Wrestling. Why no 220 weight class?

[rubigtimenow]

Thanks to RU, over the past 5 years I've progressively increased how much I'm following college wrestling (I'll be in Pittsburgh in March).
One thing I don't understand is why there isn't another class between 197 and heavyweight.
Seems basic to me that lots of 18-23 year old men would fit into a group where they can't effectively weigh 197 or 235+ to really compete at either weight class.
Was there previously a 215/220 class that was removed? Is there realistic talk of having a class in this range?
THANKS!

 

[ScarletGrapfan]

Thanks to RU, over the past 5 years I've progressively increased how much I'm following college wrestling (I'll be in Pittsburgh in March).
One thing I don't understand is why there isn't another class between 197 and heavyweight.
Seems basic to me that lots of 18-23 year old men would fit into a group where they can't effectively weigh 197 or 235+ to really compete at either weight class.
Was there previously a 215/220 class that was removed? Is there realistic talk of having a class in this range?
THANKS!

I dont think the NCAA is thinking of adding the weight class. And in my opinion it should not be added. There is not nearly enough talent to field a 197, 220 and Hwt weight class.
High School made a pretty big error removing a middle weight class and adding an upper weight. Anyone who spends time in a Club wrestling room knows how many middle weights there are. When the coach yells groups of 4......there are tons from the 120-160 range, you know what happens for the upper weights. Two kids and a coach...Lol....Most Forfeited weights are 106 then the 220/Hwt combo.
I know some think 220 should be added to college....count me out...Lol

 

[koleszar]

I dont think the NCAA is thinking of adding the weight class. And in my opinion it should not be added. There is not nearly enough talent to field a 197, 220 and Hwt weight class.
High School made a pretty big error removing a middle weight class and adding an upper weight. Anyone who spends time in a Club wrestling room knows how many middle weights there are. When the coach yells groups of 4......there are tons from the 120-160 range, you know what happens for the upper weights. Two kids and a coach...Lol....Most Forfeited weights are 106 then the 220/Hwt combo.
I know some think 220 should be added to college....count me out...Lol

Have to agree. I also don't like that they went to 14 weight classes. It's made a family named Forfeit very popular.

 

[Knight177lb]

Thanks to RU, over the past 5 years I've progressively increased how much I'm following college wrestling (I'll be in Pittsburgh in March).
One thing I don't understand is why there isn't another class between 197 and heavyweight.
Seems basic to me that lots of 18-23 year old men would fit into a group where they can't effectively weigh 197 or 235+ to really compete at either weight class.
Was there previously a 215/220 class that was removed? Is there realistic talk of having a class in this range?
THANKS!

They can't add a weight class because of title IX. There is obviously a need for it, but it would create an opportunity for men which is not allowed. It's insane that we 14 weight classes in high school and go down to only 10 in college.

 

[Ban Basketball]

Have to agree. I also don't like that they went to 14 weight classes. It's made a family named Forfeit very popular.

Hello all,

And, it's made for a LONG night of watching a dual, especially when you have two teams mismatched.

 

[jason21psu]

They can't add a weight class because of title IX. There is obviously a need for it, but it would create an opportunity for men which is not allowed. It's insane that we 14 weight classes in high school and go down to only 10 in college.

I feel like the easy answer here is to start NCAA wrestling for women. I mean it's internationally competitive. Having our women getting similar training as our men only makes sense.

 

[Knight177lb]

I feel like the easy answer here is to start NCAA wrestling for women. I mean it's internationally competitive. Having our women getting similar training as our men only makes sense.

Actually, there have been many women's college teams started. There's a huge movement to create more women's teams in both college and high school. In New Jersey, there will finally be a women's high school state championship next year and the first all girl duel match took place last week.

The sad part is that title IX almost killed off wrestling completely and this great new opportunity for women would not exist at all. If it weren't for title IX, all theses women's teams and competition would have been started a long time ago.

 

[josh1728]

No 220 lb class being considered...Need to keep to current 10 weight classes or affect Title IX and increase budgets, so that is not happening.
Only option would be to change current weight spreads. I would like to see lower weight classes opened up like: 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 200, 215, 285. I would like to see 285 be returned to unlimited, but if their must be a cap, perhaps 315-ish?
Olympic weights cut off at 285, but i am surprised there is a cap at all and not a class action lawsuit by big dudes for size discrimination in NCAA and UWW. Guys like Tab Thacker, Jimmy Jackson, and Chris Taylor were legit athletes. They did not injure opponents. But they were not undefeated. However, when thinking of the three titans, their health is the most legit excuse for a weight cap, as all three died very young.

