Major news hit the collegiate wrestling world Wednesday as The University of Minnesota revealed that J Robinson has been terminated as the head wrestling coach. The official announcement appointed Brandon Eggum as the interim head coach heading into the season. This ended his 30-year long tenure as one of the most prominent coaches in all of college sports.
Robinson’s firing comes in the wake of a drug investigation spanning the last four months. In late May, news broke that multiple members of the Golden Gophers wrestling team we involed in issues surrounding alleged use and sale of Xanax. This end seemed imminent when newly hired athletic director, Mark Coyle, placed Robinson on paid administrative leave as the developments unfolded and more information became public.
The investigation continued into June, when the Hennepin County prosecutor’s office informed the public that charges would not be pressed due to a lack of evidence. Still, there was enough information available to put the school in the position to terminate Robinson’s contract.
“Hennepin County did not charge him,” Johnson said as reported by Marcus Fuller and Joe Christensen of the Star Tribune, “but it was found there were policies violated within the university and it was based on those policies being violated that athletic director Coyle — in consultation with [Kaler], supported widely by Regents — decided that Coach Robinson’s job as wrestling coach ought to be terminated.”
Robinson’s tenure at Minnesota was rich with success. He brought the program three national titles in 2001, 2002 and 2007 and 12 Big Ten Conference championships. He competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics and a multiple time competitor at the World Wrestling Championships; finishing in fourth in 1970 and fifth in 1971.
This is major news that rocks the program as Minnesota was bringing back a team full of experience with growing expectations heading into the 2016 season.