Editorial: Unfairly taken to the mat

For a small fraction of the more than 27,000 students that call Portland State their higher education home, the next few days could have the most lasting impact of any in their lives.

President Wim Wiewel has organized a task force charged with looking explicitly at the long-term feasibility of the Portland State wrestling program. Over the past decade, the team has struggled, losing most of their matches by a sound margin, but that is a far cry from what the team once was. 

The task force, which has met several times and has held two forums in which the general public voiced their opinions about the program, will submit their recommendation to Wiewel this upcoming Monday. Following this recommendation, a decision about the future of the program is imminent.

While the train that is Portland State athletics looks ready to roll—talented teams competing for championships in nearly every sport, high expectations, media attention and the possibility of a mass renovation to the Stott Center—it appears that this group, the university’s wrestling team, is about to be left behind.

At a time when this university is taking every opportunity to expand its stakes, increase its borders and strengthen itself, it would be in poor form to remove a program with dozens of committed student athletes, a dedicated facility, prominent alumni and a storied history.

The 26 wrestlers and four coaches that make up the Portland State wrestling program will compete in their final two home matches of the season this weekend when they take on South Dakota State and Boise State.

The possibility that the wrestlers competing could be the final group in school history to do so will not likely escape those involved.

Although the team boasts a rich heritage of national championships, All-Americans and Olympians, the squad’s more recent history of deplorable performance on the mat has caused university administration to examine the program’s usefulness to the school.

But how exactly is that usefulness measured?

Maybe to the administration it’s measured in revenue and academic ratings—as the wrestling program has struggled to some degree in both areas—but the usefulness of the program as part of Portland State’s diverse makeup requires a different ruler altogether.

Over its history, Portland State has taken great pride in diversity.

The Portland State wrestlers, like any other group on campus, are a piece of that diversity pie that have helped this university transcend its reputation of years past and set itself apart as a unique institution. 

The wrestlers on the roster represent nine different states and one foreign country, Japan. That’s the type of diversity that logos and marketing campaigns do not help you achieve.

Wrestling is also one of the only sports that students with disabilities can compete in. While it is hard to imagine a football player without an arm or a blind basketball player, those types of disabilities can be overcome on the wrestling mat.

Should the task force recommend to President Wiewel that the program be disbanded, the university will lose out on the opportunity to continue diversifying its makeup, in addition to severely altering the future plans of those currently wrestling at Portland State.

It is likely that none of the current student athletes wrestling here could have imagined this situation, and it is difficult not to sympathize with their plight.

At the two forums, many of the wrestlers spoke about their goal of earning their degree and possibly moving on to join the nearly 50 Portland State wrestling alumni who spend time coaching youngsters throughout the Northwest.

It’s hard to argue with the bottom line approach that the task force may take of evaluating the program based solely on wins and losses.

But it will be impossible to quantify the impact that the program has had and could continue to have given the right decision from university administration.

A successful college experience is not only indicated on a transcript or a final grade.

Now, in addition to facing the pressures of competing in what could be their final match this season, the small but dedicated group of wrestlers is also feeling powerless as they are having their futures decided for them this weekend.