InterMat Staff

OKLAHOMA CITY –- Oklahoma City University's wrestling program has added Link Davis as an assistant coach after a stint as assistant under OCU coach Archie Randall at El Reno, Okla. Link DavisDavis spent the past year at El Reno as an assistant. El Reno won its 11th consecutive Class 4A state title this past year. At OCU, Davis will work with the 141- and 149-pound wrestlers and every aspect of the program. "It's a great opportunity just to be in a college setting and to be able with Coach Randall and Tyrone Lewis," Davis said. Davis had been a head coach at Broken Arrow, Okla., from 2002-05, going 41-19 in duals, after being an assistant there for two years. Davis coached four-time state champion Brandon Tucker and three-time state champ Shane Vernon with the Tigers. Broken Arrow won the Class 5A dual state title in 2002. "His program at Broken Arrow was among the tops in Class 5A," Randall said. "To have his knowledge, expertise and most importantly, his enthusiasm are important to the success of this program." Before then, Davis was also head coach at Poteau, Okla., and an assistant coach at Enid, Okla. On the junior level, Davis coached with the Oklahoma cadet program since 1997. The Oklahoma team won the national cadet title in 2000 under Davis' guidance. Collegiately, Davis wrestled at Central Oklahoma from 1995-97 and Missouri Valley in 1993-94. Davis wrestled at the prep level in Cleveland, Okla., and became a cadet national runner-up. The Stars will wrestle for the first time since the 1930s. OCU opens with the Lindenwood Open on Oct. 27, then wrestles its first dual against Oklahoma on Nov. 4.

A lot of commonly-held assumptions about the geographic lay-out of American wrestling are either over-generalized or simply not true. These are 5 of the most oversold myths in the sport today. Myth 1: Title IX has killed wrestling Reality: High school wrestling participation has remained at a plateau for the last 25 years and the sport is showing signs of rebounding at the collegiate level According to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), participation by males in high school wrestling in 1969-70 was 226,681. It went up to a peak of 355,160 in 1975-76, but was back down to 245,029 by 1980-1981. Since then, participation has fluctuated between 216,453 and 256,107 boys each year. In 2004-05, the figure was 243,009, good for a ranking as the 6th most popular sport for high school males, and that's without a pro league and big time marketing. On the collegiate level, the number of NCAA wrestling programs has stabilized over the last five years or so. The NCWA – a Title IX-free wrestling alternative for post-high school institutions – currently boasts a whopping 118 programs. Factor Real Pro Wrestling into the mix and the only certain impact of Title IX in the long-term appears to be that it has merely succeeded in reducing the NCAA's role in the sport of wrestling. Myth 2: Iowa, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania are the most restling-dominated states in the country Reality: Are we talking college or high school? Any casual sports fan is aware of wrestling powerhouses like Iowa, ISU, Oklahoma, and OSU, and even UNI has been a perennial top 20 team for the last several years. Iowa also has far and away the nation's best NCAA Division 3 conference, the IIAC, and the Central Oklahoma is a top NCAA Division 2 team. Pennsylvania does it with brute numbers at the NCAA level, with about 1/6th of all NCAA wrestling teams hailing from there. When you go to the high school level, however, the picture gets murkier. The ratio of high school male wrestlers to male basketball players in all three of these states is in the bottom half of the nation: Iowa is 26th; Pennsylvania is 36th; and Oklahoma is 37th. They have similar rates when you look at male wrestlers as a percentage of total high school athletes (Iowa at 16th, Pennsylvania at 34th, and Oklahoma at 37th). Myth 3: Southern states are obsessed with basketball, not wrestling Reality: This is true for a few states, but North Carolina has the has the third-highest ratio of wrestlers to basketball players in the country The Deep South does have stretches which are almost devoid of wrestling. Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky all rank in the bottom eight for states with lowest proportion of male wrestlers to male basketball players at the high school level. Collectively, they have about 11.3 hoops players for every wrestler in these six states. But the other half of the story is stunning for wrestling and basketball fans alike. Below are the states which had the fewest male high school basketball players per male high school wrestler in 2004-05: 1. Utah (1.1 basketball players/wrestler) 2. Maryland (1.2) 3. North Carolina (1.3) Virginia comes in a respectable 8th place in this category, with 1.5 basketball players per grappler. The collegiate level is just as telling: fully 16 teams, more than 1/6th of all NCAA Division 1 wrestling teams, are located in the "basketball hotbeds" of Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. Myth 4: Hockey is bigger than wrestling in the USA Reality: More than six times as many American high school boys participated in wrestling than in hockey in 2004-05 The 37,004 males who participated in high school hockey in 2004-05, are dwarfed by the 243,009 who participated in high school wrestling that same year. Only three tiny states (Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont) saw more high school boys play hockey than wrestle. Even in the NCAA, where hockey is sometimes considered a "revenue sport," there are just 133 men's hockey teams compared to 226 programs sponsoring men's wrestling. Two factors come into play here that will help to digest this unexpected statistic. For one thing, the NHL may be somewhat over-hyped in the United States -– a lot of its fan base is in Canada –- and the long-term viability of several of it franchises in "The States" are in question. Second, hockey has a unique structure of clubs that operates outside of high schools and colleges. While this is probably truer in hockey than any other sport, it's unlikely that even this accounts for the yawning gap between hockey and wrestling. Myth 5: There are no major areas of intense wrestling interest west of Iowa Reality: The Rocky Mountain states have -– by far -– the highest rates of male wrestlers as a percentage of total high school athletes in the USA The top states, in terms of number of male wrestlers as a percentage of total high school athletes in 2004-05: 1. Utah (6.6%) 2. Wyoming (6.4%) 3. Alaska (5.9%) 4. Nebraska (5.9%) 5. Nevada (5.8%) 6. Oregon (5.3%) 7. Washington (5.2%) 8. Idaho (5.2%) 9. Arizona (5.2%) 10. Indiana (5.0%) 11. South Dakota (4.9%) 12. South Carolina (4.9%) 13. Kansas (4.9%) 14. Illinois (4.8%) 15. Montana (4.7%) 16. Iowa (4.6%) We kept going until we got to Iowa, and as you can see, it took awhile. All of the top 9 wrestling states in terms of male wrestlers as a percentage of total high school athletes in 2004-05 were located west of Iowa. Okalahoma came in 37th by this measure, which put them behind every state western state except for Texas and Hawaii. On the collegiate level, Utah Valley State, Northern Colorado, SDSU, and NDSU will all either compete at or be transitioning to the NCAA Division 1 level in the newly-minted Western Wrestling Conference (WWC) in 2006-07. Based on this data, the American West looks to be wrestling's biggest growth region going forward.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Former NCAA wrestling champion Chris Bono has been named Head Wrestling Coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Athletics Director Rick Hart announced Saturday. Bono, an assistant for the Mocs last season, held the title of interim head coach after the May 8 departure of former Head Coach Joe Seay. "This means the world to me," Bono said. "It has been a goal of mine to become a head coach since I got into the coaching profession. I plan on leading the team and representing UTC with integrity. We will work hard and work toward a national championship. "I am extremely grateful to Rick Hart, the search committee and the University for this opportunity, and I will not let them down." A member of the 2005-06 staff, Bono helped lead UTC to its 21st Southern Conference title and a 30th-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Although new to his position as Athletics Director, Hart was heavily involved in the national search for the head coach, and said that Bono was a perfect fit to direct the tradition-rich program. "We are excited to have Chris Bono as our head coach on a permanent basis," Hart said. "We are appreciative of his leadership during the transition between coaches and between athletics directors. We look forward to Chris continuing the outstanding tradition of UTC wrestling, and we are confident that he and his program will represent the University and the City of Chattanooga with the utmost class and competitive spirit." Bono joined the UTC staff in 2005 after serving nine years as a wrestling assistant coach at national-power Iowa State. He worked for Head Coach Bobby Douglas and was the Cyclones' head assistant coach for the last five years. During Bono's final year on the ISU staff, he helped direct the Cyclones to a 16-4 dual match record in 2004-05, a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and a sixth-place showing at the 2005 NCAA Championships. A native of Gilbert, Iowa, Bono holds many coaching and competitive honors. He was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002 for his role in ISU's success that season. The Cyclones compiled a 17-5 dual match record and were NCAA runner-ups with five wrestlers earning All-America status. Bono, who lettered at Iowa State from 1994-97, ranks fifth on the program's all-time wins list with 130 victories. He won the NCAA 150-pound title as a junior. A four-time NCAA participant, he placed fifth at the Nationals as a sophomore and second as a senior. As a freshman, he placed eighth at the Big Eight Conference Championships. He wrestled to a Big Eight Conference runner-up finish his sophomore year, won the Big Eight title as a junior and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the inaugural Big 12 Conference Championship in 1997. He registered a 41-11 record as a sophomore, went 37-4 as a junior and was 37-2 his senior season. Bono's wrestling success did not come to a halt upon his graduation from Iowa State. During the summer of 2004 as a freestyle competitor, Bono defeated Doug Schwab, 5-4, to take third place at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2003, Bono won the 145.5-pound title at the U.S. Senior Freestyle National Championships in Las Vegas, qualifying for the World Team Trials in Indianapolis, Ind., where he was runner-up at that same weight. He was a U.S. World Cup team member, earning the gold medal at the 2003 World Cup Wrestling Championships in Boise, Idaho, and was a member of the national team at the 2003 Titan Games in San Jose, Calif. Bono's freestyle accomplishments in 2002 led to a U.S. Senior Freestyle No. 1 national ranking at 145.5 pounds and a spot on the U.S. World Team. He began the year with a first-place showing at the Dave Schultz Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colo., followed by a fourth-place finish at the Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine. He won a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships in Caracara, Venezuela, and placed third at the U.S. Freestyle National Championships in Las Vegas, earning a berth to the World Team Trials. At the 2002 World Team Trials, Bono swept through the mini-tournament beating Reggie Wright (Gator WC) of Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-1 and Schwab (Hawkeye WC) of Iowa City, Iowa, 3-2 to advance to the finals. In the 145.5-pound championship, Bono defeated Jamill Kelly (Gator WC) of Stillwater, Okla., 3-1 and 3-0, earning his second consecutive World Team Trials title. In a special wrestle-off for the 145.5-pound spot on the 2002 U.S. World Team, Bono defeated Bill Zadick (Hawkeye WC) of Iowa City, Iowa, two matches to one, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2 OT, to earn his second consecutive trip to the World Championships. The U.S. World Team, however, did not compete at the World Championships in Tehran, Iran. Bono also captured top honors at the 2004 NYAC Invitational with a victory in the finals over 2004 NCAA champion Jesse Jantzen, formerly of Harvard, and also earned a 66 kilogram title at the 20th annual Sunkist International Open with a win in the finals over former 2003 NCAA 149-pound champion and current Arizona State assistant coach Eric Larkin. Bono competed at the 2005 World Championships in September in Budapest, Hungary. At the 2005 World Team Trials, Bono, the number one seed, captured the title at 66 kilograms by defeating Jared Lawrence two matches to none. In May of 2006, Bono beat Japan's Kohei Fujimoto (1-0, 2-0), Uzbekistan's Muradollo Ablokulov (2-4, 1-0, 2-0) and Russia's Jirair Oganesyan (1-1, 5-4) at the Independence Cup Grand Prix in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He finished with the silver medal after losing 0-1, 2-1, 1-1 to Russia's Andrey Sementsov on a takedown with 14 seconds left in the final period. Sementsov is the reigning Junior European champion. Bono earned his bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Iowa State in 1997. He and his wife, Niki, have two daughters, Josie and Ellie.

