CSU wrestling draws sellout crowd to final home match
Thousands of fans filled Woodling Gymnasium on Feb. 20 to support the Cleveland State wrestling team as they performed in their last home match, against Northeast Ohio rival Kent State University.
Cleveland State’s “Wrestling Night” offered free food and beverages in the lobby, as well as live music from CSU alumnus Toby Raps. The event welcomed everyone, whether they were die-hard wrestling fans or people who just wanted to experience a fun Thursday night.
From the decades-old banners that hang from the Woodling Gym rafters to the dozens of team pictures in the lobby that go as far back as 1962, CSU made sure to highlight the wrestling program’s long and rich history as it comes to an end.
The farewell for CSU wrestling followed the university's decision to shut down the program, along with women's golf and softball. In an email to the community Jan. 23 announcing the closure, President Laura Bloomberg, Ph.D. reiterated the university's commitment to athletics, despite the ongoing financial crisis Cleveland State is navigating.
Whether wrestling is actually over at CSU is unclear, as Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio has weighed in on the issue, calling on the university to clarify the thinking behind the decision. In a letter to President Bloomberg on Feb. 19 Sen. Moreno called the decision "disquieting," without referencing the two women's sports also facing the ax. Moreno has close ties to CSU and is a former chair of the board of trustees, which signed off on the decision to shutter wrestling.
“Help save the program!” an attendee at Thursday's event called out as they passed around a packet titled “SAVE CLEVELAND STATE WRESTLING” to people finding seats before the match. The packet consisted of a declaration, a CSU wrestling fact sheet and a list of contacts that people can get in touch with in hopes of helping save CSU wrestling.
Alumni such as Olympian Matt Ghaffari and former UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic were in attendance to support their alma mater. Many other alumni were also there on the day. “I can see it being saved, there’s a lot of momentum,” said CSU alumnus Jonathan Durda, 38.
However, it's unclear how or why the university would reverse a decision made by its board of trustees, despite the efforts the program's supporters are making and the success of wrestling's swansong performance at home.
Ten minutes before the match started, Cleveland State honored their seniors — Daniel Bucknavich, Mason Cover, Justin Jaeckin, Joey Lyons, Jake Manley and Douglas Terry.
Cleveland State wrestling ended its decades-long run on a high note, defeating Kent State 21-15, concluding their series against the Golden Flashes with three straight victories.
Next up, the Vikings will compete in the 2025 MAC Championship at Rider University on Mar. 7-8.
Recent News
CSU wrestling draws sellout crowd to final home match
Cleveland State hosted “Wrestling Night” to celebrate the program’s history prior to the team's last home match, against Kent State. CSU announced in January it was discontinuing the program, a decision Sen. Bernie Moreno called "disquieting."
