InterMat Staff

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Led by three individual champions, the No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team claimed second place in its return to the Body Bar Invitational on Saturday (Nov. 18) at Cornell's Newman Arena. The Wolverines (114 points) finished one point behind team winner and host Cornell. Senior/junior Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) and junior/sophomores Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) and Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) each tallied perfect records to capture the individual crowns at 165, 174 and 184 pounds, respectively, while U-M boasted six finalists and nine total placewinners. Ranked as the top seed at 184 pounds, Todd dominated the competition with back-to-back first-period pins in the preliminary rounds before scoring a 10-2 major decision over Army's Kent State's Eric Chine in the championship bout. Todd boasted four takedowns, including two in the first period, and accumulated nearly three minutes of riding time to claim his first tournament crown in two years. In his first tournament action since bumping up to 165 pounds, Tannenbaum continued to roll through the competition, posting a perfect 3-0 mark to capture the individual title -- his first tournament crown in two years. Tannenbaum, the No. 1 seed, outscored the competition 26-8, tallying a pair of lopsided victories before squeezing past Cornell's Steve Anceravage 3-2 in the final. The Wolverine used a first-period takedown and held in to claim the victory and push his season mark to an undefeated 4-0. Luke remained perfect on the season with four straight wins en route to the 174-pound title, his second individual crown in three weeks after claiming the top prize at the EMU Open in his first action of the season. Top-seeded Luke picked up a major decision in the preliminary round and battled to three straight decision wins, including a 6-4 overtime victory against Pittsburgh's second-seeded Keith Gavin in the final. Luke rallied from an early deficit to force the match into extra time and used a double-leg takedown to end it. Michigan also recorded a runner-up performances by senior/juniors Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS) and Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and junior/sophomore Casey White (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS). All three Wolverines suffered decision losses in the championship round. Top-seeded Churella compiled a 3-1 mark against the 149-pound field with all three wins earning extra points. The Wolverine junior tallied a fall and two major decisions, including a dominant 14-3 win over Sacred Heart's fifth-seeded Chris Davis, before narrowly falling to No. 2 seed Jordan Leed of Cornell. Marsh, seeded fourth at 157 pounds, also scored a pair of bonus victories in the preliminary rounds and hung a 6-3 upset on Pittsburgh's Matt Kocher, ranked fourth in the nation by the NWCA, in the semifinals before suffering an 8-2 loss by Drexel's third-seeded Ryan Hluschak. White, the third seed, cruised into the 197-pound final after outscoring the opposition 21-2, including an 8-2 upset against second-seeded Hudson Taylor of Maryland. He fell 5-1 against Cornell's top-seeded Jerry Rinaldi in the final. The Wolverines placed multiple wrestlers at a pair of weight classes as fifth-year seniors Rob Sulaver (Dearborn, Mich./Dearborn HS) and Nick Roy (Wall, N.J./Wall HS) earned top-five finishes at 157 and 197 pounds, respectively, with a combined 8-3 record. Roy, unseeded in the tournament after bumping up to 197 just last weekend, posted a 4-1 record against seeded competition, including a 6-4 decision against Maryland's Taylor in the consolation final. The Wolverines will continue early-season action in two weeks at the 25th annual Cliff Keen Invitational on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 1-2, in Primm, Nev. Competition is slated to begin with pigtail rounds on Friday at 9 a.m. PST at the Star of the Desert Arena. U-M returns to the prestigious tournament as the two-time defending team champion.

St. Cloud State University junior Nick Wilkes and sophomore Neil Russell and freshman Russell Smith wrestled their way to victory at the Concordia College Cobber Open in Moorhead on November 18. Wilkes won top honors at 197-pounds and Russell shared top honors with Smith at 174-pounds at the tournament. Wilkes had two pins including one over Justin Schlect of Dickinson State at 5:50 in the championship match. Wilkes was 4-0 at the tournament. Russell won a 7-0 decision over Concordia's Theo Gagner in the semi-finals to advance, while he posted a 2-0 record at the meet. Smith was 3-0 at the meet, and he gained a 17-5 win over Bob Seger of Morningside in the semi's. Also placing in the top five from SCSU was sophomore Sonny Silva (5th, 133), first year Tim Whitley (5th, 141), junior Matt Steffenson (5th, 165), and junior Jairo Sandoval (5th, 184). The Huskies will return to action on December 3, as they travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to wrestle in the Northern Iowa Open.

GOLDEN, Colo. -– Oregon State won four meets to win the Jack Hancock Duals Invitational on Saturday, and the victories pushed the Beavers to the 900 mark in all-time dual meet wins in a wrestling history dating back to the 1909 season. OSU heavyweight Ty Watterson recorded three pins as he kept his record perfect this season, and also remaining unbeaten for the Beavers were 125-pounder Jake Gonzales, 133-pounder Bobby Pfennigs, 141-pounder Kyle Larson, 149-pounder Derek Kipperberg and 174-pounder Jeremy Larson. The Beavers (5-0 overall, 1-0 Pacific-10) captured the tournament championship with a 25-12 win over Western State, which is ranked No. 7 nationally in NCAA Division II; that gave Oregon State an all-time record of 900-286-26 in dual meets. "That's something," OSU head coach Jim Zalesky said of being just the third NCAA Division I school to reach 900 dual wins. "Not many schools can say that. Nine-hundred and still building – I hope we get a lot more wins this year and in the future." To reach the finals, OSU beat Division I squads Utah Valley State 49-0 and Eastern Michigan 28-9 in pool competition, then topped Chadron State, another Division II school that received votes in the national poll, 46-3 in the semifinals at Steinhauer Fieldhouse. Chadron State beat host Colorado School of Mines 30-15 for third place in the 13-team event. "It was a pretty good day," Zalesky said. "I thought we wrestled well overall. It was also good that we saw the things we need to work on. We had success, but we saw things we need to get better at." Against Western State, the Beavers led just 16-12 with two matches to go but got a decision from 197-pounder Travis Gardner to secure the victory and then a pin from Watterson to wrap it up. "Western State battled us hard," Zalesky said. "They tried to slow us down in some matches and they kept some matches close – that's where we saw what we have to work on. They wrestled hard and gave us a match, and that's what you want to have." Watterson, ranked seventh nationally in the National Wrestling Coaches Association poll and eighth by Amateur Wrestling News, improved to 5-0 this season with his three pins and a forfeit victory on Saturday. All four times he's wrestled this season, Watterson has pinned his opponent and three of those have come in the first period. "That's a good way to go," Zalesky said. "Ty is wrestling well, attacking, and being tough on top, and sometimes being tough on top is what it comes to in big tournaments." Watterson now has 20 pins in his career, moving the senior into a tie for 27th place on OSU's list of all-time leaders. With a 59-19 career record, he's eight wins from moving onto the Beavers' all-time top 50 in career wins. Jeremy Larson, ranked 19th nationally in the NWCA poll and 12th by AWN, had one pin and three major decisions on Saturday to also improve to 5-0 this season. In his four matches that haven't ended in a pin, the senior has averaged over 17 points per match this season. "Jeremy is wrestling hard and going on offense a lot, and that's what we've been preaching," Zalesky said. "He's been attacking and wearing guys out. All of our seniors wrestled well today, wrestled very tough." Besides Watterson and Larson, Pfennigs picked up two pins and two decisions and Kipperberg won four decisions. Gonzales, a sophomore, had a pin, a major decision, a decision and a forfeit for his four victories; Kyle Larson, a junior, earned a pin, a major decision and two decisions. The Beavers recorded six pins against Chadron State, getting falls from Gonzales, Pfennigs and Kyle Larson to start the meet and then from sophomore 184-pounder Kyle Bressler, Gardner and Watterson to finish the meet. That was the most pins in a meet for OSU since it also recorded six in a 42-9 win over Cal Poly on Dec. 14, 1998. Oregon State's win over Utah Valley State included four pins, by Pfennigs, Jeremy Larson, Bressler and Gardner. The 49-0 margin of victory over UVSC was the Beavers' biggest since a 49-0 win over Portland State on Jan. 9, 2004. OSU had one pin in its victories over Eastern Michigan and Western State. In its five dual meets this season, the Beavers have recorded 17 pins. "This was good for today, but our next competition is a step up," said Zalesky, whose team returns to action at the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate on Dec. 1-2. "We've got two weeks to go get to work and get better." Oregon State's next home meet will be Dec. 8 against Oregon in the season's first Civil War, presented by Northwest Dodge Dealers.

