Wrestler requested weigh-in delay

"Jeff had asked me if he could delay his weigh-in to the following morning. Since (another wrestler) had already certified at that weight class, Jeff knew the team was covered at 153 (pounds)," Assistant Coach Joe McFarland said in a Dec. 12 statement to police, which was obtained by The Detroit News yesterday under a Freedom of Information Act request.

"I reminded Jeff that he would have to be certified this evening as scheduled or would not be able to compete."

Reese, a Kinesiology junior, was trying to shed 17 pounds to compete in the 150-pound weight class. At 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 9, Reese was still 1.7 pounds from his desired weight, the statement to police said. Reese then asked McFarland if he could delay the weigh-in until the next morning, but instead he continued to work out for about 90 minutes while the rest of his team left for dinner.

The statement to police indicates that Reese was wearing a "sauna suit," cotton sweat pants and a blue stocking cap while he rode a stationary bike in a 92-degree room.

He also sat in a sauna twice for two-minute periods. At about 8 p.m., Reese collapsed while making his way toward a scale. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later.

Reese's father said he is still considering suing the University, although Washtenaw County prosectuors already have cleared McFarland of wrongdoing in Reese's death.

"They didn't do all they could or should have to prevent Jeff's death," Ed Reese said. Reese, a junior, also told his girlfriend that he hadn't eaten the day before the workout, the report said.

In the wake of Reese's death, the Athletic Department formed a task force to look into changes in the wrestling program. The task force first announced seven recommended changes to the program in December, including banning the use of rubber suits.

Yesterday, the task force met again and recommended that there be a re-evaluation of existing weight classes to make the sport safer. In addition to weight-assessment and monitoring, the task force also discussed how to educate individuals involved in the program in hopes of making the sport safer on all fronts.

Neurosurgeon Stephen Papadopoulos, a member of the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics, said current weight classes may not accommodate today's wrestlers since guidelines were set decades ago.

"We probably need more weight classes and the weight classes need to be changed," Papadopoulos said.

Athletic Director Tom Goss said doctors and members of the board will meet with Michigan wrestlers, coaches and trainers as early as Tuesday to outline the new weight-assessment and monitoring practices the University already approved.

"We are going to be with these guys at practice and we want to support them all the way, but we are not there to police them," Goss said.

"This is still a tough time, and people tend to forget there was a death involved here, but this board is going to support those guys, and make their sport safer for them,"

Goss said. "We want to do this right."

Before Reese's death, there were two other collegiate wrestlers who died while trying to cut weight. Both Billy Saylor from Campbell University in North Carolina and Joseph LaRosa from the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse died after vigorous workouts.

"We need to do some education of our coaching staff, administrators and student athletes about weight loss, practice, nutrition and healthy competition," Papadopoulos said.

He said although the process of making the Michigan wrestling program safer has begun, the changes are "fairly complex" to implement because they involve a great deal of fine-tuning before they will be completely efficient.

Michigan wrestler Brandon Howe said the team is pleased with the changes and looks forward to competing with the new modifications.

"Some of the things may take a little time to get used to," said Howe, a former All-America wrestler and Kinesiology senior. "But if guys aren't tired from cutting weight, then not only does the sport become safer, but it becomes more exciting, too."

Howe said he hopes the additional changes in the Michigan program set a national precedent.

In order for the weight class recommendations to take effect, Papadopoulos said changes will have to be made at the national level. He said University officials will give input to the NCAA's wrestling rules committee before its April meeting.

On Tuesday, the NCAA adopted a series of regulations to improve wrestling safety, several of which corresponded with recently approved changes at the University.

"I'm proud of the initiative taken by the University and this board," Papadopoulos said. "We have really moved with great speed and I feel now we can look and say, 'At Michigan we have safety in collegiate wrestling.'"

Engineering senior and crew team member Michelle Wolbert, who serves as a student representative on the Board in Control, said the Athletic Department's steps coincide with plans she and other student-athletes have been working on for several months.

Wolbert said a significant number of collegiate competitors struggle with eating disorders and are concerned they will be prohibited from competing if they have weight problems. Wolbert said nutritionists could play a more integral role in the wrestling program along with all other collegiate athletic programs.

Goss said the plans offer a form of optimism to a sport that recently has been marred with tragedy.

Goss said the changes will be in writing by this afternoon.