InterMat Staff

TEMPE, Ariz. -- National high school champion Anthony Robles and two-time California runner-up Chris Drouin have signed National Letters of Intent to become student-athletes at Arizona State University this fall, Sun Devil Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Monday. The duo will begin their education programs and competition regiments with the Sun Devil wrestling program in time for the upcoming 2006-07 season. "I am excited to have Anthony and Chris as part of our program," Ortiz said. "Both of these young men have done well at the high school level and I feel both will have a bright future with Arizona State. Anthony has overcome so much and worked hard to become not only a state champion, but a national champion as well. Chris excelled with a fairly new high school program and advanced all the way to the state finals twice, showing he has what it takes to compete. Both of these men bring impressive credentials with them to campus and I look forward to their contributions to helping the continued resurgence of our wrestling program." Robles is a local talent that comes to Tempe by way of nearby Mesa High School where he competed for the Jackrabbits for four years. Born with one leg, Robles captured national attention as he went undefeated over his last two years of competition, building a 96-0 record and winning the Arizona 5A state championship in each season. Following his senior campaign, Robles was invited to the NHSCA Senior National Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa., where he won the 112 pound weight class in the tournament. The Outstanding Wrestler of the state 5A meet each of the last two years, Robles built a 131-15 career record. As a junior, he won the 103 weight class and ran wild through the state bracket, winning three bouts by fall, one by a 17-0 technical fall and the finals bout in a 13-0 major decision. As a senior, Robles wasted little time in winning his second crown as he pinned all four opponents. For his efforts, he was named the Arizona Republic Wrestler of the Year and the Mesa Republic Male Athlete of the Year. Drouin also had an impressive prep career as he was a two-time California state runner-up for the Pumas of Chaparral High School in Temecula, Calif. The second-ranked wrestler in the state at 135 pounds, Drouin compiled a 51-2 record in his junior season before going 46-2 as a senior. Both years, he won the CIF Southern Section and CIF SS Masters tournaments to earn a berth into the state meet. A member of the Los Angeles Times All-Star Team in 2006 and The Californian 2005 and 2006 All-Valley Wrestler of the Year, Drouin became the first wrestler from CHS to advance to the finals of the state meet in the eight-year history of the school as he made the finals as a junior. Robles and Drouin will join Randel Aleman (Las Vegas, Nev.), David Green (Oviedo, Fla.), Shawn Jones (Snake River, Idaho), Kenny Lester (Oviedo, Fla.) and Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.) as the class of recruits headed to Tempe. Prior to the signing of Robles and Drouin, national wrestling publication Intermat had the Sun Devils' incoming class ranked as the seventh-best in the nation this year. Incoming Recruits for 2006-07 Academic Season: Randel Aleman (Las Vegas, Nev.) Chris Drouin (Temecula, Calif.) David Green (Oviedo, Fla.) Shawn Jones (Snake River, Idaho) Kenny Lester (Oviedo, Fla.) Anthony Robles (Mesa, Ariz.) Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.)

AMES, Iowa -- NCAA champion and Big 12 Conference's Most Outstanding Wrestler Nate Gallick was named Iowa State's 2006 Male Athlete of the Year, announced today by the ISU athletics department. Gallick, a senior from Tucson, Ariz., produced one of the best individual seasons in ISU's storied wrestling program in 2005-06. The 141-pounder capped off the year by going undefeated (35-0) en route to the 2006 national title. Gallick was the marked man at 141 pounds during the year, earning the top spot at his weight class in the preseason rankings. He defeated all contenders, beginning the year by capturing his second Midlands title. He later became just the 11th wrestler in ISU history to win three conference titles, earning Most Outstanding Wrestling Award honors at the 2006 Big 12 Championship. His top competition came from Oklahoma's Teyon Ware, who defeated Gallick in the finals of the 2005 141-pound NCAA Championship. Gallick got revenge against Ware on all four occasions in 2005-06, defeating his nemesis in the finals of the NWCA All-Star meet (4-1), Big 12 Championship (5-3) and the NCAA Championship (3-2). The three-time All-American ended his career with a 106-23 record. *Janet Anson, a junior gymnast, was named Iowa State's 2006 Female Athlete of the Year.