Madison, Wis. -- For the first time in four years, the Wisconsin wrestling team is 8-0 after sweeping the competition in the Inaugural ACC/Big Ten Clash at the Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Badgers defeated N.C. State 29-9 in the first match, followed by Virginia 30-7 and North Carolina 35-9. No. 10 Northwestern and Purdue also registered perfect on the day, giving the Big Ten conference the Clash Cup. UW opened the tournament against N.C. State. The Badgers came out with an 8-0 lead after a win by Collin Cudd (River Falls, Wis.) at 125 lbs. and a tech fall victory by Zach Tanelli (Milburn, N.J.) at 133 lbs. However, the Wolfpack would answer with wins at 141 lbs. and 165 lbs., bringing the score to 14-6. The Badgers went on to win three consecutive matches, first at 174 lbs. where Matt Maciag (Sussex, N.J.) defeated Rick Brownlee, 6-3. The bout at 184 lbs. featured No. 18 Jeremy Colbert of N.C. State and true-freshman Trevor Brandvold (River Falls, Wis.) of Wisconsin. Brandvold, who was competing in his first collegiate meet, proved worthy of the spot, pinning Colbert at 4:13. No. 10 Dallas Herbst (Winneconne, Wis.) followed Brandvold's lead with his fifth pin of the year, taking down Mark Jahad at 1:52. Although they fell in the heavyweight match, the Badgers went on to win the dual 29-9. The Virginia dual was all Wisconsin in the first five bouts, including the battle at 133 lbs. between No. 17 Tanelli and No. 20 Eric Albright. Tanelli edged out the Cavalier 7-6 to remain unbeaten this year. Virginia got on the board at 165 lbs. after Damian Johnson earned a major decision over Jake Donar (Cuba City, Wis.). The Cavaliers forfeited the match at 174 lbs., but notched a win at 184 lbs. as No. 12 Rocco Caponi defeated Brandvold 3-2. Nevertheless, Wisconsin would earn major decision victories in the final two bouts to win the match 30-7. Wisconsin faced host North Carolina in the final dual of the tournament. UNC earned a win at 125 lbs. as Cudd fell to Drew Forshey 4-3. Yet, UW would bounce back and take the next four matches, including a pin at 157 lbs. by Craig Henning (Chippewa Falls, Wis.). Although they fell at 165 lbs. and heavyweight, the Badgers went on to earn their eighth win of the season against North Carolina 35-9

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- In an afternoon where the Big Ten protected its wrestling reputation with a perfect record at the inaugural ACC/Big Ten Clash hosted by North Carolina, the Wildcats won three duals. Four 'Cats won three matches and fifth-ranked Dustin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion) knocked off fourth-ranked Spencer Nadolsky of UNC in overtime. With 125 dual wins, head coach Tim Cysewski is now the winningest coach in program history. Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward), Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny), Mike Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) and Nick Hayes (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central) all posted perfect 3-0 records. The Wildcats started their day with a dual against Virginia. Freshman Brandon Precin continued his impressive fall by taking down Ross Gitomer by a 4-2 decision. After Eric Metzler (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) fell in his match at 133 lbs., top-ranked Lang went the distance with Peter Ferrara, topping him in a 3-0 decision. The Cavaliers and Wildcats went back and forth through the middle weights. Vincent Colletti (Naperville, Ill./Montini Catholic) dropped his match at 149, but Dominic Marella (Roselle, Ill./Conant) came right back at 157 with a 7-6 decision over Mike Sewell. After Jim Friend (Libertyville, Ill./Libertyville) fell in his 165-pound match, Nick Hayes (Council Bluffs, Iowa/Lewis Central) took a 6-0 decision over Beau Fisher. Top-ranked Jake Herbert has been dominant early in the season and continued that trend with a 20-5 technical fall at 6:07 over Rocco Caponi at 184 lbs. Tamillow, wrestling at 197 lbs., dominated Kyle Narkiewicz with a 10-1 major decision. Carl Howe (Three Rivers, Mich./Three Rivers) fell in his heavyweight match, but the Wildcats took the dual, 24-12. The 'Cats took to the mat against host North Carolina in their second of three duals on the afternoon and in contrast to all the other fall duals for Northwestern, Precin fell in the 125-pound match to Drew Forshey 6-4. However, James Kohlberg (Rolling Meadows, Ill./Rolling Meadows) took a 8-0 major decision at 133 to put the 'Cats ahead. Lang continued his undefeated fall when UNC's Vincent Ramirez defaulted due to injury at 141 lbs. Coletti evened his record for the afternoon with a 5-3 overtime win at 149, but NU dropped the next two matches when Marella and Greg Hagel (Linwood, N.J./Blair Academy) fell at 157 and 165, but the 'Cats came through at the upper weights. Hayes started things off with 9-8 decision and Herbert won on a 20-5 technical fall at the 3:20 mark. Tamillow continued the run at 197 lbs. with a pin at 6:18. The most anticipated match of the day was between the two heavyweights for the Wildcats and Tar Heels. No. 5 Fox defeated UNC's fourth-ranked Spencer Nadolsky in overtime, 5-3. Nadolsky was selected to be one of two heavyweights to wreslte at Monday's All-Star Classic in Dallas. Lang and Herbert were picked in their weight classes for the prestigious event. NU took the dual in convincing fashion by a 30-9 score. NU capped off its perfect record at this year's ACC/Big Ten Clash with a 37-9 win over NC State. The 'Cats left heavyweight open with a comfortable lead and only dropped one other match. Precin led off with a 15-0 technical fall over Jeremy Hartrum and Kohlberg won an 8-3 decision at 133 lbs. Lang stayed perfect with a 7-3 win over Darrion Caldwell while Coletti improved to 2-1 on the afternoon with a pin of Joe Caramanica at 149. Marella dropped Northwestern's only match in the dual, but Hagel put the 'Cats back on track with a 19-4 technical fall over the Wolfpack's Obie Simpson. After Hayes won his match at 174 by a 10-5 decision Herbert and Tamillow put up back-to-back falls with Tamillow pinning Mark Jahad in 56 seconds. NU left heavyweight open to take the 37-9 win. With the three dual victories, Cysewski's 125 wins are now the most for any coach in Northwestern history. He passed Ken Kraft's mark of 124. Cysewski is now in his 17th season. Lang and Herbert will head to Dallas for the NWCA All-Star Classic. The event, held Monday evening, traditionally pits the No. 1 versus No. 2 wrestlers in each weight class. NU returns to team competition Dec. 8 against Northern Illinois.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -– Casey Brewster has been named an assistant coach for the Rutgers wrestling program head coach John Sacchi has announced. Brewster joins the Scarlet Knights after serving as an assistant coach at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina for the past two years. Casey BrewsterThe West Virginia graduate was a runner-up at the 2004 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) at 125 pounds, qualifying for the NCAA Championships. While training with the Mountaineers, Brewster had the opportunity to train with high-caliber mentors including Zeke Jones (Penn), Lou Rosselli (Ohio State) and Craig Turnbull (WVU). While living in Morgantown, Brewster was a member of the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club and finished his collegiate career with a record of 66-28. During the 2004-05 campaign, he was named an All-American. A native of Nashville, Tenn., Brewer began his collegiate career at Edinboro University, starting as a true freshman, following an impressive high school career at John Overton High School, where he compiled a record of 201-12. He's a four-time state place winner and won multiple state titles, as well as being recognized as a high school All-American. "I'm really excited about joining the Rutgers staff and working with Coach Sacchi and [Assistant Coach] Joe Ryan," Brewster said. "There are a lot of talented, hard-working wrestlers here and I'm looking forward to working with the student-athletes."

CORVALLIS, Ore. -– A pair of national championships and nine high school state titles belong to the four wrestlers that signed letters of intent with Oregon State during the fall early signing period. The group of signees includes projected 133-pounder Kelly Kubec (Lake Stevens, Wash./Lake Stevens HS), projected 149-pounder Shane Nay (Kansas City, Mo./Oak Park HS), projected 133/141-pounder Tyler Phillips (Turner, Ore./Cascade HS) and projected 165-pounder Josh Stalcup (Estacada, Ore./Estacada HS). All four will join OSU's program next fall for the 2007-08 season. "We were looking for guys with high goals," OSU head coach Jim Zalesky said. "We wanted to go out and get those guys who want to work hard and be aggressive, and who have goals here and even beyond here – Olympic aspirations and world aspirations. "In these four guys, that's what we found and what we like about them. When we were recruiting this year, we weren't looking for a weight class; we were looking for the overall attitude. Good guys will find their way into the lineup, so we're not really worried about what weight they were. We're looking to build depth on our team. We just felt good about them in talking to them about where they want to go. They're excited, like we are, about where we want this program to go." Kubec was the 2004 national champion at 112 pounds and was the runner-up this past season at 125 pounds; in its preseason national rankings, Amateur Wrestling News lists him as No. 7 at 130 pounds and Wrestling USA ranked him No. 3 at athat weight. He has a career record of 106-10 for Lake Stevens with a pair of state titles to his credit; Kubec is also a two-time Tri-State champion. In this year's Junior Nationals, Kubec placed second in Greco-Roman and fourth in Freestyle. Kubec said he chose OSU for "the coaching staff, along with it being close to home. It had the total package of what I was looking for; it was the place I felt I could be successful academically and reach my athletic goals." Nay was the 2005 Cadet national champion in Greco-Roman; this year he earned Junior Nationals All-America honors in Greco-Roman and in 2004 he earned Cadet All-America honors in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle. Nay is a three-time Missouri state champion for Oak Park, winning at 145 as a junior and sophomore and 125 as a freshman; he has a 124-3 record with 82 pins. AWN lists him as the nation's No. 5 wrestler at 152 pounds. Nay selected OSU because he felt comfortable with the coaching staff and because he liked the campus; he felt the coaching staff has a hunger to win and that OSU was the best fit for him. Phillips is a two-time Oregon state champion, winning for Cascade at 125 pounds as a junior and at 119 pounds as a sophomore; he placed fifth at 112 pounds as a freshman and has a career record of 108-9 with 71 pins. Phillips continues his family's tradition in the OSU program, as both his father, Tom, and older brother, Brett, wrestled for the Beavers. "I really liked the new coaches and I like the campus and the school – it seemed like a good fit," Phillips said of selecting Oregon State. Stalcup has won a pair of state titles for Estacada, taking the crown at 152 pounds as a junior and at 140 pounds as a sophomore; he has a career record of 129-2 with 85 pins. Going into this season, AWN ranks Stalcup as the nation's No. 6 wrestler at 152 pounds. Stalcup also earned All-America honors in 2005 in both the Cadet Freestyle and Greco-Roman ranks, and was All-American in Greco-Roman in 2004. At the prestigious Las Vegas Classic he has placed second in Greco-Roman twice and third in freestyle once. "I liked the coaching staff," Stalcup said of picking OSU. "I want to be part of history, of putting Oregon State back on the map like it used to be."

