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OREM, Utah — Utah Valley University head wrestling coach, Greg Williams, has announced that he will retire following the upcoming 2023-24 campaign, his 18th season leading the program. "Working at UVU has been a wonderful experience for me and my family. We are grateful for the opportunities provided at this progressive institution," remarked Williams. "It has been an amazing experience working with the outstanding student-athletes that have come through the program. I also am very appreciative of the current coaching staff (Ethen Lofthouse and Erkin Tadzhimetov). Working with these two men, whose commitment, dedication and wrestling knowledge would be hard to match, have truly been a blessing. I want to thank President Tuminez, Dr. Sumsion, and all the other athletic administration and staff that have been so supportive of this program." Only the second coach in the program's 20-year history, Williams has led the Wolverines to over 100 dual victories and five NCAA All-America honors. He took over the program in May of 2006 with three years remaining in the school's transition from junior college to D1 status. He coached through a stint in the Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) before leading the program through its transition to the Big 12 Conference. "I am deeply grateful to Coach Williams for nearly two decades of building our program and mentoring our outstanding wrestlers. He leaves behind a major legacy," said UVU President Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez. "Personally, it has been a delight for me to support him and the entire team." "Greg Williams has poured his heart and soul into this program and we're grateful and appreciative of the mark he and his family will have left on Utah Valley University wrestling," said UVU Athletic Director Dr. Jared Sumsion. "His dedication to developing these young men as student-athletes and for preparing them for life after wrestling is extraordinary. I know he's looking forward to spending more time with his wife, Kristin, and their daughters' families and grandchildren, and we wish them the best in retirement. The Williams family will forever be a part of Utah Valley wrestling." During the 14 years of the Wolverine's post-season eligibility, Williams coached the first five All-Americans in program history, including all-time wins leader Ben Kjar, who became the first to achieve the feat when he reached the semifinals and placed fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2011. Jade Rauser (2016), Tate Orndorff (2020), Taylor LaMont (2021), and Demetrius Romero (2021) also earned All-America status under Williams' tutelage. In 2021, LaMont and Romero became the first multiple semifinalists and All-Americans in the same season in program history. In all, 45 NCAA qualifiers have come out of the program in the 14 years of post-season Williams has coached. The first three came in the very first year of post-season eligibility in 2010 as Kjar, Flint Ray and Brad Darrington all earned berths and won matches at the NCAA Championships. Williams has also coached three four-time NCAA qualifiers in Rauser, LaMont and Romero. In the 2015-16 season, Williams led the Wolverines into a new era as the program joined the Big 12 Conference, consistently the second toughest conference in the country (usually trailing only the Big 10 in NCAA qualifiers and All-Americans each year). During the first year in its new conference, UVU knocked off No. 18 Oregon State, earning them the program's first-ever votes in the top 25 polls. During the Big 12 era, Williams and his staff coached Romero to two Big 12 titles. In 2021, the year of Romero's second title, UVU had multiple finalists for the first time the same year at the Big 12 Championships when LaMont also made it to the championship bout. In total, UVU has had eight conference champions, the two Romero won at the Big 12's and Ray (2x), Josh Wilson, Adam Fager, Avery Garner and Rauser all in the WWC. With a philosophy to compete against the top teams every year, to provide the wrestlers more opportunities to prepare for post-season, the program consistently faced a tough schedule under Williams' leadership. In the 14 years of post season eligibility, the program wrestled 59 ranked teams. Seven times the Wolverines upset top ranked teams, with one top 10 win over No. 8 Boise State, three top 15 wins, and four top 20 wins. The success against ranked teams stood out during the 2018-19 season. After losing a close 19-18 match to No. 12 Nebraska in its opening weekend, UVU defeated No. 15 Big 10 foe Rutgers later that day, winning seven of the 10 matches for a 24-14 win. The team later went on to defeat another Big 10 opponent, No. 13 Purdue, also winning seven of 10 matches for a 28-11 win. In all, the Wolverines wrestled 10 ranked teams that year, including five Big 10 programs and ACC powerhouse NC State. Williams' strategy seemed to pay off that year as the program earned its first top 25 ranking, reaching as high as No. 21 during the season. They also set a program record with six NCAA qualifiers and finished with a school best 6th place finish at the Big 12 Championships. "Some highlights for me when I look back at my time here will be how our student-athletes' consistently represented our school, our program and themselves with integrity, their ability to respond to tough schedules and obstacles throughout each season to be prepared for post-season, our academic successes and our mentor program," Williams stated. Academically, Williams' teams have consistently excelled among the best in the country. His wrestlers have earned 119 Academic All-Conference awards overall, with 97 earned from the Big 12, and 52 Commissioner's Honor Roll recognitions. His teams have earned 14 National Wrestling Coaches Association Team Academic Awards including nine top 10 and five top six recognitions. Individually, Williams' student-athletes have earned 43 NWCA Scholar All-America honors including one Elite 90 recipient (top GPA of all NCAA qualifiers) when Matt Findlay was awarded the honor in 2019. In 2016, with the help of a close friend of the program, Williams helped establish the UVU Wrestling Mentor program. Top level professionals were recruited from various career fields to mentor and provide opportunities to all the wrestlers going out in similar careers. Mentors gave talks to the team, in addition to setting up job shadowing, networking, internships and job interviews for their wrestler. The mentor program has been instrumental in providing career opportunities for dozens of the wrestling program's student-athletes. "We have never looked at our student-athletes as just wrestlers," Williams said. "Our goal has always been to develop these young men in all areas of their lives. I will be moving on with confidence that the program will continue to grow and reach new heights. It will be my plan, along with my family, to continue to support UVU in general and specifically the wrestling program in any way that we can. We look forward to the future successes of both".

