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Conferences & Qualifications in DI Wrestling Had No Team Ever Dropped
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/18/20 5:09 PM
What Division I Wrestling Would Look like Today Had No Teams Dropped
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/17/20 7:23 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The final post?
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/06/20 10:41 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Boise State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/05/20 1:49 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pomona Pitzer
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 2:28 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern Oklahoma State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 1:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Mennonite
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 1:17 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hampden-Sydney
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 1:13 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Claremont Mudd Scripps
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 1:09 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = British Columbia
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/04/20 1:00 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = McGill
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/03/20 1:20 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/27/20 4:12 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Western Regional/Western Wrestling Conference
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/24/20 12:40 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Eastern Regional
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/23/20 2:56 AM
A Shortened Season May Not Be Such A Bad Thing
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/19/20 6:46 AM
The Battle For Varsity: 26 Wrestle-Offs to Look Forward to in 2020-2021
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/17/20 8:25 PM
Fantasizing About a True National Duals
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/14/20 10:22 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bismarck State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/20 10:46 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Bernardino Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/20 5:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Concordia (Illinois)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/20 4:46 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Teams Listed By State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/20 2:56 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Old Dominion
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/20 2:38 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Los Angeles City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/20 1:41 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Chaffey
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/20 1:38 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = El Camino
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/20 7:40 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Orange Coast
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/20 2:34 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = American River
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/07/20 4:49 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Allan Hancock
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/07/20 4:37 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/07/20 4:30 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Mateo
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/07/20 4:28 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Citrus
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/07/20 3:52 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Canada
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/06/20 7:34 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cabrillo
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/06/20 7:29 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Butte
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/06/20 7:15 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Solano
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/05/20 10:28 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ventura
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/03/20 10:41 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern (California)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/03/20 5:17 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Yuba
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 10:03 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = College of the Redwoods
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 6:32 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Contra Costa
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 6:05 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cosumnes River
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 5:45 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Riverside City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 5:42 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego Mesa
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 5:36 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Jose City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:54 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = MiraCosta
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:42 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Napa Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:40 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Laney
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:36 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ohlone
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:30 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Porterville
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/02/20 1:25 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = West Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/01/20 12:39 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hartnell
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/27/20 2:45 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Long Beach City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/27/20 2:33 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Merritt
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/27/20 2:29 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Imperial Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/27/20 2:25 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Merced
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/26/20 3:29 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Williamette
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/23/20 4:23 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Rockland
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/23/20 4:17 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-West Chester
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/22/20 4:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Farmingdale
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/21/20 8:52 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Vincent
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/21/20 8:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Cobleskill
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/20/20 10:06 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Norbert
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/20/20 5:29 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St Mary's University of Minnesota
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 8:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St John Fisher
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 8:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Stony Brook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 8:45 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Snow
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 8:43 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Skagit Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 8:38 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Richland Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 4:22 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY Plattsburgh
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/19/20 2:57 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Phoenix College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/18/20 2:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Clark's Summit
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/18/20 4:56 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pillsbury Baptist Bible
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/18/20 4:46 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pensacola Christian
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/18/20 4:41 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ocean County
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/18/20 4:37 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montgomery College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/17/20 1:40 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hartnell
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/17/20 1:15 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Louisiana Layfayette
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/16/20 5:32 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Tulane
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/16/20 5:25 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mohawk Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/16/20 5:19 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Milligan
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/16/20 1:06 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Marin
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/16/20 12:55 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Maine Presque Isle
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/15/20 2:11 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = LeTourneau
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 1:33 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = La Verne
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 1:19 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Los Angeles Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 12:57 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lakeland
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 12:53 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cuyahoga
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 12:47 PM

Although Cuyahoga won a NJCAA title in basketball in 2004, the only other NJCAA team title the Triceratops have won was in wrestling in 1976.   The wrestling program was dropped after the 2001-2002 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Reedley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 12:38 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Kirkwood
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/14/20 12:24 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Huntington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/13/20 1:07 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hiram Scott
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/13/20 1:02 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hampton
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/12/20 3:19 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Guilford
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/12/20 2:02 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Geneseo State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/12/20 1:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Santiago Canyon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/12/20 1:52 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = College of the Sequoias
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/11/20 10:22 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Los Angeles Pierce
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/20 8:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Franklin
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/20 3:20 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Fairmont State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/09/20 3:05 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Fullerton College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/09/20 12:16 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lake County
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/09/20 12:08 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = CCBC-Cantonsville
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/09/20 12:01 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Grinnell
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/08/20 1:22 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Aurora
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/08/20 2:35 AM

Granted, it's significantly smaller than Chicago, but Aurora is the second biggest city in the state of Illinois & it's home to Aurora University, a Division III school.  <br /><br />Information regarding the Spartan's wrestling program is scarce but it is known that the school at one ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Canton
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/08/20 2:07 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Anoka-Ramsey
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/07/20 9:19 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Erie Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/07/20 9:11 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Gavilan
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/07/20 9:07 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Grossmont
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/07/20 8:58 PM

Located about twenty minutes northeast of San Diego, I wasn't able to find out much about Grossmont College wrestling.  As to when Griffin wrestling started or when it ended, I do not know.  What I can tell you are some of their top wrestlers. <br /><br />Mitch Steinquer at 118 lbs wa...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cypress
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/06/20 6:59 PM

Located a half hour south of Los Angeles, the chargers of Cypress had a wrestling program through the 2002-2003 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Foothill
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/05/20 2:08 PM

Located in Los Altos Hills, California the Owls of Foothill at one time had a wrestling program. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Rose State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/04/20 12:48 PM

When researching the history of Richland Community College in Texas, one of the first questions that often pops into my head is, "Who did they wrestle?"  I'll get more into that in the future when I cover Richland Community College, but as for now one of the teams they competed against often wa...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Catawba
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/04/20 12:37 PM

Yet another college in Salisbury, North Carolina (Livingstone being the other) that at one time had a wrestling program that no longer does.  The Catawba Indians fielded varsity wrestling from the 1971-1972 season through the 1983-1984 season and competed in the NAIA. <br /><br /><br /><ta...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Centre
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/04/20 12:32 PM

I don't think that the Colonels of Centre had a wrestling team very long but I know that they did have a wrestling program because among the many sports Thomas Briscoe Inman coached, wrestling was one of them.  They're listed as having wrestling during the 1973-1974 season.  It may have be...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Rhode Island (University)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/04/20 3:43 AM

The University of Rhode Island first fielded a wrestling program in the 1968-1969 season & their final season was 1980-1981.  Within those twelve seasons, the Rams had quite a few successes.  They won Yankee Conference titles in 1973, 1974 & 1976.  They won New England Interco...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Buffalo State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 11:53 PM

I wasn't able to find a lot out about Buffalo State wrestling but I do know that the Bengals had a wrestling program at one time. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td st...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-New Paltz
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 11:49 PM

Located in the community of New Paltz, 80 miles north of New York City,  SUNY-New Paltz at one time had a wrestling program.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr>...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Columbia-Basin
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 7:24 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Minnesota Morris
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 3:08 PM

When Minnesota-Morris dropped both their men's & women's wrestling team in 2003-2004 it was a true shame as one of the strongest proponents (as well as one of the first) of women's wrestling being added as a varsity sport to universities & colleges was now gone.   <br /><br />In me...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Paul Smith's College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 2:55 PM

As to any literature I found absolutely no evidence of Paul Smith's College ever having a wrestling team, but I know that they did because what I did find was photographs.  Here are a few. <br /><br />These teams are from the 1931-1932, 1959-1960, 1965-1966, 1966-1967, & 1967-1968 team...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Carroll
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 2:50 PM

Located a half hour east of Milwaukee in the community of Waukesha, Carroll fielded a varsity wrestling team up through the 1998-1999 season.  <br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Albright
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/20 2:39 PM

A small college located in the community of Reading, strategically placed between Harrisburg & Philadelphia, Albright had a wrestling program up through the 2005-2006 season.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="ma...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Delhi
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/02/20 9:49 PM

SUNY-Delhi was an extremely good NJCAA program that we lost after the 2016-2017 season.  While always a tough team, the Broncos saw their best years under head coach Frank Millard from the 1971-1972 season through the 1984-1985 season.  Under Millard the green, white & gold won seven R...
Wrestling in the Cities = Alabama
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/02/20 3:38 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = DePauw
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/01/20 3:30 PM

Located in Greencastle, Indiana the Tigers of DePauw had a wrestling program that started in the 1958-1959 season & lasted through the 1988-1989 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-righ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Oberlin
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/01/20 3:13 PM

Oberlin's claim to fame is being the only college in Ohio to ever beat Ohio State in football but that was long ago.  In more recent times, the Yeomen football team has been known for something else. Losing.  From 1992-1996 they lost forty games in a row. Then from 1997-2001 they lost fort...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Knox
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/01/20 5:25 AM

This is yet another program that I have a small connection to.  One of Knox's assistant coaches, Jake Kerr was on the same Pee-Wee kid's club with me.  <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Catholic
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/01/20 5:03 AM

Located in Washington, D.C.,  Catholic University at one time had a wrestling program. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="htt...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Muscatine Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/31/20 8:03 PM

This is another personal one for me.  I began wrestling as a seven year old first grader in 1992.  My first year consisted of about two months worth of practices & about four tournaments.  The next season after seeing that wrestling was something that indeed I did want to pursue m...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Golden West
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/31/20 2:45 PM

Located a little more than a half hour of downtown Los Angeles, at one time Golden West had a respectable wrestling team that turned out CCCAA place-winners year in & year out, many of which later became stars in the world of MMA.  The last year of Rustler wrestler was 2004-2005. <br /...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Diablo Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/30/20 3:38 PM

Located in the East Bay a little over a half hour's drive from San Francisco,  Diablo Valley at one time had a competitive wrestling program that produced an assortment of talent.  Winners of the 1970 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) a majority of their wrestlers w...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = DePaul
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/30/20 3:12 PM

I was able to find out very, very little about the Blue Demon wrestling program.  The only information I could find regarding the sport at the Catholic Division I school in Chicago was a simple name.  <br /><br />Sam Odishoo wrestled four years varsity for the Blue Demons back in the ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Peru State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/30/20 1:11 AM

The population of the small town of Peru, Nebraska not far from the Iowa border, more than triples when the local college is in session.  Welcoming an assortment of athletes from baseball, softball, basketball, football & other sports, at one time Peru State also welcomed wrestlers.  T...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pacific Lutheran
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/29/20 9:02 PM

A private Lutheran University in Parkland, Washington, Pacific Lutheran at one time had a rather competitive wrestling program.  It was discontinued after the 2003-2004 season by athletic director Paul Hoseth because of a lack of nearby programs & the conference dropping the sport.  &n...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Oregon Tech
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/29/20 8:04 PM

A half hours drive from the California border,  Oregon Tech is located in Klamath Falls in the southern part of the state.   The Owls wrestling program was dropped after the 1990-1991 season.  They hosted the 1972 NAIA championships. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" c...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Northwest Nazarene
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/29/20 7:50 PM

The Nighthawk Wrestling program ended after the 1987-1988 season.   While Northwest Nazarene today is NCAA Division II, they were NAIA at that time.  The school is located in Nampa, Idaho.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-cap...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mayville State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/29/20 5:06 PM

Although the Comets of Mayville State  still compete in the NAIA, today they are in the North Star Athletic Association.  When they had a wrestling program they were in the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC).  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Northland
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/28/20 8:50 PM

Located in northern Wisconsin right on Lake Superior, the Lumberjacks & Lumberjills of Northland mark yet another NCAA Division III program that was NAIA at the time they fielded a wrestling team. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-cont...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Methodist
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/28/20 8:43 PM

I don't have a lot of information regarding the Methodist Lions wrestling program but I can tell you that the program was dropped after the 1970-1971 season, which ironically was the only year an All American was produced.   Although the athletics department is NCAA Division III today, the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Maryland Eastern Shore
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/28/20 8:37 PM

Today the Hawks of Maryland-Eastern Shore are NCAA Division I. At the time the school had a wrestling program they were NAIA. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style=...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Macalester
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/27/20 7:09 PM

Located in St. Paul, the Scots of Macalester at one time had a very competitive wrestling program within the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC), winning team titles in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1959 & 1960.   They were also quite competitive on an individual level within the ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Livingstone
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 9:57 PM

Located in Salisbury, North Carolina the Blue Bears of Livingstone College mark yet another Historically Black college that at one time had a wrestling program, that no longer does. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margi...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Linn Benton Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 9:07 PM

Linn Benton has long been known as a pipeline for various students to get an A.A. & then go on to Oregon State to obtain a Bachelor's degree.  This includes baseball, men & women's basketball, & women's softball.  At one time it included more sports, one of which was wrestling....
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lane Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 9:02 PM