Many would say that losing two NCAA qualifiers, one of them an All-American, a season ago would doom a team who did not even finish in the top three in its six-member conference. The program's all-time winningest wrestler, Kyle Cerminera, was lost to graduation, and five starting jobs are open. But depth and resiliency is on Coach Beichner's side, as his young buckin' Bulls are gunning to surprise the likes of the entire nation of possible doubters, as they shoot towards another successful campaign. "I don't want people to underestimate or overlook, but perhaps maybe it's better for them to overlook," head coach Jim Beichner said. "As good as we were last year, this team could potentially be even better. We have 19 guys who have won individual state championships and as a result, we are capable of doing great things." The return of senior captain Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) gives the Bulls the necessary experience to gain ground in the always-competitive Mid-American Conference. Budd, who is following up one of the team's two MAC Championships from a season ago at 133 pounds, is the only individual or team in school history to have secured a win against both the top-ranked Division I and top-ranked Division II opponent in a single season. The Bulls, picked to finish fourth in the MAC Preseason Poll, will look to turn heads and prove that they are a potent powerhouse in Division I wrestling. "Our goals are always to be great," Coach Beichner said. "We don't want to be mediocre with mediocre goals. We have got a very tough group of guys who can do some damage nationally. The guys believe in the coaching staff, the team, and the university, and that's what is going to make us a very solid performer." 125 POUNDS Four Bulls will look to shine at this weight class, as the starting job is up for grabs. A depth issue caused problems last season, but signs could point to a positive remedy with the emergence of one of four grapplers at the team's youngest weight class. Freshman Dan Bishop (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) returns to the team after having redshirted last year. A two-time New York State Champion, Bishop has gained experience and a year of development to compete for the starting spot. Sophomore Sean Bauer (Walden, NY/Valley Central) is another likely candidate due to the fact he has experience at a Division I institution after transferring from Sacred Heart. While in high school, he completed a 36-7 record in the New York State Division I Championships after falling to 2006 NCAA finalist, Cornell's Troy Nickerson. Freshmen Carlo Izzo (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) and Corey Greene (Bennington, VT/Mt. Anthony Union) are two notable recruits who will look to contribute in 2007-08, as they will both redshirt their freshman campaigns. Izzo finished fourth at the NYS Division II Championships while posting a 3-2 record at te NHSCA Senior Nationals. Greene, a three-time Vermont state champion, is certified at 125 but was recruited to wrestle at 133. Greene was named a top 30 high school senior at 130 pounds and was among Intermat's top 200 recruits. The 2005 National High School Coaches Association Open Champion will prove to be a dark horse at either 125 or 133 at some point down the road. 133 POUNDS Taking a step away from youth, the coaching staff believes this weight class is most experienced bunch. Mark Budd is the lone returning MAC Champion on the squad, after having posted an infallible 38-6 record, which was fourth most for wins in school history. Budd held down the 11th-place ranking according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association/Intermat/National Wrestling Media Association Preseason Poll, and was ranked in the top ten of three other major preseason rankings. The lone captain is picked to repeat at MAC Champion at 133 pounds in the MAC Preseason Poll. "Budd is our best and most experienced guy right now," Beichner said. "We're really lucky to have someone like that who is all work ethic and all attitude. He's our anchor, and as our only captain, he's the guy who we will turn to all year to make sure things are done right." Sophomore Joe Wilson (Chester, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) supplys hard-working morals and will look for time behind Budd. Wilson is another transfer from Sacred Heart. Freshman Mike Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) won two Section VI Class A titles and the 2005 New York State High School Division II Championships, while earning mention in Wrestling USA's Best 2006 High School Seniors. Aris will benefit greatly from redshirting this season and learning from Budd. 141 POUNDS Another deep class, the Bulls are thrilled about the addition of junior Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane), who will compete for the first time in a Bull singlet after transferring from Ohio State in 2005. Needle is Section VI's all-time winningest wrestler and a three-time New York State Champion. Having sat out his sophomore year due to shoulder surgery, Needle has moved down from 149, and will be a likely candidate to challenge for a national title. Needle is picked to finish second in the MAC, but could surprise many due to a hard work ethic and a winning edge that has seemed to follow him around ever since high school. Needle will have something to prove after not having competed since 2004-05. "He's a high school phenom," Beichner said of Needle. "He may be the most talented wrestler to ever be in our wrestling room and now that he's in the wrestling room full-time and he's 100%, he's going be very hard to beat." Sophomore Evan Veney (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and freshman Andrew Stella (Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home) will look for time on the mat behind Needle. Veney moved up from 125 to 141, while Stella returns from a redshirt year ready to contribute. Freshmen Justin Hunt (Salem, NY/Salem), Anthony Ng (Monticello, NY/Monticello) and Vince Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) each have a solid wrestling background and have both done an excellent job in workout sessions and in training to earn recognition from the coaching staff. Hunt is a transfer from Pittsburgh who redshirted in his only season there. Hunt was a four-time NYS Class D Champion and earned himself the third-best record in the state in his senior year (36-2). Ng broke former UB wrestler Marcu Hutchins' high school win record, going 128-18 in that span. Aris, combined with his twin brother Mike, are the top-two winningest grapplers in Barker school history. Aris will look for mat time next season after redshirting this year in a deep weight class. 149 POUNDS Junior Dana Gingerich (Spring Grove, PA/DeLone Catholic) bumps up from 141 to 149, and could challenge immediately. Picked to finish second in the MAC Preseason Poll, Gingerich could start right away after finishing his sophomore campaign with 15 wins. Senior Pat Lloyd (Middletown, NY/Valley Central) returns as the team's most experience grappler at 149. Lloyd finished 18-17 before a shoulder surgery took him out of the equation, which makes him a candidate to redshirt. Senior Mike Shannon (Albany, NY/Colonie) is what the coaches call the team's "best technician", and will make the team better, while freshman Jason Hilliard (Genoa, NY/Southern Cayuga) redshirted last season and will also challenge for the starting spot. "Hilliard has matured greatly and he's getting much closer to being ready to compete as a starter," Beichner said. 157 POUNDS Two-time Junior College All-American John Cummings (Bay Shore, NY/Bay Shore) proved last season of his immense JUCO status, posting 24 wins in his first year as a Bull. Even with the impressive win total, Cummings will redshirt in 2006-07. A redshirt from last season, sophomore Scott Rendos (Brockway, PA/Brockway) will get a look at the starting spot. Rendos advanced to the quarterfinals of the Slippery Rock Open last season and went 9-7 for the year. "We feel that he has matured greatly since his freshman year and think he has a great chance in becoming someone special at 157," Beichner said. Juniors Steven Muldrow (Cincinnati, OH/Summit Country Day) and incoming freshman Tom Graff (LaGrangeville, NY/Arlington) in the mix at the 157 position. Muldrow has worked out throughout the summer and will contest for a starting spot. Graff will push some of the returning veterans after having earned All-League and All-Section honors as a senior during a 37-1 season. "Tom looks like a wrestler," Beichner said. "You can tell that when he walks through a door, he is a wrestler. We expect him to help this team out somewhere down the road." 165 POUNDS Junior Mike Ragusa (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) won 21 matches at the 174 starting spot last season. He emerged as a MAC threat that, this season, garnered him a third-place ranking in the MAC Preseason Poll at 165. Ragusa placed fourth at the Oklahoma Gold Classic and finished second at the Slippery Rock Open. Senior Jake Blowers (Johnstown, NY/Broadalbin-Perth) is entering his fifth year and who the coaching staff expects big things from. Blowers is an experience grappler and will challenge at both 165 and 174. "We have two guys who have been starters in the past at both 165 and 174," Beichner said. "We all expect them both to have great years and we know they expect the same from themselves." 174 POUNDS Possibly the squad's most talented position is at 174, where two Pennsylvanians have the chance to start and possibly contend for a MAC title. Juniors Mickey Moran (Pittsburgh, PA/Shaler Area) and Nate Rock (Ephrata, PA/Ephrata) have won 20-plus matches in their respective careers and will possibly go head-to-head for the starting spot. Rock has the edge, after the coaching staff have discussed interest in redshirting Moran after his dominant 05-06 campaign. "Moran was one of our top four performances last year who went from a very tough freshman year to a very good sophomore year," Beichner said. "We are going to redshirt him with the intentions of giving him a year to increase his size and strength so that he could be a phenomenal wrestler for us in the near future who will have his greatest two years ahead of him." After struggling a bit in his sophomore season, Rock is talented enough to win a MAC Championships and qualify for the NCAA Championships. He is, what the coaching staff says, "a great competitor whose sky is the limit." 184 POUNDS Freshman Ricky Scott (Walden, NY/Valley Central) is the lone Bull at 184 pounds, and is looking to provide a strong showing following a redshirt freshman year. Scott is tabbed to finish third in the conference, and was a highly-touted recruit coming to Buffalo last season. He was a two-time state champion, and was ranked third among the nation's high school seniors by Intermat at 171 pounds. A Bull who will see time at 184 next season is freshman Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick), who will redshirt the upcooming campaign. Hamel is most likely to see time at 197, but will be a solid contributor at both classes. Finishing second at the New England Championships, Hamel finished his career with 146 wins and was named Bay State Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2006. "This is the kind of kid who has that blue-collar attitude and has a tremendous work ethic from a family of 12," Beichner said. "He has a non-stop personality that will make him good down the road." 197 POUNDS The departure of Kyle Cerminera leaves this weight class with a giant hole. Senior Ray Lamb (Mays Landing, NJ/Absegami) and freshman Jason Brown (Cato, NY/Cato-Meridian) will look to provide that presence to make the Bulls once again formidable at 197. Lamb has moved up from 174 and will eliminate for a starting spot. Brown is a New York State Division II Champion after finishing his senior campaign at 37-1. Brown is expected to redshirt his first season. "We usually have eliminations so that we can tell who the starters are going to be," Beichner said. After a good round of eliminations where everyone has wrestled each other, you can see who is going to be the top guy for the season. There are some that will shock you from time to time." HEAVYWEIGHT Junior Jeff Parker (Foxboro, MA/Foxboro) was forced to redshirt last season due to a hip injury. Parker went 10-4 before being forced to sit out and will provide a similar force this season. The absence from the mat has allowed him to get stronger and more disciplined and will contend for a MAC title. "He has come a long way since he came here from Binghamton and has a lot of potential," Beichner said of Parker. "I know his sights are set at winning the MAC Championships and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. I know it is he is thinking that is what he should be thinking." Three freshmen, Jason Weber (Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park) and Mark Germano (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) will look to gain experience and guidance under Parker. Weber is the most experienced of the group, having played a collegiate sport in football at Urbana University. "Weber has very good potential and I believe he could be a very good wrestler," Beichner said. "In time, he's going to surprise people." Germano is a developmental wrestler who is both big and strong with good work ethics. He could see time on the mat in the near future. Schedule The Bulls get a chance to prove themselves worthy of a coveted starting spot at the fourth annual UB Open on November 5th, where each grappler will tussle through eliminations and determine who the top guy will be at each class. "The UB Open is our first elimination," coach Beichner said. "We are going to see who competes, who does well, who does not, and that will determine who will travel the following week to the Oklahoma Gold Classic. With good competition, somebody will step up and become pretty tough." The following week is the Oklahoma Gold Classic, a meet that provides stiff competition from the likes of perennial powerhouses, Oklahoma, Bloomsburg, and Army. An Ivy League opponent lingers on November 15th, where the squad will have its first dual meet against Princeton at Alumni Arena. Two tournaments, the Mat Town USA tournament and the Las Vegas Invitational, will again prepare the Bulls for possibly its toughest dual meet of the year with Edinboro on December 9th. Edinboro finished eighth at last year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, and squeezed out a favorable score of 20-13 against Buffalo last year. A stretch of dual, tri-, and quad-meets set up the team's first Mid-American Conference showdown with Northern Illinois on January 14th at Alumni Arena. Five days later, UB will host the New York State Collegiate Championships, a tournament that pit 17 teams last season against each other. Buffalo scored second in the meet held in Oswego, NY with 134.5 points. The Bulls square off against Ohio on the 27th to end the month, only to get set for back-to-back conference dual meets with Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan starting on February 3rd. Central Michigan, with 102.5 points at the MAC Championships, claimed the regular season and conference crown while placing 26th out of 64 teams in the NCAA Championships. UB ends its regular season at Binghamton on February 17th, giving it ample time to prepare for the MAC Championships on March 3rd. The championships are being held this year at UB's Alumni Arena, while the NCAA Championships will take place March 15-17 in Detroit, Michigan.

