InterMat Staff

Blair, NE -- The 2006 NAIA National Champions completed their annual Red & White Classic on Friday night. The classic marks the final wrestle-offs for varsity positions. While this year's team is young, they have proven that they are extremely talented and were well deserving of the No. 2 Non-Division I recruiting class in the country. At 125, freshman Ty Costa (Turlock, Calif.) claimed a 2-1 victory over senior and returning All-American Craig Trampe (Ord, Neb.). These two will wrestle again in a best two of three series. The 133-pound match lasted only 30 seconds as two-time All-American Burke Barnes (Lake Stevens, Wash.) made quick work of a very talented freshman Eric Graham (Kansas City, Mo.) with a fall. Senior and three-time All-American Terrence Almond (Pelham, Ga.) took 1:30 to pin freshman Brian Graham (Kansas City, Mo. ) at 141. Two former high school teammates from Las Vegas, N.M., had to square-off to see who is going to claim the 149 pound start. Clinton Dale won a close match over Marcos Martinez, 4-2. At 157, two-time NJCAA national qualifier Jason Bilinski (Pittsgrove, N.J.) took care of Dan Pray (St. George, Kan.) with a fall at 1:22. With a major decision, redshirt freshman Ryan "Bula" Tuzon (Wailuku, Hawaii) won big over freshman Jordan Davis (Blaine, Minn.) 16-7 at 165 pounds. At 174, freshman Josh Ghobadpoor (Dahlonega, Ga.) won by decision over junior John Justice (Moreno Valley, Calif.) 11-8. Ghobadpoor will enter the starting line-up at 174 as a freshman after making four state finals appearances in his home state of Georgia. At 184, junior Webster Farris (Nebraska City, Neb.) narrowly defeated freshman Jon Wilbourne (Lake Stevens, Wash.) 5-2. Farris was a 2005 GPAC Champion and national qualifier but suffered a knee injury which sidelined him for the 2006 national championship season. Farris was an Academic All-American in 2006. 197 will be filled by junior Wade Jordan (Coulee City, Wash.). Jordan placed 3rd in the GPAC in 2006 at heavyweight, but will now drop down to 197. Jordan defeated freshman John Schmalz (Kansas City, Mo.) by technical fall 17-1. Heavyweights Jesse Boggs (Deming, N.M.) and Shawn Gach (Omaha, Neb.) hooked it up, with Boggs winning by fall at 4:52. Both Boggs and Gach were redshirts in 2006. In the final match of the evening, freshman Brian Graham, who lost in the opening match to senior Terrence Almond, wrestled Clinton Dale who claimed the 149 victory. Graham came out on top with a 6-5 win. Following the Red & White Classic was the annual Dana College Wrestling Clinic. The clinic was held on Saturday and saw 1992 Olympic Champion Kevin Jackson as the feature clinician. Jackson is also our current U.S. Freestyle Head Coach. About 75 youth wrestlers and coaches attended the clinic to learn techniques and tips from Coach Jackson as well as Dana's All-Americans and coaches. The 2006-07 Vikings will begin their competitive schedule on Nov. 4 at the Daktronics South Dakota State Open in Brookings, S.D. 2006 Red & White Results 125- Ty Costa dec. Craig Trampe 2-1 133- Burke Barnes wbf over Eric Graham :30 141- Terrence Almond wbf over Brian Graham 1:30 149- Clinton Dale dec. Marcos Martinez 4-2 157- Jason Bilinski wbf over Dan Pray 1:22 165- Bula Tuzon major dec. Jordan Davis 16-7 174- Josh Ghobadpoor dec. John Justice 11-8 184- Webster Farris dec. Jon Wilbourne 5-2 197- Wade Jordan wbtf John Schmalz 17-1 285- Jesse Boggs wbf over Shawn Gach 4:52 Exhibition: Brian Graham dec. Clinton Dale 6-5

Cole Williams believes the way to win wrestling matches is the old fashioned way, by being in top physical condition and out working your opponents. When Williams finished his senior season at Delavan-Darien High School in Delavan, WI he wasn't satisified with a conference title, 34-5 record and a trip to the state tournament. The University of Dubuque(IA) was a virtual wrestling graveyard when Williams arrived, not fielding a full team for several years. Williams has helped Coach Jon McGovern resurrect the program into respectability and the Spartans now have over 30 wrestlers from all over the country on their roster. UD competes in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the toughest Division III league in the country. "As far as being a part of rebuilding a program, I think that is what made me tougher. I didn't have any footsteps to follow, I had to learn everything the hard way. Now I am trying to pass down some of the things I have learned to other UD wrestlers". Williams noted. Williams' college training often included three to four work outs per day. His relentless style and extra gear in the closing minutes have become trademarks of his wrestling success. Williams still enjoys running and lifting weights to maintain top condition and is also looking to begin competing in Mixed Martial Arts events. Williams completed his college eligibility last season with his second straight trip to the NCAA Division III National Tournament at 165lbs. Far from a household name, Williams established himself as the leader of the University of Dubuque Spartans over the last four years and now holds school records for season and career wins, 44 and 107 respectively. Williams' other collegiate accolades include: two-time team captain and outstanding wrestler, as well as UD Athlete of the Year. Williams now accepts the challenge of competing in RealProWrestling's Season 2 at the North Regional qualifying tournament on Saturday, November 4 at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA. Williams will wrestle at 163lbs. Williams realizes his collegiate accomplishments are behind him and the RPW competition will be tougher as well. "I think RPW is a great way to promote our sport and having the chance to wrestle in it is a great honor. In high school I never had much talent. I believe that hard work is the key to success..." Williams is easy to find prior to his matches. You'll see him stomping around the arena, getting mentally prepared with his headphones on, blasting Metallica or Linkin Park. Williams is ready to challenge all entrants in a loaded weight class which includes NCAA All-Americans Ryan Churella(MI) and Tyrone Woodley(MO). "I want to wrestle against the best guys." Post collegiate wrestlers from all NCAA divisions as well as NAIA and Junior Colleges will be competing in each of the four regional tournaments starting with San Jose on October 28. The other events will be held November 11 in Philadelphia and November 18 in Tulsa. Regional champions will advance to The Super Challenge on January 7 in San Jose for the right to represent one of the eight teams for the dual meet portion of the season which will be in the Spring of 2007. Mark your calendar, and help support the world's oldest and greatest sport by attending one or more of these events. Applications to compete are still being accepted, contact Dean Morrison at dean@realprowrestling.com.

As part of its North Region qualifying tournament which will be held on Saturday, November 4 in Mount Vernon, IA, RealProWrestling has announced Cornell College will also hold their wrestle-offs at 1:00PM, following the semi-final matches. Second year Cornell coach Mike Duroe is happy to include the wrestle-offs as part of the RPW event which includes Parent's Weekend for the Cornell wrestlers and he is also expecting several recruits to attend. Duroe felt there would be at least eight matches out of the 10 collegiate weight classes. The Rams won a school record 15 dual meets last season and return several starters, including All-American junior Chris Heilman at 125lbs. The International Wrestling Institue and Museum will also be on hand to promote it's move from Newton, IA to Waterloo, IA and the re-dedication of the museum to be named The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institue and Museum. Scott Casber from Takedown Radio will be present as well for the Fan Fest and will be broadcasting live in the afternoon and for the finals at 5:00PM. The Fan Fest will include a clinic with the University of Iowa coaching staff, Olympic Champions Dan Gable and Tom Brands. Also participating in the RPW Fan Fest clinic will be former Iowa standouts Wes Hand and Doug Schwab. Coaches are encouraged to bring their teams and wrestling shoes to come experience a great day of wrestling with a low-cost clinic! The first session is free to the public, including the Cornell wrestle-offs. The afternoon session is only $5 per individual, $20 per family, and $30 per team. This includes admission to the finals. Wrestling fans can watch all of the great action at the tournament and be a part of RPWs Fan Fest. Outstanding former college wrestlers from all NCAA divisions as well as NAIA and Junior Colleges will be represented in Mount Vernon. Wrestlers slated to compete include: Grant Nakamura(121), James Rollins(132), Dylan Long(145), Tyrone Woodley(163), Zac Dominguez(185), Israel Silva(211) and former Iowa Hawkeye football player Scott Pospisil(264). Event Detail: Date: Saturday: Nov. 4th 2006 Location: Cornell College. Indoor Arena. 600 First Street, West. Mt. Vernon, IA 52314 Website: http://www.cornellcollege.edu/athletic_facilities/ http://www.cornellcollege.edu/athletic_facilities/ Map: 600 1st St W Mount Vernon, IA 52314-1006, US Schedule: 8:30 a.m. -- Doors open 9:00 a.m. -- RPW Rules Clinic 10:00 a.m. -- Quarter-Final Round 11:30 a.m. -- Semi-Final Round 1:00 p.m. -- Cornell College Wrestle-offs 2:30 p.m. -- RPW Fan Fest clinic 5:00 p.m. -- Championship Finals 6:30 p.m. -- Awards Ceremony 8:00 p.m. -- After Party -- Third Base, Cedar Rapids

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA and ESPN announced today expanded live television coverage of the 2007 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships March 15-17 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. For the first time, in the 77-year history of the Division I Wrestling Championships, the Saturday morning medal round will be televised. Scheduled for 10 a.m. EST March 17 on ESPNU, the championships medal round determines the 3rd through 8th place finishers who are honored as All-Americans. "This is a great moment for wrestling fans that will now have the opportunity to see the championship medal round on ESPNU, plus extensive coverage of the Division I Wrestling Championships across our networks," said Burke Magnus, vice president and general manager, ESPNU. "The advent of ESPNU has created opportunity for increased coverage of college sports at every level and further demonstrates our commitment to the NCAA and its membership." ESPN's coverage of the Division I Wrestling Championships has vastly expanded over the last five years. In 2001, only the finals aired on ESPN2 tape delay. In 2003, the championships saw its first ever live coverage in Kansas City, Missouri during the semifinals, while in 2004 the package increased with both the semifinals and finals aired live on ESPN2 and in syndication from St. Louis, Missouri. Three years later, the 2007 championships will now have four of the six sessions on live television with the finals in a primetime time slot on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, March 17. Session three will air at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 16 on ESPNU and session four following at 7 p.m. on ESPNU and in syndication. "I can't begin to express how much NCAA Wrestling's partnership with ESPN has meant to our sport," said Colonel William Walker, chair of the Division I Wrestling Committee, Deputy Director of Athletics/Department Head of Physical Education at the United States Air Force Academy. "It has given us a chance to showcase some of the hardest-working student-athletes in the country during one of the most exciting events in collegiate athletics. The expanded ESPN coverage only adds to that tremendous exposure. We're truly grateful to ESPN for their cooperation in making the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships a prime-time event." The 2007 championships will be held March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Michigan (Detroit suburb). The University of Michigan and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission will serve as hosts. Tickets for the 2007 championships are available by visiting http://www.detroitsports.org/wrestling/tickets/index.html.