A 10 minute drive southeast of the University of Oregon,  Lane Community College marks another collegiate program in the city of Eugene that once had a wrestling program that no longer does. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mount Hood Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 8:57 PM

The Saint Bernards of Mount Hood Community College are are located in Gresham, Oregon a city 110,000 people located in the northwestern part of the state. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right:...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Blue Mountain Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 8:51 PM

Located in the northeast section of Oregon in the community of Pendleton, Blue Mountain Community College is known as the Timberwolves. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr>...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Linfield
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 3:06 PM

Located in McMinnville, Oregon the Wildcats of Linfield at one time fielded a wrestling program.  Today the school is NCAA Division III.  At the time they had wrestling they were NAIA. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lincoln (Pennsylvania)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 2:53 PM

Another Historically Black College that we add to the list of schools that no longer have wrestling programs, the Lions of Lincoln are NCAA Division II today.  At the time they fielded a wrestling program they were NCAA Division III.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpaddin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lewis
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 2:49 PM

Located in Romeoville, Illinois a little over a half hour southwest of Chicago, The Flyers of Lewis are an NCAA Division II institution today.  When they had a wrestling program, they were NAIA. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-conta...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Si Tanka aka Huron University
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/20 2:00 AM

Today there is an online school known as Si Tanka in Eagle Butte, South Dakota.  This article however is in reference to Si Tanka-Huron, which was also known at one time as Huron University in Huron, South Dakota.  It closed in 2005 & had a wrestling program upon its closure. <br ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hillsdale
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:30 PM

Located in Southern Michigan a little less than an hour & a half drive from the Indiana border, the Chargers of Hillsdale are today an NCAA Division II institution.  At the time they fielded a wrestling program they were NAIA. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspaci...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hanover
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:22 PM

Today the Panthers of Hanover compete in NCAA Division III athletics.  At the time they fielded a wrestling team they were NAIA. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td styl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Earlham
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:17 PM

A small college in Richmond, Indiana the Quakers of Earlham are NCAA Division III today.  At the time they fielded a wrestling program they were NAIA. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Dakota State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:15 PM

Located in Madison, South Dakota I wasn't able to find out much about the Trojan wrestling team of Dakota State.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-a...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal Lutheran
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:12 PM

Located in Thousand Oaks, California  the Kingsmen of Cal Lutheran are an NCAA Division III institution that was NAIA at the time they fielded a wrestling program.   <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Cal Tech
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 1:05 PM

Located in Pasadena, California  the Beavers of Cal Tech are NCAA Division III.  At the time they had a wrestling program they were NAIA. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Black Hills State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 12:38 AM

Located in Spearfish, South Dakota the school motto of Black Hills State is "Where anything is possible."  If that's the case, then hopefully wrestling will one day be reinstated.   At the time the Yellow Jackets had a wrestling program they were NAIA, although the school today is NCA...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Malone
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/20 12:32 AM

Located an hour south of Cleveland in Canton, Ohio, today Malone is a NCAA Division II school.  At the time the Pioneers had a wrestling program they were NAIA.  The program was discontinued after the 1985-1986 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Biola
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/24/20 2:23 PM

Winners of the 1985 National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA), the wrestling program was then eliminated after the 1985-1986 season.  Up until the 2018-2019 season when men's golf was eliminated, wrestling was the only sport that the Eagles had ever discontinued.   To...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Whittier
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/24/20 2:05 PM

Located a little less than a half hour southeast of Los Angeles,  Whittier today is a NCAA Division III school but at the time they had wrestling, they were NAIA. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cedarville
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/24/20 1:59 PM

Today an NCAA Division II institution in Ohio, at the time Cedarville had wrestling they were NAIA. They also participated in the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCAA). <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" styl...
Still Alive, Still Fighting & Looking Forward to Being Reinstated: Their Best = Stanford
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/24/20 7:11 AM

When I read the news that Stanford was dropping their wrestling program I could hardly believe it.  A storied program that predates World War II & has a rich history.  As a team the Cardinal have finished in the top twenty on six occasions, most of which have been within recent years.&...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Maryville (Tennessee)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 10:44 PM

Of all of my Gone, Lost & Forgotten stories, this is one the most interesting.  What I have been able to gather of Maryville Wrestling is that the program started sometime in the early 1950's & was then discontinued after the 1979-1980 season.   What makes it most interesting,...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Elon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 8:52 PM

A rather small NCAA Division I institution in North Carolina, the Phoenix of Elon were NAIA for the majority of the time they had wrestling.  They had a program up before World War II that would not be reinstated until the 1967-1968 season.  It was once again dropped for the final time aft...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Williamette
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 8:43 PM

Located in Salem, Oregon,  Williamette was NAIA at the time they had a wrestling program.   Wasn't able to find a whole lot out about the Bearcats wrestling program but Tracy Toulou was an NAIA qualifier. His son Eric Harder later wrestled at Pacific. <br /><br /><br />
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Evangel
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 8:40 PM

Located in Springfield, Missouri the only thing different about when Evangel had wrestling & now was at the time it was known as Evangel College & today it is known as Evangel University.  Other than that, they're still known as the Crusaders and Maroon & white at the school colors....
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Rocky Mountain College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 6:07 PM

Still a member of the the NAIA, located in Billings, Montana, Rocky Mountain College at one time was a rather competitive wrestling team that competed in the Frontier Conference.  They won the 1972 Frontier conference title.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cel...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Coppin State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 3:06 AM

Another Historically Black College program we lost after the 2000-2001 season.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1....
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Dana
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/20 12:49 AM

When Dana College closed their doors after the 2009-2010 season, the world of NAIA wrestling lost one of their best teams.  The Vikings ruled the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) in their final years of existence, winning titles in 2007, 2008, 2009 & 2010.  On top of that Dana f...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bacone
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/22/20 2:59 PM

One of the few colleges/universities you'll ever run across that also dropped their men's football program, the year of 2018 was not a good one for the Warriors athletics program.   That season they dropped football, volleyball, Men's wrestling, women's wrestling, men's golf, women's golf ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Missouri-Rolla
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/22/20 2:35 PM

I wasn't able to find out a whole lot concerning Missouri-Rolla wrestling but I did come across information concerning one of their wrestlers. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbo...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Missouri-St. Louis
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/22/20 2:27 PM

I wasn't able to come up with much on Missouri-St.Louis wrestling but I was able to find information on one of their wrestlers. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td styl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lake Forest
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 11:50 PM

Located a little less than an hour north of Chicago, Wrestling was brought to Lake Forest in the 1955-1956 season & came to an end after the 1974-1975 season.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto;...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Evansville
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 11:36 PM

Today Evansville is a small NCAA Division I school, but during the time they had a wrestling program they were NCAA Division II.  I haven't been able to find a lot about the Purple Ace wrestling program but I do believe I can name you their best wrestlers.  The program was dropped after th...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Tennessee-Martin
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 12:25 AM

I've talked to various Tennessee-Chattanooga wrestlers who competed against U.T. Martin back in the day but not much came up in extensive research regarding the program.  Known as the Skyhawks today they're NCAA Division I.  During the time they had wrestling they were NCAA Division II.&nb...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Michigan Tech
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 12:21 AM

Another program I wasn't able to find a lot of information on.  The metallic Silver & gold Huskies of Michigan Tech still are NCAA Division II as they were when they had wrestling. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" styl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State Northridge
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 12:17 AM

All I could find regarding Matador wrestling was that the program was around when Northridge was NCAA Division II. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State East Bay
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 12:14 AM

Another search that didn't turn up much information.  They were actually known as Hayward State during the time they had wrestling, but even then that didn't turn up much information.  All I could find was info on a two time Far Western Champ. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" c...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Sonoma State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/21/20 12:10 AM

Not much turned up as I did my research on Sonoma State Seawolves wrestling.  Was only able to find information on one wrestler. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Towson
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/20/20 11:55 PM

If you're the type of person that believes in a wrestler doing multiple sports besides just wrestling, this will be a fun read for you.  Nearly all of the wrestlers featured in this article competed in other sports while at Towson.   <br /><br />Located about 15 minutes northeast of B...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Valparaiso
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/20/20 6:24 PM

According to some records that I have came across Valparaiso had a wrestling program up through the 1994-1995 season.  However, the little information that I've found on the program has all been during the time that the Crusaders were NCAA Division II.   The school has been NCAA Divis...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mount St. Clare
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/20/20 2:58 PM

The history of Mount St. Clare wrestling is quite confusing.   For one the school has gone through an assortment of different names as well as divisions.  From 1918-1979 it was a junior college.  To my understanding a junior college without athletics.  In the fall of 1978 it...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Anderson (Indiana)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/20/20 12:24 AM

A while back I did a Gone, Lost & Forgotten feature on Anderson (South Carolina).  Today's is on Anderson (Indiana).   Today a Division III school that competes in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.   When they had a wrestling program up through the 1984-1985 ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Schoolcraft Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/19/20 8:44 PM

From the little I've been able to find about the Ocelot wrestling program, the program was short lived but produced some quality talent.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbo...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern Michigan College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/19/20 8:35 PM

Known as the Roadrunners, Southwestern Michigan College officially discontinued all varsity sports after the 1997-1998 season.  While they still have intramural athletics on campus, their are no varsity sports.   I'm not sure if at the time Southwestern Michigan College dropped sports...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mott Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/19/20 8:30 PM

Today the Mott Community College Bears are one of the most competitive teams in the NCWA & they're one of the only NCWA teams that I've came across that is officially featured on the school's official athletic website.  Most of the time NCWA teams, as well as any other non-affiliated with t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lansing Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/19/20 8:22 PM

Located a little less than 10 minutes from Michigan State University, I was able to find out only a little about Lansing Community College wrestling. As to when it started & when it ended I do not know but I was able to find out that the school produced two NJCAA All Americans. <br /><br />...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Grand Rapids Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/19/20 3:14 PM

I believe that the Raider wrestling program began in the 1968-1969 season & ended sometime in the early to mid 1990's.  Throughout the years they were fairly successful at an individual level producing NJCAA All Americans. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspa...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Alaska-Pacific
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 8:48 PM

Wrestling at times can be exceptionally pessimistic.  I've gotten in numerous discussions over the years of with various people in wrestling of where collegiate wrestling could work & where it couldn't work. In regards to the state of Alaska, those on the negative end treat the argument as ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Yankton
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 7:55 PM

Home of the late football/acting legend Lyle Alzado, located in southeastern South Dakota, Yankton officially closed it's doors for good after the 1983-1984 school year.  From what I have been able to gather, they had a wrestling program at the time the school shut down. <br /><br /><br />...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wisconsin Superior
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 4:39 PM

At one time Wisconsin-Superior was quite competitive in both the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference(WIAC) & in the NAIA.  Today the only sport that the Yellowjackets remain in the WIAC for is hockey.  Other than that they compete in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMA...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Western Washington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 12:27 AM

Today the Vikings of Western Washington are NCAA Division II competing in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  During the time they had wrestling they were NAIA & competed in the Evergreen Conference. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Whitman
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 12:18 AM

Today Whitman competes in NCAA Division III but at the time the Blues had wrestling, they were NAIA.  <br /><br />I haven't been able to find much information on the wrestling program, but I'm pretty sure I can name you their best wrestler. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpaddin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Whitworth
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/18/20 12:02 AM

Today the Pirates of Whitworth are NCAA Division II. During the time they had wrestling they were NAIA.  I've been able to find little information on the program but know they finished in sixteenth place at the 1969 NAIA's. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Western Oregon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/17/20 4:40 PM

Today the Wolves of Western Oregon are an NCAA Division II institution that competes in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.  At the time they had a wrestling program they were NAIA & competed in the Oregon Conference. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspa...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montana Western
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/17/20 3:44 AM

When wrestling fans think of NAIA wrestling in the state of Montana they often think of six time NAIA national champions Montana State Northern.  Yet at one time Montana was home to another great NAIA wrestling program, Montana Western. <br /><br />The Bulldogs produced a series of incredi...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Florida A&M
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/16/20 7:08 PM

Sometimes you find out that schools had wrestling programs by pure coincidence.  I knew Florida International had a wrestling program, as well as Florida, Central Florida, Stetson & some other teams but I was unaware of Florida A&M's team until recently.   <br /><br /><br />Al...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southern Utah
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/16/20 7:05 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wayne State (Nebraska)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/16/20 6:54 PM

There are two Wayne States.  To see information regarding the former wrestling program of the Wayne State University in Michigan, check out my post for Wayne State (Michigan).  This post is to focus on Wayne State College in Nebraska. <br /><br />The Wildcats had a competitive wrestli...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wayne State (Michigan)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/16/20 6:29 PM