St. Cloud, MN -- The St. Cloud State University wrestling team announced its 2006-07 schedule, which will feature four home dual meets and the 2006 Husky Open on Dec. 9. This season will be the dawn of a new era for SCSU wrestling, as the Huskies welcome first-year coach Steve Costanzo in 2006-07. The schedule will kick-off at 6 p.m. on Nov. 4, with the Cardinal/Black Challenge in Halenbeck Hall. This intra-squad match will give Husky wrestling fans their first look at Costanzo's new team.has On Nov. 11, SCSU will send wrestlers to the Dakota Wesleyan Open in Mitchell, S.D., and on Nov. 18, SCSU athletes will compete at the prestigious Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, Neb. This meet is the largest single-day collegiate wrestling meet in the nation, and it is hosted by defending NCAA Division II champion Nebraska-Omaha. On Dec. 3, the Huskies will travel to the Northern Iowa Open in Cedar Falls, Iowa. To complete the 2006 portion of its schedule, SCSU will host the Husky Open on Dec. 9, in Halebeck Hall. This will mark the 37th year that SCSU has hosted a wrestling tournament in Halenbeck Hall. In previous years, the tournament was called the St. Cloud State Invitational and this marks the first-year that an Open tournament format will be used. The Husky Open has also been designated as Parents' Day at SCSU. The Huskies will kick-off their dual meet season on Jan. 9, with a home match against non-conference rival Minnesota State University, Moorhead at 7 p.m. The match has been designated as Prep Night at SCSU. On Jan. 13, the Huskies will host Northern State University at 3 p.m. This match has been slated as Alumni Day, and all SCSU wrestling alumni are encouraged to return for a day of memories and some great wrestling action. SCSU will battle North Central Conference rival and three-time defending national champion Nebraska-Omaha on Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. in Omaha, Neb. This will mark a reunion of sorts for Costanzo, as he is a 1996 graduate of UNO and three-time All-America wrestler for the Mavericks. SCSU will complete the weekend trip at 2 p.m. on Jan. 20, with another NCC match at Augustana College. On Jan. 23, the Huskies will travel to non-conference rival Southwest Minnesota State University for a 7 p.m. match, and on Jan. 28, the Huskies will battle perennial NCAA Division III powerhouse Augsburg College. The dual in Minneapolis will begin at 2 p.m. The road trips will continue for the Huskies on Feb. 2, with a 7 p.m. date at Upper Iowa, followed by a 10 a.m. date at the University of Dubuque Open on Feb. 3, in Dubuque, Iowa. The seven-date road swing will be completed on Feb. 9, with a 7 p.m. showdown against Stearns County rival St. John's in Collegeville. The Huskies will return to the friendly confines of Halenbeck Hall at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15 for a conference meeting with Minnesota State University, Mankato. The home season will be completed at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16, with Senior Night at SCSU. The Huskies will battle non-conference rival University of Mary that night in Halenbeck Hall, and the squad's 2006-07 seniors will be saluted during the evening. On Feb. 25, the Huskies will travel to the 2007 NCAA Division II North Central Regional that will be hosted by Minnesota State University, Moorhead. The top finishers at the regional will earn their tickets to the 2007 NCAA Division II championships, which will be hosted this year by the University of Nebraska-Kearney on March 9-10, in Kearney, Neb. For more information about SCSU wrestling, please call 320-308-2996.