Tonight at 7:00 pm in Gardner-Hawks Center on the campus of Dana College, the defending NAIA National Champions, Dana College will open their home and dual competition against Oklahoma City University! While we would love your attendance at our dual tonight supporting us, we are providing an option for our fans that cannot make it tonight! If you have Internet access, you can listen LIVE to the Dana College vs. Oklahoma City wrestling dual live on KDCV Dana Radio via web stream at http://www.huntel.net/kdcv/. Once you click on this link, choose Option 1 and you will be able to listen LIVE to all wrestling dual action! Hope to see you tonight cheering on our Vikings towards another great season! If not, we hope you will tune in via your computer and cheer the Vikings onto victory!

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- The Limestone College wrestling team picked up its first dual win of the season over St. Andrews, 37-16, on Thursday night at the Timken Center. The Saints are 1-0 overall while the Knights are off to a 0-1 start in their inaugural season. The first five bouts of the evening went by quickly as all were decided by falls. Eric Frick (Roaring Spring, Pa.) of St. Andrews defeated Greg Satterfield (Hampton, Va.) in the 165-pound weight class to start the evening. Will Harcum (Williamsburg, Va.) gave his team the 12-0 lead after defeating Limestone's Todd Neptune (New Concord, Ohio) in the 174-pound division. Limestone cut the visitors lead to 12-6 with a win by Dan Scanlan (Leesburg, Va.) in the 184-pound weight class over DJ Chverchko (Loretto, Pa.). Mike Walsh (Port St. Lucie, Fla./197 lbs.) beat Alex Mathews (LaGrange, Ga.) to tie the contest at 12-12. Kyle Elliott (Valdese, N.C.) won the heavyweight division over Charles Richardson (Virginia Beach, Va.) The Saints' Matt Hall (Hamptonville, N.C.) won a 7-4 decision over Kyle Craver (Lexington, N.C.) to put the score at 21-12 in favor of Limestone. St. Andrews lost six points after forfeiting the 133-pound weight class. The Knights Bryan Seal (Orange County, Va.) gave his team four points with an 11-3 win over Zach McKeone (Atlanta, Ga.) in the 141-pound division. Dustin Baynes (Liberty Twp., Ohio) got a major decision, 21-10, over Elliott Hogge (Yorktown, Va.). The Knights forfeited the final contest of the match as the Saints recorded the 37-16 victory. Limestone travels to Bristol, Tenn., to face King College on Tuesday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan wrestling team won six of the final seven bouts to overcome an early 10-point deficit and claim an 18-14 victory in its season opener against No. 21 Lehigh on Thursday (Nov. 16) at Leeman-Turner Arena. Junior/sophomores Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) and Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) claimed back-to-back overtime wins at 174 and 184 pounds, respectively, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the evening and putting U-M on top by five points with two bouts remaining. Both matches, which were largely disrupted by several blood timeouts, remained locked at 1-1 at the end of seven minutes, each wrestler claiming an escape point. Luke, ranked 10th nationally in the NWCA poll, controlled much of the action throughout the match against the Mountain Hawks' eighth-ranted David Helfrich, but couldn't convert on several leg attacks. Midway through the extra stanza, the Wolverine sophomore shot in on a single leg and secured the winning takedown with 49 seconds remaining on the clock -- with the 3-1 win, Luke remains a perfect 6-0 since bumping up to 174 pounds. Todd, ranked eighth, and squaring off against Lehigh's true freshman David Craig -- who largely was considered the nation's top recruit last season -- looked similarly strong through much of regulation. Todd shot deep on a single-leg attempt late in the overtime period, finishing with the double to bring Craig to the mat and end the bout with a 3-1 win. It was Craig's first loss in several years after posting a perfect 179-0 high school mark and was 5-0 this season entering the dual. Junior/sophomore Casey White (Commerce, Mich./Walled Lake Central HS) sealed the Wolverine victory in the subsequent match at 197 pounds, cruising to a 7-3 decision over Matt Cassidy. After a scoreless first period, White built up a quick lead early in the second with an escape and takedown, which resulted in Cassidy taking his second injury time of the contest. On the restart, with White receiving his choice on bottom, the Wolverine exploded to his feet, spun around to pick up a reversal and took a 5-0 advantage into the third. The Mountain Hawk earned a quick escape and takedown to cut the lead, but White secured his second reversal to clinch the win. Junior/sophomore captain Josh Churella (Northville, Mich./Novi HS), ranked sixth by the NWCA, kicked off the U-M rally with a decisive 7-0 victory at 149 pounds over ninth-ranked Trevor Chinn. The Wolverine captain used a double-leg takedown with just eight seconds remaining in the first period to score the only points he would need in the contest. He added another double leg late in the match, and nearly three minutes in riding time, to remain undefeated on the season. Senior/junior Jeff Marsh (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) and junior/sophomore captain Eric Tannenbaum (Naperville, Ill./North HS) continued the Wolverines' momentum through the 157- and 165-pound bouts, as both wrestlers rolled to decision victories. Marsh proved a knack for scrambling on the mat in his 10-5 win over David Naksone, coming out on top of three scrambling scenarios with a takedown and two reversals, to rally from an early deficit. In his 165-pound debut, Tannenbaum picked up double legs in the first and third periods against Lehigh's Mike Galante, and added a point for riding time to claim a 6-3 decision victory. Galante picked up his lone points on an escape and a pair of penalty calls. The Mountain Hawks built up an early lead with three straight wins at the opening weights, including a major decision at 141 pounds. Patrick Berger set the early tone with a 10-5 upset against 12th-ranked fifth-year senior Mark Moos (Lorain, Ohio/St. Edward HS) at 125 pounds, using four takedowns to control throughout the contest. Freshman Chris Diehl (Burton, Mich./Flint Kearsley HS), in his collegiate debut at 133 pounds, hung close with Lehigh's Seth Ciasulli, but a first-period takedown by the Mountain Hawk wrestler would prove the difference. Diehl continued to battle but could not finish his shots, including one at the final buzzer, to fall 4-2. Extending the Lehigh advantage with bonus points at 141, Jeff Santo scored four takedowns and over three minutes of riding time to post a 11-3 major decision against senior/junior Brad Cusumano (Utica, Mich./Utica HS). Lehigh heavyweight Paul Weibel, ranked 16th, rounded out the home team's victories with a 15-7 major decision against senior/junior Omar Maktabi (Iowa City, Iowa/West HS) is the final bout of the evening. U-M will send its starting rotation to the Body Bar Invitational on Saturday (Nov. 18) in Ithaca, N.Y. Hosted by Cornell University, the tournament will kick off at 9 a.m. at Newman Arena.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Lock Haven University wrestling has a storied history at the Division I level. A key member of much of that story is LHU head coach Rocky Bonomo. Bonomo's a light-hearted guy that always takes a strong investment in his teams as a coach. Ten years removed from the best NCAA finish in school history--the Bald Eagles took fifth in 1996-97--Bonomo looks at this year's squad with some pride. "Normally I'm guardedly optimistic, but this year I'm more optimistic than guarded," said Bonomo. "We've got four guys with national experience, so I have good leadership. I also have some redshirt guys and guys maturing into making an impact. The young guys are coming in and pushing right away. We have a huge team, but most weights are anyone's game." The teamwork of his squad also is promising. "I'm pleased with intensity of the preseason workouts," he said. "It's amazing how ‘into it' they are as a team. Usually we lose five-to-10 guys during preseason because we're working them so hard, but this year we're adding to the roster." The Bald Eagles boast four National Qualifiers on this year's list. Add in a nationally-ranked recruiting class and you've got a mix for success. 