas would be interested? 

[billyhoyle]

6 hours ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

Now that you mention the potentially intriguing Northwestern avenue, I did think of former Northwestern assistant coach Andrew Howe earlier today:

https://nwhof.org/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame/champions-database?wrestler=3032

I think I read that he's running a wrestling school nowadays.   I'm not recommending him for the job (or advocating that he not get it); I'm just mentioning him.    

 

No chance: https://owrestle.com/andrew-howe-reportedly-to-be-fired-from-northwestern-for-refusal-to-get-covid-19-vaccine/

 

[Laxhawk174]

ACC voted to add Stanford, Cal, and SMU to join the conference in all sports. Starting 24-25 School year. 

 

https://theathletic.com/4825140/2023/09/01/acc-adding-stanford-cal-smu-conference-realignment/

[Ban Basketball]

There are more than enough good and potentially good coaches to fill these spots.  Their applicant pools alone show that. 

[Husker_Du]

14 hours ago, 11986 said:

Wonder if Jon Sioredas would be interested? 

he is.

[Husker_Du]

15 hours ago, Tripnsweep said:

Maybe they should try poaching Jason Welch. 

he's applying. 

[Plasmodium]

We sat behind Jason Welch's family at a US Open one time.  His grandfather is funny AF.  Sort of out of the blue, he turned around and looked at my wife.  Then he looked at me, laughed and said " She could have done a helluva lot better than you!"

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

27 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

We sat behind Jason Welch's family at a US Open one time.  His grandfather is funny AF.  Sort of out of the blue, he turned around and looked at my wife.  Then he looked at me, laughed and said " She could have done a helluva lot better than you!"

So you get that one, too?

[Plasmodium]

5 minutes ago, Interviewed_at_Weehawken said:

So you get that one, too?

Yeah, is it a straight up insult or a back handed compliment?

[MPhillips]

2 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

Yeah, is it a straight up insult or a back handed compliment?

Yes...

[Plasmodium]

1 hour ago, MPhillips said:

Yes...

Agreed

[1032004]

2 hours ago, Husker_Du said:

he's applying. 

Looks like SF State needs to update his bio.  About all it says about his coaching record is he was 6-4 in his first season in 2017-2018

[Sheerstress]

Hope they get another good CEO type coach who is as good with politics and promotion as he is in the room.  Can't be losing another West Coast program.

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

Speaking of the west coast, what of the Pac 12, especially in wrestling?   This article's a couple of weeks old and isn't too optimistic:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/pac-12-on-brink-of-collapse-how-college-footballs-premier-west-coast-conference-fell-behind-in-realignment/  

[MadMardigain]

Hope the travel budget is there or some of the none top tier 1 are close to being cut. 

[Idaho]

14 hours ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

Speaking of the west coast, what of the Pac 12, especially in wrestling?   This article's a couple of weeks old and isn't too optimistic:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/pac-12-on-brink-of-collapse-how-college-footballs-premier-west-coast-conference-fell-behind-in-realignment/  

If there is no Pac-12, which seems to be the case, the 4 remaining teams will end up in other conferences, just like a lot of schools. I can easily see Oregon State heading to the B12 for wrestling. Little Rock should land somewhere out east which is where they should be anyway. Cal Poly and Bakersfield are the tougher ones. I could also see them being picked up by the B12 as well.... but Bakersfield could be a casualty. They already have to self fund and a move to another conference would be a huge hit to their program financially unless they can find some schedule creativity and raise more money. I would hate to see that happen. 

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

It's encouraging that Bakersfield is still surviving at the NCAA level.   Anyhow, can a D1 men's wrestling team qualify wrestlers for the NCAAs even without being a member of a conference?   I vaguely recall that it's possible, but that the odds are substantially reduced without a conference affiliation.   Maybe that can be changed to help schools like Bakersfield continue chasing the dream of producing NCAA All-Americans?   Cal. St. Bakersfield achieved greatness decades ago at the D2 or maybe the D1AA level.   

[billyhoyle]

I think it will be very difficult to hire a big name coach 

17 hours ago, Idaho said:

If there is no Pac-12, which seems to be the case, the 4 remaining teams will end up in other conferences, just like a lot of schools. I can easily see Oregon State heading to the B12 for wrestling. Little Rock should land somewhere out east which is where they should be anyway. Cal Poly and Bakersfield are the tougher ones. I could also see them being picked up by the B12 as well.... but Bakersfield could be a casualty. They already have to self fund and a move to another conference would be a huge hit to their program financially unless they can find some schedule creativity and raise more money. I would hate to see that happen. 

I'm worried about Oregon State and to a lesser extent Stanford.  They're both going to get millions less in TV revenue per year with the realignment. Cuts will have to be made somewhere, and it is too often wrestling that is the casualty. 

[Idaho]

6 hours ago, billyhoyle said:

I think it will be very difficult to hire a big name coach 

I'm worried about Oregon State and to a lesser extent Stanford.  They're both going to get millions less in TV revenue per year with the realignment. Cuts will have to be made somewhere, and it is too often wrestling that is the casualty. 

Nope. You have to have 16 teams to stay at the D1 FBS level. Oregon state has 16. They cannot drop a sport. They have a large endowment and the university is very supportive of the program. It’s not going anywhere. 
if a team drops it will be Bakersfield which would be terrible. 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Idaho

[billyhoyle]

33 minutes ago, Idaho said:

Nope. You have to have 16 teams to stay at the D1 FBS level. Oregon state has 16. They cannot drop a sport. They have a large endowment and the university is very supportive of the program. It’s not going anywhere. 
if a team drops it will be Bakersfield which would be terrible. 

Ok, it's relieving that they can't eliminate it entirely.  I guess they'll just have to make some major across the board cuts to account for the lost revenue. 

I don't see why this would be existential for Bakersfield since they weren't getting football/basketball Pac12 revenue.

Edited September 3, 2023 by billyhoyle

[Idaho]

15 minutes ago, billyhoyle said:

Ok, it's relieving that they can't eliminate it entirely.  I guess they'll just have to make some major across the board cuts to account for the lost revenue. 

I don't see why this would be existential for Bakersfield since they weren't getting football/basketball Pac12 revenue.

Yes, I agree - they will have some budget challenges going into next season, but even that's up in the air with the crazy conference world we live in now. Fundraising has been pretty decent at Oregon State so that will become more of a focus with the affect on the budget. 

With Bakersfield, you are correct in that the incoming money - or lack of - does not change in that aspect. The concern would be that changing conferences could add to their expenses significantly. If you look at their schedule most of it is contained to the West with tournaments and Pac 12 conference duals. They had the southern scuffle and then wrestled three duals all at the same location in NC - which is smart on their part. Those were the only two significant travel dates. The closest geographical conference would be the B12.  With the fact that everything is more expensive now and adding travel costs, Bakersfield has an uphill battle in what was already an uphill battle. One thing they could have going for them in a change, is that I believe there is a clause for new teams entering that they can limit the conference schedule. If that be the case, then they could keep their mostly western schedule. Another question would be if other conferences would take them in - I would hope they would. It's a tough battle to have to completely fund a program. I can't imagine the energy it takes to run the program and self fund it.