FRESNO, Calif. -- Fresno State Athletics Director Thomas Boeh announced today that effective July 1, 2006, the university will discontinue the intercollegiate wrestling program and reinstate the men's cross country program. The action is taken as a cost-reduction measure and a significant component of a long-range strategic plan for Fresno State athletics, Boeh said. "Fresno State is committed to success within the Western Athletic Conference as well as the provision of the very best student-athlete experience possible for all our sponsored programs, Boeh said. "There is strong desire on the part of the university and its constituents to have Fresno State advance to a level of national prominence and compete consistently among the nation's best. Unfortunately, the rapidly rising costs associated with an NCAA Division I-A athletics program have caused many institutions around the country with similar aspirations to re-evaluate their sports programming. Here at Fresno State, we found our department in the same position," said Boeh. In 2005-06, the average NCAA Division I-A athletics department budget was $32.3 million, compared to Fresno State's $22 million. "Given today's industry standards, it is very clear that to remain a sustainable I-A program we need to find more efficiencies," Boeh said. "This adjustment will enable us to direct an adequate amount of resources, in the form of money, facilities, support services and staff, toward the support and advancement of all of our student-athletes." Scholarship offers to returning student-athletes and incoming freshmen who have signed letters of intent will be honored until they have completed four years of school at Fresno State or transfer to other institutions. Affected student-athletes will continue to have full use of training and academic facilities and may compete individually if they choose. The contract for head wrestling coach Shawn Charles will be honored until June 30, 2007. He will be reassigned within the Department of Athletics in the coming academic year. The announced change means the restoration of men's cross country after a three-year absence from Fresno State. This action is intended to help advance the men's track and field program, which has been operating at a significant disadvantage since the discontinuance of men's cross country in fall 2003. Boeh said the program will greatly help the men's track and field program return to conference championship level. The men's cross country program will require no additional scholarships and will carry a roster of 10-12 student-athletes. Boeh said among the considerations that led to the decision to discontinue wrestling were: -- An anticipated net annual financial savings of $350,000-$400,000 (not likely to be fully realized until 2008), which will help the long-term financial stability of the athletics program. -- Wrestling is not a sponsored sport with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and is not a broad-based NCAA championship sport. -- The lack of a dedicated wrestling practice facility, locker room and cost-efficient and reasonable competitive venue. -- Wrestling carries a roster of approximately 34 student-athletes and does not have a comparative women's program. -- The recent low level of academic achievement by the wrestling program's student athletes.

MADISON, Wis. -- Former two-time NCAA champion Donny Pritzlaff has joined the Wisconsin wrestling program as an assistant coach, head coach Barry Davis announced Thursday. Pritzlaff will join Davis and current assistant coaches Bart Chelesvig and Cory Wallman. "I'm very glad to have Donny back with Wisconsin wrestling," Davis said. "He brings intensity and a strong work ethic to the program as well as world-level experience." Donny PritzlaffPritzlaff, a 2002 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, continues to wrestle at the national and international levels. Less than three weeks ago, Pritzlaff won the 74 kg weight class at the World Team Trials to earn the right to represent the United States at the World Championships in China in late September. The Lyndhurst, N.J., native is excited to come back to the place where he won two NCAA titles and three Big Ten championships. "I'm thrilled to be involved with the Wisconsin wrestling program again because it is an exciting program with a lot of energy," Pritzlaff said. Pritzlaff's familiarity with the program and his status as one of the best current wrestlers in the world will both help him be an effective coach for the Badgers. "I know a lot about the university and the athletic department from my time here," Pritzlaff added. "Also, as a current wrestler, I'm at the forefront of the sport and am up on the latest techniques, which I can pass on to our athletes." Pritzlaff is the latest in a string of former Badgers to return to Madison to work with Wisconsin wrestling. Two-time NCAA All-American and Big Ten champion Tom Clum was recently named the USA Wisconsin Wrestling Club coach by the National Office of USA Wrestling. Ed Gutnik and Kelly Flaherty joined Clum on the Wisconsin Wrestling Club staff, Gutnik as an assistant coach and Flaherty as the strength coach. Tony Black, who served as a volunteer assistant coach for the Badgers for the past two years, will be the new Wisconsin Wrestling Club administrator. The presence of Pritzlaff, Clum and Gutnik will offer UW wrestlers a chance to practice, wrestle and drill with top talent to improve their skills. It will also surround current wrestlers with the history and tradition of the program. "Having these guys come back says a lot about the program because they want to make a commitment to the future of Wisconsin wrestling," Davis said. "They have all been through exactly the same things that our athletes are growing through. They will help the program go to the next level." Donny Pritzlaff was a three-time Big Ten champion (1999-2001), a two-time NCAA champion (2000 and 2001) and a four-time All-American at the 165 weight class. His career winning percentage of .894 (135 wins, 16 losses) stands as the second best in program history while his 135 career wins ranks fourth. Since completing his eligibility in 2001, Pritzlaff has stayed involved in the wrestling community. While helping the Badgers as a volunteer coach in 2001-02, Pritzlaff was able to train and complete his undergraduate degree, which he did in 2002. Following graduation, Pritzlaff accepted a position to become an assistant coach at Hofstra University. He has continued to train and wrestle competitively while building coaching experience and hopes to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) will represent the United States next week at the seventh World University Wrestling Championships in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Herbert will weigh in June 19 in the 84 kilo (185 pound) weight class and will wrestle on June 20. For more information on the biennial event, visit the World University Wrestling Championships official Web site. "I am really excited to be representing Northwestern and the United States at this World Championship," Herbert said. "This is my first shot to prove to everyone that I am the best in the world. I have trained for 21 years for this competition and I know I am ready." Herbert is coming off one of the best seasons in Northwestern history, putting together a perfect 36-0 record before falling in the NCAA finals.