Mack Reiter, a 133-pound junior for the University of Minnesota of Minnesota, suffered a knee injury on Thursday at practice. However, it's still uncertain whether he tore his ACL or if he'll miss any time on the mat. Reiter is a two-time All-American, placing fourth as a freshman and fourth again last season as a sophomore. He is currently ranked No. 2 in the country by RevWrestling.com at 133 pounds behind defending NCAA champion Matt Valenti of Penn. Mack Reiter (Photo/The Guillotine)"He hurt his knee, but we don't know what's going on yet because we don't have the MRI results," said Minnesota head assistant coach Marty Morgan on Monday morning. The results of the MRI are expected back on Tuesday afternoon. If in fact is Reiter is forced to miss time, Morgan is uncertain who will step in and will the void. "Well, at this point right now, we would probably consider (Travis) Lang, (Jayson) Ness, (Mike) Thorn, or (Jake) Mellmer. It would probably be between the four of those guys," said Morgan. Morgan isn't ready to call Reiter's season over. In fact, he believes there is a possibility that Reiter could wrestle through the injury. "The way we look at it, Owen Elzen took third in the NCAA's with a torn ACL, so we're hoping he can do the same thing," said Morgan. "We'll see how he feels. It just depends if it's torn or just hurt … and sometimes people can wrestle with them. We've had that happen plenty of times. That's our first plan … just plan on wrestling him regardless. Usually it takes two weeks to let it heal up and get the inflammation down. We've had guys in the past where you wouldn't ever even be able to tell. They don't swell up. It just depends. Some people's knees are different than others. We'll kind of play it by ear. First, we'll find out the MRI results … and from there try to figure out what to do."

In the past couple years, Alex Tsirtsis has experienced considerable changes and challenges in his wrestling career. Alex TsirtsisTwo years ago, Alex arrived at the University of Iowa campus as a highly sought-after recruit, having completed an undefeated high school career in Indiana with four state titles. Since coming to Iowa City, Alex has experienced a complete changeover in the coaching staff, an influx of wrestlers from the Virginia Tech program, and his own personal challenges with injuries and surgeries, including surgery on his left knee this summer that was complicated by a staph infection. Yet, despite these changes and challenges, the 141-pound Iowa Hawkeye begins this season as a true junior ranked fifth in his weight class by RevWrestling.com and most other major amateur wrestling Web sites and publications. And he's ready and eager for the 2006-07 season to begin. A career 15 years in the making Twenty-one-year old Alex Tsirtsis got his start in wrestling at age six. "My dad wrestled in high school, and introduced me to the sport by enrolling me in a kids' wrestling club near my house," says Alex. "By age 7, we were traveling around the country, competing in national tournaments." "Participating in all these events required a lot of effort for my dad," Alex continues. "I'm grateful for all he did to launch my career." "Wrestling came naturally to me at an early age," according to Alex. "I've always been a pretty competitive guy. Wrestling has been my lifestyle my whole life." High school highs It was while in high school that Alex Tsirtsis made a national name for himself. By the time he entered Griffith High School in northwest Indiana -- about fifteen miles southeast of the Chicago loop -- Alex had stopped playing organized baseball and focused his athletic abilities solely on wrestling. And that singular pursuit paid off with perfection: Alex compiled a 236-0 record under coach Travis Wells. In addition, Alex joined a very elite club of only a handful of Indiana high school wrestlers who have won four state titles. When asked if he felt mounting pressure to maintain a perfect record while in high school, "I took it one match at a time," Alex replies. "Confidence helped me a lot, too. You've got to go out on the mat with the idea of winning." Alex's fourth and final high school title was made all the sweeter in that he was joined by three other Griffith grapplers as state titlewinners. "These guys were a big help in helping me train for competition," says Alex. During his prep wrestling career, Alex Tsirtsis' accomplishments weren't limited within the borders of the Hoosier state. In his senior year, Alex placed sixth at the 2004 FILA Junior World Freestyle Team Trials in the 145.5-pound weight class. Making the Midlands while still a prep Perhaps just as impressive, Alex was only the third high school wrestler ever to be invited to participate at the Midlands, the prestigious post-Christmas tournament held at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois just outside Chicago. (The other two prep grapplers who've competed during the 40+ years of the Midlands: Jimmy Carr and Cary Kolat, both of Pennsylvania.) In a pre-event article in the Chicago Tribune, Alex mentioned that he had attended the Midlands with his father for years. "It's like a true test before the NCAA tournament," Alex told the Tribune. "I don't know if there's a tougher college tournament besides the NCAA Championships. I just wanted to get a head start and see where I stand." Alex Tsirtsis (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)When the dust settled after the two-day tournament, Alex was 2-2 against some of the toughest college and club competition in the US. He lost his first Midlands match to ninth-seeded Max Meltzer of Harvard, 6-1. In a reversal of fortune, the then-high school senior pinned Eastern Illinois' Bob Fangeron in just less than two minutes … then got a 16-12 decision over University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's Michael Keefe. However, Alex lost his consolation-round match to eleventh-seeded Joe Clarke of West Virginia, 5-2. It would not be Alex Tsirtsis' last Midlands. Now wrestling for the Hawkeyes … With all these achievements in his sport in high school, Alex experienced the rush of being recruited by some of the top college wrestling programs in the country. "The most pressure in making the decision was put there by myself," says Alex. "As I was looking at schools, I always kept in my mind, �Which program best meets my goals?' Iowa meets my goals. They put me in the best position of realizing my goals of winning national titles and, eventually, wrestling at the Olympics." When Alex arrived at the University of Iowa, he did not have the luxury of redshirting his freshman year -- the opportunity to grow accustomed to rigors of college academics and the demands of collegiate wrestling -- but was inserted into the lineup right away at 141 pounds. As a true freshman, Alex got off to a great start, winning the title at the Kaufman-Brand Open. In his first year, Alex compiled a 27-13 overall record, going 22-12 in college competition. In dual meets, Alex built a 9-6 record (4-4 in Big Ten competition), scoring seven major decisions and two pins, and making an immediate contribution for the Hawkeyes by scoring 35 team points in dual competition. In addition, Alex made an impressive return to the Midlands tournament, placing sixth. Alex capped off his freshman year by placing fifth at the Big Ten championships. He also earned the coaches' appreciation team award. As a sophomore, Alex posted 23-10 overall record, securing a 22-10 mark in collegiate competition. He compiled a 12-6 record in dual meets, winning six of eight bouts in Big Ten dual meet competition, and contributing 41 team points. At the 2006 Big Ten Conference Championships at Indiana University, Alex placed third at 141. Two weeks later, at the NCAA Division I Championships at Oklahoma City, Alex earned All-American honors by placing seventh in the 141-pound weight class -- one of three Hawkeyes to claim All-American status. For all these accomplishments in his second year as an Iowa Hawkeye, Alex Tsirtsis earned the team's Mike J. McGivern Most Courageous Wrestler award, and his second athletic letter. The impact of changes in the coaching staff When Alex Tsirtsis made the commitment to head west from Griffith, Indiana on I-80 to wrestle at the University of Iowa, Jim Zalesky was the head coach of Hawkeyes. Not long after the 2006 NCAA's were history, so was Zalesky's association with his alma mater. Another Iowa mat champion, Tom Brands, was hired away from Virginia Tech, bringing along a new coaching staff of his own: Wes Hand, Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick, all products of the Iowa program. Joining the coaching staff is legendary former head coach Dan Gable. When discussing the new coaching situation, Alex says, "It was a challenge. I was close to the previous coaching staff." Then Alex quickly adds, "Both Zalesky and Brands are great coaches, both products of Gable and the Iowa way of wrestling with intensity." A day in the life of a Hawkeye Alex Tsirtsis' college routine changes from day to day. According to Alex, typically there's "lots of lifting and conditioning in the morning. Then, in the afternoon, there's practice sessions with live wrestling … It all adds up to about three hours a day." Alex Tsirtsis (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)During those practice sessions, Alex works out with two coaches who bring considerable accomplishments and experience: NCAA champ Doug Schwab, and Mike Zadick, recent silver medalist at the World Championships in China. As Alex describes this opportunity, "You can learn from anybody, see what works for them, what's made them successful. It should help me move to a higher level." It's not all wrestling for Alex. As an economics major, he has to balance the demands of the classroom with those of being a wrestler at one of the top programs in the country. "To make it all work, you have to be regimented," says Alex. "You have to plan your schedule and make the most efficient use of your time." "I like Iowa City a lot," says Alex. "I bought a house here. It's really a home away from home for me." Looking forward After knee surgery this summer, Alex Tsirtsis "definitely feels ready" for his junior year as the Iowa Hawkeyes' man at 141. He's expecting that there will be more national attention focused on Iowa this year because of the changes in the program. "We've got to stay focused, and not get caught up in the hype," according to Alex. "There are high expectations for us. Attitude and actions are now more important than ever." Alex Tsirtsis (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Right now, Alex is focused on the upcoming season -- "working hard to make an even greater contribution to the team," says Alex. "I'm concentrating day-by-day on getting better, working towards accomplishing my goals" which ultimately include Big Ten and NCAA titles. Alex ultimately dreams of one day representing the US on the mats at the Olympics. "I plan to get back into freestyle competition at some point, but, right now, I'm concentrating on college," says Alex. As for life beyond wrestling, Alex is not sure about his career goals just yet, but says, "I like the idea of coaching. I see it as a way to give something to the sport."

EVANSTON, Ill -- Northwestern assistant coach Rob Eiter has resigned to accept a coaching position at the University of Pennsylvania, head coach Tim Cysewski announced today. Eiter spent nine seasons on Cysewski's Wildcat coaching staff. "I had a great experience at Northwestern and I owe a lot to Tim and the Northwestern family," Eiter said. "It was a tough decision to make, but one that was in the best interest of my family. Tim is not only a great coach, but also a great friend. I'm going to miss him, Drew (Pariano), the wrestlers and their parents." Eiter came to Northwestern from Clarion University, where served as an assistant from 1993-98. As a wrestler, Eiter was a member of the 1992 and 1996 Olympic freestyle teams and the 1993 and 1995 World Championship teams. He also was a five-time U.S. Open national champion and two-time World Cup silver medalist. Since Eiter's first season on the staff in 1997-98, the Wildcats have sent 34 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, where they earned nine All-America honors. In addition, three Wildcats won Big Ten titles during his tenure. "Rob is a good friend and a good coach," Cysewski said. "He was a great teacher and has been an asset to our program. He will be missed and we wish him the best of luck." A search for a replacement is underway. The Wildcats, ranked top-10 in several preseason polls, begin their season Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Eastern Michigan Open.

Zachary Fowl isn't a name that many people know across the country in wrestling circles. His name doesn't carry the weight of Eustice, Nakamura, or even Cejudo. Yet Fowl, a 121-pounder from Port Deposit, Maryland, still looks forward to his chance to win a Regional Qualifier knowing that all he wants, is a chance. Fowl sent RPW President Matt Case a thank you note expressing his gratitude for his invitation to the Philadelphia qualifier set for November 11th. " I just wanted to thank Real Pro Wrestling for given me the opportunity to live my childhood dream!! It means the world to me and I am very grateful. I think organizations like RPW make America a better place. Thank you for opening this door." For years wrestlers have toiled in obscurity to continue their wrestling careers, with little chance to eke out a living perfecting a craft that is rarely understood by the mainstream press. Now with the advent of RPW's Season 2 wrestlers across the country are signing up for one of four Regional Qualifiers with sites on both increasing their longevity as an athlete and getting the sport more recognition. Mike Faust an up and coming heavyweight who graduated from Virginia Tech and is now a part of the Iowa Hawkeyes program sees the potential in Real Pro Wrestling. "I think its an exciting and innovative concept that will finally bring wrestling to mainstream America." Matt Morkel didn't have a prominent career in college but he is still enthusiastically pursuing the possibilities that RPW offers. Morkel an American University graduate and former wrestler for Omaha Skutt a powerhouse in Nebraska high school athletics clearly sees that RPW is more than just a wrestling TV show. "I think RPW is great for the sport of wrestling and everybody out there. I love the sport so much and I think the exposure wrestling will get from the league will open up new doors and households. I know if people get a chance to see it, they will appreciate it and all levels of wrestling will excel. I have gained a great deal from wrestling and the more people who can learn about the sport and benefit from it the better we all will be." Mike Faust (Photo/HokieSports.com)With attitudes like Fowl's, Faust's, and Morkel's, Real Pro Wrestling's Season 2 is a success in the making. The more the wrestling community sees the potential for the sport on television and in live events, the more wrestling supporters will want to support the efforts of RPW. Fans of wrestling have four great opportunities to see the Real Pro Wrestling qualifiers with the first event in San Jose, California October 28th, followed by the November 4th event in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. November 11th the Eastern Regional Qualifier in Philadelphia with the last qualifier occurring November 18th in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Applications for all weight classes are still being taken and aspiring wrestlers of all skill levels are encouraged to contact Dean Morrison at dean@realprowrestling.com This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it to find out how they can be a part of Season 2 with Real Pro Wrestling.

