Cleveland State wrestling could be saved by state budget amendment
Cleveland State wrestling could receive a $1.6 million lifeline from the state of Ohio to save the program and expand it to include women's wrestling. The latest version of Ohio House Bill 96, includes the CSU wrestling provision for the 2026-2027 budget.
If the amendments are passed, CSU will receive $800,000 a year from the Ohio General Revenue Fund. Half of the money would be allocated to the men’s program and the other half to a new women’s program.
The potential lifeline comes after CSU announced in January it would be cutting the men’s wrestling, women’s golf and softball programs after the spring 2025 semester. The elimination of these programs were part of millions of dollars of cuts as Cleveland State attempts to curb its ballooning budget deficit.
Republican Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno wrote to CSU's President Laura Bloomberg, Ph.D., asking for the rationale for the cut. His letter addressed only wrestling, without mention of softball or women's golf.
According to Cleveland.com, in the wake of the cuts a group of parents and alum formed “Save Cleveland State Wrestling” and approached Dayton-area Republican state Rep. Phil Plummer to propose the amendment.
Plummer met with Bloomberg to discuss the wrestling program in a meeting he describes as “difficult.” It is still unclear whether or not the university will spend the money on the wrestling program if the amendment reaches the final version of the bill.
The Cleveland Stater reached out to university for comment. Kristin Borka, Vice President of Marketing and Communications responded:
"Cleveland State University, like many other colleges and universities in Ohio, has made difficult decisions across the University to right-size our programs and staffing model, and also make necessary budget reductions to reflect demographic shifts that have led to declining enrollment and related challenges. Athletics, like every university unit at CSU, has participated in this right-sizing effort to establish long-term financial sustainability and ensure success for its students, including its student-athletes.
In January, CSU announced the discontinuation of its men’s wrestling, women’s golf and softball programs at the end of the spring competition season. These reductions were included in a set of recommendations derived following consideration of the entire CSU Athletics program budget. These recommendations were presented to the President and the Board, and they were accepted. The Board of Trustees stands by that decision.
President Bloomberg appreciated the opportunity to meet with Rep. Plummer and other members of the state legislature to discuss the state budget and its support for higher education in Ohio. Concerning the state budget bill, CSU’s focus, like that of our other state university colleagues, is centered around support for higher education that drives graduation and career success for our students.
The Ohio state legislature is expected to pass the bill at the end of June, before the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1.
Whether the amendment makes it into the final version of the bill is is a question the CSU administration and the program's supporters will be watching closely.
Two days before the budgetary amendment was unveiled, President Bloomberg, told The Stater April 1 that the decision to cut the three sports had been painful, but at that time there were no plans to reinstate any of them. The university has not yet commented on what it will do, if the money for wrestling is allocated to the state's 2025-2026 budget.
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