OKLAHOMA CITY -- In 2004, Cael Sanderson walked away from wrestling at the age of 25 after winning an Olympic gold medal. He was no longer having fun with it. Cael Sanderson defeated World silver medalist Jake Herbert (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Now, seven years later, Sanderson, who went 159-0 as a college competitor at Iowa State, is back competing, and having fun with it. As Sanderson put the finishing touches on a two-match victory over 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials on Saturday night, he winked at those positioned matside. "I'm just trying to have fun with it," said Sanderson after outscoring Herbert 11-2 in two matches. "That's the trick." Sanderson won three matches in the Challenge Tournament on Saturday afternoon, prior to facing Herbert. His final win in the Challenge Tournament came over Jon Reader, a wrestler he recruited and coached at Iowa State. "That was very strange," said Sanderson of facing his former wrestler. "Reader is somebody I have a great deal of respect for. I've spent a lot of time with him and around him. I consider him a really great friend. So it was weird. That was a weird match for me. It wasn't who I was hoping to wrestle." Sanderson is one of three wrestlers with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club to make the 2011 U.S. World Team. The others are Jake Varner and Teyon Ware. Varner earned a spot on the U.S. World Team on Friday night, while Ware secured his spot on Saturday night by defeating returning U.S. World Team member Brent Metcalf in the best-of-three finals series. Ware, a 2011 U.S. Open champion, defeated Metcalf in the opening match. Metcalf, though, came back to win the second match. In the third and deciding match, Ware got on a roll, and outscored Metcalf 9-1 in two periods to take the match and make his first U.S. World Team. "I'm very excited," said Ware, who won two NCAA titles as a college competitor at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, 20 miles from Oklahoma City. "This is the easy part. The easy part is done. I've got to take it up a notch and bring home a medal for the World Team." Ware's journey to the top of the U.S. freestyle ladder at 66 kilos has not been without bumps in the road. He failed to win a match at the 2007 and 2008 Trials at 66 kilos. He then switched styles from freestyle to Greco-Roman and dropped down a weight class to 60 kilos. Ware failed to place at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials in Greco-Roman. He then made the decision to switch back to freestyle and move from Ohio, where he had been training, to Pennsylvania to wrestle for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. "It was a tough decision," said Ware of his move to State College, Pa. "But I got the phone call from Cael. I saw it as an honor. He gave me a call and asked me to train with him. If you want to be the best, you have to train with the best." Tervel Dlagnev, a 2009 World bronze medalist, is back on the U.S. World Team at 120 kilos, after finishing runner-up at the U.S. World Team Trials a year ago. Dlagnev defeated 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco two matches to one to earn the spot, two months after winning his first U.S. Open title. "I'm just excited to have this opportunity to go back to the Worlds," said Dlagnev, who trains at the Ohio RTC in Columbus, Ohio. "Second World Team. Finally won the Open. Great season so far. I've got to cap it off with a World gold medal." Nick Simmons rebounded from a disappointing U.S. Open, where he finished sixth, to make his first U.S. World Team at 55 kilos. He came from behind in the best-of-three series to beat U.S. Open champion Sam Hazewinkel. The first match went to Hazewinkel, but Simmons battled back to win the final two matches, both in three periods. "I had a bad performance at the U.S. Open," said Simmons, who trains in Corvallis, Ore."We sat down with all my coaching staff at Oregon State and readjusted everything ... how I was training, my diet, and everything. That helped tremendously. I owe those guys everything." Greco-Roman wrestlers Joe Betterman, Jake Fisher, and Justin Ruiz earned spots on this year's U.S. World Team with victories on Saturday night. All three are past Trials champions. Betterman, who was on the U.S. World Team in 2007 and won the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 2008, defeated two-time returning U.S. World Team member Jeremiah Davis in two straight matches at 60 kilos. "I feel like I'm right there with the top guys in the world," said Betterman, who has won every international event he has entered this season except two. "I've beaten the top guys in the world in the Olympics, so I'm right there. I think this year is my year for a medal." Fisher made his second straight U.S. World Team at 74 kilos by avenging a loss from this year's U.S. Open finals to Ben Provisor. Fisher won the opening match in the best-of-three series finals, but Provisor came back to win the second match. The third and deciding match was a seesaw battle that went three periods before Fisher emerged with the hard-fought victory. "It just came down to a hard fight and me defending," said Fisher. "That's pretty much how I won. Ben's tough." Ruiz, a World bronze medalist in 2005 and seven-time U.S. Open champion registered two shutout victories over John Lorenz at 96 kilos to make his sixth U.S. World Team. So what does it mean to Ruiz to be back on the U.S. World Team? "It means another shot to go wrestle the world's best and it gives me a shot to qualify the weight class for the Olympic Games, so it's big, real big," said Ruiz. Four of the seven wrestlers on this year's U.S. World Team were a part of the team that won the world championship in Greco-Roman as a team in 2007. "I think we've got a great shot to make some waves at the World Championships," said Ruiz. In the women's freestyle competition, a pair of past World finalists, Clarissa Chun and Elena Pirozhkova, came out victorious on Saturday night. Chun, a 2008 World champion, dominated Alyssa Lampe in two straight matches to win the title at 48 kilos. Lampe defeated Chun a year ago to make the U.S. World Team. "I'm just so focused," said Chun, who battled injuries last year. "Every day in practice I make promises to myself. Those promises are for me. I just have a good group of people helping me." Pirozhkova, a returning World silver medalist, defeated Adeline Gray in two straight matches. "We know each pretty well," Pirozhkova said of Gray, who won the U.S. Open this year at 67 kilos. "We both train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs together. I know everything she does. She knows everything I do, basically, so it's just whoever brings it to the mat that day." Saturday Night Finals Results Men's Freestyle 55 kg: Nick Simmons (Sunkist Kids) def. Sam Hazewinkel (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 1 Hazewinkel dec. Simmons, 0-1, 3-1, 1-0 Simmons dec. Hazewinkel, 0-4, 3-3, 5-3 Simmons dec. Hazewinkel, 2-6, 8-1, 6-1 66 kg: Teyon Ware (Nittany Lion WC) def. Brent Metcalf (New York AC), 2 matches to 1 Ware dec. Metcalf, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1 Metcalf dec. Ware, 2-1, 0-6, 2-0 Ware dec. Metcalf, 2-0, 7-1 84 kg: Cael Sanderson (Nittany Lion WC) def. Jake Herbert (New York AC), 2 matches to 0 Sanderson dec. Herbert, 4-1, 2-0 Sanderson dec. Herbert, 5-2, 2-0 120 kg: Tervel Dlagnev (Sunkist Kids) def. Steve Mocco (New York AC), 2 matches to 1 Mocco dec. Dlagnev, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 Dlagnev dec. Mocco, 1-0, 3-0 Dlagnev dec. Mocco, 1-0, 1-0 Greco-Roman 60 kg: Joe Betterman (Sunkist Kids) def. Jeremiah Davis (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0 Betterman dec. Davis, 2-0, 0-6, 4-0 Betterman dec. Davis, 0-2, 3-0, 1-0 74 kg: Jake Fisher (New York AC) def. Ben Provisor (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 1 Fisher dec. Provisor, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 Provisor dec. Fisher, 1-0, 3-0 Fisher dec. Provisor, 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 96 kg: Justin Ruiz (New York AC) def. John Lorenz (U.S. Army), 2 matches to 0 Ruiz dec. Lorenz, 2-0, 1-0 Ruiz dec. Lorenz, 1-0, 2-0 Women's Freestyle 48 kg: Clarissa Chun (Sunkist Kids) def. Alyssa Lampe (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 0 Chun dec. Lampe, 6-0, 4-1 Chun dec. Lampe, 7-0, 7-1 63 kg: Elena Pirozhkova (Gator WC) def. Adeline Gray (New York AC), 2 matches to 0 Pirozhkova dec. Gray, 2-0, 1-0 Pirozhkova dec. Gray, 2-0, 1-0