Team: 1. Fresno City 2. Sierra 3. Santa Ana 4. Palomar 5. Cerritos 6. Santa Rosa 7. Bakersfield 8. Mt. San Antonio 9. Sacramento City 10. Modesto Individual: 125: 1. Ivan Sanchez, Santa Ana 2. Chauncey Phillips, Sierra 3. Taylor McCorriston, Santa Rosa 4. Bobby Escalantes, Delta 5. Todd Wilcox, Sierra 6. Cecil Sebastian, Mt. San Antonio 7. Dominick Rucireta , Sacramento City 8. Klye Crouch , Fresno City 133: 1. Carlos Alaniz, Cerritos 2. Cody Gibson, Bakersfield 3. Gabe Aguilar, Santa Ana 4. Mike Righi, Fresno City 5. Rolando Velasco, Modesto 6. Eddy Ngo, West Valley 7. James Durrago, Chabot 8. Armando Martinez, Delta 141: 1. Jordan Keckler, Modesto 2. Edgar Mercado, Fresno City 3. Joe Serrato, Santa Ana 4. Tyson Knieram, Palomar 5. Jonathan Ronny, Chabot 6. Andrew Holmes, Cerritos 7. Randy Tambare, Sierra 8. Chris Alves, Shasta 149: 1. Alfonso Sanchez, Fresno City 2. Leland Gridley, Sierra 3. Joe Barajas, Palomar 4. Vlad Kochiev, Moorpark 5. Travis Wood, Sierra 6. Ian Millan, Rio Hondo 7. Scott Sandy, Sacramento City 8. Tony Ruiz, Cerritos 157: 1. J D Thrall, Sacramento City 2. Sinai Pezzat, Fresno City 3. Devin Vasquez, Santa Ana 4. Stuart Cole, Palomar 5. Ryan Sanchez, Palomar 6. Matt Giffin, Sierra 7. Mark Bertron, West Valley 8. Richard Orewyler, Mt San Antonio 165: 1. Glenn Shaw, Palomar 2. Michael Williams, Cuesta 3. Nick Bardsley, Fresno City 4. Jack Porter, Cerritos 5. Chris Minafao, West Valley 6. Daniel Garay, Mt San Antonio 7. Jaspreet Singh, Sierra 8. Josh Dixon, Sacramento City 174: 1. Klye Griffin, Santa Rosa 2. Tom Eaton, Santa Ana 3. Shaun Ceremello, Fresno City 4. Travis Edwards, Cuesta 5. Sean McAlenny, Bakersfield 6. Travis Tielens, Palomar 7. Ryan Sughrue, Modesto 8. Carlos Ordonez, Delta 184: 1. Tim Hawkins, Mt San Antonio 2. Jason Carrasco, Bakersfield 3. Steven Urquizo, Fresno City 4. Louie Audelo, Cerritos 5. Cory Compton, Sacramento City 6. Marques Gales, Santa Rosa 7. Mark Ryan, Santa Rosa 8. Joey Hauss, Moorpark 197: 1. Jayson Collard, Santa Rosa 2. Ryan Silvera, Mt San Antonio 3. Norman Nail, West Hills 4. Brandon Stickel, Sierra 5. Jacob Bingham, Santa Rosa 6. Joseph Ramirez, Modesto 7. Tyler Blair, Fresno City 8. Tim Wallace, Shasta 285: 1. Eric Nye, Sierra 2. Josh Marquez, Bakersfield 3. Brandon Doran, Cerritos 4. Luis Leyva, Fresno City 5. Victor Leyva, Fresno City 6. Robbie Roman-Marin, West Hills 7. Matt Klimik, Palomar 8. Tyler Porras, Santa Ana

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State head wrestling coach John Smith announced the Orange and Black Dual will be held on Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. inside Gallagher-Iba Arena. The Cowboys have six spots to fill off of last season's NCAA championship team. All-Americans Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan will both move up in weight to 133 and 141, respectively. NCAA champion Johny Hendricks returns for his senior season at 165 pounds, and sophomore Brandon Mason is back at 174 after qualifying for the NCAA Championships a year ago. Despite the loss of six starters and three NCAA champions, the Cowboys are ranked second in the preseason polls after graduating three former NCAA champions. Minnesota is ranked No. 1, and the Cowboys will wrestle the Gophers in Minneapolis on Dec. 6. Hendricks is ranked No. 1 at 165 after winning the last two NCAA championships. Scott is ranked third, Morgan is ranked No. 4 and Mason is ranked as high as fifth by W.I.N Magazine. Redshirt freshman heavyweight Jared Rosholt is ranked 13th by W.I.N. Several Cowboys will have the opportunity to make the lineup for the first time. Juniors B.J. Jackson and Ryan Freeman will compete for the 149-pound spot vacated by three-time All-American Zack Esposito. As many as four wrestlers will compete for the vacancy at 157. Senior Eric Dabbs, junior Sam Lewnes and sophomore Newly McSpadden all have experience at the weight. The Cowboys lack experience at 125, 184 and 197. Redshirt freshmen Tyler Shinn and Mike Bizzle will be vying for the opening at 125. Sophomore Jared Shelton is dropping down in weight to wrestle at 184, where he will compete with juniors Jack Jensen and Brent Parkey. Juniors Chaz Cointment and Jake Duke are competing at 197, while freshman Carl Hines may be in the mix as well. The coaching staff will use the Orange and Black dual to help determine the lineup for their season opening dualagainst California-Davis on Nov. 12 at 2 p.m.

After winning a national title at the 2006 NAIA National Wrestling Tournament this spring, former Dana College wrestler Jimmy Rollins assumed he would be hanging up his gear for the last time. That is, until he was tapped to compete for a spot on a new professional wrestling league that is rapidly gaining nationwide attention. On November 4, Rollins will compete against some of the nation's top wrestlers at the Real Pro Wrestling Northern Region Qualifier in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. He will be vying for a spot on one of league's eight teams –- the California Claw, Chicago Groove, Iowa Stalkers, Minnesota Freeze, New York Outrage, Oklahoma Slam, Pennsylvania Hammer and the Texas Shooters. Launched in 2005, Real Pro Wrestling is a new professional league of sport wrestling, similar to the amateur wrestling found in the Olympic Games and at the college and high school level. Though it is considered a "professional" league because its members are paid, RPW isn't the same as traditional professional wrestling leagues like the WWE, which feature predetermined outcomes and operate under a different set of rules from amateur wrestling. RPW features a hybrid style of wrestling that combines the classic styles of Greco-Roman and Freestyle, the two Olympic sanctioned sports, along with elements of college and Sumo wrestling. Some of the rules have been modified to make the action more intense. Among the most noticeable changes are the following: • Two three-minute periods instead of three periods totaling seven minutes; • If a wrestler pushes his opponent out of the ring he gets a point; • The Bonus -- if a wrestler manages to stay in the center of the mat and stay aggressive, their bonus meter will go up. If they get the bonus, they get to go into a special position in which they can't lose any points and can gain points by throwing their opponents. Another unique aspect of RPW is that the matches are conducted in a specially designed coliseum which showcases a raised circular mat to facilitate better camera angles and to afford the live audience a better viewing experience. The circular mat allows for 360-degree camera angles. Matches are recorded and later broadcast in prime time on PAX TV and Fox Sports Net. Now starting its second season, RPW contacted wrestling programs throughout the country this summer in search of wrestlers to compete in four regional contests. The winners of these contests will go on to compete in super-regionals matches on January 7 in California When RPW representatives contacted Dana Head Wrestling Coach Rich Fergola, he gave them several names of Dana wrestlers he believed had the talent and skill to compete in the Northern Region Qualifier. An RPW representative conducted phone interviews with each of the wrestlers, and ultimately selected Rollins. "I'm always looking for ways to promote Dana wrestling and get more guys involved in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, and I thought this would be a great opportunity for both Jimmy and Dana's wrestling program," Fergola said. "Jimmy is a student coach for us, and he did very well for us as an athlete. This is an opportunity for him to elevate his level of competition, and at the same time bring a lot of attention to our program." Since being notified of his selection to compete in the regional competition, Rollins has been rigorously training to compete against other world-class wrestlers like Luke Eustice, Nate Gallick, Shawn Bunch, Dylan Long, Mark Rial, Ryan Churrella, Kyle Ceminara, Greg Wagner and Mike Faust. "The main challenge for me has been learning the rules of RPW since they are so different," he said. "I dabbled with freestyle and Greco-Roman before, but haven't competed in it since high school. I've been working to get my styles back and re-learn some of that stuff." Current and former Dana wrestlers and Dana's wrestling coaches have been instrumental in the training process, he said. Of his plan of attack, Rollins said: "I've got to stay with some of the bread-and-butter stuff that I've always used and try to pick up some new stuff here and there by watching other current wrestlers." Though he's likely to face some of the toughest competition of his wrestling career at the RPW regional, Rollins said he looks forward to the challenge and to the chance to return to the mat. "I'm nervous, but I'm excited too about being able to strap it up again and go out there and wrestle," he said. "I'm just going to train as hard as I can, get as prepared as I can, and go out there and let the chips fall where they may."

Blair, NE -- Dana College Head Wrestling Coach Richard Fergola announced the 2006-07 captains for the defending NAIA National Champions. Four captains were selected by their peers to help lead the Vikings towards another national championship. Leading the way for the Vikings will be three returning All-Americans and an Academic All-American. Craig Trampe, Burke Barnes and Terrence Almond all placed in 2006. Barnes is a two-time All-American while Almond will be looking to make history by becoming Dana's first four-time All-American. Joining these All-Americans is Webster Farris. Farris was a national qualifier in 2005 claiming the GPAC title and 4th at the Central Region before a severe knee injury. "These four men exemplify quality leadership skills and work ethic we will need to help guide this team this season," states Head Coach Richard Fergola.

