Belmont Abbey Wrestling is newly-funded student activity
February 8, 2000
The wrestling club at Belmont Abbey College, Belmont, NC, is now a funded
student activity on campus. Now in its second season, the club is
experiencing success after an inaugural year in which the club finished 22nd
of 46 clubs competing in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association
(NCWA). One Abbey wrestler qualified for nationals in 1999.
Belmont Abbey's wrestling club was the first NCWA team in the Carolinas.
The BAC team, like most NCWA clubs, is a student-run organization. However,
while many club teams lack coaches, Abbey Student Activities Director Kevin
Andres, a veteran college wrestler from New York, coaches at the Abbey. He
is also the NCWA Southeast Conference Chairman.
"Students participate in NCWA wrestling for the love of the sport," Andres
said. "They don't come for NCAA scholarships, but many come or are
recruited for the opportunity to continue wrestling." Belmont Abbey brought
in five new recruits this school year. Abbey wrestlers come from all over
the country--Texas, Washington, New York, New Jersey, and the local NC-SC
region.
Collegiate wrestling has declined in recent years as a result of funding and
other outside influences. Every year thousands of high school wrestlers
have limited opportunities to continue competing while getting a college
education. The NCWA was created to create more opportunities for these
students. The Abbey's team's success this year and last year, combined with
increasing student interest, has proved to school officials that the team is
a positive addition to campus life. At the beginning of the school year,
school administrators considered proposals for both partial and full team
funding. The team's hard work paid off in early January when the school
decided to fund the program beginning in the 2000-2001 school year.
College funding for the club will help pay for transportation to matches,
competition entrance fees, uniforms, and equipment. Prior to receiving this
funding, wrestlers funded their own program through fund raising and
donations of cash, equipment, facilities, and promotional materials. "The
students are responding," Coach Andres said. "More than half of our
wrestlers came to Belmont Abbey specifically to wrestle here. We beat UNCC
here in front of a good home crowd, and we have competed in several NCAA
tournaments."
The club practices and competes from November through March, Andres said.
Admission to matches is free and open to the public. The schedule is
available by calling Kevin Andres at 704-825-6780 or by visiting the team's
website at www.andresweb.com/bacwrestling.
Comments & Questions -- info@ncmat.com
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