 

[ScarletGrapfan]

No 220 lb class being considered...Need to keep to current 10 weight classes or affect Title IX and increase budgets, so that is not happening.
Only option would be to change current weight spreads. I would like to see lower weight classes opened up like: 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 200, 215, 285. I would like to see 285 be returned to unlimited, but if their must be a cap, perhaps 315-ish?
Olympic weights cut off at 285, but i am surprised there is a cap at all and not a class action lawsuit by big dudes for size discrimination in NCAA and UWW. Guys like Tab Thacker, Jimmy Jackson, and Chris Taylor were legit athletes. They did not injure opponents. But they were not undefeated. However, when thinking of the three titans, their health is the most legit excuse for a weight cap, as all three died very young.

Not sure why anyone would want to consolidate 141-149 into one weight class to add a 215? There is a ton of talent in the 141-49 range....Just like High School, college wrestling does not need another upper weight..

 

[jerzey devil]

Not sure why anyone would want to consolidate 141-149 into one weight class to add a 215? There is a ton of talent in the 141-49 range....Just like High School, college wrestling does not need another upper weight..

Agreed...I would suggest 165, 177, 191, 207, 285... As the last 5 weights...

 

[Leonard23]

I'd sooner get rid of HWT and bring back 118. Outside of 2-4 HWT matches each yr, the rest are boring as hell and like watching paint dry. At least the 118ers would be exciting and scoring.

 

[PSUPOWER]

Thanks to RU, over the past 5 years I've progressively increased how much I'm following college wrestling (I'll be in Pittsburgh in March).
One thing I don't understand is why there isn't another class between 197 and heavyweight.
Seems basic to me that lots of 18-23 year old men would fit into a group where they can't effectively weigh 197 or 235+ to really compete at either weight class.
Was there previously a 215/220 class that was removed? Is there realistic talk of having a class in this range?
THANKS!

Here are the 5 heaviest weight classes in both
High School & College D1:

HS 170 & College D1 165
HS 182 & College D1 174
HS 195 & College D1 184
HS 220 & College D1 197
HS 285 & College D1 285

Young men, on average, weigh a lot more in College than they did in High School.

I would like to see the 2 heaviest weight classes in College D1 changed to 220 & Unlimited to accommodate more of the young men who are heavier than the average college male.

There are enough weight classes in College D1 to accommodate the young men who are lighter than the average college male.

 

[ScarletGrapfan]

Here are the 5 heaviest weight classes in both
High School & College D1:

HS 170 & College D1 165
HS 182 & College D1 174
HS 195 & College D1 184
HS 220 & College D1 197
HS 285 & College D1 285

Young men, on average, weigh a lot more in College than they did in High School.

I would like to see the 2 heaviest weight classes in College D1 changed to 220 & Unlimited to accommodate more of the young men who are heavier than the average college male.



There are enough weight classes in College D1 to accommodate the young men who are lighter than the average college male.

This is the same logic that NFHS used to add an upper-weight in High School. They said that HS males weigh more today than yesterday. It makes no sense, it is about the amount of wrestlers in the pool, and the pool of upper weights is much smaller. Just go look at the High School tournaments over the weekend and see how many fewer 195, 220 and Hwts are in the brackets compared to middle weights.

After another cup of coffee, I see that you are only changing 197 to 220(not adding 220). I would still keep it at 197, but any plan that adds another weight up top, count me out...Lol
Any way, lets put a woopin on Rider today!!

 

[rufeelinit]

If adding a weight class is a non-starter, I like the idea of recalibrating the existing weights classes up a bit to close the gap. Kids are still growing after HS and there should be a class above 200lb.

 

[PSUPOWER]

This is the same logic that NFHS used to add an upper-weight in High School. They said that HS males weigh more today than yesterday. It makes no sense, it is about the amount of wrestlers in the pool, and the pool of upper weights is much smaller. Just go look at the High School tournaments over the weekend and see how many fewer 195, 220 and Hwts are in the brackets compared to middle weights.

After another cup of coffee, I see that you are only changing 197 to 220(not adding 220). I would still keep it at 197, but any plan that adds another weight up top, count me out...Lol
Any way, lets put a woopin on Rider today!!

The weight differential between young College Men today and High School Boys today is much greater than the weight differential between High School Boys today and High School Boys yesterday.

The pool of High School Wrestlers in the upper weights has been reduced by the lack of a growth path being available for many of them in College.

If you weigh 185lbs as an athletic High School Boy and you expect to weigh in the 200lb to 220lb range in College, what incentive is there for you to pursue Wrestling as a sport ?

The prospect of being forced to compete against other wrestlers in the 230lb to 285lb range in College isn't what most High School Boys in that 185lb to 210lb range want for their futures.

Essentially, the lack of options for the upper weights in College is one of the major reasons for the lower numbers of High School wrestlers in the upper weights.

Grow the sport...

 

[PSUPOWER]

If adding a weight class is a non-starter, I like the idea of recalibrating the existing weights classes up a bit to close the gap. Kids are still growing after HS and there should be a class above 200lb.

International Wrestling & Olympic Wrestling both have two weight classes above 200lbs for both Folksyle & Freestyle Wrestling. They all have the following weight classes:

214lbs
275.5lbs

Greco Roman Wrestling also has the following weight classes:
216lbs
286.5lbs