Lehigh University Athletics
Lehigh Wrestling Club helps engineer success of Mountain Hawks program
2/11/2011 9:09:00 PM | Men's Wrestling
With 26 individual national champions, 128 All-Americans, 34 EIWA team championships and 837 dual meet victories; Lehigh University boasts one of the most storied wrestling programs in the nation. Throughout the years, one of the major factors behind the success of the program has been the support of the Lehigh Wrestling Club.
Few wrestling programs can boast the tremendous support Lehigh receives from the Lehigh Wrestling Club. The club's main goal is to preserve the great wrestling tradition at Lehigh. Within that continuing Lehigh's status as a nationally competitive wrestling program, but also growing and maintaining the nationally renowned fan support that has characterized the program over the years.
“The wrestling club has a huge impact on our program,” explains Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro, who also serves as Executive Director of the LWC. “They are approaching 1,000 members. I don't know if there's another club in the country that comes close to but they've been doing it for a long time. The networking for our wrestlers has been amazing. The support has been amazing. They've given us the ability to go on trips and helped with our budget.
Santoro contin
ues, “Lehigh wrestling without the alumni and the wrestling club would be a struggling program, but because of our phenomenal alumni and our wrestling club we're able to do things most programs can't do. It's a very important part of the program.”
ues, “Lehigh wrestling without the alumni and the wrestling club would be a struggling program, but because of our phenomenal alumni and our wrestling club we're able to do things most programs can't do. It's a very important part of the program.”Formed in October 1982, the club's mission is to support Lehigh wrestling and promote the fans' wrestling experience. The Club schedules activities and events, ranging from the annual “Meet the Wrestlers Picnic” in September to pre and post-match dinners and receptions plus lodging and receptions at the EIWA and NCAA Championships. The organization operates a website, which complements the official athletics website with wrestling news, analysis, links, videos, historical data and information on upcoming club events.
“Our club events are great for connecting fans and alumni with the student-athletes,” said Bruce Haines '67, who is in his second year as club president. The team attends events and the alumni and fans can interact with them. We help with networking for future jobs.
Haines continued, “What we're trying to do is to help support and preserve the tradition of Lehigh wrestling and as a club we get to be around people who enjoy Lehigh wrestling and be a part of a group that lives and breathes Lehigh wrestling. It's a great way to connect the fans to the team and the coaches and help preserve the great tradition of the program by building fan support.”
Through the efforts of alumnus and Lehigh wrestling historian Denny Diehl '70, the club produces its own pre-season “Mat-wrap” for club members, while Diehl also owns and operates the Lehigh University Wrestling News, a newsletter for club members and fans with all the latest news surrounding the program and club.
One of the main goals for the club is to grow the Lehigh wrestling fan base by promoting the sport to Lehigh undergraduates.
“We spend a lot of time with promotions,” said Haines “We've placed a major emphasis on connecting with the student body and developing the next generation of fans. We're really working to get them to embrace the tradition of Lehigh wrestling. We want to engage the students to understanding the uniqueness of wrestling at Lehigh University. We want them to have a sense of the uniqueness and the history and tradition so they can support the program.”
With just over a month left in the 2010-11 season, the club's current membership stands at 920. The club's goal is to eclipse the 1,000 member mark before the NCAA Championships March 17-19 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.
The Lehigh Wrestling Club has eclipsed the 1,000 member mark before. Under the leadership of former club president Dick Moll '61, the club grew from one of 300 members, to one of over 1,000 members in 2005 and 2006. Moll was instrumental in the development of the club website, and the preseason guide and also played a major role in making the club the first ever affinity group of the Lehigh University Alumni Association. He still remains active in the club as Haines' vice president while his wife Camille spearheads the club's social events effort.
Others prominently involved in the club's leadership include former president Tom Zimmerman '70, who now serves as treasurer, Rich Sedmak '71 who serves as secretary and Dave DeAngelo '65 who has been instrumental as the membership chairman.
In addition to its work promoting the program, the club also plays a role in fundraising. The club is vitally linked to solicitation of funding for Lehigh's Wrestling Restricted Athletics Partnership. Traditionally $1.50 is raised for wrestling restricted for every dollar raised for the club.
“Currently we're on pace to raise about $20,000 for the club and about $26,000 for the partnership,” Haines said. “Attaining our 1,000 member goal for this year would raise nearly $22,000 for the club's mission and nearly $30,000 for Pat Santoro to use to supplement his efforts to maintain a nationally competitive program. In addition it would allow us to become the largest wrestling fan support organization in the East and one of the top five in the country.”
For more information on the Lehigh Wrestling Club, visit www.lehighwrestling.com.
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