Dr. John Welty, President
California State University, Fresno
5241 N. Maple Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710
Thomas Boeh, Athletic Director
California State University, Fresno
5241 N. Maple Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710
Dr. Charles B. Reed, Chancellor
California State University
401 Golden Shore, Room 641
Long Beach, CA 90802
July 15, 2006
Dear Dr. Welty, Mr. Boeh and Dr. Reed:
Recently, Mr. Boeh announced to the Fresno community
that the University would discontinue the men’s wrestling
program and reinstate the men’s cross country program. This
decision came as a major surprise. The members of the Central
Valley Wrestling Association have closely examined the reasons
given by both Mr. Boeh and Dr. Welty. The following excerpt
is from the University’s athletic webpage.
June 15, 2006
FRESNO, Calif.- Fresno State Athletics Director Thomas Boeh
announced today that effective July 1, 2006, the university
will discontinue the intercollegiate wrestling program and
reinstate the men's cross country program.
The
action is taken as a cost-reduction measure and a significant
component of a long-range strategic plan for Fresno State
athletics, Boeh said.
"Fresno
State is committed to success within the Western Athletic
Conference as well as the provision of the very best student-athlete
experience possible for all our sponsored programs, Boeh
said.
"There
is strong desire on the part of the university and its constituents
to have Fresno State advance to a level of national prominence
and compete consistently among the nation's best. Unfortunately,
the rapidly rising costs associated with an NCAA Division
I-A athletics program have caused many institutions around
the country with similar aspirations to re-evaluate their
sports programming. Here at Fresno State, we found our department
in the same position," said Boeh.
In
2005-06, the average NCAA Division I-A athletics department
budget was $32.3 million, compared to Fresno State's $22
million.
"Given
today's industry standards, it is very clear that to remain
a sustainable I-A program we need to find more efficiencies,"
Boeh said. "This adjustment will enable us to direct
an adequate amount of resources, in the form of money, facilities,
support services and staff, toward the support and advancement
of all of our student-athletes."
Scholarship
offers to returning student-athletes and incoming freshmen
who have signed letters of intent will be honored until
they have completed four years of school at Fresno State
or transfer to other institutions. Affected student-athletes
will continue to have full use of training and academic
facilities and may compete individually if they choose.
The
contract for head wrestling coach Shawn
Charles will be honored until June 30, 2007. He will
be reassigned within the Department of Athletics in the
coming academic year.
The
announced change means the restoration of men's cross country
after a three-year absence from Fresno State. This action
is intended to help advance the men's track and field program,
which has been operating at a significant disadvantage since
the discontinuance of men's cross country in fall 2003.
Boeh said the program will greatly help the men's track
and field program return to conference championship level.
The men's cross country program will require no additional
scholarships and will carry a roster of 10-12 student-athletes.
Boeh
said among the considerations that led to the decision to
discontinue wrestling were:
· An anticipated net annual
financial savings of $350,000-$400,000 (not likely to be
fully realized until 2008), which will help the long-term
financial stability of the athletics program.
· Wrestling is not a sponsored
sport with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and is
not a broad-based NCAA championship sport.
· The lack of a dedicated
wrestling practice facility, locker room and cost-efficient
and reasonable competitive venue.
· Wrestling carries a roster
of approximately 34 student-athletes and does not have a
comparative women's program.
· The recent low level of
academic achievement by the wrestling program's student
athletes.
Background
Fact Sheet
1.
In the interest of achieving annual financial stability
of the athletics program
There will be a net annual financial savings to the program
of between $350,000 and $400,000. However, these savings
will not likely be fully realized until the 2007-08 academic
year. .
2.
Wrestling is not a sponsored sport within the Western Athletic
Conference
The WAC does not sponsor wrestling and points toward the
conference all-sports competition are not available.
Fresno State's wrestling program, following
its departure from the PAC 10, it has been competing as
an independent. The team was scheduled to join the newly
formed Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) in the fall of
2006. It is a conference where the membership is spread
out over seven states and three time zones. This dynamic
would likely to have significantly increased wrestling travel
costs.
Western
Wrestling Conference: Air Force Academy, North Dakota State,
Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah
Valley State, Wyoming
3.
The absence of a dedicated wrestling practice facility and
locker room
4.
The absence of a cost-effective venue for competition
5.
The recent history of academic achievement within the wrestling
program
The program has most recently scored an NCAA APR rate of
871. This is well below the acceptable rating of 925 and
ranks the team in the lowest 10% among Division I wrestling
programs.
