InterMat Staff

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Future Wildcats Jason Welch (Walnut Creek, Calif./Las Lomas) and Brian Roddy (Highland Heights, Ohio/St. Edward) both dominated the competition en route to state titles in California and Ohio, respectively. Welch, the nation's top-ranked recruit captured his third championship while Roddy earned his second. Currently, Northwestern's 2008 recruiting class has garnered seven state championships and 11 state medals in 12 attempts. Welch, who is expected to compete at 157/165 for the Wildcats next year, etched his name into state wrestling history. The 18-year old is just the 14th three-time champion in California history. Welch became the sixth wrestler to reach the finals in all four years in high school, joining such venerable names as Bakersfield's Darrell Vasquez (1999-02) and current Oklahoma State wrestler Nathan Morgan (2001-04). In addition to winning his third state title, Welch was voted most valuable wrestler by his fellow CIF state champions. The Dave Schultz Champion of Champions award is the most prestigious award given out at the event. Welch won the championship with an 18-8 victory in the finals. "California is very deep in wrestling talent and Jason is widely known as the most talented of the group," assistant coach Andrew Pariano said. "We know that we have a great wrestling coming to Evanston next fall, and more importantly, we know that we have a great person." Welch finished the season with an unblemished 49-0 record and is now an impressive 196-4 during his career. Brian Roddy became a two-time Ohio State Tournament champion on Saturday evening. His final match was a dominating 21-6 technical fall, earning him a second consecutive title at the 171 weight class. Roddy is now a three-time Ohio State finalist and four-time medalist at 171 lbs. "Very few athletes are able to excel at this weight during their freshman and sophomore campaigns and yet Brian found a way to get the job done," head coach Tim Cysewski said. "We can't say enough about his character and attitude. He is a great young man and will be an outstanding addition to Northwestern Wrestling." Throughout the tournament, Roddy posted three falls (1:19, 2:53, 0:56) and earned a technical fall in the finals at 5:02. During the sectionals, districts and states, only one match went into the third period and no matches went the full six minutes. Earlier this month, Eric Galka (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) earned his third trip to the state title match at the Indiana State Wrestling Championships.

Single-session tickets for the 2008 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, to be held at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena, March 8-9, will go on sale Monday March 3, athletics department officials announced today. Single-session tickets for Saturday's two sessions (11 a.m. and 6 p.m.) will be $15 for lower level reserved seats and $10 for upper level general admission seats. Groups of 15 or more may purchase Session 1 or 2 general admission seats for $5 each. Williams Arena will be cleared between Saturday's two sessions, and separate admission will be required for both. Reserved single-session tickets for Sunday's championship session (scheduled to begin at noon) are priced at $20, with general admission seats costing $15. Groups of 15 or more may purchase Sunday tickets for $10 each. The championship round of Sunday's finals is scheduled to begin at approximately 2 p.m. Fans interested in purchasing all-session tickets may continue to do so. All-session packages are priced at just $30 and include admission to both days (and all three sessions) of the championship. Tickets may be purchased online through www.gophersports.com, in person at the athletics ticket office in Mariucci Arena or by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER or 612-624-8080. The J Robinson-led Minnesota Golden Gopher wrestlers are the two-time defending Big Ten champions and have won more Big Ten individual titles (29) than any other school in the conference since 1997. The Gophers have placed in the top two at the Big Ten Championships 10 times since 1997, which was also the last time that Williams Arena hosted the event. TICKET PRICES: All Session $30.00 Session 1 or 2 Reserved $15.00 Session 1 or 2 General Admission $10.00 Session 1 or 2 Group (GA � 15 or more) $ 5.00 Session 3 Reserved $20.00 Session 3 General Admission $15.00 Session 3 Group (GA � 15 or more) $10.00

EUGENE, Ore. -- Six Boise State University wrestlers advanced to the finals of the Pacific-10 Championships Sunday, Mar. 2, 2008, in Eugene, Ore., as the Broncos continue to lead the conference championships with 128 points. Cory Fish was the first Bronco to advance to the finals when he defeated Thomas Kimbrell of Cal State Bakersfield 3-0 at 133 pounds. The victory was the second of the season for the No. 2 seed Fish over Kimbrell. He will face No. 4 seed Ryan Dunn of Oregon in the finals Monday, Mar. 3. Fish recorded a 9-3 victory over Dunn in their only meeting of the season Jan. 25, at Boise, Idaho. Freshman Adam Hall defeated Lucas Espericueta of Stanford 9-6 to earn his place in the finals at 149 pounds. He will face Morgan Atkinson of Cal State Fullerton in the final. Hall fell to Atkinson 7-4 in their only meeting of the season Jan. 11 at Fullerton, Calif., for his only loss in Pac-10 competition. Tyler Sherfey earned his third victory of the day at 157-pounds as he upset the No. 2 seed from Stanford Josh Zupancic 3-2. Sherfey opened the match with a two-point takedown eight seconds in and never relinquished the lead to advance to the finals. Sherfey lost to Zupancic 3-1 in their only meeting this season. Sherfey, who is seeded No. 3 in the Pac-10 and 12th in the country, will face Cal Poly's Chase Pami, No.1 seed and 10th in the nation, for the Pac-10 Championship Monday, Mar. 3. Kurt Swartz advanced to the finals of the conference championship with a 4-3 victory over Keegan Davis of Oregon State. Swartz will face No. 1 seeded Patrick Pitsch of Arizona State in the finals. Swartz lost to Pitsch 6-3 at the Las Vegas Invitational in their only career meeting. Swartz carries an 11-match winning streak and a perfect 8-0 Pac-10 record into the conference finals. At 174 pounds, the No. 1 seed Nate Lee collected his second victory of the day as he advanced to the conference championship. Lee defeated Dale Seley of Portland State 8-4 to earn his first career trip to the conference finals. Lee will face No. 3 Tyler Bernacchi of UC Davis in the finals. Lee defeated Bernacchi 4-3 in their only meeting of the season. This was the 14th consecutive Pac-10 conference victory for Lee who won third place at 174 pounds at the 2007 Pac-10 Wrestling Championships. Kirk Smith needed three overtimes to defeat Zack Giesen of Stanford and earn his place in the conference finals. The match was tied 1-1 entering the third overtime and Smith chose to start down. Smith struggled to break free of Giesen's grasp for the first 24 seconds of the third overtime but Smith executed a reverse with six seconds left in overtime to claim the 3-1 victory and an appearance in the conference finals. Levi Jones will compete for third place at 141-pounds. He fell in the semi-finals to No. 1 seed Chad Mendes of Cal Poly and will now face No. 3 seed Elijah Nacita of Cal State Bakersfield in the semi-finals of the consolation bracket. Matt Casperson, Boise State's 197-pounder was disqualified in his semi-final match against the No. 1 seed Jason Trulson of Arizona State but will return to action Monday, Mar. 3, to face Jake Johnson of Stanford. On the day, the Broncos posted a 17-5 record with two pins and seven major decisions. Session Three of the Pac-10 Championships, which includes the conference finals, will begin Monday, Mar. 3, at 3:00 p.m.

