Knox College to drop wrestling
Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, announced yesterday that the school is discontinuing its wrestling team. The release cited low roster numbers along with having a different head coach in each of the last three years. After the departure of long time head coach Tony Islas following the 2013 season, Knox made the head coach a full time position and hired Joe Norton as the school’s first full time head coach. Following the 2014 season, Norton left to return to his alma mater of North Central College to take over the Cardinals. Knox then hired former University of the Cumberlands head coach Matt Lowers for the 2014-2015 season. At some point this summer, Lowers resigned his position, but there was no announcement from the school until yesterday’s release dropping the program.
Knox has sponsored wrestling continuously since Chuck Porter ’52 began the team when he was a student at the school. Heavyweight Jaran Rutledge was a two time All-American placing third in 2007 and eighth in 2008 and will be inducted into the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame this fall.
Knox Ends Wrestling Program
6/22/2015 4:00:00 PMGALESBURG, Illinois – Knox College announced today that it will no longer offer a wrestling program, starting with the 2015-16 academic year.
“This was a difficult decision to make and one that we took very seriously, vetting it with coaches, the administration, trustees, and donors who supported the program,” said Knox College Athletic Director Chad Eisele. “After much discussion, we have decided that it is not feasible for the College to continue to offer a sustainable and competitive wrestling program.”
Knox has struggled to field a wrestling team in recent years despite strong alumni and donor support that led to the creation of a full-time head coaching position two years ago. The goal was to build stability in the program and recruit larger numbers of student-athletes. But since that time, Eisele said, two head coaches have left after their first year for very sound and personal reasons, resulting in a limited amount of time to build the program to a point where Knox College feels wrestling can be sustainable.
With only six of the 10 weight classes covered by current and incoming wrestlers, the program lacked the ability to sustain momentum and success both on the mats and on the recruiting trail. The College did not believe that continuing the program at this point would result in a positive experience for the student athletes and that it would be difficult to find a qualified coach to take on such a challenge.
Both returning and new students who had committed to participate in the wrestling program, along with alumni, donors, and friends of Knox athletics, were contacted over the last week with the news.
“I’d like to thank wrestling’s generous supporters — most notable, Chuck Porter — for their passion for our program and their understanding as we’ve made this difficult decision,” said Eisele.
Porter, a member of the Class of 1952, not only helped launch the wrestling program during his time at Knox, but he has also supported the program over the last 65 years. In a message to the campus community, Eisele recognized additional donors to the program, including Jim Nordin ’67, Jim Melville ’67, Eric ’00 and Janelle Curtis Eckdhal ’01, Dudley McCarter ’72, John Janicik ’79, and Jeff and Mary Eckdhal (parents of Eric). Eisele also recognized Professor Frank McAndrew, psychology, for his decades of service as a wrestling coach, assistant coach, tournament director, and fan.
The lasting accomplishments of Knox’s wrestlers and coaches will continue to be recognized by the College, as long-time coach Al Partin and two-time All American Jaran Rutledge ’08 will both be inducted into the Knox-Lombard Hall of Fame at Homecoming in October.