The university announced the decision about 10 days ago through an email from NMU athletic director Rick Comley that was sent to student-athletes affected. He said he also plans to meet with those involved in the program shortly after the new school year begins in August.

The program will end in just about a year, on June 30, 2027, according to his email.

The Greco-Roman program, which is strictly an all-male squad, is separate from the Wildcats’ women’s freestyle wrestling team that formed in 2021, was part of the beginning of the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the sport a year ago, and competed in the new NCAA single-division national tournament in March in Coralville, Iowa.

Taylor Caradonna-Morris, who lists herself as media relations outreach specialist for Change.org and based in downstate Grand Rapids, said in an Wednesday early afternoon email that 3,470 people have signed one its petitions “urging Northern Michigan University to reverse its decision to cut the Greco-Roman Wrestling Olympic Training Site program in Marquette.”

Northern Michigan University athletes are included in this group of medalists at the Kolbotn Cup meet in Greco-Roman wrestling held in November 2023 in Kolbotn, Norway. (Photo courtesy NMU)

Change.org lists many, many types of petitions for seemingly just about any type of issue, available both in the U.S. and internationally.

At the top of its international list under the topic of “Sports” on Wednesday, there were petitions ranging from calling for the resignation of FIFA soccer President Gianni Infantino to protecting deer hunting with dogs in South Carolina. Each is listed with signatures totaling in the thousands.

There is no indication of the makeup of signature signers, which for the NMU Greco-Roman wrestling petitions had reached 3,492 by later Wednesday afternoon. The petition was listed as being started five days previous to Wednesday, which would be Friday, with 35 comments attached online to the petition.

Three of the comments, which are listed with just first names, are from people from Marquette, Palatine (Illinois) and Macomb.

On the Change.com website — www.change.org/p/reverse-northern-michigan-university-s-decision-to-cut-wrestling-program — the petition starter is listed as Stacey Hamre, who Caradonna-Morris cites as a parent of a current athlete on the team.

Payton Jacobson celebrates his win over Spencer Woods at 87 kilograms during the U.S. Olympic wrestling team trials in State College, Pa., on April 20, 2024. Jacobson, a wrestler at Northern Michigan University, won the bout 3-1. (AP file photo)

The six-paragraph petition begins, “My son, along with many other dedicated athletes, is part of the Greco Roman Wrestling team at Northern Michigan University…. When I heard about the university’s decision to cut the USA Wrestling Olympic Training Center program, I was heartbroken.”

It later says, “The decision to cut the program may be financially motivated but fails to acknowledge the broader impact on students’ lives, Olympic aspirations, and community spirit. The loss of this program could mean the end of Olympic dreams for many.”

And it concludes, “Please join me in urging the university administration to keep the Greco-Roman Wrestling program alive. Sign this petition to reverse this decision and support the dreams of our future Olympians, ensuring they have the resources and opportunities they deserve.”

Though the actual Olympic Training Site — which at one time was called the U.S. Olympic Education Center — at NMU wasn’t mentioned in the ending of the Greco-Roman program, it may effectively disappear with this wrestling team being its last sport.

At one time, a myriad of sports were offered there with athletes being able to train for the chance to qualify for a U.S. Olympic team while getting a college education at NMU.

Several boxers who went on to medal in various Olympic games trained there, as well as Shani Davis, a highly decorated speedskater in the sport’s short-track and long-track versions.

Davis actually enrolled at the USOEC while still in high school and earned his diploma from Marquette Senior High School before going on to continue his training while attending NMU.

Some of the other sports at the USOEC, which was inaugurated in 1988, included weightlifting, freestyle wrestling, handball, cycling, badminton, biathlon, nordic skiing and ski jumping.

Andy Bisek is the OTS Greco-Roman wrestling head coach, a position he has held since 2019 after he graduated in 2016 from NMU and was also a USOEC Greco-Roman wrestler.

His assistant is Parker Betts with Cora Ohnstad listed as the assistant athletic trainer specifically assigned to both this men’s and the women’s wrestling programs.

Story contents based on email received from Taylor Caradonna-Morris of Change.org and an examination of the Change.org website. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.