Franklin & Marshall Wrestling is one of the oldest and most successful sports at the College, and to this day wrestling is the College’s only NCAA Division I program. In January 2024, F&M celebrated the 100th anniversary of wrestling as an intercollegiate sport — a historic milestone that coincided with the creation of the Franklin & Marshall College Wrestling Scholarship Endowment.

Beginning in 2022, changes to NCAA regulations mean that multi-divisional institutions like F&M can now provide athletic scholarships to students participating in Division I sports (prior rules prohibited F&M, which conducts most of its sports in Division III, from offering athletic scholarships).

These new wrestling scholarships will prove transformative, empowering F&M to recruit and retain the most academically and athletically talented students; strategically assemble a roster across weight classes; and compete with wealthier institutions for the most selective student-athletes and their families.

F&M Wrestling enjoys the support of some of the College's most loyal alumni, including F&M Trustee and the program's greatest advocate, David H. Lehman, Ph.D. ’68, P’01. In 2014, Lehman made a historic gift to F&M Wrestling, endowing the program in perpetuity. Each year, the College hosts the David H. Lehman F&M Open to recognize his support for F&M, Diplomat Athletics and the College’s historic wrestling program.

To date, F&M has secured more than $982,000 toward the College's goal of $1.6 million for the F&M Wrestling Scholarship Endowment, including leadership gifts from Carl E. Becker II, M.D. ’87, P’16, P’19; Rich Johnson ’68; Lane D. Schultz, Ph.D. ’66, P’96, G’26; and George Schnyder ’66. Gifts to the program have the potential to be matched with even more funding: When F&M secures $1.1 million in wrestling scholarship endowment commitments, an additional $500,000 for the endowment will be given by Lehman and fellow trustees Ray Sanseverino ’68; Ken Mehlman ’88; and Matt DesChamps ’93, P’28.

Hear from members of the Franklin & Marshall Wrestling community to learn what inspires them to support this historic initiative and the potential that athletic scholarships hold for recruiting and retaining student-athletes:

“F&M Wrestling enabled me to attend the school and afford to go. It helped me to achieve my occupational goals of becoming an orthopedic surgeon — and after wrestling at F&M, everything else in life was easy!”

- Carl E. Becker II, M.D. ’87, P’16

 

“Between  coaching and refereeing for over 30 years at the high school and university levels, I’ve made many friends and acquaintances through wrestling that have positively affected my life, both socially and professionally. Many of those acquaintances and friendships have been majorly responsible for my business success; without the college wrestling experience, it’s quite likely that that success would have taken on a very different direction. I’m very grateful for my F&M wrestling experience.”

- George H. Schnyder ’66

“The F&M wrestling experience is unlike anything else and forms a bond that lasts a lifetime. One learns the value of teamwork, sacrifice, dedication and true commitment. I support the F&M Wrestling Endowment because of my own experience and so the wrestling program will continue to grow, thrive and provide student-athletes with the positive lifetime lessons gained from the wrestling program that added so much to my incredible F&M experience.”

- Rich Johnson ’68

“The world of college wrestling is changing quickly; [F&M is] the only non-Ivy League and non-military academy Division I program that doesn't currently offer scholarships. The F&M Wrestling Scholarship Endowment will ensure we stay competitive within our conference, recruit additional talent and help close the gap between our financial aid and what families may be able to afford.”

- Mike Rogers, W. Roy Phillips ’34 Wrestling Coach at Franklin & Marshall