We’re less than a week away from the 2023 Senior World Championships, so it’s time to unveil our previews for the event. We’ll go in order of the competition and hit half of the weights one day and the other half the following day. The tournament will start off hot with the men’s freestyle competition. In 2022, our team earned medals at eight of ten weights; half of which were gold. That performance propelled the American squad to a team title, as well. Will the 2023 team be able to repeat? This year’s team is extremely talented, however, six of the ten representatives will be wrestling in their first Senior World Championships. The elephant in the room is whether or not perennial power Russia will be able to compete. As of noon on September 12th, Russia has submitted entries. In order for the Russian team to wrestle, there will need to be third-party checks done on each team member before September 15th. For the sake of this preview, they have been included; however, this is a fluid situation and they may be a last-minute scratch as the tournament starts Saturday. With that out of the way, here are the entries at each of the last five weights, along with some of their notable achievements, pre-seeds, information on the American entry, and 2022 medalists. Here is Part One of our Men's Freestyle Preview (57kg-74kg) 79 kg Andrei KARPACH (AIN - BLR) - 2018 European Bronze Medalist Chems FETAIRIA (ALG) - 2022 African Champion Francisco KADIMA (ANG) - 2x African Bronze Medalist Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) - 2x U23 World Bronze Medalist, 3x European 5th Place Orkhan ABASOV (AZE) - 2021 European U23 Silver Medalist, 2x Junior World Bronze Medalist Mihail GEORGIEV (BUL) - 2019 European U23 Bronze Medalist Jasmit PHULKA (CAN) - 2023 Pan-American Silver Medalist Peilong LI (CHN) Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) - 2022 U23 World Champion, 2x European U23 Medalist (2,3) Sachin MOR (IND) Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) - 2x World Silver Medalist, 2019 U23 World Silver Medalist Yuto MIWA (JPN) Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) - 2023 Asian Champion, 2018 World 7th Place Gunwoo LEE (KOR) - 2023 Asian 11th Place Alans AMIROVS (LAT) - 2021 European Bronze Medalist Raul PALACIOS (MEX) Byambadorj BAT ERDENE (MGL) - 2019 U23 World Bronze Medalist Stefan DIMITROV (MKD) Krisztian BIRO (ROU) - 2023 European U23 Bronze Medalist Akhmed Usmanov (AIN - RUS) - 2016 Junior World Silver Medalist Zaur EFENDIEV (SRB) - 2021 World 21st Place Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) - 2021 European Champion, 2017 U23 World Silver Medalist Shuhrat BOZOROV (TJK) - 2023 Asian 5th Place Gurbanmyrat OVEZBERDIYEV (TKM) - 2022 Asian 5th Place Ramazan SARI (TUR) - 2x U23 World Medalist (2,3) Vasyl MYKHAILOV (UKR) - 2023 European Champion, 2022 World Bronze Medalist Iman MAHDAVI (UWW) - 2023 European 12th Place 79 kg Pre-Seeds #1 Mohammad NOKHODI (IRI) #2 Vladimeri GAMKRELIDZE (GEO) #3 Arman AVAGYAN (ARM) #4 Chandler MARSTELLER (USA) #5 Bolat SAKAYEV (KAZ) #6 Akhsarbek GULAEV (SVK) #7 Deepak DEEPAK (IND) #8 Peilong LI (CHN) Past World/Olympic Medalists (Senior Level Only): (2) Mohammad Nokhodi (IRI), Vasyl Mykhailov (UKR) The American Entry: Chance Marsteller One of the shockers from Final X was Chance Marsteller ousting Jordan Burroughs from his perch atop the 79 kg weight class. Not only domestically, but internationally. Burroughs had won each of the last two world titles at the weight. Marsteller’s win was far from a fluke and he could have won all three of their matches in Newark, aside from a controversial penalty point for a singlet pull in the first bout. Marsteller’s ascension to the top of the 79 kg weight class is one of perseverance. Once considered the top wrestler in the high school Class of 2014 (one that included Kyle Snyder), Marsteller transferred from Oklahoma State to Lock Haven and earned All-American honors, all the while battling addiction issues in college and afterward. Now Marsteller is fulfilling the potential that most saw in him over a decade ago. Marsteller earned the opportunity to wrestle Burroughs in Final X after grinding through a loaded US Open bracket that included wins over David McFadden and Alex Dieringer. After locking up his spot on the world team, Marsteller wrestled in the Hungarian Ranking Series event and suffered a 10-0 loss to Burrough’s finals opponent from 2021 and 2022, Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (Iran). Marsteller rebounded to take bronze after downing 2018 World silver medalist Avtandil Kentchadze (Georgia). 2022 World Championship Medalists Gold: Jordan Burroughs (USA) Silver: Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (Iran) Bronze: Arslan Budazhapov (Kyrgyzstan) Bronze: Vasil Mikhailov (Ukraine) 86 kg Rasul TSIKHAYEU (AIN) - 2020 European Bronze Medalist Jayden LAWRENCE (AUS) - 4x Oceania Champion Benjamin GREIL (AUT) - 2023 European 8th Place, 2022 World 13th Place Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) - 2021 World Bronze Medalist, 2022 European Silver Medalist Magomed SHARIPOV (BRN) - 2023 Asian Bronze Medalist Ilia HRISTOV (BUL) - 2022 European U23 Bronze Medalist Alexander MOORE (CAN) - 2023 Pan-American Silver Medalist, 2019 U23 World 8th Place Zushen LIN (CHN) - 2023 Asian 5th Place, 2020 Olympic 7th Place Carlos IZQUIERDO (COL) - 2x Pan-American Bronze Medalist, 2020 Olympic 12th Place Matteo MONTEIRO (CPV) - 2023 African 7th Place Yurieski TORREBLANCA (CUB) - 2017 World 8th Place, 4x Pan-American Champion Taimuraz FRIEV (ESP) - 2018 World Bronze Medalist Aimar ANDRUSE (EST) - 2022 World 13th Place Rakhim MAGAMADOV (FRA) - 2x U20 World Champion Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) - 2019 U23 World Champion Lars SCHAEFLE (GER) - 2023 European 9th Place, 2021 U23 World Bronze Medalist Patrik PUESPOEKI (HUN) - 2022 World 25th Place Sandeep Singh MANN (IND) - 2021 Asian 7th Place Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) - 2x Olympic Medalist (1,2), 3x World Champion Matthew FINESILVER (ISR) - 2023 European 5th Place William RAFFI (ITA) - 2x European U23 10th Place Erzo ISAKOV (JOR) - 2023 Asian U23 6th Place Hayato ISHIGURO (JPN) - 2019 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2018 Junior World Champion, 2023 Asian Bronze Medalist Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) - 2022 World Bronze Medalist, 2017 U23 World Silver Medalist, 2x Asian Champion Mark ONGUYESI (KEN) - 2021 World 25th Place Narbek IZABEKOV (KGZ) Deakyu KANG (KOR) Ivars SAMUSONOKS (LAT) - 2021 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2x European 5th Place Domantas PAULIUSCENKO (LTU) - 2023 European 16th Place Roman MANITRA RAHARISON (MAD) - 2023 African 5th Place Sofiane PADIOU BELMIR (MAR) - 2023 African 5th Place Ivan ICHIZLI (MDA) - 2022 U23 World Bronze Medalist Noel TORRES (MEX) Bat Erdene BYAMBASUREN (MGL) - 2023 Asian 7th Place Dejan MITROV (MKD) - 2022 World 14th Place Muhammad INAM (PAK) - 2015 Asian 5th Place Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) - 2x European Bronze Medalist, 2022 World 5th Place Ethan RAMOS (PUR) - 2022 World 5th Place Andrei FRANT (ROU) Arslan BAGAEV (AIN - RUS) - 2019 Cadet World Silver Medalist Myles AMINE (SMR) - 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist, 2022 European Champion Sanjith BAPTIST (SRI) Stefan REICHMUTH (SUI) - 2019 World Bronze Medalist Boris MAKOEV (SVK) - 2x World Medalist (2,3), 2020 European Bronze Medalist Yanaal BARAZE (SYR) Dovletmyrat ORAZGYLYJOV (TKM) - 2018 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2019 Asian U23 Silver Medalist Osman GOCEN (TUR) - 2019 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2020 Olympic 9th Place Ivan MASAKWE (UGA) - 2023 African 9th Place Vladyslav PRUS (UKR) - 2023 European U23 5th Place Javrail SHAPIEV (UZB) - 2020 Olympic 5th Place, 2018 Asian 5th Place Pedro CEBALLOS (VEN) - 2x Pan-American Silver Medalist 86 kg Pre-Seeds #1 Sebastian JEZIERZANSKI (POL) #2 Boris MAKOEV (SVK) #3 Azamat DAULETBEKOV (KAZ) #4 Myles Nazem AMINE (SMR) #5 Hassan YAZDANI (IRI) #6 Abubakr ABAKAROV (AZE) #7 David Morris TAYLOR III (USA) #8 Tariel GAPHRINDASHVILI (GEO) Past World/Olympic Medalists (Senior Level Only): (7) Abubakr Abakarov (AZE), Taimuraz Friev (ESP), Hassan Yazdani (IRI), Azamat Dauletbekov (KAZ), Myles Amine (SMR), Boris MAKOEV (SVK), David Taylor (USA) The American Entry: David Taylor One of the best rivalries in international wrestling, over the past five years, has been David Taylor and Hassan Yazdani (Iran) at 86 kg. If all works out, we could see another chapter in the 2023 world finals. Taylor comes in as the seventh seed, while Yazdani is the five. I don’t imagine either wrestler is particularly worried about the actual seeds. Taylor has gotten the best of Yazdani with wins in the World and Olympic finals in 2020(1) and 2022. Yazdani returned the favor a few months after the Olympic Games with his third world title in 2021. In addition to Taylor/Yazdani, the bracket is expected to include five other past world/Olympic medalists (Senior level). There are also some talented wrestlers with accolades at the age-group level who could be ready to take the next step up in competition (Rakhim Magamadov - France; Arslan Bagaev - Russia). Taylor earned a spot on the 2023 world team after defeating fellow Penn State star Aaron Brooks at Final X. Despite the familiarity between the two, Taylor was able to post a 6-0 win in match one, but surviving a one-point bout in match two. 2022 World Championship Medalists Gold: David Taylor (USA) Silver: Hassan Yazdani (IRI) Bronze: Azamat Dauletbekov (KAZ) Bronze: Boris Makoev (SVK) 92kg Hajy RAJABAU (AIN - BLR) - 2021 European Bronze Medalist Artunes PEDRO (ANG) Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) - 2x World Bronze Medalist, 2023 European Silver Medalist Akhmed MAGAMAEV(BUL) - 2x World 9th Place, 2020 European 5th Place Tejvir BOAL (CAN) - 2022 U23 World 10th Place Xiao SUN (CHN) - 2019 Asian Bronze Medalist Arturo SILOT (CUB) - 2x Pan-American Silver Medalist Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) - 2x European Bronze Medalist, 2022 European U23 Bronze Medalist Balazs JUHASZ (HUN) Pruthviraj PATIL (IND) - 2021 Junior World Bronze Medalist Amirali AZARPIRA (IRI) - 2x U23 World Champion Uri KALASHNIKOV (ISR) - 2022 European 5th Place, 2023 U23 World 10th Place Abdul ABUIDAIJ (JOR) - 2023 Asian 12th Place Arash YOSHIDA (JPN) - 2023 Asian Champion Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) - 2023 U20 World Silver Medalist, 2x Asian U23 Champion Dan CHEPTAI (KEN) - 2023 African 5th Place Woomin JANG (KOR) - 2023 Asian 11th Place Ion DEMIAN (MDA) - 2023 European U23 10th Place Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) - 2x Asian Bronze Medalist, 2018 U23 World Bronze Medalist Michal BIELAWSKI (POL) - 2021 U23 World 15th Place Magomed KURBANOV (AIN - RUS) - 2021 World Silver Medalist, 2021 European Champion Ermak KARDANOV (SVK) - 2023 European Bronze Medalist Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) - 2x European Champion, 2022 U23 World Bronze Medalist Denys SAHALIUK (UKR) Rustam SHODIEV (UZB) - 2022 Asian U23 Silver Medalist, 2021 U23 World 5th Place 92 kg Pre-Seeds #1 Miriani MAISURADZE (GEO) #2 Osman NURMAGOMEDOV (AZE) #3 Gankhuyag GANBAATAR (MGL) #4 Feyzullah AKTURK (TUR) #5 Rizabek AITMUKHAN (KAZ) #6 Matthew Phillip FINESILVER (ISR) #7 Zahid VALENCIA (USA) #8 Ermak KARDANOV (SVK) Past World/Olympic Medalists (Senior Level Only): (2) Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE), Magomed Kurbanov (AIN - RUS) The American Entry: Zahid Valencia Perhaps the most unlikely member of the 2023 men’s freestyle squad is Zahid Valencia at 92 kg. Not because of his talent, but because of his weight class. Valencia made Final X last year at 86 kg opposite David Taylor. He intended on meeting Taylor again but was upset at the US Open by Aaron Brooks. Since 92 kg didn’t have a returning world medalist competing, the winner of the Open advanced to Final X, while his opponent would be decided at the World Team Trials. Valencia bumped up to 92 kg and crushed the field to book a series in Newark with Mike Macchaivello. Valencia posted a pair of comfortable (8-0, 9-2) wins over the Open champion to make his first world team. Valencia has been close in the past and now has competed three times at Final X and each time at a different weight (Also at 79 kg in 2018 and fell to Kyle Dake). After Final X, Valencia headed to Hungary for the Ranking Series event, which he won, as well. In the process, Valencia downed 2022 World bronze medalist Miriani Maisuradze (Georgia). With his limited, yet impressive results at this weight and the fact that 92 kg, like other non-Olympic weights, is smaller than other brackets, don’t be surprised to see Valencia on the podium. 2022 World Championship Medalists Gold: Kamran Ghasempour (IRI) Silver: J’den Cox (USA) Bronze: Miriani Maisuradze (GEO) Bronze: Osman Nurmagomedov (AZE) 97kg Aliaksandr HUSHTYN (AIN - BLR) - 2021 World 5th Place, 3x European Silver Medalist Sergey SARGSYAN (ARM) - 2022 U20 World Bronze Medalist, 2023 European U23 Bronze Medalist Thomas BARNS (AUS) - 2023 Oceania Champion Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) - 2022 World Bronze Medalist, 2022 European Champion Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) - 2023 Asian Champion Ahmed BATAEV (BUL) - 2022 World 5th Place, 2022 European Silver Medalist Nishan Preet RANDHAWA (CAN) - 2023 Pan-American Bronze Medalist Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) - 2023 Asian Silver Medalist Carlos ANGULO (COL) Maxwell LACEY (CRC) - 2020 Pan-American Champion Mostafa ELDERS (EGY) - 2023 African Champion Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) - 2022 World Bronze Medalist, 2018 U23 World Champion, 2023 European Champion Erik THIELE (GER) - 2022 European 5th Place Vlagyiszlav BAJCAJEV (HUN) - 2022 World 5th Place, 2018 European Champion SAHIL (IND) - 2023 Asian U23 Bronze Medalist Mojtaba GOLEIJ (IRI) - 2021 World Bronze Medalist, 2020 Asian Champion, 2x U23 World Champion Benjamin HONIS (ITA) - 2023 European 5th Place Takashi ISHIGURO (JPN) - 2021 Asian Bronze Medalist Alisher YERGALI (KAZ) - 2022 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2x Asian Silver Medalist Jaegang KIM (KOR) - 2013 Asian Champion, 2017 World 8th Place Lukas KRASAUSKAS (LTU) - 2021 World 14th Place Radu LEFTER (MDA) - 2021 U23 World Silver Medalist, 2021 European U23 Silver Medalist Badamdorj BALTMUNKH (MGL) Magomedgadji NUROV (MKD) - 2019 World Bronze Medalist, 2020 Olympic 9th Place Zbigniew BARANOWSKI (POL) - 2019 European Silver Medalist Nicolaas DE LANGE (RSA) - 2022 African Silver Medalist, 2021 U20 World Bronze Medalist Abdulrashid SADULAEV (AIN - RUS) - 2x Olympic Champion, 5x World Champion Strahinja DESPIC (SRB) - 2022 World 17th Place Samuel SCHERRER (SUI) - 2x European Silver Medalist Utah MANN (TGA) - 2023 Oceania 4th Place Shatlyk HEMELYAYEV (TKM) - 2x Asian U23 5th Place Ibrahim CIFTCI (TUR) - 2023 European Bronze Medalist, 2017 Junior World Bronze Medalist Murazi MCHEDLIDZE (UKR) - 2017 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2x European 5th Place Magomed IBRAGIMOV (UZB) - 2020 Olympic 11th Place, 2018 World 5th Place 97 kg Pre-Seeds #1 Kyle SNYDER (USA) #2 Magomedkhan MAGOMEDOV (AZE) #3 Givi MATCHARASHVILI (GEO) #4 Vladislav BAJCAJEV (HUN) #5 Benjamin HONIS (ITA) #6 Awusayiman HABILA (CHN) #7 Erik THIELE (GER) #8 Akhmed TAZHUDINOV (BRN) Past World/Olympic Medalists (Senior Level Only): (6) Magomedkhan Magomedov (AZE), Givi Matcharashvili (GEO), Mojtaba Goleij (IRI), Magomedgadji Nurov (MKD), Abdulrashid Sadulaev (AIN - RUS), Kyle Snyder (USA) The American Entry: Kyle Snyder Earlier we mentioned Taylor/Yazdani as one of the best rivalries in international wrestling. The 97 kg one isn’t so shabby either. With Russian athletes expected to compete (as of Tuesday), we could get another edition of Kyle Snyder versus Abdulrashid Sadualev at 97 kg. Both were young in 2016 and captured Olympic gold medals (Sadualev at 86 kg). The following year Sadualev moved up to 97 and was stunned by Snyder in the world finals. Since then, Sadulaev has owned the rivalry. With Russia being prohibited from competing last year, the two were unable to meet at the 2022 World Championships. That allowed Snyder to claim his fourth World/Olympic gold medal. American fans missed out on their most recent opportunity to see Snyder compete on home soil as he did not wrestle at Final X. His series against two-time world champion J’den Cox was expected to be one of the marquee attractions; however, a late injury to Cox forced him to forfeit. Snyder did get a tune-up for Worlds by winning the Ranking Series event in Hungary. Snyder’s first bout proved to be his toughest as he notched a one-point win over 2022 World Bronze Medalist Givi Matcharashvili (Georgia) along the way. Snyder enters as the top seed. We’ll have to see where Sadulaev is drawn into the bracket before predicting another finals clash. 2022 World Championship Medalists Gold: Kyle Snyder (USA) Silver: Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK) Bronze: Givi Matcharashvili (GEO) Bronze: Magomedkhan Magomedov (AZE) 125kg Dzianis KHRAMIANKOU (AIN - BLR) - 2x U23 World Medalist (2,3) Paris KAREPI (ALB) - 2022 European 10th Place Catriel MURIEL (ARG) - 4x Pan-American Bronze Medalist Johannes LUDESCHER (AUT) - 2018 European 5th Place Giorgi MESHVILDISHVILI (AZE) - 2023 European Bronze Medalist Islam ADIZOV (BUL) - 2021 European 11th Place Bali SOU (CAM) - 2023 Asian U23 Bronze Medalist Zhiwei DENG (CHN) - 2x World Medalist (2,3), 2019 Asian Silver Medalist Diaaeldin ABDELMOTTALEB (EGY) - 4x African Champion, 2x Olympian Jose CUBA (ESP) Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) - 3x World Champion, 2x Olympic Medalist (2,3), 7x World Medalist Gennadij CUDINOVIC (GER) - 2020 Olympic 8th Place Daniel LIGETI (HUN) - 2x European Bronze Medalist SUMIT (IND) - 2019 Asian Bronze Medalist Amir Hossein ZARE (IRI) - 2021 World Champion, 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist, 2022 World Bronze Medalist Abraham CONYEDO (ITA) - 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist, 2020 European Bronze Medalist Aaron JOHNSON (JAM) - 2023 Pan-American Bronze Medalist Taiki YAMAMOTO (JPN) - 2017 Asian Bronze Medalist Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) - 2020 Asian Champion, 2019 U23 World Bronze Medalist Joel TUKAI (KEN) Aiaal LAZAREV (KGZ) - 2015 Asian Champion, 2x Olympian Donghwan KIM (KOR) - 2019 Asian Bronze Medalist Eduardo GARCIA (MEX) Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) - 2x World Medalist (2,3), 2023 Asian Champion Robert BARAN (POL) - 2x European Silver Medalist Jonovan SMITH (PUR) Abdulla Kurbanov (AIN - RUS) Magomedgadzhi NURASULOV (SRB) - 2022 European 5th Place, 2012 Junior World Champion Oma SAREM (SYR) Zyyamuhammet SAPAROV (TKM) - 2023 Asian U23 Champion Taha AKGUL (TUR) - 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2x Olympic Medalist (1,3), 3x World Champion, 7x World Medalist Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) - 2019 World Bronze Medalist, 3x European Bronze Medalist, 2x Olympian Sardorbek KHOLMATOV (UZB) - 2x Asian 5th Place Jose DIAZ (VEN) - 2016 Pan-American Champion 125 kg Pre-Seeds #1 Taha AKGUL (TUR) #2 Geno PETRIASHVILI (GEO) #3 Lkhagvagerel MUNKHTUR (MGL) #4 Daniel LIGETI (HUN) #5 Amir Hossein Abbas ZARE (IRI) #6 Yusup BATIRMURZAEV (KAZ) #7 Robert BARAN (POL) #8 Oleksandr KHOTSIANIVSKYI (UKR) Past World/Olympic Medalists (Senior Level Only): (7) Zhiwei Deng (CHN), Geno Petriashvili (GEO), Amir Hossein Zare (IRI), Abraham Conyedo (ITA), Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL), Taha Akgul(TUR), Oleksandr Khotsianivskyi (UKR) The American Entry: Mason Parris Last week, news broke that 2020(1) Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson would not be competing in Belgrade and his Final X opponent, Mason Parris, would go in his place. While Steveson has head-to-head wins against most of the top contenders, Parris will certainly be a medal threat. The 2023 Hodge Trophy winner owns a head-to-head win over 2021 World Champion, Amir Zare (Iran), in the 2019 Junior World finals. Admittedly, 2019 is a lifetime away in “wrestling years,” and Zare has beaten the best in the world. Even so, it’s a good mental advantage for Parris. Parris earned his spot in Final X by winning a loaded 125 kg bracket at the World Team Trials, defeating U23 World Champion, Tony Cassioppi, Air Force All-American Wyatt Hendrickson, and two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski. After falling to Steveson at Final X, Parris competed in the Hungarian Ranking Series event. There he downed a pair of returning world medalists to claim the title. We mentioned two great rivalries already and would be remiss to overlook a third in Taha Akgul (Turkey) and Geno Petriashvili (Georgia). The pair has been responsible for winning seven of the last nine World/Olympic gold medals at this weight class. They’ll enter the tournament as the top-two seeds. Since Parris is not seeded, he’ll be drawn into the bracket. 2022 World Championship Medalists Gold: Taha Akgul (TUR) Silver: Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur (MGL) Bronze: Amir Hossein Zare (IRI) Bronze: Geno Petriashvili (GEO)

