Possibility of new D I programs?

[CollegeCoach44]

Besides Tarleton St, are there any other rumors of D I programs being started?

I know in the current landscape adding programs at the power 4 conferences is close to impossible, but what about these smaller D I's who are looking for students.

Just curious if anyone has heard anything from the coaches association.

 

[Gbaby149]

Mercyhurst in Erie, PA will be post-season eligible in two years. They are currently competing in the NCWA with us (Tarleton State). I believe this is our last year of NCWA. Will be finding out in March. 

[TexRef]

@Gbaby149Do you have 100% buy in from the administration?

We keep hearing about what y'all have been doing, but is the administration doing SOMETHING to make this push? 

[Gbaby149]

@TexRef Yes, but unfortunately, I am not able to speak on it publicly at this time. We have been accepted into a conference, but that is all I can say. 

[TNwrestling]

25 minutes ago, Gbaby149 said:

@TexRef Yes, but unfortunately, I am not able to speak on it publicly at this time. We have been accepted into a conference, but that is all I can say. 

I'm gonna guess SoCon...

[CHROMEBIRD]

3 minutes ago, TNwrestling said:

I'm gonna guess SoCon...

Makes sense. I was thinking the Pac. It would be nice if the UAC schools could bloc affiliate for wrestling. May help UT-Arlington forge a pathway.

[romeo07]

I doubt its the SOCON, but the SOCON does need one more team. The problem with the SOCON is they all wrestle each other so it doesn't leave a lot of open dates for tournaments and non-conference duals. A 9-team conference where everyone faces each other eats up 8 dates.  I have a unique idea to fix that.

If they had one more team they could make 2 5-team divisions. Each divisions wrestle each other (4 dates). They could then have an open date towards the end of the season where the divisional teams would face the other division in order of placement. 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, etc. That would give us a cool regular season championship format and also reduce our in-conference dates from 8 to 5, leaving 3 additional opportunities for SOCON teams to schedule bigger tournaments and notable dual opponents.

[Bardamu911]

11 hours ago, TNwrestling said:

I'm gonna guess SoCon...

I'm thinking PAC 12?

[CollegeCoach44]

I think their is around 366 Division I schools and the fact that we only have 79 (soon to be 78 after CBU this season) is depressing and maddening.

The sport does have some popularity. I fear as the D I landscape changes that wrestling will continue to drop in numbers at the D I level.

It would be nice to get 100-110 programs (I know that's a dream).

What schools in your area would be a good recommendation to add?

 

 

[kschlosser]

Would love to see dayton, Cincinnati, wright state, or miami would have wrestling for SE Ohio.

Would love to see bowling green or Toledo have have wrestling for NW Ohio.

To my knowledge only bgsu is the only school to never drop wrestling.

I have heard that hocking college has been exploring adding a two year college option for wrestlers in Ohio. It's about 15 minutes from Athens in Nelsonville. I believe they would be the first non 4 year to offer.

With that said both Columbus state and Cuyahoga community college offer sports so adding wrestling would increase opportunities in central and NW Ohio 

 

[MPhillips]

1 minute ago, kschlosser said:

Would love to see dayton, Cincinnati, wright state, or miami would have wrestling for SE Ohio.

Would love to see bowling green or Toledo have have wrestling for NW Ohio.

To my knowledge only bgsu is the only school to never drop wrestling.

I have heard that hocking college has been exploring adding a two year college option for wrestlers in Ohio. It's about 15 minutes from Athens in Nelsonville. I believe they would be the first non 4 year to offer.

With that said both Columbus state and Cuyahoga community college offer sports so adding wrestling would increase opportunities in central and NW Ohio 

 

University of Rio Grande in SE Ohio has a men's and women's team in the last few years.

[Greenwave]

Even though I hope more get added it’s not likely with recently dropped programs.  During the discussion after it was announced they were dropping wrestling it showed how ill-advised the athletic departments are when it comes to wrestling. Adding cost from other sports on the expense line showing against wrestling.  Old Dominion, Cleveland State, Eastern Michigan to name a few.
 

MAC Schools little plane travel would be needed. Pipelines to Ohio, Michigan Eastern Michigan and Indiana.  
Bowling Green, Miami OH., Akron, Western Michigan, Ball State would be a great start.

Would it be easier for D2 programs to move up.  They are already managing the expense of wrestling programs.

[wrestlingguy]

@Gbaby149 I am assuming this is Grant Leeth? I am a big fan of yours. I followed your career all the way back to your Kearney days. Good luck and I will be rooting for your success from KS.

[kschlosser]

58 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

University of Rio Grande in SE Ohio has a men's and women's team in the last few years.

Rio grande isn't d1

Probably shouldn't have tacked on hc, ccc, or CS as they aren't d1, but implied as two year programs.

Seems like HC is the one of the few schools I've heard discussing adding a program in recent years. That info came from coaches their ad reached out to about getting involved 

Also have long believed that Ohio has needed a 2 year option since the ninties. Always believed Columbus state should be one based on their central location 

No problems acknowledging there has been growth on the d2/d3 level in ohio, esp girls programs to complement boys.  Kudos to Rio grande for sw ohio, defiance college reinstated a program that was dead for 30+ years in NW Ohio 

 

Edited March 3 by kschlosser
Grammar

[MPhillips]

Just now, kschlosser said:

Rio grande isn't d1

Correct.

