Millikin University Dropping Wrestling
The Athletic Director at Millikin University has made
the decision, with the approval from the Vice
President and President of the University, to not
continue to have wrestling at Millikin University. The
Athletic Director has explained that Budget, Title IX,
Number of Wrestlers, Success of Wrestling Team, or
Success of Coaches is not the reason to drop the
Program. She has also explained that she would be
willing to explain her decision and discuss her
decision with anyone that is interested. She explained
that the reason for dropping the program was of one
reason. She said that because of lack of Full time
coaches, and lack of Wrestling Facilities on Campus,
and no plans for either in the future she believes
that wrestling at Millikin University should be
dropped for lack of commitment from the university.
The University is currently searching for a new
Athletic Director and the decision was made by an
Athletic Director that resigned in January and is
staying as Athletic Director until the University has
made a decision on a new Athletic Director. The
Decision to drop the program was made some time ago.
So the Athletic Director knew before many families and
wrestlers spent time and money to visit Millikin
University and she allowed those families to spend
their time and money to come and visit Millikin
University with the knowledge that the wrestling team
would be dropped.
The Millikin University Wrestling Team had low numbers
this past season. The Athletic Director her self asked
the wrestling coaches to clean up the wrestling team
in 2006 and part ways with a few individuals and did
not allow time for rebuilding of the program. The
program was making great strides in recruiting student
athletes. As of March the Millikin University
Wrestling Program has commitments from 9 Student
Athletes, 6 of which are Honor Scholars. The 9
committed Wrestlers were wrestlers only and this
number is not including football, track, baseball, and
other two sport athletes that were interested in
wrestling at Millikin University.
There have been a total of 35 campus visits from
wrestlers this year.
The Millikin University Wrestling Team would have been
returning 5 wrestlers from 2007-2008 season plus 3
more returning wrestlers that did not wrestle in the
2007-2008 season.
The President of Millikin University Doug Zemke was
CCIW Wrestling Champion for Millikin University.
Please direct your emails, Phone calls, and letters to
his office.
Please HELP SAVE MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY WRESTLING in a
positive affective manner.
We need to group together and make positive effort to
Save This Wrestling program.
In the past 3 years there has been 4 Illinois
wrestling programs that has been dropped.
If you could make your emails, calls, and letters
directed to all people listed.
Lori Kerans (Athletic Director)
Phone Number- Office number – 217- 424-6344
Email- lkerans@millikin.edu
Richard Dunsworth (Vice President)
Phone Number- office number 217- 424-6340
Email- rdunsworth@millikin.ed
Douglas E. Zemke (President of the University)
Phone Number- (office number) 217- 424-6208
Email- dzemke@millikin.edu
Other people to contact:
http://www.millikin.edu/about/admin_officers.asp
