Tucked into the Ohio House Republican budget proposal is $1.6 million over two years for Cleveland State University’s wrestling program, which school officials recently said would end this year.
Half of the proposed money is designated for the men’s wrestling program. The other half would go towards establishing a new women’s wrestling program.
Cleveland State announced its plans to cut men’s wrestling – along with women’s golf and softball – in January. Officials said it was needed to save money. The university spent much of last year offering buyouts to faculty and staff to stave off a deficit that could have hit as high as $40 million.
But the move was instantly met with pushback. Supporters of the wrestling program launched a campaign to drum up more public support, even hiring a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm to help lead the charge, according to Crain’s Cleveland Business.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno wrote to Cleveland State President Laura Bloomberg in February to provide a “comprehensive explanation of the thought process that led to this decision.”
At this stage in Ohio’s budget process, this and other priorities are not final. House lawmakers will debate the budget before sending it to the Ohio Senate, where it will need to put its stamp on it.
Cleveland State wrestling held last match in February
Boosters of Cleveland State wrestling have said publicly the program is worth saving, arguing it has raised $500,000 in fundraising since 2018. This, they claim, is more than that of any other of the university’s athletic programs. Plus, they said there are few scholarship athletes on the team, meaning most paid tuition to attend the cash-strapped school.
Though wrestling and the other athletic programs officially end this semester, the university held its last men’s home wrestling match in February. Several athletes already entered the transfer portal to try to compete at a different school.
Establishing a women’s program would bring along its own added costs and timeline. One national wrestling coaching organization estimates it can take about three to four years for a collegiate program to be competitive.
In a statement provided to Signal Ohio Thursday, Cleveland State officials said they stand by the decision to cut wrestling and other athletic programs.
“Concerning the state budget bill, CSU’s focus, like that of our other state university colleagues, is centered around support for higher education that drives graduation and career success for our students,” officials added.
This story was updated to add Cleveland State’s statement.
