<p>Hello. My son is a public high school junior who would like to go to a college where he can make the wrestling team. He is a heavyweight who went to the State competition last year, but did not advance beyond the second round. He is a B student, right now with a 3.3 GPA, did well on PSAT verbal and written, weaker on math (he takes SAT this weekend). We live in New England, would also consider mid-Atlantic states, Midwest. He’s undecided on whether a big state school or small LAC. Money is no object (famous last words). I had been thinking Bucknell, Penn State, but I’m not sure he could get into either. His ECs include four years varsity wrestling (captain next year), two in football, rec baseball, church youth group, lots of summer community service. Any advice would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Currently the reality is that your sons accomplishments are a great distance from the wrestlers who are division I recruits at the state schools. Penn State, for instance, has one of the top programs in the country and routinely has New England wrestlers show up and be stomped(sorry, reality) by the recruits from the more wrestling active states (PA, NY, NJ, OH, among others).</p>
<p>There are some NESCAC schools whose teams are on a different level, and would be more easily makeble (Williams, Trinity, and Wesleyan). The better Ivy’s are extremely difficult to break the lineup, especially Harvard, Cornell, and Penn. Columbia is a little easier, followed by Brown and Princeton, currently at the bottom. Yale dropped their team over ten years ago and Dartmouth has never had a team. Buckness might be a possibility as they have recently resurrected their program, although their recruits this year are very high quality.</p>
<p>If he’s not worried about getting recruited, or actually making the team, a coach at a place like Penn State might put in a good word for him, though, since he will be a full pay kid. Wrestling is limited to 9.9 scolarships total, so that is only between two and three a year. If you can get someone decent in your practice room to help you out without paying, sometimes they will show some interest in helping on admissions. In most of these places, I would guess he’d get in anyway. </p>
<p>Have him go to one of the heavyweight camps this summer (Baumgartners in Pa is the best) and he can measure himself a little better against top competition.</p>
<p>You can get a list of schools with programs at the NCAA site…I’d suggest just going down the list and seeing which schools strike your fancy, and contacting the coaches of the ones you’re interested in. ANd you can look at their rosters on the teams websites and get a feel for the level of talent that shows up at their school. There is a huge difference between PSU and Trinity, for instance.</p>
<p>Ditto dadx’ suggetions. If he wants to continue in the sport but is not necessarily looking for scholarship money, his options expand quite a bit. Several good programs in the midwest at the Division III level. If you can find programs in the Southeast, where the sport isn’t as strong, you might be able to find a coach who would very happy to take a look at your son. For example, I know that St. Andrews Presbyterian in North Carolina is bucking the recent trend and actually <em>starting</em> a program this year instead of dropping it. And they are Division II, which actually might mean some limited $$ available. Good luck! </p>
<p>FWIW, here’s the most recent D3 team ranking I could find. </p>
<p>Ranking Team Record Last
1 Wartburg College (IA) (27-0) 1
2 Augsburg College (MN) (8-3) 2
3 Luther College (IA) (14-3-1) 3
4 State University of New York at Brockport (5-1) 4
5 University of Wisconsin La Crosse (8-4) 5
6 Loras College (IA) (14-2) 6
7 Cortland State University of New York (13-3) 9
8 North Central College (IL) (7-0) 8
9 College of New Jersey (14-2) 7
10 Heidelberg College (OH) (16-3) 12
11 Olivet College (MI) (16-1-1) 10
12 Elmhurst College (IL) (9-2-1) 11
13 York College ¶ (20-6) 13
14 Springfield College (MA) (12-8) 26
15 Buena Vista University (IA) (13-11) 16
16 Augustana College (IL) (8-8) 20
17 Johnson and Wales University (RI) (17-7) 15
18 University of Wisconsin Stevens Point (10-8) 17
19 Cornell College (IA) (15-9-1) 18
20 Coe College (IA) (5-8-1) 19
21 Delaware Valley College ¶ (10-7) 21
22 Lycoming College ¶ (15-6-1) 14
23 St. Johns University (MN) (5-4) 22
24 Norwich University (VT) (6-4) 23
25 University of Dubuque (IA) (13-11) 25
26 Wabash College (IN) (11-8) 28
27 Simpson College (IA) (11-12) 29
28 Ohio Northern University (10-8) NR
29 Thiel College ¶ (10-5) NR
30 Roger Williams University (RI) (14-6-1) 27</p>
<p>Thanks to both for your help. My son would love to continue to compete as a wrestler, which has been good for him on many levels, so it sounds like that wouldn’t happen at Penn State. I guess U of Michigan, U of North Carolina, would also be out of reach? Lehigh? It seems unlikely that his grades would get him into a less competitive Ivy (wrestling-wise), like Princeton. Of the Div III (aside from Wesleyan and Williams, which are also highly competitive for admissions), the schools seem so unknown. I guess what I’m looking for is the best place he could go academically, and wrestle, too.</p>
<p>We live near Hartford, and going to school in such an unappealing, dangerous place (Trinity) would be our last choice. </p>
<p>FYI, he did go to Baumgartner’s camp and loved it, will go again this year.</p>
<p>Heres a page with a list. Some of it is outdated and some of the links don’t work, but it is a good reference.