It's particularly fun as an amateur wrestling historian to discover that there are two Wayne States & both of them at one time had wrestling programs.  The one I'm focusing on now is Wayne State University located in Detroit, Michigan.  An NCAA Division II institution. <br /><br /...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Valley City State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/16/20 6:03 PM

An NAIA institution in North Dakota, the Vikings now compete as an independent but during the time they had wrestling they were in the North Dakota College Athletic Conference (NDCAC).  They won conference titles in 1961, 63' & 64'.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpad...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Teikyo Westmar
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/09/20 6:55 PM

Duane "Tug" Wilson wasn't real familiar with wrestling but he figured that since most of the high schools in the area had teams & it was quite popular in Northwestern Iowa, that Westmar should probably get a program.  So wrestling was brought to Westmar for the 1961-1962 season, with Wilson...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Taylor
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/09/20 3:38 AM

Indiana is a basketball state & I can't say that Taylor hasn't had success in basketball because they have.  Yet if you saw the success of the wrestling team, you'd think at least one part of Indiana at one time, was a wrestling state. <br /><br />The Trojans were very competitive at b...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = South Dakota Springfield
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/08/20 2:19 PM

Today in the small town of Springfield, South Dakota you'll find a Durfee State Person which host about as many inmates as their are people in the community.  It wasn't always a prison though.  At one time it was a school.  The University of South Dakota at Springfield.  A small ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St Olaf
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/07/20 11:20 PM

One would think that the goal of an athletic director would be to create as many opportunities for his student athletes as possible.  Ryan Bowles, who tried vigorously for years to get rid of the school's wrestling program would by truthful action if denied by dishonest word, disagree with that...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Maranatha Baptist
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/06/20 10:05 PM

Wrestling was first brought to Maranatha Baptist by legendary Iowa State/Olympic grappler Ben Peterson in the 1972-1973 season.  He would remain the head coach of the program through the 2000-2001 season.  While the Sabercats did compete within both the NAIA & NCAA Division III, there ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lawrence
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/06/20 7:35 PM

I met coach Dave Novikis at the Coe Invitational the season of 2003-2004.  He was impressed by my enthusiasm & passion for the sport.  He talked to me about my plans for the future & I told him that I was planning on going to college, had narrowed it down to a few schools & pla...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Illinois College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/06/20 12:04 AM

Located in the town of Jacksonville, Illinois College is a small college with a big history.  Some of the most vocal & influential abolitionists spoke at the college & Beacher Hall was well known as a stop on the Underground Railroad.  Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oscar Wilde & Mark Tw...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Gallaudet
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/05/20 2:49 PM

Wrestling is a sport that often likes to pride itself on the fact that it is all inclusive.  A sport that welcomes all male & female regardless of height, weight, size or even disabilities.  What other sport can have the likes of Anthony Robles of Arizona State or Nick Ackerman of Simp...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Kean
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/03/20 2:36 PM

If you go into a school in New Jersey & ask the teachers where they obtained their degree there's a good chance many will tell you that they went to Kean.  A Division III school located in northeastern, New Jersey at one time they produced pretty good wrestlers too. Good enough to have fini...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bethel
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/03/20 2:14 PM

One of the many Universities within the Twin Cities of Minnesota,  I wasn't able to find out a whole lot of information about the Royals wrestling team.  However, I do believe I can name you their best wrestler. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" c...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wisconsin River Falls
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/02/20 10:58 PM

Located a half hour outside of St. Paul, Minnesota  The University of Wisconsin-River Falls was a team that competed hard within the NAIA throughout the 60's & resurfaced to an even more competitive team throughout the early to mid 80's.  The Falcons won Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athle...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wisconsin Stout
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/02/20 4:58 PM

The Blue Devils of Wisconsin Stout an NCAA Division III institution competed at both the NAIA level & the NCAA Division III levels during their time in wrestling.  They were also members of the Wisconsin State Universities Conference (WSUC).  Ironically enough when the WSUC came to an ...
Would've Been Four Had It Not Been For.......
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/02/20 6:33 AM

In the sport of wrestling our fan base has an unnatural & in my opinion unhealthy obsession....Actually I'll go as far as to call it a fixation with being the absolute best.  As the world of chess consistently searches for the next Bobby Fischer, we search for the next Cael Sanderson. Who w...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Olivet Nazarene
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/01/20 11:39 AM

Located about an hour southwest of Chicago, the small Christian college of Olivet Nazarene has had quite the history in its 113 year existence.  Within that history, was a wrestling program that came to an end after the 1993-1994 season.  <br /><br />During the Tigers time in wrestlin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Widener
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/01/20 11:18 AM

In all of my research on dropped wrestling programs this was one of the most confusing that I ran across.  Sometimes it would be recorded as simply Chester, the community in Pennsylvania in which the school is located.  At other times, listed as PMC which took me forever to figure out what...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Susquehanna
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/01/20 12:14 AM

Located along the beautiful Susquehanna river in Selingsgrove, Pennsylvania the River Hawks of Susquehanna were a competitive wrestling program at both the NCAA Division III level & at the conference level on an individual basis.  Throughout the 80's up through when the program was dropped ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Capital
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/30/20 11:40 PM

Within the hotbed of high school wrestling in Columbus, Ohio,  Capital University is located in the suburb of Bexley.  The Crusaders had a wrestling program up through the 1998-1999 season.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Upsala
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/30/20 11:15 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Rowan (Glassboro State)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/30/20 2:52 PM

A rather large NCAA Division III institution located in southwestern New Jersey, Rowan was known as Glassboro State during the time they fielded a wrestling team.  They competed at both the NAIA & NCAA Division III levels in the Metropolitan Conference.  During their final season of 19...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Clarkson
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/30/20 3:26 AM

A small school located in Potsdam, New York, Clarkson competed at the NCAA Division III level in the Independent Collegiate Athletic Conference (ICAC) during the time they sponsored wrestling. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" s...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Juniata
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/28/20 11:00 PM

Located in the central Pennsylvanian town of Huntingdon, Juniata is a small college, a little over 1,500 students that competes in NCAA Division III athletics.  During their time in wrestling, the Eagles competed in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).  <br /><br /><br /><table align...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Thomas
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/28/20 4:31 PM

The Tommies were very competitive in both the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) & NCAA Division III.  At the conference level, St. Thomas won team titles in 1981 & 1986.  In NCAA Division III, they took a high of third place in 1991 & finished in ninth place ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Union
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/28/20 4:06 PM

Another wrestling program I wasn't able to find much on.  <br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Grove City
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/28/20 4:02 PM

I wasn't able to find out a whole lot about Grove City wrestling but what I do know is that they were (and the school still participates in) an NCAA Division III institution in the President's Athletic Conference.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" cla...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State Stanislaus
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/26/20 8:58 PM

Today the warriors of Cal State Stanislaus are a NCAA Division II school but during the time they competed in wrestling they were NCAA Division III.  Warrior wrestling came to an end after the 1980-1981 season, ironically after they crowned their first NCAA finalist. <br /><br /><br /><tab...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = MIT
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/25/20 2:58 PM

It's always heart-wrenching & depressing when we lose a collegiate wrestling team, but it's all the more when that team has such a long illustrious history. I've found records as far back as the 1930's for MIT wrestling.  Perhaps it lasted longer than that, but we're discussing a mat progra...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lebanon Valley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/25/20 2:04 AM

Located in the small southeastern Pennsylvania community of Annville, Lebanon Valley makes up about half of the town's population. A Division III school, the Flying Dutchmen have had success in various athletics throughout the years.  Competing in the ECAC (Eastern Collegiate Athletic conferenc...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ripon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/24/20 2:10 PM

Ripon is a small NCAA Division III school with less than 1,000 students located in Wisconsin.  Known as The Red Hawks, they sponsored varsity wrestling up through the 1993-1994 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" styl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = RPI
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/23/20 10:44 PM

Known as the oldest technological university in the English speaking world, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is a small school in Troy, New York where all athletics compete at the NCAA Division III level with exception to men & women's hockey which both compete in NCAA Division I. <br /><br...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Longwood
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/23/20 1:42 PM

A small Division I school with less than 5,000 undergraduates, Longwood was NCAA Division II during the time they fielded a wrestling program.  I haven't been able to find out a lot of information regarding Lancer wrestling, but I do know that the program was dropped after the 2000-2001 season....
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Anderson (South Carolina)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/23/20 1:27 PM

I haven't been able to find out much about Anderson wrestling.  To be honest the only reason I even know they at one time had a wrestling program is due to an interview with A.J. Styles of TNA/WWE fame.  Asked about his background he said that he was an amateur wrestler & had wrestled ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Grand Canyon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/22/20 9:22 PM

This one still hits close to home as two of their top recruits are still wrestling in college today.  Cory Crooks who was going to be an antelope will be a senior this up coming season for Arizona State.  Danny Vega who also originally planned to be an antelope spent two season with Iowa S...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Richland Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/22/20 8:46 PM

Collegiate wrestling in the state of Texas has always fascinated me for a variety of reasons.  I've always been shocked as to what I've found regarding amateur wrestling in the lone star state. From learning of how Dory Funk senior a state champion out of Indiana & Hall of Fame professional...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Carson-Newman
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/22/20 3:25 PM

When we talk about the best in Southern collegiate wrestling Tennessee-Chattanooga & their dominance within the Southern Conference is usually brought up.  There is a lot of love for the Mocs & rightly so.  Yet another school in Tennessee had as much to do with the Volunteer State ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Virginia State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/22/20 2:45 PM

An historically black college, Virginia State wrestling was dropped & reinstated & then dropped again for the final time in a period throughout the late 80's & early 90's.   They were at the time & still are a NCAA Division II institution that competed in the Central Interc...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bemidji State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/21/20 2:41 AM

Located in North Central Minnesota, the Beavers of Bemidji State have been quite competitive within a variety of athletics.  NCAA Division II in all sports with exception to Men & Women's hockey which is NCAA Division I, a total of 43 team titles have been won in the Northern Sun Intercolle...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wright State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/20/20 7:50 PM

Wright State Raider wrestling began in the 1973-1974 season & came to an end after the 1992-1993 season.  During their 19 years on the mat,  they finished a high of 10th place at the 1985 NCAA Division II championships. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cells...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pfeiffer
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/20/20 5:17 PM

I receive request every now & again to cover certain schools & it's always disappointing when not much turns up in my research.  I always hope when someone is looking forward to a certain team being covered, that I'll have a boatload of information.  Unfortunately it isn't always t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Elizabeth City State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/18/20 9:47 PM

I haven't been able to find out much about Elizabeth City State wrestling, other than running across two members of their football team over the years, that were also wrestlers.  An historically black college, the Vikings competed in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.  Their...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Saginaw Valley State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/17/20 11:51 PM

During the late 1970's into the early 1980's when the program was dropped, Saginaw Valley State was rather competitive on a individual level within the NAIA.   It was shortly after going NCAA Division II that wrestling was discontinued.  Their best finish was tenth at the 1978 NAIA na...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Mansfield
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/17/20 7:29 PM

A small Division II school in Pennsylvania, less than a half hour drive from the New York state line, the Mountaineers success on the mat came at both the NCAA Division III & NCAA Division II levels. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-c...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Northwest Missouri State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/17/20 1:41 PM

It's amazing what you find out doing research sometimes.  Come to find out Northwest Missouri State's final head coach was Bob Yilek, who went on to have tremendous success as the head coach of Belle Plaine High school in Iowa.  My high school wrestled Belle Plaine multiple times throughou...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = North Dakota
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/16/20 11:07 PM

There was a time within NCAA Division II wrestling one of the hottest rivalries was South Dakota State Vs North Dakota State.  The Jackrabbit/Bison feud was to NCAA Division II wrestling what Augsburg Vs Wartburg has been to NCAA Division III.  Often overlooked & forgotten within the s...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Winston-Salem
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/16/20 1:15 PM

An historically black college in North Carolina, the Rams of Winston-Salem won the 1980 CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) team title.  The wrestling program was discontinued after the 1990-1991 season. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Fort Lewis
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/20 3:19 PM

The Skyhawks of Fort Lewis were a very competitive team within the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) up through their final season of 1994-1995.   Competing in both the NAIA & NCAA Division II, they produced an assortment of All Americans.  Fort Lewis took ninth place at t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Florida International
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/20 2:56 PM

I haven't been able to find much about the Florida International wrestling program.  From the little I have been able to gather, I believe the program was short lived. <br /><br />Doug House a 134 lbs'er & I believe a native to the Miami area made the NCAA Division II finals in 1980.&n...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Oakland
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/20 2:51 PM

Varsity wrestling came to an end in Oakland after the 1984-1985 season.  While their have been a number of attempts to reinstate, they have all been to no avail.  In the mean time they were rather competitive as a club program in the NCWA.  They raised between $25,000 & $30,000 pe...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Puget Sound
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/20 2:27 PM

