
Official statement regarding Tarleton State's club wrestling. #TarletonState #BleedPurple
Ty Parker
25 posts


Official statement regarding Tarleton State's club wrestling. #TarletonState #BleedPurple





I am currently a student at Tarleton state and also a part of the wrestling club. I have made life long friends and relationships with my teammates and coaches while being here. They’ve helped me through tremendously hard times, especially when competing at a tournament February 16th, 2025 (my first tournament wearing a Tarleton state singlet) I broke my C6-C7 discs almost severing my spinal cord. My coaches introduced me to fantastic doctors who saved me from becoming paralyzed. This situation has turned so many people’s lives upside down and we are left with nothing but uncertainties on what is next. I along with several other teammates were told that we had been accepted into the PAC-12 conference, the only issue was that our president was not answering his calls, voicemails, or emails contributing to this matter. If nothing else we deserve to know what’s really going on behind closed doors.

Then @TarletonPrez needs to address the comments he made and promises he made, publicly to the team, and privately to donors. It’s been made public that Pac12 officials contacted the president multiple times (along with Tarleton Wrestling staff and donors) to arrange acceptance and imitation of the program… and he went completely ghost. That’s the real story. When the president and athletic department want to speak we can all get closure but you personally cost me 3 years of eligibility.





After raising significant money, building a $1.2 million wrestling facility, securing recruits, finding a conference home in the Pac-12 and laying the groundwork for Division I wrestling (something the university itself committed to), Tarleton State has reportedly pulled the plug on the entire program before it even truly began. Not just D1 wrestling… no club program either. That’s devastating for the athletes, coaches and supporters who invested years into making this happen. Coach Leeth poured enormous time and energy into building something meaningful in Texas, a state that has LONG needed more high-level college wrestling opportunities. Now athletes are left scrambling for new homes late in the cycle, donors and supporters are left stunned, and one of the most exciting potential growth stories for the sport is suddenly gone. A D1 wrestling program in Texas was something the wrestling world should’ve been celebrating and rallying around- not watching disappear before it had the chance to fully take off. Brutal situation all around. 👎🏼 @TarletonState @TarletonWrestle