125- Junior Obenson Blanc (Naples, Fla./Lely) is one of the team's two-time National Qualifiers, and teams up for a captain role. Blanc grabbed his first career EWL Title in 2005-06, downing Bloomsburg's Mike Sees in somewhat of an upset. Blanc was 26-10 last season, second on the team in victories, and leads returners with seven major decisions a year ago. The junior went one round deep in the NCAA Tournament last season and has definite All-America potential, according to Bonomo. "He's a fantastic athlete, one of the best I've ever seen," he said. "If he was a 200-pounder, he could be in the NFL." Freshman Nick Hyatt (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown) is also proving to be a force. The two-time PIAA place-winner should help shore up the lower weights for years to come. Sophomore James Bodkin (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) is "one of those guys that gets there early and stays late, you can't help but love the kid." Freshman Erik Smith (Villas, N.J./Pittman) is a walk-on student-athlete who has impressed Bonomo "by sticking with it even though he knew it would be tough." 133- Veteran Casey Moore (Beech Creek, Pa./Central Mountain) makes his return after starting all duals for the Bald Eagles last season, running a 10-23 mark. The junior is a local product and strong worker. Freshman standout Danny Lopes (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) has a strong shot at cracking the lineup in his rookie year. Lopes brings "real aggressiveness" and three-time district champ and two-time state placer credentials with him from New Jersey, a regular recruiting pipeline for Bald Eagle wrestling. Classmate Anwar Goeres (Holley, N.Y./Phoenix) adds to Bonomo's confusion in picking a starter at this weight, as the rookie posted a 233-18 career record in New York. Coached by the legendary Gene Mills, Goeres was a five-time state placer, winning the title in his junior season. "The 133 weight class will be hotly contested," according to Bonomo. " I'm looking forward to the battle." Mark Armstrong (Sugar, Pa./Wyalusing) returns to the squad after a year away from the Bald Eagles. He's a hard-nosed guy that will help the team. Rookie Zach Kell (Ikesburg, Pa./West Perry) is a hard worker that would "go through a wall" for the team. Classmate Matthew Maris (Mooresville, N.C./USMMA) brings great work ethic and technique to the table. 141- At the 141-pound class, sophomore Ollie Cooperwood (Hartselle, Ala./Maple Heights), has the inside track. Literally battle-tested, Cooperwood spent time in the armed forces serving in Afghanistan and Iraq before joining the Bald Eagles a year ago. He was 5-1 in limited action. "Ollie's maturity gives us value as a wrestler/coach type of competitor," said Bonomo. "He knows exactly what we're looking for and can help those around him." Last year's starter at the class, junior Brian Ellis (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) went 4-13 after joining the Bald Eagles in the second semester. He improved throughout the year and has some of the strongest hands on the squad, giving him the ability to control tie-ups. Junior Will O'Donnell (Cherry Hill, N.J./Gloucester C.C.) and sophomore Nathan Owens (Morrisdale, Pa./West Branch) add to the depth. 149- Sophomore Matt Fittery (Denver, Pa./Cocalico) returns after a redshirt season. The true freshman National Qualifier at 141 will look to do some damage up one weight. He was 10-5 in unattached action last season. Added to the action at 149 is freshman Donnie Ament (Acme, Pa./Mt. Pleasant) a former state champion. Ament snapped the career wins record for Pennsylvania, totaling 179 over his career. Sophomore Bradley Marquart (Rutherford, N.J./Rutherford) is a brother of former Bald Eagle Matt Marquart. 157- Senior Seth Martin (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove) is staring down the barrel of joining LHU's 100-win club. The two-time National Qualifier will look to tap into his All-America potential this season. Martin won a team-high 34 games last season, also pacing the team with 11 pins. He stands 23 wins from the 100-victory plateau. "Seth's a hard worker that gets better every time he steps on the mat," said Bonomo. "He's got high goals for himself, but I have even higher ones." Freshman Derrick Caldwell (Curwensville, Pa./Curwensville) will provide hard working depth that will "be used more down the road". Sophomore Daniel Lewis (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) returns for his second season with LHU. He provides depth and an academic boost for the squad. 165- The highlight of the weight-class battles this season comes at 165 pounds. Sophomore Jake Lauffenburger (Warren, Pa./Warren) split time with junior Rory McCoy (Hughesville, Pa./Hughesville) for the starting spot a year ago. McCoy won out come Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championship time, but Lauffenburger's 8-9 record bested McCoy's 5-12 overall. Add to the mix a third-year Bald Eagle in sophomore Andrew Martin (Carlisle, Pa./Big Spring). One of the top LHU wrestlers in the classroom, Martin will look to crack the lineup here. A quartet of newcomers also figures into this mix, including transfer Decota Cotten (Lebanon, Pa./Noble), and freshmen Landis Wright (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle), Steve Loomis (Oxford, N.Y./Oxford Academy) and Alex Dalrymple (Branchville, N.J./High Point). Dubbed "Mr. Excitement" by Bonomo, Wright is a local product, and one of the best in Bald Eagle Area's storied history. Loomis is a 200-plus winner from New York with two-time Greco Roman All-America honors under his belt. Dalrymple set the New Jersey record for season victories with his senior year at 44-5. Corey Blake (East Fallowfield, Pa./Coatesville) provides depth and hard-work mentality to both here and 174. Junior Jameik Matthews (Laurel, Del./Laurel) is extremely athletic and looks to make the lineup. 174- Moving down to 174 pounds is senior Derrick Morgan (Media, Pa./Athens). A National Qualifier wrestling a weight up at 184 in 2005-06, the team captain was 24-14. Classmate Mike Metzger (Shillington, Pa./Governor Mifflin) provides excellent depth an maturity both here and at 184. He's a work-horse type that can contribute if needed. 184- Also wrestling a more comfortable weight down are the two competitors at 184 pounds, Tom Kocher (Lancaster, Pa./Manhiem Township) and Ben Hepburn (Williamsport, Pa./Loyalsock). Both are solid performers who are mat-tested. Kocher was 18-17, narrowly missing a trip to nationals as a true freshman last season, while Hepburn spent his redshirt season going 7-4 in unattached action. He was the starter at 197 two season ago, getting a pin in his first college start. Rookie Travis Stem (Wingate, Pa./Bald Eagle) is another local product and three-time state qualifier that could jump into the lineup here. Sophomore Donnie Reinhart (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Coffman) was 2-4 in tournament action last season. 197- One of the most highly-touted recruits, Jeremie Cook (Venice, Fla./Venice) joins the Bald Eagles, thanks in large part to assistant coach Mike Rogers' roots in the state of Florida. A two-time state champion, Cook took third at nationals in his senior season. Joining Cook is rookie Dustin Pine(Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan) a "big, solid, strong, farm boy" according to Bonomo. Hwt- At heavyweight, rookies Brandon Bowden (Duncannon, Pa./Central Dauphin East) and Mike Cook (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle) will do battle with sophomore Chris Grablutz (Newton, N.J./Kittatinny) for the starting role. Grablutz missed last year because he had to work academically, but "he's proven he's serious about school. He's a big stony kid that will get the job done." The marquee guy here comes in the form of two-time New York State Champion Jim Almy, a "335-pound monster" according to Bonomo. Almy will have his work cut out for him to make the 285 maximum for heavyweights in the NCAA. Smith- walk on, tough challenging welcoming the challenge Lots of supppert wrestling is big here, "Competition's your best teacher," reveals Bonomo. "So the better competition you can get the better you'll get. These guys are driving each other and wrestling hard to learn the most they can." Competition from outside this season will come in the form of four nationally ranked squads, No. 8 Penn State University, No. 13 Edinboro University, No. 24 West Virginia University and No. 25 University of Pittsburgh. The Bald Eagles kick off the season Sunday, Nov. 19 in the Pennsylvania Duals Tournament at the Thomas Fieldhouse. They will wrestle York College at 10 a.m., Clarion University at noon and Lehigh University at 2 p.m.