Date: March 1, 2008 Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio The UFC has now added a match to each of their cards, going from nine to ten. And, this card has as many interesting fights as any I've seen! So, let's get started trying to find a weakness in the betting line, shopping for fighters with "value", and see if we can repeat the UFC Monster's winning performance (+ $ 345), as posted right here on this website, prior to UFC 80. The undercard in UFC 82 may be better than some of the main cards in previous UFCs! What a show! Jorge GURGEL (11-3) is a -200 favorite to defeat John HALVERSON (16-5). Gurgel has 9 submission wins in his 11 victories. Halverson's last lost was a 19 second KO from former Augsburg wrestler, Roger Huerta! Not a lot of value here, but we will force a small play on Gurgel. He wins by second round submission. Luke COMMO (9-4) takes on Luigi FIORAVANTI (12-3) in a battle that could go either way. Commo is coming off two KO victories, while Fioravanti has lost two of his last three (Forrest Petz/Jon Fitch, who has won 18 in a row). As both fighters go toe-to-toe, I'll go with the modest underdog, Fioravanti @ +135, to have his hand raised at the end. He wins by third round KO. Diego "Nightmare" SANCHEZ (19-2) takes on unknown David BIELHEDEN (12-5), a rare Swedish fighter trying the UFC. Are you kidding me? The Nightmare's only losses have been his last two fights! Think he's hungry? Bielheden won't know what hit him! I see Sanchez exploding early and overwhelming his opponent. The Nightmare is back with a first round KO using ground-and-pound elbows! Lay the lumber with Sanchez @ -450. He's a beast! In a very interesting match-up, red-hot Dustin HAZELETT (12-3) brings his lanky body and unorthodox submission arsenal into the octagon to take on former NCAA wrestling champion, Josh KOSCHECK (11-2). Koscheck's only losses have been to Jon Fitch and Georges St. Pierre. Hazelett will be game and may catch an overzealous Koscheck in a submission hold (armbar or chokehold), but I see a similar result as the Sanchez's fight, with Koscheck @ -450, overwhelming his opponent early, getting ground control with his superior wrestling skills, and reigning much pain onto his opponent, in route to a first round TKO by ground-and-pound. Koscheck's tough. Undefeated Jake O'BRIEN (10-0) takes on former UFC heavyweight champion, Andre ARLOVSKI (13-5). How can this be an undercard fight? Man, that's deep … Despite being an awesome wrestler, O'Brien has won 8 of his 10 fights by KO. And, Arlovski loves to stand and punch. But four of his five losses have come by way of KO. I see great value in O'Brien here. I believe he will be able to control Arlovski with his superior wrestling skills and he, too, will mount and pound out a stunning upset victory over a bewildered former champ! Take the Irishman and get +285. It doesn't get any better than that, an undefeated fighter as a big �dog. … and now onto the main card: Is there a hotter MMA fighter anywhere than Jon FITCH (20-2), who has won 19 in a row? His opponent tonight is Chris WILSON (11-3-1), an under-rated fighter with little chance here, based on a UFC poll showing only 3% of fans polled give him a chance to win. Fitch has been a beast, demonstrating ground skills and punching power that seem to show no weaknesses. Is GSP (Georges St. Pierre) in his future? Could be. Take Fitch and bridge jump on the �550. He wins by first round triangle choke. No problem. How about Evan TANNER (34-6)? Thirty-seven (37) years old and he's still fighting on the main card of a UFC event! Good for him. His opponent is the awesome Yushin OKAMI (22-4) whose impressive resume includes victories over Alan Belcher, mike Swick, Jason MacDonald, Nick "the Goat" Thompson, and yes, Anderson Silva, the last to do so! My head tells me Okami, but my heart puts me on the underdog, Evan Tanner. Tanner has fought them all in his decade plus of MMA fights. He has knocked out Phil Baroni in the first round. He's KO'd Robbie Lawler and beaten David Terrell. But, despite his awesome knees and elbows, somehow Tanner usually wins by submission. Very few of his fights go the distance. I see great toe-to-toe action here, with each trying to put the other guy out. Whoever strikes the decisive blow will finish the job in the full mount position, battering his helpless opponent. I'm hoping Tanner @ +195 has one more great fight left in him. If so, he wins by third round TKO, using bruising elbows to open up vicious cuts. This one gets bloody and a seasoned veteran puts another notch in his belt. Chris "the Crippler" LEBEN (17-4) is a psycho who likes to rock your world with flurries of hard-hitting sledgehammer-like blasts. He is relentless and not afraid to trade blows with anyone. But, he has eaten some knees from Anderson Silva (who hasn't?) and Alessio SAKARA (16-6-1) is just the guy who can throw them. He loves to stand and punch and this one may not survive the first round. Leben is the favorite, but I see it an even battle, so I see the value with Sakara @ +135. He wins by first round KO, knees followed by a crushing right that sends Leben into la-la-land. In another slugfest of big punchers, Heath "the Texas Crazy Horse" HERRING (27-13-1) brings his Pride experience into the UFC again, this time taking on tough Frenchman, Cheick KONGO (21-3-1), who loves to kick and kick and kick. If this one goes to the mat, Herring will win. Unless Kongo has improved his ground game dramatically, he needs to stay standing and kicking. He will. And that may be enough to get it done with Herring. He has not looked good in the UFC. I don't look for that to change here. Take Kongo �165 to move up the ladder of heavyweight contenders. He wins by second round KO. … and in the featured match, we have the middleweight championship between the incomparable Anderson "the Spider" SILVA (20-4), who is destroying his competition these days, and Dan HENDERSON (22-6), former light-heavyweight Pride champion, who is cutting weight to get down to the middleweight division. Silva has never faced the power of a Henderson, and NOBODY has been able to knockout Hendo, arguably one of the world's top three Greco-Roman wrestlers (Randy Couture and Matt Lindland, the others). Like Tanner, he is another 37-year old who has been fighting MMA for over a decade. He will have no fear of the Spider. Henderson's strategy will be a page out of Randy Couture's book of "dirty boxing". While nobody wants to be in the clinch with Silva, Henderson will welcome the opportunity. Unfortunately, that will soon become his problem as Anderson Silva will again apply his Muay Thai head clamp and start to unload those vicious weapons some call his knees. This one ends with a page in history, my friends. Dan Henderson gets rocked and the Spider's growing legend continues … you either bet with the Spider or you don't bet the fight at all. That's my opinion. Silva -140 wins by third round TKO, another Silva beating that is becoming his carefree, guitar-playing trademark. So, in summary with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll let's see how we will do against the bookmakers: Let's lay $ 60 to win $ 30 on Gurgel. Let's lay $ 40 to win $ 54 on Fioravanti. Let's lay $135 to win $30 on Sanchez (warning: bridge-jumping). Let's lay $135 to win $30 on Koscheck (warning: bridge-jumping). Let's lay $165 to win $30 on Fitch (warning: severe bridge-jumping). Let's lay $ 70 to win $ $199.50 on O'Brien (big underdog!). Let's lay $ 50 to win $ 97.50 on Tanner (a "value" bet from the heart). Let's lay $ 70 to win $ 94.5 on Sakara (mild underdog). Let's lay $ 99 to win $ 60 on Cheick Kongo. …..and, let's lay $ 175 to win $125 on the Spiderman. In all we are laying $999 to try and win $750.50. The extra buck goes to the cocktail waitress. Enjoy the fights. I know I will. More later. The UFC Monster

Boiling Springs, N.C. -- The Bulldogs took home their third win in the past four matches as they downed Gardner-Webb 29-12 in the final dual of the season. The Cadets won six of the ten matches, accumulating 11 bonus points. The win improves The Citadel to 7-8 (2-3 SoCon) overall in dual meet action. Sophomore Tyler Sim got the match started at 125 pounds as he faced off against Gardner-Webb's Tommy Bennett. Sim paced the match scoring two takedowns in the first period and adding on four more points in the second. With the addition of over two and a half minutes riding time, Sim secured the 13-3 major decision to put The Citadel up 4-0. Anthony Easter took a forfeit at the 133-pound weight class, adding six more team points to the board for the Cadets. Gardner-Webb then took the next two duals to bring the match down to a four point deficit. The 157-pound bout was dominated by true freshman Keith Koziel. He came out firing with a quick takedown and nearfall to go up by five on Gardner-Webb's Joshua Lowe. Koziel chose to start the second period in the down position, where the advantage changed hands three times before the Cadet recorded his fourth fall of the season at the 4:31 mark. Brendan Prince followed Koziel's lead with an exciting match of his own at the 165-pound weight class. The true freshman was the first to score as he notched the first of three takedowns. Prince improved his record to 19-17 (8-7 in dual meet action) overall as he accumulated more than four minutes of riding time in his 11-4 victory over Gardner-Webb's Brendan Couture. After a tough loss in the 174-pound bout Darius Caldwell came back to give The Citadel an insurmountable lead with his major decision over Matthias Piasecki of Gardner-Webbin the 184-pound match-up. The redshirt senior recorded three takedowns in the first period and two more in the third, accumulating over two minutes in riding time to secure his sixth major decision of the season. The 12-4 victory put The Citadel up 23-9 going into the final two matches. Redshirt Junior Aaron Brown wasted little time in his heavyweight match against Windell Wilson of Gardner-Webb. Brown recorded his seventh fall of the season as he pinned Wilson at the 2:17 mark. The victory improved Brown to 19-14 (10-5 in dual meet action) overall and added six more points to the Cadet's team score, giving The Citadel the 29-12 win. The Bulldogs will next travel to Chattanooga, Tenn. on Mar. 8, for the Mat Jam Southern Conference Championships. For complete coverage of Bulldog Wrestling, visit the official home of The Citadel Athletics at www.CitadelSports.com.

SPARTANBURG, SC -- UNC Greensboro's Daren Burns was named the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week following a 1:20 fall victory over UT-Chattanooga's Kyle McKee. On Saturday afternoon the 197-pound senior from Catawba, NC recorded his quickest fall of the season and put up his 102nd career win. This marked his eighth fall of the season and the 25th in his career. Thus far, he has also tallied 11 decisions, five major decisions, and two technical falls. The win moved Burns' record up to 30-6. He is one of three athletes on the team who will go into the Southern Conference Wrestling Tournament with an unblemished 5-0 league record. Earlier this year, Burns became the winningest Spartan in wrestling history and the first to reach the century mark in wins. On January 23, he tied the university record with a 6-2 decision over Virginia Tech's D.J. Bruce. Six days later, Liberty handed him the new record with a forfeit in the 197-pound bout. Burns captured No. 100 on February 13 with a 1-0 victory over NC State's Mark Jahad. The previous record of 98-25 was set by Joe Stanton during the 1993-1997 seasons. The Spartans have just 11 more days to prepare for the 2008 Mat Jam/Southern Conference Championships on March 8. This year's tournament is hosted by the University of Chattanooga Mocs in Chattanooga, TN. Tickets are still available and can be purchased online. Click here for more information. For more news on UNCG wrestling, ticket prices, a complete season schedule, and all other Spartan athletic information log onto www.UNCGSpartans.com.

