Club Corner: Wrestling

By Alice Kim

In 1992, the Yale wrestling team was demoted to club status due to issues with funding and athlete commitment. Yet, persistent wrestlers, with the support of Athletic Director Thomas A. Beckett, may return wrestling to its varsity status. Captain James Gutierrez, CC '99, observed that, "Mr. Beckett is a big fan of the sport." The huge amount of success the team has had this year may help its plea immensely.

As a club sport, the wrestlers mainly compete in a non-varsity league, the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA), though they compete against varsity programs as well. Among NCWA teams, Yale is ranked fifth and boasts three nationally-ranked wrestlers: Earl Lee, SM '99, number five at 134 lbs., David Bow, TD '99, number two at 126 lbs., and Zach Kaufman, SY '00, number one at 118 lbs.

Gutierrez has high hopes for the NCWA championships to be held in Dallas, Tex.,on Fri., Mar. 13 and Sat., Mar. 14. "We qualified eight wrestlers for nationals and are only sending six [due to the vacation]. We are definitely in the position to win the national championship," he said.

Gutierrez noted, "The Ivy League is doing so well. There's no reason why Yale shouldn't be able to have that chance." Kaufman added, "Wrestling is a great sport and many Yalies, including alumni, would love to see the program reinstituted." Wrestlers hope positive votes from the Faculty Committee on Athletics will get their varsity status reinstituted within two years.

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