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma Wrestling single match tickets, including the Dec. 3 match against Oklahoma State, will go on sale Friday at the OU Athletics Ticket Office. Tickets may be purchased online at www.SoonerSports.com or by calling the OU Athletics Ticket Office at 405-325-2424 or 800-456-GoOU. Tickets for the Bedlam Match are $15 for reserved seats and $10 for general admission. All other matches are $10 reserved and $7 GA ($5 Youth GA). Oklahoma returns home on Saturday, Nov. 25, when it hosts the Oklahoma Open. The Sooners wrestle their next home dual on Wednesday, Nov. 29, when the University of Central Oklahoma travels to the Howard McCasland Field House.

The Cardinal wrestling team heads south to Fullerton, Calif. this weekend for a pair of competitions Friday and Saturday. On Friday afternoon, Stanford meets Cal State Fullerton in its first conference dual of the season. On Saturday, the team will get a preview of more conference foes at the Fullerton Open, which is also hosted by the Titans. Stanford (1-2, 0-0 Pac-10) begins the weekend with is first Pac-10 dual and fourth overall dual of the season. The Cardinal will square off with the Cal State Fullerton Titans on Friday at 2:30 p.m at Titan Gym in Fullerton. Junior captain Tanner Gardner, who remains undefeated this season and claimed the Bison Open Championship at 125 pounds last weekend, will lead Stanford into action. The Cardinal is coming off of a successful weekend, after posting a combined 17 pins in competition on Saturday. The dual will open the season for the Titans, who finished ninth at the conference championships last season and posted a 6-12 overall record. Cal State Fullerton returns two Pac-10 place-winners, including junior Morgan Atkinson, who qualified for the NCAA Championships at 149 pounds in 2006 and is currently ranked 15th nationally. Last season, Stanford claimed a 26-11 victory over the Titans at Burnham Pavilion. "This dual is important because it is the first conference competition of the season," said Head Coach Kerry McCoy. "We're going to have to face these guys later in the year to go to Nationals so we need to have a good showing and get back to our winning ways. Fullerton has a great team and a great coach so it will be a battle in every weight class. We can't take anything for granted." On Saturday, the Cardinal will compete in the Fullerton Open, which features wrestlers from six of the ten Pac-10 schools. Two ranked teams, No. 4 Iowa State and No. 17 Cal Poly, highlight the 16-team field, which also includes Cal State Fullerton
, Arizona State, 
Cal State Bakersfield, 
UC Davis, Embry-Riddle, 
Pima Community College, 
Utah Valley State, 
Bakersfield College, 
Cerritos College, 
Santa Ana College, 
East Los Angeles College, Palomar Community College and 
Cuesta College.
 "The Fullerton open will be an important competition because we get to see some opponents from our conference," said McCoy. "We have some momentum from last week's competition, so we plan to use that to continue to build and get better."

Please Note: RevWrestling.com is dedicated to covering and promoting amateur wrestling on all levels. However, on occasion, RevWrestling.com will look at mixed martial arts (MMA) as it relates to amateur wrestling. UFC 65: Bad Intentions Date: November 18, 2006 Venue: ARCO Arena (Sacramento, Calif.) In one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history, Georges ST. PIERRE (12-1) tries to win the welterweight championship Saturday night against the legendary Matt HUGHES (41-4). St. Pierre has focused on this fight since losing to Hughes a little over two years ago. A St. Pierre groin injury delayed this fight, and gave Hughes a chance for a successful redemption against BJ Penn. Now these two warriors are finally ready to square off. Jeff MonsonIn the co-main event, the heavyweight title is on the line with defending champ Tim SILVIA (24-2, and all of 6'8" tall and 265 pounds) facing Jeff "The Snowman" MONSON (24-5, with 16 straights wins), who stands just 5'9" tall and weighs 240 pounds. These are interesting match-ups indeed. Let's first look at the heavyweight title fight. The size of these fighters also defines their styles. Monson, short, muscular, and compact relies on takedowns and submissions. His awesome record, going back three years without defeat, winning 16 straight fights, is laced with submission after submission, after submission victory. Silvia is just the opposite. His lanky frame keeps opponents away, while he waits for that magic moment to send you into la-la land. Silvia's knockout power has left many athletes seeing stars in the sky with their backs on the mat. He has also kicked his opponents into oblivion, as well. Going to the mat with Monson isn't on his agenda. That's why this fight is so exciting. Plus, Monson is an outspoken Iraq War critic, while Silvia thinks that he is being dishonorable to our troops! There is hell to pay here. But, whose will is going to prevail? Monson, the juicy underdog at +240, gets my nod. It's the year of successful anti-war movement. Why not back the Snowman? I see the Monson darting inside and under the powerful punches of Silvia, and by the second round, getting the champ to the mat. From there it will be a leg lock that forces the champ to choose between a broken ankle and giving up his crown. Unfortunately, those who know that Silvia sleeps with his belt also know that the broken ankle will be his choice. Tim also had his arm snapped by Frank Mir while defending (and losing) his precious belt. This will be no different. This fight is not for the faint of heart. I see MONSON +240 in an upset by submission in Round 2. With Christmas around the corner, it's the Snowman's time to shine. In the featured match I like the vastly improved ST. PIERRE, a mild underdog at +130, to use his motivation and focus to get the best of Hughes. Interestingly, almost 60% of hardcore UFC fans polled on the official UFC Web site (http://www.ufc.tv) voted that St. Pierre would beat Hughes, yet the oddsmakers have him as the underdog! I believe that St. Pierre has the better stand-up fighting skills, and he will be able to resist the powerful takedown moves of Hughes. Midway through the second round, St. Pierre will stun a frustrated Hughes with a kick to the temple, which soon ends the fight with St. Pierre pounding mercilessly on the champ, and then quickly submitting him with a rear-naked choke!……and we will have a new welterweight champion, Canadian Georges St. Pierre. And, a popular champ he will be. I think Matt is ready to retire. Frank MirWhen betting underdogs, you need just one winner out of two to profit. I think we will follow both of these 'dogs to the winner's window. And, both should be entertaining match-ups for sure! Staying with the big 'dogs, we find Frank MIR (9-2, and former UFC heavyweight champion) in a battle to keep his career going, taking on the favored and still undefeated Brandon "the Truth" VERA (7-0). Mir, a rare heavyweight who relies on submissions to win his fights, has never been the same after a brutal motorcycle accident that broke his legs. His two-year recovery has been a slow and painful process. And, his return record of 1-1 in the octagon has left much to be desired. Frank has looked slow, weak, and winded. Not a good combo! His cardio has failed him miserably. He looks finished. Vera, on the other hand, has looked like a monster, destroying his last two opponents in the first round! But, he once idolized Mir and may be somewhat awestruck by Frank's earlier reign. There is nothing more dangerous than a rabid 'dog fighting for his UFC life. And, that's where Mir is today. He claims to be in the best shape of his life and is bigger and stronger than his opponent. And, at these odds, +275 (opened at +150), I'm gonna give Frank one last look. The public is betting against him. But, the UFC Monster will be betting on him! There is nothing in currant form that would mandate such a play, so I will base this on a hungry 'dog going back to the history books. I like Mir in the second round with triangle choke. And, at these prices, one-out-of-three will still make you a winner! Alessio SAKARA (14-4) is an overwhelming favorite at –550 to handle newcomer Drew MCFEDRIES (4-1) in a light heavyweight fight. Sakara is coming off a tough loss to Dean Lister, one of the world's best jui jitsu fighters. He has knockout power and loves to kick. McFedries fights out of Bettendorf, Iowa and is a relative unknown. If betting on big favorites is your game, Sakara is your play. I'll bridge jump with him. Joe "Daddy" STEVENSON (30-7) is coming off an impressive big upset win over Yves Edwards. As the young father of three kids, who provide his motivation to fight, Big Daddy has good takedown and submission skills. He likes to mix it up and then take you to the mat for some ground-and-pound. MISHIMA (17-4-2) is making his UFC debut. I'll go with pa here. Stevenson at –220 wins by TKO in the second round. Nick DIAZ (14-6) is back in the octagon taking on another Brazilian jui jitsu fighter, Gleison TIBAU (23-2). The gangly Diaz recently beat tough Josh Neer, after losing three consecutive close decisions to Sean Sherk (the UFC lightweight champ), Joe "Diesel" Riggs, and undefeated Diego Sanchez. Diaz fought each to a close decision loss! Not much to go on with Tibau, despite his long record of wins. For a wirey guy, Diaz loves to stand and trade punches. His real strength is still on the ground. The oddsmakers have Diaz as a huge favorite at -550. I'll pass on the action, but root for Nicky with my heart. In other matches: Sherman PENDERGAST (8-3) +245 upsets Antonio HARDONK (4-2) by submission in second. Jake O'BRIEN (8-0) –240 beats Josh SHOCKMAN (7-0) with second round TKO. James IRWIN (11-3) +145 beats Hector Ramirez with first round KO. So, that's it for now: five underdogs, three favorites, and one "no play." Good luck and enjoy the fights. I'll meet you at the winner's window! More later. The UFC Monster