The Upper Iowa University wrestling program was recently invited to participate in the 2006 Midlands Wrestling Championships. The 44th Championships will be held at Northwestern University's Welsh-Ryan Arena Dec. 29-30. The two-day event features top wrestling programs from across the country, including numerous NCAA Division I programs. The University of Illinois has won three consecutive team titles. "We are very excited to be a part of the most prestigious college wrestling tournament around," said UIU head coach Heath Grimm. "This will be a great competitive experience for our team's preparation for the National Championships in March." Grimm continued, "The Midlands Championships will provide our student-athletes with a lifelong memory. It is a special experience for everyone." Upper Iowa University, located in Fayette, is an NCAA Division II institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

Don Dickason, Cornell class of '59 passed away in the hospital July 17, 2006 following complications from a heart attack he suffered in April of this year. Don won the 167 pound title at the NCAA tournament in 1953, and also captured the EIWA crown that year. He was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987 and was a charter member of the Cornell Wrestling Hall of Distinguished Alumni that started in 2006. Don was one of Cornell's most loyal fans and he will be dearly missed. Don Dickason June 3, 1931-July 17, 2006 Our guests on this weeks TDR: Dan Gable -- Asst. Head Coach University of Iowa. Dateline Iowa City Iowa..... What's changed, what will change and how are the plans shaping up for a NEW Iowa Hawkeye program. Mario Mercado -- Former Wrestler, Wrestling Ambassador, World Traveler and founder of Double Sport Competition Apparel. Mario will share his view on wrestling around the world. He's been there and done that. Jason Bryant -- Writer and Editor of Intermatwrestle.com. Jason joins us to give us his unique viewpoints, memory pictures and will offer a wrap on Fargo, ND Eddie Goldman -- This venerable writer, editor, interviewer of all things boxing, wrestling MMA and more joins us for what I'm sure will be a memorable interview. There appears to be trouble in the world of MMA at least in the UFC camp. Top talent leaving the organization and going elsewhere? Eddie knows and will share his opinions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio –- The Ohio State wrestling team's home dual vs. Missouri Nov. 16th at St. John Arena will honor former multiple state high school wrestling champions for Ohio State High School Wrestling Night. Past title-holders will be congratulated at halftime by Gene Smith, Ohio State director of athletics. The match-up against the Tigers will be the Buckeyes' first home dual under the direction of first-year head coach Tom Ryan. "Loyal wrestling fans in the state of Ohio can catch the incredible history of Ohio wrestling," Ryan said. "We want to remember and recognize the great success and sacrifice so many individuals have made throughout the course of Ohio wrestling history."

The night started out with an exciting bang, as the Utah All-Stars won five straight matches, with Jeff McCormick of Kamas pulling out a quick fall against Austin Marsico in the 76-pound folkstyle match, and William Kilpack of Sandy, the youngest competitor in the field (starting 6th grade this fall) winning the 77-pound freestyle match by technical fall, gaining a 6-point lead in the first round (7-1) and winning the second round by technical fall by scoring two three-point throws. Brandon George of Layton and Carson Kuhn of West Jordan both won their matches in exciting fashion. George lost the first round of the 67-pound freestyle match with a score of 5-4, the came back in the second to win 5-4, then pulled it out in the third round, winning 9-2, to take the match. Kuhn lost the first round of the 90-pound freestyle match 5-2, then pulled out a tough 6-5 win in the second, then dominated in the third round, with a score of 8-1 to win the match. Colton Thorton of Kamas won the 84-pound folkstyle match by decision, with a score of 12-7. From then on out, it was all Ohio, winning every match from 102 lbs. through 130. The format for the dual was unusual, with the host team choosing the style for each match, freestyle or folkstyle. It made for an exciting night of wrestling with a lot of talent being showcased. Sportsmanship was also in the spotlight, with the athletes exchanging gifts during the introductions. For individual match results, go to www.UtahWrestling.org.

The University of the Cumberlands men's wrestling program held their annual State Champ Camp this past week. The camp started on Sunday July 16, 2006 and ended Thursday morning July 20, 2006. Head Patriot Coach Andy Medders, graduate assistant coach Matthew Ellis, and a few of the returning members of the Patriot wrestling team, helped put on a good intense camp. The camp kicked off Sunday afternoon once registration was over and the campers were settled in their dorm rooms. The campers reported to the Rollins Center where they were grouped in three different groups; beginner, intermediate, and advanced. With 43 campers attending the camp, the Patriot coaching staff had a little more time for one on one instruction. "This years camp size is a little small but not much different from last year," said Coach Medders. "This is my first year as the head coach so it will take time for our wrestling team to be noticed and the camp to grow." Each camper got a lot more for their money simply because the coaches were able to give that one on one attention for those that asked for it. From Monday up to Wednesday the campers had three sessions each day, with morning and afternoon session focusing on technique and instruction. The campers were taught varies moves and were paired up to work on what they had learned. The night session was for intense competition time. This was the time for the camper to put together everything they had learned and show what they had. Among other wrestling the camper was treated to different fun activities. The campers also got to experience other activities than just wrestling. One day they went to the water park and later that night they enjoyed a night at the movies. Coach Medders felt confident about the outcome of the camp and was proud to see many of his wrestlers coming helping out with the camp. "This year is going to be the year to make something happen and I am looking forward to seeing what happens and anticipate to have a much better year then last year," said Medders.

