Official Petition Opposing the Decision to Discontinue the Boston University Wrestling Program On April 1st, 2013, the Boston University administration announced that it would be eliminating the Boston University Wrestling Program, effective after the 2013-2014 season. Be it here resolved that, we, the undersigned wholeheartedly oppose the decision, and have signed this petition with the intent to voice our concern for the Boston University Community, should the wrestling team be dissolved. With each signature, the undersigned have submitted a formal request to the Athletic Department and University to reconsider, and overturn the previous decision. Furthermore, the undersigned implore the administration to understand the value that the Boston University Wrestling team has brought to the Boston University community in their time on campus. The undersigned would like to cite the following examples of excellence that they fully believe the wrestling team emanates. Please note that these examples are organized based on the “Six Pillars” of Boston University Athletics, which were formed to serve as guiding principles for the future of Boston University Athletics: ● 1. Pride in Athletic Excellence ○ The Boston University Wrestling team has advanced at least one wrestler to the NCAA National Tournament in 30 of the last 31 years under Carl Adams, averaging 4 per year, and 125 in total. Recently, they’ve sent 3 wrestlers in three of the past 4 years. ○ Four Boston University wrestlers have achieved All-American status, and have two freestyle All-Americans (both active). ○ Coach Adams has accumulated the third-most career wins of all active D-I Wrestling Coaches (301) ○ The wrestling team has competed in the Colonial Athletic Association’s wrestling conference for the past decade. ○ At this year’s CAA Conference tournament, hosted by BU, seven Terriers placed out of the 10 weight classes, including two CAA Champions for the first time in school history. Next year, 6 of those 7 return to the mat. ○ In recent history, Boston University wrestlers have upset three national champions in matches, proving their national caliber. ● 2. Pride in Academic Excellence ○ One of eight wrestling teams in the country to sport a 100% graduation rate over the past four years. ○ One of eight Division-I wrestling teams honored for Academic Excellence in 2012 by the NCAA with the Academic Recognition Award. ○ Strong history of wrestlers receiving the CAA Commissioner’s Award for Academic Excellence and Latin Honors within BU. ● 3. Pride in Student Athlete Growth and Development ○ In 2011, John Hall was given the prestigious John Simpson Award for Leadership within the Boston University Community ○ The wrestling team has perennially active members in the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) ○ The wrestling team has annually been one of the most supportive of the fellow Boston University Athletic teams, showing up at most games to support their fellow student-athletes, and consistently bring a spirited, vocal atmosphere to the venue. ○ Captains Nestor Taffur, Kevin Innis, and Kyle Czarnecki are widely regarded as some of the greatest leaders in the BU Athletics Community. ● 4. Pride in Community Relations ○ The wrestling team has one of the highest attendance rates at community service and outreach projects sponsored by the Athletic Department. Additionally, they participate in external fundraisers, supporting BU Greek Life, and University-sponsored events. ○ Annually, the wrestling team touts nearly full attendance at the Breast Cancer Walk and Holiday Story reading at local schools. ○ Over 20,000 youth wrestlers have attended the “World Class Wrestling Institute” by Carl Adams over the past 32 years. ○ In 2011, the Northeast Duals occurred. There, BU hosted Army and Iowa State, and welcomed 275 youth wrestlers from all over New England to a clinic with some of the wrestling world’s most storied coaches. ○ The wrestling team garnered the second most TerrierTV online views of any BU Athletic program in the 2011-2012 season. ● 5. Pride in Fiscal Management and Resource Development ○ In August of 2012, Boston University announced the endowment by former Terriers’ coach, Orin Smiley. Mr. Smiley donated a percentage of his estate to the wrestling program to provide an operating endowment for the wrestling program, as well as a scholarship for BU wrestlers. ○ The Orin Smiley endowed funds for wrestling were established as a legacy gift back in 2006 by the family. The Orin S. Smiley Endowment Fund for Wrestling will “permanently provide general support for the wrestling program and the Clarke Smiley Scholarship Fund for Wrestling will provide an annual scholarship to one or more student-athletes in the wrestling program. ○ Through Coach Adams’ Wrestling Camps, Carl Adams has given over $2.5 million to Boston University in terms of user fees for campers over the last 32 years. ● 6. Pride in Equitable and Diverse Environment ○ The Northeast Tri-Meet and Camp in 2011 was headlined by three minority coaches, the only camp of its kind in the country. The weekend was covered by many publications, including themat.com, intermat.com, Takedown Radio, and masswrestling.com ○ Coach Carl Adams, one of the most accomplished coaches in the history of the sport, is African-American, and has been an amazing figurehead for minority wrestlers in the country ● Direction for the Future: ○ Next year, the team will welcome three-time defending national champion, Penn State for a match in Case Gymnasium. ○ The BU team returns more than 80% of their starting lineup from last year, including all three National Qualifiers, two conference champions, two freestyle All-Americans, and six conference place- winners. ○ Boston University recently joined the Patriot League, which includes 5 institutions with storied wrestling programs (Navy, Army, Lehigh, Bucknell, and American). The Boston University Wrestling team now has a chance to compete in the EIWA Wrestling Conference with both Patriot League and Ivy League programs. The coaching staffs are also organizing a potential Patriot League Dual Meet tournament to be held at Boston University next year. ○ The EIWA Conference’s Coaches have voiced support of the Boston University Wrestling program and would welcome them to the conference. ○ By NCAA standards, wrestling is one of the least expensive sports to sponsor on the Varsity level, and on average, about 90% of institutions that sponsor wrestling will advance at least one wrestler to the NCAAs each year, yielding a phenomenal return on a nominal investment. Given the examples cited above, we, the undersigned, hereby support Boston University Wrestling and implore Boston University to reinstate the program, given the reasons cited above, guided by the Athletic Department’s own guiding principles: