Why are there pigtail matches at nationals?

[seeyajohn]

It has been a pet peeve of mine for some time that there are pigtail matches wrestled at the NCAA Tournament. The choice to have 33 wrestlers at each weight class versus 32 seems to create an unnecessary issue..

Why does this strange situation exist?

 

[androcles]

...in case someone gets hurt in practice they still have a 32- man bracket...

 

[dmm53]

Might have started to mimic NCAA basketball which arguably did it to add money (commercials and extra day of competition). NCAA basketball now invites a whopping 68 teams to its tournament -- that's way too many.

 

[ccdiver]

I don't know for certain; however, it may be in some way connected to the fact that Division II champion used to advance to the DI tournament.

 

[LorenzoFan]

Back when there were true wild cards there were 330 wrestlers in the meet. Some weights had several more than 32 some had Several less than 32 . When the new allotment system was created, they still stuck with the 330 but divided it equally over the 10 classes

 

[seeyajohn]

So, it started for some reason. But why not change it next year to the logical allotment of 32. Although extremely unlikely, it is possible in a close team race that getting a pin or even a win in a pigtail could decide the team champion.

I just can’t come up with a good reason for the 33rd participant.

 

[nitlion6]

So, it started for some reason. But why not change it next year to the logical allotment of 32. Although extremely unlikely, it is possible in a close team race that getting a pin or even a win in a pigtail could decide the team champion.

I just can’t come up with a good reason for the 33rd participant.

I just can't come up with a good and logical reason a sport that has endured numerous cuts from non wrestling administrators would ever self inflict a single additional cut onto itself.
Just saying

 

[LorenzoFan]

Why reduce it? The NCAA is willing to pick up the tab to have 330 wrestlers go to Cleveland or St Loius or where ever. Let them!

 

[NoVa Lion]

I just can't come up with a good and logical reason a sport that has endured numerous cuts from non wrestling administrators would ever self inflict a single additional cut onto itself.
Just saying

+1,000

 

[RoarLions1]

After the NCAA ditched the variable number of wrestlers per weight class in 2009 (I believe that's right), and went with 33 wrestlers PER WEIGHT CLASS, I contacted the NCAA, and got the answer below. Remember, before 2009, it was still a TOTAL of 330, but different numbers for each weight class.

" According to a member of the NCAA Wrestling Committee the number to think about is 330, not 33. When the new qualifier system was put in place and the wild-card (now at-large) selections were no longer chosen by conferences the overall number of qualifiers (330) became evenly distributed across the ten weight classes. That number of qualifiers is determined by a percentage of how many Division I schools have wrestling. Though there has been some contraction the number of qualifiers is, for now, safe."

Appears, even with fewer programs, they've stuck with 330 (or 33x10).

 

[BruceK-PSU83]

After the NCAA ditched the variable number of wrestlers per weight class in 2009 (I believe that's right), and went with 33 wrestlers PER WEIGHT CLASS, I contacted the NCAA, and got the answer below. Remember, before 2009, it was still a TOTAL of 330, but different numbers for each weight class.

" According to a member of the NCAA Wrestling Committee the number to think about is 330, not 33. When the new qualifier system was put in place and the wild-card (now at-large) selections were no longer chosen by conferences the overall number of qualifiers (330) became evenly distributed across the ten weight classes. That number of qualifiers is determined by a percentage of how many Division I schools have wrestling. Though there has been some contraction the number of qualifiers is, for now, safe."

Appears, even with fewer programs, they've stuck with 330 (or 33x10).

That's a reason, just not a good one IMO. Thanks for the info though.