KirkWhiteWrestling.COM

Courtesy: Jacob Garcin           Release: 10/23/2009

            The InterMat Wrestling preseason team rankings are led by No. 1 Iowa, who is followed by Iowa State, Ohio State, Cornell and Minnesota to round out the top-five. Oklahoma State was voted in at No. 6, while Nebraska, Missouri, Boise State and Maryland complete the top-10 in that order. 

Along with the No. 9 ranking, the Broncos also have wrestlers ranked in the top-20 individually in eight different weight classes. Boise State has five wrestlers currently ranked in the top-10 for their respective weight class.

            Leading the way once again for Boise State is junior Andrew Hochstrasser, who ranks No. 3 at 133 pounds. Joining Hochstrasser with top-10 rankings is Adam Hall (157 pound) at No. 6, Kirk Smith (184) at No. 7, Nate Lee (174) at No. 8 and Jason Chamberlain (149) at No. 10.

            Boise State also has three wrestlers that rank from 15th to 20th, with Matt Casperson receiving the next highest ranking for the Broncos. Casperson ranks No. 15 at 197 pounds, while Kurt Swartz is No. 17 at 165 pounds and Brian Owen is No. 20 at 125 pounds.

            The Broncos open the 2009-10 season on Oct. 31 when they face North Idaho College in Spokane, Wash. Boise State returns home on Nov. 6 (Friday) for the Broncos’ first home dual of the season against the University of Montana-Great Falls at 6 p.m. in Taco Bell Arena.

    My Thoughts on the State of Boise State Athletics and Title IX Compliance - by Kirk White

  Boise State is definitely on the upswing and record expansion within the athletic department the last 10 years. Not every university is having that success. However, the prong of title IX that BSU AD Gene Bleymeier chooses to use for compliance is satisfied by adding women's programs.

Adding one small, low budget women's program every five to 10 years doesn't exactly bankrupt an expanding university with record growth and attendance. I understand not all schools are in the same situation. However, we at BSU don't have a $300k per year juice bar for the athletes to snack on in the locker rooms. In fact, many football players trek over to the wrestling lockers because the showers are less crowded, and have nicer heads on them (thanks to my new-found plumbing skills).

The bottom line is that Bleymeier runs a tight budget, and wastes less money on unneeded expenses than most ADs. He feels the coaches, city and staff will sell itself, and that we don't have to pamper athletes with gaudy fringe benefits. Therefore, we have money in the budget to add a women's sports, just like the title IX law intended.

Bleymeier told me that because we added soccer in 1999 (guess) and then another one or two more recently (not sure about the facts) that BSU is in compliance with title IX for about another five years.

I suggested that when that opportunity arises, that we should look into adding women's wrestling. I assured him that the NWCA women's wrestling program counts toward title IX compliance. He wants me to give him a report on other schools that support women's wrestling, and a mini-feasibility study that he can look over.

I guess that master's degree in athletic administration that I earned in 2002 will get some use in the next year or two as I prepare my proposal for adding women's wrestling at Boise State.

I do know that we can't add a women's sport now, because it screws up the timeline. Its kind of like paying off the minimum balance on your credit card twice in one month. It doesn't change the fact that you will have to make a minimum balance payment the very next month.

If BSU added a women's sport ahead of schedule, it doesn't help with title IX compliance. Either you comply, or you don't. There is no such thing as over-compliance or extra-credit. Adding ten women's sports doesn't help you any more than adding one in a given period of time.

Gene Bleymeier has a law degree, and he is very astute on rules and regulations. He knows exactly how to comply with title IX, and is NOT afraid of the law. I was taught in my Master's of Athletic Administration program that under-educated ADs tend to panic and be afraid of title IX, and thus act in an inefficient manner that negatively affects their institution.

As you can see, an AD with a law degree could perhaps be less susceptible to this mentality, and therefore be more efficient and effective in meeting the needs of his students, employees, and community in his choice on how his university complies with all laws, including title IX.

Contrariwise, an AD like Kilkenny might be less likely to understand the law, and therefore act irresponsibly. Another AD  may bring personal agenda and emotion to the decision-making table. Bleymeier uses calculated logic, and pleases most of the people, most of the time. I thank god that I work for a guy like Gene Bleymeier.

  I just want to say that Boise fans should be very thankful that they have perhaps the BEST athletic director in the country, especially in terms of NOT DROPPING MEN'S SPORTS, and adding women's sports to support title ix. Gene Bleymeier is truly a great person, and a great AD.