A couple more studio shows then we hit the road in earnest as we visit America's Wrestling Rooms. So for now I give you the guests for This week on TDR- U Penn's Matt Valenti, this young man is on the fast track to greatness. His Coaches (Zeke Jones) understand this and look to make sure he stays on task. Smart, articulate and athletically gifted. What more could a coach want? Last Year -- 2005-06: NCAA National Champion at 133 lbs. ... All-American ... As NCAA tournament's sixth seed, beat Purdue's Chris Fleeger, 3-2, in national final ... EIWA Wrestler of the Year ... EIWA champion at 133 lbs ... Unanimous First-Team All-Ivy ... 36-2 overall record ... Tied his own single-season school record for wins ... Became first Penn junior to reach 100 career wins ... Ended season on a 24-match win streak ... Is sixth all-time on Penn's career wins list with 105 ... Took second at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational ... Co-champion, along with Matt Eveleth, of the Keystone Classic ... Won the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold and the Keystone Classic. Matt Valenti International: FILA Junior All-American ... Junior National Freestyle Champion ... Cadet National All-American. Frank Popolizio, The "Coach" and founder of the Journeyman/Brute NE Collegiate Duals, Sat. November 25th, 2006 at the Guilderland HS, Guilderland Center NY. http://www.journeymenwrestling.com. Frank will talk about this years event and who is expected to compete. Martin Fleming founder of The Takedown Report, an insiders look at wrestling in and around the Carolinas will join us to examine all that is going on in the region. Most certainly we'll talk about the magic taking place at CD Mocks UNC Chapel Hill and the new coach at UNC Greensboro Jason Loukides. Also, the schools that have added wrestling at the HS or collegiate level. This should be a terrific focused look. Tune in. Randy Couture, will join us for an preview of all things going on in his life. Before entering the UFC, Randy Couture served in the U.S. Army from 1982–1988. Upon discharge, he was a three-time Olympic team alternate (1988, 1992 and 1996); a semifinalist at the 2000 Olympic Trials; a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association D-I All-American; and a two-time NCAA finalist.[1] Randy Couture debuted in the UFC on May 30th, 1997 as part of UFC 13: The Ultimate Force. At the time, the event consisted of two four-man tournaments: one in the lightweight (under 200 lb) division and one in the heavyweight (200 lb and over) division. Couture fought in the heavyweight tournament, defeating Tony Halme and Steven Graham to win it. His next match was an elimination bout for the heavyweight title against the young Brazilian "Phenom", Vitor Belfort. Randy scored a TKO victory. Couture won his first Heavyweight title via decision in a 1997 match against kickboxer Maurice Smith. Couture was afterwards stripped of the title when he could not come to contractual terms with the UFC and its parent company at the time, Semaphore Entertainment Group. After leaving the UFC, Couture signed with the RINGS organization, a fightsport promotion primarily based out of Japan. His tenure with RINGS would prove to be short-lived. He returned to the UFC in 2000, where he recaptured the Heavyweight title from Kevin Randleman at UFC 28 on November 17 of that year. After two consecutive losses in the heavyweight division to larger opponents, including a title loss to Josh Barnett, Couture moved down a weight class to fight at 205 lbs in the UFC's light-heavyweight division where he stayed for the remainder of his fighting career. In his light-heavyweight debut, Couture took on long-time number one contender Chuck Liddell for the Interim Light-Heavyweight Championship. Couture emerged victorious by TKO in the third round, and became the only competitor to win championship titles in two weight classes. His next bout was billed as a "Champion Vs. Champion" fight in order to settle who was the rightful, undisputed champion of the division; Couture faced the five-time defending champion Tito Ortiz for the Undisputed Light-Heavyweight title. He controlled the younger Ortiz throughout the five rounds of the fight, scoring a unanimous decision and becoming UFC's Undisputed Light-Heavyweight Champion at age 40. On April 16, 2005, Couture lost his title and suffered the first knockout-loss of his career in a rematch with Chuck Liddell. Couture came back in August with a win over Mike van Arsdale to reestablish himself as a top contender. He faced Liddell again for the third and final time in a title match on February 4, 2006 at UFC 57; he did not succeed, however, and once again suffered a knockout-loss. Immediately after the match, he announced his retirement from the sport.On June 24, 2006, Couture became the fourth fighter to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, joining Royce Gracie, Dan Severn, and Ken Shamrock. Couture, now retired from "the Octagon", has embarked on a variety of activities, including appearing at UFC events as a broadcast commentator. He will also appear in the upcoming Rob Schneider comedy Big Stan, along with MMA fighters Don Frye and Bob Sapp. Maurice "Mo" Smith, former UFC kick boxing star now head coach for the International Fight League. (born December 13, 1961) Mo is an American and former kickboxer who also had succeeded in professional mixed martial arts. He is a member of Team Alliance and has a professional MMA record of 11-9-0 as of November 17, 2000. In 1997, he fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title against Randy Couture, losing by judge's decision. He is now a coach for the International Fight League. 2nd UFC Champion holding the title between July 27, 1997 - December 21, 1997 Author Christopher Nowinski, Former WWE Superstar, Harvard Quarterback will join us to discuss sports dirty little secret. Head injuries and the sports the ignore them. Most Notably football but wrestling has to deal with this as well as Greco athletes will tell you. Christopher's new book is called "Head Games: Football's Concussion Crisis" Please join us each Saturday from 9 AM to 11:00 AM CST throughout the year for the very best in sports radio, Takedown Wrestling Radio!

First off, I would like to start by saying it is my hope that people read this simply to realize how much dedication wrestling takes. I am Jake Herbert, a junior at Northwestern University and I will be sharing my season with the readers of RevWrestling.com. Wrestling is not just a sport for me. Rather, it is a lifestyle. This past summer I qualified to compete in the University World Games by winning the University Nationals title, held at Northwestern. This was my first trip overseas to wrestle … and the start of my international career. Jake Herbert (Photo/Stephen J. Carrera)On June 7, the University World Team got together at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) to prepare for the championships, which were held in Mongolia. I was fortunate in that I was able to train with fellow collegiate wrestlers who share the same passion for the sport as I do. The training was intense at the OTC, but the mood was light. My fellow teammates were fun to be around and they had a competitive edge about them at all times. I believe that our Northwestern team has a similar mindset. We work extremely hard, but we know how to relax and have fun with the sport. Another similarity between the University World Team and my Northwestern team is that we have numerous guys that want to win NCAA titles and world medals. It is a great environment to be around and I wouldn't trade it for anything. In general, the wrestlers competing at the World University Games were tough, but they were not in the shape that our team was in. Certain people might find this hard to believe, but I lost every single first period out there. However, the international style (of sometimes slowing down the match) did not allow my opponents to keep up with my match pace. I ended up winning the bronze medal. To be honest, I was happy that I earned a medal in my first international competition. On the flight home, all I could think about was the Russian wrestler that I lost to (he ended up winning the gold medal). I knew that my technique needed to improve if I was going to beat him in future bouts. I made up my mind on the flight; I no longer was to lose … any match! Throughout the rest of the summer, I was a clinician at camps around the country. I feel that camps improve my technique and I love working with kids who want to excel in our sport. I worked camps in Illinois (The Northwestern Camps), Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, and of course, my home state of Pennsylvania. I love being on the mats in the morning, noon, and night! Plus, I always look forward to improving my technique and the technique of those around me. After that, I had a couple weeks off to go back home and relax with my family and friends. Jake Herbert (Photo/Stephen J. Carrera)School has been in session for about a month now, and classes are going well. I have my first midterm tomorrow and I am done studying for the night. It is another goal of mine to keep my grades up so I can be an Academic All-American again this year. The NU team is looking very tough! I love the attitude that the freshmen class bring(s) to the team. In addition, we don't have one senior on the team, so everyone will be back in 2007-08. It is an exciting time to be at Northwestern. The next two years we will be young and our potential is unlimited. I always say that a great part of wrestling is the fact that on any given day any man can be beat. On a sad note, my pull-up championship was taken from me this year by a freshman! Keith Sulzer (the former St. Edward High School wrestler) beat my total by pumping out 50 straight pull-ups. I had 49, but don't worry, we will have a rematch this week. In closing, I really feel great as this year begins. I want the national title and I believe that this is my year. It is a goal of mine to outwork everyone. I was one match short last year … I want to have the perfect NCAA tournament this year. After that, I want to make the senior level world team. Those are my goals for the year! Until next time, take care. I challenge you to work hard and the results will be well worth it! Jake Herbert

Blair, NE -- Dana's wrestling Head Coach Richard Fergola announced today that the annual Red & White Classic wrestle-offs will be held this Friday October 20th at 7:00 pm in the Gardner-Hawks Center. The defending NAIA National Champions will be looking to replace a record setting line-up that went into the history books as the highest scoring team in NAIA's 50 years of wrestling championships. The Vikings held their annual Team Trials on Saturday October 14th at the Gardner-Hawks Center. This event is held just like a challenge tournament in which brackets are set-up and the finalists earn the right to compete in the Red & White Classic this Friday to see who will claim the top spot in their weight. The three returning All-Americans for Dana were exempt from the Team Trials and await the winner of the challenge tournament. Craig Trampe (125), Burke Barnes (133) and Terrence Almond (141) all sat out of the challenge tournament, but will take on the winners of the tournament on Friday in the Red & White. The Red & White Classic will also feature four honorary coaches for the event. This year marks the third year that the Red & White Classic will feature honorary coaches. This year's coaches are Ron Beaman, Perry Mostek, Steve Hansen and Pete Isham. Beaman is a former head coach of the Vikings for almost 20 years. Mostek is a Dana wrestling alumni and All-American and Wrestler of the Year for the Vikings in 1999. Steve Hansen is the father of current Dana wrestler Chancy Hansen. Mr. Hansen and his wife Debbie have been major supporters of the Dana Wrestling program. Hansen wrestled at the University of Iowa and also hosts the Viking wrestling team on his ranch in Valentine, NE for the annual Team Retreat. Pete Isham is also a Dana wrestling alumni and is the current Assistant Coach at Millard North High School in Omaha. Spectators will also get a chance to meet the new Vikings which were considered the No. 2 Non-Division I recruiting class in the country by Wrestling USA magazine. Following the Red & White Classic on Saturday October 21st will be the annual Fall Wrestling Clinic. Feature clinician will be 1992 Olympic Champion, 2x World Champion and current U.S. Head Freestyle coach Kevin Jackson as well as the Dana College National Champion athletes and coaching staff. The clinic registration begins at 8:00 am with the clinic starting at 9:00 am. For the registration form, go to: Fall Clinic For the Red & White Classic line-ups, see below: 2006 Dana College Wrestling Red & White Classic Line-Ups: Weight White Team Red Team 125 Craig Trampe, Sr. vs. Ty Costa, Fr. 133 Burke Barnes, Jr. vs. Eric Graham, Fr. 141 Terrence Almond, Sr. vs. Brian Graham, Fr. 149 Clinton Dale, Jr. vs. Marcos Martinez, Jr. 157 Jason Bilinski, Jr. vs. Dan Pray, Jr. 165 Bula Tuzon, R-Fr. vs. Jordan Davis, Fr. 174 Josh Ghobadpoor, Fr. vs. Ross Milam, So. 184 Webster Farris, Jr. vs. Jon Wilbourne, Fr. 197 Wade Jordan, Jr. vs. John Schmalz, Fr. 285 Jesse Boggs, R-Fr. vs. Shawn Gach, R-Fr. Coaches: Ron Beaman, Steve Hansen Perry Mostek, Pete Isham