Wrestling has earned a reputation among its participants and fans as being the sport that demands the most of its athletes, mentally and physically. J.P. O'ConnorNow, imagine being a Division I wrestler at an Ivy League school. In pre-med. J.P. O'Connor doesn't have to imagine it. He lives that life as Harvard University's starter at 149 pounds, concentrating in biology with the goal of one day being a physician. The sophomore is 22-1 this season, his only loss being to Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State. Last year, J.P. created something of a sensation, wrapping up his freshman year by placing fifth at the 2007 NCAAs, becoming the first freshman All-American in the long history of Harvard's wrestling program. Coach Weiss weighs in "(J.P. O'Connor) successfully balances academic, athletic and social aspects of his life," according to Harvard head coach Jay Weiss. "That demonstrates his incredible work ethic." "His academic load is incredible. At the NCAAs, he would spend evenings in this quiet room off the hotel lobby, studying until midnight. We'd have to tell him, 'You need to go to bed.'" "We've battled injuries this year, with eight starters out, and both captains out," continues Coach Weiss. "J.P. has stepped up into the leadership role." "He's an unbelievable young man. He was a leader as a freshman." "He's not just focused on himself, but on the big picture." Coach Weiss sums up his praise of his second-year 145-pounder: "He's one of those guys who comes along only once in 10-15 years." Little wonder that J.P. O'Connor was the top recruit in his weight class out of high school. Back to the beginning Ask J.P. O'Connor how he got started in wrestling, and he responds, "I was a second grader. My primary school gym teacher was also the high school wrestling coach. He asked if I would like to be the team manager, with the idea that I'd come to practice, see what the sport was all about, and take it up." "It's interesting, because no one in my family was a wrestler. My dad played basketball." "I loved it from the start." "As I got progressively better, my folks started backing me more, and my passion for wrestling grew." High school superstar As a student at Oxford Academy -- a public school in the town of Oxford, in upstate New York -- J.P. O'Connor wrote an incredible wrestling resume. In high school, his overall record was 238-12. He was a five-time sectional champion (starting in seventh grade -- he placed third in eighth grade), and first-team all-conference section from 2001 through 2006. Perhaps most notably, he won four New York state championships … only the third wrestler in state history to do so (the others being Cornell's Troy Nickerson and Harvard grad Jesse Jantzen). (To read a RevWrestling profile of Jesse Jantzen, click HERE.) When asked about winning four state titles, J.P. responds, "The competition was pretty intense, with new challenges every year." "I have good feelings about all four titles … The one title that stands out the most for me was the last. The respect that was shown to me, the appreciation demonstrated for what I had accomplished, that really stays with me." "I went into every title quest one step at a time." "I was blessed to have a great high school coach, Scott Green. He really emphasized that I could be successful if I stuck to the plan. He was also my coach at the Shamrock Club, which I'd like to think is the best freestyle and Greco club in New York State." Goal! J.P. O'Connor had started in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling about five years into his mat career. However, while still in grade school, he stepped back from freestyle and Greco wrestling for a while to participate in baseball and soccer. "Along about seventh and eighth grade, I took up freestyle and Greco again." "I think I was a better soccer player than wrestler up to my freshman year (in high school)," claims J.P. "Soccer did great things for my stamina and athleticism." The captain of both his soccer and wrestling teams, J.P. speaks fondly of both sports: "Soccer and wrestling both let a guy my size excel in a sport, letting me use my God-given gifts." In high school, J.P. O'Connor demonstrated that his gifts extend far beyond the soccer field or wrestling mat. He was a member of the National Honor Society, a recipient of the U.S. Army scholar-athlete award, and the RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) Computing medal. The rigors of recruitment With his considerable athletic and academic credentials, it's little wonder that J.P. O'Connor was heavily recruited while still in high school. J.P. O'Connor gets advice from Harvard coach Jay Weiss"Interestingly, no Midwest schools banged on my door," says the Harvard sophomore. "The schools of the Ivy League and EIWA approached me." "I knew that I wanted to go a school with great academics. In the grand scheme of things, you have to look out for the rest of your life." "I grew up about one hour from Ithaca (New York). Some folks expected me to go to Cornell (University)," discloses J.P. "I went on the recruiting trip to Harvard, and was very impressed with what I'd call the 'family atmosphere.' It was very much a team, everyone working together for common goals." "A big part of it was Coach Weiss' influence, too." "It was a great experience but I'm glad I don't have to go through it again," continues J.P. "You build these warm relationships with various coaches, and then, eventually, you have to make a decision." "I'm extremely happy to have chosen Harvard." "Integrity is so important here. The goal is to help you grow as a person." When asked if it was pure coincidence that he followed in the footsteps of the first four-time New York state champ, Jesse Jantzen, in selecting Harvard, J.P. O'Connor replies, "I know Jesse, but I actually know Corey Jantzen even better, from our trips to Fargo. There may have been some motivation to follow in Jesse's footsteps. I'd like to be like him, to win a national title, and be successful in international competition, too." A fantastic first year at Harvard Ask J.P. O'Connor to describe his freshman year at Harvard, and he immediately responded, "Awesome!" J.P. O'Connor"I had a couple losses at East Stroudsburg (tournament). At the beginning, finding my confidence was a challenge." "I benefited so much from working with Jesse Jantzen and Jamil Kelly, two great coaches. I learned so much from them, improved all year long." In his first year at the Cambridge, Massachusetts school, J.P. achieved great things. He compiled a 37-8 record � the most wins by a freshman in the history of the program. He was a finalist at the 2007 EIWA conference championships, losing to Cornell's Jordan Leen … but placing second automatically qualified him for the NCAAs. Motown memories The first-year Crimson 149-pound starter from Oxford, New York made the trip to the Palace of Auburn Hills outside Detroit for the 2007 NCAA Division I wrestling championships… and came home with incredible memories, and All-American honors. "We had a post-NCAA meeting, to tell the rest of the team what it was like," says J.P. O'Connor, who was seeded sixth. "Words failed me. Nothing could compare to the raw emotion and intensity of the experience." "The first time I went into the arena to work out, to see how everything was set up -- to be on the mats, in the same place where guys I respect were also working out -� it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life." "The weight of the whole event really hits you. One mistake can seal your fate, or, on the other hand, one great move can put you in the history books." "I feel like I peaked at the right time." In his first match at the 2007 NCAAs, J.P. O'Connor shut out Wyoming's unseeded Carter Dowling, 5-0. In his next bout, the Harvard frosh took on Iowa State's Cyler Sanderson, seeded eleventh, and beat the Cyclone 4-2 in overtime. In the quarterfinals, J.P. wrestled home-crowd hero Josh Churella … and lost to the third-seeded Michigan Wolverine, 8-5. That sent the New York native into the consolation bracket. "I remember the Round of 12 most clearly -- win the match, and get All-American. I looked into my opponent's eyes and realized that he's going for the same goal." The opponent was Aaron Martin of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, who J.P. had wrestled before -- and defeated -- at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The Harvard frosh got a 6-3 win over the eighth-seeded UTC wrestler to assure himself of All-American honors. J.P. then edged Indiana's Matt Coughlin, 4-3 TB … but lost to top-seeded Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota, 5-4. In the match for fifth place, J.P. defeated Wisconsin's Tyler Turner, 6-4, and became the first Harvard wrestler to achieve All-American status as a first-year student. For all these accomplishments, J.P. O'Connor was named second-team All-Ivy, and earned Co-Ivy League Rookie of the Year and EIWA Freshman of the Year honors. Where things stand today As a sophomore, J.P. O'Connor says things are a lot different now. "My role on the team is different now. I feel the guys are looking to me as a quiet leader. I like that feeling." "Right now, I'm focused on the conference tournament and the NCAAs. It's crunch time." From head coach Jay Weiss' perspective, J.P. is equipped to handle the crunch. When asked to comment on his 149-pounder's style, he fired off a string of positives: "Tenacious. Hard to score on. So good on top." "Last year, he never doubted our direction. He was always open to us, which makes him a coach's dream" The toughest challenge "It's an absolute challenge to balance academics and wrestling," according to J.P. O'Connor. "My days are filled -- morning workout, classes, afternoon workout, studying. But the sacrifices I make now should pay off later." "I'm not a genius but I have a real strong work ethic, and I'm incredibly focused." J.P. O'ConnorWhen asked about his career path, the biology major says, "Right now, I could see myself doing one of two things. I like orthopedics, being a team doctor for a college program or pro athletes. I could relate well to athletes. The other option is emergency medicine. I like the high-intensity atmosphere, and that every day is unique." "As a high school senior, I was in a program called New Visions, where I spent a half-day in a hospital, doing 2-3 week rotations. I've seen autopsies, surgeries. The program really helped me to focus on a medical career." "I'd like to think that my education and my personality will help me be a compassionate doctor." In the meantime, J.P. O'Connor continues to make a name for himself in arguably the toughest academic program at one of the nation's top universities … while successfully competing in the toughest sport -- wrestling.

JOHNSTOWN, PA -- The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown will host the 2008 NCAA Division II East Regional Wrestling Tournament on Friday, February 29 and Saturday, March 1 in the Sports Center. Thirteen teams and 130 wrestlers are scheduled to participate, with the top four wrestlers in each of the 10 weight classes advancing to the NCAA Division II National Tournament hosted by Upper Iowa University in Cedar Rapids, IA on March 14-15. All Results will be posted after each of the four sessions at www.upj.pitt.edu/Athletics This year's East Regional Tournament will feature several of the nation's top-ranked teams, including #7 Newberry (S.C.) College, #8 Pitt Johnstown, #12 Gannon University, #14 Mercyhurst College and #19 Limestone (S.C.) College. Also competing are American International (MA) College, Anderson (S.C.) University, Belmont Abbey (N.C.) College, Kutztown University, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, Shippensburg University, St. Andrews Presbyterian (N.C.) College and West Liberty State (WV) College. In addition, 15 of the nation's top-ranked individuals will be battling for a spot in the national tournament, including Brandon Reasy (Pitt Johnstown), the nation's #1-ranked wrestler at 133 lbs. and Steve Fittery (Shippensburg) is ranked #2 at 141 lbs. Brian Pogel (Mercyhurst) (149 lbs.), Dan Scanlan (Limestone) (184 lbs.) and Cy Wainwright (Newberry) (HWT.) are all ranked #3, while Keeno Griffin (Newberry) (184 lbs.), Andy Lamancuso (Mercyhurst) (157 lbs.) and Mike Corcetti (Pitt Johnstown) (184 lbs.) are fifth in their respective weight classes. Joe Mavins (UNC-Pembroke) (125 lbs.), Tony Washington (Newberry (141 lbs.) Hudson Harrison (Mercyhurst) (165 lbs.) and Patrick Walsh (Pitt Johnstown) (197 lbs.) are all ranked #6, and Lucas Huffman (West Liberty State) (125 lbs.), Doug Surra (West Liberty State) (141 lbs.) and Zach Majocha (Pitt Johnstown) (HWT.) all hold the #7 ranking in their weight classes. Overall, Pitt Johnstown, winners of the last five East Regional Tournaments, boasts four wrestlers nationally-ranked, while Mercyhurst and Newberry each have three wrestlers ranked. West Liberty State brings a pair of ranked wrestlers to the tournament. Limestone, UNC-Pembroke and Shippensburg each has one wrestler ranked. Sessions one and two of wrestling will begin on Friday at 4:00 p.m. and will consist of the Preliminaries, Quarterfinals and the first and second rounds of the Consolations. (Tournament Outline) On Saturday, Session III will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the Semifinals and the Consolation Quarterfinals, followed by the Consolation Semifinals at approximately 12:30 p.m. The final session will start at 2:30 p.m., featuring the Finals, Consolation Finals, 5th-6th Place Matches and True-Fourth Matches. Tickets are $5.00 for adults per session and $2.00 for children under 12 years of age per session. Tickets will only be sold by the session. All-Tournament passes and complimentary tickets will not be available. Brackets for this year's tournament will be released following a coaches' meeting on February 29. Results will be updated on this site following each session.