<a href=“http://www.uni.edu/ncaa-wrestling/wrestlin/colldiv.html[/url]”>http://www.uni.edu/ncaa-wrestling/wrestlin/colldiv.html</a></p>
<p>Congratulations on going to the Edinboro camp.</p>
<p>Good luck I am sure there is a team out there who can use someone that ambitioius, and don’t let my “discouraging words” discourage you. If he really wants to attend Penn State or Lehigh, or whereever, have him give it a shot. Just don’t have all your hopes in one basket.</p>
<p>I am often amazed at the self-discipline wrestlers must have to succeed. A heavyweight will be in demand at many schools. I would suggest you look at some of the schools in the Centennial conference. These schools include, Ursinus, McDaniel, Muhlenberg, Gettysburg, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, Stevens Tech, Washington and Lee, and JHU. Messiah College, a faith based school in MD, also has a good wrestling program. Other schools with wrestling programs are Albright, Kings College in PA and Elizabethtown.</p>
<p>massmom, I’m afraid that Lehigh would probably be out – they’re a perennial top 15 Division 1 school. Probably better than Penn State. JHURocks has some very good suggested schools. </p>
<p>Wrestling is kind of weird – because there aren’t that many programs left, the list of top Division 1 programs contains a lot of schools that aren’t considered Division 1 “athletic powerhouses”. Here’s the final ranking from Amateur Wrestling News. </p>
<p>1 Minnesota<br>
2 Oklahoma State University<br>
3 Michigan<br>
4 Illinois<br>
5 Nebraska<br>
6 Oklahoma<br>
7 Central Michigan University
8 Iowa State University<br>
9 Missouri<br>
10 Penn State University<br>
11 Iowa<br>
12 Northwestern<br>
13 Lehigh University<br>
14 Arizona State University<br>
15 Cornell University<br>
16 Edinboro University
17 Michigan State University<br>
18 Indiana University<br>
19 Hofstra University<br>
20 Wisconsin<br>
21 Cal Poly<br>
22 US Naval Academy<br>
23 Penn<br>
24 Northern Illinois University<br>
25 University of Northern Iowa</p>
<p>thanks again to everyone. I had been thinking of ursinius–it sounds like a good school, too. gettysburg and muhlenberg had also crossed my radar. Ideroche, are you suggesting that the schools you listed f(rom the amateur wrestling magazine) would probably all be out of reach, because they are Division I? And do folks really think, that as a B student, my son might have a change at getting into John Hopkins? Ditto for the Coast Guard Academy, Wash and Lee, Wesleyan? How much of an advantage would being a heavyweight wrestler give him over grades? Merci.</p>
<p>massmom, since I haven’t seen your son wrestle I’m really not in a position to say – but from your description (got to second round at State Tourney) I think he’ll have a lot of very strong competition for a spot on a Division 1 Top 25 school. But he’s still got a year ahead of him, so who knows. Does Baumgartner’s camp include an analysis of his college potential? I know that baseball camps often do this for their attendees (sometimes as an “add-on” option for a little more money).</p>
<p>Ursinus is a pretty boring place- make sure you visit. I have relatives in Collegeville and spend a lot of time there. It is a beautiful little campus, but NOT close to Philadelphia at all (people seem to think you can just hop into town) and I never see much activity going on.</p>
<p>If your son is serious about wanting to wrestle in college- he might consider a PG year (many wrestlers do this) at Blair Academy in NJ. Blair grooms the kids for college wrestling.</p>
<p>Out here in California there are only 5 colleges with Div. 1 wrestling programs left, so the opportunities for continuing at the next level are few. There are, however, a number of community college wrestling programs, which can serve as a stepping stone into a 4 year college program athletically as well as academically. And yes - it’s hard to overstate how tough the competition is to get a spot on a Div. 1 college team, given how few there are left. I know a young man who placed in the top 8 in the state three years in a row in California - state champion his final year - and while he made a college team he’s on the bench behind two other guys. I know others who have placed high in the state competition (and California is a big state) who had to walk away after high school because they were not recruited by any college teams.</p>
<p>OK, thanks all. It’s clear to me now that he’s not a contender at the DI level. Community college is a good idea, but he’s ready to get out of the house (and we’re ready, too). Still not sure about his chances at a D3 school. Are you saying all the California kids who ranked high in the state couldn’t make D3 teams, either?</p>
<p>“And do folks really think, that as a B student, my son might have a change at getting into John Hopkins? Ditto for the Coast Guard Academy, Wash and Lee, Wesleyan? How much of an advantage would being a heavyweight wrestler give him over grades? Merci.”</p>
<p>It depends (doesn’t it always?) At good Div. 3 schools, like Wesleyan or Williams, if he is a recruited athlete, having less good grades or SATS makes it more, rather than less likely that he’ll get in. (I know that sounds ridiculous, but it’s true.) Coaches at these schools will very rarely use their tips on students that wouldn’t otherwise need them for admission - why should they? But a recruited athlete with less than average scores (but which meet a school’s minimums) who is tipped by a coach and applies ED has a very significant admissions edge. JHU might be that way as well.</p>
<p>Div. I tends to be very tough in most small sports.</p>
