Missouri Likely to Join WWC

[zooropa]

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/...-to-call-home/

Couldn't figure out where else to post this. Hat tip to TV.

[jacksfaninne]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

So what are the other three Big 12 wrestling holdovers doing? Can't have a three-team conference, can you? There was speculation a few years ago about the Big 12 allowing the WWC schools as affiliates (or something like that) as a way to gain more slots in the national tourney. Maybe now the Big 12 holdovers would like the WWC to welcome them as affiliates?

[zooropa]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

So what are the other three Big 12 wrestling holdovers doing? Can't have a three-team conference, can you? There was speculation a few years ago about the Big 12 allowing the WWC schools as affiliates (or something like that) as a way to gain more slots in the national tourney. Maybe now the Big 12 holdovers would like the WWC to welcome them as affiliates?

Because wrestling is an individual sport, there are no 'automatic bids', therefore rules on minimum membership don't apply. If the Summit only had three baseball schools they could still have a season and a tournament and the whole nine yards, they just wouldn't qualify for an automatic bid.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

Because wrestling is an individual sport, there are no 'automatic bids', therefore rules on minimum membership don't apply. If the Summit only had three baseball schools they could still have a season and a tournament and the whole nine yards, they just wouldn't qualify for an automatic bid.

What do you mean by no 'automatic bid'?

Win your conference tournament and you automatically go to the national tournament. Sounds like an auto bid to me, although it's an individual auto-bid and not a team bid.

[zooropa]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

What do you mean by no 'automatic bid'?

Win your conference tournament and you automatically go to the national tournament. Sounds like an auto bid to me, although it's an individual auto-bid and not a team bid.

It's not quite the same. The NCAA awards a varying number of automatic bids every year to each weight class in each conference before the conference tournaments. AFAIK, a smaller/less competitive conference may or may not get an automatic qualifier at any given weight class, while a conference like the Big 10 might get several automatic qualifiers in each weight class.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

It's not quite the same. The NCAA awards a varying number of automatic bids every year to each weight class in each conference before the conference tournaments. AFAIK, a smaller/less competitive conference may or may not get an automatic qualifier at any given weight class, while a conference like the Big 10 might get several automatic qualifiers in each weight class.

Champions in the WWC automatically are in the NCAA. There was talk a few years ago of some conferences losing their auto bid because the champions had not performed well at nationals. The powerhouse wrestling schools wanted this of course because that meant more wild card slots for their wrestlers. They changed it slightly as I believe the WWC used to get two auto bids (first and true 2nd), now it's only the champion and then they have what they call wild cards now. I'm not sure how those are awarded. I think it gets pretty political.

There are auto-bids although all conferences may not get them. I would think the NCAA would not want to award an autobid to the champion of a 3 team conference.

[Homer Jack]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

Getting back to Mizzou...I think this is a great addition. Mizzou will do very well and have an immediate impact on the WWC.

I'd like to throw out a question for everyone: If the Big XII folds (wrestling-wise) and joins the WWC, do you all think that is a positive move for everyone involved?

My thoughts are that the caliber of wrestling will be of very high quality. Usually there are a few solid wrestlers and that is about it. My only concern is that a few of the lesser quality teams (SDSU, UNC) won't be able to compete and get completely blown out of the water. It could attract better wrestler to SDSU but it might also turn wrestlers away.

Thoughts?

[GopherHole]

Re: Missouri Likely to Join WWC

Thanks Homer, for throwing out the question on the future of the WWC if the Big 12 members joined.

I've pondered this thought over night, and overall I believe it would elevate most programs and obviously the conference. I tried to evaluate how it would compare, and I believe the WWC would become the west version of the EIWA. The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association has been around for over 100 years and has a strong history outside of the Big 10 and Big 12. Current conference members, Cornell, Lehigh, Rutgers, and Penn have had considerable success. Cornell finished 4th in D1 this year and was ranked #1 during the final poll of the previous year. The conference boasts 14 members, but they do have a couple of dogs and I think the WWC would likely have some too. (Unfortunately, SDSU has been less than stellar in a weak D1 conference to this point.)

While the bulk of the EIWA schools are private universities on the east coast, Army and Navy are conference members. This matches up well with the Air Force who are in the WWC. If the Big 12 wrestling programs joined the WWC, there would be 11 schools that would feature some power programs and some programs that could elevate to make the kind of splash that schools like Lehigh, American, and Penn have in recent years. On the other end of the perspective are teams like Franklin & Marshall and Sacred Heart. Neither team was competitive in the EIWA conference in recent years, nor for that matter at a D1 perspective.

Sacred Heart just joined the EIWA this year and has not had wrestling for a program for many years. Their best wrestler in recent years was Christopher Turk, who is now a surgeon at Sacred Heart. His best friend J.D., set a futility record in D1 wrestling as he failed to win a single match during his entire career. To his credit, he was known to score with other residents who were way above him. (Sorry for the Srubs humor.)

Ultimately, I believe with the commitment that SDSU has made in coaching, SDSU could elevate their program with conference competition like Missouri and even the other Big 12 programs. It would suddenly give big time, local recruits an option to stay at home and yet compete in a power conference.