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University is set to host the 2006 Midlands Wrestling Championships, Dec. 29-30. This year marks the 44th installment of one of the most prestigious events in collegiate wrestling. The annual tournament attracts hundreds of the most talented wrestlers from around the country in a two-day, four-session double-elimination tournament. Founded by Northwestern's Ken Kraft, the Midlands Championships are held every December in Welsh-Ryan Arena. The tournament has historically brought together the very best in amateur wrestling, and has provided the springboard for 81 Olympic wrestlers. In the Midlands team race, Illinois enters as the three-time defending champion. In the 43-year history of the Midlands, only Iowa has won four-straight titles. Illinois will be hard pressed to reach that coveted fourth-straight championship. Many top-ranked teams including No. 5 Iowa, No. 6 Iowa State, No. 7 Michigan, No. 10 Northwestern and No. 12 Central Michigan appear to be especially strong challengers for the title. Last year's team race was the closest in 19 years. Illinois finished three points ahead of Central Michigan and in 1986 North Carolina edged the Sunkist Kids by 1.75 points. It is very possible the last match in this year's tournament could determine the title as several other ranked teams could make an impact in No. 19 Indiana, No. 22 Harvard and No. 24 West Virginia. The Midlands continues to feature many wrestlers who will compete for national titles at the end of the season. The 2006 Championships could also produce new members in the "20 in four club", where admission is accomplished by consistent performance starting at an early age and continuing through the wrester's first four Midlands. A competitor must win at least 20 matches in his four years to become a "20 in Four" man. This year could produce the 20th member in the 44-year history of the Midlands. Eighteen have made it with the latest being Cliff Moore who reached it in 2005. Those to watch include No. 3 Nick Simmons of Michigan State at 125 lbs. and Matt Lebe of West Virginia at 157 lbs. Each year, two or three weight classes can be described as "Glamour Weights" at the Midlands. With six of the top eight wrestlers expected to enter, 141 lbs. certainly fits this category. No. 1 Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/St. Edward) wrestles for host Northwestern and right behind him are Michigan State's No. 2 Andy Simmons, No. 3 Brandon Rader of West Virginia and fourth-ranked Alex Tsirtsis of Iowa. The other two in the top-eight are seventh-ranked Don Fisch of Rutgers and Northern Iowa's eighth-ranked C.J. Ettelson. With four out of the top-eight looking to capture this year's title, 157 and 165 lbs. will be weights to watch in 2006. Iowa State's Trent Paulson, ranked second in the nation and Indiana's Brandon Becker, ranked third, highlight the field at 157 lbs. while Michigan's Eric Tannenbaum and Iowa's Mark Perry, the 2004 champion, will test Nick Balma of Northern Iowa, defending Midlands champion. All weights will be highly competitive, but only ten individuals will be crowned "Midlands Champion", a noted accomplishment. "Midlands is one of the best events in college wrestling," Northwestern head wrestling coach Tim Cysewski said. "A Midlands championship, a Big Ten championship and an NCAA championship, that's the triple crown of college wrestling."

Columbus, Ohio -- The third-ranked Missouri wrestling team opened its season with a win against No. 10 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio, 29-9, with seven Tigers earning victories, senior Matt Pell (Luxembrug, Wis.) earning his 100th win and senior defending national champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) extending the nation's longest winning streak to 46 consecutive matches. "Our team came out and wrestled very aggressively tonight in a challenging environment," Head Coach Brian Smith said. "Overall I was really pleased with the way we competed. Even our losses were close and I was happy to see our guys come out and fight for every point. It was an emotional night for Ohio State with their new coaching staff and I was happy with the way our team responded to the challenge." Co-captain and three-time All-American Askren opened the night's dual in St. John Arena with a 23-8 technical fall win over No. 12 Blake Mauer at 174 pounds. Askren tallied 10 takedowns, earning two points after Mauer was called for stalling and one point for 3:01 of riding time. After suffering a hard-fought 3-2 loss at 184-pounds, redshirt freshman Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) came through with an upset over All-American and No. 2 ranked J.D. Bergman, 8-4, at 197 pounds. Making his first collegiate start in the Tiger lineup, Askren scored first with a takedown at 1:28 allowing Bergman an escape with 56 seconds on the clock. Askren came through with his second and final takedown of the match with 48 seconds left in the first period. With both grapplers scoring back-to-back reversals, Askren was hit with a one point stall call at 51 seconds but still closed out the period with the 6-4 advantage. An escape by Askren at 1:20 was the sole point scored in the third period and with 2:21 of riding time tacked on, Askren came out the victor. The Tigers scored a major win at heavyweight as redshirt freshman Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) pinned the Buckeye's Corey Morrison in 3:22. Ellis led the bout, 2-1, entering the second period and managed to stick Morrison with 1:37 left for the first collegiate win of his career. Returning to the top of the lineup, Missouri's third and final redshirt freshman, John Olanowski (Virginia Beach, Va.), made his first collegiate start and was credited with his first win, 5-2, at 125 pounds. Olanowski became the fourth of seven Tigers to score first in their respective matches, taking down Livingston 41 seconds into the match. Olanowski followed his takedown with a three-point nearfall at the one minute mark but was held scoreless through the final four minutes of action. With riding time not a factor and Livingston unable to score more than two escapes, Olanowski won the bout. "I was really impressed with the way our freshmen wrestled tonight," Smith said. "Max came out and took a win from one of the best wrestlers in the nation, Ellis did a good job against a wrestler who placedl in last week's Michigan State Open, and Olanowski stayed strong for all seven minutes." Winning the 133 pound match by default, the Tigers improved their team lead to 22-3 but lost at 141 and 149 pounds giving up six team points (22-9). Wrestling in black, sophomore 2006 NCAA qualifier Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) shutout his Ohio State opponent, 4-0, earning 3:13 of riding time over 14th-ranked Jason Johnstone. In the final match of the night, senior All-American Pell joined Missouri's 100-win club with a 15-5 major decision victory over Chris Vondruska. Pell became the 14th wrestler and sixth in five seasons to hit the century mark. With the win. Missouri improved to 32-29 in season openers and claimed its fourth consecutive season opening victory, the second longest streak in the 62-year history of the Tiger wrestling program. The Tigers will return home to Columbia and prepare for the sixth annual Missouri Open beginning at 9 a.m. (CT) Sunday, Nov. 19 in the Hearnes Fieldhouse. Over 400 wrestlers from 10 schools across the Midwest will compete in the all-day event, with top-ranked programs No. 3 Missouri, No. 6 Oklahoma, No. 14 Ohio State and No. 20 Indiana headlining the tournament.

STILLWATER, Okla. –- Nathan Morgan got Oklahoma State (2-0) started with an upset over second-ranked Andy Simmons to lead the second-ranked Cowboys to a 22-8 victory over Michigan State (0-1) in front of 2,647 fans inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Thursday night. OSU was trailing the dual 6-0 after the Spartans got victories from fifth-ranked Franklin Gomez at 125 and top-ranked Nick Simmons at 133. Simmons defeated OSU's third-ranked Coleman Scott. Morgan put the Cowboys on the board with his victory over Andy Simmons. Morgan got a first period takedown and then rode out the second period to take a commanding lead in the match. Morgan went to win by a score of 5-1. The Cowboys went on to win the next four matches following Morgans's victory, including a win by Ryan Freeman in his first career varsity match. Freeman gave OSU the lead for good in the dual with a 10-4 decision over Eddie Skowneski, which put the Cowboys up 6-5. Newly McSpadden added a decision before Johny Hendricks put the dual out of reach for the Spartans. Hendricks cruised to a dominating 16-3 major decision over Rocky Cozart that made the dual 13-5. Joe Williams ended OSU's string of victories with a decision over Jack Jensen. Jensen had four of the five takedowns in the match, but he gave up five points on his back and lost 10-9. Jared Shelton followed at 197 and clinched the dual for the Cowboys. Shelton got a first period takedown and went on to defeat MSU's Nick Palmieri, 4-0, to put the Cowboys up 19-8 with one match remaining. Jared Rosholt closed out the dual with a 4-1 victory over Alan O'Donnell. The Cowboys travel to Omaha, Neb., for the UNO Open all day on Saturday. Several nationally ranked teams will be competing, including rivals Iowa and Minnesota.

Des Moines, Iowa -- Wrestling fans this Monday Night listen to a night of live Collegiate Wrestling! Takedownradio.com, "America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show", presents a free broadcast of the 41st NWCA All-Star Classic, Monday, November 20th, from the Dallas Convention Center Arena on Behalf of the NWCA and Intermatwrestle.com The Broadcast will begin at 5pm CST and start with scheduled Exhibition matches at 6pm, then Featured Event bouts at 7pm CST. Takedownradio.com, is and will be providing over 500 hours of LIVE broadcasts this year. Casber and company just spent over a week in Pennsylvania and New Jersey visiting many of the legendary programs in those states. Prior to the All Star TDR will have already provided free broadcasts from the UNO Open on Saturday the 18th and coverage of the Missouri open in Columbia Sunday from 9 to 6 PM. Join Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski, Insidetexaswrestling.com's John Rizzutti and Intermatwrestle.com's BIG Dog Jason Bryant for all the color and commentary. This broadcast is brought to you by: The National Wrestling Coaches Association and Intermatwrestle.com

IOWA CITY, IA -- The University of Iowa wrestling program has signed two student-athletes to national letters of intent in the early signing period. Jordan Johnson of Bettendorf, IA and Brodie Ambrose of Eldridge, IA, are Tom Brands' first signings as Iowa's head coach. Johnson won the 2006 Class AA Illinois state heavyweight state title Naperville North High School. He moved to Bettendorf, IA, and will be competing for Bettendorf High School this season. Ambrose placed third at 171 pounds at the 2006 Class 3A state tournament for North Scott Eldridge High School. He will compete at 189 pounds this season and is a projected 197-pounder for the Hawkeyes. Ambrose also is a 189-pound Fargo freestyle all-American. "These two signees fit our weight class needs," said Brands. "They are excited to contribute to our wrestling program next year." The Hawkeyes will open the 2006-07 season Saturday at the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE.

