Please come out to the news conference in the Legends Room tomorrow morning at the Jack Stephens Center at 10:30am, and meet Coach Neil Erisman, Little Rock’s first wrestling coach.

Renderings will be unveiled for the Hatcher Wrestling Center, the future home of Little Rock wrestling. Coach Erisman will introduce the first two wrestlers to commit to the Trojan wrestling program who are currently on campus enrolled in classes.

The press conference will get underway at 10:30am. A reception will follow immediately afterwards. Hoping most Trojan Fans can come out and show our support for our new Wrestling Program.

Was a nice event. I don't know a thing about wrestling, but I am excited about the new program. I did attend some fake "wrestling" events as a kid, but I'm not sure if that counts.

Do we have a conference affiliation yet?

(08-29-2018 11:04 AM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  Do we have a conference affiliation yet?

No. I know we'd like to affiliate with the Big12 schools. Whether that is possible/likely, I don't have a clue.

This whole move is a little puzzling to me.

(08-30-2018 05:08 PM)MICHAELSPAPPY Wrote:  This whole move is a little puzzling to me.

The athletic department isn't flush with cash. Someone with cash is willing to pay for the sport plus help fund increasing scholarships in other Olympic sports.

If you wanted UALR to add triathlon as a sport and offered to cover the cost plus a little more. Chasse would add it.

My understanding is several schools were given a similar offer but none of the football playing schools felt they could do it without making their Title IX situation worse. The Little Rock athletic department hasn't been fully funding scholarships outside of men's and women's hoops, volleyball and baseball so had room to add women's scholarships without adding another women's sport.