NFL
By Bill Carroll
Wrestling is primarily a sport built on resilience. In the past few decades collegiate wrestling has faced no greater test than its disappearance from Historically Black Colleges and Universities. But more recently, we are witnessing, perhaps, its overdue resurrection. Once a proud and muscular fixture at institutions like Morgan State University, wrestling at HBCUs enjoyed a respectable, if underfunded and often, overlooked legacy, producing decorated athletes, community mentors, and in many cases, improbable success stories. That era, alas, didn’t survive the onslaught of Reaganomics, Title IX misapplications, dwindling institutional budgets, and perhaps most of all, the long shadow of football’s financial dominance. By the early 2000s, HBCU wrestling had all but vanished, resigned to athletic department obituaries and the wistful memories of alumni who remembered when dual meets still drew a crowd.
Plato, himself a wresting standout, In his dialogue Laches, explores the concept of courage, and the idea of “wise endurance of the soul” is put forward as a key element of courage. In that spirit HBCU wrestling is proving hard to pin and is attempting a reversal.
Leading the comeback charge is Morgan State University, which in 2022 became the first HBCU in over two decades to reinstate a Division I wrestling program. In doing so they countered the narrative surrounding the contraction of non-revenue sports nationwide. This is not merely a return to the mat; it is an act of cultural restoration, institutional defiance, and yes, strategic brand-building.
At the heart of this revival is the HBCU Wrestling Initiative , a group of dedicated, passionate and indefatigable advocates, coaches, and alumni determined to put conventional wisdom in a full-nelson. Their mission: to restore wrestling to its rightful place in HBCU athletics, not as an afterthought or novelty, but as a vital conduit for student development, leadership training, and upward mobility.
- CIAA Dominance: Morgan State’s wrestling team achieved significant success in the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association), particularly in the 1960s, winning championships in 1963, 1964, and 1965.
- MEAC Era: The program also thrived in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), securing 13 championships under coach James Phillips, who was also named MEAC coach of the year 12 times.
- National Recognition: The Morgan State wrestling program produced four national champions and over 75 All-Americans, highlighting its success at the national level.
- Discontinuation and Revival: Despite its strong history, the program was discontinued in 1997 due to lack of funding. However, in 2021, a major $2.7 million donation from the HBCU Wrestling Initiative and Mike Novogratz led to the program’s revival.
- Return to Division I and the EIWA: The revived program is now the only HBCU competing in Division I wrestling and has joined the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). They recently participated in the EIWA Championships, placing three wrestlers, including a 4th-place finish for Xavier Doolin.
Via Morgan State Athletics - Future Outlook: The return of Morgan State’s wrestling program is a significant step for HBCU wrestling, and the team is looking to build on its past success and make a name for itself in the competitive Division I landscape, according to HBCU Gameday.
For the resurrection that has occurred for Morgan State to be replicated
“The purpose behind this donation is to create access and equity which will serve to further diversify the sport of wrestling by providing opportunities for student-athletes that do not currently exist,” said Edward Scott, Ph.D., vice president and director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Morgan. “We are extremely grateful to Mike Novogratz and HBCU Wrestling for this tremendous contribution to Morgan State University Athletics. This gift is the largest in Morgan athletics history and believed to be one of the largest donations to any HBCU athletics program from a private donor.”
The large cash fertilization of the Morgan State programs is bearing fruit.
Anthony Ferrari, the younger brother of Albert James [AJ] Ferrari, once billed as the #14 recruit in the 2022 class, revved his engine at Oklahoma State, but never left the garage. A high school standout with serious mat mileage, he reached the finals at both Super 32 and the Cadet World Team Trials. In 2019, he racked up impressive wins over future NCAA talent like Josh Edmond, Carter Young, and Caleb Henson.
Ferrari then committed to Iowa and wrestled unattached in the Hawkeye state at both the Luther Open and the Soldier Salute. During his time in Iowa, Ferrari went 8-1. Some of his most relevant results came against potential Hawkeye teammates. He bested Voinovich and Cade Seibrecht, at the Luther Open against Victor, but fell in the Soldier Salute finals to Caleb Rathjen. This was more of a cameo than a crusade, but it was enough to remind fans that he’s still a threat when he laces up.
Ferrari’s 2025 weight class? Still parked in the undecided lane. He had most of his collegiate matches at 149, it is very unlikely he can keep cutting to that. He finished high school competing at 160, so unless he’s discovered a new religion in weight cutting, expect a bump. In his few forays into LIU Wrestling he checked in at 165 pounds. So it look like that will his likeliest home.
In his high school heyday, Ferrari wasn’t just collecting medals, he was collecting souls. He made the finals at both Super 32 and the Cadet World Team Trials, posting wins over names now etched in NCAA brackets: Josh Edmond, Carter Young, and Caleb Henson. (Henson, to his credit, got revenge in the Super 32 finals.) But Ferrari was clearly in the mix early, and despite a winding path through two powerhouse programs, the question remains: what happens when the engine’s finally running at full throttle?
We may find out as soon as he picks a lane. Whether his journey is a slow burn or a detour en route to something bigger remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: the Ferrari brand runs best when it’s actually on the mat.
