This past February, Millikin University's wrestling program took the concept of hosting a match with a unique twist to a new level. The team took center stage for a dual meet against Cornell College on Feb. 11 at Kirkland Fine Arts Center.
In addition to a great NCAA Division III wrestling match, the evening included a speech by wrestling icon Dan Gable and music by Millikin's acclaimed Chamber Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Justison.
The event was developed by Head Coach Ryan Birt, who was hired in February 2015 to restart the program after an eight-year hiatus. "I knew I faced an uphill battle when it came to getting the program noticed," Birt says. "It was an opportunity we wanted to give our student-athletes in our first year back again, trying to promote our sport and make it great."
By promoting the event through social media accounts and engaging the local media, the event drew more than 500 people to Kirkland Fine Arts Center. Following Gable's speech, the percussion ensemble played sports-related music for half an hour. The national anthem was sung under a spotlight before the emcee announced the first match of the night. The music picked up again after each individual bout.
"We're planning to do it again next year, and I'd like to get 1,200 people to attend," Birt says. "I think we can promote it more aggressively within the performing arts community, bringing in people who are interested in the musical side of the evening."
The Millikin wrestling team made a triumphant return to competition this past season as the Big Blue program took to the mats for the first time since 2008. Millikin had several outstanding individual and team performances earning them national attention. In mid-January, the Millikin team had earned a spot in the D3wrestle.com Top 30 national rankings and five Big Blue wrestlers had fought their way to individual national rankings.
Click here to read more about the event in the June/July 2016 issue of Athletic Management Magazine.