On April 25th, a Kansas woman wrestler made this post in support of woman's team being added to the University of Kansas in the Lawrence World Journal forum that I referenced in this topic introduction:
"Great post!
I am a female on a women's wrestling team. I wrestle for the Lady Viking's, at Missouri Valley College. I also was born and raised in Lawrence, until I left for college last August after graduating from Free State. I always thought I would go to KU, that is, until I started wrestling, and was offered a scholarship to compete at the college level.
And I'll still admit, at times, I with KU had a wrestling team, so I could still live in Lawrence, because I hate living so close to MU, haha.
At my school, on our men's team, we have quite a few great wrestlers from Kansas, and it's a shame to have to see them have to leave the state to compete, when there's such potential to have a great team at KU.
As for having a women's team, I think if KU started one, it would be an incredible boost to women's wrestling in the US in general. As of right now, there are only 6 women's collegiate teams in the US, with a 7th in the process of being established at Newman College in Witchita for next year. But in reality, there are really only 2 strong women's teams, Missouri Valley, and U of the Cumberland's in Kentucky. The other school's have team's, but really either don't get much mat time, or just don't have a strong program.
Also, all of the school's with women's teams are NAIA. There aren't enough programs to have separate divisions. So KU establishing a team would be great for the sport because they would be the very first NCAA school to have a team, and they would dominate.
It's sad to me that women who wrestle for the United States can continue to win Olympic (okay... so 2004 was the first year for women's wrestling... but the US did pretty good! A friend of mine came away with the silver medal, Sara McMann at 63 kilo/138 pounds) and World medals (I watched Kristi Marano wrestle at Las Vegas Nationals, she beat my team mate for first place, and she has won world's more then any other American woman wrestler- 8 times) and for us to continue to not get the respect we deserve.
If KU had a women's team, I would, in a heartbeat, transfer. Because even though I go to school in Missouri, I'm still a Jayhalk at heart."
Well said and I hope you get your wish that a women's team will be added at the University of Kansas.