Originally Posted by pinnum  Do you think that having a wrestler for an AD is the reason for the success at Edinboro?
D1 programs tend to get more funding brought into their athletic programs as a result of the basketball and football donations... PSAC schools don't have that advantage.
I, however, don't think that the money will buy championships in wrestling since so many programs are without it. |
I have to disagree with you a bit. The top programs, and the top rising programs, are the ones with funding and support from their athletic departments.
Maryland isn't a program on the rise simply because we are willing it to be, it's because we were able to fund raise to 9.9 scholarships. The athletic department pays for two full time assistants, and one of the top 10 head coaching salaries in the country. 7 or 8 years ago we had 5 scholarships a full time coach, and one part-time assistant coach.
Lehigh has 9.9 ENDOWED wrestling scholarships. The have an ENDOWED head coaching position that is now not only the highest paid coach in the Lehigh department, but the highest paid wrestling coach in the country. They have a well funded club program too.
A school simply isn't going to be a national power with 3 or 4 scholarships. They can recruit and develop kids and make a splash every few years, but they really can't sustain a high level year in and year out.