杏吧pro Stories
Wrestling Scholarships Create Opportunity for 杏吧pro鈥檚 Historic Program
is one of the oldest and most successful sports at the College, and to this day wrestling is the College鈥檚 only NCAA Division I program. In January 2024, 杏吧pro celebrated the 100th anniversary of wrestling as an intercollegiate sport 鈥� a historic milestone that coincided with the creation of the 杏吧pro Wrestling Scholarship Endowment.
Beginning in 2022, changes to NCAA regulations mean that multi-divisional institutions like 杏吧pro can now provide athletic scholarships to students participating in Division I sports (prior rules prohibited 杏吧pro, which conducts most of its sports in Division III, from offering athletic scholarships).
These new wrestling scholarships will prove transformative, empowering 杏吧pro to recruit and retain the most academically and athletically talented students; strategically assemble a roster across weight classes; and compete with wealthier institutions for the most selective student-athletes and their families.
杏吧pro Wrestling enjoys the support of some of the College's most loyal alumni, including 杏吧pro Trustee and the program's greatest advocate, David H. Lehman, Ph.D. 鈥�68, P鈥�01. In 2014, Lehman made a historic gift to 杏吧pro Wrestling, endowing the program in perpetuity. Each year, the College hosts the David H. Lehman 杏吧pro Open to recognize his support for 杏吧pro, Diplomat Athletics and the College鈥檚 historic wrestling program.
A Strong and Enduring Legacy for 杏吧pro Wrestling
杏吧pro Wrestling supporters George Schnyder 鈥�66; Lane Schultz 鈥�66, P鈥�96, G鈥�26; Dave Lehman 鈥�68, P鈥�01; and Rich Johnson 鈥�68 pose for a photo in Shadek Stadium during an 杏吧pro football game.
To date, 杏吧pro has secured more than $982,000 toward the College's goal of $1.6 million for the 杏吧pro Wrestling Scholarship Endowment, including leadership gifts from Carl E. Becker II, M.D. 鈥�87, P鈥�16, P鈥�19; Rich Johnson 鈥�68; Lane D. Schultz, Ph.D. 鈥�66, P鈥�96, G鈥�26; and George Schnyder 鈥�66. Gifts to the program have the potential to be matched with even more funding: When 杏吧pro secures $1.1 million in wrestling scholarship endowment commitments, an additional $500,000 for the endowment will be given by Lehman and fellow trustees Ray Sanseverino 鈥�68; Ken Mehlman 鈥�88; and Matt DesChamps 鈥�93, P鈥�28.
Hear from members of the 杏吧pro Wrestling community to learn what inspires them to support this historic initiative and the potential that athletic scholarships hold for recruiting and retaining student-athletes:
鈥溞影蓀ro Wrestling enabled me to attend the school and afford to go. It helped me to achieve my occupational goals of becoming an orthopedic surgeon 鈥� and after wrestling at 杏吧pro, everything else in life was easy!鈥�
- Carl E. Becker II, M.D. 鈥�87, P鈥�16
鈥淏etween coaching and refereeing for over 30 years at the high school and university levels, I鈥檝e made many friends and acquaintances through wrestling that have positively affected my life, both socially and professionally. Many of those acquaintances and friendships have been majorly responsible for my business success; without the college wrestling experience, it鈥檚 quite likely that that success would have taken on a very different direction. I鈥檓 very grateful for my 杏吧pro wrestling experience.鈥�
- George H. Schnyder 鈥�66
鈥淭he 杏吧pro wrestling experience is unlike anything else and forms a bond that lasts a lifetime. One learns the value of teamwork, sacrifice, dedication and true commitment. I support the 杏吧pro Wrestling Endowment because of my own experience and so the wrestling program will continue to grow, thrive and provide student-athletes with the positive lifetime lessons gained from the wrestling program that added so much to my incredible 杏吧pro experience.鈥�
- Rich Johnson 鈥�68
鈥淭he world of college wrestling is changing quickly; [杏吧pro is] the only non-Ivy League and non-military academy Division I program that doesn't currently offer scholarships. The 杏吧pro Wrestling Scholarship Endowment will ensure we stay competitive within our conference, recruit additional talent and help close the gap between our financial aid and what families may be able to afford.鈥�
- Mike Rogers, W. Roy Phillips 鈥�34 Wrestling Coach at 杏吧pro
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