St. Cloud, MN -- The annual Husky Wrestling Best Ball Golf Tournament is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Wapicada Golf Course in Sauk Rapids, Minn. The event will begin at 11 a.m., and it will help support the wrestling program at St. Cloud State University. The cost for the outing is $75 per player, which includes greens fees, door prizes and championship awards. A post-tournament social is also scheduled for the day at a site to be determined. Individuals and businesses can also sponsor a hole at the outiing for $100 per hole. For more information about the Husky Wrestling Best Ball Golf Tournament, please call the St. Cloud State wrestling office at 320-308-2996. The SCSU wrestling program will open a new chapter in 2006-07, as Steve Costanzo begins his first season as head coach with the Huskies. An All-America wrestler at Nebraska-Omaha, Costanzo most recently served as head coach at Dana College, where he led that school to the NAIA national title in 2005-06.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- Dustin Hinschberger has been named the assistant wrestling coach and director of the fitness center at Coe College, announced Director of Athletics John Chandler. He will join Head Coach John Oostendorp's team for the 2006-2007 season. "We are very pleased to have Dustin joining our staff," said Chandler. "He will bring a great deal of knowledge and enthusiasm to our wrestling team." Hinschberger, a 2006 graduate of Wartburg College, has spent the past four years wrestling for the Knights. He earned All-American honors three times, winning the national title the last three years. He was also a three-time Iowa Conference champion at 141 pounds. Hinschberger was a member of four Iowa Conference championship teams at Wartburg. "We are very excited about having Dustin as part of our staff," said Oostendorp. "He will be a great addition to our program." Hinschberger, a native of Belle Plaine, Iowa, was a three-time state qualifier in high school, with three top-four finishes, including winning the 2002 state championship. He helped his team to a first-place finish at the 2001 state tournament and the 2001 state dual meet. Hinschberger has also helped with the Wartburg wrestling camps the last four years, as well as instructing a one-on-one technique camp for area youth. He was also a member of the Freestyle Junior National All-American team this past summer. "He has been a great competitor and the strong work ethic and intensity that he shows in his wrestling will carry over into this coaching," said Oostendorp. "He will be an excellent role model for our athletes."

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. –- In the tradition of the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge in men's basketball, the University of North Carolina will host the first annual ACC/Big Ten Clash, a six-team wrestling event scheduled for Nov. 18 at Carmichael Auditorium. Joining the host Tar Heels on the Atlantic Coast Conference side will be NC State and Virginia, while traditional powers Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin will represent the Big Ten Conference. Each team will wrestle the three schools from the opposing conference in a dual match format, and the league with the most victories will bring home the ACC/Big Ten Clash Cup. Fans will be able to watch simultaneous action on three mats. "We want to put on a good show and keep the event here," said UNC head assistant coach Glen Lanham. "We want to try to get our local high schools and local media out to create a fan-friendly event. If we can get enough people to come and watch some top-notch wrestling, the Clash could really take off and be huge." Local wrestling fans will be able to see some of the top teams in the country, as Northwestern (13th), Purdue (20th) and Wisconsin (21st) each posted top-25 finishes at the 2006 NCAA Championships. North Carolina (47th) and NC State (58th) also placed at nationals a year ago. A complete schedule for the event will be available at TarHeelBlue.com when finalized. Winners of back-to-back ACC titles, the Tar Heels should be poised for a strong 2006-07 season. Ten starters from last year's league championships return, including five NCAA qualifiers and a pair of ACC champions.

Kurt Angle -- Angle, had a career record of 116-10-2 at Clarion, won NCAA titles in 1990 and 1992 and was a runner-up in 1991. He went on to win a freestyle World Championship before claiming the Olympic Gold medal at 220 pounds at the Atlanta Games in 1996. Kerry McCoy- Stanford Cardinal Head Coach- a two-time Olympian, four-time World Cup Champion and three-time NCAA All-American, Penn State 1997 Stanford, Calif. -- Stanford head coach Kerry McCoy, who helped sophomore Tanner Gardner to All-America honors this past year, announced the Cardinal's 2006-07 schedule today. McCoy will begin his second season on The Farm next fall as he prepares the 2006-07 Cardinal squad for one of the most challenging schedules in program history. Stanford ended the 2005-06 season with a 8-7 record in dual matches and a seventh-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships. Next season, the Cardinal will wrestle in 18 duals and will travel to the most competitive tournaments in the country as Stanford prepares to vie for the conference title and earn multiple bids to the NCAA Championships. Stanford will begin its quest for the 2007 Pac-10 Championship with a challenging regular season schedule that includes four teams who finished last season ranked in the top-25. Stanford will face off against all nine Pac-10 opponents this season, helping the Cardinal prepare for the conference tournament, which will be held in Bakersfield next March. The Cardinal will jump right into its competitive schedule just one week after the intrasquad meet. Stanford will begin the season with wrestle-offs on Sat., Oct. 28 at noon, setting the stage for the first competition at the Avalon Duals in Edinboro, Pa., on Sunday, Nov. 4. The Cardinal is slated to take on Mercyhurst, Maryland and Edinboro - who ended the 2006 campaign with a No. 16 ranking. The Cardinal will then travel to Fargo, N.D. on Nov. 11 for the Bison Open before returning to the West for its first Pac-10 competition at Cal State Fullerton on Nov. 17, followed by the Cal Open on Sat., Nov. 18. The next weekend, Stanford will head to Fresno for the first-ever California Dual Meet Championship, where the lineup is yet to be determined. In December, Stanford will return to the Las Vegas Invitational and the Reno Tournament of Champions before making its first trip to Greensboro, N.C. for the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30. Joe McFarland -- Joe McFarland embarks on season eight as head coach for the University of Michigan wrestling program. Gary Abbott -- USA Wrestling will join us LIVE from the Jr. Nationals Gary always has a great insight as to what's going on and he'll join us with this perspective Rich Bender -- USA Wrestling will join us LIVE from the Jr. Nationals. Rich will join us to talk about Team USA and what we can expect from world competition in the near future.

