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Big 12 wrestling

Here ya go..

The Big 12 Provides an Update on OU Wrestling's Status with the Conference​


There has been a lot of conversation surrounding OU’s status as a member of the Big 12 in wrestling as they move closer to joining the SEC, a conference that does not sponsor the sport. Last year at the Big 12 tournament, I asked head coach Lou Rosselli what his expectations on that were.

“That won’t be up to me. I’ll just defer that to our athletic director. We’d like to stay in the Big 12. Our conference every year… I think it’s improving all the time… We hope to stay but we’ll see how that works”.

With some buzz surrounding the end of the Bedlam rivalry in football that was announced this week, I thought I’d dig back in on the topic. I reached out to the Big 12 offices and spoke with Big 12 Vice President of Communications Bob Burda and asked him what will happen between OU wrestling and the Big 12 once they move to the SEC.

Burda stated this.

“Once the University of Oklahoma departs the Big 12 and officially joins the SEC, their sports will no longer be a part of the Big 12 portfolio”.

I asked if they were eligible or if would they be allowed to be an affiliate member of the conference in wrestling, as many other programs in the Big 12 are. His response was that OU could submit a request and application to the Big 12 to be a wrestling affiliate but to date, they have not submitted any application for that affiliate membership. Burda also stated he is not aware of any plans that OU has to submit one.

Speaking to some familiar with the process of becoming an affiliate member of the Big 12, the general steps are to get the wrestling coaches on board, have them get their athletic directors on board, then get the school Presidents on board to approve. The process can be long in certain scenarios but can also be short if there is a consensus among the schools and Presidents wishing to approve. The ultimate vote and approval lie with the Presidents of the universities in the Big 12 though, not the wrestling coaches.

This makes OU wrestling’s situation with the Big 12 somewhat dicey. If they wish to apply as an affiliate, even if the wrestling community in the Big 12 completely support it, the school Presidents may not as there is currently a lot of animosity in the conference surrounding OU’s Big 12 exit to the SEC.

I reached out to the OU wrestling SID and director of operations to find out if the university plans to request to remain in the Big 12 as an affiliate. I have not received a response.


-Oklahoma Wrestle on Rokfin
(16 hours ago)
 
Here ya go..

The Big 12 Provides an Update on OU Wrestling's Status with the Conference​


There has been a lot of conversation surrounding OU’s status as a member of the Big 12 in wrestling as they move closer to joining the SEC, a conference that does not sponsor the sport. Last year at the Big 12 tournament, I asked head coach Lou Rosselli what his expectations on that were.

“That won’t be up to me. I’ll just defer that to our athletic director. We’d like to stay in the Big 12. Our conference every year… I think it’s improving all the time… We hope to stay but we’ll see how that works”.

With some buzz surrounding the end of the Bedlam rivalry in football that was announced this week, I thought I’d dig back in on the topic. I reached out to the Big 12 offices and spoke with Big 12 Vice President of Communications Bob Burda and asked him what will happen between OU wrestling and the Big 12 once they move to the SEC.

Burda stated this.

“Once the University of Oklahoma departs the Big 12 and officially joins the SEC, their sports will no longer be a part of the Big 12 portfolio”.

I asked if they were eligible or if would they be allowed to be an affiliate member of the conference in wrestling, as many other programs in the Big 12 are. His response was that OU could submit a request and application to the Big 12 to be a wrestling affiliate but to date, they have not submitted any application for that affiliate membership. Burda also stated he is not aware of any plans that OU has to submit one.

Speaking to some familiar with the process of becoming an affiliate member of the Big 12, the general steps are to get the wrestling coaches on board, have them get their athletic directors on board, then get the school Presidents on board to approve. The process can be long in certain scenarios but can also be short if there is a consensus among the schools and Presidents wishing to approve. The ultimate vote and approval lie with the Presidents of the universities in the Big 12 though, not the wrestling coaches.

This makes OU wrestling’s situation with the Big 12 somewhat dicey. If they wish to apply as an affiliate, even if the wrestling community in the Big 12 completely support it, the school Presidents may not as there is currently a lot of animosity in the conference surrounding OU’s Big 12 exit to the SEC.

I reached out to the OU wrestling SID and director of operations to find out if the university plans to request to remain in the Big 12 as an affiliate. I have not received a response.


-Oklahoma Wrestle on Rokfin
(16 hours ago)
Sounds like they are shutting it down, also lying to recruits
 
Even, if OU coaches and Big 12 programs are on board for OU to be an affliate school. It sounds like the desicison in the hands of Joe Castiglione who will likely consider the decision from a reveune perspective. The only sport OU would probably look at adding would be swimming/diving if they were to elinmate the wrestling program. All other mens sports align with the SEC. For example Missouri is SEC and has wrestling and not mens tennis to be compatible with title 9. OU has wrestling and not swimming.

I could see OU keep the wrestling program, but decide to move conferences to perhaps the Big 10 for recruiting advantaes. Locally they have to compete with OSU and that hasnt been working out very well for them.
 
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Even, if OU coaches and Big 12 programs are on board for OU to be an affliate school. It sounds like the desicison in the hands of Joe Castiglione who will likely consider the decision from a reveune perspective. The only sport OU would probably look at adding would be swimming/diving if they were to elinmate the wrestling program. All other mens sports align with the SEC. For example Missouri is SEC and has wrestling and not mens tennis to be compatible with title 9. OU has wrestling and not swimming.