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. Tonight's MMA fight card from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas features two UFC championships (middleweight and lightweight) and seven other matches, including a heavyweight, light-heavy heavyweight, and middleweight fight, plus two additional welterweight and lightweight fights. This the first time there has been a 155-pound lightweight championship since "Little Evil" Jens Pulver held the belt many years ago. Pulver came back to fight in the UFC last month, but was upset by Dan Lauzon, who is on tonight's card. But, tonight, it is Sean "The Muscle Shark" SHERK (29-2-1) against Kenny "KenFlo" FLORIAN (7-2-0). Sherk is a poor man's Matt Hughes, a muscle bound ball of speed with relentless pursuit. His only two losses are to Hughes and Georges St. Pierre. Not bad. Florian continues to amaze. His modest physique will look scrawny in the ring with Sherk. But, fights aren't won by looks. Unlike Sherk, Florien is a patient fighter. While the Muscle Shark will try to roll through KenFlo like a locomotive, Kenny will wait for the mistake to happen and will capitalize on it like a striking cobra snake. I see underdog FLORIAN (+290) winning in the 2nd round by submission. That will make him the first Spike TV TUF fighter to be crowned a champion! In the featured fight, middleweight championship, Rich "Ace" FRANKLIN (22-1-0) defends his title against Anderson "The Spider" SILVA (15-4), a Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter known for his devastating strikes, hands, knees, and feet. Silva is a master technician who is lightning fast. Ace Franklin is just plain awesome. Franklin usually gets the upper hand with some ferocious stand-up, his lengthy frame and long legs make a dangerous. Yet, his ground skills are supposed to be among the best. He usually ends his fight by TKO with some savage elbows and fists reigning down on his staggered opponent. Anderson Silva does not plan to follow that pattern. Coming off his impressive 1st round KO of Chris Leben, a man with an iron chin, Silva may be on top of his game. His confidence and perhaps the fact that Franklin is coming in after an injury (broken hand) may create a scenario for another big upset. I think Silva will shock the UFC world with a 1st round KO over Rich Franklin! … and history may show that it wasn't an upset at all. In other fights on the card: Cheick KONGO (19-2-1) weeps his UFC record perfect with an easy 1st round KO over Carmelo MARRERO (5-0-0). If you are into bridge jumping, KONGO (–500) cashes the winning ticket. It will only be a matter of time before we see this stud up against Tim Silvia for the heavyweight belt. Jon FITCH (16-2-0) wins by submission over Kuniyoshi HIRONAKA (10-2-0). Fitch is being touted as the best welterweight fighter out there that nobody has seen. Tonight we get to. Fitch is a workout machine and should win this as a (-325) favorite. Spencer FISHER (19-2-0) wins by submission over Dan LAUZON (4-0-0). Can you say "young and brash?" That's Dan "The Upgrade" Lauzon, who just shocked the world with a 1st round KO over Jens Pulver, ruining "Little Evil's" return to the UFC. Tonight he goes to school against Spencer Fisher, no small task. Fisher will get his pound of flesh before taking Lauzon to the mat and ending the show with a rear-naked chokehold. Fisher wins by submission in the 2nd round as a (-420) favorite. Keith "The Dean of Mean" JARDINE (11-3-1) takes on the human tattoo, Mike Nickels (4-1-0) in a Light heavyweight match. Mean Jardine should have little trouble with his less experienced opponent. This one ends with a 2nd round KO. Jardine (-500) keeps the favorites in clover. Middleweight Kalib STARNES (9-1-1) gets a shot at a very experienced Yushin OKAMI(18-3-0). As a small underdog (+105) Starnes wins a close decision. Lightweight Clay "The Carpenter" Guida (20-3-0) should get a submission win over a determined Justin James (22-5-0). Guida, of the long locks, has a wrestling edge that should allow him to control the fight, opening up the opportunity for an armbar submission in the 2nd round. The favored Guida (-275) cashes the winning ticket. Kurt "Batman" Pellegrino (14-2-0) submits a less experienced Junior ASSUNCAO (5-1-0). Pellegrino with the green hair has won 75% of his fights by submission. Assuncao is a MMA unknown. Favorite Pellegrino (-300) gets the bacon. Well, that's it for now. Enjoy the fights. And, please notice how wrestlers stand tall in the octagon of mixed martial artists. The ability to control your opponent's body gives a fighter the necessary tools to take away his opponent's game. And, that is usually a formula for success in the UFC. More later. The UFC Monster.

The Rev Wrestler of the Year award is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate wrestler in the country as voted on by a panel of RevWrestling.com writers and executives … and now the fans. This season, the fans will be included in the selection process for the Rev Wrestler of the Year. The fan voting will take place on RevWrestling.com after the NCAA Division I Championships in Auburn Hills, Mich. Last season, Missouri's Ben Askren won the Rev Wrestler of the Year award, tallying seven of the eight first-place votes. Now it's time to handicap the field for this year's Rev Wrestler of the Year award. In inverse order, below are the top 10 candidates: *Please note: The NWCA All-Star Classic held at the Dallas Convention Center Arena on Nov. 20 was not included as a key date for any of the wrestlers. 10. Roger Kish (Minnesota, Junior, 184) Why he has a shot: Kish remains one of the most gifted wrestlers in the country. After a disappointing freshman season in 2004-05 (by many people's standards, considering his hype coming out of high school), he came back to finish as the NCAA runner-up last season at 184. The fact that he wrestles for the preseason No. 1-ranked Gophers helps his chances because of the national exposure he'll get. What hurts him: His weight class, 184, isn't recognized as one of the toughest weight classes nationally. Kish has battled some inconsistency and injuries throughout his young career. And while he'll certainly gets exposure wrestling for the Gophers, he also gets overshadowed by NCAA champion teammates Dustin Schlatter and Cole Konrad. Roger KishKey dates: On Nov. 25, the Gophers head to Albany (N.Y.) for the Northeast Duals, where Kish could potentially meet All-American Josh Glenn of American. However, there have been rumors circling that Glenn might be moving up to 197 this season. The two met at the Northeast Duals last season … where Glen pinned Kish. Ironically, the Gophers do not wrestle Northwestern in a dual this season, so Kish will not see Jake Herbert during the regular season, but could potentially meet him at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 13-14. Odds: 25-1. For Kish to even be mentioned as a contender for the Rev Wrestler of the Year award, he must go undefeated, beat Herbert, and completely dominate his competition this season. 9. Matt Valenti (Penn, Senior, 133) Why he has a shot: He's the defending NCAA champion at 133 and a two-time All-American. Last season as the No. 6 seed at the NCAA Championships, Valenti defeated the No. 3 seed (Tom Clum of Wisconsin) in the quarterfinals, the No. 2 seed (Nathan Morgan of Oklahoma State) in the semifinals, and the No. 5 seed (Chris Fleeger of Purdue) in the finals. He also has arguably the best lightweight coach in the country in Olympic silver medalist Zeke Jones. What hurts him: Not wrestling in the Big Ten or Big 12 conferences. East coast and Ivy League wrestling fans are well aware of Valenti's talents. He was a two-time New Jersey state champion and Junior Nationals Freestyle champion. He has dominated Ivy League competition since he stepped foot on the Penn campus. But consider this: The top 10 teams in the preseason Rev All-Division Collegiate Team Rankings come from either the Big Ten or Big 12. So, no matter how great Valenti performs this season, Big Ten and Big 12 wrestling fans will point out the fact that he doesn't see the best competition. Jake Strayer of Penn State, who is currently ranked No. 7, gave Valenti one of his two losses last season. Key dates: The only top 20 teams that Penn duals this season are No. 11 Cornell (Feb. 9), No. 15 Hofstra (Jan. 26), and No. 24 Nebraska (Feb. 17). However, Penn does travel to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 1-2 and the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 13-14. Last season, Valenti was runner-up in Las Vegas to Shawn Bunch of Edinboro. There's a chance Valenti could meet No. 4 Tyler McCormick of Missouri, No. 5 Matt Keller of Tennessee Chattanooga, No. 6 Darrell Vasquez of Cal Poly, or No. 8 Drew Headlee of Pittsburgh in Las Vegas. Valenti will surely see some stiff competition at the NWCA National Duals, too. Odds: 20-1. A perfect season capped off with his second straight NCAA title will put him in the discussion, but a single loss will immediately take him out of consideration for the award. 8. Mark Perry (Iowa, Junior, 165) Why he has a shot: He's moving down to 165 and most importantly away from the best wrestler in the country, Ben Askren of Missouri. Perry is a go-for-broke wrestler who excites wrestling fans because of his wide open style. He's comfortable on his feet, tough on top, and loves to scramble. He's a pinner, too. He led the Hawkeyes with 13 last season … and also picked up the award at the NCAA Championships for most falls in least amount of time. What hurts him: The 165-pound weight class is considered by many to be on the deepest nationally as it occupies eight All-Americans and a two-time NCAA champion in Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State. Iowa wrestles a tough schedule and Perry will see the nation's top wrestlers week in and week out, which increases the likelihood that he'll slip up and lose a match or two. Perry was also banged up last season. He missed eight duals and often times wrestled hurt. One of Perry's main workout partners, Tim Hartung, is gone … having joined Cael Sanderson's staff at Iowa State. Mark Perry (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Key dates: On Jan. 19, Perry will head to Stillwater, where he was born and raised, and face Hendricks in what should be a hostile environment. A lot has been made of the fact that Perry is the nephew of the Smith brothers … and that his father, Mark, was a longtime coach for the Cowboys. The two wrestlers have a rivalry that goes all the way back to their high school days, when Hendricks defeated Perry in the finals of Junior Nationals. Hendricks was 3-0 against Perry two seasons ago, including a victory in the NCAA finals. Odds: 15-1. If Perry goes undefeated, beats Hendricks, and wins the 165-pound title, he has to be considered one of the leading candidates for the Rev Wrestler of the Year award. But those are some mighty big ifs. 7. Troy Nickerson (Cornell, Sophomore, 125) Why he has a shot: Nickerson, a five-time New York state champion, lived up to his billing last season as a true freshman going 32-2 en route to an NCAA runner-up finish at 125. What hurts him: Like Valenti, Nickerson wrestles in the Ivy League, so he doesn't get the exposure of the top Big Ten and Big 12 wrestlers. He also lost a great coach, mentor, and workout partner in Steve Garland, who was hired as Virginia new head coach in April. Former Lehigh star Cory Cooperman was added to the Cornell staff, though. Key dates: Make no mistake about it, even though Nickerson doesn't wrestle in the Big Ten or Big 12, his schedule is anything but soft. He'll compete in three of collegiate wrestling's most prestigious events: Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 1-2), Southern Scuffle (Dec. 29-30), and the NWCA National Duals (Jan. 13-14). Cornell also duals No. 9 Penn State (Jan. 7), No. 10 Ohio State (Nov. 26), No. 12 Penn (Feb. 9), No. 13 Harvard (Feb. 16), No. 15 Hofstra (Feb.3), and No. 23 Arizona State (Jan. 21). Odds: 12-1. The 125-pound weight class appears to be a three-wrestler race between Nickerson, Sam Hazewinkel of Oklahoma, and Nick Simmons of Michigan State. If Nickerson can win the NCAA title and go undefeated, he should at least be in the mix. 6. Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma, Senior, 125) Why he has a shot: Hazewinkel is one of the nation's top collegiate wrestlers, even though he has yet to reach the top of the podium at the NCAA Championships. He has placed third the past three seasons, losing close matches in the semifinals to the eventual NCAA champion in each of those seasons. The two-time Big 12 champion has suffered only nine losses in his entire collegiate career. Last season, he defeated Nickerson at the NWCA National Duals, handing the Cornell standout his first and only regular season defeat. Hazewinkel is also an Olympic hopeful in Greco-Roman. What hurts him: As previously mentioned, Hazewinkel has yet to get through the semifinal roadblock at the NCAA Championships. Until he reaches the NCAA finals and gets that elusive title, he'll just be thought of as a very good collegiate wrestler and a Greco-Roman specialist. Sam Hazewinkel (Photo/John Sachs)Key dates: Hazewinkel and the Sooners will compete at the NWCA Nationals Duals (Jan. 13-14), so there is a good chance that he'll face some highly-ranked wrestlers. In the last dual meet of the season for the Sooners on Feb. 23, Hazewinkel will face Nick Simmons of Michigan State in East Lansing. That showdown between two of the best 125-pounders in the country will go a long way in determining seeds for the NCAA Championships. Hazewinkel and Simmons split two matches last season. Odds: 11-1. If Hazewinkel goes undefeated and wins his first NCAA title, he'll be mentioned in the Rev Wrestler of the Year conversation. But in order for him to have any chance at winning the award, he'll need a few of the top contenders to falter. 5. Jake Herbert (Northwestern, Junior, 184) Why he has a shot: Like Mark Perry of Iowa, Herbert is wisely moving away from Ben Askren of Missouri. Perry is moving down to 165, while Herbert is moving up to 184. You could make a pretty strong case that Herbert was one of the top two or three wrestlers in the entire country regardless of weight class last season. Unfortunately for Herbert, he was in the same weight class as Askren, who gave him his only blemish last season in the NCAA finals. Herbert posted a 36-1 record last season, including a perfect 14-0 dual and 8-0 Big Ten mark. He also had two convincing wins over Perry. What hurts him: Herbert is a strong, physical wrestler who shouldn't have any problems moving up in weight. But there's always some uncertainty when wrestlers move into new weight classes and face a new opponents. If Herbert would have stayed at 174 and avenged his loss to Askren en route to an NCAA title this season, it would have likely propelled him into the top spot for the Rev Wrestler of the Year. Key dates: Herbert will compete in three premier collegiate events: Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 20), Midlands (Dec. 29-30), and the Nationals Duals (Jan. 13-14). He has won Midlands titles the past two seasons in his home arena … and last season he was named Midlands Champion of Champions, an award voted on by all the tournament champions. He will not meet Kish in a regular season dual meet (since Northwestern and Minnesota do not dual each other), but could potentially face him at the NWCA National Duals or Big Ten Championships. Herbert defeated Kish, 4-0, 5-1, in freestyle at the University Nationals in late April. Odds: 10-1. If Herbert and Askren both win titles and go undefeated, it will be extremely difficult for Herbert to win the Rev Wrestler of the Year award … because the memory of Askren's convincing 14-2 major decision victory is still etched in many people's minds. 4. Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State, Senior, 165) Why he has a shot: Hendricks is the defending two-time NCAA champion at 165 who knows how to win when it matters most. He's the leader of the four-time defending champion Cowboys. Love him or hate him, he puts on a great show every single time he steps on a wrestling mat. He's an aggressive wrestler who is solid in every position. Johny Hendricks (Photo/John Sachs)What hurts him: Some call it confidence, some call it arrogance. Regardless, Hendricks remains one of the most controversial collegiate wrestlers of this generation. He is booed in almost every arena outside Stillwater. There is a large contingency of wrestling fans who believe that Hendricks benefited from some favorable calls in the NCAA finals against Michigan's Ryan Churella. Hendricks seems to raise his level at the NCAA Championships, but he has also been known to have occasional letdowns during the regular season. Those letdowns have prevented him from finishing a season undefeated. Last season, Hendricks was pinned by Oregon's Joey Bracamonte at the Reno Tournament of Champions … and he also needed overtime to defeat Matt Pell of Missouri in the Big 12 finals. Key dates: Hendricks will compete at the Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 20) and the NWCA National Duals (Jan. 13-14), but the date that everyone in the wrestling world is circling on their calendars is Jan. 19, when Hendricks faces Perry in Stillwater. Odds: 8-1. Hendricks has a chance to become the Cowboys 15th three-time NCAA champion. But he's a bit too controversial to garner enough votes from the writers and fans to win the award. 3. Cole Konrad (Minnesota, Senior, Hwt) Why he has a shot: Konrad was an undefeated NCAA champion last season at heavyweight for Minnesota. He's big, strong, and extremely athletic for a big man. He toppled his nemesis, Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State, four times last season. What hurts him: The heavyweight division graduated five of the eight All-Americans from last season, including four of the top five. Konrad no longer has to worry about Mocco, which is a good thing for him, but many believe that he won't have anyone to challenge him this season. Key dates: Konrad needs just 18 wins to break Tim Hartung's school record of 58 consecutive wins. He should surpass that mark at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 13-14 … or shortly after. Odds: 7-1. Konrad would be a front-runner to win this award in past season, but he faces some stiff competition this season. Unless teammate Dustin Schlatter loses … or Askren gets injured, it will be difficult for Konrad to win the award. 2. Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota, Sophomore, 149) Why he has a shot: Schlatter, a sophomore, is on track to become one of the greatest collegiate wrestlers of all time. Last season as a true freshman, Schlatter won an NCAA title in arguably the toughest weight class in the country (149). He defeated 2005 NCAA champion Zack Esposito of Oklahoma State twice, including an 11-2 thumping in a February dual meet in Oklahoma City. Schlatter finished with a 42-1 record (his only loss occurred in November, which he later avenged) and became Minnesota's first freshman NCAA champion ever. He also became just the ninth Golden Gopher wrestler to win a Big Ten title and NCAA title in the same season. What hurts him: The fact that Ben Askren is back for one more season is the only thing standing in the way of Schlatter and the Rev Wrestler of the Year award. Esposito and NCAA runner-up Ty Eustice of Iowa have graduated, so many wonder if there is anyone in the country who can challenge Schlatter. Some might argue that Konrad, a senior, is the top wrestler on the team, which could take votes away from Schlatter. Key dates: On Dec. 8, Schlatter will take on highly touted freshman Cyler Sanderson of Iowa State at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. On Dec. 29-30, Schlatter and the Gophers will wrestle in the Southern Scuttle … where he could potentially meet returning sophomore All-American Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro. In addition to competing in the NWCA Nationals Duals (Jan. 13-14), Schlatter will also see three of the top 10 149-pounders in dual meets this season. Odds: 6-1. Schlatter should be the clear front-runner to win the Rev Wrestler of the Year award next season as a junior (and again as a senior), but with Askren back, it's going to be difficult to win this season. 1. Ben Askren (Missouri, Senior, 174) Why he has a shot: Askren is the reigning Rev Wrestler of the Year, winning the award with seven of the eight first-place votes. Last season, he finished with a perfect 45-0 record, which is the only undefeated season in the history of the Missouri program. He also set Missouri season records for pins (25), consecutive wins (45), and he currently owns the record for most career pins at Missouri (61). He dominated everyone who stepped on the mat with him last season, including Herbert, who he dominated in the NCAA finals by a score of 14-2. What hurts him: Lack of competition. Some wonder if Askren has simply gotten bored with collegiate wrestling because of his domination. There are times when it looks like he's merely toying with his opponent before racking up another pin. Of last season's top 174-pounders, Herbert (runner-up), Perry (third place), and Hoftra's Mike Patrovich (fourth place), have all wisely moved out of the weight class. The chances of Askren losing a match this season are about as great as Bucknell (no offense intended) winning the team title at the NCAA Championships. Ben Askren (Photo/John Sachs)Key dates: It's tough to pinpoint any key dates on Askren's schedule because it's unlikely that he'll get a serious test this season. However, if you're a collegiate wrestling fan who wants to see Askren in action, he'll be competing at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 1-2), Southern Scuffle (Dec. 29-30), and NWCA National Duals (Jan. 13-14). Odds: 6-5. It's hard to imagine Askren being any more dominant than he was last season. But with Herbert, Perry, and Patrovich all moving into different weight classes, Askren has a legitimate chance to put together the most dominant single season in the history of collegiate wrestling.