BLACKSBURG -- Former NCAA All-American and Real Pro Wrestling champion Pat Cummins has been hired by the Virginia Tech Athletics Department, as announced Friday. Cummins will be an assistant coach with the Hokie wrestling program and completes head coach Kevin Dresser's coaching staff. Cummins will work with the upper weights. Cummins, who is still active in the competitive wrestling scene, comes to Blacksburg after working for the Wildcat Wrestling Club at Northwestern and the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club in State College, Pa. It was in the latter city that Cummins made his mark as a collegiate wrestler. "Tony and I are very excited to add Pat to our staff," Dresser said. "Obviously, his presence as a big man, as well as his athletic style of wrestling, is a great addition to our program. I have seen Pat as a teacher of wrestling and I was very impressed. I am excited to work with him." The Lancaster, Pa., native made the NCAA finals in 2004 and finished as a two-time All-American at Penn State University. He also served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for his alma mater after graduation. In the first season of RPW, Cummins scored one of the biggest upsets in the finals, beating top-seeded Tolly Thompson, 10-3, in the 264-pound championship match. In 2004, Cummins placed eighth at the Sunkist Open and made the Olympic Trials by qualifying out of the East Regional Olympic Qualifier. He placed fifth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials challenge tournament. Cummins placed fourth in the nation at heavyweight as a junior before taking runner-up honors his final season. He placed third at the Big Ten Tournament in 2003 and second in 2004. A three-year letterman (2002-04), he went 38-5 as a senior and 38-9 as a junior in 2003. The three-time national qualifier left PSU with a 108-37 career record. His 30 career pins still rank among the best in school history. Cummins graduated in 2004 from Penn State with a degree in fine arts. Dresser's complete staff includes associate head coach Tony Robie, Cummins and volunteer assistant Nathan Yetzer.

OREM, Utah -- KC Rock, a native of Morgan, Utah, has been hired as head assistant coach on the Utah Valley State wrestling staff, head coach Greg Williams announced on Friday. Rock returns to Utah after four seasons as an assistant on the University of Wyoming's wrestling staff, two years as an assistant at Boise State and a career on the mat at Ricks College and Boise State. "I'm excited about the energy KC brings," said Williams. "I've watched his growth as a wrestler and now as a coach and am impressed with his work ethic. He will compliment our staff well and we can use our strengths together to get this program to level we expect it to be at." "This is a great opportunity to return to my home state to coach," said Rock. "It's exciting to be here and to help this program reach the level it can." In 2002, Rock helped the Broncos to a Pac-10 Championship and a 19th place finish at the NCAA Tournament. Rock also helped coach 125-pound All-American Ben VomBauer to a 4th place finish at that tournament. While a wrestler at Boise State, Rock was a two-time National Qualifier. He was the Pac-10 Champion at 125-pounds in 2000 and was named the Pac-10 Tournament's Most Outstanding wrestler after pinning all four of his opponents, including top seed Michael Kawamura of Arizona State in the finals. Prior to his time at Boise State, Rock was an All-American at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. Rock prepped at Morgan High School in Morgan, Utah, where he was a three-time Utah State Champion and High School All-American while wrestling for his father, John. Rock earned degree in Kinesiology from Boise State in 2001. He and his wife, Darelyn, have three children; Keller, Emery and Amelia. Williams and Rock, along with returning assistant Gabe Vigil, will lead Utah Valley State into a new era this fall, when the Wolverines will join seven other schools in the inaugural season of the Western Wrestling Conference (WWC).

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser announced Thursday that Nathan Yetzer will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the Hokies' program. Yetzer follows new Tech associate head coach Tony Robie to Blacksburg from New York, where he was an assistant coach at Binghamton last year. Yetzer is a 2005 graduate of Edinboro University, where he served as captain for the nationally ranked Fighting Scots. A three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time team MVP, Yetzer was an All-American as a junior, placing eighth at 174 pounds after winning three matches at the national championship. "We're very excited to have Nate join the staff," Robie said. "He's had success at every level he's wrestled at and he knows what it takes for us to take Virginia Tech wrestling to the next level." As a senior, he went 36-7 at 165 pounds, including a 14-1 dual match record. Yetzer also successfully defended his titles at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) championships. He was named the PSAC Outstanding Wrestler. Yetzer was honored with the program's 4-D Award (Dedication, Desire, Determination, Discipline) and also was a recipient of an athletic and memorial scholarship at Edinboro. For his collegiate career, Yetzer was 103-33 overall. In high school, Yetzer was an Ohio state champion and senior national runner-up for Madison High. He holds school records for career wins, takedowns, technical falls and wins in a season. Yetzer received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Edinboro in May, 2005. He has worked four years at the Bruce Baumgartner World-Class Wrestling Camps in Edinboro and has also served as a coach for the Ohio Junior National Team.

Troy Letters, a 2006 graduate of Lehigh University and a 2004 NCAA wrestling champion, has been tabbed by new head wrestling coach Chris Ayres as an assistant coach for the Princeton wrestling program. "Troy is a great fit for Princeton wrestling," Ayres says. "He was successful in the classroom at Lehigh and was also able to achieve the ultimate accomplishment in college wrestling, a national title. Troy will be instrumental in helping current and future Princeton wrestlers excel both on and off the mats." Letters wrestled at the 165-pound level, winning EIWA titles all four years and competing in the NCAA Championships all four years. As a sophomore, Letters defeated Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State in the 2004 final, claiming the national title. That followed a second-place national finish as a freshman and preceeded a third-place finish as a junior. Those finishes made him an All-America three times. For his career, Letters posted an outstanding 115-9 record, including a 65-2 record in dual meets. "I am really excited to work with student-athletes at Princeton," says Letters. "I believe that success in one aspect of a student's life can bring success in everything he does. Hard work in the classroom as well as in the wrestling room go hand-in-hand." Letters, a native of Shaler, Pa., was a political science major at Lehigh.

Blair, NE -— For some wrestlers across the country, the summer time is a relaxation time, a long rest away from the mat. But for others, the summer is no different than the winter and in some cases, more competitive. For three Dana College incoming freshman, their summer has been a very busy and competitive one. During the summer, there are two major competitions at the Junior Level, the Junior National Duals and the Junior Nationals. This year, the Junior Duals were held on the campus of Oklahoma City University, a new program to the NAIA and an opponent of Dana College in 2006-07. Junior Nationals is held, as always in Fargo, ND in the Fargo Dome on the campus of North Dakota State University. For Donny Altman (Derby, KS), Eric Graham (Kansas City, MO), and Brian Graham (Kansas City, MO), these two competitions have always been a big part of their summers. These three young men will all be freshman next month as they arrive on the campus of Dana College to prepare for their inaugural college wrestling season. Highly recruited, these three athletes are all ranked in the top 20 in the country in their respective weight classes and are no strangers to competing a high level. To help prepare for Junior Duals and Junior Nationals, these athletes traveled to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO with their future Head Coach, Richard Fergola of Dana College. The future Vikings spent a week training with some of the best Juniors in the country as well as many of the University World Team members and the OTC coaching staff. "This training experience will definitely help prepare these guys for Fargo as well as what lies ahead for them in college," said Head Coach Richard Fergola. Junior Duals was held June 28-July 2. Brian and Eric Graham of Park Hill High School in Kansas City, MO are no strangers to team success. They have been on two state championship teams at Park Hill High School, but this was no state tournament. In Greco-Roman competition, Team Missouri claimed the national title by defeating Illinois 33-28. The Graham's were competing up a weight class than they normally do and didn't see action in every dual. In the finals against Illinois, Brian Graham secured a close victory over Illinois's Volodymyr Rozdolsky Dec 0-3,3-1,4-2. Both Grahams were major contributors to the national championship for Team Missouri. Eric Graham finished the Greco-Roman competition with a 3-0 record while brother Brian went 5-1. Altman, competing for Team Kansas was unable to bring home a team trophy, but was able to complete the competition with a 12-2 overall individual record in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle at 119 lbs which is a strong showing heading into Fargo. Junior Nationals is only a week away and these three future Viking wrestlers will be departing for their state's respective team camps. All three wrestlers have experienced much success in Fargo with Eric Graham placing twice, Brian Graham placing three times and Altman has placed five times with two of them being national titles. This trip to Fargo will be their final stage at the junior level before they begin their college wrestling careers at Dana College.