I could see OU keep the wrestling program, but decide to move conferences to perhaps the Big 10 for recruiting advantaes. Locally they have to compete with OSU and that hasnt been working out very well for them.
There's really no reason for any, OU or conference, to spend any time on this with all the changes going on in conferences. Wait a couple years till its all closer to shaking out. And there's no way the Big 10 would want or take OU for wrestling.
 
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Even, if OU coaches and Big 12 programs are on board for OU to be an affliate school. It sounds like the desicison in the hands of Joe Castiglione who will likely consider the decision from a reveune perspective. The only sport OU would probably look at adding would be swimming/diving if they were to elinmate the wrestling program. All other mens sports align with the SEC. For example Missouri is SEC and has wrestling and not mens tennis to be compatible with title 9. OU has wrestling and not swimming.

I could see OU keep the wrestling program, but decide to move conferences to perhaps the Big 10 for recruiting advantaes. Locally they have to compete with OSU and that hasnt been working out very well for them.

They were going to shut wrestling down for Lacrosse a few years ago, and then splashed some cash on their new coach.
 
They were going to shut wrestling down for Lacrosse a few years ago, and then splashed some cash on their new coach.

Something changed. They have invested more into the program over the last five years than at any time in their history (facilities, coaches, budget, RTC).

They will push for continuing in the big 12 and the other programs will push for it as well.
 
Something changed. They have invested more into the program over the last five years than at any time in their history (facilities, coaches, budget, RTC).

They will push for continuing in the big 12 and the other programs will push for it as well.
OU has also been very active with the transfer portal recently. They had 3 transfers start last year - Prata/Grello/Moore. They added 3 more likely starters for this year - Henson/Schwartz/Nijenhuis. With Prata & Moore back, that could make 5 transfers in the lineup.
 
In 1978, I saw my first wrestling match which was the second Bedlam dual of that season. Little did I know that this match featured the #1 wresting program in history with 27 titles and the #2 wrestling program with 7 titles (Tied; ISU had won the title the previous year for their 7th). This dual featured the likes of Jimmy Jackson, Lee Roy Smith, Dave Shultz, Paul Martin for us and Steans, DeAngleis and Nelson for them. The match was amazing and I was drawn in enough to attend the Big 12 match later in Stillwater which sealed the deal for me as a lifelong OSU wrestling fan.

Both teams did fairly well in the ’78 tournment; OSU – 3rd with Jackson – finshing 1st, Martin – 2nd, Wais – 2nd, Shultz – 4th, Monasmith – 4th (Lee Roy was #1 seed but DNP) and OU 5th with Stearns – 1st, DeAngelis – 2nd, Nelson – 3rd. ’79 was kind of a down year for OSU/OU; 6th an 9th respectively

As you know the next two decades belong to Iowa winning 15 of 20 championships with OSU coming in a distant second with 3 championship but with 6x 2nd, 3x 3rd, 5x 4th ; finishing out of the top 4 only twice; 6th and 7th (not counting ’93).

In 1980 and ’81, I remember being worried that OU was going to be better in than us; they got the Schultz brothers and did beat us both times in ’81 (don’t know how many times that happened, if ever). They didn’t win the NCAA but matched our 2nds, 3rds and had one less 4th but had a 5th along with an 8th and one out of the top 10.

OU sucked in the 90’s with a 5th, 6th, 5th, 8th and 10th with the other 5 being below 10th

We of course had four championships in the 00’s, a 3rd and our first 5th (plus 3 more) along with our first out of the Top 10. OU did bounce back with 4x 3rds, 2x 4ths and a 9th but 3x below 10th

In the 10’s we were mediocre, by our standards, with a 2nd, 3x 3rds, 2x 6ths, a 7th and a 13th. OU sucked another decade finishing only 5th and 10th with the rest being below 10th including 25th, 32nd and 56th. (I got all this info from WrestlingStats so pardon any and all mistakes)

OU's seven championships puts them 5th behind Us, Iowa, PSU and ISU with Minn stuck at three since 2007.

Although it might be more pertinent o this discussion, I didn’t bother looking at how many times we’ve lost to since ’78 but I know John Smith is 42-6-3.

Anyway, my point here it has been a great rivalry which I’ve enjoyed but with OU being less and less relevant and now with the SEC move; I really don’t think we should ever wrestle them again. I didn’t think (and still don’t) we should wrestle Missouri either. JMHO
 
Even, if OU coaches and Big 12 programs are on board for OU to be an affliate school. It sounds like the desicison in the hands of Joe Castiglione who will likely consider the decision from a reveune perspective. The only sport OU would probably look at adding would be swimming/diving if they were to elinmate the wrestling program. All other mens sports align with the SEC. For example Missouri is SEC and has wrestling and not mens tennis to be compatible with title 9. OU has wrestling and not swimming.

I could see OU keep the wrestling program, but decide to move conferences to perhaps the Big 10 for recruiting advantaes. Locally they have to compete with OSU and that hasnt been working out very well for them.
Mizzou uses Prong Three (interest) to satisfy Title IX, one of the few schools with enough of a spine to do so. If they used Prong One (proportionality), they'd have to cut multiple men's sports to comply (football and their enormous roster alone would still keep them out of compliance, believe it or not).
 
I'd be quite fine with allowing the two SEC teams to wrestle off to see which can enter the Big 12 tournament, the loser can go home and wait till next year. :)
 
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