Stanford, Calif. -- The Stanford wrestling program has signed four talented high school seniors announced Head Coach Kerry McCoy today. Nick Amuchastegui (Talent, Ore.), Kyle Barrett (Las Vegas, Nev.), Matt Winterbourne (Cornelius, Ore.) and Christine Cunningham (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) will join the Cardinal in 2007-08. "I am very excited with our early admits," said McCoy. "They truly represent some of the best and brightest student-athletes in the nation. They all will bring something special to our program." Amuchastegui is a standout from Phoenix High School in Phoenix Ore., who won the Oregon State Championship last year as a junior. Amuchastegui also placed at the State Championships as a freshman and sophomore, taking third both seasons. "Nick will be a big part of this program's rise to the top, not only because of his wrestling but also because of the type of person he is," says McCoy "He will bring out the best in everyone around him." Barrett is another defending State Champion from Palo-Verde High School in Las Vegas. He placed seventh in the state as a sophomore and has also placed in numerous national level tournaments. "Kyle has a very strong work ethic, which could have been learned from his ?father who played professional baseball for over 10 years," says McCoy. "He will be a great addition to our program and will really help our team rise to the top." Winterbourne is finishing a successful prep career at Forest Grove High School in Forest Grove, Ore. He placed sixth at 189 lbs. at the State Championships last year, and is poised to take the title this season as one of the top ranked wrestlers in the state. "Matt will add much needed depth to our upper weights," says McCoy. "He has the dedication and drive to become an All-American and challenge for a national title." Cunningham, hailing from Torrey Pines High School in Encinitas, Calif., is one of the best female high school wrestlers in the country. She has placed in every major tournament she has competed in and is in line to make the 2012 Olympic team. "Christine will be a great asset to the program," says McCoy. "Her commitment to excellence will raise the bar in our room. She was voted the captain of her club team (both boys and girls) the last 2 years. She has continually faced challenges in her wrestling career and she has always risen above and come out on top."

This week continues for us as I rejoin with my partner Steve Foster for this tremendous weekend of wrestling action. We'll be joined by a wide variety of folks including special hosts as listed below. Special note we will talk with Cowboy HD Coach John Smith from OK State for those who have requested this interview. Saturday- 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM -- Live from Omaha and the University Neb. Omaha Kaufman Brand Open- Courtesy of UNO Coach Mike Denny, Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski. 9:20 AM -- Special on line guest our TheMat.com / Takedownradio.com athlete of the week Jeff Zastrow, our new World Champion in Sombo. Jeff is an assistant coach at UW-Whitewater, and was a national place winner at US Nationals in Greco-Roman last year. TheMat.com/Takedownradio.com athlete of the week is brought to by Asics! 10:50 AM -- Deanna Gilbert will join us for a few minutes to discuss Saturday night big UFC PPV featuring former wrestlers now UFC Champions Matt Hughes and BIG Tim Sylvia Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM -- Live from Columbia MO for the U of Missouri Open. Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski. This broadcast is courtesy of the University of Missouri and Head Coach Brian Smith. Monday- 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM -- NWCA All Star Meet in Dallas Texas Hosts- Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Luke Polanski,Insidetexaswrestling.com's John Rizzutti and Intermatwrestle.com's BIG Dog Jason Bryant. This broadcast is brought to you by: The National Wrestling Coaches Association and Intermatwrestle.com. Join us for these incredible events and please thank our sponsors for continuing to make these broadcasts free of charge!

Hello everyone! The last time I talked to you I had yet to wrestle a college match this season. Now, I am 8-0 with six of my matches won by fall, one by decision, and one by major decision. I am somewhat happy with my performance so far. It is my goal to have 20 falls by the time the season is over. I know that I have started strong, but there is room for improvement. I won the Eastern Michigan Open and had a tough competitor in the finals. Tyrel Todd of Michigan was up to the challenge. I won the match by a 6-3 margin, which proves to me that I need to work harder. I was not as dominant as I wanted to be. This past weekend, we hosted a seven-team dual meet tournament. I wrestled well and earned two falls and one major decision. Our match against Navy was close, but I did not worry about the outcome. I knew that our "big man" would come through. (Dustin) Fox wrestled very well and he came through with a decisive win in the final match. He is just one of four undefeated Northwestern wrestlers. Currently, my team and I are preparing for the ACC/Big Ten Clash (in Chapel Hill, NC). Our training is going very well and the intensity in the room is outstanding. It is hard to think back to my freshman year when I was redshirting … we had a decent team but we were not in our current wrestling room at that time. I hope that our freshmen and sophomores understand what perfect training conditions we now have. It is amazing! In less than one week I will wrestle Roger Kish of Minnesota! I want to be an undefeated NCAA champion and this will be my first big hurdle. This match means so much for me and I feel ready. Until next time, I plan on being ranked No. 1 from here on out. Stealing a quote from the movie Talladega Nights: "If you aren't first, you're last!" Talk to you soon, Jake Herbert Past Entries: Entry 2 (11/1/06) Entry 1 (10/17/06)

HEMPSTEAD, New York -- Senior Chris Weidman and graduate student Matt Pollock each recorded victories by falls, and four other Pride wrestlers posted major decisions as 11th-ranked Hofstra swept Army (0-1), 41-0, at the David S. Mack Sports Complex Wednesday night. The Pride, who posted their second straight shutout after a 56-0 victory at Wagner on Tuesday, improve to 2-0 on the season. Weidman, a returning All-American after a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships last March, pinned Connor Sanders in 4:30 at 197 pounds in the third match of the night to give the Pride a 13-0 lead. Heavyweight Matt Pollock, a transfer from Cornell University, then pinned Michael Sprigg (A) in 3:26 to boost the lead to 19-0. Returning senior All-American Mike Patrovich improved to 2-0 on the season with a 22-8 major decision over Army's John Drew at 165 pounds. Classmate James Strouse posted an 11-3 victory over Chris Grill at 157. Junior Charles Griffin, ranked 14th at 141, recorded an 11-0 victory over Lief Gilsdorf while Joe Rovelli, ranked fifth at 184 pounds, tallied a 14-5 major decision over Scott Ferguson. Junior Dave Tomasette, ranked 20th at 125 pounds, sophomore Alton Lucas at 174 pounds, and freshman Lou Ruggirello all posted decisions. Ruggirello's match was the closest of the night, as the newcomer posted a 2-1 victory over Matt Kyler on the riding time point. Hofstra will compete at the East Stroudsburg Open this Saturday, November 18 before returning to dual match competition on Saturday, November 25 at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Collegiate Duals in Guilderland Center, New York.

TEMPE, Ariz. –- Three successful high school wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to continue their education and athletic careers at Arizona State University, Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Wednesday. Kyle DeBerry (Tucson, Ariz.), Jesse Robbins (Oviedo, Fla.) and Vincent Varela (Rio Rancho, N.M.) will join the program in time for the 2007-08 academic year with the Sun Devils. "I am very pleased with the level of talent, ambition and drive Vincent, Kyle and Jesse all will bring to our program," Ortiz said. "All three are hard workers and will play a big role in our attempt to win another national title. These three individuals bring a lot of success both with their high school teams and on the national level and I look forward to seeing what each can accomplish for the Sun Devils." All three student-athletes bring a wealth of experience and success to the program as they have combined to win six state titles and accumulate five high school All-America honors. Varela, who competes for Rio Rancho High School, is regarded as one of the top recruits this year with InterMat ranking him as the No. 18 recruit in the nation overall. Both Amateur Wrestling News and WIN Magazine have Varela ranked No. 2 in the national high school rankings at 135 pounds heading into his senior season. A three-time New Mexico state champion, Varela recently placed third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals after dominating his state meet with three wins by fall, including a fall in 4:27 in the finals. A native of Arizona, DeBerry continues to build on the tradition of Sunnyside High School, the same school that produced Sun Devil Coach Ortiz, a three-time All-American, and Assistant Coach Eric Larkin, a four-time All-American and 2003 NCAA Champion. DeBerry, coached by his father, Bobby DeBerry, is the No. 45 recruit in the nation according to InterMat and enters his senior season as the No. 3 (WIN Magazine)/No. 4 (AWN) ranked wrestler at 160 pounds after winning three state titles in a row, including the 152-pound crown last year. A high school All-American, DeBerry recently took runner-up honors at the Junior Greco-Roman and sixth place at the Junior Freestyle Nationals. In a program that has seen several brothers compete together, the signing of Robbins will add another to the list as Jesse will join his older brother, Jason Robbins, on the team next season. Ranked No. 101 by InterMat, Jesse enters his senior season as the No. 6 wrestler in the nation at 171 according to WIN and will look to help Oviedo High School to its ninth-consecutive Florida state title this season. A three-time third-place finisher in Florida, Robbins has excelled in Greco-Roman competitions, twice winning national titles.