Campbell University recently made a tough call that has left its wrestling community stunned. Despite years of producing NCAA championship qualifiers, the university announced plans to cut the wrestling program’s scholarships from nine to just three. Current scholarship athletes won’t even be allowed to compete. John Christian, a wrestling enthusiast, shared his frustration on X, saying, “Campbell University administration decided to gut the nationally ranked wrestling program next year. They want to cut from 9 to 3 scholarships and further plan to pressure these young men to leave by not allowing scholarship athletes to compete.”

With the NCAA wrestling season approaching, the timing of this decision couldn’t be worse. Scholarships are often crucial for athletes to balance their education and sports, and this sudden reduction leaves many with an uncertain future. Campbell University has not yet fully explained the extent of the cuts but did release a statement addressing the financial challenges they’re facing.

According to the statement, starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the university will be adjusting its operational expenses, which will impact scholarships across multiple sports. While they acknowledged the anxiety these decisions have caused, the university emphasized their focus on maintaining the institution’s future stability. “These decisions have caused some anxiety for many. Rest assured, our university and athletics leadership is working to position all of our teams for success. We appreciate and value our student-athletes and athletics staff and they are a vital part of the Campbell community.” In the meantime, Campbell Wrestling is trying to make things better after this heartbreaking news.

River City Wrestling owner and NCAA coach Christian Olanowski didn’t hold back when he addressed Campbell University’s decision. He took to X, saying, “Campbell dropping scholarships is the first domino to fall in what will be a very grave future for Division I Wrestling.” Olanowski’s warning strikes a chord, as many in the wrestling community fear that this move could spark a chain reaction, putting other programs at risk.

Seeing all this, Campbell Wrestling recently posted on X, expressing their admiration for the faculty: “We love our faculty at @campbelledu. Some of the very best in the nation! There are few Universities in the WORLD where the students have the personal connection that they have with their professors as they do at Campbell! We plan to host an OPEN PRACTICE for all professors and anyone else who would like to come, this Friday at 2:30pm.” While the sentiment is positive, it leaves the bigger question unanswered—can this gesture really improve the situation for the wrestling team? Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely.

The coaching staff is even determined to maintain the program’s competitiveness and uphold the athletes’ well-being. However, the drastic reduction in scholarships may drive current wrestlers to transfer and discourage potential recruits from committing to Campbell. But at the same time, this announcement has sparked concern among student-athletes and alumni.

The hard reality of wrestling scholarship cuts on athletes

Korbin Meink, a former wrestler and proud alumnus, expressed his dismay upon learning that his younger brother’s potential scholarship offer was rescinded due to a lack of funds. “They were talking about how they wanted to give [him] a scholarship, and they just said we don’t have it anymore because we have the guys on the team we need to look after,” Meink shared, illustrating the difficult reality facing prospective athletes.

As schools grapple with rising expenses, particularly in light of new laws governing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and NCAA settlements, the implications for less financially lucrative sports are profound. Meink noted a shift in focus toward revenue-generating sports, stating, “I do think that schools are going to start prioritizing those money-making sports, and that isn’t the Olympic sports,” leaving wrestling and other programs vulnerable to budget cuts despite their contributions to the university’s athletic reputation.

The funding challenges extend beyond athletics, with universities also facing pressures to reduce costs in academic programs. The National Center for Education Statistics reported a notable decline in undergraduate enrollment, prompting some institutions to reevaluate their offerings. This trend often leads to cuts in humanities programs, which, while important for the educational landscape, may not align with immediate student demand or financial sustainability. The situation at Campbell shows a broader narrative within higher education, where financial realities are reshaping both academic and athletic landscapes, often at the expense of longstanding traditions and values.