Case loss pinned on wrestling
Supreme Court turns down appeal by coaches group in discrimination lawsuit
BY JOHN O'CONNOR
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER Jun 7, 2005
........The number of wrestling teams at NCAA schools during the past 20 years dropped from 363 to 222, according to the NCAA. Title IX often has been blamed.
"I would say being even able to use Title IX as an excuse [for elimination of opportunities in other sports] is illegal. It is discrimination," said Tom Brands, Virginia Tech's wrestling coach and a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "There are other ways to become compliant."
Brands recognizes Title IX as "very beneficial." He advocates athletic budget increases that would support a full complement of men's and women's sports, a common goal among those who back sports adversely affected by Title IX.
"I know that the problem is money," Brands said. "But there have to be ways to do it."
It appears that Ohio State University has found ways to do it. Yesterday they won their quarterfinal basketball game and now are in the Final Four. This comes on top on reaching the title game in football earlier in the year.
USA Today reported on January 5, 2007 that
"...Ohio State puts a colossal 36 varsity teams on the field, court and course and in the water. That's 16 more than the average in NCAA Division I-A.
The school became the first with a nine-figure athletics budget last year, spending $101.8 million, according to filings with the NCAA and the federal government."
I have to root for a school that is willing to do fund so many teams.