Discounted hotel rooms at the host hotel are now available for participants at the U.S. Beach National Championships and U.S. Sombo National Championships, set for Palm Beach County, Fla., August 19-20. The host hotel is the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort in Singer Island, Fla., which will also be the site for the U.S. Beach Nationals competition. The Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort is offering an exceptionally low rate of only $89.00 a night for those involved in the USA Wrestling events. Call (561) 848-3888 for room reservations before August 8th to receive this discounted rate. MAKE SURE TO ASK FOR THE USA WRESTLING RATE. The Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort is located at 3700 N. Ocean Drive in Singer Island. The hotel is within walking distance of the beach which will host the U.S. Beach National Championships, and is just five miles away from the venue for the U.S. Sombo National Championships. An official website for the events has been created with more information on the tournaments, as well as Palm Beach County at: http://www.palmbeachsports.com/Events/USA%20Wrestling/Untitled-2.html Athletes and coaches who need information on the events can download a PDF file for details on two national competitions. http://www.themat.com/eventfliers/2006/06BCSBNat.pdf These two events will serve as the qualifiers for the U.S. teams that will compete at the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sombo Championships, set for Antalya, Turkey, Oct. 27-29. There will also be age-group competitions provided in both tournaments. At the U.S. Beach National Championships, competition will be held in five age divisions: Schoolboy (Born 1992-93), Cadet (Born 1990-91), Elite (Born 1988-89), Open (Born 1998 or before) and Veterans (Born 1996 or before). Weight classes will be determined after weighins. Beach Wrestling was added as a new style of international wrestling, starting in 2005. Athletes compete on sand, in a style that features takedowns within a ring. Although there have been a number of beach wrestling events held in the USA, this will be the first official U.S. National Championships in the new sport. The U.S. Sombo Nationals will begin on Sunday morning, August 20 at 9:30 a.m. at the North Palm Beach Community Center and will continue until conclusion. There are two age divisions in the tournament: High School (Born 1988-91) and Open (1988 or before). The weight classes will be the seven international divisions on the Senior level: 55 kg/121 lbs., 60 kg/132 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs., 96 kg/211.5 lbs., 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Sombo is a style of jacket wrestling with submission holds originally developed in the former Soviet Union as a form of unarmed self-defense. It has similarities to judo and wrestling, and has been reinstated as an international style of wrestling this year. Sombo was included in international wrestling until the mid-1980s, when the international wrestling federation no longer recognized the sport.

High school national champion wrestler Anthony Robles of Mesa, Ariz. did not come away with the ESPY Award (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) for "Best Male Athlete With A Disability," but he considered himself a winner anyways. "This has been an amazing experience," Robles said. "Whether I won or lost, I knew I was experiencing something that not many people got to do. To be nominated was just an honor itself, and I am proud that I could represent my sport at this event." High school football player Bobby Martin, who was born with a condition called "congenital amputation" which left him with no legs, captured the award at the Kodak Theatre. Anthony Robles and Terrell OwensAlso nominated in the category was nordic skier Steve Cook, who won three medals at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. "Some people say I am an inspiration, but I look at those other athletes in my category and say the same about them," Robles said. ESPY Award winners are determined by online fan voting, which took place at www.espys.tv . Nominees are selected by a panel of ESPN staff and esteemed journalists. Robles' nomination marked the sixth consecutive year that a wrestler has been nominated for an ESPY Award. Throughout the week's events, Robles was paraded around Los Angeles and Hollywood hot spots with some of the most famous athletes in the world, including NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade, as well as former Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. He also visited the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he met with Jimmy Kimmel, an Arizona State graduate, and Dwayne Wade. "Meeting everyone was really cool. It was neat that a lot of the athletes said they had heard about me or read about me. I really didn't expect that," Robles said. Life will now calm for Robles, as he will wrestle at Arizona State Univ., a college wrestling powerhouse. He plans to study Business and aspires to someday become a sports agent or compete in mixed martial arts. Anthony Robles and Stuart ScottBorn with just one leg, 17 year-old Robles capped off an amazing career on March 26 by winning the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national title at 112 lbs. with a 9-1 victory in the finals in Pittsburgh, Pa. The NHSCA invites only seniors in high school who won state titles to its national meet. Robles became the first disabled wrestler to win a title at the NHSCA national championships. As a junior, Robles placed second in the NHSCA national championships for juniors. The win also finished off a perfect 53-0 senior season for him. For his four-year career, Robles posted a record of 131-15 and won two Arizona high school state titles for Mesa High School. He was also undefeated as a junior. Amazingly, Anthony never wrestled until his family moved from just outside of Los Angeles to Mesa before his freshman year. "I think God gave me a gift by only giving me one leg," Robles said after winning his national title. "Other people may not see it that way, but I do." The ESPY Awards, created by ESPN in 1993, were held at famous the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. The show will be televised by ESPN on Sunday, July 16. Past wrestling ESPY winners include Kyle Maynard in 2004 for "Best Athlete with a Disability," Cael Sanderson in 2002 for "Best Male College Athlete" and Rulon Gardner in 2001 for "Male USA Olympic Athlete."

This week the TDR Mics take their annual trip to Newton Iowa for the induction Ceremonies into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Hall of fame. The Pro Hall of Fame is located at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa. The Pro wing is thought to be one of the most inclusive and far reaching collections of professional wrestling artifacts in existence today. The collection covers decades of history that otherwise may be long forgotten. Potential candidates are eligible for consideration only if they had an amateur background. Most of this years inductee's had stellar national and international amateur careers. The headliner at this years inductions is Bret "The Hitman" Hart. This Canadian saw his star rise professionally in Vince McMahon's then WWF. Prior to his years in Stamford Connecticut Hart cut his pro teeth in his fathers Calgary Alberta Canada organization called Stampede Wrestling. Well know for his wrestling abilities, Stu Hart, the patriarch of the large Hart Clan that included 4 wrestling boys was also one of the sports greatest teachers. The senior Hart lent credibility to his pro wrestling moves by incorporating amateur techniques. Bret Hart and his brothers all competed in youth wrestling tournaments and Bret went on to win the Calgary City Championship and the Alberta Collegiate Championship. The inductions and following banquet are nearing sold out status. This is the final year for the museum in Newton as it will be moving during the traditional wrestling season. Talk about wrestling with the past. My hat is off to Mike and Bev Chapman, Kyle Klingman, The Board of Directors of the Museum. You all are just great! Also a big thanks to Scott McLin for doing all you do with such great passion and emotion. This weeks TDR is scheduled for 9 AM CST to 11 CST