The
team has an aggregate GPA of 2.44. This represents the lowest
team GPA in the athletics department by a large margin and
.45 below the average student-athlete average of 2.89.
6.
Wrestling is not a broad-based NCAA championship sport
As of September 1, 2005, there were 87 NCAA Division I wrestling
programs. This represents roughly 27% of the NCAA Division
I membership. On the same date there were 303 NCAA Division
I men's cross country programs.
FRESNO STATE, CONFERENCE AND NATIONAL
SPORTS PROGRAMMING
| Sport |
WAC |
NCAA |
| Baseball |
7* |
286 |
| Basketball |
9 |
326 |
| Cross
Country |
8 |
303 |
| Football |
9 |
235 |
| Golf |
9 |
289 |
| Tennis |
7 |
264 |
| Track
and Field (O) |
5 |
263 |
| Wrestling |
2 |
87 |
*
indicates one affiliate member
With
the programming adjustment, the average numbers of NCAA
participating institutions reflected in the seven sports
that Fresno State will continue to sponsor in the fall of
2006 is 281.
Fresno State will continue to sponsor
seven men's sports in the 2006-07.
7.
Wrestling carries a significant roster and scholarship level.
It also does not have a like women's program
Wrestling carries 9.9 equivalency full scholarships and
a roster of 35 student-athletes. Continued sponsorship of
the sport would impede compliance with Title IX and CALNOW
student-athlete participation levels and distribution of
athletics aid. These challenges have become considerably
greater in recent years. Currently the student body ratio
at Fresno State is 60/40 in favor of women, and the trend
is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.
Further,
because wrestling does not have a like women's program it
is less efficient regarding the use of resources and facilities.
Finally, the sponsorship of a uniquely men's sport also
makes it more difficult to make the appropriate comparisons
among men's and women's sport programs OCR's "13-point
laundry list."
FRESNO
STATE 2005-06 MEN'S SPORTS SCHOLARSHIP LEVELS AND LIKE SPORTS
STATUS
| Sport |
NCAA
Maximum |
Like
Sport |
| Baseball |
11.7 |
Yes |
| Basketball |
13* |
Yes |
| Cross
Country |
--- |
Yes |
| Football |
85* |
No |
| Golf |
4.5 |
Yes |
| Tennis |
4.5 |
Yes |
| Track
and Field |
12.6 |
Yes |
| Wrestling |
9.9 |
No |
The
reinstated men's cross country program will carry a roster
of 10-12 individuals and, per NCAA rule; the scholarship
distribution will be absorbed into the men's track and field
allotment. The net result is an improvement in the participation
and scholarship ratio between men and women student-athletes
at Fresno State.
It
is important to note that although the department's mission
to achieve compliance with Title IX standards was not a
primary driving force behind the decision to discontinue
the wrestling program and reinstate men's cross country;
this adjustment will indeed result in a positive effect
on the department's gender equity.
8.
Reinstatement of men's cross country
The reinstatement of men's cross country is expected to
cost less than $25,000 annually, which will be recovered
via the NCAA sport sponsorship distribution, Subsequently,
any additional cost for the program will be negligible.
Central
Valley Wrestling Association Response:
1. In the interest of achieving annual financial stability of the
athletics program
There is an overstatement of budgetary savings of $350,000
to $400,000 per year by cutting the wrestling program. Actual
budgeted expenditures for the wrestling program were as
follows:
Academic year 2002-2003 $253,212
Academic year 2003-2004
$264,901 ( 1 match @ SaveMart Center $7000
paid by Booster improvement fund- set West coast Attendance
Record of 9,750*
Academic year 2004-2005
$290,687 (1 match @ SaveMart Center with $8,000 rental cost
included in budget
Academic year 2005-2006
$291,270 (1 match@ SaveMart Center with $8,000 rental cost
included in budget
The
athletics budget at CSU Fresno has increased $4.5 million
in the last 4 years. The wrestling budget is less than 1.4%
of the $22 million budget.
2. Wrestling is not a sponsored sport within the Western Athletic
Conference
Unlike the WAC which spans five different time zones the newly
formed Western Wrestling Conference is nearly half the total
distance needed for travel.
