There are guys that have a lot more experience in this field than most of us. Hoping to get a few ideas that I can use for kids in our wrestling community. I can't be the only guy wondering if we could do a better job placing our kids. Please share your thoughts and feelings.
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A little wrestling scholarship math might help first. There are about 75 NCAA Division 1 schools, each team has 9.9 scholarships to hand out for wrestling. The military academies and ivy league schools do not do athletic scholarships. So that leaves about 67 schools to pass out scholarships. Most wrestlers that are on scholarship will redshirt, so that means the ~660 scholarships are split across 5 classes. That is ~13 scholarships per weight class across D1, NCAA each year.
For high school juniors and seniors in states like Michigan, Illinois or Penn with multiple in-state D1 options, this isn't a big deal to get into a room and pay in-state tuition. But, a state without a D1 program like Idaho, this presents a big challenge for the wrestler to move on to the next level, because you are staring down out-of-state tuition to go to a school with wrestling either as a recruit or walk-on.
A quick look-up show the cost can vary for Out of State tuition from top of the rankings to just being on a D1 team:
Penn State - OoS Tuition - $33k year
Ohio State - OoS Tuition - $29k
North Dakota State - $20k
Utah Valley - $16k
So, how many parents can help their child out to afford a school with D1 wrestling? For the student themselves, taking on that much debt for a chance to wrestle.
It sucks that it comes to economics since BSU dropped wrestling. But there are ways to get your wrestler seen by college coaches. Results mattering the most, what results do they have at big tournaments, if they are participating in the right events, results will speak for themselves.
A few other items to consider, is the wrestler competing year round by the time they get to high school? Wrestling at a D1 school is a year round commitment. Are they committed enough to be a back up for 2-3 after being top dog in high school for a few years? Are they ready for the grind of every match being one of the toughest matches they have wrestled? Another item, if they are not a starter, the wrestler will need some extra $ to get matches. Most schools do not pay for back-ups to go wrestle un-attached in open tournaments. It is up to the wrestler to provided travel/meals and lodging.
Hope this information helps.
Great response boiseyouthwrestling! I agree with all of your points...but want to add a few more thoughts:
- While 9.9 is the maximum number of scholarships that a D1 school can offer in wrestling, not every school offers the maximum. I know a few years ago, word was that Kerry McCoy left Stanford for Maryland at least in part because Stanford only offered a fraction of the allowable 9.9.
- Results from big tournaments make a huge difference as you say...the biggest, most recruited from tournament each year being USAW Cadet/Junior Nationals in Fargo (see my previous response in the "What does it take?" thread.
Thanks
Grades and SAT scores are incredibly important. Wrestlers can go onto the website of each college that they are interested in and fill out the athletic recruitment forms and get in contact directly with the recruiters / coaches. In regards to the D1 schools, Utah Valley gives Idaho students the WUI (western undergraduate: basically in state tuition but there are some caveats) There are tons of opportunities in DII and DIII schools as well!