Recruitment program halted

May 14, 2014

By Michael Riley

Head wrestling coach Tim Fader is on paid administrative suspension and all wrestling recruitment related to the UW-Whitewater team has been halted.

The news came in an email sent by Chancellor Richard Telfer at about 11 a.m. May 14, 2014.

Telfer’s message to faculty and staff explained that the suspension involves an incident filed with Whitewater Police Department.

“On Monday [May 12, 2014], I was notified that the Whitewater Police Department is investigating an incident involving an adult-aged recruit for the wrestling team,” Chancellor Telfer wrote.  “This matter is ongoing and I can only share limited information at this time.”

Fader led this year’s team to a 20-3 record that included a third place finish at the NWCA National Dual where they lost to NCAA Champion Wartburg.  He began as head coach in 2004 after six seasons at WIAC rival UW-La Crosse.

In 10 years, he has posted a 117-67-3 record and has been named Coach of the Year twice.  The website, d3wrestle.com, named him their 2014 Coach of the Year.

UW-Whitewater Interim Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Amy Edmonds said Tim Fader would not return until further notice and all UW-Whitewater wrestlers have been asked to refer all questions regarding the situation to her.

Chancellor Telfer asked Assistant Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management Matt Aschenbrener and Center for Students with Disabilities Director Elizabeth Watson to be responsible for the internal investigation into the team’s recruitment practices.

Aschenbrener was unavailable for comment at press time.  Watson, in an email to the Royal Purple, directed questions to Director of Marketing and Media Relations Sara Kuhl.

“The investigation needs to proceed in a fair and balanced way for all concerned,” Kuhl said in an email to the Royal Purple.

Stay tuned to Royal Purple website for updates.