The 2023 offseason coaching carousel got off to a slow start, but has picked up steam. This week in particular as there were a handful of notable names that changed jobs. Movement begats movement and as new jobs are accepted, typically new positions open up. Typically, this time of year the movement slows down; however, with some notable head coaching movement, there’s bound to be even more. Chris Ayres (Stanford Head Coach) - Princeton Head Coach Obe Blanc (North Dakota State Head Coach) - North Dakota State Associate Head Coach Steve Bleise (Army West Point) - CSU Bakersfield Assistant Coach Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma State Assistant Coach) - Oklahoma State recruiting coordinator Marcus Coleman (Davidson Assistant Coach) - Iowa State athlete Evan DeLong (Clarion Assistant Coach) Thomas Flitz (Bucknell Assistant Coach) - Virginia Director of Operations Ceron Francisco (North Dakota State Assistant Coach) - Nittany Lion WC athlete Ben Freeman (Buffalo Volunteer Assistant) - Buffalo athlete BJ Futrell (Northwestern Assistant Coach) - Penn Assistant Coach Tommy Gantt (NC State Assistant Coach) - Wolfpack Wrestling Club James Green (Nebraska Assistant Coach) - USA Wrestling Freestyle Development Gary Wayne Harding (Oklahoma State Recruiting Coordinator Josh Heil (Campbell Assistant Coach) - Campbell Director of Operations Hayden Hidlay (North Dakota State Assistant Coach) - NC State Student-Athlete Development Coordinator Roger Kish (Oklahoma Head Coach) - North Dakota State Head Coach Rob Koll (North Carolina Head Coach) - Stanford Head Coach Austin Marsden (Oklahoma Assistant Coach) - North Dakota State Assistant Coach Scott Mattingly (North Dakota State Assistant Coach) - Gardner-Webb Associate Head Coach Quincy Monday (Princeton Assistant Coach) - Princeton athlete Steve Mytych (Rutgers Assistant Coach) - Rutgers Director of Operations Austin O’Connor (Illinois Assistant Coach) - North Carolina athlete Donny Ooten (Bucknell Assistant Coach) Peter Pappas (George Mason Assistant Coach) - George Mason athlete Ian Parker (Virginia Assistant Coach) - Army West Point Assistant Coach Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State Associate Head Coach) - North Carolina Head Coach Charles Small (Long Island Assistant Coach) - Purdue Graduate Assistant Devin Schroder (Wyoming Assistant Coach) - Cleveland State Assistant Coach Anthony Sobotker (Binghamton Assistant Coach) - Binghamton Athlete Cam Sykora (Oklahoma Volunteer Assistant) - North Dakota State Volunteer Assistant Ty Walz (Brown Assistant Coach) - SERTC athlete

I was going to celebrate my 100th mailbag this week then I realized I’m still nearly a year away so scratch that for now. Labor Day is in the books and results will start trickling in. Who’s Number One was a great opener and next up is the Senior World Championships. The granddaddy of ‘em all. I’ll never be up at the right time to watch, but I’m sure it will still be fun. Alright, there are plenty more words for you to read below this so get to it! If Gable skips Worlds but wrestles college this season, is it the ultimate troll job to make the greatest heel turn ever? Thicccholas I have no idea what it is. And quite frankly, I don’t even care anymore. If I had my druthers, Gable would dominate the world for the next decade. Looks like I’m all out of druthers. Should/will the Illini bypass redshirt for any of this year’s unbelievable recruiting class? FSL Illini I think the trend of true frosh starting and having success will only be enhanced in the future simply based on the lawlessness of the transfer portal. And that’s not to say anything will happen at Illinois, but I think most coaches now have to think about how long they may have certain guys on the roster. You can’t just assume you have five years for four seasons anymore. Add to that the five-date rule or whatever it is and you’re now able to give guys a soft opening and make the best decision that you see fit. Is a guy like Kannon Webster ready? They basically have the first two months of the season to find out. Levi Haines and the redshirt-pull had a whole will they/won’t they for months last year and he ended up in the finals. Has it been released what duals will be on the Jagger Night slate this season? And what promo items will Rutgers be giving out for those nights? Fantasy College Wrestling I don’t choose Jagger Night. Jagger Night chooses me. That’s actually true. Many things have to fall into place for me to get down there. Plus, they only had like four home duals last year, so it was slim pickings. This year, I’m happy to report that Coach Goodale saw the power of Jagger Night and that they never lose when I attend so he went and loaded up the home sked this year and is tempting me to buy season tickets. Do I try to make a few more duals? Do I risk the streak a little more than normal? Does Tom Ryan want to see Jagger walking through that door when they do their East Coast swing? Was Swing the worst music genre of the last thirty years? Is anyone still reading this? Which NCAA wrestler most reminds you of the Detroit Lions? This question is going to age very well or very badly by Friday. Kevin Claunch I’m not sure I even know how to answer this. At least without insulting many of our fine college athletes. For answering purposes, we will use this current Lions team and compare them to a current team. Detroit is a young team with talent that is finally ready to prove that they are serious about hanging with the big boys. With a fairly new first-time head coach in the fiery Dan Campbell, Detroit is ready to run through a brick wall. This reminds me of Alex Clemsen, also of the fiery variety, and the Maryland Terps. Coach Clemsen has now had the time to put his stamp on the team and just like the Lions, had some very exciting battles last season. Perhaps this is the year they both breakthrough? Who is wrestling’s most insufferable gatekeeper? Jeffrey I also don’t know how to answer this without insulting anyone. But it’s probably Rhino. Do the guys at Spectrum think I’m just some dumb hick? Rhino For those not aware, Spectrum and Disney are in a spat. Apparently, Disney pulled all their channels right as the college football season started. Basically putting the horse head in the producer’s bed. What are they fighting about? I have no idea. I just know it will cost you more money while Disney starts a sportsbook through ESPN in the near future. That's right. Mickey Mouse is your new bookie. Don’t pay up and Goofy will break your legs. How far down the list of Jersey greats did they go when attempting to rename the Colonia service area before they realized nobody wanted their name attached to that Wawa? Salty Walkon Buddy, that is John Poznanski Country and you need to treat it with respect. Perhaps I’ll lend my name to the rest stop if nobody else wants it. Let me check out this Wawa first. I’m not very good at math. Can you please explain Kyle Schwarber’s baseball stats? I can’t tell if they’re good or bad. Kevin McGuigan He's quite the anomaly. He can't hit his own weight yet his OBP is more than Daniel Vogelbach’s weight. And that’s about all the baseball stuff I care to discuss. McGuigan, I got a feeling your whole team is going down.

Prior to a few years ago, I had never seen a single Harry Potter movie. The wife eventually wore me down, and we embarked on a quest to binge all of the films. For the most part, the overarching narrative is solid young-adult fantasy. Sure, there are a variety of absurd things like dancing chocolate frogs, but for the most part, viewers can accept these absurdities as part of the wizarding world. However, there is one aspect that is simply too preposterous to handle, and that aspect is Quidditch. For the uninitiated, Quidditch is a game similar to hockey, but the competitors fly around on brooms. While most players are trying to score goals, one select competitor from each team tries to track down something called the “Snitch.” Goals are worth only 10 points, but catching the snitch nets a team a whopping 150 points. Naturally, this makes very little sense, and Harry Potter creator JK Rowling even admits that she created a sport with an unrealistic scoring system partially to infuriate men since she was having an issue with her boyfriend at the time. Believe it or not, people actually try to play Quidditch in real life. Of course, the rules needed to be slightly adjusted since flying brooms are not actually a practical reality. The scoring was also modified to make it a somewhat sensical competition. Under Major League Quadball rules, catching the snitch is worth only 35 instead of the ridiculous 150. If you are still reading, you are probably wondering why you just encountered three paragraphs about a made-up sport. It is now time to get to the point. While scoring in sports is always somewhat arbitrary, there comes a time when the point system needs to be adjusted. If you were living under a rock this past offseason, you likely missed that the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved the three-point takedown. The idea being “that increasing the scoring for takedowns by an additional point will enhance the sport by rewarding offensive actions and risk-taking.” In theory, incentivizing takedowns by awarding an additional point will motivate wrestlers to be more offensive. While this makes intuitive sense, it has rarely been tested. The NCAA implemented a potentially drastic change without really looking at the potential impacts or unintended consequences. While the point value was likely not assigned specifically to infuriate people like Rowling’s Quidditch, saying the implementation is myopic or shortsighted would be fair criticism. Nobody really knows how the new takedown rule will change the sport. This season will be a petri dish of sorts. We will learn how the sport has changed while college wrestlers try to write their names in the record books. This past weekend, fans got their first taste of the new scoring in action. Flo hosted the annual Who’s Number One (WNO) event. It features some of the top high school wrestlers in the country, but it uses college rules. Obviously, this is an entirely too small sample size to draw any major conclusions. At the same time, we are all excited for the start of the upcoming season, and it is a fun thought exercise. Points per Match This is a bit of a given. The point value associated with the most common type of scoring went from two to three points, so obviously the number of points scored in a match would go up. However, it might not have increased as dramatically as one might have expected. Across the 12 matches wrestled at the 2022 WNO, there were 126 points scored or 10.5 points per match. In the 10 matches from 2023, there were 117 points scored, or 11.7 points per match. Takedowns per Match This is the big one. In the committee’s own words, the goal of the rule change was to incentivize takedowns. The early results are mostly mixed. In 2022, there were 25 takedowns across the 12 matches for an average of 2.08 takedowns per match. With the additional point, the rate of takedowns per match increased only slightly to 2.30. RT Points There did seem to be a rather significant decrease in matches that ended with riding time. There were seven matches with riding time in 2022, and that number dropped to four in 2023. Advocates for the three-point takedown would likely cite this as evidence that wrestlers were more interested in scoring points on the feet instead of riding. It will be interesting to see if this trend continues into the season. Three-Point Near Fall In addition to the three-point takedown, there was another change to the scoring of collegiate matches. For the last few seasons, a wrestler could earn two points by exposing their opponent’s back to the mat for a two-second count and four points for a four-second count. For this season, a three-point near fall for a three-second count was added. At the 2023 WNO, only one match featured a three-point near fall, and the number of near falls decreased significantly from six in 2022 to three in 2023. Conclusion As previously stated, this really is too small of a sample size to say anything about the effectiveness or impact of the three-point takedown. On top of that, WNO is an all-star event and therefore features some of the best high school wrestlers in the country. My guess is that there will not be a large difference in competitive matches. I find it extremely hard to believe that wrestlers were thinking things like, “I would go for a takedown, but it is worth only two measly points.” The downside of going for takedowns is that it opens a wrestler up for counters. A defended takedown can easily turn into points for the other competitor. I would postulate that this risk is more responsible for tentative neutral wrestling than the point value associated with takedowns. Increasing the value of a takedown does not really address the potential risk associated with going for takedowns. The incentive has increased, but the risk has also increased. Where I think we will see a difference will come in less competitive contests. Those wide decisions will more easily become major decisions, and major decisions will more easily become technical falls. Perhaps this variation will make duals more exciting, but it could also just as easily turn blowouts into bigger blowouts. Rules can be adjusted. If the three-point takedown does not produce the desired result or it has some unintended negative impact, the rules committee can simply revert to the two-point takedown or make another rule change. While it is a big change, it is not nearly as absurd as the 150-point snitch in the fictional game of Quidditch. However, I would highly recommend using events such as WNO to test these changes before implementation.