<p>Well, California only has one Div. 3 wrestling school, Menlo College (and no Div. 2) so it’s hard to tell. I only know one wrestler at Menlo, and he wasn’t a state-ranked wrestler (he also is on the bench.) A number of wrestlers go away to community colleges with solid wrestling programs; here in California there’s are a number of community colleges with a lot of non-commuter students, usually associated with a nearby 4 year school. For example, Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo has a wrestling program and also has a relationship with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo academically. A number of the Cuesta wrestlers are from out of the area. Obviously California is out of your search area, but if your son wants to keep wrestling he might look to see if similar opportunites exist nearer to home.</p>
<p>I attend a high school that is one of the best wrestling high schools in the country and have a few friends that will be wrestiling next year in college and another that made the NCAA D1 tournement last year. From their experience I can say this. Unless he is being activly requrited this year he will not be wrestling D1 or upper level D2 but there is still the opprotunity to wrestle at some of the lower level d2 or d3 schools. I have a friend that did not wrestle varsity last year and will be wrestling at Millersville (a lower d2 ) next year. As far as the better D2 schools I have a friend that will be wrestling at University of Pitt at Johnstown and he finished 8th this year in PA. I have a third friend, a junior, who is a 2x PA state champ and has started to recieve contacts with most of the top schools (minnisota, OSU, Lehigh, PSU, ect) So unless you are a state champ several years running forget d1 or the better d2 schools.</p>
<p>Ursinus has one of the best coaches you can find. Despite the school’s small size, he has been able to fill his team with many talented wrestlers. Part of his success is that many high school coaches known him and tell their wrestlers about him. I think this year’s heavyweight wrestler is graduating. I don’t know if anyone good is coming to fill that weight class.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins won’t give your son any significant break on academics the way Williams and NECCWA schools do. Many of the JHU wrestlers are pre-med or engineers. All of them are very bright. Several were State champions or runner ups. At least one was an all-american, as I recall. </p>
<p>Washington and Lee also won’t give your son any significant break on academics unless he can play both football and wrestle. At W&L playing two sports may help him a lot, especially since it is so hard for small colleges to find decent lineman.</p>
<p>Gettysburg has had a strong wrestling program in past years, but last year’s team was short on wrestlers. They had to forfeit several weight classes.</p>
<p>I should also have mentioned York in PA. They have a solid program with many good wrestlers.</p>
<p>…“Racich demands that his student-athletes produce in the classroom as well as in the wrestling room. All senior letter winners Racich has coached have graduated from Ursinus – a statistic that particularly pleases Racich, because he knows academics and athletics are a winning combination…” from the Ursinus athletic page.</p>
<p>Coach Racich is one of the best in this area.</p>
<p>Delaware Valley is another school in this area with a decent wrestling team.</p>
<p>many thanks, again. You have all been more than helpful. My son actually does play football. Last year was his first; this year the coach says he will be a starting lineman next season, and he has been lifting weights every day. He is 6’ 4’‘, 270 pounds. What do people think of Ursinus’ academic reputation? (he hopes to major in something like environmental science or natural resources). And does anyone have any suggestions for a New England/New York school where he might have a chance to wrestle (other than Williams and Wesleyan, which I’m afraid are out of reach). What about the Coast Guard Academy? Norwich, Ithaca? NYU at Oswego and Oneonta also have wrestling, as does Roger Williams. At this point, he has a 3.2 GPA but is struggling in a couple of classes. Will take the SATS tomorrow.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/[/url]”>http://www.collegesofdistinction.com/</a></p>
<p>Hi Massmom2 - lots of good advice has been given so far … the only thing I would add is I would not cut off possibilities before investigating them. The college wrestling world is not that big and assuming some geographic and academic preferences that list probably gets fairly small. I’d suggestion having your son talk to his HS coach and (I apologize or knowing nothing about wrestling) his club or AAU coach if such groups exist … they should be able to provide guidence about where your son will fit in college wrestling. I would also suggest you go to <a href=“http://www.ncaa.org%5B/url%5D”>www.ncaa.org</a> and read the rules on wrestling recruiting to see what colleges can and can not do while contacting your son and what timelines come into play. All colleges can always respond to a contact from a potential recruit and given the relatively short list of schools in the hunt I’d suggest your son … 1) check out their web-sites which probably will list rosters which include the HS accomplishments of the kdis on the team … 2) those web sites should provide a way for your son to contact the coaches. The coaches responses and attention will quickly signal the interest level of the program. I’d suggest contacting all schools which might be of interest from the long shots (Penn State) to the smaller D3 schools that will probably love to have your son wrestle for them. (A track comparison … as a senior in HS I was an all-state distance runner although far from a state champ … at most D3 schools I checked out I would have been a solid varisty competitor that season for the college given my HS times … the top D3 programs could compete in D1; however the lion’s share of D3 programs have room for very good HS athletes who want to continue in their sport)</p>