“RIP”: Oklahoma Wrestling Bids Farewell to Backbone That Revived Club Last Year

4 min read

Northern Oklahoma College wrestling has lost an instrumental member at the end of the first month of this year. Without him, the Oklahoma wrestling program wouldn’t have made it this far. A key player in making the return of the NOC men’s and women’s wrestler programs is Stillwater-based Todd Glasgow, who has passed away on January 31, 2025.

Not much of a renowned name, Todd was the NOC wrestling program’s funder and was an important part of the donations made in re-establishing and re-building the Oklahoma-based wrestling team. The makeover given by him and other donors now comes again in highlight following his death. It is a tragic loss being experienced by the family and a devastating loss for the Northern Oklahoma College wrestling program.

On the day of his passing, 2021 NWMA wrestling journalist Seth Duckworth, known as MatBoy on Twitter, shared the news of Todd Glasgow’s passing, expressing his sorrow: “Some sad news. Todd Glasgow passed away. Todd was instrumental in bringing back @NOC_Wrestling. Without his fundraising efforts, it never would have happened. Tragic loss for his family and the sport of wrestling in Oklahoma. RIP @glasgow148.”

Todd Glasgow played an important role in bringing back the NOC wrestling program of the Tonkawa campus. Gaining it’s national significance in 1968, it was in 1983 that the wrestling program got discontinued. Losing out on funds, the wrestling program was in search of someone to regain themselves back in the wrestling industry. That’s when Todd came as the first helping hand for the wrestling program.

Had it not been him and his immense efforts in fundraising, the Northern Oklahoma wrestling program wouldn’t have seen this day. But where does his relevance with NOC come from? To those who don’t know, Todd was a former student and a wrestling alum who played a key role in the sport’s reinstatement at NOC. Carrying a past relationship gave him the upper hand in involving himself as well as the other potential donors in reinstating the programs that were being offered before their end.

Some sad news. Todd Glasgow passed away. Todd was instrumental in bringing back @NOC_Wrestling. Without his fundraising efforts, it never would have happened. Tragic loss for his family and the sport of wrestling in Oklahoma. RIP @glasgow148

— MatBoy (@Seth_Duckworth) February 1, 2025

 

Marking on the new establishment, a committee was formed by him that included the interested donors, including him. Other major donations supported the wrestling program, with nearly $200,000 raised by 79 individuals, families, and businesses. All the donors and members involved were recognized for their dedication after the November 2024 wrestling match dual against Carl Albert.

Todd Glasgow reinstated Oklahoma wrestling

Thus, the return of wrestling in NOC Tonkawa came into effect in 2024 after raising the fund. After 30-years of wait, the moment came into play when the NOC men’s wrestling program improved its deprivating conditions and was re-established. Not just men’s, but the donations led forward to the introduction of the women’s wrestling program the same year.

“Coming from the wrestling community, this will be an awesome opportunity for young student athletes from our service areas, especially in northern, north central, and northwestern Oklahoma, to start their collegiate career right here at NOC. We look forward to partnering with our community and regional affiliated wrestling groups to ensure that our programs will be a success,” says Regent Jodi Cline.

With the restructuring done, it was time to rebuild the team, with first-hand selections for both NOC Tonkawa men’s and women’s wrestling program head coaches. Appointed to lead the men’s Oklahoma wrestling program was Bryan Kenney, an acclaimed certified coach under USA Wrestling who has been part of the JJ Pearce High School wrestling program recently. With a commendable 228 career dual wins as a head coach, the numbers can benefit the NOC men’s wrestlers in competition.

On the other side is the women’s wrestling team, appointed head coach Jayden Miller, who will be assisted by Bryan Kenney. Priorly, he was an assistant coach of the Southwestern Oregon Community College, both men’s and women’s wrestling teams. His addition to the NOC women’s team adds a new era and emergence of women in sports, through which Todd Glasgow will be remembered as long as his efforts live on.

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