Once the action gets underway from Belgrade, Serbia on September 16th at the 2023 World Championships competitors from around the world will be in search of coveted gold medals and world titles. Below are the wrestlers that have successfully earned world championships over the last ten years. Who is next to inscribe their name onto the list below? Note: Weights have shifted at times since 2013, so wrestlers have been included at the current weight closest to their world championship win. Men’s Freestyle 57 kg 2022 - Zelimkhan Abakarov (Albania) 2021 - Thomas Gilman (USA) 2019 - Zaur Uguev (Russia) 2018 - Zaur Uguev (Russia) 2017 - Yuki Takahashi (Japan) 2015 - Vladimer Khinchegashvili (Georgia) 2014 - Yang Kyong-Il (North Korea) 2013 - Hassan Rahimi (Iran) - 55 kg 61 kg 2022 - Rei Higuchi (Japan) 2021 - Abasgadzhi Magomedov (Russia) 2019 - Beka Lomtadze (Georgia) 2018 - Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba) 2017 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 2016 - Logan Stieber (USA) 2015 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 2014 - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 2013 - Bekkhan Goygereev (Russia) - 60 kg 65 kg 2022 - Rahman Amouzad (Iran) 2021 - Zagir Shakhiev (Russia) 2019 - Gadzhimurad Rashidov (Russia) 2018 - Takuto Otoguro (Japan) 2017 - Zurabi Iakobishvili (Georgia) 2015 - Frank Chamizo (Italy) 2014 - Soslan Ramonov (Russia) 2013 - David Safaryan (Armenia) - 66 kg 70 kg 2022 - Taishi Narikuni (Japan) 2021 - Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Poland) 2019 - David Baez (Russia) 2018 - Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (Russia) 2017 - Frank Chamizo (Italy) 2016 - Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia) 2015 - Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (Russia) 2014 - Khetag Tsabolov (Russia) 74 kg 2022 - Kyle Dake (USA) 2021 - Kyle Dake (USA) 2019 - Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia) 2018 - Zaurbek Sidakov (Russia) 2017 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) 2015 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) 2014 - Denis Tsargush (Russia) 2013 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) 79 kg 2022 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) 2021 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) 2019 - Kyle Dake (USA) 2018 - Kyle Dake (USA) 86 kg 2022 - David Taylor (USA) 2021 - Hassan Yazdani (Iran) 2019 - Hassan Yazdani (Iran) 2018 - David Taylor (USA) 2017 - Hassan Yazdani (Iran) 2015 - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) 2014 - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) 2013 - Ibragim Aldatov (Ukraine) - 84 kg 92 kg 2022 - Kamran Ghasempour (Iran) 2021 - Kamran Ghasempour (Iran) 2019 - J’den Cox (USA) 2018 - J’den Cox (USA) 97 kg 2022 - Kyle Snyder (USA) 2021 - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) 2019 - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) 2018 - Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) 2017 - Kyle Snyder (USA) 2015 - Kyle Snyder (USA) 2014 - Abdusalam Gadisov (Russia) 2013 - Reza Yazdani (Iran) - 96 kg 125 kg 2022 - Taha Akgul (Turkey) 2021 - Amir Zare (Iran) 2019 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) 2018 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) 2017 - Geno Petriashvili (Georgia) 2015 - Taha Akgul (Turkey) 2014 - Taha Akgul (Turkey) 2013 - Khadzhimurat Gatsalov (Russia) - 120 kg Women’s Freestyle 50 kg 2022 - Yui Susaki (Japan) 2021 - Remina Yoshimoto (Japan) 2019 - Mariya Stadnik (Azerbaijan) 2018 - Yui Susaki (Japan) 2017 - Yui Susaki (Japan) - 48 kg 2015 - Eri Tosaka (Japan) - 48 kg 2014 - Eri Tosaka (Japan) - 48 kg 2013 - Eri Tosaka (Japan) - 48 kg 53 kg 2022 - Dom Parrish (USA) 2021 - Akari Fujinami (Japan) 2019 - Pak Yong-Mi (North Korea) 2018 - Haruna Okuno (Japan) 2017 - Vanesa Kaladzinskaya (Belarus) 2015 - Saori Yoshida (Japan) 2014 - Saori Yoshida (Japan) 2013 - Yanan Sun (China) - 51 kg 55 kg 2022 - Mayu Shidochi (Japan) 2021 - Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) 2019 - Jacarra Winchester (USA) 2018 - Mayu Mukaida (Japan) 2017 - Haruna Okuno (Japan) 2016 - Mayu Mukaida (Japan) 2015 - Helen Maroulis (USA) 2014 - Chiho Hamada (Japan) 2013 - Saori Yoshida (Japan) 57 kg 2022 - Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) 2021 - Helen Maroulis (USA) 2019 - Risako Kawai (Japan) 2018 - Ningning Rong (China) 2017 - Helen Maroulis (USA) - 58 kg 2015 - Kaori Icho (Japan) - 58 kg 2014 - Kaori Icho (Japan) - 58 kg 59 kg 2022 - Anastasia Nichita (Moldova) 2021 - Bilyana Dudova (Bulgaria) 2019 - Linda Morais (Canada) 2018 - Risako Kawai (Japan) 2017 - Risako Kawai (Japan) - 60 kg 2016 - Xingru Pei (China) - 60 kg 2015 - Oksana Herhel (Ukraine) - 60 kg 2014 - Sukheegiin Tserenchimed (Mongolia) - 60 kg 2013 - Marianna Sastin (Hungary) 62 kg 2022 - Nonoka Ozaki (Japan) 2021 - Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) 2019 - Aisuluu Tynybekova (Kyrgyzstan) 2018 - Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria) 2017 - Purevdorjiin Orkhon (Mongolia) - 63 kg 2015 - Soronzonboldyn Battsetseg (Mongolia) - 63 kg 2014 - Yuliya Tkach (Ukraine) - 63 kg 2013 - Kaori Icho (Japan) - 63 kg 65 kg 2022 - Miwa Morikawa (Japan) 2021 - Irina Ringaci (Moldova) 2019 - Inna Trazhukova (Russia) 2018 - Petra Olli (Finland) 68 kg 2022 - Tamyra Mensah-Stock (USA) 2021 - Meerim Zhumanazarova (Kyrgyzstan) 2019 - Tamyra Mensah-Stock (USA) 2018 - Alla Cherkasova (Ukraine) 2017 - Sara Dosho (Japan) - 69 kg 2015 - Natalia Vorobieva (Russia) - 69 kg 2014 - Aline Focken (Germany) - 69 kg 2013 - Alina Stadnyk (Ukraine) - 67 kg 72 kg 2022 - Amit Elor (USA) 2021 - Masako Furuichi (Japan) 2019 - Natalia Vorobieva (Russia) 2018 - Justina DiStasio (Canada) 2013 - Fengliu Zhang (China) 76 kg 2022 - Yasemin Adar (Turkey) 2021 - Adeline Gray (USA) 2019 - Adeline Gray (USA) 2018 - Adeline Gray (USA) 2017 - Yasemin Adar (Turkey) - 75 kg 2015 - Adeline Gray (USA) - 75 kg 2014 - Adeline Gray (USA) - 75 kg Men’s Greco-Roman 55 kg 2022 - Eldaniz Azizli (Azerbaijan) 2021 - Ken Matsui (Japan) 2019 - Nugzari Tsurtsumia (Georgia) 2018 - Eldaniz Azizli (Azerbaijan) 2013 - Yun Won-Chol (North Korea) 60 kg 2022 - Zholaman Sharshenbekov (Kyrgyzstan) 2021 - Victor Ciobanu (Moldova) 2019 - Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) 2018 - Sergey Emelin (Russia) 2017 - Kenichiro Fumita (Japan) - 59 kg 2015 - Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba) - 59 kg 2014 - Hamid Sourian (Iran) - 59 kg 2013 - Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria) 63 kg 2022 - Sebastian Nad (Serbia) 2021 - Meisam Dalkhani (Iran) 2019 - Shinobu Ota (Japan) 2018 - Stepan Maryanyan (Russia) 67 kg 2022 - Mate Nemes (Serbia) 2021 - Mohammad Geraei (Iran) 2019 - Ismael Borrero Molina (Cuba) 2018 - Artem Surkov (Russia) 2017 - Han-Su Ryu (South Korea) - 66 kg 2015 - Frank Stabler (Germany) - 66 kg 2014 - Davor Stefanek (Serbia) - 66 kg 2013 - Han-Su Ryu (South Korea) - 66 kg 72 kg 2022 - Ali Arsalan (Serbia) 2021 - Malkhas Amoyan (Armenia) 2019 - Abuyazid Mantsigov (Russia) 2018 - Frank Stabler (Germany) 2017 - Frank Stabler (Germany) - 71 kg 2016 - Balint Korpasi (Hungary) - 71 kg 2015 - Rasul Chunayev (Azerbaijan) - 71 kg 2014 - Chingiz Labazanov (Russia) - 71 kg 2013 - Hyeon-Woo Kimg (South Korea) - 74 kg 77 kg 2022 - Akzhol Makhmudov (Kyrgyzstan) 2021 - Roman Vlasov (Russia) 2019 - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary) 2018 - Aleksandr Chekhirkin (Russia) 2017 - Viktor Nemes (Serbia) - 75 kg 2015 - Roman Vlasov (Russia) - 75 kg 2014 - Arsen Julfalakyan (Armenia) - 75 kg 82 kg 2022 - Burhan Akbudak (Turkey) 2021 - Rafig Huseynov (Azerbaijan) 2019 - Lasha Gobadze (Georgia) 2018 - Peter Bacsi (Hungary) 2017 - Maksim Manukyan (Armenia) - 80 kg 2016 - Ramazan Abacharaev (Russia) - 80 kg 2015 - Selcuk Cebi (Turkey) - 80 kg 2014 - Peter Bacsi (Hungary) - 80 kg 2013 - Taleb Nematpour (Iran) - 84 kg 87 kg 2022 - Zurabi Datunashvili (Serbia) 2021 - Zurabi Datunashvili (Serbia) 2019 - Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine) 2018 - Metehan Basar (Turkey) 2017 - Metehan Basar (Turkey) - 85 kg 2015 - Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine) - 85 kg 2014 - Melonin Noumonvi (France) - 85 kg 97 kg 2022 - Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) 2021 - Mohammad Saravi (Iran) 2019 - Musa Evloev (Russia) 2018 - Musa Evloev (Russia) 2017 - Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) - 98 kg 2015 - Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) - 98 kg 2014 - Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) - 98 kg 2013 - Nikita Melnikov (Russia) - 96 kg 130 kg 2022 - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) 2021 - Ali Akbar Yousefi (Iran) 2019 - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) 2018 - Sergey Semenov (Russia) 2017 - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) 2015 - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) 2014 - Mijain Lopez (Cuba) 2013 - Heiki Nabi (Estonia) - 120 kg

In less than two weeks, the Senior World Championships will get underway and the United States will do battle with the rest of the world in search of medals and Olympic qualification. Before we get to actual weight class previews, let's take a look at some past results. We’re taking a different approach today in reviewing the US team’s past performance head-to-head against other nations, in all three styles. InterMat has gone through results from Olympic/World events dating back to the 2016 Olympics to get a decent enough sample size. However, any further and we’re looking at results that largely don’t include anyone competing in 2023. Seven years is a long time for international wrestling. Many wrestlers have come and gone. Some countries have undergone massive changes to their coaching staff, funding, and infrastructure during that time. Below are the head-to-head records for each of the three American teams, divided by style. The numbers on the left-hand side are head-to-head records for the United States against that respective country. Does anything stand out? Men’s Freestyle Team 19-6: Iran 12-3: Azerbaijan 10-4: Georgia 8-1: Belarus, Mongolia, Poland 8-2: Italy 8-10: Russia 6-0: Canada, Germany, India, Ukraine 6-1: Bulgaria 5-2: Uzbekistan 5-4: Japan, Turkey 4-0: Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia 4-1: Kazakhstan, Slovakia 4-2: Cuba 3-0: France, Moldova 2-0: Puerto Rico, South Korea, Turkmenistan 2-1: China 2-3: Armenia 1-0: Algeria, American Samoa, Australia, Colombia, Finland, Guinea-Bissau, North Korea, Romania, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland 0-1: Albania, Bahrain Women’s Freestyle 11-3: Ukraine 11-4: Mongolia 8-17: Japan 7-1: Canada, Turkey 6-0: India 6-1: Germany 6-2: Russia 6-3: Kazakhstan 6-8: China 5-0: Bulgaria 4-0: Brazil, Sweden 4-1: Hungary 3-0: Colombia, Italy, Vietnam 3-4: Belarus 2-0: Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Romania, South Korea, Tunisia 2-1: Cuba, France, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria 2-2: Azerbaijan, Poland 1-4: North Korea 1-0: Austria, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Uzbekistan Men’s Greco-Roman 5-4: Germany 3-1: India 2-0: Czech Republic 2-1: Poland 2-4: China, Turkey, Ukraine 1-0: Algeria, Brazil, Colombia, Congo, Guatemala, Lithuania, Morocco, Slovakia, South Korea 1-1: Cuba, Iran, Japan, Sweden 1-2: Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Serbia 1-4: Armenia 0-1: Belarus, Chile, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Uzbekistan, Venezuela 0-2: Croatia, France, Moldova 0-3: Georgia, Kyrgyzstan 0-4: Russia 0-6: Azerbaijan, Hungary

There’s a big change at the biggest weight class for the 2023 United States Senior Men’s Freestyle team. 2020(1) Olympic Gold Medalist, Gable Steveson, has informed USA Wrestling that he will not compete at the upcoming World Championships ten days from now. Final X runner-up Mason Parris will take his place. Steveson left his shoes in the center of the mat after winning his second NCAA title for the University of Minnesota in 2022. At the time, he was focusing on getting a WWE career off the ground. Steveson returned to the mat in April, at the US Open, where he had little trouble in running through a talented field for the title and a spot in Final X. In Newark, Steveson looked as good as ever dispatching Parris in two-straight matches, 5-2 and 5-0. Steveson has also made comments that have fueled speculation that he’ll return to collegiate wrestling, as well. He just needed approval from the WWE. Now, Steveson is out of the 2023 World Championships. The United States gets to display its excellent depth at the 125 kg weight class with Parris. In 2019, Parris pinned Iranian Amir Zare to win a Junior world championship. Zare has gone on to win a world title at the Senior level and owns three Senior World/Olympic medals. Parris, knowing this was a possibility, recently went to Hungary and grabbed a gold medal at the Ranking Series event. Earlier this year, Parris wrapped up his collegiate career at the University of Michigan and was awarded the Hodge Trophy after winning an elusive national title. Parris’ Hodge Trophy hopes were bolstered by a 33-0 record that featured 21 bonus-point wins; including 11 falls. Each of the final three wrestlers that Parris defeated in Tulsa were age-group world medalists. With Parris’ addition, the 2023 men’s freestyle squad now has six first-time world team members.

