Historically Black Colleges And Universities Wrestling Initiative

TO ESTABLISH AND RESTORE NCAA WRESTLING TO AMERICAS HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR A NCAA DIVISION I INTERCOLLEGIATE WRESTLING PROGRAM. RESOURCES INCLUDE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING AND COACHES TRAINING TO ULTIMATELY ALLOW STUDENT ATHLETES AN EXPERIENCE THAT WILL CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP. THE HBCU WRESTLING INITIATIVE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVANCING MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITYS NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLING PROGRAM IN YEAR TWO 2023-24. THE PROGRAM REACHED ITS GOAL OF A FULL ROSTER WITH 30 STUDENT-ATHLETES INCLUDING STATE CHAMPIONS AND NATIONALLY RANKED COMPETITORS SUPPORTED BY 9 FULL NCAA SCHOLARSHIPS. OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST KENNY MONDAY CONTINUED TO LEAD THE PROGRAM AS HEAD COACH SUPPORTED BY TWO FULL-TIME ASSISTANT COACHES ENSURING HIGH-LEVEL MENTORSHIP AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. FACILITY UPGRADES INCLUDING NEW PRACTICE MATS LOCKER ROOM RENOVATIONS AND TRAINING EQUIPMENT ENHANCED THE TRAINING ENVIRONMENT. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS SUCH AS HOSTING NEARLY 100 PARTICIPANTS IN THE BEARS WRESTLING CLUB FURTHER FOSTERED YOUTH INTEREST

THE BLACK WALL SUITE IS A PROGRAM OF HBCU WRESTLING HOSTED DURING THE NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS ALONGSIDE OTHER EVENTS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE INTERSECTION OF WRESTLING CULTURE AND COMMUNITY IMPACT. THIS EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCE BRINGS TOGETHER DONORS COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS COMMUNITY LEADERS AND SUPPORTERS TO CELEBRATE BLACK EXCELLENCE AND FOSTER CONNECTIONS WITHIN THE WRESTLING WORLD. THE PROGRAM KICKED OFF WITH A MEMORABLE EVENT IN TULSA ON BLACK WALL STREET SETTING THE TONE FOR ITS MISSION TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDING. THROUGH NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AND CULTURAL SHOWCASES THE BLACK WALL SUITE AND ITS ACCOMPANYING EVENTS SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF WRESTLING PROGRAMS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ADVANCING HBCU WRESTLINGS MISSION TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ATHLETES AND INSTITUTIONS TO THRIVE.

THE HBCU WRESTLING SUMMER TOUR HOSTED ON HBCU CAMPUSES PROVIDES YOUTH FROM UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES HANDS-ON TRAINING LED BY ACCOMPLISHED WRESTLERS AND COACHES. CAMPS AT DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY AND NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY IMPACTED NEARLY 200 YOUNG ATHLETES INCLUDING 60 GIRLS AT DELAWARE STATES ALL-GIRLS CLINIC AND 130 PARTICIPANTS AT NORFOLK STATES TWO-DAY CAMP. THESE EVENTS BUILT SKILLS CONFIDENCE AND TEAMWORK WHILE ALSO SHOWCASING THE VALUE OF NCAA WRESTLING PROGRAMS TO COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS. DELAWARE STATE WAS INSPIRED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADDING DIVISION I WOMENS WRESTLING THE FIRST AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE FURTHERING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE SPORT.