In addition there are 14 Division 1 schools in
the Central and Pacific Time Zones including 6 universities
in California that compete in Division 1 Wrestling (Cal
Poly, CSU Bakersfield, CSU Fullerton, UC Davis, Stanford
and Fresno State). These local Div. 1 programs allow the
wrestling budget to be highly cost efficient.
There are 8 universities in the Western States that compete
in Division 1 wrestling, to include: Arizona State, Boise
State (WAC member), Oregon, Oregon State, Portland State,
Air Force Academy, Utah Valley State, and Wyoming.
The newly formed Western Wrestling Conference allows teams
to compete on a.. . This newly formed conference has had
no significant increase cost to the wrestling budget.
In the State of California, there are 22,007 participants
in the sport of high school wrestling. In the CIF Central
Section, more than 60 of the 92 high schools have wrestling
teams. The Central Valley of California is the strongest wrestling area in the
state. The local High Schools have won 13 team state championships
since 1972 and recognized as the most successful high school
sport in the community. Obviously demonstrated interest in wrestling within California
State University Fresno’s service area
3.
The absence of a dedicated wrestling practice facility and
locker room
Since its inception, in 1961, the wrestling team has practiced
and competed almost exclusively in the North Gym on the
campus of CSU Fresno. Neither the current coach (Coach Shawn
Charles) nor the former coach (Coach Dennis DeLiddo) has
expressed dissatisfaction with either competing in the North
Gym or practicing in the wrestling room. Additionally, there
has never been a request to change facilities. The mat room
or practice facility is used exclusively by the wrestling
team from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., daily, and from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
for the Bulldog Wrestling Academy.
In addition, the wrestling practice room was revamped in the 2004
season. Local donations have contributed both to up-grade
the wrestling practice room and improve the accommodations
of the physical educational facilities. The result is one
the best mat rooms and weight rooms on the west coast.
4.
The absence of a cost-effective venue for competition
For the past 46 years, the wrestling team has competed in
the North Gym. This facility is extremely cost effective
and user friendly. It is cost-effective for events in that
there are limited entrance/exit doors. The addition of chair-back
seats makes this a comfortable venue and, it offers the
opportunity to generate additional income through the sale
of seat options.
In addition to having both the competition and practice facility
located in the North Gym, the wrestling coach staff offices,
training room, equipment room and locker facilities are
also conveniently located here.
In terms of revenue and expense for the home matches,
the following information is provided:
2002/2003 Expense: $6,356 Ticket revenue:
$9,250
2003/2004 Expense: $7,701 Ticket revenue:
$32,143
2004/2005 Expense: $17,961 Ticket revenue:
$43,033
2005/2006 Expense: $18,140 Ticket revenue:
5. The recent history of academic achievement within the wrestling
program
It has been stated that the NCAA APR Rate for the wrestling
program is 871, which is below the desired APR Rate of 925
of other Division 1 programs. Men’s basketball has an APR
rate of 864; Men’s tennis has an APR Rate of 887 followed
by Women’s softball who has an APR rate of 905.
Fresno State’s Incoming recruiting freshmen class has a
3.1 GPA is one of the highest incoming GPA for all the sports
at Fresno State.
The Fresno State Wrestling team was committed to bringing
the best student athletes to the University demonstrating
a continuing commitment of improvement.
6. Wrestling is not a broad-based NCAA championship sport
There are 8 NCAA men's sports that have fewer than 87 Division I schools that sponsor those sports.
While there are 87 Division 1A schools that sponsor
wrestling, there are only 117 universities that sponsor
Division 1A football programs. So, 75 percent of the Division
1A football universities also have wrestling programs.
In addition, there will be 4 wrestling programs
beginning Div. 1 competition next year.
7. Wrestling carries a significant roster and scholarship level.
It also does not have a like women's program
There are no Title IX guidelines or policies that require
“like sports” for men and women. In fact, Title IX allows
the same men’s and women’s sports to be treated differently
as long as the percentage of men and women receiving any
benefit in the “13 point laundry list” is equitable.
In a July 11, 2003 letter to colleges and universities,
the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has stated “…OCR hereby
clarifies that nothing in Title IX requires the cutting
or reduction of teams in order to demonstrate compliance
with Title IX, and that cutting or elimination of teams
is a disfavored practice.”
OCR
continued “Therefore, in negotiating compliance agreements,
OCR’s policy will be to seek remedies that do not involve
the elimination of teams”.
If Title IX “was not the primary driving force behind the
decision to discontinue the wrestling program”, then what
was the primary reason?