The Pac-12 conference has dropped to two teams as Stanford and California will be heading cross country to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) next season. With Arizona State and Stanford’s departure, the Pac-12 wrestling conference is down to four teams next season. In order to receive allocations as a conference, the Pac-12 would need to add two new teams to it. Although it sounds easy, it is not. Therefore, let’s look at all the potential options that can happen next season with the four teams remaining. Hybrid Conference Since it seems no Pac-12 teams will be wrestling in the conference next season, the affiliates can create a hybrid conference. Currently, California Baptist and Utah Valley are the only wrestling teams in the Western Athletic Conference. The WAC can also try to bring in the other California schools, Cal Poly and Cal State Bakersfield. In addition, the conference can try to recruit Air Force and Northern Colorado. Both, along with Wyoming, are current affiliate members for other sports. Pac-12 turns to Mountain West The most recent news states the Mountain West Conference has reached out to Oregon State and Washington State at the end of August. If the two teams move to the conference, it can be a great way to create wrestling in that conference. Similar to the WAC, the Mountain West can revamp former programs and attempt to bring a program to Washington State. Plus, they can extend invitations to the current Pac-12 affiliates to join the conference. Go Independent If the four Pac-12 teams remaining went independent, their programs would head in separate directions. Oregon State’s funding, prominence, and history can keep them afloat. The Beavers would most likely be able to retain a status in the West, compete in large tournaments and get bids into the NCAA tournament. However, the recruiting pool can become smaller and the schedule can become lighter than before. Cal Poly has been trending upwards. The Mustangs could find themselves in a similar situation as Cal Baptist. The Mustangs can pickup an invitation to another program or compete by creating their own schedule. The reason why the Mustangs can survive is they raise funds, the consistency within the program, stability and recent success under Jon Sioredas. Therefore, Cal Poly can find itself in a decent spot as an independent. Cal State Bakersfield would be on the low end of the stick. The Roadrunners could see its wrestling program dwindle as the recruiting pool falls, funds drop and the competition is scarce. Therefore, an independent route for CSUB can hurt them tremendously. Little Rock is questionable. The Trojans can try and sneak into the Big 12 or SoCon as an affiliate since it's rising each season. However, Little Rock’s short-term history hurts them as a strong provider for a conference. If they remained independent, it can be tough to get recruits, draw funds and competition too. Big Ten becomes 14 (or whatever number we’re at) The Big 10 is the top NCAA wrestling conference in the country. Although the Big 10 has no plans to reach out to the Beavers or Cougars, it could make the four Pac-12 teams become affiliates. Although the travel will be painful and the programs stand little chance for similar success as the Pac-12, it provides short-term stability for the programs. If it happens, it will come with many hurdles and potentially starting new or resurrecting old programs. This idea doesn’t seem as likely as the Big Ten doesn’t currently have any affiliate members for wrestling.

On Friday morning, multiple sports outlets reported that California and Stanford were leaving the Pac-12 to join the ACC, along with SMU. From a wrestling standpoint, Stanford is the school we’re paying attention to, since neither of the two other new additions sponsor wrestling. So, how does an ACC that includes Stanford look? How does Stanford look compared with the existing members of the league? For now, let's take the giant elephant in the room which is the location of the ACC opposed to Stanford and set it aside. The ACC has some excellent academic institutions. Some that are very close to Stanford’s league. The league has been on the rise for most of the last decade-plus and adds a Stanford team that has been strong, but could be on the upswing, too. Stanford has had an All-American in each of the last three years, two of which featured multiple All-Americans. The 2020 season netted a pair of First Team NWCA All-Americans and a second-teamer. Since 2019, Stanford has sent 28 wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament. Eight Cardinal wrestlers have claimed Pac-12 titles. Today, we’re looking at some recent results to see how Stanford has fared against the ACC. Not only are we weighing the Cardinal against the rest of the conference on the mat, but also the recruiting trail. Here’s the record for Stanford wrestlers at the last five NCAA Championships while competing against ACC foes. 2023: 1-2 2022: 1-2 2021: 3-2 2019: 1-1 2018: 0-0 These are Stanford’s NCAA qualifiers for the 2022-23 campaign and how they competed against ACC competition. Nico Provo (125) - 2022/23: 2-0 (Win’s over Kyle Montapero/Cooper Flynn) Jaden Abas (149) - 2022/23: 2-2 (Win’s over Denton Spencer/Patrick Rowland) (Losses to Caleb Henson; Michael Gioffre) Daniel Cardenas (157) - 2022/23: 2-1 (Wins over Jake Keating, Clayton Ulrey) (Loss to Ed Scott) Shane Griffith (165) - 2022/23: 2-0 (Wins over Justin McCoy, Connor Brady) Tyler Eischens (174) - 2022/23: 2-1 (Win over Vic Marcelli, Alex Faison) (Loss to Mekhi Lewis) Nick Stemmet (197) - 2022/23: 3-2 (Wins over Andy Smith, TJ Stewart x2) (Loss to Michael Battista, Isaac Trumble) With Stanford’s performance last year, they likely could have slip in front of North Carolina and Virginia for fourth place at the 2023 ACC Championships. 2021 national champion Shane Griffith had a victory over the eventual champion Justin McCoy, so it’s not a stretch to think he could have won a conference crown. Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Daniel Cardenas, suffered a loss at NCAA’s to Ed Scott of NC State. While Cardenas is extremely talented, it’s hard to project him higher than fourth in a 2023 ACC bracket that featured three All-Americans. It’s not out of the picture to think that both Jaden Abas and Tyler Eischens could have worked their way in to the conference championship match. That production probably isn’t enough to catch a Pittsburgh team that boasted two champions and a second-place finisher. Below are the dual results for Stanford against ACC schools since 2017-18. 2022-23 Virginia Tech (L) 22-12 2019-20 North Carolina (W) 21-11 2017-18 Virginia Tech (L) 22-12 Here are some of Stanford’s recent NCAA finishes compared to the new conference competition. 2022: Stanford (#19 - 31.5 points). Virginia Tech (#8 - 52.5 points), NC State (#10 - 49 points), North Carolina (#18 - 32 points) 2021: Stanford (#17 - 35.5 points). NC State (#6 - 68 points), Pittsburgh (#11 - 40.5 points), Virginia Tech (#15 - 36.5 points), North Carolina (#16 - 36 points) 2016: Stanford (#19 - 24 points). Virginia Tech (#4 - 82 points), NC State (#11 - 49 points) Stanford has become a recruiting juggernaut under Rob Koll. They have finished in the top-eight in each of the last two seasons. Another one could be in the works. Stanford has a huge group of verbals from the Class of 2024; however, they may not end up signing with the Cardinal after the coaching change. Here’s how Stanford and their ACC contemporaries have done in InterMat’s recruiting rankings during that time. 2023: #8 Stanford, #9 Virginia Tech, #18 NC State, #24 Pittsburgh 2022: #3 NC State, #5 Stanford, #7 Virginia Tech, #9 Virginia, #15 Pittsburgh, #16 North Carolina Because of the extra year of eligibility, as a result Covid, there are quite a handful of projected starters from the 2023-24 squad, that should have eligibility remaining when the school joins the ACC in 2024-25. However, we’ve seen a handful of quality wrestlers transfer out after graduating because of the difficult entry into the school’s graduate programs. That being said, every projected starter, aside from Jackson DiSario (133 lbs), could have a year of eligibility remaining in 2024-25.

EIWA correspondent Austin Sommer catches up with 2023 NCAA champion Patrick Glory of Princeton. Glory talks about his transition from the wrestling world to a job on Wall Street. For now, his wrestling career is "on pause", however, that could change. Glory also discusses how Princeton alumni connections have helped his get such a prominent job, along with taking his wrestling mindset to the workforce. glory.mp4

How Micky Phillippi and Nino Bonaccorsi helped transform Pitt’s wrestling culture by putting everything they had into their craft. Pitt teammates Micky Phillippi and Nino Bonaccorsi shared one of the most compelling moments of last spring’s NCAA tournament when Phillippi was spotted crying tears of joy after Bonaccorsi won his 197-pound NCAA title. Phillippi was celebrated for the investment he made in Bonaccorsi’s success, but that moment was also a picture-perfect representation of the culture they helped create in Pitt’s room. Bonaccorsi’s title meant more to Phillippi than the depth of his own heartache after he fell short of the NCAA podium in his final try. Those two were like-minded teammates and program leaders who arrived during a season of change in Pittsburgh along with coach Keith Gavin in 2017. The foundation of Gavin’s thinking was to build a team of wrestlers who loved to work and get better, which was simple in concept but harder to execute. The fact that Pitt continues to trend in that direction can be directly attributed to Bonaccorsi, who arrived just before Gavin from nearby Bethel Park High School, and to Phillippi, a three-time PA state champ from Derry Area, which sits about 40 miles from the city. They were hometown kids who had zero ego and were wrestling for a Pitt alum in Gavin which made them a near-perfect trio in light of the mess surrounding the firing of previous coach Jason Peters. Peters was relieved of his duties in 2017 after wrestlers were found to have consumed alcohol and used a website to invite suspected prostitutes to their hotel at the Midlands Championships, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “The year Keith started as head coach was my first year as a freshman,” Bonaccorsi said. “I felt like it was a turning point for our program. It was a real culture change. We had Keith. We had me and Micky, and we had great recruits coming in. We really tried to implement this culture of winning, trying to get better, and just being in love with the sport." Micky Phillippi in a 2021-22 dual meet; Photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com Phillippi said Pitt’s reputation when he was being recruited out of Derry Area didn’t sit well with him, so his decision to transfer from Virginia to Pitt came as a bit of a surprise to those close to him. Homesickness was a factor, but Phillippi was also looking for the culture that he and Bonaccorsi eventually helped to create. He wanted to be around other wrestlers who ate, slept, and breathed the sport and wanted to get better as badly as he did. Phillippi had plenty of respect for Virginia and its wrestling program, but he just didn’t get the same feeling he sought at Pitt. At the time he made his choice, Phillippi was very much buying into Gavin, who recruited him at Virginia, and to former Pitt assistant Jordan Leen, who took the head job at Brown last summer and hired Phillippi as an assistant. Gavin and Leen sold a vision to Phillippi and took concrete steps to fulfill it. “I knew Keith, the kind of person he was,” Phillippi said. “And Jordan, I mean, he did the prayer at my wedding. He's one of the best people I've ever met.” Just as Pitt ultimately proved to be the perfect place for Phillippi to develop, he was the right kid at the right time for Gavin and his staff to build as quickly as they did. As a three-time state champ with a terrific reputation locally, Phillippi’s return home added a hefty dose of credibility to what Gavin, Leen, and the Pitt staff were trying to do. And with that, Pitt’s early nucleus started coming together. “It was a bit of a leap of faith on his part, and I was super grateful he took it,” Gavin said. “When he did, I think it showed other people in the area that like, ‘All right, make us believe in what can happen here.’ That went a long way because he's a well-known kid from Western PA.” The leap of faith was people-driven for Phillippi, in addition to the allure of getting back to his hometown roots with friends and family members around to support him. And not long after he made that choice, wrestling at Pitt became even more people-driven when he met Bonaccorsi, whose mindset was what he always wanted in a teammate. Phillippi found the bizarro version of himself. “We were at the welcome picnic, and his mom is talking to my girlfriend at the time, who's now my wife,” Phillippi said. “I don't know how it came up. It was something about not drinking, because Nino doesn't drink. And Marissa is like, ‘Oh my gosh, it looks like Micky found his friend.’” Micky and Nino found friends in each other, but also teammates who would rather show up to empty wrestling rooms at odd hours than go take down a six-pack. They went on that journey together and were leaders of a team that started to follow their example. NCAA All-American Cole Matthews fit right into the mode of thinking as the first recruit Gavin signed during his time at Pitt. He, too, has been on the grind for everything he’s gotten, including an All-America finish two years ago and a U23 world team trials win. Matthews saw the same thing everyone else did, which was the closeness of Phillippi and Bonaccorsi and what they stood for as people and wrestlers. They were natural in their ability to inspire others to make a deeper commitment to the sport. “Micky and Nino, if they didn't have their own girlfriends, you'd think they would be together, you know,” Matthews laughed. “I stepped into a good culture. So I never really had to set an example for someone or try to be someone I wasn't. I stepped in and I was just being myself. Then just being myself here was enough for me to develop.” Pitt’s ability to recruit its own backyard and build with blue-collar Western PA kids is a big part of getting like-minded wrestlers who are ready to work. But Gavin thinks that a hardworking, winning culture has great appeal across the country. So, while the Panthers will always try to lock down their region on the recruiting trail, they’re also still thinking bigger. “Ultimately, you want to get kids that are coming to college because they want to win nationals,” Gavin said. “I think we're proving that we have guys who can do that, in a short period of time. We’ve only been here for five NCAA tournaments. So, I think that the bigger deal is nationally. You're showing these kids from all around that you can come to Pitt and win a national title.” The success of Bonaccorsi and Phillippi is a big step in the process of trying to build that national reputation and climb higher in the NCAA team standings. But those guys also helped set a tone about investment and what can happen when hard work meets selflessness. That was the profound message sent by the visual of Phillippi celebrating Bonaccorsi’s NCAA title as if it were his own. The fact that Phillippi had just suffered a crushing blood-round loss for the fourth time in his career made the moment even more powerful. “Even as freshmen, we wanted to be national champions,” Bonaccorsi said. “That was our goal. I haven't met someone quite like Micky, who is so determined and so giving, so that was a special moment between us. It was like we finally did it. Regardless if it was me or him, it was a mutual thing.” Nino Bonaccorsi before a 2021-22 dual meet; Photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com