MADISON, Wis. -- After upsetting the No. 1 wrestler in the country last Friday, Wisconsin junior Kyle Massey was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, the conference announced Wednesday. This is the final wrestler of the week award for the 2007-08 season and the fourth time a Wisconsin wrestler has been recognized this season. This is Massey's first Big Ten Wrestler of the Week award. Last Friday, Massey, then ranked No. 4 at the time, faced Dustin Fox from Northwestern and prior to Friday's bout, Fox had a 17-0 record and a No. 1 ranking. The Badgers trailed the Wildcats 19-18 heading into the final bout, which was at heavyweight. Both wrestlers were scoreless in the first period but in the second, Massey struck first with a two-point reversal. Fox earned a point of his own off an escape but Massey still led 2-1 heading into the third period. In the third, Fox evened the score with an early escape but Massey scored another takedown with just 46 seconds remaining and had a point of riding time in the 5-3 victory. The win was Massey's 11th-straight and the third time in as many duals that the heavyweight scored the winning points for Wisconsin. With the win, Massey moved up to No. 2 in the latest USA Today/InterMat/NWCA poll. This is the highest ranking of his career. Massey has not lost since Dec. 10, 2007, which was against J.D. Bergman from Ohio State. Bergman now occupies the top spot at heavyweight. The Badgers broke a few records with the conference's weekly award this season. It was the first time in school history that three different Badgers have earned the award. It is also the first time Wisconsin has earned four weekly awards in one season and is the first time UW wrestlers have earned back-to-back honors. Last week junior Zach Tanelli was the co-wrestler of the week. Massey and the rest of the Badgers are preparing for the 2008 Big Ten Championships which span from March 8-9 in Minneapolis, Minn.

This week Takedown Wrestling Radio heads back to the Brute Adidas studios in Des Moines after enjoying the freezing temps surrounding Lambeau Field. Lambeau Field What was Curly Lambeau thinking? Even the cold is cold. On the other hand the people are just great. We really do enjoy our journeys to Wisconsin. Lots of good wrestling folks there for sure. Thanks to all of our hosts and friends in Green Bay. This is the week of the "Quiet before the Storm". We'll take a good hard look at the season from hell as many coaches are calling it. Now that's not a bad thing, well maybe for coaches, but not for fans. This is the most exciting season we've enjoyed for many years. We've had 5 different number 1 teams, each deserved their spot in the sun at the time. We had a tremendous NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls. The other events we covered so far this year have given me great hope for this sport and its people. I've said it before and will do so again, I'm lucky! I get to work with the greatest hero's a guy like me could ever have. Each of you, fans included, continue to inspire me to be a better person, to do a better job at telling your stories. Thanks for giving me the insight, the time and sense of belonging to a very special fraternity, Wrestling! Join Scott Casber, Steve Foster and Jeff Murphy as we welcome- Tony Ersland- Nebraska's Assistant Head Coach will join us to discuss the Big 12's, the recent drop to ISU and prepping a team for the run on the NCAA's. Tony's not just a good coach but a great guy. I'm happy to have him back on the show. Dan Kilgore- Director of New Product Development for Brute Adidas joins us to discuss what's new on the wrestling equipment front. Yes there is new product out there and there have been some recent innovations with current products that make them last longer and make them better values. Nick Simmons- The East Lansing Strangler makes his triumphant return to TDR. Nick is a favorite of TDR not just as a wrestler but as a person. He's having fun with his career and he's just fun to talk to. We'll discuss his recent successful run over seas and what he's doing to prepare for the Olympic Team Trials. Nick was one of the most successful wrestlers to ever compete for Tom Minkle and Michigan State. Rich Fergola- Head Coach of NIACC in Mason City, Iowa. This young head coach was able to crown 3 NJCAA champions the Trojans finished fourth as a team at the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association Wrestling Championships held in Rochester, MN last weekend. Fergola's team had six wrestlers earn All-American (top eight) status during the two-day tournament, the first the Trojans had participated in since the program disbanded in 1976. NIACC's wrestling program was officially reinstated in November 2006 and Fergola was hired as head coach in March 2007. NIACC was among 36 schools represented at nationals and the team's 109 points trailed only Iowa Central Community College (138), St. Louis-Meramac in Missouri (117.5) and Labette Community College of Kansas (111). Mike McClintock- Owner of Sunflower Wrestling Supply. Mike's interest in wrestling is more than just sales. He understands the wrestling mind set. He knows that the last thing that needs to be on a wrestlers mind is equipment. He has aligned himself with the best brands and people in the sport today. He recently signed Cael Sanderson to a spokesperson role for Sunflower Wrestling Supply. A major pick up indeed. Round Table Discussion with WIN Magazine's Editor Mike Finn, USA Wrestling's communications manager Dr. Craig Sesker, Intern Jeff Murphy, Nurse Steve Foster and Scott Casber make up this round table. We'll take a look at the Big 10's, the Big 12's, the PAC and other conferences as well. Seeding's for the NCAA's are on the line and we'll talk about that too. So there you go. Another good show planned. I can't get enough. Join us LIVE Saturday mornings at 9:06 AM at KXNO.com, Takedownradio.com for America's Wrestling Radio Talk show. We don't have a dog in the hunt. We just love this sport as much as you do. Thanks to all of our great sponsors for helping to make this show a reality every week of the year.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa 197-pound junior Andrew Anderson has been named the Western Wrestling Conference's Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. Anderson (Sioux City, Iowa/East HS) posted a perfect 2-0 mark this past week to improve to 17-9 on the season. Anderson scored a 6-5 victory over Jacob Marrs (Nebraska-Omaha), who is ranked No. 2 in NCAA Division II at 197 pounds. Anderson then added a first-period fall at the 1:40 mark of his match with NDSU's Jacob Bryce, who was a national qualifier in 2007. Anderson has won four matches in a row to end the dual portion of the season. It marks the second time this season that Anderson has earned the league's top weekly honor (Jan. 23 & Feb. 27). UNI's Moza Fay has also been named the WWC Wrestler of the Week twice this season (Nov. 21 & Jan. 8). The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State and Wyoming. Others nominated: Air Force - Tyler French Utah Valley State - Marc Fenwick Wyoming - Eric Coxbill 2007-08 WWC Wrestlers of the Week Nov. 14 - Adam Aho (NDSU) Nov. 21 - Moza Fay (UNI) Nov. 28 - Reece Hopkin (UNC) Dec. 5 - Stephen Crozier (Air Force) Dec. 12 - Gabriel Mooney (NDSU) Jan. 8 - Moza Fay (UNI) Jan. 15 - Daniel Prater (UNC) Jan. 23 - Andrew Anderson (UNI) Jan. 30 - Ben Kjar (Utah Valley) Feb. 6 - Stephen Crozier (Air Force) Feb. 13 - Devan Lewis (UNC) Feb. 20 - Jake Kriegbaum (Air Force) Feb. 27 - Andrew Anderson (UNI)

St. Cloud State University freshman Gabe Suarez (Las Vegas, Nev.) was the third Husky wrestler in the last four weeks to be named North Central Conference Wrestler of the Week it was announced today, February 26. Suarez defeated fourth-ranked Travis Elg of Minnesota State-Mankato 4-3 in the last regular season dual for the Huskies last Friday. With the victory, Suarez avenged an earlier loss to Elg at the Husky Open in St. Cloud back in December. The victory moved Suarez to a perfect 15-0 in duals and extended his winning streak to 13 matches. He has won 20 of his last 21 matches to finish the regular season with a 30-3 mark. The #10 St. Cloud State (13-2) wrestling team is off until Sunday, March 2, when the Huskies head to the NCAA Division II North Region Championships in Mankato. The top four finishers in each weight class will earn a trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which will take place March 14-15.

Cal State Fullerton junior heavyweight Wade Sauer has been scratched from this weekend's Pac-10 Wrestling Championships at Eugene, Oregon, due to a neck injury suffered Feb. 17 in a match at Northern Colorado. Sauer is ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10 and No. 5 in the nation. He placed sixth at the 2007 NCAA Championships. He had a 27-3 record including a 17-0 mark in dual matches until he had to default at the end of the first period to Reece Hopkin of Northern Colorado in the final match of the regular season. Kurt Klimek, a sophomore from Oceanside and Carlsbad High School, will replace Sauer in Oregon. Klimek has a 12-4 record but is only 1-0 in dual matches.