8. Reinstatement of men's cross country
Men's Cross country leads the list of most-dropped NCAA programs
in the last 15 years, losing 183 teams, according to the
NCAA's 1982-2002 report.
Cutting the Fresno State wrestling team will improve the ratio of participation
between men and women. It will not, however, offer any
more opportunities for women in college sports. The net
result is lost opportunity for 23-25 student athletes (35
wrestlers vs. 10-12 cross country runners) and NO ADDITIONAL
opportunities for women.
Was
Mr. Tom Boeh persuaded by personal interest knowing that
he was a former cross country runner at his alma mater where
he has received numerous awards?
What
other alternatives did the Administration at CSU Fresno
consider before taking this drastic step that has impacted
so many current and future student athletes?
Why
wasn’t the Athletic Corporation involved in the decision?
Why
did the Athletic Department hire a new coach if it knew
that the program was going to be cut?
Why
was the wrestling program given a budget for 2006/2007?
Additional Fact Sheets
A1. Continuing Success - Representing the Valley
at a National and World level
11 Conference Champions
14 Top 25 NCAA Finishes
33 all-Americans
7 NCAA champions
1
Olympic Silver Medalist
A2. Broad Base Popularity of Mans Oldest and Greatest Sport.
The
sport of wrestling is the 6th largest by participation
in the United States according to a 2004-2005 Survey by
the National Federation of State High School Associations.
| SPORT |
PARTICIPATION |
| 1.
Football |
1,045,494 |
| 2.
Basketball |
545,497 |
| 3.
Track & Field |
516,703 |
| 4.
Baseball |
459,717 |
| 5.
Soccer |
354,587 |
| 6.
Wrestling |
243,009 |
| 7.
Cross Country |
201,719 |
| 8.
Golf |
161,025 |
| 9.
Tennis |
148,530 |
| 10.
Swimming & Diving |
103,754 |
The
sport boasts the 4th largest attendance annually compared
across NCAA Championship events. Based on an economic impact
survey conducted at the 2000 event, the Championships attracted
15,000 visitors to the host city, accounted for 12,000 hotel
room nights and generated an estimated $10 million in economic
impact.
| YEAR |
ATTENDANCE |
| 2001 |
80,727 |
| 2002 |
76,843 |
| 2003 |
91,734 |
| 2004 |
87,676 |
| 2005 |
95,459 |
The
Central Valley of California is one of the strongest wrestling
areas in the State, winning 13 team state championships
since 1972. In addition, Fresno State recently set the
West Coast attendance record (west of the Mississippi River)
in a dual meet against Iowa State in 2004 with 9,750 paid
attendance fans.
The
paid attendance record of 9,750 fans is the third highest
paid attendance sport at Fresno State only to men’s basketball
and football. This demonstrates an overwhelming interest
by the people of the Central Valley.
A3. Minority
Participation
Fresno State wrestling boasts one of the best opportunities
for minority athletes. Over the last 5 years, the team
is made up of 58% minority athletes. With the absence of
wrestling and soccer, the most popular minority sports,
the University would be denying the advancement of young
minority men who can make a positive impact on their community.
A4.
Central Valley Participation
Fresno State wrestling shows some of the
highest contribution from Central Valley resident athletes.
Being a local California State University school, Fresno
State wrestling gives back taxpayer’s money to residents
of the Valley for their children to earn money toward a
college degree. Over the past 5 years, the Bulldog wrestling
team has consisted of 73% Central Valley athletes and continues
to recruit heavily in the local area where wrestling is
strong and proud.
A5. Diverse Opportunities
Fresno State wrestling gives a diverse range of
opportunities due to the “weight-class” system. Athletes
ranging in size from 125lbs to 285lbs have an opportunity
to compete athletically at the collegiate level. Wrestling
builds character and is unique among sports because it welcomes
all athletes tall and short, heavy and light, physically
strong and physically finessed. Wrestling is blind to color,
socio-economic status and geography.
A6.
Future Community Leaders, Educators, and Coaches
Athletic
programs, especially of the non-revenue variety, are primarily
responsible for providing educators, coaches, and future
community leaders in the Central Valley. By cutting these
programs, we are denying our future societal leaders the
chance to attend school and make a difference in the area.
Long term, we will lose the eventual benefit that they will
bestow upon the community.
Sincerely,
Central Valley Wrestling Association
Dr.
Bruce A. Lippmann