For the 11th straight year, the FloWrestling’s Who’s #1 dual meet took place, this time on the campus of Wisconsin-Parkside. Who’s #1 is a dual that features matchups between the top two wrestlers at a particular weight in order to determine who is the best in the nation at that weight class. If we want to get technical, that wasn’t necessarily the case at some weights, but still, there was plenty of great action up and down the card. Also, for the third straight year, there was a full girls card, as well. Prior to 2021, there were girls matches sprinkled in dating back to the 2017 edition. The 2023 version had ten matches. Below are the full results from Saturday night’s Who’s #1 card. Boys Results 113 lbs - Christian Castillo (Arizona) over Paul Kenny (New Jersey) 4-1SV 120 lbs - Anthony Knox (New Jersey) over Leo DeLuca (New Jersey) 9-3 126 lbs - Jax Forrest (Pennsylvania) over Jordyn Raney (Kentucky) 18-15SV 132 lbs - Ben Davino (Illinois) over Kyler Larkin (Arizona) 4-2 138 lbs - Daniel Zepeda (California) over Bo Bassett (Pennsylvania) Fall 6:27 145 lbs - Pierson Manville (Pennsylvania) over Kollin Rath (Pennsylvania) 2-0 160 lbs - Joe Sealey (Pennsylvania) over Will Henckel (New Jersey) 4-2 170 lbs - Angelo Ferrari (Texas) over Ty Eise (Colorado) 5-1 195 lbs - Aeoden Sinclair (Wisconsin) over Connor Mirasola (Wisconsin) 5-1 220 lbs - Cody Merrill (California) over Sawyer Bartelt (Florida) 14-3 Girls Results 94 lbs - Audrey Jimenez (Arizona) over Anaya Falcon (California) 11-0 100 lbs - Madison Nieuwenhuis (Michigan) over Rianne Murphy (Indiana) 2-2 112 lbs - Gabriella Gomez (Illinois) over Clare Booe (Florida) 7-1 117 lbs - Isabella Marie Gonzales (California) over Karlee Brooks (Arizona) 4-4 122 lbs - Everest Leydecker (Arizona) over Aubre Krazer (Pennsylvania) 6-2 127 lbs - Taina Fernandez (Maryland) over Carley Ceshker (Wisconsin) 10-0 132 lbs - Haylie Jaffe (Pennsylvania) over Cadence Diduch (Illinois) 10-2 138 lbs - Kaidance Gerg (Idaho) over Valerie Hamilton (Illinois) 6-4 144 lbs - Nebi Tsarni (Maryland) over May Prado (Georgia) 10-4 164 lbs - Naomi Simon (Iowa) over Alexandri Alli (Ohio) Fall 1:12

Stanford has been the center of news in the collegiate wrestling world this week. Just yesterday afternoon, news was made public that Stanford head coach Rob Koll was leaving his post in Palo Alto to accept the head coaching position at his alma mater, North Carolina. Today, multiple reports have surfaced that the ACC (home of North Carolina) has voted to extend invitationals for membership to Stanford, along with California and Southern Methodist (neither of which has wrestling programs). The move is expected to take place for the 2024-25 school year. It remains to be seen how this move will impact wrestling. With Stanford’s departure, Oregon State would be the lone remaining member of the Pac-12 with a wrestling program. Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, and Little Rock are all affiliate members of the conference. As it stands now, Oregon State and Washington State are the only Pac-12 schools without a home. For wrestling purposes, Stanford will join an ACC that boasts three teams featured in the top-15 of InterMat’s preseason dual rankings (#4 Virginia Tech, #6 NC State, #15 Pittsburgh). Additionally, North Carolina was #26 and Stanford #23. Competing with ACC teams isn’t totally a foreign concept for Stanford. Last season, Stanford hosted Virginia Tech and is slated to travel to Blacksburg to wrestle the Hokies. Conference realignment is the number one story today in collegiate athletics, so there will be more on this topic as it develops. On a wrestling front, we'll also monitor the search for Koll's replacement at Stanford.

Recently I’ve done something I never thought I would do. I quit fantasy football. Never thought it would happen. For over twenty years I’ve been doing this. It’s just become too much. I don’t have the time to keep up with everything and I’m not the player I used to be, so maybe it’s time for a break. Perhaps I’ll return but for now, I want to enjoy my Sunday without the aggravation. But what will football be like for me without any skin in the game? Will I care? Do I dabble in daily fantasy for a bit? Only time will tell. People always say the last thing someone wants to hear about is someone else’s fantasy team. Even more than that, nobody wants to hear about someone quitting fantasy football. So let’s get to the mailbag! What MAC wrestling preseason content has you most fired up? Also, any Big Ten storylines you are excited about in early September? Kevin Claunch All of it? With football now out of the way, I can devote more time to reading all the great previews and insights that this site provides. I have to be honest, I don’t have the slightest idea what goes on in the MAC other than that Zeb Miller loves it. I will try to remedy that this year. In the Big Ten, it’s all eyes on Iowa. After a whirlwind offseason where they got in with the Ferraris, dabbled in Gable, and had a gambling scandal, they also revamped their roster with a ton of transfers. What will the Hawkeyes look like post-Spencer Lee? Iowa seems to have had the same team for a decade. It will be very interesting to see some fresh faces out there but I will miss Max Murin’s bruised and battered face. What country would you like to see have a very sustainable wrestling team? Mat Jerms Media I often wonder why England doesn’t have a legit team. I don’t even know if they have a team at all. One would think that a country so rich in the history of combat sports would field a legitimate wrestling team. From Queensbury Rules boxing to Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling, You would think the lads would have a rich history in Freestyle and Greco-Roman. Well, they do have a rich history but it’s just that. History. England needs to fire up the Snake Pit in Wigan and get in the game so we can just kick their asses like we always do. How many tournaments do you think Journeyman Wrestling could run in one full calendar year if he didn’t have to tend to the animals on his farm? Kevin McGuigan All of them? Although I worry the alliterative names of the tournaments will quickly jump the shark with overkill. It’s not easy to do proper alliteration. Armbar At The Armory? Excellent title. The Scrap In Sicily? Not so much. Maybe Sizzle In Sicily works better. Either way, you can’t deny the work that Frank Popilizio has put in. A true man’s man, who could kick my ass. I only have one question. When do we get Fury On The Farm? You get out of your time machine in 1986. You have enough money for one ticket. Left field line, nine rows up, five seats in. Do you buy Game 6 or Game 7? Salty Walkon Game seven, easily. I was already at game six so I know how that goes down. Unfortunately, a time machine is the only way I’m gonna see the Mets win a title. Just a brutal season. And now, all I hear about is how Phillies fans, who claim to be so tough that they boo Santa Claus, yapping about how they saved Trea Turner with juice boxes and belly rubs. What has this world come to? Ok you Jagoffs, it’s September and the wrestling is about to start heating up. Who’s Number One is this weekend and it should be good. Also, in case you were wondering, I’m number one. It used to be Nelly and now it’s me.

Earlier this afternoon, the University of North Carolina announced that they have hired former Stanford and Cornell head coach Rob Koll to be the successor to Coleman Scott, who stepped down from his post two weeks ago. Koll is no stranger to Chapel Hill as he starred at UNC and became the school’s first four-time All-American. He also was only the second Tar Heel wrestler to win an NCAA title. He appeared to have plenty of momentum at Stanford, but coming back to your alma mater is a special opportunity. With Koll’s hire by UNC, it now makes 19 DI programs led by alumni. Zeke Jones (Arizona State) While at Arizona State, Zeke Jones earned All-American honors on three occasions highlighted by an NCAA runner-up finish at 118 lbs in 1990. Jones also captured three Pac-10 titles. John Stutzman (Buffalo) When John Stutzman finished up his career at Buffalo he was the school’s all-time wins leader with 95 against 27 losses. As a junior, Stutzman’s 35 wins tied the Buffalo single-season record. His .897 winning percentage that season remains fourth fourth-highest on the Bulls all-time list. Mike Grey (Cornell) Mike Grey bookended his career at Cornell with sixth-place finishes as a freshman and senior. In both of the seasons where he missed the podium, Grey advanced to the NCAA Bloodround. As a junior and senior, Grey won EIWA titles and helped lead Cornell to NCAA team runner-up trophies. Matt Hill (Edinboro) During his career at Edinboro, Matt Hill amassed 105 wins and qualified for the NCAA Tournament on three occasions, each time at 157 lbs. As a junior, he finished third in the EWL. Hill’s senior season saw him earn the #12 seed at NCAA’s. Daniel Elliott (Gardner-Webb) Daniel Elliott was an East Regional champion in each of his final two seasons competing for the Runnin’ Bulldogs and competed at the national tournament both years. In 2006, Elliott was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the East Regional. Dennis Papadatos (Hofstra) A two-time national qualifier for Hofstra, Dennis Papadatos had his deepest NCAA Tournament run in 2000, when he went 2-2 at the 157 lb weight class. As a senior, Papadatos captured an ECWA conference title. During his career at Hofstra, Papadatos won 95 matches for a young head coach in Tom Ryan. Mike Poeta (Illinois) One of the top wrestlers in the high school Class of 2004, Mike Poeta stayed in-state to wrestle for the Fighting Illini. Poeta never finished lower than fourth in the Big Ten (with two titles) and finished in the top three at nationals in each of his final three seasons. Poeta made the national finals as both a junior and senior. Angel Escobedo (Indiana) Right after two-time NCAA champion Joe Dubuque finished up at Indiana, Angel Escobedo took the reins at the 125 lb weight class and didn’t seem to miss a beat. Escobedo finished fourth in the nation as a freshman and won a national title a year later. He would capture the Big Ten championship in each of his final three years competing for the Hoosiers. Twice the number one seed at nationals. Escobedo was the first and, to this day, only four-time All-American in program history. Tom Brands (Iowa) 1996 Olympic gold medalist Tom Brands remains one of the most legendary athletes to come from an Iowa program that has produced its fair share of greats. Brands won three Big Ten and NCAA titles during his time as a competitor in Iowa City. His career mark at Iowa was 158-7-2, which was bolstered by a 45-0 junior campaign. Jim Andrassy (Kent State) A two-time national qualifier for Kent State, Jim Andrassy amassed a 106-25-1 record during his time competing for the Golden Flashes. As a junior, Andrassy claimed his only MAC title. A year later, he advanced to the NCAA Round of 12 before getting pinned by young Iowa star Joe Williams to come up a match shy of All-American status. Joe Patrovich (Long Island/CW Post) The school now known as Long Island was previously known as LIU Post and, before that, CW Post. Joe Patrovich attended the school at that time and played football and wrestled, as well. Sean Bormet (Michigan) While at Michigan, Sean Bormet earned All-American honors as a junior and senior. He compiled a 125-21 record and was third as a junior and an NCAA runner-up as a senior. During that final season, Bormet downed the aforementioned Joe Williams in the NCAA quarterfinals. His runner-up finish came to Oklahoma State’s Pat Smith as Smith became the first DI wrestler to win four national championships. Brandon Eggum (Minnesota) In his career at Minnesota, Brandon Eggum earned All-American honors three times and racked up 115 wins. Eggum was fifth in the nation at 177 lbs in 1998 before moving up to 184 lbs the following season and making the national finals. He finished up by taking third in 1999. Both years at 184 lbs saw Eggum come away with Big Ten titles. John Smith (Oklahoma State) Before going on to put together an international career that saw John Smith win six consecutive World/Olympic titles, he captured a pair of national titles for Oklahoma State. Technically, the international and collegiate accolades overlapped, as Smith won his first world title in 1987, a few months after winning his first collegiate crown. Smith’s record at OSU was 154-7-2 and he finished his collegiate career with 90 straight wins. Roger Reina (Penn) Roger Reina was Penn’s EIWA representative on four occasions during his career which spanned from 1980-84. He did not place in the top six during any of those instances. Keith Gavin (Pittsburgh) Prior to Nino Bonaccorsi’s national title earlier this year, Keith Gavin was Pittsburgh’s most recent national champion (2008). After redshirting in 2006, Gavin returned to the Panther lineup and made the national finals in each of his final two seasons. Gavin was also a two-time EWL champion and his 120 career wins still find him amongst the top ten at Pitt. John Hangey (Rider) John Hangey remains one of the top competitors in the history of Rider wrestling. As a senior, in 1993, Hangey finished fourth in the country at 190 lbs. He qualified for nationals three times after winning three conference titles. Hangey remains the first, and only, Rider wrestler to win the Midlands. Steve Garland (Virginia) A three-time national qualifier for Virginia, Steve Garland pulled off a stunning during his senior season when he knocked off top-ranked Jody Strittmatter of Iowa in the national quarterfinals. He would go on to make the NCAA finals as an eighth seed and became only the second Virginia wrestler to make the national championship match.

Just about two weeks ago, news leaked out of North Carolina that Coleman Scott was stepping down as head coach of the Tar Heel wrestling program. It wasn’t the best-kept secret in the world that Scott would likely end up at his alma mater Oklahoma State as an assistant coach. The second half of that situation came to fruition on Monday as OSU announced Scott’s hiring. Now, the dominos have fallen and UNC has found Scott’s successor. It’s a familiar face for longtime Tar Heel fans in 1988 national champion Rob Koll. Koll has spent the past two years as the head coach at Stanford University. Additionally, Koll established his reputation as a program builder at Cornell, where he led the Big Red into a consistent national contender, despite competing in the Ivy League. During his time at Stanford, Koll saw a pair of wrestlers combine for three All-American finishes in Palo Alto. In year one, Koll’s Stanford team finished 22nd in the nation and saw Shane Griffith make the national finals. The Cardinal also blossomed on the recruiting trail with Koll’s leadership. Under his direction, Stanford has finished in the top eight of InterMat’s recruiting rankings (2023 - 8th; 2022 - 5th). Currently, eight top-100 prospects from the Class of 2024 have verballed to the Cardinal. Koll’s 28-year tenure at Cornell featured 11 EIWA championships and 16 NCAA champions. His Cornell teams finished in the top ten at nationals 15 times including runner-up finishes in 2011 and 2012. Not only did Koll’s team’s have success at Cornell against collegiate competition, but also on the international front. Prized pupil Kyle Dake has won four world titles and an Olympic bronze. More Koll recruits Yianni Diakomihalis and Vito Arujau have shined internationally. Diakomihalis captured a silver medal at world’s in 2022 and Arujau has a spot on the 2023 team. During the long history of DI wrestling, only five wrestlers have been able to capture four NCAA titles. Two of them wrestled at Cornell under Koll; Dake and Diakomihalis. As a competitor at North Carolina, Koll earned All-American honors four times (1,3,3,8) and was a part of two top-ten finishes at nationals. He would win three ACC titles and was named on the conference’s 50th anniversary team. When he left Chapel Hill, in 1988, Koll was the school leader in career (155) and season (47) wins. Those two records still hold up, to this day. Koll inherits a UNC program that has finished in the top 20 at each of the last five NCAA tournaments. The 2023 team was led to a 12th-place finish by two-time national champion Austin O’Connor. The team’s other two All-Americans from 2023 (Lachlan McNeil and Gavin Kane) and will be prominently featured in InterMat’s upcoming preseason rankings. At this time, it is expected that interim head coach Tony Ramos will stay in North Carolina to assist with Koll’s transition. Now, we'll turn our attention to the Stanford program and who ends up replacing Koll in Palo Alto.