New Dana College Head Coach Richard Fergola, who has been the head assistant coach for the Vikings the past two seasons and helped lead the Vikings to the 2006 NAIA National Duals title as well as the 2006 NAIA National Championship, announced the Vikings' 2006-07 schedule today. Fergola will begin his third season with the Viking wrestling program and first year at the helm. The 2005-06 Vikings finished the season 18-1-1 in dual matches and a first place finish at National Duals, the GPAC Conference, Central Regionals and the NAIA National tournament. The Vikings lone loss was to Cal Poly who at that time was ranked No. 18 in the Division 1 rankings. The single tie was to Oregon State who was ranked third in the PAC 10 and eventually beat Cal Poly a week later in dual action. In 2006-07, the Vikings have 10 duals scheduled, not including the National Duals where they will try to defend their 2006 crown. The Vikings will vie for their fifth Great Plains Athletic Conference championship and region title as well as another national championship. Dana College will begin the season as always at the Daktronics Open at South Dakota State University on Nov. 4. In the past, the Vikings have traveled to the always tough Central Missouri State Open in Warrensburg, but this year have added the Harold Nichols Open in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to the schedule in its place on Nov. 11. The Vikings' dual season will begin at home in the Gardner-Hawks Center on Nov. 17 when the Stars of Oklahoma City and Northwestern College come to town for a double dual. Oklahoma City is in its first season in the NAIA and will be a good test for the defending national champs. Following the double dual, the Vikings will go in their own backyard and attend one of the nation's most premiere opens, the Kaufman-Brand Open at the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 18. The Kaufman-Brand Open features almost every top Division I team in the country with two age divisions, 21 & over and 20 & under. In December, the Vikings will start out the month at the Simpson Invitational in Indianola, Iowa, on Dec. 2. This tournament will feature some of Division II and III's top teams. Then, on Dec. 8, the Vikings will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to take on another new team to the NAIA, the University of Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls is a GPAC and North Central Region member as well. Following the Sioux Falls dual will be the University of Nebraska-Kearney Loper Open on Dec. 9. Ending out December will be two more GPAC and North Central region foes both out of Sioux City, Iowa. Coming to Gardner-Hawks Center on Dec. 15 will be Briar Cliff University and on Saturday, Dec. 16 are the Morningside Mustangs. The Vikings will start out the new year by playing host to the annual Dana College Open on Jan. 6. The Dana Open is also Parents' Day for all Dana College wrestlers. Following the Dana Open, the Vikings will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the NWCA/NAIA Cliff Keen National Duals on Jan. 13-14. In 2006, the Vikings were the third seed among 16 of the top NAIA schools and walked away with the school's first ever national championship by defeating the University of Cumberlands, 22-13, in the final. After the National Duals, the Vikings will host Division II Northern State University in Gardner-Hawks Center on Jan. 17. On Jan. 20, the Vikings will travel to Orange City, Iowa, where they will compete in the annual Northwestern College Red Raider Invitational. The Vikings have claimed the championship here the past two seasons, most recently defeating nine-time Division III national champion, Augsburg College. To finish out the month of January, the Vikings will host the two biggest duals of the season. Highlighting the 2006-07 schedule will be Jan. 27 in the Gardner-Hawks Center when the NAIA National Champions, Dana College, will host the three-time NCAA Division II National Champion, the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Following the dual with UNO, the Vikings will host Augustana College four days later on Jan. 31. Augustana finished 7th in 2006 and 2nd in 2005 in NCAA Division II. In 2006, Dana defeated Augustana in Sioux Falls, 20-17. February will begin with the Vikings finishing out their dual season with Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D., on Feb. 2 and Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., on Feb. 7. Dana College defeated Missouri Valley twice in 2006. The Vikings will be looking to claim their fifth consecutive GPAC Conference championship in Mitchell, S.D., on Feb. 10 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The 2006 Vikings claimed eight individual champions. The NAIA regions were realigned and the Vikings are now part of the North Central region comprised of Briar Cliff University, Dakota Wesleyan University, Dickinson State, Northwestern College, University of Sioux Falls, Morningside College, and Jamestown College. The Vikings will travel to Dickinson State in Dickinson, N.D., on Saturday, Feb. 17 to look for their fifth regional title. The Vikings will close out their 2006-07 campaign with the 50th Annual NAIA National Championships at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on March 2-3.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -– Lehigh head wrestling coach Greg Strobel has announced Timothy Dernlan and Jon Trenge as his program's new assistant coaches for the 2006-07 season. Dernlan and Trenge will become key components in the program as they will look to fill the void left by former coaches and Lehigh grads, Chris Ayres '99 and Jason Kutz '96 who will take on head coaching positions at Princeton University and East Stroudsburg University respectively. "I'm pleased that our nationwide search netted us two prime candidates," said Strobel, the 2006 EIWA Coach of the Year. "Tim Dernlan has eight years of coaching experience and will fill our need for a lightweight coach, while Jon Trenge continues our tradition of bringing up someone from within and is also going to do a fine job for Lehigh. Jon TrengeTrenge is no stranger to the Lehigh mats; this three-time Mountain Hawk team captain and school career leader in wins returns to Lehigh as a coach after graduating in 2005 with a degree in environmental science. Trenge, an Academic All-American, as well as a three-time EIWA Champion and All-American has had wrestling experience beyond his incredible Lehigh career. In the 2003-04 season Trenge took an Olympic deferral year in order to train for the United States team where he finished fourth in the 211 lb. weight class at the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, Ind. Trenge's Olympic experience and outstanding Lehigh undergrad career has firmly secured him as one of the great wrestlers to come through the program. Trenge will kick off his collegiate coaching career after acting as assistant coach at Brandywine Heights (Pa.) High School in 2006. "I'm glad to be able to give back to a program that helped me grow and mature so much as a person during my time there," Trenge said. "I'm excited to be at Lehigh and to see what we can accomplish in the coming years." Timothy DernlanDernlan graduated from Purdue University in 1998 where he was named an All-American and two time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Dernlan's list of accomplishments also includes placing in eight national competitions including the National World Team Trials where he took fourth in 2001 and 2002 and fifth in 1999 and 2003. Some of his most recent victories include a first place finish at the USA Wrestling South Regional Olympic Qualifier in 2000, and the USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championship in 2002. Dernlan, a former assistant coach at Purdue University (1998-1999) and Club Coach at Ohio State University (1999-2000), arrives at Lehigh from Penn State University where he acted as an assistant coach for two years prior to being appointed to Director of Operations in 2005. Dernlan received his bachelors in communications from Purdue in 1998 and a degree in secondary education in 1999. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with the student-athletes here and to join one of the best coaching staffs in the country," Dernlan explained. "It's exciting to be part of one of the most storied wrestling programs in America." Dernlan will provide an outside perspective and style for the Mountain Hawks while Trenge will fill the "homegrown" role that Coach Strobel feels is important to the success of his program. The team will look to capture another EIWA championship and improve their ninth place national ranking with seven returning NCAA qualifiers as well as with the number one ranked recruiting class in the nation.