I shouldn't have bothered...

[Former158]

Without a major donor, I would say D1 is out of the question for many places. D3 is a great model to help drive enrollment and all teams should start both men's and women's programs at the same time. It is a great model when you can share costs, facilities and increase the recruiting potential. 

With NIL, etc, scholarship models for D1 don't generate revenue for schools. Students who can pay 40-50% are often enough for a private school struggling with enrollment.

 

[kschlosser]

7 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

Correct.

I shouldn't have bothered...

I wouldn't say that. I knew they had a program because I know they were recruiting a few guys I've worked with. I did forget about them when posting but was thinking about d1. Thanks for reminding me.

Hocking popped into my mind as I was writing, and I thought I'd throw in CS and CCC because of central geography with CS and wrestling power area and loss of CSU for NE Ohio 

Edited March 3 by kschlosser

[JWC]

Just now, Former158 said:

Without a major donor, I would say D1 is out of the question for many places. D3 is a great model to help drive enrollment and all teams should start both men's and women's programs at the same time. It is a great model when you can share costs, facilities and increase the recruiting potential. 

With NIL, etc, scholarship models for D1 don't generate revenue for schools. Students who can pay 40-50% are often enough for a private school struggling with enrollment.

 

So true.  I was attached to a D1 soccer program at a small private school and a high roster limit offset some of the program cost.  Doing a quick search of public uni's revenue breakdown of athletic programs income support the d3 model currently.  Roster caps will now make a jump to a d1 non-rev sport almost fiscally impossible.

 

But I hope Tarleton State can pull it off

[CHROMEBIRD]

Maybe if the revenue sports off into their own semipro league like some have suggested. Hard to imagine schools sustaining themselves under the current revenue sharing model unless they're one of the few "haves" or get into tricky financial instruments, which would maybe just prolong the bubble bursting.

[JWC]

A different D-1 approach:  Iowa State dropped women's gymnastics but has said it will replace gymnastics with another women's sport.  Will it be wrestling?  Flag Football?

[kschlosser]

3 hours ago, JWC said:

A different D-1 approach:  Iowa State dropped women's gymnastics but has said it will replace gymnastics with another women's sport.  Will it be wrestling?  Flag Football?

I just read my first article on cutting their gymnastics programs. Seems like it was having issues for last two coaches. They tried to fix issues, couldn't get done despite a coaching change and a roster that completely turned over 

Pollard was quoted as saying they would have a new program that costs the same or more and have as many roster spots or more. To me a wrestling program would be huge and they essentially have the facilities and equipment in place.

With that said, would dresser and staff support and play nice or would they have issues with sharing resources and support are my questions 

I would travel to watch a doubleheader cy-hawk dual. I would assume the first one would set the attendance record for a women's dual. 

 

 

[TexRef]

On 3/2/2026 at 1:18 PM, Gbaby149 said:

@TexRef Yes, but unfortunately, I am not able to speak on it publicly at this time. We have been accepted into a conference, but that is all I can say. 

Now you're cooking with peanut oil! 

[juniorvarsity]

6 hours ago, kschlosser said:

Would love to see dayton, Cincinnati, wright state, or miami would have wrestling for SE Ohio.

Would love to see bowling green or Toledo have have wrestling for NW Ohio.

To my knowledge only bgsu is the only school to never drop wrestling.

I have heard that hocking college has been exploring adding a two year college option for wrestlers in Ohio. It's about 15 minutes from Athens in Nelsonville. I believe they would be the first non 4 year to offer.

With that said both Columbus state and Cuyahoga community college offer sports so adding wrestling would increase opportunities in central and NW Ohio 

 

Cincinnati, Wright State, Univ Dayton, and Miami all used to have wrestling.

[kschlosser]

20 minutes ago, juniorvarsity said:

Cincinnati, Wright State, Univ Dayton, and Miami all used to have wrestling.

To my knowledge bgsu was the only school to never drop wrestling as they never had

I believe central state was d2 that could qualify individuals to d1 when they had a team. they compete in d2 w/out wrestling now as do many hbcus. School had major financial issues for years

I'm only following up to give props to the great wojo and shame to toledo. Grandma loved wojo because he was as real as they come and was a longtime amateur coach.

 

 

Edited March 4 by kschlosser

[GimJustafan]

17 hours ago, kschlosser said:

I just read my first article on cutting their gymnastics programs. Seems like it was having issues for last two coaches. They tried to fix issues, couldn't get done despite a coaching change and a roster that completely turned over 

Pollard was quoted as saying they would have a new program that costs the same or more and have as many roster spots or more. To me a wrestling program would be huge and they essentially have the facilities and equipment in place.

With that said, would dresser and staff support and play nice or would they have issues with sharing resources and support are my questions 

I would travel to watch a doubleheader cy-hawk dual. I would assume the first one would set the attendance record for a women's dual. 

 

 

on the iowa state forum - they seem less than enthusiastic that bringing in a woman wrestling program will happen