Editor's Note: This is a letter that St. Cloud State coach Steve Costanzo sent to Nebraska-Omaha athletic director Trev Alberts and chancellor John Christensen regarding the proposed dropping of the UNO wrestling program.

March 16, 2011

Dear Mr. Christensen and Mr. Alberts,

It is with great sadness and disappointment that I am writing this letter on behalf of the entire wrestling community. The events surrounding the elimination of the University of Nebraska at Omaha wrestling program will undoubtedly affect future leaders who would have benefited from the discipline, education and structure the sport of wrestling provides.

The real victims of this decision are your student-athletes. As a former University of Nebraska at Omaha student-athlete, I have experienced first-hand over the years the many opportunities the sport of wrestling has created for our young people. Without the sport of wrestling, many young men will not have the opportunity to obtain a college degree and make a difference at your school and in our society.

Let me state emphatically, I understand the concerns universities have with growing expenses and flat revenues. In addition, I am also aware the university has made millions of other budgetary cuts to academic and other programs across campus. However, eliminating the wrestling program is confusing to me in terms of saving money considering the program has worked with the same budget of $21,000 a year since 1980.

Eliminating wrestling and reallocating those funds to help stronger programs in your department is just wrong. You already have the strongest self-funded sport in the country with your wrestling program.  The wrestling program fundraises over 90 percent of their annual budget through tournaments and fundraisers. In addition, the wrestling program annually hosts the largest NCAA wrestling tournament in the country - the Kaufman-Brand Open.

In closing, please give careful reconsideration to retaining collegiate wrestling at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The sport of wrestling builds leaders, character and perseverance to overcome any obstacle in life. Do not let such a strong legacy at UNO be lost forever!!

Respectfully submitted,

Steve S. Costanzo
Head Wrestling Coach
St. Cloud State University
Nebraska-Omaha Class of '96