Last March, Nate Gallick of Iowa State prepared to battle Teyon Ware of Oklahoma for the right to be NCAA champion at 141lbs. Gallick had beaten Ware seven out of eight previous matches, the lone loss occuring in the 2005 NCAA title match. Gallick triumped in 2006 with a first period takedown that held up for a 3-2 victory. Gallick is now competing for the Cyclone Wrestling Club in Ames, IA and will wrestle as long as his body holds up. Only 23 years old, the future looks bright for this Arizona native. Gallick headlines a talented field of post collegiate wrestlers who will compete at RealProWrestling's North Regional qualifying tournament on Saturday, November 4 at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA. Gallick will wrestle at 132lbs. MIchigan All-Americans Ryan Churella (163) and Greg Wagner (264) will also challenge for RPW regional titles. Luke Eustice was an NCAA runner-up for Iowa in 2002 and will compete at 121. Former UNI star Dylan Long will be in the mix at 145. Successful wrestlers from all collegiate divisions including Junior College, NAIA as well as NCAA Division II and III will be looking to make their mark in Season 2 of RealProWrestling. Including: 121 - Desmond Radunz (Moorehead State University)- 2x DII qualifier, 2x Greco FILA AA, 2x FS AA. 211 - Israel Silva (University Tenn. Chattanooga/Jr College)-2x NJCAA AA, University Nationals Champ 132 - James Rollins (Dana College) - 2002 NJCAA National Champ, 2006 NAIA National Champ "I'm pretty excited about it. I think what they're doing is pretty important, getting wrestling out there and put in the mainstream, getting it on television." Gallick mentioned. "I'm training right now and getting myself prepared. The main goal now is to make that 2008 Olympic (freestyle) team." Gallick looks to conquer other challenges in the meantime. He will compete October 12-14 at the Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open in Tempe, AZ. Gallick hasn't changed his training regiment and feels his freestyle and previous greco-roman experiences will bode well for him in RPW matches. "I think RealProWrestling has some potential to be pretty big." Gallick noted. RealProWrestling has the same seven weight classes as international wrestling, those include: 121, 132, 145, 163, 185, 211 and 264. Athletes can still apply to compete at the North Regional in Mount Vernon by going to www.realprowrestling.com

