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Saturday
November 1, 2003
The University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh will be hosting the first annual Dan Gable “Commitment to
Excellence” Open Saturday November 1, 2003 at Kolf Sports Center. The
tournament is open to any and all participants who wish to compete.
Proceeds will benefit the Dan Gable “Commitment to Excellence” Endowment
fund, created last spring to save the wrestling program at UWO.
The 2002-2003 season showed
a lot of bright spots and promise for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Titan wrestling team. The team entered and remained in the NWCA/Brute
Adidas National Rankings for the first time in the history of the program,
finishing the regular season at #26. They were also 10-5 in dual meets;
the teams best record in over a decade, and the coaches felt they were on
the brink of great things to come.
Then disaster struck.
Nearing the conclusion of last season, UWO administration informed
Wrestling Administrator Larry Marchionda and Co-Head Coaches Nick Matiash
and Mike DeRoehn of their decision to eliminate the wrestling program due
to budget constraints. The Titans were devastated. Marchionda states, “
We really thought we were going to be pinned there at first, then Dan
Gable called and asked what he could do to help”. This clearly showed
Dan’s commitment to the sport as a whole, and helped the Titans fight off
their back.
With a renewed sense of
vigor, the coaches and administration worked together to create The Dan
Gable “Commitment to Excellence” Endowment fund to fortify and secure the
wrestling program at UW-Oshkosh. A total of $200,000 must be raised to
ensure the programs safety and be financially supportive.
In March, Gable gave a
moving speech at the UWO Wrestling Rally fundraiser, where all proceeds
benefited the endowment fund. The Titans will now host the Dan Gable Open
with hopes to raise an even larger amount and achieve their financial
goals. The tournament was also created to fill the void left by the
Northern Open. “We hope this event will become one of the largest events
in collegiate wrestling, and revive the outstanding competitiveness of the
great Northern Open” DeRoehn said. Informational letters were sent to
many of the top teams across the country in all divisions.
“The wrestling community
certainly can’t afford to lose another program. If we can build the
numbers of this tournament as large as we’d like to, it would be of huge
assistance to us, and wrestling as a whole. Even if teams just send a few
redshirts, it will be a tremendous help,” said Marchionda.
If you or members of your
team would like more information on the Dan Gable Open, the “Commitment to
Excellence” fund, or the current status of the Titan wrestling program,
please call 920-424-1201 or email
deroehnm@uwosh.edu |