Feb 16th, Takedown Radio had the opportunity to film a special episode of TDR for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, OK. This was our first Black History Month Special. please feel free to use this and distribute this program to everyone and as much as possible. Our guests on the program included: In Studio- * Bobby Douglas- Coaching legend with 429 dual meet wins to his credit. Former Iowa State head coach, as well as leading Arizona State to a NCAA title * Dr. Jason Smith-a two-time NCAA champion at 167 pounds in 1969 and 1970 and a member of the Cyclone team champions for those seasons. He also finished third in 1968 and was a Big Eight champion in 1970. # Mike Allen- Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for Officials from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the first Black official to earn the award. # Simon Roberts-First Black Iowa High School State Champion, holds Big Ten and NCAA titles. # ON THE LIVE LINE * Carl Adams-Three time NCAA All American, two time national champion, and current coach at Boston University. * Chris Campbell-Two time NCAA Champion and Olympic Bronze Medal winner. * Kevin Jackson- Olympic freestyle Gold Medal Winner * Leroy Kemp-Three time NCAA Champion and three time World Champion * Kerry McCoy-Two time NCAA Champion, Olympic Bronze Medal winner, and current Coach at Stanford * Lloyd "Butch" Keaser- U.S. Marine Corps:1972-1977 5 Freestyle & 4 Greco Interservice Championship Gold 1972 Olympic Team 1st alternate to Dan Gable, 1973 Tiblisi tournament in U.S.S.R Bronze Medal 1973 National AAU Freestyle Champ, 1973 World Championship Gold in Teheran, Iran 1973 World Cup Gold in Toledo, Ohio 1973 U. S. Amateur Wrestling News Man of Year 1974 Tiblisi tournament in U.S.S.R Silver Medal 1975 Pan American Gold 1975 National AAU Greco Champ 1976 National AAU Freestyle Champ How to watch- 1) right click and save target as- 2) Download it on to your desk top 3) Play using Quick Time Player DOWNLOAD LINKS http://dannybishopmedia.com/videos/tdr.html LOCATIONS http://dannybishopmedia.com/videos/tdr-hr1.mp4 http://dannybishopmedia.com/videos/tdr-hr2.mp4