And finally, after each weight has been calculated, reviewed, and evaluated, this is what we are left with. The Top-33 Overall wrestlers for the 2023 Season: I hope you have enjoyed this stroll through memory lane and you’ve taken notes along the way. If not, here are the links to each weight Top-20 again. Previous 2023 Top-20 Articles: Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 125 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 133 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 141 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 149 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 157 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 165 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 174 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 184 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 197 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 285 The #FCW24 season is only a couple months away. Be on the lookout for the WrestleStat notifications and get your league ready!

We are just about at the turning point where last season’s results and memories start to fade into the WrestleStat archives and the general wrestling community ramps up the interest and speculation of the upcoming season. And when it comes to Fantasy College Wrestling, drafters need to start thinking about who they want to pick in their 2024 draft. One way to do this is to look at the results of the 2023 season. The 2023 FCW Top-20 at each weight can give you a good idea of who the top Fantasy wrestlers in the country are. Seeing who returns, who leaves, who outplaced who, what teams made these lists more than others… all important information and data to digest. Of course, things can change quickly in college wrestling. Wrestlers can transfer, injuries can happen, and new stars can emerge. But the 2023 FCW Top-20 is a good starting point for your fantasy draft preparation, as you will see some (many, actually) repeat names from the 2022 Top-20 articles and even 2021 Top-20 articles. Take for instance: Pat Glory (PRIN), Yianni Diakomihalis (COR), Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ), and Carter Starocci (PSU). That championship group scored 223 Fpts in the 2023 season. How about these names though: Caleb Smith (APP), McKenzie Bell (RID), Evan Barczak (DREX), and Tyler Stoltzfus (LHU). That group scored 313 Fpts, and none were All-Americans. As you look at the list, keep in mind that not all of the top performers are household names. Some of the wrestlers who scored the most points in 2023 were not All-Americans. This is just one of the things that makes fantasy sports so exciting and unpredictable. So start your draft preparation today by taking a look at the 2023 FCW Top-20. You might just find some hidden gems that can help you win your league in 2024. To compile these lists, we used standard WrestleStat Fantasy College Wrestling Data & Scoring. Just a reminder of how points were tallied in WrestleStat leagues: 1) The scoring used was Standard Team Scoring across all competitions (+3 for a win by decision, -4 for a loss by Major, etc) 2) Scoring only counted against D1 competition 3) Wins via Forfeits (FFT) would count as +6 towards a wrestler's point total 4) Wins or Losses by Medical Forfeit (MFF) did not count as + or - towards a wrestler's point total 5) Points were only accumulated during the regular season Notes: This is the second time Tanner Sloan had been the #1 Fantasy Wrestler at 197, thanks in part to a 20-1 regular season Record. Oh, and with 15 of those wins being by bonus (four pins, one FFT, one win by injury default, two techs, and seven majors). His only loss on the season would be to Virginia Tech’s Andy Smith (who came in at #30 at 197). Last year's champion Max Dean finished as #2, an improvement to his 2022 rank of #8. Even though he wasn’t “allowed” to finish his roll-through on Ethan Laird, Dean did win in the battle of fantasy ranks, beating out Laird by three points, despite the regular season win by Laird. Coming off a double redshirt season, Silas Allred only had five regular season losses, and four of them were by two wrestlers (two by Issac Trumble and two by Tanner Sloan). 13 of his 28 matches were won by bonus, which helped him jump his season nemesis, Trumble, in the standings and secure the #4 spot. Michael Beard, Levi Hopkins, and Jake Kosar all finished within a decision of each other, and finished 6th, 7th, and 8th respectively. Interestingly enough, the better the rank, the fewer matches they wrestled to get those spots: Beard with 18 regular season matches, Hopkins with 29, and Kosar with 31. Making his second Top-20 in a row, Trey Rogers was also the highest-ranked Hofstra Wrestler in fantasy for the 2023 season. He finished one spot better than Jaxon Smith who had the same match total and same PPM as Rodgers, but fell one Fpt behind. Tyler Mousaw makes his return to the Fantasy Top-20, powered behind 33 matches, tied for the most by any 197 pounder in the 2023 Top-20. Now, when he was #3 in 2021, he only had 11 matches and a PPM of 3.8. Fast forward to a season not under COVID restrictions, he wrestled three times that previous season’s amount and fell three Fpts short of a Top-10 finish. National Champ Nino Bonaccorsi had the least number of regular season matches within the 197 Top-20, and only wrestled duals. It’s not always the number of matches you wrestle, but what you do with those matches that count in Fantasy Wrestling. Bonaccorsi would go on to win all fourteen of his matches and finish at #16. The Hawkeye most associated with not putting up big points finally breaks through and rounds out the Top-20. Jacob Warner had been on the outside looking in, but this year he put together just enough to be in the win column to beat out Luke Surber (OKST) via PPM. All this despite four of his 17 matches being losses (-12 Fpts). Who Missed The Cut: Three 2023 All-Americans missed out on the Top-20, with Bernie Truax (CP) being the best of them at #24 with 42 Fpts. Jacob Cardenas (COR) finished #26 with 36 Fpts, and Rocky Elam (MIZ) only wrestled eight matches for 22 Fpts to finish #39. As previously mentioned, Luke Surber tied #20 Jacob Warner but fell behind Warner in the standings due to PPM for the #21 spot. In fact, four wrestlers were tied with 43 Fpts. The #22 spot was actually shared by both Zac Braunagel (ILL) and Tanner Harvey (ORST) as they shared the same Fpts, matches wrestled, and PPM (of 1.7). Despite an injury mid-season, Louie DePrez (BING) still managed to almost crack the Top-20 with 12 matches and a point total of 37. Yonger Bastida (ISU) had a better PPM than Gavin Hoffman (OHST) (1.9 to Hoffman’s 1.8), but it was Hoffman who had the last laugh grabbing the #27 Spot with 35 Fpts. Bastida would conclude at #28, but had he won that match in Pittsburgh against Bonaccotsi, he would have been #25. A Senior redshirting is sometimes a rare sight, but that didn't stop Ben Smith (CSU) from taking his and still amassing some good fantasy stats. Only nine of his 12 wrestled matches count towards 2023 Fantasy, but he still put together 21 Fpts and finish at #43. Other notables include the Hokie duo of starter Andy Smith and redshirt TJ Stewart finishing almost identical with 32 Fpts and a PPM of 15, but Smith gets the rank boost doing it in fewer matches (21 matches wrestled from Smith compared to 22 by Stewart). Don't see your favorite wrestler on the list? Let me know @FantasyD1Wrestl for the full stats. Previous 2023 Top-20 Articles: Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 125 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 133 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 141 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 149 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 157 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 165 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 174 Top-20 Fantasy Wrestlers at 184

With the 2023 U20 World Championships finished and the United States with top-three finishes in both men’s and women’s freestyle, there were a whole lot of American medalists in Jordan. 18 to be exact. Those wrestlers will be able to call themselves U20 World medalists which is an incredible honor. They’ll be mentioned alongside some of the all-time greats of our sport. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the American medal winners at U20 (Junior) World’s since 2010. 2023 Men’s Freestyle 57 kg: Luke Lilledahl (Silver) 61 kg: Nic Bouzakis (Bronze) 65 kg: Jesse Mendez (Silver) 70 kg: Meyer Shapiro (Gold) 74 kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink (Gold) 79 kg: Matthew Singleton (Bronze) 86 kg: Bennett Berge (Bronze) 97 kg: Camden McDanel (Bronze) Women’s Freestyle 50 kg: Audrey Jimenez (Silver) 55 kg: Amani Jones (Bronze) 59 kg: Alexis Janiak (Bronze) 72 kg: Amit Elor (Gold) 76 kg: Kennedy Blades (Bronze) 2022 Men’s Freestyle 57 kg: Jore Volk (Gold) 70 kg: Mitchell Mesenbrink (Silver) 86 kg: Bennett Berge (Silver) 97 kg: Ben Kueter (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 50 kg: Audrey Jimenez (Silver) 53 kg: Katie Gomez (Bronze) 57 kg: Sofia Macaluso (Silver) 62 kg: Adaugo Nwachukwu (Bronze) 72 kg: Amit Elor (Gold) 76 kg: Tristan Kelly (Bronze) Greco-Roman 130 kg: Aden Attao (Bronze) 2021 Men’s Freestyle 65 kg: Beau Bartlett (Bronze) 70 kg: Bryce Andonian (Bronze) 74 kg: Keegan O’Toole (Gold) 92 kg: Rocky Elam (Gold) 97 kg: Braxton Amos (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 50 kg: Emily Shilson (Gold) 62 kg: Korina Blades (Bronze) 68 kg: Amit Elor (Gold) 72 kg: Kennedy Blades (Gold) 76 kg: Kylie Welker (Gold) Greco-Roman 97 kg: Braxton Amos (Bronze) 2019 Men’s Freestyle 57 kg: Vito Arujau (Silver) 61 kg: Gabe Tagg (Bronze) 74 kg: David Carr (Gold) 86 kg: Trent Hidlay (Bronze) 92 kg: Lucas Davison (Silver) 125 kg: Mason Parris (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 65 kg: Macey Kilty (Silver) Greco-Roman 63 kg: Alston Nutter (Bronze) 67 kg: Peyton Omania (Bronze) 130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Silver) 2018 Men’s Freestyle 57 kg: Daton Fix (Bronze) 70 kg: Brady Berge (Bronze) 74 kg: Mekhi Lewis (Gold) 79 kg: Aaron Brooks (Silver) 97 kg: Zach Elam (Silver) Women’s Freestyle 68 kg: Macey Kilty (Silver) Greco-Roman 82 kg: Andrew Berreyesa (Silver) 130 kg: Cohlton Schultz (Bronze) 2017 Men’s Freestyle 55 kg: Daton Fix (Gold) 60 kg: Mitchell McKee (Silver) 66 kg: Ryan Deakin (Silver) 74 kg: Mark Hall (Gold) 84 kg: Zahid Valencia (Silver) 96 kg: Kollin Moore (Bronze) 120 kg: Gable Steveson (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 44 kg: Asia Ray (Bronze) 63 kg: Maya Nelson (Gold) Greco-Roman 50 kg: Cevion Severado (Silver) 74 kg: Kamal Bey (Gold) 2016 Men’s Freestyle 50 kg: Spencer Lee (Gold) 55 kg: Daton Fix (Bronze) 74 kg: Mark Hall (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 59 kg: Kayla Miracle (Bronze) 63 kg: Maya Nelson (Bronze) 67 kg: Alexis Porter (Bronze) Greco-Roman 60 kg: Taylor LaMont (Bronze) 96 kg: G’Angelo Hancock (Bronze) 2015 Men’s Freestyle 50 kg: Spencer Lee (Gold) 55 kg: Stevan Micic (Bronze) 66 kg: Aaron Pico (Bronze) 120 kg: Nathan Butler (Bronze) Women’s Freestyle 55 kg: Becka Leathers (Bronze) 2014 Men’s Freestyle 55 kg: Thomas Gilman (Bronze) 60 kg: Joey McKenna (Silver) 66 kg: Aaron Pico (Silver) 84 kg: Gabe Dean (Bronze) 96 kg: Kyle Snyder (Bronze) 120 kg: Adam Coon (Bronze) Women’s Freestyle 44 kg: Marina Doi (Bronze) 59 kg: Kayla Miracle (Bronze) 72 kg: Victoria Francis (Bronze) Greco-Roman 120 kg: Adam Coon (Bronze) 2013 Men’s Freestyle 74 kg: Alex Dieringer (Silver) 96 kg: Kyle Snyder (Gold) Women’s Freestyle 44 kg: Erin Golston (Silver) 63 kg: Jennifer Page (Bronze) Greco-Roman 120 kg: Sam Stoll (Bronze) 2012 Men’s Freestyle 84 kg: Patrick Downey (Silver) Women’s Freestyle 44 kg: Erin Golston (Bronze) 63 kg: Alli Ragan (Bronze) Greco-Roman 60 kg: Jesse Thielke (Bronze) 2011 Men’s Freestyle 60 kg: Logan Stieber (Silver) Women’s Freestyle 44 kg: Erin Golston (Bronze) 55 kg: Helen Maroulis (Silver) 63 kg: Alli Ragan (Bronze) 67 kg: Adeline Gray (Silver) Greco-Roman 66 kg: Ellis Coleman (Bronze) 120 kg: Toby Erickson (Bronze) 2010 Men’s Freestyle 84 kg: Chris Perry (Bronze) Women’s Freestyle 48 kg: Victoria Anthony (Gold) 51 kg: Amy Whitbeck (Bronze) 55 kg: Helen Maroulis (Bronze) Greco-Roman 66 kg: Ellis Coleman (Bronze)

Friday evening, two-time NCAA finalist Sammy Sasso of Ohio State University suffered a gunshot wound during an apparent robbery attempt Columbus’ WSYX reports. Sasso was airlifted from the scene and underwent surgery immediately and again on Saturday morning. He was reportedly shot in the stomach. The incident occurred at approximately 8:23 pm on Friday and, as of now, there are no suspects in custody. A witness on scene initially stated that the victim was an Ohio State wrestler from Pennsylvania and later it was determined to be Sasso. His condition was listed as serious.