Today the Loggers of Puget Sound are NCAA Division III but at the time they had a wrestling program they were NCAA Division II.  <br /><br />I haven't been able to find much about the wrestling program, but I do know that HWT Bill Stout took fourth place NCAA Division II All American honor...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State Sacramento
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/14/20 11:33 PM

Today the Hornets of Cal State Sacramento are a NCAA Division I school but during the time they sponsored wrestling, they were NCAA Division II. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Florida Tech
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/14/20 11:09 PM

Located in Melborne, the Panthers had wrestling at the NCAA Division II level (which they are still in today). <br /><br /><br />Haruki Kawamukai who wrestled at 118 lbs made All American in 1977 taking fifth place honors. <br /><br />Ray Barker who wrestled at 190 lbs made All American in...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lincoln (Illinois)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/14/20 11:05 PM

There are a lot of colleges & universities with the name Lincoln & furthermore a lot of them at one time had wrestling programs.  To make it even more fun to research a lot of the time when you see Lincoln next to a wrestler's name all you see is Lincoln.  It doesn't indicate if he...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Kalamazoo
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/14/20 3:47 PM

An NCAA Division III institution today, the Hornets of Kalamazoo competed in both Division II & Division III during their time on the wrestling mat.  Winners of the 1980 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) the Buzz claimed an assortment of individual titles. <br /><br ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Illinois-Chicago
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/13/20 9:08 PM

As it sometimes is, the history of a wrestling program continues to be a mystery. As to when Flame wrestling started & when flame wrestling ended, I do not know.  All I know is that indeed the University of Illinois-Chicago at one time had a varsity program. <br /><br /><br /><table al...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Seattle Pacific
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/13/20 1:09 PM

Frank Futado was a football player.  It was the sport he was known for growing up in Ripon, California.  He didn't wrestle.  In fact, the only winter sport he ever dabbled in at all was basketball.  Yet while playing football in college, he became interested in the the sport. It ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Truman State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/12/20 10:19 PM

I'll be honest this is another one that hits hard for me.  When I was a junior & senior in high school it came time to decide what you wanted to study & where you wanted to study it.  Kirksville is a little less than two hours from where I grew up & about an hour from where my ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = North Park
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/12/20 10:01 PM

North Park is a Christian University in Illinois that for sure had wrestling during its time as a NCAA Division II school & I believe also had wrestling during its time as an NJCAA school.  Today the Vikings are NCAA Division III.  <br /><br />The only proof I've found of North Pa...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Nevada-Reno
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/12/20 9:57 PM

Today the Wolfpack competes in NCAA Division I but at the time Nevada-Reno fielded a wrestling program, they were NCAA Division II.   I haven't been able to find out much about the Wolfpack wrestling team other than they had one.  <br /><br />Joe Warren a 152 lbs'er took fifth pl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = UW-Milwaukee
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/12/20 4:13 PM

Today UW-Milwaukee is a Division I school but during the time the Panthers competed in wrestling, they were a Division II school.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr>...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Indiana of Pennsylvania
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/11/20 3:18 PM

Before coming to an end after the 1984-1985 season, the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania were a respectable team in both the NAIA & NCAA Division II levels. <br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="m...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southeast Missouri State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/10/20 3:09 PM

Located less than an hour's drive from the Kentucky border, today Southeast Missouri State is a Division I school, but at the time they had a wrestling program they competed in Division II. <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" styl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Michigan
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/10/20 12:14 AM

Eastern Michigan wrestling began in the 1956-1957 season and had it not been for the avarice & acquisitive decisions of athletic director Scott Wetherbee, we'd still have Eastern Michigan wrestling today.  Instead, a choice was made after the 2017-2018 season to eliminate wrestling along wi...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Massachusetts Lowell
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/09/20 3:18 PM

Riverhawk wrestling was a respectable program at both the NCAA Division II level & conference level well into the 90's when the program was dropped.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-ri...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Maritime
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/09/20 3:07 PM

Another program where information is scarce, I know that SUNY-Maritime did have wrestling at one time & the Privateers best years were in the late 60's & early 70's. <br /><br />John Amicucui at 167 earned Division II All American honors in 1969 (4th)<br />Don Weck at 150 earned Divisio...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Monmouth
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/09/20 3:03 PM

I haven't been able to find out much about the Big Red wrestling program other than to tell you that they had a program.  Their best wrestler was a HWT named Rich Passur who made NCAA Division II All American status twice.  He was third in 1965 & sixth in 1966. 
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Illinois
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/08/20 3:26 PM

Eastern Illinois wrestling came to an end after the 2006-2007 .  The program started in the 1947-1948 season had success on many levels including the NAIA, NCAA Division II & NCAA Division I.   They won both the 1963 & 1968 Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC)...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Howard
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/07/20 3:19 PM

Late Spring of 2002 was a said day for Bison sports as Athletic Director Norrell Thomas announced that because of a lack of space & Title IX constraints both baseball & wrestling (started in 1950-1951) would be discontinued before the start of the 2002-2003 season.    During Howard...
Wrestling in Historically Black Colleges
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/06/20 8:00 PM

From all of the information that I have been able to find, today their are 107 Historically Black Colleges/Universities in the United States.  This number was reported as of January of 2020 & I do believe that as a result of COVID-19 that number may be smaller.   <br /><br />It is...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Liberty
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/06/20 4:23 PM

Flame wrestling started in the 1974-1975 season & lasted through the 2010-2011 season.  Immediately after wrestling was dropped as an official varsity sport, Liberty joined the NCWA & has since been one of the teams to dominate on the non-varsity level.  <br /><br />During the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Chattahoochee Valley Community College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/05/20 11:20 PM

Pirate wrestling only lasted two seasons from 1978-1979 through 1979-1980 but head coach Ron Steube made the most out of the only NJCAA wrestling program the state of Alabama has even seen.  He lead the pirates to an overall dual record of 23-3 including winning thirteen duals in the final seas...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Slippery Rock
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/05/20 6:06 PM

A phenomenal wrestling program that started in the 1958-1959 season & lasted through the 2005-2006 season, Slippery Rock had success at both the NCAA Division II & NCAA Division I levels.  Thus far I've written about 128 varsity wrestling programs we no longer have & on my 129th ent...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Youngstown State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/05/20 1:31 AM

While Youngstown State is a Division I school today, at the time they fielded a wrestling program they were Division II.  Never a powerhouse, they did have success on an individual level.  <br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-contai...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Clemson
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/04/20 9:17 PM

Wrestling came to Clemson during the 1975-1976 season & lasted up through the 1994-1995 season.  During this time the Tigers put together a dual record of 219-21, including a record of 14-6 during the 1993-1994 season in which they finished as the ACC Runner-up & in Seventh place at the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Maine
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/04/20 2:27 PM

Maine wrestling started in the 1969-1970 season and lasted through the 1987-1988 season. During that time the Black Bears put together a dual record of 121-104.  What's most notable about the University of Maine is that most of its lineup, consisted of wrestlers who went to high school in Maine...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = James Madison
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/03/20 5:13 PM

The Dukes of James Madison were often a team that had success at both the conference & dual meet levels.  Winners of the Virginia Collegiate Athletic Conference in 1975, they would also win team titles at the Eastern Regional in 1985 & 1986, as well as Colonial Athletic Association titl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Morgan State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/03/20 1:00 AM

Morgan State Bears wrestling existed before the late James Phillips took over the program as head coach during the 1975-1976 season.  Matter of fact they won Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) titles in 1963, 1964 & 1965.  Yet it was under Phillips leadership, that the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Minnesota Duluth
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/02/20 3:53 PM

Minnesota Duluth Bulldog wrestling ended after the 1993-1994 season.  That year they won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title & they finished in 12th place at the NCAA Division II championships with three All Americans.   The story of how & why Bulldog wrestling c...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Virginia Commonwealth
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/02/20 3:27 PM

Extensive research hasn't been able to come up with much about Virginia Commonwealth wrestling other than to say the Rams did have a team at one time.  I've ran across the name of two coaches & the only wrestler who's name I've been able to find is Matt Gattling a 190 lbs'er.   He...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Jacksonville State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/02/20 2:06 AM

The friendliest campus in the south at one time fielded a wrestling program that at one time was ranked as high as 15th in the NCAA Division II level.   While the school has been successful in a variety of athletics, crowning an assortment of NCAA champions, their first was in wrestling.&n...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Allegheny
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/01/20 3:55 PM

A small NCAA Division III college in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Allegheny had success at the conference & national level on a individual scale.  They won the President's Athletic Conference (PAC) title in 1960. <br /><br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Grand Valley State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/31/20 11:19 PM

With the love & recognition that the wrestling team still receives to this day, it's hard to believe that wrestling at the varsity status ever left Grand Valley State University.  The NCWA (National Collegiate Wrestling Association) club program that was formed about twenty years ago & ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = UNLV
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/31/20 3:22 PM

UNLV Runnin' Rebel wrestling only lasted for a short time, but it did give us what many believe is the best in season tournament in NCAA Division I wrestling.  What we now refer to as the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational was originally started & hosted by UNLV.   According to wri...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Marshall
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/30/20 2:37 PM

Started in the 1967-1968 season by legendary football coach Larry Coyer who served at various teams throughout the NCAA & NFL level, Thundering Herd wrestling lasted until the 1981-1982 season.  Their best years were saved for their final years when they joined the Southern Conference durin...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Connecticut
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/30/20 12:05 AM

I haven't been able to find out a whole lot about the Connecticut Husky wrestling team but I do know that UCONN did indeed have a team & I'm pretty sure I can name their best wrestler. More than happy to add anything anyone else has.  Sometimes I'm able to find out a lot of information &amp...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Central Connecticut State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/29/20 2:10 PM

From the time Blue Devil wrestling started in the 1966-1967 season until the time it ended in the 1995-1996 season, it was one of the most successful programs on the Conference level at Central Connecticut State.  During their time in NCAA Division II under the leadership of the late George Red...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southern Connecticut
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/29/20 12:25 AM

From the 1973-1974 season until the 1997-1998 season when the program was dropped, wrestling was one of the most successful sports at Southern Connecticut State.  Matter of fact, when looking at accomplishments & credentials, it still is.  The Owls have throughout their history sponsor...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montclair State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/28/20 2:40 AM

While not quite Ohioans or Pennsylvanians, the wrestling fans of New Jersey are quite proud of the talent the state produces & are never shy when it comes to putting in their two cents when arguments breakout over the world wide web on where the best wrestlers come from.  The only thing mis...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = UNC Greensboro
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/27/20 3:42 PM

In NCAA Division I wrestling there are four major in-season tournaments held every year.  Ironically enough, two of these tournaments were originally hosted by teams we no longer have.  One of which is the Southern Scuffle, originally hosted by the team we're going to focus on tonight, The...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = UC Davis
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/26/20 1:36 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State Fullerton
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/26/20 1:52 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Salisbury
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/25/20 12:19 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Duquesne
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/25/20 12:18 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Tennessee
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/23/20 12:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cheyney
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/23/20 12:40 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ferris State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/22/20 5:12 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Furman
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/21/20 2:59 PM

Baseball being my second favorite sport & the sport I follow the closest after wrestling, it broke my heart to read that the Paladins were discontinuing their program.  A rich tradition which included NCAA tournament appearances in 65', 69', 79', 91' & 05'.  SOCON championships won...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Wagner
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/21/20 12:58 AM

A small private Division I school in New York City, today we look at some of the best wrestlers in the history of Wagner.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Norfolk State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/20/20 3:11 PM

In recent times the wrestling community is saddened and angered by the elimination of wrestling at Old Dominion University.  The alma mater of one of our most prolific & talented journalist, Jason Bryant.  Yet if you look back on the history of collegiate wrestling, this isn't the firs...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal State Los Angeles
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/20/20 2:45 PM

The first time I ran across Cal State Los Angeles in my research, I thought that it was simply a typo of UCLA.  A tournament from the early 1970's out in California had a number of wrestlers in the finals with (UCLA) written beside their name.  One wrestler in the bracket had (CSULA) writt...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Chicago State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/20/20 12:41 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Middle Tennessee State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/19/20 1:36 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Western Illinois
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/19/20 2:22 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Potsdam
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/18/20 1:41 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Boston
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/18/20 1:28 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Boston College
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/17/20 4:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lake Superior State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/16/20 5:29 PM