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USA Wrestling has selected Las Vegas to host two of its most important Olympic level events in the next two years, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling and the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials. The local organizing committee for these two events will be Las Vegas Events, which has successfully hosted numerous major sports events in the city. The 2007 U.S. World Team Trials will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center, June 9-10. This event will determine the 2007 U.S. World Team that will compete at the 2007 World Wrestling Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan in all three Olympic wrestling styles: men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle. The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling will be held at the Thomas and Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas – Las Vegas, June 13-15. This event will determine the U.S. team in all three styles that will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. "Las Vegas and Las Vegas Events presented USA Wrestling with an opportunity to take these properties to a higher level," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "We are confident the organizing committee and the entire community will step forward to insure the success of the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling. We are excited to form a partnership with Las Vegas Events to the benefit of both parties well into the future." "We are certainly excited about the opportunity to host two of the most prestigious wrestling competitions in consecutive years," said Pat Christenson, president of Las Vegas Events and a former NCAA wrestling champion. "We have experience in hosting wrestling events, and we think that Las Vegas will provide a perfect backdrop for these two events. To be chosen as the host city is significant for Las Vegas, and we're happy to add this to our growing roster of events." Each year, Las Vegas plays host to numerous major sports events including the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, NASCAR Nextel Cup and Craftsman Truck Series events, NHRA Drag Racing, USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Training and Exhibition, the Las Vegas Bowl, PBR World Finals, Vegoose Music Festival and the signature New Year's Eve production, America‘s Party. Among the major wrestling events held in Las Vegas has been the U.S. National Wrestling Championships, which has been held in the city 18 of the last 20 years. Included in the event has been the U.S. Senior Nationals, plus the Veterans Nationals, the FILA Junior Nationals and the Western Junior Regionals. "Las Vegas will do a great job marketing, promoting and presenting the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling and the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials," said Pete Isais, USA Wrestling's Director of National Events. "They also have great ideas for other activities surrounding the Trials events which will draw additional spectators. We look forward to working together to make this the best U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the history of USA Wrestling." Las Vegas Events plans to launch an aggressive marketing campaign to encourage the wrestling community and the general public to attend these major events and enjoy the many entertainment and cultural activities available in Las Vegas. As the host city, Las Vegas is a world-class travel destination. Las Vegas offers spectacular shopping, dining, entertainment, and non-stop excitement 24 hours a day. With approximately 133,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas alone, more than 38.7 million visitors are expected to make the city their convention and tourist destination this year. The United States is one of the world's top wrestling nations, and is expected to be a contender for a number of medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. At the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, the U.S. captured six medals, including individual Olympic champion Cael Sanderson in men's freestyle. At the 2006 World Wrestling Championships, the U.S. brought home nine medals, including two individual World champions, Bill Zadick in men's freestyle and Joe Warren in men's Greco-Roman. The past sites for U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling, since USA Wrestling has been the National Governing Body, have included Allendale, Mich. (1984); Pensacola, Fla. (1988); Pittsburgh, Pa. for freestyle and Concord, Calif. for Greco-Roman (1992); Spokane, Wash. for freestyle and Concord, Calif. for Greco-Roman (1996); Dallas, Texas (2000) and Indianapolis, Ind. (2004). For more information on USA Wrestling and the announcement, please go to www.TheMat.com or www.USAWrestlingLasVegas.com About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for amateur wrestling in the United States, and as such, is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and the international wrestling federation FILA. USA Wrestling coordinates grassroots and elite wrestling programs across the country, and works to create interest and participation in these programs. USA Wrestling's 145,000-strong membership includes athletes of all ages, plus officials, coaches, parents, volunteers and fans. www.TheMat.com About Las Vegas Events Founded in 1983, Las Vegas Events, Inc. has grown with Las Vegas as the city has emerged as one of the world's top special event and resort destinations. A private, not-for-profit organization, LVE is funded by hotel room tax and serves as the exclusive major special events agency for the city. Since 1991, Las Vegas Events has produced, presented or supported more than 300 events, which have driven more than 2.8 million visitors to the area, resulting in an economic impact of more than $1.6 billion. www.lasvegasevents.com

Saratoga, CA -� This Saturday, October 14th, West Valley College in Saratoga, CA plays host to 20 of California's 22 Community College wrestling programs. In the heart of California's hi-tech Silicon Valley, 20 Community College wrestling teams are looking forward to a low tech, old-fashioned rumble. You can bet this date is circled on a lot of calendars, as both wrestlers and coaches alike look to evaluate where they are now and begin to set their sights on the December championships. With four tournaments in the books, the team race is starting to take shape. Fresno City College has taken the team title in all three tournaments they've entered this season. Head Coach, Paul Keysaw notes, "The Rams are looking forward to the competition this weekend. It will be a great test for the team and a chance to see where we stand among the top programs." Conceding little are the Dons of Santa Ana College, who took team honors at the Cerritos Tournament and 2nd place at their tournament. "With last Saturday's peek preview of what to see at West Valley, we are anxiously looking forward to another tough weekend. We showed our hand, and we'll do what we can � given what we have," says Head Coach Vince Silva. Head Coach Bill Kalivas of Bakersfield College adds, "This tournament will be a barometer for where teams will jockey their line-ups for the end of the year run. Fresno, Sierra and Santa Ana are the class of the field. Teams that can spoil it for the top 3 are Palomar, Cerritos, Bakersfield and Santa Rosa. The rest of the state has some excellent individuals that will make heads turn." Weight class summaries based on performance-to-date. 125: Our first chance to see who is really committed to wrestling at 125. This weight class is six deep with possible champions. Ivan Sanchez, Santa Ana and Chauncey Phillips of Sierra College have both won tournaments this season. Sanchez bested Phillips 13-9 at the Santa Ana Tournament. Hard on their heels are returning All-American Jimmy Valdivia of Cerritos, Dominick Rucireta, Sacramento City, Kyle Crouch, Fresno City, and Jason Moorehouse, Skyline. If any of the contenders from 133 drop down to join this group, we will be in for a barn burner. This should be a very competitive set of quarter finals. 133: Carlos Alaniz, Cerritos and Mike Righi, Fresno are at the head of class in this group; and any other final pairing would be a surprise. The #3 ranked wrestler, Rolando Velasco of Modesto is out with an injury, and #4 Ron Blair from Palomar has a loss at the hands of Righi 20-7. Taylor McCorriston, Santa Rosa and Gabe Aguilar of Santa Ana have wrestled solidly and can contend. If someone else moves into this weight class, they could upset the apple cart�notably Cody Gibson, Bakersfield (ranked #6 at 141) who placed 2nd in Santa Ana at this weight. 141: After opening the season 6-0 at 149, Modesto's Jordan Keckler moved down to this weight class and kept rolling along, winning the Modesto Tournament. There is no shortage of quality wrestlers who are eager for this challenge. Jose Serratos of Santa Ana, Randy Tambare or Andrew Leveille of Sierra along with Ethan Hall of Palomar and Edgar Mercado, Fresno City will all be ready to make sure Keckler earns his berth in the finals. Be on the lookout for either Chris Alves from Shasta or Vlad Kochiev of Moorpark, who have both tested the waters at 141 and may find it to their liking. 149: Similar to 141, Alfonso Sanchez of Fresno City has three tournament titles and is the force to be reckoned with in this weight class. James Nelson, Sierra, Chris Alves, Shasta, John Daly, Sacramento City, Louie Desantis, Palomar, Vlad Kochiev, Moorpark and Jonathon Ronny from Chabot round out this very talented field. There's been a lot of shuffling in and out of this weight class. We will see who lines up to take on Sanchez. 157: Devin Velasquez of Santa Ana has a tight grip on this weight class and does not look to be letting go anytime soon. Matt Giffin from Sierra was the OW at the Sacramento City Tournament, but failed to place at Santa Ana. A very talented and tightly bunched group is poised to make a move, if either of the top two men loses focus. This pack includes JD Thrall, Sacramento City, Stuart Cole, Palomar, Randy Doherty, Bakersfield, Adrian Pachon, Moorpark, Jeff Bridges, Shasta, and Bayardo Sanchez of West Valley. 165: Paolmar's Glenn Shaw has taken on all comers and dispatched them. This past weekend at the Santa Ana Tournament, he was named the Outstanding Wrestler with 3-falls and a victory in the finals of 9-6 over Nick Bardsley from Fresno City, who has two tournament championships under his belt this season. Giving chase is a formidable group of wrestlers including Daniel Garay, Mt. San Antonio, Jaspreet Singh, Sierra, Jack Porter, Cerritos and Zac Johnson of Bakersfield. 174: It's conceivable that any of the top six wrestlers in this weight class can walk away with the crown. #1 ranked Tom Eaton of Santa Ana and #2 Mike Williams have been showing the way so far this season. Williams beat Eaton by decision 4-3 in the finals of last weekend's Santa Ana Tournament. But Kyle Griffin from Santa Rosa and Shaun Ceremello of Fresno have been right there with them at every turn. Chris Minafo from West Valley who turned heads with a strong 7-0 start, stumbled a bit at the Sacramento City Tournament, and is looking to show that he is a contender. Ryan Sughrue from Modesto has had some quality wins at this weight and must not be overlooked. 184: Returning State Champion Tim Hawkins of Mt. San Antonio has been flat out dominant this season. His nearest competitor is Jason Carasco of Bakersfield who lost to Hawkins in the Santa Ana Finals 12-8. It's a crowded field after that, including Travis Edwards, Cuesta, Louie Audelo, Cerritos, Cory Compton, Sacramento City and Greg Villalobos form Palomar. 197: A Clash of the Titans weight class headed by returning All-Americans Ryan Silvera, Mt. Sac and Jayson Collard, Santa Rosa. Both men will be pressed hard by newcomers Tyler Blair of Fresno City, Joe Ramirez, Modesto, Jake Bingham, Santa Rosa, Kellen Desmond, Palomar, and Norman Nail, West Hills. All have at least one loss at this weight � all to one another. This season's four tournaments have given us four-champions at 197. Certainly, a classic, last man standing battle. Heavyweight: Eric Nye, Sierra and Josh Marquez, Bakersfield are the clear favorites. That being said, anything can happen when the big guys take over the mat. Tyler Porras, Santa Ana, Luis Leyva, Bakersfield, Matt Klimek, Palomar, and Robby Roman-Marin from West Hills have performed well and should be part of a very competitive semi-final. Nye has the advantage with 2-championship final decisions over Marquez. Look for their rivalry to continue from here to the North/South All Star Meet and right on through to the State Finals. A comprehensive list of schedules and results can be found at www.caccwrestling.com