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A half-century after the first African-American won an individual college wrestling championship -- and nearly 60 years after the first man of color stepped onto the mat to compete at the NCAAs -- the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has created a special exhibit to honor the achievements of African-American wrestlers in the United States. The exhibit, which opened in February 2008 to coincide with Black History Month, will be on display the entire year at the hall of fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma; a traveling version will appear at the 2008 NCAAs in St. Louis. Let's take a look at some of the important historical events of African-American amateur wrestling, and the individual pioneers who wrote history on the wrestling mat in this country � The 1940s Harold Henson: Two years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by being the first black to play in Major League Baseball, the first African-American competed at the national college wrestling championships, according to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The man who made history at the 1949 NCAAs: Harold Henson of San Diego State University. (Note: The Hall of Fame had given the name of the first black wrestler at the NCAAs as being Harold Hanson, but, according to articles in the SDSU student newspaper and yearbook of that era, the wrestler's last name was Henson.) Harold Henson (Photo/Special Collections and University Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University)Until the Hall of Fame had disclosed that Henson was the first black to wrestle at an NCAA event, it was widely assumed that the first African-American college matmen made their appearance in the mid 1950s� pioneers such as Simon Roberts at the University of Iowa, Ellie Watkins for the Iowa State Cyclones, and Kent State's Clarence McNair. According to the San Diego State student newspaper, just before the 1949 NCAAs, Harold Henson won the 136-pound title at the CCAA conference championships, pinning his opponent in the finals. Then, he and his teammates piled into two cars -� a '49 Ford, and a '49 Mercury -- and made the trip to the national championships, hosted by Colorado State University in Ft. Collins. There were twelve men in the 136-pound weight class at the 1949 NCAAs; Harold Henson was unseeded, while 1947 champ Lowell Lange of Cornell College of Iowa was the top seed, and defending champ Dick Dickenson of Michigan State was seeded second. Henson drew a bye in the first round. In the second, he went up against Oklahoma State's Don Meeker, who was the fourth seed. The Cowboy got a 7-3 win over the Aztec grappler. That was Henson's first and last match in the tournament; back then, a wrestler who lost in the second round did not make it into the consolation bracket, so, Henson did not place. (Only the top four placers in each weight class earned All-American honors. In the 136-pound finals, Lange shut out Dickenson 6-0 to win his second title.) After competing at San Diego State, Harold Henson served in the U.S. Army for 26 years, retiring as a Colonel � then became a Senior Executive in Washington, D.C. government. He is now enjoying retirement. The 1950s Simon Roberts: The native of Davenport, Iowa achieved a number of firsts in the world of amateur wrestling. In 1954 -- the year that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" educational facilities were unconstitutional -- Simon Roberts became the first African-American to win an Iowa high school state wrestling championship. The Davenport Central senior claimed the 133-pound crown that year, denying Ron Gray of Eagle Grove the chance to become the state's first four-time state champ. First African-American high school state champs, state by state � Michigan: Ernie Jones (1948) Illinois: Ben Crisler (1953) Iowa: Simon Roberts (1954) Pennsylvania: Bruce Gilmore (1955) Ohio: Bobby Douglas (1959) Oklahoma:: Eddie McQuarters (1961) Tennessee: Pezavan Whatley (1969) Three years later, at the 1957 NCAAs at the University of Pittsburgh, Simon Roberts earned the distinction of being the first black to earn an NCAA wrestling title, getting an overtime victory over Ron Gray of Iowa State (yes, the same wrestler he beat at the state finals) to win the 147-pound championship). Simon RobertsLater that year, racial tensions exploded at Little Rock Central when nine African-Americans arrived at Arkansas' largest high school, requiring President Dwight Eisenhower to send in the National Guard to help desegregate the all-white school. The following year, Simon Roberts became the first African-American to win a Big Ten mat title. At the 1958 conference championships hosted by the University of Illinois, the Iowa Hawkeye defeated Indiana's Nick Petronka in the finals at 147. In the mid 1960s, Simon Roberts became wrestling coach at Alleman Catholic High in Rock Island � the first black coach of any sport at any high school in the Quad Cities, which include Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline and Rock Island, Illinois. One of Roberts' wrestlers at Alleman: Mark Johnson, long-time head coach at the University of Illinois. (To read an InterMat Rewind profile of Simon Roberts, click HERE.) Art Baker: A product of Pennsylvania, Arthur Baker wrote some significant wrestling history east of the Mississippi River. As a high school wrestler at Erie Academy, Baker became only the second African-American to win a state title in the Keystone State (behind Reading's Bruce Gilmore in 1955), claiming the Pennsylvania prep crown at 165 pounds in 1956; the following year, he won his second PIAA title, this time at 185. Art Baker (Photo/Syracuse University Archives)Art Baker headed east to Syracuse University, where he was a two-sport star, excelling on the football field and on the wrestling mat. In 1959, Baker became the first black to win an EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) title. That same year, he became the second collegiate wrestler of color to win an NCAA title, defeating Michigan State's Tim Woodin in the 191-pound finals. 1959 was a banner year for Baker; that year, he was on Syracuse's national championship football team. After winning the 1959 mat title, Baker concluded his college wrestling career to concentrate on football. The 1960s Jim Nance: Many folks know James Solomon Nance as a star fullback for the Boston (now New England) Patriots from the mid 1960s into the mid 1970s. However, before the NFL, Jim Nance also made a name for himself at Syracuse University playing football for the Orangemen� and as a heavyweight wrestler. In an article for Amateur Wrestling News, wrestling historian Jay Hammond describes Nance as "a transforming figure in collegiate wrestling. He brought a level of speed, strength and athleticism to the heavyweight class that had rarely been seen before on the mats. He created the mold for the many great big men that were to come, from Curley Culp at Arizona State (1967 NCAA heavyweight champ) to recent champions like Kerry McCoy of Penn State and Stephen Neal of Cal State Bakersfield." In the same article, legendary Lehigh coach Gerry Leeman proclaimed, "Jim Nance was the best wrestler I saw at heavyweight." Jim Nance (Photo/Syracuse University Archives)Jim Nance was a two-time Pennsylvania state champ, winning the heavyweight title in 1960 and 1961 for his high school in the town of Indiana, Pennsylvania. Like fellow Pennsylvanian Art Baker before him, Nance headed to upstate New York to go to Syracuse University to play football and wrestle. As a sophomore, he won the EIWA heavyweight title in 1963. Then, a couple weeks later, at the NCAAs at Kent State University in Ohio, Nance took the heavyweight title by defeating Larry Kristoff of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in the finals, becoming the first African-American to win a college heavyweight championship. That same year, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his stirring "I Have A Dream" speech to tens of thousands gathered on the Mall in Washington, D.C. The following season, Jim Nance won his second EIWA crown � but was unable to defend his NCAA title when he was knocked out of contention by Minnesota State-Moorhead's unseeded big man Bob Billberg in the quarterfinals at the 1964 NCAAs. His senior year, Nance claimed his third individual EIWA championship � followed by his second national title. At the 1965 NCAAs hosted by the University of Wyoming, Nance beat Oklahoma State's Russ Winer to become the first black to win two NCAA titles in any weight class. Sadly, after his NFL career, Nance suffered a series of strokes, and passed away in 1992 at the age of 42. Bobby Douglas: Growing up in Bridgeport, Ohio, Robert Douglas read about Simon Roberts' pioneering wrestling achievements � inspiring him to make some significant mat history of his own. In 1959, Douglas became the first African-American to win a state wrestling title in the Buckeye State, defeating Mike Berry of Columbus-Whitehall in the 112-pound finals. Two years later, Douglas claimed his second Ohio high school title, beating Lakewood's Lance Stephenson in the finals at 127. In addition to his success in wrestling, Douglas also played football and baseball at Bridgeport High. Bobby DouglasBobby Douglas launched his college career at West Liberty State College in West Virginia, where he won the NAIA championship in 1962, and placed second in 1963. He then transferred to Oklahoma State, where he won a Big Eight title in 1965, but sustained an injury at the 1965 NCAAs and did not place. In 1964 -� the year the Civil Rights Act was signed into law -- Bobby Douglas made some international wrestling history, joining Charles Tribble and Robert Pickens as the first African-Americans to wrestle on a U.S. Olympic team for the Tokyo Games. Two years later, he became the first black from the U.S. to win a silver medal at the world championships. Douglas also served as captain of the U.S. team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Bobby Douglas had served as an assistant coach at a number of colleges. In 1973, he moved up to the head coaching position at the University of California at Santa Barbara. A year later, he became head coach at Arizona State, where his Sun Devils took the team title in 1988. In 1992, Douglas took the helm at Iowa State, where he coached ten individual NCAA champs, most notably four-time titlewinner Cael Sanderson. Bobby Douglas retired from coaching in 2006. Joe James: This Chicagoan became the first African-American to wrestle varsity for the legendary Oklahoma State Cowboys, arriving at the Stillwater school in 1960 after having placed third at heavyweight at the Illinois high school state tournament that year. Joe James (Photo/Cowboys Ride Again)In his sophomore year -- his first as a varsity wrestler -- James made history by being the first black to win a Big Eight conference wrestling title, in the 191-pound weight class. A couple weeks later at the 1962 NCAAs at Stillwater, the massively muscular Cowboy lost in the finals to cross-state rival Wayne Baughman of the Oklahoma Sooners. The following year, Joe James moved up to heavyweight, and made a bit more history when he wrestled cross-state rival Ed McQuarters of the University of Oklahoma -- the first time two blacks had competed against each other in the long-running Bedlam series. Later that season, at the 1963 NCAAs, James placed fourth� earning All-American honors for a second straight year. More significantly, at the 1963 Pan-Ameircan Games, James became the first U.S. wrestler of color to win a gold medal. The 1963-64 season was Joe James' year. He won another Big Eight title, followed up by claiming the heavyweight crown at the 1964 NCAAs at Cornell University, where the Cowboy got a 4-2 victory over Minnesota State-Moorhead's Bob Billberg to become only the second black college heavyweight champ. Other major milestones of the 60s: In 1960, Ken Moore and Houston Antwine of SIU-Carbondale became the first African-Americans to win NAIA titles� while, that same year, Hallow Wilson won the first AAU championship at heavyweight in Greco-Roman competition. In 1962, Wilson and Rudy Williams were the first blacks to wrestle for the U.S. at the world championships. In 1964, Don Benning became head coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. The following year, for the first time ever, there were two African-American champs at the NCAAs: Iowa State's Veryl Long at 147, and Syracuse's Jim Nance at heavyweight. Two years later, Arizona State's Charles Tribble pinned down the Gorrarian Award for the most falls at the 1966 NCAA tournament. In 1967, Willie Williams of Illinois State became the first African-American to win an NCAA College Division title. To close out the decade, Iowa State's Carl Adams became the first African-American to earn All-American honors as a true freshman at the 1969 NCAAs. The 1970s Lee Kemp: Leroy Percy Kemp Jr. didn't get started in the sport until ninth grade � but more than made up for lost time by achieving much on the mat in national and international competition. Kemp claimed two Ohio class A-AA state titles while at Chardon High, winning the 138-pound crown in 1973 over Jeff Koontz of Ravenna Southwest, and, the following year, the 145-pound championship by defeating Akron Coventry's Chuck Kallay in the finals. Also that year, he won the 1974 Junior Nationals. Lee Kemp (Photo/University of Wisconsin Media Guide)It was at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that Lee Kemp won national acclaim. As a freshman, Kemp lost to Iowa's Chuck Yagla on a split decision in the 150-pound title bout at the 1975 NCAAs, denying him the opportunity to become the first four-time college wrestling champ. It was the last match Kemp lost in college; he closed out his college career with an incredible 143-6-1 record, winning three consecutive NCAA titles at 158 pounds in 1976, '77 and '78. In fact, at the 1978 NCAAs, Kemp became the first African-American wrestler to win three college championships. (Oklahoma State heavyweight Jimmy Jackson became the second three-time black national champ, winning his third NCAA title about an hour after Kemp.) Later that year, Lee Kemp became the youngest American to win world freestyle championship (at age 21 years, eight months) � and the first U.S. citizen to win three world titles. He won seven U.S. national titles, four straight World Cup individual championships, and two Pan American titles (1979, 1983). Today, Lee Kemp is the owner of a Ford dealership in Minnesota. Other major milestones of the 70s: In 1970, Don Benning coached his University of Nebraska-Omaha team to an NAIA championship. In 1973, Lloyd Keaser became the first African-American to win a gold medal at the world championships; three years later, Keaser was the first black to win an Olympic medal, bringing home the silver from the 1976 Montreal Olympics. In 1975, Fletcher Carr took the helm at the University of Kentucky, becoming the first Division I head coach of color. The 1976 NCAAs were the first to crown three African-American champs: Wisconsin's Lee Kemp at 158, Iowa's Chris Campbell at 177, and Oklahoma State's Jimmy Jackson at heavyweight. The 1978 NCAAs were the first -� and only -- national championships to feature four black champs: In addition to Kemp and Jackson, Ohio University's Andy Daniels won the 118-pound title, and Montclair State's Ken Mallory claimed the 134-pound crown. In 1979, Lehigh's Darryl Burley was the first black to win an NCAA title as a true freshman. A time of turbulence: Twenty years after Simon Roberts broke barriers by winning the Iowa high school state title, in a 1973 article in the pre-eminent paper of the state, the Des Moines Register, a number of African-American wrestlers of the era asserted that referee decisions too often went against them, that scholarship opportunities were too scarce, and that there were too few coaching opportunities. Iowa State Cyclone Carl Adams, a two-time NCAA champ at 158 pounds in 1971 and 1972, told reporter Ron Maly, "In the NCAAs at Auburn (in 1971), nine blacks were involved in referees' decisions -- and all nine lost." He added, "You hardly ever see a black referee. I don't recall ever seeing one in any of the NCAA meets I competed in." John Logan, who placed third at 220 pounds at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1972, claimed, "Wrestling probably has more racism than any other sport. It's a Midwestern white sport with few minorities participating." In the article, Logan cited statistics from an organization called Brothers in Action that showed, of 25 NCAA championship matches that ended in a referee's decision, only two blacks won -- and, in one of those matches, it was two African-Americans wrestling each other. Jason Smith, a two-time NCAA champ for Iowa State at 167 pounds (1969 and 1970) who later became a medical doctor, is quoted in the 1973 Des Moines Register story: "There has been racism in college wrestling � The racism stretches into recruiting. A lot of disadvantaged black students who are physically and mentally ready for college are not seriously recruited. No strings are pulled for them. Iowa State and the other big schools are exceptions. They will go after black wrestlers." The 1980s and beyond In 1980, Howard Harris of Oregon State became the first African-American wrestler to win Outstanding Wrestler honors at the NCAA tournament � perhaps in large part to being one of only a handful of men in the history of the college championships to pin his way through an entire tournament, culminating with a fall scored on Indiana State's Bruce Baumgartner in the heavyweight finals. Speaking of heavyweights � at the 1984 NCAAs, Tab Thacker became the largest man ever to win an NCAA title, tipping the scales at approximately 450 pounds. Thacker went on to appear in movies such as Wildcats and the Police Academy series. In 1988, Arizona State became the first Division I college program to win a national team title while coached by a black (Bobby Douglas). That same year, Kenny Monday was the first U.S. wrestler of color to win a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics. Of the twenty wrestlers sent to compete at the Seoul Games (freestyle and Greco-Roman), eight were African-American. And, in 1989, heavyweight Carlton Haselrig of the University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown earned the distinction of being the only wrestler ever to win a total of six individual NCAA titles: three in Division II, and three in Division I. (At the time, Division II or III champs could then compete at the Division I NCAAs.) In 1992, Bobby Douglas was named head coach of the U.S. Olympic freestyle team. In 1999, Joe and T.J. Williams became the African-American first brothers to win NCAA championships (Joe in 1996-98, T.J. in 1999-2001). History continues to be made on the mat in the new millennium. In 2001, Toccara Montgomery became the first African-American to earn a medal at the women's world championships, bringing home the silver. Three years later, Montgomery led the way by being the first black woman to wrestle for the U.S. at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2002, Dremiel Byers was the first black from the U.S. to win a Greco-Roman world title (at heavyweight). And, in 2005, the first African-American woman to win a gold medal at the world championships was Iris Smith. And there's more history to be written � Mat Facts: The weight class with the most champs who are African-American? Heavyweight � Nine blacks have won a total of 18 heavyweight titles: Syracuse's Jim Nance (1963, 1965) � Oklahoma State's Joe James (1964) � Arizona State's Curley Culp (1967) � Western Illinois' Jim Woods (1974) � Oklahoma State's Jimmy Jackson (1976-1978) � Oregon State's Howard Harris (1980) � North Carolina State's Tab Thacker (1984)� University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown's Carlton Haselrig (1987-89 -- three Division II titles, three Division I titles) � and Penn State's Kerry McCoy (1994, 1997). Number of African-American individuals who are NCAA champs: 47 Schools with the most African-American NCAA champs: Iowa State 7 Oklahoma State 5 University of Oklahoma 5 University of Iowa 4 Ohio University 2 Syracuse University 2 West Virginia University 2 Year with the most African-American NCAA champs: 1978, with four black individuals winning titles (Ohio's Andy Daniels at 118; Montclair State's Ken Mallory at 134; Wisconsin's Lee Kemp at 158; Oklahoma State's Jimmy Jackson at heavyweight) Thanks to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum, and to San Diego State University for providing reference materials for this story. Additional Links: *Please Note: To view the photos, one must be a member of that particular group. Simon Roberts photo album at Vintage Amateur Wrestling Jim Nance photo album at NCAA Heavyweight Champs Joe James photo album at NCAA Heavyweight Champs

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Matt Krumrie and Tom Ryan. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 5-6 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. Krumrie is the senior editor for The Wrestling Mall, one of wrestling's premiere websites. Krumrie has written over 2,000 articles for 50 different publications in his ten years a writer. He will be writing this year's NCAA preview for the official tournament program sold at the national tournament in St. Louis. Ryan is in his second year as the head wrestling coach at Ohio State University. The Buckeyes ended the regular season with a 19-4 overall dual meet record and a 6-2 Big Ten dual meet record. Prior to arriving at Ohio State Ryan coached Hofstra for 11 seasons, guiding his team to six conference titles. As a wrestler, Ryan was a two-time All-American at the University of Iowa in 1991 and 1992. He was also a two-time Big Ten champion and a member of two NCAA championship team. Prior to his arrival at Iowa Ryan wrestled at Syracuse. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Please e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org if you have questions or comments.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Coming off his second victory in the Bedlam series this season, senior Joshua Weitzel is the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week the conference announced Monday. Minutes after being honored on senior night, No. 6 Weitzel's pin versus No. 3 Oklahoma State proved to be the deciding factor in the 18-15 upset win last Thursday, Feb. 21, in Norman. The in-state matchup began at 184 pounds after Oklahoma State chose to draw instead of starting at the traditional 125 pounds. Weitzel took full advantage by pinning Jack Jensen in the first period (2:18). The fall was his sixth overall this season, the most by any OU starter. "His pin to start the match was huge," head coach Jack Spates said. "You don't see many pins in Bedlam, and to start off that way was a huge inspiration for our team." With both teams winning five overall bouts and all coming by decisions other than Weitzel's, the six points posted by the Lincoln University, Pa., native gave the Sooners a three point victory. The win propelled him to his 23rd victory on the season (23-2) and is now 16-2 in dual action, 3-2 versus Big 12 opponents. "Josh is a leader for this squad on and off the mat," Spates said. "We couldn't be prouder of him." This is the second weekly honor for an OU wrestler this season. Freshman Joey Fio was awarded Wrestler of the Week on Feb. 11 after posting two Big 12 victories, including a defeat of No. 4 Paul Donahoe of Nebraska. The Sooners (14-5, 1-4 in Big 12) will take their momentum from the Bedlam upset into the postseason, as they will travel to Stillwater, Okla., on Saturday, March 8 for the Big 12 Championships.