 A school that had success at various levels, The Lake Superior State Lakers, were one of the best teams that the state of Michigan ever lost.  A seventh place finish at the NCAA Division III championships in 1974.  A eighth place finish at the 1978 NAIA tournament, followed up by a s...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Central Florida
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/16/20 12:09 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Florida
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/15/20 2:17 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Tampa
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/13/20 11:09 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Humboldt State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/13/20 2:11 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = St. Francis
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/13/20 1:36 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = East Carolina
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/12/20 6:06 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = California of Pennsylvania
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/12/20 2:23 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Massachusetts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/11/20 3:55 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Kentucky
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/10/20 8:03 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Kentucky
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/09/20 2:42 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Alabama
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/09/20 1:15 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Louisiana State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/08/20 2:28 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Weber State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/05/20 4:09 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = William & Mary
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/05/20 1:02 AM
2019-2020 Was Not a Loss for Arizona State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/04/20 4:51 AM

First off Mr. Skoda I want to say that I feel that your article was well written & I enjoyed reading it.  However, I take issue with the title "<span style="color: #1d2933; font-family: "Yahoo Sans", "Helvetica Neue", arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">ASU Wrestling...
Class of 2020: 149 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/04/20 3:31 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = New Hampshire
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/03/20 5:27 PM

New Hampshire wrestling began in the 1966-1967 season & came to an end after the 1990-1991 season due to severe budget cuts, that also saw an elimination of Women's Tennis.  During the last five seasons of New Hampshire wrestling, the wildcats put together a dual record of 60-20, including ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Drake
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/02/20 10:44 PM
Class of 2020: 141 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/01/20 11:59 PM

Now for a look at the seniors at 141 lbs that I have followed the past 4-5 years.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><img alt="Wrestling: No. 4 Ohio Stat...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Western Michigan
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/01/20 6:11 PM

We are still feeling the effects of Eastern Michigan's loss as we watched former Eagles compete for new teams this season such as Noah Gonser who went on to Campbell & Sa'Derian Perry who went on to Old Dominion.  Yet on the other side of the state opposite of Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo suffered ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cal Poly Pomona
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/30/20 3:49 PM

Those of us in the wrestling world are well aware of the dynasty of Cal Poly wrestling.  We know all of the great accomplishments that the Mustangs have had in NCAA Division II & NCAA Division I wrestling.  Yet did you know that the other Cal Poly also used to have a wrestling team?&nb...
Class of 2020: 133 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/30/20 3:36 PM
Class of 2020: 125 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/29/20 11:35 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Winona State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/22/20 3:14 PM

Dropped after the 1981-1982 season, The Warriors of Winona State were a very competitive team from the late 1950's through the mid 1970's. During that 17 year period, Winona State won four  Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference championships and finished in the top ten eleven times at the NAI...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Seton Hall
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/21/20 5:40 PM

Today we take a look at Britt Malinsky's favorite former wrestling program, the Seton Hall Pirates.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://1...
The Best One Time NCAA Division I Champions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/17/20 4:24 PM

Throughout Facebook and Twitter a list of the 10 best one time NCAA Division I Champions is going around.  First off I want to say that I have no problem with this list.  The names on it deserve to be on it for various reasons.   There list includes....<br /><br />Kenny Monday of...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Marquette
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/14/20 8:28 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ball State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/12/20 12:52 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = U.C. Santa Barbara
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 04/12/20 3:01 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Northern Arizona
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/19/20 1:36 PM

Today wrestling in the state of Arizona is down to three varsity wrestling programs.  Two NAIA and one NCAA Division I. Yet at one time all four of Arizona's Division I programs fielded wrestling and the Lumberjacks of Northern Arizona were one of them.  Today we take a look a three of the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cincinnati
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/17/20 1:20 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Notre Dame
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/16/20 2:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Northern Michigan
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/15/20 12:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Albany
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/14/20 1:42 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Chico State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/13/20 11:13 PM
Best of the Best to Not Qualify for 2020 NCAA Championships
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/12/20 7:50 PM

For the most part I am in sync with the NCAA qualification process. I think it is as fair as they can make it & while I'm not 100% in agreement with the allocations, I agree with most of their decisions. There are a few guys staying home that I feel earned an at large bid, but for the most part ...
BIG XII Preview 2020 = HWT
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 5:31 AM
BIG 12 Preview 2020 = 197 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 5:04 AM
BIG XII Preview 2020 = 184 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 4:40 AM
BIG XII 2020 Preview = 174 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 2:26 AM
BIG XII 2020 Preview = 165 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 1:33 AM
BIG XII 2020 Preview = 157 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 1:06 AM
2020 BIG XII Preview = 149 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 12:48 AM
2020 BIG XII Preview = 141 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/20 12:19 AM
BIG XII 2020 Wrestling Preview = 133 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/02/20 10:38 PM
2020 BIG XII Wrestling Preview = 125 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/02/20 9:10 PM
2020 BIG 10 Tournament Preview = HWT
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 1:17 PM
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 197 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 1:06 PM
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 184 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 12:41 PM

This weight class is insane. Matter of fact if we resurrected Noah Webster & showed him 2020 BIG 10 184 lbs he might even let us use it as an example in the dictionary.   I'm talking parity out the wazoo and everyone seems to have lost to and beaten everyone.  Throw the names into...
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 174 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 12:25 PM
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 165 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 4:36 AM
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 157 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 4:29 AM
2020 BIG 10 Preview = 149 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 3:51 AM
2020 BIG 10 Tournament Preview = 141 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 2:19 AM
2020 BIG 10 Tournament Preview = 133 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 2:09 AM
2020 BIG 10 Tournament Preview = 125 lbs
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/27/20 1:45 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = The University of the South
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/24/20 6:09 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Moravian
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/23/20 3:35 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Denison
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/23/20 5:09 AM

Another small college in Ohio, Denison's best years on the mat were during the late 60's when the Big Red won championships in both the Ohio Athletic Conference & the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-capti...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Long Beach State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/23/20 4:34 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Portland State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/22/20 4:09 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Delaware
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/22/20 4:06 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Delaware State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/22/20 4:05 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montana
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/20/20 2:07 PM

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.  It was the 1986-1987 wrestling season for head coach Scott Bliss of the Montana Grizzlies.  He had recently been informed that the BIG SKY was no longer going to sponsor wrestling & that rival Montana State had announced that this w...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montana State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/19/20 2:41 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Miami (Ohio)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/18/20 2:46 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Akron
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/17/20 2:13 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bradley
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/17/20 2:00 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southern Illinois Carbondale
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/16/20 1:56 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = New Mexico
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/15/20 2:46 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Dartmouth
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/14/20 2:49 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = West Chester
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/13/20 1:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Oregon
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/12/20 3:04 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = UCLA
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/11/20 1:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = TOLEDO
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/10/20 2:25 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Gustavus Adolphus
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/09/20 12:52 PM

Another small program in Minnesota that we lost after the 1991-1992 season, Gustavus Adolphus saw their best years on the mat throughout the 50's and 60's. They won the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team title in 1965, 1966 & 1967.  Today we take a look at their best.<br /><...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Swarthmore
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/08/20 7:59 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Baltimore
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/08/20 7:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Lewis & Clark
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/07/20 1:44 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Brigham Young
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/06/20 2:43 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Colgate
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/05/20 2:20 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Arkansas State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/04/20 2:21 PM

Varsity high school wrestling wouldn't appear in the state for another 61 years.  Another Division I program wouldn't show up for another 71 years.  Of all the former collegiate wrestling programs that I have studied, Arkansas State is perhaps the most mysterious.<br /><br />In some ways I...
What the WHAC Adding Wrestling Could Mean For the Sport
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/04/20 3:03 AM

When you do an in depth thorough study on the history of collegiate wrestling you soon learn how important it is to the sport for conferences to officially sponsor.  In many cases a conference making a decision to sponsor wrestling leads to schools within that conference adding programs.  ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Ambrose
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/03/20 4:25 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Carleton
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/03/20 4:15 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Georgia
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/03/20 3:58 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Georgia State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/01/20 2:59 PM

Started by the legendary Gary Kurdelmeier in the 1991-1992 season Georgia State wrestling only last seven seasons.  Yet in that seven seasons, under both Kurdelmeier & later head coach Keith Watson, the Panthers accomplished quite a bit.  They won the 1995 East Regional team title &amp...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Georgia Tech
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/01/20 4:27 AM

The Yellow Jackets had wrestling at two different times during the history of their athletics.  They began wrestling in the 1947-1948 season & then dropped it for a period of time before reinstating the program in the 1963-1964 season.  Georgia Tech would then drop wrestling again afte...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = California
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/31/20 1:40 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Auburn
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/31/20 4:03 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Utah
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/30/20 1:16 AM

Another program we lost in the land of the Mormons was the University of Utah.  While not as prominent of a team as was Utah State, they still produced a fair number of quality wrestlers. Let's take a look at some of them.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Utah State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/29/20 3:51 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Nebraska-Omaha
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/28/20 11:20 PM

This one has been tough to write about.  Tough because over all Nebraska-Omaha was such a great team. Arguably the best team that we ever lost.  Eight national team titles. One in NAIA and seven in NCAA Division II.  As I began writing about some of their best wrestlers, I soon realiz...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Amherst
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/28/20 4:53 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Idaho
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/28/20 2:02 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Idaho State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/27/20 2:39 PM

Whenever anyone thinks of collegiate wrestling in the state of Idaho, they think of two programs. The legendary North Idaho Cardinals, one of the best teams in NJCAA wrestling (Currently ranked #3 in the country with seven wrestlers ranked in the top ten) & the once prominent Boise State Broncos...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Jose State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/26/20 11:40 PM

When University president Gail Fullerton & athletic director Vern Wagner announced that after 52 years Spartan wrestling was coming to an end, San Jose State offered the only ROTC in the state of California.  Mike Christy the head coach of nearby Leland High School said that with SJSU wrest...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/26/20 1:26 PM

Three time Pacific Coast Conference South Division champions the Aztecs of San Diego State were always a solid team on the west coast.  A part of the mystery that often comes with these dropped programs is that I'm not exactly sure of all the times SDSU had wrestling and when they did not. I kn...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Colorado State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/26/20 3:30 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Colorado
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/25/20 3:42 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Yale
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/25/20 2:56 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Illinois State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/24/20 2:28 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Temple
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/24/20 3:39 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Lawrence
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/23/20 5:28 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Central Washington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/22/20 5:47 AM

Now I meant every word I said on my post about Eastern Washington.  They are not only one of the best collegiate programs the state of Washington ever had, they're one of the best NAIA programs period.  Yet, you know who was even better?  Central Washington.<br /><br />The Orcas forma...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Washington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/21/20 3:44 PM

Another of the great wrestling programs that we lost over the years, Eastern Washington University competed at both the Division II and Division I levels during their time, but it was at the NAIA level that the Eagles really soared.  As a team they finished as the 1977 NAIA champions taking sec...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Indiana State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/21/20 3:20 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Washington State
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/21/20 1:56 AM

The first PAC-12 wrestling tournament was held in 1963.  The team champions? The Washington State Cougars.  Like nearly all of the schools in the evergreen state, Washington State no longer has a wrestling program and like nearly all of the schools in the evergreen state, Washington State ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Washington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/20/20 2:35 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = George Washington
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/20/20 3:33 AM

If anyone is as angry and upset over the loss of college wrestling programs as I am, it is who I'm about to talk about now.  The George Washington Colonials began wrestling during the 1968-1969 season and ended after the 1988-1989 season.  There best wrestler?<br /><br /><table align="cent...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Haverford
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/19/20 3:36 PM

When it comes to the history of Black Squirrel wrestling which unfortunately came to an end after the 1976-1977 season, there's one name that clearly sticks out above the rest.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; mar...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = LaFayette
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/19/20 4:49 AM

Pennsylvania in so many ways is disputably known as "The Wrestling State."  Ohio enjoys claiming the same title & you'll always get Iowans & New Jerseyites to claim the same thing.  One thing all Pennsylvanians seem to know, even those who don't follow wrestling is that they produc...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Texas El Paso
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/18/20 2:37 PM

Sometimes wrestling can be wrestling's own worst enemy and from what I have been able to gather, allegedly that is the case with the University of Texas El Paso's wrestling program.<br /><br />The idea of a Division I athletic director wanting to field a wrestling program from scratch is downright f...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Texas A&M
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/18/20 2:18 AM

I can't tell you much about Texas A&M's wrestling program.  All I can tell you is that they had a wrestling program back in the 1950's, they had twelve wrestlers participate in the NCAA wrestling championships.  I can provide you their names, the year and the weight class.<br /><br />H...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Texas
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/17/20 2:34 PM

If you read the first article in this series on Syracuse, you know that in many ways this project for me has been like an episode of UNSOLVED MYSTERIES.  A ton of questions, few clues and even fewer answers.<br /><br />When it comes to the University of Texas Longhorn wrestling program, not muc...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Kansas
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/16/20 2:36 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Their Best = Denver
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/16/20 1:01 AM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Syracuse
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/15/20 1:37 AM
Post Midlands Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/03/20 3:13 PM