Recruiting junkies can attest to the fact that recruiting at service academies has taken off within the last five years or so. Army West Point has made the top-25 in each of the last three editions of InterMat’s recruiting rankings. Navy made the cut in 2021 and 2022. The Air Force Academy was deemed to be #23 in InterMat’s rankings this year after receiving an honorable mention in 2021. The early indications from the Class of 2024 are that all three will fight for a spot in the 2024 rankings; however, we’re focusing on Air Force today, as their 2024 class is shaping up to be excellent. As of mid-August, Sam Barber’s team has verbal commitments from nine wrestlers in the Class of 2024, three of which are rankings on MatScouts Senior Big Board. Last week, the Falcons received a verbal from #77 Layton Schneider (Edmond North, OK), who comes in as their second-highest-ranked recruit thus far. Recently, Schneider finished seventh in Junior freestyle in Fargo. It marked the second time that Schneider has placed in Junior freestyle (he was sixth in 2022). The other top-100 recruits that have verbally committed to Air Force are #73 Karson Tompkins (Midlothian, TX) and #97 Gunner Cramblett (St. Paris Graham, OH). Additionally, Talon McCollom (Edmond North, OK) is currently ranked 15th at 170 lbs. Tompkins placed in both styles in Fargo and McCollom did so at the U16 level in 2021. When evaluating recruiting classes, especially early in the game, something I like to look at is the number of recruits. Especially, when we’re checking in on schools that aren’t your traditional national title contenders (Penn State/Iowa/Ohio State etc.). In those instances, the number of recruits is almost more important and telling than getting verbals from highly ranked recruits. The reasoning behind this is that seeing the general interest in a program that hasn’t won NCAA titles is still a very encouraging sign. Obviously, multiple recruits having committed to a particular program shows there is some belief in the vision that its respective coaching staff is pitching. And that belief isn’t just limited to one wrestler. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if there are no recruits committing early, are recruits and their families not sold on the direction of a program? Bringing that explanation back to Air Force wrestling, the Falcons have plenty of interest from the Class of 2024 and that has manifested itself into nine early verbal commitments (as of now). We had the opportunity to speak with Air Force assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Chris Heilman, about their Class of 2024. Of course, Heilman can’t talk directly about the individual recruits, but he’s given us a general overview of this class of rising high school seniors. “Those that have committed to our program are ambitious guys. They want to do things that are uncommon for college-aged kids, and they want to make an impact after graduation. They aren’t afraid of hard work and understand that in order to become the best versions of themselves, they need a challenge. The Academy certainly provides that.” Air Force is coming off a year where they sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, a number they haven’t hit since 1991. The Falcons also posted an NCAA team finish (18th place tie) that was the best in program history; one that tied perennial power Oklahoma State. A huge chunk of Air Force’s 28.5 team points were via their big man, Wyatt Hendrickson, who finished third at 285 lbs. Hendrickson became Air Force’s first All-American since fellow-heavyweight Kevin Hoy made the 2003 national finals. Along the way, Hendrickson also picked up NCAA awards for most falls (16), the Most Dominant Wrestler (for the second straight year), and the Gorriaran Award (most falls in least time at NCAA’s). Hendrickson’s success and dominance have brought the Air Force program into the national spotlight. That exposure has had to help from a recruiting standpoint. When asked about the correlation between Hendrickson’s accolades and more interest on the recruiting trail, here’s what Heilman said: “Wyatt has certainly elevated the exposure of our program to the masses. He’s an All-American and he wrestles an offensive style. He loves to go for the pin. People love to see that and it makes the sport exciting! But more so, he’s a down-to-Earth humble guy. He’s a great leader for our program and does well in his academics. He has high goals for himself in wrestling and all other areas of his life. I think recruits see that in interviews and on visits….that you can be an All-American-type wrestler and do well in school and become an outstanding leader.” In time, we’ll see whether or not any wrestlers from the Class of 2024 can come close to Hendrickson’s achievements with Air Force. What we know now is that the Air Force coaching staff will have plenty of talented wrestlers to work within the coming years. It should be noted that Hendrickson’s final Big Board ranking from the Class of 2019 was #40, so it’s not too far off from some of the recruits in 2024. While he was talented and highly-regarded, Hendrickson still needed to develop once on campus. Here are the student-athletes from the Class of 2024 that have committed to Air Force and some of their accomplishments. #73 Karson Tompkins (Midlothian, TX) - 2x Texas 5A State Champ, 2023 Junior National Freestyle 4th, 2023 Junior National Greco-Roman 5th, 2023 UWW U17 Freestyle 3rd, 2022 16U National Greco-Roman 5th #77 Layton Schneider (Edmond North, OK) - 2023 Oklahoma 6A State Champ, 2023 Junior National Freestyle 7th, 2022 Junior National Freestyle 6th, 2021 16U National Greco-Roman 6th #97 Gunner Cramblett (St. Paris Graham, OH) - 2023 Ohio DII State Champ, 2022 Walsh Ironman 6th, 2022 NHSCA Sophomore National 4th Logan Fowler (Cleveland, TN) - 2x Tennessee AA State Champ, 2023 NHSCA Junior National Champ Lincoln Gregersen (Ralston Valley, CO) - 2022 Colorado 5A State Finalist Charlie LaRocca (Center Grove, IN) - 2023 Indiana State Champ Gianni Maldonado (Lake Gibson, FL) - 2023 Florida 2A State Champ, 2022 16U National Greco-Roman 4th Talon McCollom (Edmond North, OK) - 2023 Oklahoma 6A State Champ, 2022 NHSCA Sophomore National 5th, 2021 16U National Freestyle 5th, 2021 16U National Greco-Roman 5th Carter Nogle (Mt. St. Joseph, MD) - 2x National Prep All-American (5th, 2nd), 2023 Junior National Greco-Roman 4th, 2022 Junior National Greco-Roman 2nd, 2022 UWW U17 Greco-Roman 3rd, 2021 16U Greco-Roman 4th Jesse Vanorden (Wantagh, NY) - 2023 New York DI State 3rd

A former Cowboy is making his way back home to Stillwater, OK. Last Thursday’s news cycle had everyone stirring as we got word that Coleman Scott was stepping down as the head coach at the University of North Carolina. Now, on his wife Jessica’s birthday, Oklahoma State has officially announced that Scott is headed back to his old stomping grounds to take the Associate Head Coach position. “All the great memories that we had here for 10 years through college, then post-college then coaching – just everything. I love Stillwater, we love Stillwater. The people here are awesome. Our friends are unbelievable. And I think it was the people more than anything else,” Scott said about returning to his alma mater. “I don’t know if I ever thought it would happen. Just even driving around today with Jessica, it’s just very surreal that I was given the opportunity and blessed enough and very fortunate to be in consideration and given a call.” Scott’s return to Cowboy country reunites him with his old coach, John Smith, who was in his corner for not just his NCAA finals win, but his Olympic bronze medal win in London in 2012 as well. “Being able to pick his brain and learn more is a great opportunity. In my mind, he’s the greatest wrestler and greatest coach,” Scott said. “I grew here. This is where I grew up and it was because of him and the way he led and did everything for us as a team. So, for me, it's nostalgic coming back here to learn from the greatest wrestler and coach that there is in this country. I’m excited about that, and I just want to get started and get things rolling.” Scott, who claimed his NCAA title in his final season at 133 would be looking to now coach Daton Fix to a title in the same weight class, in his final season, if he was to return to the OK State lineup this year. But outside of four-time AA Fix, there is a lot of talent that they have who are now becoming vets along with a powerful recruiting class. “I think that the staff is unbelievable. It’s a time where the roster is very deep,” he said about the Cowboys’ current talent. “But it’s hour zero per se because I haven’t been in the practice room yet, so I don’t know what’s there across the board, but I believe that they have some very special guys and it’s an opportunity to come in and raise the level. Some of the most special moments that I’ve had in my career is when we won NCAA team titles and that’s the goal – win as a team. And when you wrestle for the team, and you are a team, and you do things together it takes care of your individual goals. I think they’ve got some pieces to the puzzle that we can do that.” In 2015, Scott became the head coach at the University of North Carolina after joining the staff the year prior as the assistant coach. To say that he made an incredible impact in Chapel Hill would be a grand understatement. “[North] Carolina is a special place. They welcomed us with open arms. The community and the people. We made some lifelong friends that we’ll have forever. Our kids were in essence raised there. In the wrestling sense, the number one goal was to leave this place better than when I started whether that was two years, nine years or 30 years and I feel that I did that,” Scott said about his time in Chapel Hill. While at the helm, he led UNC to some of its best finishes since the 90’s as he coached Kizhan Clarke and Austin O’Connor to the NCAA Championship finals with O’Connor finishing his career as a four-time All-American and two-time Champion. “It was never about me, it was never about anything other than bettering the program,” Scott said. [North] Carolina wins a lot across the board, and it was all about the program. What are we going to do to put this program on the map, break the top 10, chase team trophies – that was the goal. It was never ‘What can I do for this place?’ it was always about how can we elevate what we want to do.” But the decision to leave where he got his first big opportunity as a coach wasn’t easy, even if it was for a place that means so much to him, like Stillwater, OK. “It was definitely hard,” he admitted. “The relationships and the guys and the people made it extremely hard. And I believe life’s about relationships and that’s what made this decision so tough. But at the end of the day, It’s home. Like I said, Stillwater is a place that helped me grow and made me who I am. It’s where my family started. So again, I’m just very, very fortunate to have the opportunity to even get a call from John. Again, it’s surreal right now, but I just want to get to work and better this place.”

The final day of women’s freestyle competition saw one of America’s brightest stars shine when Amit Elor was victorious at the 72 kg weight class. Elor captured her third U20 world championship in the past three years and was as dominant as ever in doing so. She was the lone American woman to capture gold at the 2023 tournament. A total of five women will leave Amman, Jordan with medals (1,1 silver, 3 bronze) which was good for third place, behind India and Japan. Elor’s gold medal match was the final bout of the women’s competition and she closed out the tournament in style. She needed only 1:46 to roll to a tech fall against Turkey’s Bukrenaz Sert. After earning three points with a takedown and step out, Elor was able to counter a Sert attack for a second takedown. She then moved into a leg lace and eventually turned Sert three times for the 11-0 win. With the win, Elor now has three U20 world championships and a stunning seven world titles across all age groups. Last year, she won gold at the U20, U23, and Senior levels. Elor will have the opportunity to replicate that feat again in 2023. She’ll shoot for the second leg of the trifecta next month in Belgrade, Serbia. This year’s title saw Elor navigate through the bracket without surrendering a single point. Elor outscored her competition by the score of 31-0 across four matches and that doesn’t include a quarterfinal fall. The only other US woman in action on Friday was Katie Gomez at 53 kg. Gomez attempted to win her second consecutive U20 world bronze medal; however, she was stopped by Azerbaijan’s Gultakin Shirinova. Gomez led early in the final period 4-2, but couldn’t hold off a Shirinova onslaught that saw her finish with seven consecutive points to win 9-4. Also on Friday, the men’s Greco-Roman competition got underway. Four of the five American wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals; however, they all suffered losses in that round. Three Greco team members, Haiden Drury (63 kg), Derek Matthews (77 kg), and Wyatt Voelker (87 kg), all have medal hopes and were pulled back into repechage after their respective losses. The other two members of the Greco squad that have been eliminated, Zach Silvis (55 kg) and Aden Attao (130 kg) both picked up at least one win. The final five Greco wrestlers will start their tournaments on Saturday. Final Results Women’s Freestyle 53 kg Gold Medal Match: Antim (India) over Mariia Yefremova (Ukraine) 4-0 Bronze Medal Match: Gultakin Shirinova (Azerbaijan) over Katie Gomez (USA) 9-4 Bronze Medal Match: Xuejing Liang (China) over Polina Lukina (Russia - Individual Neutral Athlete) 7-4 57 kg Gold Medal Match: Alina Filipovych (Ukraine) over Ichika Arai (Japan) 5-3 Bronze Medal Match: Gerda Terek (Hungary) over Gabriela Cross (Canada) 12-2 Bronze Medal Match: Reena (India) over Shugyla Omirbek (Kazakhstan)) 9-4 62 kg Gold Medal Match: Savita (India) over Astrid Montero Chirinos (Venezuela) 10-0 Bronze Medal Match: Suzu Sasaki (Japan) over Iris Thiebaux (France) 10-0 Bronze Medal Match: Melanie Jimenez Villalba (Mexico) over Iryna Bondar (Ukraine) 3-3 65 kg Gold Medal Match: Eniko Elekes (Hungary) over Antim (India) 9-2 Bronze Medal Match: Martia Pantiru (Romania) over Ekaterina Koshkina (Russia - Individual Neutral Athlete) Fall 4:29 Bronze Medal Match: Khadija Jlassi (Tunisia) over Kseniya Tsiarenia (Belarus - Individual Neutral Athlete) Fall 5:44 72 kg Gold Medal Match: Amit Elor (USA) over Bukrenaz Sert (Turkey) 11-0 Bronze Medal Match: Harshita (India) over Emilia Crciun (Moldova) Fall 3:34 Bronze Medal Match: Yuka Fujikura (Japan) over Patrycja Cuber (Poland) 10-1 US Results Women’s Freestyle 53 kg Bronze Medal Match: Gultakin Shirinova (Azerbaijan) over Katie Gomez (USA) 9-4 72 kg Gold Medal Match: Amit Elor (USA) over Bukrenaz Sert (Turkey) 11-0 Greco-Roman 55 kg Round of 16: Zach Silvis (USA) over Dzianis Vitaroi (Belarus) Fall 5:58 Quarterfinals: Ali Ahmadi Vafa (Iran) over Zach Silvis (USA) 11-0 63 kg Round of 16: Landon Drury (USA) over Suhib Alhasanat (Jordan) 9-0 Quarterfinals: Zhantoro Mirzaliev (Kyrgyzstan) over Landon Drury (USA) 8-5 77 kg Round of 16: Alexandru Solovei (Moldova) over Derek Matthews (USA) 8-1 87 kg Qualification: Wyatt Voelker (USA) over Yhias Abdurazakov (Turkmenistan) 10-0 Round of 16: Wyatt Voelker (USA) over Mohit Khokhar (India) 6-3 Quarterfinals: Abolfazi Choubani (Iran) over Wyatt Voelker (USA) 7-1 130 kg Qualification: Aden Attao (USA) over Ayumu Iwasawa (Japan) 3-1 Round of 16: Aden Attao (USA) over Koppany Laszlo (Hungary) 8-7 Quarterfinals: Achilleas Chrysidis (Greece) over Aden Attao (USA) 6-4