Lincoln -- The Amateur Athletic Union has announced that former Nebraska wrestler Brad Vering is a finalist for the 2007 James E. Sullivan Award, an honor given each year to the nation's top amateur athlete. AAU officials, U.S. Olympic Committee members and college sports information directors are among those who vote, but this year fans can cast their ballot online at usatoday.com or text AAUVOTE11 to 44636 for Vering. The fan votes count one-third toward the final tally. Voting ends March 10, with the winner announced April 1. Vering was chosen by the U.S. Olympic Committee as its 2007 Wrestling Male Athlete of the Year after winning a silver medal at 84 kilograms (185 pounds) at the World Championships last September. Vering's performance was the top by a U.S. wrestler at the competition as he led the U.S. Greco-Roman team to its first world title. A native of Howells, Neb., Vering became the seventh national champion in Husker history as he defeated Iowa State's Zack Thompson in a tiebreaker, 2-1, in the finals of the 197-pound bracket in 2000. He is fourth all-time on Nebraska's career win chart with a 124-26 mark from 1997-2001. Vering was a three-time All-American and won the Big 12 Championships twice in his career. The other Sullivan Award finalists are: Brian Duncan (football), Tim Tebow (football), Jeff Lerg (ice hockey), Robert Pillow IV (basketball), Philippa Raschker (track and field), Angela Tincher (softball), Jonathan Horton (gymnastics), Thomas Finchum (diving) and Jamie Lovemark (golf).

In just the first season with wrestling back at NIACC, three North Iowa Area Community College wrestlers won national titles individually and the Trojans finished fourth as a team at the 2008 National Junior College Athletic Association Wrestling Championships held in Rochester, MN last weekend. Head coach Richard Fergola's team had six wrestlers earn All-American (top eight) status during the two-day tournament, the first the Trojans had participated in since the program disbanded in 1976. NIACC's wrestling program was officially reinstated in November 2006 and Fergola was hired as head coach in March 2007. NIACC was among 36 schools represented at nationals and the team's 109 points trailed only Iowa Central Community College (138), St. Louis-Meramac in Missouri (117.5) and Labette Community College of Kansas (111). Freshman Albert White (Harvey, IL/St. Rita) finished his season 31-3 overall, beating T.J. Hepburn of Colby Community College (KS) 3-2 in last Saturday's 149-pound finals. White beat Hepburn three times this year, including weight division finals at the inaugural Kaye Young/NIACC Open last November and the Colby Tournament of Champions in January. White, who was ranked No. 1 in his division heading into the weekend, won all four matches during the NJCAA nationals. He had earned a spot in the finals by beating Ellsworth Community College's Kurt Simons 17-9 in Saturday's semifinals. Freshman DaVaughn Perkins (Omaha, NE/North) completed a 39-5 season with a 9-8 decision over Highline Community College (WA) in the 157-pound championship. Perkins opened competition with a victory over fourth-rated Cole Garcia of Colby last Friday and ended up 4-0 for the weekend. He had pinned Darren Olsen of Lincoln Community College (IL) in 4:51 during semifinal action. Sophomore Glenn Rhees (Atascadero, CA) topped off a 26-3 campaign by defeating Neosho County Community College (KS) wrestler Jason Green 7-3 in the 174-pound finals. Like White and Perkins, Rhees was 4-0 during nationals. He had beaten top-seeded Darius Williams of Harper College (IL) 3-1 in the semifinals. Three other NIACC wrestlers earned All-American honors in last weekend's meet, which included competitors from 36 schools. T.J. Moen (Des Moines/Saydel) finished third at 141 pounds while Cody Hogan (Richmond, MO) placed seventh at 133 pounds and Beau Tudor (Camp Verde, AZ) placed eighth in the 285-pound classification. Moen had lost in the quarterfinal round, but won four more matches, including a 6-5 decision over Derick Bartlemay of Clackamas Community College (OR) to earn third place. He was 6-1 at nationals and finished with a 30-11 overall record. Others competing for NIACC at the national meet included: Brad Theilen (Nashua/Nashua-Plainfield) at 197 pounds, Jordan Bartoszek (Mason City/Newman) at 125 pounds and Aaron Hancock (Camp Verde, AZ) at 165 pounds. Theilen nearly earned All-American status, having won two consolation matches after losing in the quarterfinals before falling in overtime on Friday to finish 3-2 for the tournament. Two Trojans were also named Academic All-Americans by the NJCAA Coaches Association. Glenn Rhees and Jason Schweer were named Academic All-Americans for their efforts in the classroom by sporting a 3.0 G.P.A. or higher for the first semester.

BUFFALO, NY -- The University at Buffalo wrestling team staged a dramatic comeback in their final dual meet of the season, beating Binghamton, 20-16. The Bulls trailed 16-9 before sweeping the final three matches of the dual to earn the senior day victory. The win gives UB a final dual meet record of 9-7-1. Binghamton's Tyler Malmberg opened the dual with a 6-2 victory at 125 pounds. Dan Bishop (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) scored a takedown of Malmberg in the opening period but the Binghamton 125-pounder responded with the final six points of the match, giving Binghamton the early 3-0 lead. Joe Wilson (Chester, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) quickly erased the Bearcat lead at 133 pounds when he scored a pinfall at 2:39. The fall gave UB a 6-3 advantage in the dual. Binghamton then scored a pair of one-point victories at 141 and 149 pounds. Anwar Goeres used a third period reversal to edge Andrew Stella (Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home) at 141 and Kyle Fried, the 18th-ranked wrestler in the nation at 149 pounds, was able to score the only escape during an overtime tiebreaker against Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane) to earn a 2-1 decision. Binghamton increased their lead even further, to 12-6, with Nate Patterson's 4-1 decision victory over Pat Lloyd (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) at 157 pounds. In the 165 pounds bout, John Cummings (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) won a cagey affair with Binghamton's Brett Nelson, 1-0. Cummings scored the only point of the match on an escape in the third period. Josh Patterson scored a major decision victory over Mike Ragusa (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) at 174 pounds to give Binghamton a 16-9 lead going to the final three matches of the dual. Mickey Moran (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler Area) answered with a major decision victory for Buffalo in the next match at 184. Moran scored six takedowns in his victory over Anthony Esposito. Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick) then tied the dual at 16-16 with a decision victory over Binghamton's Corey Waite at 197 pounds. Hamel scored a late takedown in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and, with one riding time point added, earned a 4-1 win. With the dual all tied, Buffalo fifth-year senior co-captain Jeff Parker (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) and Mike Patterson of Binghamton took to the mat knowing that a match victory would also result in a team dual meet victory. Parker took control early, scoring two takedowns in the first period to lead 4-1 after three minutes. Parker scored the only points of the second period on a reversal and entered the final two minutes with a 6-1 advantage. Another takedown and reversal, as well as a riding time point, gave Parker an 11-3 victory and gave UB a 20-16 match win. Prior to the dual, Buffalo honored seniors John Cummings, Dana Gingerich (Spring Grove, PA/Delone Catholic), Pat Lloyd, Ryan Needle, Jeff Parker, Mike Ragusa and Scott Rendos (Brockway, PA/Brockway), who were making their final appearance in the blue and white at Alumni Arena. Up next for the Bulls is the Mid-American Conference Championship, hosted by Kent State University in Kent, OH. The two-day event will take place on Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8.