It's funny to me to hear some say after Iowa broke the scoring record that, "The Midlands is a Shadow of what it used to be" because while it's not the incredibly tough tournament that it was 25 years ago, it's the toughest it has been in probably the last 10 years.  Everyone has different meas...
THE MIDLANDS: Best of The Early Round Matchups
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/29/19 3:05 PM

Sometimes the first round match-ups aren't always the greatest.  Of course their will be some huge upsets but things don't really start to get exciting until round two & its the Quarter-finals when we start seeing the really good stuff.  Yet, if you study the brackets there are always ...
THE SOUTHERN SCUFFLE: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/27/19 5:44 PM
THE MIDLANDS: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/26/19 10:38 AM
2019-2020 NCAA Wrestling: Week 6 Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/16/19 5:56 AM

A few scattered duals and two opens with the RENO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS to cap things off for week six of collegiate wrestling.<br /><br />Not wanting another 3-2 squeeker  Hayden Hidlay of North Carolina State did not keep it close at all as he dismantled Matt Zovistoski 16-3<br /><br /><br ...
NCAA Champions Who Did Not Win Their Conference Title
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/15/19 4:26 PM

Surely you would think that if someone won the NCAA title, that they'd have won their conference title too right?  It makes sense.  The NCAA Division I  title is the most coveted crown in all of collegiate wrestling.  The toughest title to win.   Yet if you had to guess...
RENO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/12/19 1:22 AM

It's hard to believe that as soon as one huge tournament ends in Las Vegas we head back to Nevada again for another annual tournament in the Silver state.  This time it's in Reno for the annual RENO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS. <br /><br />Looking quite a bit different than it has in years pas...
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week Six Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/10/19 8:33 PM

 I guess with Christmas being around the corner, the collegiate wrestling season decided to spoil us wrestling fans.  What a gift week 6 was!<br /><br />What a thrill it was to see Lehigh break their attendance record with 6,047 fans in attendance to watch the Mountain Hawks take on the Ni...
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week Five Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/02/19 3:32 AM

Well that was short and sweet.  One of the shortest weeks in collegiate wrestling but none the less, quite a few things worth noting!!<br /><br />Ricky Padilla of Fresno State sure took it to Austin Matthews of Northern Colorado in the Bulldog Vs Bear dual.   I was also surprised to s...
THE COUGAR CLASH: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/01/19 3:41 PM

Another tournament overshadowed by the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, the Cougar Clash held by Southern Illinois-Edwardsville looks to be a good little tournament with some exciting and competitive matches. <br /><br /><br /><b>125 lbs </b><br /><br />#5 Rayvon Foley of Michigan State ...
THE PATRIOT OPEN: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/01/19 3:09 PM

With all focus on the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational it'd be easy to forget all of the other great competitions going on this weekend.  One of which will be the PATRIOT OPEN hosted by George Mason.<br /><br />Let's take a look at the weight classes<br /><br /><br /><b>125 lbs </b><br />...
CKLV: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/01/19 6:45 AM
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week Four Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/26/19 6:40 AM

Week Four of wrestling is complete and I have to say I feel as strong about the state of college wrestling as I ever have.<br /><br />The first dual meet at Arkansas-Little Rock!  I think most understand how important this is to the growth of college wrestling.  I would call it one of the ...
ROADRUNNER OPEN: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/20/19 4:56 AM

Even though both Columbia and Gardner Webb will be participating in this year's Road Runner Open it is essentially the battle of California at the Division I level.   What a site it'd be if Fullerton,  Northridge, California, Long Beach State, Sacramento State, San Diego State, San Jo...
KEYSTONE: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/20/19 4:06 AM

A favorite among the fans of the northeast is the Keystone Classic hosted by the university of Pennsylvania. This year's tournament looks to be quite different from prior year's with a greater number of teams participating.   What interest me most about a tournament like this is the opport...
NAVY CLASSIC: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/19/19 8:22 AM

In 18 years of following collegiate wrestling as I have, this is undisputed, the toughest I have ever seen the Navy Classic look.  A tournament that in years past you had to win in order to have much merit on your ranking or significance within your season. Today, it's loaded enough to wear pla...
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week Three Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/19/19 1:26 AM

Surprises, upsets & eye openers.  Week three of collegiate wrestling has been every bit if not better than week one and week two.<br /><br />In dual action I continue to be surprised Dack Punke of Missouri isn't wrestling well. He lost yet another match that I felt he should have won. ...
BLACK KNIGHT INVITATIONAL: Preview & Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/12/19 8:25 PM

It's more than obvious when looking up and down the lineup that head Coach Kevin Ward is working hard to make his team one of the best in Army history.  They're taking on all comers and their home invitational with two of the nations top 25 teams is no exception.  It looks to be one of the...
WOLFPACK OPEN: PREVIEW and THOUGHTS
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/12/19 2:30 PM

Week three of collegiate wrestling approaches.  With many tournaments already said and done, we now take a look at the Wolfpack Open hosted by North Carolina State.  While not as loaded as some of the other tournaments we've seen so far this season, there are still some interesting events ...
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week Two Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/11/19 11:20 PM

Another week has gone by in collegiate wrestling and what a fun and exciting one it was!  Tons action and excitement throughout both duals and tournaments.<br /><br />The Tarheels of North Carolina continue to show that they're sick of being known as "The Basketball school with wrestling."&nbsp...
MOUNTAINEER OPEN: PREVIEW AND THOUGHTS
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/07/19 3:25 PM

What an exciting week it was last week for collegiate wrestling!  Some fantastic tournaments with some great wrestling!  This weekend looks to provide every bit the excitement and one of those tournaments to look forward to is the Mountaineer Open hosted by Appalachian State. <br /><b...
The State of College Wrestling: A look at Varsity Opportunities as of 2019-2020
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/06/19 1:55 AM

First off before we get started, lets make a few things clear.<br /><br /><b>WHAT THIS IS </b>is a look at NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA & NJCAA (CCCAA) programs in all fifty states + Washington D.C. and seeing where wrestling is offered and where it is not. <br...
2019-2020 College Wrestling: Week One Recap
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/04/19 4:32 PM

Holy cow! Only one week into college wrestling season and what a week!  Marquee matches! Upsets! We're starting off with a bang!<br /><br />Where do I even begin?<br /><br />Let's start with <b>South Dakota State's Seth Gross</b>.  Everyone's been wondering how he'll look coming back off t...
Thinking Out Loud: NAIA & the Growth of Collegiate Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/31/19 2:19 PM

I was asked the other day how many NAIA wrestling programs we have lost over the years.  It's a great question and a difficult one to answer.  I for one don't think it's fair to list programs of schools, when the school itself no longer exist.   For example Dana, South Dakota Spr...
THE BATTLE AT THE CITADEL: Preview and Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/28/19 2:34 PM

I I don't think this tournament is going to be as locked and loaded as the Michigan State or Southeast Open but there is still quite a bit here that could prove to be rather interesting.<br /><br /><u style="font-weight: bold;">125 lbs </u><br /><br />#7 Michael McGee of Old Dominion should the...
THE SOUTHEAST OPEN: PREVIEW AND THOUGHTS
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/27/19 2:18 PM

Hosted by Virginia Tech, the Southeast Open looks to be another season opener with some excitement. From a bird's eye view, the beginning battles for what could prove to be just shy of half a year wars between conference foes of both the ACC and the Southern Conference. An opportunity for those curr...
THE MICHIGAN STATE OPEN: PREVIEW AND THOUGHTS
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/27/19 5:47 AM
2020 Redshirts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/23/19 11:46 PM
Those "Not Very good Teams" and Why They're Important
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/22/19 3:59 PM

This past Friday 10-18-2019 St. Olaf a small college in Northfield, Minnesota announced that after 71 years they would be discontinuing their wrestling program.  Athletic director Ryan Bowles stated one of the reasons as to why is St. Olaf's inability to be competitive.<br /><br />Now there is ...
Wrestle Offs to look forward to: Who will be the starter
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/16/19 4:06 PM

I'll start off by saying this.  I'm not an insider.  I have no inside information.   I simply take information available to me and deduce it to the best of my ability.  Last year's or prior year's results mixed with current rosters. These are assumptions and guesses, nothing...
Analyzing the NCAA's "DREAM MATCHES"
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/25/19 5:47 AM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Athletic Coast Conference Team Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:21 PM

To my knowledge in the history of ACC wrestling only one school that no longer has wrestling won a title.  If this is incorrect, please let me know.<br /><br />Clemson 1991
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Southern Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:18 PM

The Southern Conference continues to sponsor wrestling to this day.  We unfortunately have lost teams over the years though due to their schools dropping the sport.  Some of these schools won SOCON titles. <br /><br /><br />William and Mary (5) 1968, 1969, 197, 1971, 1977<br /><br />E...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: PAC-12 Team Championships won by Schools who no Longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:15 PM

The PAC-12 remains a Division I conference to this day producing NCAA All American and Champions year in and year out.   Unfortunately over the years we've lost some of our teams, many of which won PAC-12 titles.<br /><br /><br /><b>PAC-12 Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have w...
Gone, Lost, and Forgotten: Old Dominion Athletic Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:11 PM

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference formed in 1976, at one time sponsored wrestling.  I'm not sure when they started sponsoring wrestling or when they stopped sponsoring wrestling.<br /><br />I was only able to find information regarding a few tournaments.  One of which was won by Lynchbu...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Team Titles won by Schools that no Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:06 PM

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association formed in 1888, sponsored wrestling from teh 1969-1970 season through the 1980-1981 season.  While I searched for results from all 12 tournaments I was only able to find information regarding the 1980 tournament.<br /><br />The 1980 tournament w...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Virginia Collegiate Athletic Association Team Titles won by schools that no longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/13/19 2:03 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:56 PM

At one time the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) sponsored wrestling.  I'm not exactly sure when they started or when they stopped.  All I know is that I have information regarding MEAC wrestling from 1974-1981.<br /><br />IF you have any information of MEAC wrestling prior to the 19...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Texas Collegiate Championships Team Winners from Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:51 PM

Of all Collegiate wrestling tournaments, opens and invites this has to be the one that puzzles me the most.  From 1974 through 1979 there was a tournament held in Texas, made up of strictly Texas teams.  A few of these teams like Texas El-Paso & Richland Community College were varsity ...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Yankee Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:46 PM

The Yankee Conference formed in 1946 ran through the 1996-1997 season.  I believe the conference began sponsoring wrestling in the early 1970's and I'm not sure when they stopped sponsoring wrestling.  I imagine it was long before the 1996-1997 season, seeing nearly all of the teams in the...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: State University of New York Athletic Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:40 PM

The State University of New York Athletic Conference formed in 1958 used to sponsor wrestling as an official sport of the conference.  I think it's stupid that they no longer do, considering that 5 of the 11 teams still have a wrestling program.  (At one time I know that 10 of the 11 teams...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Northern Illinois Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:28 PM

I can't find much concerning the Northern Illinois Conference.   I think it may have been what eventually formed into the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) but that didn't form until 2006 and I can't find any prior history as to what it was called before.<br /><br />Never the ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Big West Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:16 PM

The Big West which originally formed in 1969 as the Pacific Coast Athletic Association at one time sponsored wrestling.  They may have sponsored wrestling right from the get go and had a tournament in 1970 but the first one I was able to find was 1971. <br /><br />I only have results from ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Florida Championships Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer have Wrestling.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:09 PM

From what I have been able to find the Florida Championships was a tournament that began in the 1969-1970 season when the University of Florida added wrestling to their athletics.  I believe it ended after Florida dropped wrestling after the 1978-1979 season.  I was only able to find resul...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Metropolitan Championships won by Teams that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:05 PM

I don't know much about the Metropolitan Championships.   I simply know when studying the history of Montclair State wrestling that it is a tournament that they used to win a lot.  How many times, I don't know for sure.  I was only able to confirm three, but I think they won it a...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Southern California Intercollegiate Championships Team Winners that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 5:43 AM

I don't know much about the Southern California Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships other than the tournament was held in Southern California during the 60's and 70's and it involved teams from all Divisions.   Not sure when it started or when it ended.<br /><br /><b>Schools that no lo...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Great Lakes Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 5:38 AM

Honestly I have no idea what the Great Lakes tournament was.  At first I thought it might be the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. I know that isn't right cause I have records going back to 1968 and the GLIAC wasn't formed until 1972.  Then I thought it might be the Great La...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: USA South Athletic Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 5:26 AM

The USA South Athletic Conference formally known as the Dixie Conference was formed in 1963.  (other conferences also used the name Dixie as well, but this is the one that had wrestling.)<br /><br />When exactly the conference began to sponsor wrestling and when exactly it stopped sponsoring wr...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 5:19 AM

