Cleveland State’s decision to cut wrestling program leaves unanswered questions – The Cauldron
“Despite collecting millions of dollars from the Athletic Fee since April 2015,” shared Shaw, “only a fraction of that money has gone to wrestling and the women’s sport—in direct contravention of the student-approved referendum.”
When Cleveland State University (CSU) unexpectedly announced its widely criticized decision to cut wrestling, women’s softball and women’s golf at the end of their seasons, it sparked outrage among students, community members and longtime advocates of the programs.
CSU President Laura Bloomberg Ph.D. sent an email on Jan. 23 titled “CSU Athlete Update” to announce the decision, but the message left many feeling disheartened.
“I understand that some of you may be surprised by today’s decision. Please know that we will do everything we can to support these students and coaches as they navigate this transition,” Bloomberg wrote in the email.
The email stated that the board of trustees decided to cut these athletic programs as part of ongoing efforts to address budgetary shortfalls. The decision was based on recommendations from a “working group, comprised of representatives from CSU Athletics, our faculty and community partners.”
The decision was quickly met with questions and concerns, particularly within the wrestling program, a net-positive program that has generated revenue for the University.
CSU alters referendum language, sparking confusion
Since its early years, CSU wrestling has been a cornerstone of the Cleveland State community.
The program’s final match of the season on Feb. 21 was a sold-out event, drawing more than 2,400 attendees, highlighting community support.
The Cauldron spoke with Riley Shaw, a previous Viking wrestler and current attorney, who is actively working with other prominent wrestling community members to reverse this decision.
Shaw shared that, in 2015, the wrestling team faced a similar threat of being cut. After extensive advocacy efforts, they collaborated with the CSU Student Government Association and university leadership to secure the program’s future, believing it would prevent this situation from happening again.
Their efforts led to the creation of a non-binding referendum, which was publicly displayed in CSU’s athletic fee Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) until Feb. 2, 2025. Under the question, “What is the Athletic Fee? I don’t remember seeing that charge before?”, it stated:
“University students approved a nonbinding referendum in April 2015 for an Intercollegiate Athletic Fee to maintain wrestling at CSU. Students are assessed a fee of $3 per credit hour. Funds generated by this fee also provide support for the addition of a men’s lacrosse program as well as additional opportunities for women in athletics.”
However, the FAQ language has since been revised without public explanation to state:
“University students approved a nonbinding referendum in April 2015 for an Intercollegiate Athletic Fee to maintain athletic programs at CSU. Students are assessed a fee of $3 per credit hour.”
“Despite collecting millions of dollars from the Athletic Fee since April 2015,” shared Shaw, “only a fraction of that money has gone to wrestling and the women’s sport—in direct contravention of the student-approved referendum.”
Cleveland State wrestling professionals requested a meeting with President Bloomberg to address the alteration. During the meeting, they posed numerous questions in an effort to understand the decision and advocate for reversing it.
CSU wrestling community left without answers
A letter sent to President Bloomberg on Feb. 4 outlined concerns of several community members, including former CSU and Fenn College wrestlers, graduates and parents. Supporters such as Jason Efner, Mike Moyer, executive director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association; an alumni board director; and former CSU Board of Trustees members also joined the letter.
In this letter, they emphasized that CSU wrestling is the athletic department’s largest fundraiser, having outperformed all other teams in fundraising efforts since 2018, with a total of $500,805 raised.
They also noted wrestling’s national growth, with the sport seeing the largest percentage increase in athletes among major high school sports for both boys’ and girls’ teams for the second consecutive year in 2024.
According to the National Federation of High Schools’ annual participation report, Ohio had 11,240 high school wrestlers during the 2023-24 school year, making it the fourth most popular state for boys’ wrestling.
In addition to signing and voicing their opposition, the wrestling team secured endorsements from CSU’s 2015 Student Government Association president and vice president, as well as Ohio U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno.
In fact, Moreno sent his own letter on Feb. 20 to President Bloomberg, expressing similar concerns and referring to Ohio’s strong wrestling tradition.
“Northeast Ohio is nationally recognized as a center for wrestling talent. Interest in wrestling is skyrocketing at the high school level for both boys’ and girls’ teams across the country, and last school year, Ohio ranked fourth nationally in male participation in the sport,” wrote Moreno. “Thus, the decision-making behind your office’s elimination of the Cleveland State University men’s wrestling program caused me a great deal of pause.”
Moreno goes on to say that he and many Ohioans found the decision unsettling and emphasized the need for an open and thorough discussion on the matter.
Moreno adds that CSU’s decision to cut wrestling raises serious issues, given the impressive profitability and broader community impact of CSU’s program. Cleveland is set to host the 2026 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, a $20 million economic opportunity.
He also questioned the quiet rewording of the 2015 student referendum.
On Feb. 5, in a scheduled Zoom meeting with these advocates and Bloomberg, wrestling representatives felt their case was not being heard.
“[Laura Bloomberg] stood firm, offering no explanation on the decision-making process, the timeline, or changes to the student fee and website,” said Efner in an interview with The Cauldron on Feb. 25. “Her only solution? A $15 million donation. Everything felt scripted, with no space for an honest conversation.”
CSU has engaged in large-scale fundraising efforts, with its 2024 Giving Day raising over $800,000 for scholarships, athletics and special projects. Meanwhile, the wrestling team has actively worked to fund itself through initiatives like the non-binding referendum and past fundraising.
The Cauldron requested comment from President Bloomberg on Feb. 25 regarding Moreno’s support for the wrestling program, community response and the changes to the non-binding referendum.
Kristin Broka, senior director of university marketing, responded via email:
“Since 2023, Cleveland State University has been evaluating its program offerings in areas including academic affairs, student services, and athletics in an effort to address budgetary shortfalls across the university. CSU made the difficult decision to discontinue three athletic programs in order to align with its commitment to upholding a transformational student-athlete experience and positioning CSU Athletics for long-term success in the classroom, in the community, and in competition. President Bloomberg’s office reached out to Senator Moreno’s office last Thursday, Feb. 20 indicating that she welcomes the opportunity to discuss this and other matters impacting higher education at the Senator’s earliest convenience.”
While Bloomberg’s Jan. 23 email cited budgetary shortfalls as the primary factor in cutting the athletic programs, Broka’s recent statement refers to academic affairs and student services. It remains unclear whether CSU’s administration is offering additional context in response to public scrutiny or if key details were omitted from the initial announcement.
Despite follow-up requests for clarification, CSU has not addressed why the referendum language was changed.
As CSU students, alumni and wrestling advocates continue to push for answers and advocate for the program’s future, it seems that the fight against these cuts is far from over. With conflicting explanations, altered student fee language, and the elimination of a financially viable program deeply rooted in Ohio’s wrestling culture, the administration’s rationale remains unclear.