CLEVELAND, OHIO -- The West Virginia University wrestling team closed its regular season with a dominant 32-2 victory over Eastern Wrestling League opponent Cleveland State on Sunday, Feb. 24, in Cleveland, Ohio. The Mountaineers (8-5, 4-2 EWL) registered three major decisions and a technical fall against the Vikings (4-11, 0-6 EWL). WVU also limited Cleveland State to two takedowns the entire match and won nine of 10 bouts. No. 19 Dustin Rogers (HWT) defeated No. 17 Rashard Goff in a 2-1 decision to end the match. Rogers scored a reversal in the second period and managed to prevent his opponent from escaping in the final period. Junior Kyle Turnbull (125) started WVU off with an 8-1 decision over Cleveland State's Ryan Riggs. Turnbull earned 3:17 riding time during the match and controlled his opponent throughout by mustering three takedowns and an escape to start the Mountaineers with an early 3-0 lead. Jared Garvin (133) earned a 2-0 decision over Josh Palivoda in a hard-fought match. Garvin controlled the entire second period after starting on top and preventing his opponent from escaping. He scored immediately off an escape in the third period and added 1:56 riding time to get the victory. David Jauregui (149) took another close match, winning over Ryan Hurley in a 3-2 decision. Jauregui scored a key takedown in the second period and managed an escape in the third period in what proved to be the winning point. Zac Fryling (157) earned a 12-2 major decision over Robbie Michaels. Fryling scored three near fall points in the first period and added two more in the third period to give WVU four team points, making it 13-3 through five matches. Donnie Jones (165) earned a quality victory over Marcus Effner, scoring a 5-4 decision in a competitive bout. Jones' second takedown with 59 seconds left in the third period gave him the decisive win after Effner scored two more points but fell short. Chance Litton (174) was dominant in his match, winning in a 10-2 major decision over J.T. Miller. Litton garnered 3:10 riding time and managed three takedowns along with a reversal to extend WVU's lead to 20-3. Kurt Brenner (184) earned his first technical fall of the season after winning 23-8 in 5:42 over Derek Cummins. Brenner registered 10 takedowns during the match and dominated his opponent throughout. He also added three near fall points as time expired in the first period, falling just short of a pin fall. Jared Villers gave the Mountaineers a 29-2 lead with a 10-0 major decision over Benny Balogh. Villers recorded four takedowns and added 2:02 riding time to go undefeated in EWL action. WVU will return to action when it heads to the EWL tournament at the Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Saturday, March 8. The Mountaineers placed seven NCAA qualifiers at the tournament last season and look to enjoy similar success this year as they try to qualify several wrestlers for the NCAA tournament in St. Louis, Mo., on March 20-22.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The No. 22 Maryland wrestling team completed its second undefeated ACC regular season in as many years when the Terrapins slipped by Virginia, 16-15, on February 24. Both teams won five bouts, but sophomore Hudson Taylor's major decision at 197 pounds was the deciding match in the win. The dual featured seven matches that were decided by two points or less and two of them went into tiebreakers. The day started at 165 pounds where Michael Chaires edged sophomore Mike McGill, 4-3, but classmate Mike Letts got the three points back with a 3-1 decision of his own at 174 pounds. Rocco Caponi came right back for Virginia with another decision, a 3-2 one over junior Josh Haines, to give the Cavaliers the lead back at 6-3, but Taylor picked up his 10-2 major decision to give the Terps their first lead of the day at 7-6. The two teams traded decision victories back and forth all the way to the 141 pounders where sophomore Jon Kohler edged Nick Nelson, 5-4, to keep Maryland's one point lead at 13-12. Sophomore Brendan Byrne also picked up a decision win in two tiebreakers, 5-4, against Ross Gitomer. Freshman Eric Medina gave Maryland a four point lead, the largest for either team on the day, with an 11-4 win against Shawn Harris at 149 pounds. Drew DiPasquale won the final match at 157 pounds, but freshman Brian Letters kept it close enough, 7-5, to allow just the three points to the Cavaliers for the Maryland win. The Terps (15-4, 5-0 ACC) will now prepare for the 2008 ACC Championship on March 8 at Comcast Center. For all information regarding the tournament, please visit umterps.com.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 12-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team wrapped up the dual portion of its season in decisive fashion, cruising to a 24-11 victory over Michigan State on Sunday (Feb. 24) in front of 1,342 fans at Cliff Keen Arena. The Wolverines claimed seven individual bouts and rallied from an early deficit to upend MSU in the 100th meeting between the intrastate rivals. With the dual starting at heavyweight, the Spartans took two of the opening three bouts -- earning a technical fall at 133 pounds -- to build up an early five-point advantage. Junior Michael Watts (Riverton, Utah/Riverton HS) kept the score close with a 4-1 decision at 125 pounds before the Wolverines posted six straight wins, including three with bonus. Watts claimed the only offensive points in the 125-pound contest against MSU's Clint Frutiger. After a scoreless first period and a quick U-M escape in the second, Watts converted on the match's lone takedown -- a high crotch -- midway through the second frame to establish control and gain the only points he would need. The Wolverine wrestler subsequently rode out the third period, accumulating 2:15 in riding-time advantage, to tally his third Big Ten win of the season. With his team trailing after the third bout, freshman Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) initiated the Wolverines' comeback with a 9-5 decision over Jeff Wimberley at 141 pounds. The U-M rookie, ranked sixth, responded to a warning call late in the first period with a quick single-leg shot on the mat, changing to a double to complete the takedown. Russell took advantage of an MSU slip in the second to claim an early reversal and, after getting reversed himself, added a single-leg takedown in the final 15 seconds of the period. Wimberley converted on an inside trip on the edge to narrow the gap in hte third, but Russell hung for the decision victory. Fifth-year seniors Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) swept the middleweight matches as the trio all went out winners in their final dual appearance at Cliff Keen Arena. Returning to the lineup after a two-week hiatus, Churella, ranked fourth, dominated Eddie Skowneski in the 149-pound match, using four takedowns, a second-period reversal and five back points to post a 16-3 major decision. It was the Wolverine captain's seventh straight victory and his seventh bonus win at home this season. Marsh shot deep on a high crotch immediately off the opening whistle at 157 pounds but could not take John Fulger down as the Spartan neutralized the position to force a stalemate. Marsh, ranked 15th, converted on his next attempt -- another high crotch -- in the waning seconds of the first period and padded his lead with a reversal early in the second. With the major decision in sight, Marsh started a game a catch-and-release, finishing on two more takedowns -- scoring off a front headlock in the second and a single leg in the third -- but fell just a one point shy of the bonus and had to settle with a 9-2 decision. Tannenbaum, ranked third, put on a takedown clinic at 165 pounds, using a combination of single legs and double legs to convert on seven takedowns, including three in the opening period, to defeat Rex Kendle 18-6. Kendle only scored when Tannenbaum allowed him as the Wolverine captain released him five times in the second and third frames in an effort to take him to his back. Tannenbaum accumulated 4:04 in riding time and ended the dual season with a perfect 8-0 Big Ten record for the second time in as many years. Senior/junior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) also completed the dual slate with a perfect conference mark, earning an 11-3 major decision over John Murphy in the season finale. Luke, ranked second, gained a sizable eight-point lead after the first period, converting on a quick fireman's carry that took Murphy straight to his back for five points. The Wolverine wrestler added another two back points with a suck back moments later and finished strong with a single-leg takedown at the period's halfway point. The wrestlers traded shots and escapes in the latter two frames, but neither scored on anything offensively. Senior/junior Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) grew stronger as his 184-pound match wore on, scoring three takedowns in the final four minutes to defeat Nick Palmieri by a 8-3 margin. After a scoreless opening period, Todd shot deep on a single leg and lifted it high before clubbing Palmieri to the mat for the takedown. The Wolverine, ranked third and in pursuit of the bonus point, scored twice in the third period, using a front headlock to the near ankle and later an underhook to a high crotch. Todd gained 1:22 of riding time but fell shy of the major decision. The Wolverines (16-8, 3-5 Big Ten) will take the next two weeks to prepare for the Big Ten Championships, scheduled for March 8-9 in Minneapolis, Minn. Hosted by the University of Minnesota, the tournament will be held at Williams Arena.

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Central Michigan University secured the outright Mid-American Conference wrestling title, its 10th consecutive championship, with a 45-0 win over Ohio at Rose Arena on Sunday. The No. 4-ranked Chippewas (16-2 overall, 5-0 MAC) have won 12 MAC titles overall. Sunday's win was CMU's 29th straight in MAC action and 53rd in its last 54 conference outings. The Chippewas have finished with unbeaten MAC records each of the last five seasons. CMU's seven seniors—Brandon Carter, Bubba Gritter, Ben Kelto, Wynn Michalak, Brandon Sinnott, Christian Sinnott and Luke Smith—were honored prior to the start of Sunday's dual. The senior class helped lead the Chippewas to four straight conference titles and perfect 20-0 mark in MAC duals during its career. The Chippewas capped their championship campaign in dominating fashion, rolling up a season-high 45 points and posting their third shutout of the season. The 45-point margin of victory was the largest in a MAC dual since a 46-0 win over Miami in 1999. Smith (125 pounds), Carter (149) and Michalak (197) all recorded falls in their final Rose Arena appearance. CMU also scored bonus points at 133 (major decision), 157 (major decision), 165 (void) and 285 (major decision). Michalak's pin was his team-high 11th of the season and 48th of his career. He finishes the season with a perfect 15-0 dual record. Michalak also improved to 18-1 in his career in conference duals, the best career MAC record for a Chippewa since Casey Cunningham was also 18-1 from 1995-99. Smith opened the dual with his fifth fall of the season, pinning Heath Allen at the 4:04 mark. The win was Smith's eighth straight and 101st of his career. Conor Beebe stretched CMU's lead to 10-0 with an 11-3 major decision at 133 pounds. Beebe scored three takedowns in the win. A first-period takedown was all Eric Kruger needed in a 3-0 win at 141 pounds. He also tallied an escape in the second period. Carter posted CMU's second pin at 149. He put Kevin Christensen to his back at the 1:58 mark in the first period. The pin was Carter's fourth of the season. At 157, Steve Brown scored seven points in the third period en route to a 14-5 win over Clay Tucker. Brown led 2-1 at the end of the first period and 6-3 after the second period. He also built a riding time advantage of 3:19 during the match. Ohio (6-16 overall, 0-5 MAC) voided the 165-pound bout, and the forfeit extended CMU's lead to 29-0. Brandon Sinnott earned a 9-6 decision at 174 pounds, his team-leading 25th victory of the season. Christian Sinnott followed with a 10-3 decision at 184, his 23rd victory of the year and 95th of his career. Michalak was leading 14-4 at 197 pounds before pinning Chris Iammarino at the 6:36 mark. Michalak finishes the regular season with an overall record of 24-1; he has won 13 straight matches. Gritter capped the victory with a 20-6 major decision at heavyweight. Gritter scored eight takedowns in the victory and amassed a riding time advantage of 4:33. CMU is off next weekend before traveling to Kent State for the Mid-American Conference Championships on March 7-8. The Chippewas have won six straight conference tournament titles.