The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) established in 1932 began sponsoring wrestling in the 1955-1956 season.  The conference still sponsors wrestling today with 9 of the 16 schools fielding wrestling programs.<br /><br /><br /><b>Schools that No Longer have Wrestling That have won...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 5:05 AM

Formed in the 1962-1963 season, the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference was at one time known as the Collegiate Athletic Conference.  I'm not exactly sure when they first began sponsoring wrestling or when they stopped.  All I know is that they did sponsor wrestling at one time. <...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: First Colonies Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:32 AM

I have no idea what the First Colonies tournament was.  If it was a conference, an open, an invitational...I have no idea.  I can find nothing on it other than a few teams that no longer have wrestling that won it.<br /><br />You have any more information on it, I'd much appreciate it.<br ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Colonial Athletic Association Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:29 AM

The CAA (Colonial Athletic Association) sponsored wrestling from 1991-1992 through 2012-2013.<br /><br />James Madison which no longer has wrestling won titles in 1999 and in 2000.
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Tri-State Conference Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:13 AM

Not to be confused with Tri-State Conference which was made up of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Ohio (I guess Quad-State didn't sound as good to them)<br /><br />Not to be confused with Tri-State Conference which is made up of Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota (I guess Quad-State d...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association team titles won by Schools that No Longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 2:04 AM

The Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) formed in 1924, began sponsoring wrestling in the 1966-1967 season.  The conference still sponsors wrestling to this day.<br /><br /><b>MIAA Team Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling </b><br /><br />Northwes...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Missouri College Athletic Union Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:50 AM

The Missouri College Athletic Union existed from 1924 through the 1970-1971 season.  When exactly they first started sponsoring wrestling, I do not know.   They had wrestling up until the end though. <br /><br />What's confusing is that there is a school, called Graceland that wo...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:41 AM

The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference formed in 1920, sponsored wrestling from the 1946-1947 season through the 2002-2003 season.  For the most part the conference was dominated by Augsburg and St. John's, both of whom still have wrestling to this day. <br /><br />There were a ...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Empire 8 Team Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:26 AM

The Empire 8 made up of strictly NCAA Division III Schools in New York was originally known as the ICAC (Independent Collegiate Athletic Conference).    It was formed during the 1964-1965 school year and sponsored wrestling from the get go.   As to win Empire 8 dropped wrestling ...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Evergreen Conference Championships won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:20 AM

The Evergreen Conference made up of schools from Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia existed from 1938-1984.  I believe they began sponsoring wrestling during the 1965-1966 season. <br /><br />I think but am not for certain that Central Washington won every single conference tit...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Lake Forest Invitational Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:16 AM

Lake Forest had wrestling from 1955-1956 through 1974-1975. When exactly they started hosting an invitational I do not know.  I would figure that they kept hosting it yearly through 1975, but I can only find results for it from 1965 through 1969.<br /><br />Of teams that no longer have wrestlin...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: North Central Invitational Team Titles won by Schools that no Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:12 AM

I know very little about the North Central Invitational other than it was a college wrestling tournament that was held in Chicago one year.  In 1963 it was won by The University of Illinois-Chicago which no longer has wrestling. 
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Phoenix Invitational Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/12/19 1:10 AM

I know very little about the Phoenix College Invitational Tournament other than it was held at Phoenix College and that Phoenix College won it in 1963.  I imagine the tournament probably stopped being held when Phoenix College dropped their wrestling program.  I have no idea when that was....
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 11:35 PM

The SDIC (South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference) was a conference made up of mostly NAIA schools from South Dakota, although two northwestern Iowa schools joined in the last years of the conference.  The conference started in 1917 and ran through the 1999-2000 season.<br /><br />As to when SD...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Pacific Northwest Conference Team Titles won By Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 11:28 PM

The Pacific Northwest Conference was a conference consisting of small colleges from Washington, Idaho and Oregon that lasted from 1926 to 1984. <br /><br />Essentially I have no idea when Pacific Northwest Conference wrestling began or when it ended. I only know that both Whitman and Lewis &amp...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Western Athletic Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 10:52 PM

This is another one that gets a little confusing.  The Western Athletic Conference  is made up of mainly schools that are today Division I but earlier in their history were Division II or another division lower than Division I.<br /><br />I think at one time the WAC had both a Division I a...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer have wrestling.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 3:59 PM

The Wisconsin States University Conference (WSUC) eventually combined with the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to form the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC).  I believe that WSUC titles won are considered the same was WIAC titles won, as Wisconsin Whitew...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Oregon Collegiate Conference Championships Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 3:53 AM

The OCC (Oregon Collegiate Conference) ran from 1950-1970.   From what I have been able to gather the conference began sponsoring wrestling in the early 1960's and sponsored it right up to the end when the conference disbanded.<br /><br />Of the teams that no longer have wrestling programs...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Big Sky Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 3:47 AM

The Big Sky Conference formed in the 1962-1963 season sponsored wrestling right from the get go.  With teams dropping left and right, the last Big Sky conference tournament was held in 1987.<br /><br />I have all the information regarding the team champions.<br /><br /><br />Montana State (4)&n...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 3:26 AM

The WVIAC (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) ran from 1924-2013 and in regards to wrestling I know very little about it. Practically nothing.<br /><br />All I know is that there was a WVIAC tournament held in 1962 and another in 1970<br /><br />Fairmont State won both.
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Northern California Athletic Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/11/19 2:37 AM

The Northern California Athletic Conference which was known at one time as the Far Western Conference ran from 1925 to 1998.  I believe the conference began sponsoring wrestling in the early 1960's or late 1950's.   I don't think they sponsored wrestling through 1998.  I'm not su...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: North Dakota Collegiate Athletic Conference Team Champions from Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 3:55 PM

The North Dakota Collegiate Athletic Conference began in 1931 and disbanded after the 1999-2000 season.  As to when they began sponsoring wrestling I have no idea.  I also am uncertain if they sponsored wrestling up until the end.  I don't know.  All I do know is that Valley City...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Hoosier/Buckeye Conference Team Champions that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 3:50 PM

It started off as the Hoosier Conference in the 1948-1949 season and with addition of Ohio Teams in the 1969-1970 season became known as the Hoosier/Buckeye Conference.  It ended after the 1985 season.<br /><br />As to when the conference added wrestling as a sponsored sport, I have no idea.&nb...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Indiana Collegiate Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 3:44 PM

The Indiana Collegiate Conference ran from the 1950-1951 season through the 1978-1979 season.  While they did sponsor wrestling, I'm not sure if they sponsored it during their entire run.  I can't find any information for Indiana Collegiate Conference wrestling prior to the 1960-1961 seaso...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: 4I Team Champions that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 3:27 PM

The Interstate Intercollegiate Individual Invitational more commonly known as the 4-I was a tournament that started in 1936 and to my knowledge ended in 1969.  From what I have been able to gather I think it was one of the few tournaments that still took place during World War II, when nearly e...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Presidents Athletic Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 3:14 PM

The Presidents Athletic Conference began in the 1955-1956 season and to my knowledge wrestling has always been a part of the conference.   While their have been teams that have dropped their wrestling programs throughout the years, I believe the only team to have ever won a Presidents Athl...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Team Champions that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 2:57 PM

The CCIW (College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin) started off as the College Conference of Illinois in 1946, later during the 1956-1957 school year when a couple of Wisconsin schools joined it became the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin. <br /><br />The conference began spon...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Mid-Western Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 5:41 AM

The Mid-Western Conference was short lived as the conference only existed for two seasons. 1970-1971 and 1971-1972.  Made up of schools from Indiana and Illinois, wrestling was one of the sports that was sponsored. <br /><br />Southern Illinois Carbondale won the 1971 team title.<br /><br ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Midwest Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 5:33 AM

Formed in 1921 the Midwest Conference still exist to this day. Only one of their members Cornell College currently has wrestling.  I'm not sure when the Midwest Conference first started wrestling and I don't know when they stopped.   What I do know is two times when a school that no l...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Wheaton Invitational Team Winners Who No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 5:26 AM

To my understanding the first Pete Willson  Wheaton Invitational was held in the 1955-1956 season.  It is a tournament that is still held to this day. <br /><br />I only have information on the Wheaton Invitational between 1956 and 1981, as well as the last few years which has been wo...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Ohio Athletic Conference Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have wrestling.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 5:19 AM

Formed in 1902 the Ohio Athletic Conference still exist to this day.  From what I have been able to find the conference first began sponsoring wrestling in the 1955-1956 season.  They still sponsor wrestling.  Baldwin-Wallace has won the last four championships.<br /><br />I have resu...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: CIAA Team Championships won by Schools that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 1:46 AM

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) formed in 1912 was originally made up of historically black colleges & I believe (but don't know for sure) that when they began wrestling in the 1953-1954 season they were the first historically black conference to sponsor wrestling.<br /><...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Skyline Conference Team Titles Won By Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 1:25 AM

Not to be confused with the current Skyline Conference composed of strictly New York schools, the Skyline Conference was a conference in the western part of the United States that ran from the 1938-1939 season through the 1961-1962 season.<br /><br />It's a little confusing as I'm not for certain bu...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Team Championships Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 1:14 AM

The IIAA was originally known as the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference consisting of a ton of teams from Illinois. It was formed in 1908 and disbanded after the 1969-1970 season.  In the 1949-1950 season two schools from Michigan, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan joined the conf...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Mid-American Conference Team Titles won by Schools Who No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 12:54 AM

The Mid-American Conference is still alive and well producing great teams and great individual wrestlers.  Unfortunately since it began wrestling in the 1951-1952 season, some of the schools have dropped wrestling.<br /><br />Here are the Schools to have won a Mid-American Conference Team Title...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Pacific Coast Conference Team Titles won by Schools Who No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/10/19 12:46 AM

From what I was able to find the Pacific Coast Conference was a conference that formed in 1915 and disbanded in 1959.   I'm not sure when the conference started wrestling, but I know that results go back further than what I have them for.   The earliest I have is 1927, but I know...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Middle Atlantic Conference Team Titles Won By Schools That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/09/19 8:50 PM

The Middle Atlantic Conference was founded in 1912.  The first wrestling tournament that I have been able to find was in 1941.  I think there is more information regarding Middle Atlantic Conference wrestling between 1941 & 1963, but I haven't been able to find it yet.<br /><br />In 19...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Team Titles Won By Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/09/19 8:44 PM

This one gets a bit confusing.<br /><br />From what I have been able to find what we know today as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) was founded in 1909.  Today it is strictly a NCAA Division II conference with official members and affiliate members.  The first RMAC wrestling t...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: NEIWA Team Titles Won By Schools That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/09/19 8:21 PM

I really have no idea when the first NEIWA (New England Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) tournament was held.  I believe like the EIWA tournament it may be older than the NCAA tournament itself.  I found an article once stating that Harvard was going to hold the conference wrestling ...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Mason Dixon Conference Team Titles won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/09/19 8:09 PM

From what I have been able to find, The Mason Dixon Conference Ran from 1936 through 1974.  Ironically enough, I have found wrestling information up through 1977.  So I'm not sure if 1974 is recorded incorrectly by the sources I've found or if perhaps wrestling kept the name in spite of th...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: SEIWA Team Titles Won by Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 09/09/19 8:02 PM

I'm not exactly sure when the first Southeastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association tournament was held.  It may have very well been 1948, as that is the first one that I can find.  What I do know is that it is said that Auburn won 25 SEIWA team titles. I've read that numerous times whe...
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Coaches
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/25/19 4:15 AM
2019-2020 NCAA Division I HWT Preseason Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/11/19 5:17 AM

At the present moment many collegiate fans look at HWT as a duet.  Two thoroughbred greyhounds racing among the pack.  As the season progresses fans may discover the band has a third, maybe even a fourth member. That there may be one or two more dogs in the fight. <br /><br /><table a...
2019-2020 NCAA Division I 197 lbs Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/09/19 1:55 AM

197 as it seems it has been since I started following Division I collegiate wrestling is the weight with the most opportunity for guys who haven't yet, to do so.  Guys who haven't won national titles yet. Guys who haven't made All American yet.  Guys who haven't won conference titles yet.&...
2019-2020 NCAA Division I 184 lbs Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/07/19 5:06 PM

Ironically enough two of the most likely finalists are most likely to redshirt this season.  Arizona State's Zahid Valencia a two time NCAA champion at 174 lbs will most likely be taking an Olympic redshirt and last year's 184 lbs NCAA runner up Max Dean of Cornell will be taking a regular reds...
2019-2020 DIVISION I 174 lbs Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/03/19 11:31 PM
2019-2020 Division I 165 lbs Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/02/19 1:58 PM