My name is Burke Barnes. I wrestle at 133 pounds for the 2006 NAIA national champions, Dana College. I will be providing a blog for RevWrestling.com about my training experiences throughout this season and what it is like to be a Dana College wrestler. A team meeting on August 31 marked the beginning of the Dana College 2006-07 wrestling season. Coming off a record setting year that resulted in winning the NAIA national tournament, the Vikings of Dana College are once again ready to start their journey. Over the summer many changes including a new head coach, have been made to the Dana College wrestling team. Since Steve Costanzo's departure last spring, two-year assistant Richard Fergola has taken the reigns as head coach. Now as head coach, Fergola is excited and looking forward to keeping Dana College wrestling at the top of the NAIA division and beyond. Along with experience, Fergola brings a firm no nonsense attitude to the team. Everyone experienced Fergola's business-like approach at our first team meeting that lasted over two hours. During the meeting I was able to catch up with some of the veterans and also meet a lot of the new guys. It is always an exciting time when you first get back together with your team. Being around my teammates gave me a burst of excitement and a sense of pride. New to the program are 15 incoming freshman who together were ranked the second best non-Division I recruiting class in the nation. The Dana College coaching staff and seniors gathered after a preseason workout at Hummel Park in Omaha.Returning to the Vikings line up are Terrance Almond and Craig Trampe. Trampe will be back at 125 where he hopes to vie for a national title. Almond will also return to his weight class of last year, at 141. As for me, this will be my third year of competition, second of which at Dana College. After taking a disappointing third place at last year's national tournament, I am more than ready to get in the room and start banging. This season I will be moving up to the 133-pound weight class after almost a decade at 125. I am both excited and curious to see what this change will bring. Our first day of actual preseason took place on Monday, September 5. On this day we started out with an 11-mile run that has become a tradition to Dana's preseason. Around 4:00 p.m. we piled into vans that took us out of town where we would start the run. As I listened to the freshmen beg for information about the run, I realized that we would not be following the same route as last year. The new route was on a dirt road that resembled a wave. The hills seemed endless. As I reached the top of one hill, I was only rewarded with the sight of a new and seemingly bigger one. It was not until the end of the run that I fully realized that the wrestling season had begun. The next day we went into the wrestling room for an open room practice. It was nice to see the improvement that many of our returners had made over the off-season. I was also impressed by some of the freshmen, including Donny Altman, who didn't hesitate to grab assistant coach and former national champion Jimmy Rollins. Our first week of preseason was wrapped up on Thursday with a circuit that is split into three, 20-minute activities. I became very familiar with this circuit last preseason, and know how much you can get out of it, if you're willing to work. The first station takes place in the weight room, where we go through 10 to 11 lifts. Every lift is allotted one minute per partner, in which time you go as hard and as intense as your mind will let you. The second station is outside on the track. This station takes us through multiple exercises including reverse lifts, squat jumps, motion drills, and pummeling to name a few. The last station is different every practice, but it always proves to be the hardest of them all. Our first day of this circuit was ended with 20 minutes of sprints and wheel barrel runs up a steep grass hill behind the gym. As we stretched after practice, I looked around the team to see if anyone looked as exhausted as I felt. I was relieved to see that I wasn't the only one hurting. The days when you leave the gym drenched in sweat, with a pounding headache, and sore muscles, are my favorite. It's these types of days when we find out who is here to be successful and who is here to simply be a part of something. Looking back at the first week of preseason, I was very happy with my teammates and my own performance. I already feel that I am in better shape than last year during this time. The Dana College wrestlers and coaching staff volunteered their time at a local rummage sale in Arlington that raises money for Katrina victims. The sale raised over $50,000.By Wednesday of Week 2, I was really looking forward to getting back in the wrestling room. When I arrived at practice, however, I was informed that we would not be wrestling but instead running what we call "killer hills." Killer hills are 50 minutes of continuous sprints up a dusty quarter mile hill that normal people wouldn't take their four wheelers up. This reassured everyone that Coach Fergola was not lying when he said "violations of team rules would not go unseen." With sore legs and a hint of resentment filling the air, we took off up the hill. At one point during the run I asked assistant coach Antonio Barber how much time was left. He replied, "You don't want to know." At the time I had figured we were getting close to the end, little did I know we were not even half way through. I had not woken up that day expecting to run. When we finished, though, it felt great knowing that we had done more work than planned for the week. The following day we were back to schedule with our circuit. The first two stations remained the same as last week. The third station however, was changed to buddy carries. At Dana College we have the luxury of being posted on top of one of Nebraska's only hills. So to not let our recourses go unused we performed our buddy carries up Pioneer Memorial Hill. The hill is only about a quarter mile long, but what it lacks in distance it makes up for in steepness. As you battle your way up to the top, you are reminded of why very few people are able to compete at the college level in wrestling. By Week 3, the soreness in my legs was gone, and each school week seemed to be flying by faster than the previous one. On Tuesday in our third week of training, we started with the usual stations, and ended with a three mile long sand bag run. This is similar to a plate run, where you are required to carry and not drop a weight lifting plate. The run was hard, but ended up being a nice break from all the hill work we had put in over the last two weeks. After a long week without wrestling, we were back in the room on Wednesday. As we waited for practice to start, many of the guys were already rolling around. The week without wrestling had everyone anxious to get started. Practice lasted nearly an hour, which was spent mostly on drilling. Towards the end we were able to go some live situations and a live match. The following day we were back to the Dana wrestling circuit, which ended in a comfortably paced team run. Heading into Week 4 of our preseason training, school and practice have become routine. The shape and endurance of our team has improved dramatically over the last few weeks, and the bond amongst teammates is growing stronger with every team activity. On Tuesday, we were back at Killer Hill for round two. It had been two weeks since the last time we ran the hill, and I could see the hard work of the previous weeks was paying off. I also saw improvement in our team that Wednesday in the wrestling room, where everyone was going hard. Following Wednesday's practice we were back to the circuit on Thursday. That Thursday we ended our week with a three-mile buddy carry, which every wrestler can appreciate. Dana College concluded its preseason training with a five-hour trip to Valentine.Bringing an end to our preseason was a five-hour trip to Valentine, Nebraska. Valentine is in Western Nebraska, but in the middle of nowhere. As you drive into town there is actually a sign that reads, "Welcome to the middle of nowhere." We had taken this trip last year, so I knew what to expect. Hosting us on this retreat was the Hansen family. Chancy Hansen is a wrestler on our team, and his parents are Steve and Debby. We arrived late Friday evening and were welcomed by the Hansen's, who were busy grilling burgers. That night our team slept in a motel that had been purchased in town and was later transported out to the Hansen ranch. The motel provided much warmer sleeping conditions than last year's trip. I did, however, miss sleeping in front of the camp fire under the stars. The next morning we awoke around 8:00 a.m. After a quick bite to eat, we gathered to discuss the day's plans. Steve Hansen and Coach Fergola had set up an orienteering activity that would take up most of our day. Before we began, everyone was reminded or taught how to use a compass and read a map. The activity was spread out on a 30-square-mile piece of land, with 15 locations for us to find. In teams of two, we departed the comfort of the motel and ventured into a vast landscape of hills, valleys, and the much hated corn fields of Western Nebraska. Along the way we came in contact with deer, porcupines, snakes, turkey and all forms of farm animals. At the end of the activity, not one team had found all 15 locations, but everyone had trekked at least 15 miles. The activity was a good chance to bond with our teammates, and added some pigment to my sorry Northwest tan. Following the orienteering, we ate lunch and prepared to take on an obstacle course Steve had set up last year. The course had some changes from last year and proved to be more difficult as well. We were first split into two teams, which were then split into sub teams of four. Unfortunately, there was no winner, being that each team had won three heats. The obstacle course marked the end of our trip and the end of our preseason. Looking back on preseason there were some great performances by individuals and by our team as a whole. I was very impressed by everyone's willingness to work hard day in and day out. The returners' showed great leadership and looked determined through out. Our new guys stepped up to the plate and met everyone's high expectations. I have never been one for wrestling sayings on the back of T-shirts or on the wrestling room wall, but I heard one in August that really stuck. "Don't be a should've been," is what I was told. For me this really hit home, and was a constant motivator during preseason. Fall leaves are now filling the streets of Blair, and competition is right around the corner. This week our team is getting their weight down and preparing for wrestle-offs. I am excited to see who makes our team, and excited to see my teammates in live action. With only a month remaining before competition we will buckle down and head into the wrestling room. In this month we hope to ready ourselves for yet another national championship run. To my teammates at Dana College: "If you achieved all your goals this preseason, then you didn't set them high enough. If you didn't accomplish your goals, then you need to work harder. And if you didn't set any at all, reevaluate what you're doing here." Until next time, Burke Barnes

Thank you to Brad Penrith and his Panthers of the University of Northern Iowa. Steve and I had a great weekend in Cedar Falls, Iowa. We have officially kicked off our season of room shows. Stay tuned for major Room show/Road show announcements. This week on TDR: Former World Team member, MMA fighter and IFL star Mark Kerr (Syracuse) who enjoyed a 31-3-1 record in his senior year a joins us for a look back and a look forward. Mark has 2 boys and is in a committed relationship. He loves to coach and found that he is drawn to teaching little kids. He has a huge fight coming up in the IFL. This fight, being billed as a "Super Fight", will be held Thursday November 2nd in Portland, Oregon 7 PM Pacific. Check your local listings. Ohio University Bobcat Wrestling Head Coach Joel Greenlee joins us for his last visit prior to the season. This program during the 70's and 80's was lead by a former Nat'l Champ, 2 x finalist and great coach Harry Houska who had the Bobcats on a 3 year top 10 run in the mid 70's. Houska was deservedly honored this last February on the OU Campus. The challenge for Coach Greenlee is how to return them to national prominence. This week we'll put a finish on his plans. University of Michigan NCAA qualifier, NCAA All-American Josh Churella. This terrific wrestler and nice kid took fourth overall at the Big 10's and earned an impressive 3-2 record at last years NCAA's. What has he done to improve on his record? Special note -- this kid is well coached by Joe McFarland and his staff and is also well rounded and comes from a tight knit family. You can't deny the Churella pedigree. Enrolled in the Division of Kinesiology ... he was Born on January 19, 1985 ... Son of Mark and Leslie Churella ... Mark Sr. was a four-year letterwinner and three-time NCAA champion for Michigan (1974-79) ... Brothers, Mark Jr. and Ryan, were both letterwinners for the Wolverines. Northwestern University Associate Athletic Director, Midlands Founder Ken Kraft will join us for a look at this years Midlands Wrestling Championships. This invitational holiday tournament is for a select few and most hold it in very high regard. Let's find out who has been invited and who has accepted. University of Iowa Scholar/Athlete/Graduate Ray Brinzer joins us for a look back and inside the head of one of America's unique wrestlers. The founder of Angry Fish Wrestling Club has had more stories told about him and surprisingly most of them are true. TheMat.com message board has a 2 page thread regarding those stories. They are good for a laugh and it will make you stop and say, Hmmmm, could that be true? America's newest World Champion Bill Zadick will join us. This deserving and long suffering athlete is TheMat.com and TDR Athlete of the week brought to you by our friends at Asics! Find out what the journey to the championship was like for this 33 year old. One of wrestling's great stories is Bill Zadick. What must the view have been like for this Montana native from the top of the mountain? Tune in and find out what these fellas have to say on this weeks Takedown Wrestling Radio -- Saturday 9 AM to 11 AM CST at Takedownradio.com. Next week Randy Couture and Matt Valenti!

Orem, Utah -- Utah Valley State wrestling coach Greg Williams has announced the 2006-07 schedule & roster. The schedule includes the inaugural season of the new Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) while 19 newcomers highlight the Wolverine roster. The annual wrestle-off will take place on November 1st before UV opens up the season at the Cowboy Open on November 11th, in Laramie, Wyoming. The Wolverines will again participate in the Las Vegas Invitational and the Reno Tournament of Champions, two tournaments the team has participated in each of its first three seasons of competition. WWC action begins January 13, 2007 when Utah Valley hosts Northern Colorado in the Shurian Family Activity Center. UV will wrestle on the road twice in conference, when it travels to North Dakota State (1/19) and South Dakota State (1/20). The season will wrap up with three conference duals, Wyoming (2/3), UC Davis (2/10) and Air Force (2/17). Youth will dominate the roster in 06-07 as only six wrestlers that have competed at Utah Valley State return. Two of those six, Tanner Cowan (157 lbs.) and Billy Green (197/HWT), will red shirt while Daniel Polkowske (133 lbs.), Justin Rawle (141/149 lbs.), Mark South (157/165 lbs.) and Clayton Wolf (149 lbs.) will all compete this season. 14 freshmen, including 3-time Idaho State Champion Dustin Olsen (165 lbs.) and three-time Utah State Champion and National Champion Ben Kjar (125 lbs.) will dot the UV roster. "I am excited about the future of UVSC wrestling," said Williams. "We have brought in a great group of young talent. This is a hard working group. They are dedicated to reaching their potential." The State of Utah is also represented well on the roster, with 16 wrestlers from Utah high schools. "We want to get involved more with high school and youth wrestling in Utah. There is a great potential of talent in this state and we want to help build it," said Williams.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's head wrestling coach Tim Cysewski has announced the schedule for the 2006 Northwestern Wrestling Annual Coaches Clinic. The clinic will take place Thursday, Oct. 26 at Conant High School, located at 700 E. Cougar Trail in Hoffman Estates, Ill. The clinic is a great way to jump start the season and learn from some of the best in collegiate wrestling. This year's clinic will feature two-time All-American and reigning NCAA runner-up Jake Herbert and All-American Ryan Lang, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation at 141 pounds. In 2006, Northwestern had three NCAA All-Americans, a Northwestern record seven NCAA qualifiers, recorded a dual meet victory of third-ranked Illinois, had five Big Ten dual meet victories and notched six wins over top-25 teams. Registration is $50 in advance or $60 at the door. Additional coaches from the same school can register for $40 in advance, or $50 at the door. Kids and jr. high wrestlers can attend a separate clinic in the Conant wrestling room for $10 per wrestler. Per IHSA rules, High School wrestlers are not eligible to attend this clinic! Please contact Tim Cysewski at (847) 491-4799 for more information.