Three things stick out when looking over 165 lbs.  One of the toughest weight classes to win with an assortment of eligible title contenders. A weight class that was full of upsets, particularly end of the year upsets last season.  While tough to win, not as tough to qualify in. One of the...
2019-2020 157 lbs Division I Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/29/19 3:13 AM
2019-2020 149 lbs Division I Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/28/19 4:09 AM

149 lbs is a fun weight class. One that puts the poise and experience of well seasoned veterans against the ready from the get go youth of some of the nations toughest freshmen and sophomores.  Plenty of juniors and seniors to make this a notch for the upperclassmen & plenty of underclassme...
2019-2020 141 lbs Division I Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/19 6:10 PM
Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Schools that No longer have wrestling programs, that hosted National championships
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/26/19 1:32 AM
2019-2020 133 lbs Division I Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/25/19 6:13 AM

And now it's time for 133 lbs! Ironically enough a weight class I feel has less parity over all than 125 lbs, yet at the same time a larger pool of potential candidates for the national title.  The greatest question of all, that will have the most effect on the outcome is who all will redshirt?...
2019-2020 125 lbs Division I Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/23/19 7:19 AM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: The Project
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/22/19 3:22 AM
Visualizing a Sigourney Savage Wrestling Media Guide
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/17/19 1:45 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: CCCAA Team Champions of Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/29/19 5:04 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: CCCAA Place-winners from Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/29/19 4:50 PM

***HUGE THANK YOU TO Al Fontes who helped out tremendously by providing much of the information in this section.****<br /><br /><span style="color: blue;">OUTSTANDING WRESTLER </span><br /><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span><span style="color: blue;"><br /></span><br /><b>DIABLO VALLEY (Pl...
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: EIWA Champions and Place-winners by School that No Longer Has Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/22/19 4:50 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: EIWA Awards by Team That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/21/19 11:22 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Teams that Competed in the NCCAA that no Longer Have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/21/19 5:25 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCCAA Awards of Teams that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/21/19 4:56 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCCAA Team Champions by School that no longer have Teams
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/21/19 3:57 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: BIG XII Place Winners by School that No Longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/19/19 1:50 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: BIG XII Place Winners by Year that No Longer have wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/19/19 5:15 AM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: BIG XII Teams Who Won Conference Who No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/17/19 4:19 AM
Gone, Lost, and Forgotten: NCAA DI, DII, DIII, and NAIA Team Titles Won By Schools That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 7:12 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Top 10 NCAA DI, DII, DIII & NAIA Finishes of Schools that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 7:04 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NAIA Top 10 Finishes by Year that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 3:15 PM
Gone, Lost, and Forgotten: Top 10 Division III finishes by Year that No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 2:51 PM
Gone, Lost, and Forgotten: Division II Top 10 Finishes by Year That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 2:41 PM
Gone, Lost, and Forgotten: Division I Top 10 Finishes by Year That No Longer Have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 2:24 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCAA Division III All Americans by School that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/15/19 1:54 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCAA Division III All Americans by Year that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/10/19 1:34 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCAA Division II All Americans by School that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/09/19 2:56 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: MIDLANDS PLACE-WINNERS By SCHOOL that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/09/19 3:52 AM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NCAA Division II All Americans by Year that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/03/19 7:54 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: Current NCAA DI Conferences, had teams never dropped.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/01/19 12:33 PM
Gone, Lost and Forgotten: NAIA All Americans by Schools that No Longer have Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/23/19 9:12 PM
World and Olympic Medalist by Team
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/14/19 10:59 AM
NCAA 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 7:29 PM
SOCON 2019-2020
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 6:38 PM
ACC 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 6:29 PM
EIWA 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 6:21 PM
MAC 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 6:10 PM
BIG 10 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 12:25 PM
BIG XII 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 12:05 PM
PAC-12 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/26/19 11:51 AM
SOUTHERN SCUFFLE 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/19 3:18 PM
MIDLANDS 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/19 6:17 AM
RENO 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/24/19 8:24 PM
CKLV 2019-2020 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/24/19 8:16 PM
2019 NCAA Wrestling: Final (Random) Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/24/19 4:50 AM

As always what an outstanding tournament! Full of great action and exciting wrestling!  When you follow the sport as closely and passionately as I do, you can't help but get caught up in all of the great stories that make this sport magical.  Some that define triumph and success. Other tha...
2019 NCAA Division I Final Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/16/19 1:01 AM
2019 NCAA DI First Round Upset Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/15/19 2:41 PM
State of Emergency: Protecting Seeds
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/14/19 3:59 PM

Wise individuals often give the advice that one should not discuss a problem unless they can properly address it with a solution. Perhaps that is so, but despite not having a perfect solution, seed protection is too big of a problem in NCAA Division I wrestling for me to ignore.  <br /><br />It...
The Best to Not Qualify for the 2019 NCAA tournament.
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/12/19 9:11 PM

For the most part I'm pretty content and satisfied with the NCAA qualification process. Matter of fact, I'll go as far to say that not only do I support it, I often praise it. For the most part I'm not going to raise to much of a fuss because I believe in most cases the best 33 wrestlers per weight ...
2019 - MAC My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/05/19 7:07 PM
2019 PAC 12 - My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/04/19 5:01 PM
2019 ACC Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/19 11:37 PM
2019 BIG XII - My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/02/19 3:08 PM
Top Fifteen Backups in NCAA DI Wrestling
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/25/19 8:51 PM

Let's be perfectly clear about something before I begin.  When I say backups, I mean backups. I mean guys that legitimately sought and fought for a varsity spot in the  2018-2019 and ended up losing it to another wrestler on their team. I DO NOT mean guys who are currently redshirting and ...
2019 EIWA - My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/25/19 1:38 AM
2019 EWL My thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/23/19 9:31 AM
2019 Southern Conference Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/21/19 3:05 PM
2019 BIG 10 My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/21/19 3:05 PM
Top 10 Seniors in 2019 Yet to All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/04/19 12:08 PM
Gutierrez or Allen? Chattanooga's Question
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 01/09/19 12:25 PM
Southern Scuffle - My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/27/18 10:44 PM
The Midlands - My Thoughts
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/22/18 9:04 PM

One of my favorite in season tournaments is about to take way!  Looks to be a great tournament with a ton of great matches.  Let's take a look at each weight class.<br /><br /><br /><h2><u><span style="font-size: x-large;">125 lbs </span></u></h2><br /><div class="separator" style="cl...
RENO Tournament of Champions Outlook
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/14/18 11:19 PM
2018 CKLV Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 11/23/18 3:21 AM
Stephen Stonebraker's 2018-2019 Wrestling Schedule
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 10/21/18 10:55 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I HWT Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 4:48 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 197 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 4:28 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 184 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 4:12 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 174 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 3:46 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 165 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 3:17 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 157 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 2:46 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 149 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 1:55 PM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 141 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 5:14 AM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 133 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 4:46 AM
The Top 5 NCAA DIVISION I 125 lbs Wrestlers in the 21st Century to not All American
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 08/10/18 4:21 AM
2018-2019 NCAA Division I Thoughts and Notes Team by Team
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 07/11/18 4:37 PM
2018-2019 NCAA Wrestling Wish List
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 06/05/18 3:46 AM
4 Year Collegiate Varsity Opportunities by Sport (As of May 2018)
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 05/08/18 5:46 PM

 <u style="color: blue; font-size: xx-large; font-weight: bold;">NCAA DIVISION I </u><br />1. Men's Basketball - 347<br />2. Women's Basketball - 345<br />3. Women's Cross Country - 344<br />4. Women's Outdoor Track - 334<br />5. Women's Volleyball - 330<br />6. Women's Soccer - 329<br />7...
Why UALR should host their 2020 Conference Championships
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/27/18 1:54 AM
2018-2019 Pre ACC Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:12 PM
2018-2019 Pre BIG 12 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:11 PM
2018-2019 Pre BIG 10 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:07 PM
2018-2019 Pre EIWA Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:04 PM
2018-2019 Pre PAC-12 Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:02 PM
2018-2019 MAC going for 4,3,2
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 2:01 PM
2018-2019 Pre Southern Scuffle Notes
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 1:58 PM

Paul Fox 7th-DNP-3rd<br />Joe Smith 2nd-2nd<br />Jack Mueller 2nd-1st<br />Max Thomsen 3rd-5th<br />Jordan Kutler 1st-2nd<br />Taylor Lujan 7th-3rd<br />Alan Clothier 6th
2018-2019 Midlands going for More, 4, 3, 2
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 1:54 PM
2018-2019 CKLV Going for 4, 3, 2
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 1:49 PM
2019 NCAA Going for 4, 3, 2
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/25/18 1:43 PM
2018 NCAA Tournament Most Interesting Second Round Matches
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/15/18 8:42 PM
2018 NCAA Tournament First Round Matches I Look Forward to Most
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/15/18 6:09 AM
Injuries and Being Left In the Dark
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/09/18 2:25 AM

It's no secret nor is there any argument that when it comes to sports, wrestling is different than the rest.  You have football, baseball, and basketball. You have the rest, and then you have wrestling.  In many ways we pride ourselves on these differences. We have no quarrels with our con...
Final 2018 NCAA Division I Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/08/18 3:17 AM
2018 NCAA tournament First Round Upset Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/08/18 2:30 AM

@ 133 Ben Thornton (Purdue) over #8 Montorie Bridges (Wyoming) - WRONG<br />@ 133 Scott DelVecchio (Rutgers) over #14 Kobin Myers (Edinboro) - WRONG<br />@ 141 Henry Pohlmeyer (South Dakota State) over #11 Mike Carr (Illinois) - WRONG<br />@141 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) over #10 Mason Smith (Central M...
2018 # of NCAA Qualifiers by School
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/07/18 6:41 AM
Top 5 To Stay Home This NCAA Tournament 2018
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/06/18 10:50 PM

This is never a fun topic to discuss or write about. Wrestlers who deserve to be wrestling at the NCAA tournament that will either be staying home or watching from the stands. I'm writing this as fair and objectively as I can based on this year's results. Even though it breaks my heart that neither ...
Final 2018 BIG 10 Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/03/18 9:48 AM
The Best Yet To AA: Class of 2018
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 03/01/18 8:17 PM

There are two lists that a collegiate wrestling fan adds to every year that he would just as soon  never add to again.  One of those lists is "Greatest wrestlers to never win an NCAA title."  The other is "Best wrestlers to never All American."  Truth is, you'd much rather see a ...
Decided to Discontinue Wrestling before Senior year Sigourney Savages 1998-2004
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 02/04/18 6:52 PM

The Wrestling Insider owner and operator, and also friend of mine Mike Houston is doing a comprehensive study on why athletes decide to discontinue their time in wrestling before their senior year of high school. <br /><br />To help Mike out, I'm going to go back to my time in wrestling from 7t...
MIDLANDS 2017 Predictions
from Johnny Thompson's Blog 12/18/17 8:55 PM

Articles & Blog Posts | Johnny Thompson's Blog

Articles & Blog Posts | Johnny Thompson's Blog

Conferences & Qualifications in DI Wrestling Had No Team Ever Dropped

What Division I Wrestling Would Look like Today Had No Teams Dropped

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The final post?

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Boise State

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pomona Pitzer

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern Oklahoma State

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Eastern Mennonite

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hampden-Sydney

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Claremont Mudd Scripps

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = British Columbia

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = McGill

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Western Regional/Western Wrestling Conference

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: The Final Eastern Regional

A Shortened Season May Not Be Such A Bad Thing

The Battle For Varsity: 26 Wrestle-Offs to Look Forward to in 2020-2021

Fantasizing About a True National Duals

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Bismarck State

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Bernardino Valley

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Concordia (Illinois)

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Teams Listed By State

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Old Dominion

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Los Angeles City

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Chaffey

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = El Camino

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Orange Coast

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = American River

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Allan Hancock

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego City

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Mateo

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Citrus

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Canada

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cabrillo

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Butte

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Solano

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ventura

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Southwestern (California)

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Yuba

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = College of the Redwoods

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their best = Contra Costa

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Cosumnes River

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Riverside City

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Diego Mesa

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = San Jose City

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = MiraCosta

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Napa Valley

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Laney

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ohlone

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Porterville

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = West Valley

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hartnell

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Long Beach City

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Merritt

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Imperial Valley

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Merced

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Williamette

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Rockland

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-West Chester

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Farmingdale

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Vincent

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Cobleskill

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St. Norbert

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St Mary's University of Minnesota

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = St John Fisher

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY-Stony Brook

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Snow

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Skagit Valley

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Richland Community College

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = SUNY Plattsburgh

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Phoenix College

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Clark's Summit

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pillsbury Baptist Bible

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Pensacola Christian

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Ocean County

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Montgomery College

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Hartnell

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Louisiana Layfayette

Gone, Lost & Forgotten: Their Best = Tulane