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second year in a row, Augsburg College wrestler Ryan Valek (Sr., Belle Plaine, Minn./Scott West) was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Men's At-Large Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), it was announced on Tuesday. A third-team selection last year, Valek was one of 15 student-athletes named to the first team this year. A total of 48 male student-athletes were named to the three Academic All-America teams. A three-time All-American wrestler for the Auggies, Valek repeated his individual national runner-up finish at 165 pounds in the 2005-06 season, finishing 41-4. His lone losses on the season came to a defending Division I All-American, the 2006 Division II national champion and the 2006 Division III national champion. Valek had a 28-match winning streak during the season. Valek also finished second nationally in 2004-05 with a 34-7 record, while finishing seventh nationally in 2003-04 with a 38-10 record. He finished his career with a 133-39 record, accumulating 39 pins, four technical falls and 20 major decisions, and was a part of Auggie teams that won a national title in 2004-05, while finishing second twice (2002-03, 2003-04) and third this season. Academically, Valek is an accounting major with a 3.74 grade-point average. He earned National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Scholar All-America honors in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and was named an Augsburg Senior Honor Athlete (the highest honor Augsburg gives senior student-athletes) in 2006. Valek was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V first team for the second year in a row in May. Since 1981, Augsburg student-athletes have earned 18 Academic All-America honors from CoSIDA, including seven first-team selections. Valek is the fourth Auggie to ever earn two Academic All-America honors, joining Josh Cagle (wrestling, 1999-2000), Scott Hvistendahl (football, 1997-98) and Karen Sterner (women's track and field, 1986-87). The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America program is administered by CoSIDA. Top student-athletes from non-Division I programs, who have already earned Academic All-District first-team honors, are eligible for inclusion on the team. Student-athletes must have a grade-point average above 3.20 (4.0 scale) and have outstanding athletic credentials. The Academic All-America ballot is voted on by a committee of CoSIDA members. The men's at-large team awards student-athletes in 12 sports -- golf, rifle, volleyball, gymnastics, skiing, water polo, fencing, ice hockey, swimming, wrestling, lacrosse and tennis. From other Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schools, joining Valek on the first team were Gustavus Adolphus senior tennis player Roy Bryan, and St. John's senior hockey player Adam Hanna. St. Cloud State senior tennis player Tony Larson was also named to the first team in the College Division. In the University Division (Division I schools), Minnesota senior swimmer Travis Beckerle was named to the first team, along with Minnesota State Mankato junior hockey player David Backes.

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. The Cardinal will kick off the new year and the beginning of the dual season by hosting the Stanford Duals on Jan. 5, with where they will compete against Columbia, Lehigh and UC Davis. Stanford will then host San Francisco State and Fresno State on consecutive weekends before diving into the conference season, where the Cardinal will take on Cal State Bakersfield, Oregon, Cal Poly, Arizona State, Boise State, Oregon State, and Portland State. For extra experience, individuals and redshirts may also attend the Eastern Michigan Open on Nov. 4, the Central Missouri State Open or the Cowboy Open on Nov. 12, Midlands at the end of December and the Central Missouri Denker Open on Jan. 20. On Feb. 24-25, the Cardinal will compete at the Pac-10 Championships in Bakersfield before closing out the season at the NCAA Championships on March 15-17 in Detroit, Mich.

This interview was published with permission of OhioWrestlingSite.com, the premier source for Ohio wrestling information. He failed to place at Junior Nationals in high school. Though he was a three-time NCAA All-American, his highest NCAA finish was fourth place. He finished a disappointing seventh place at NCAAs his senior year. Though always well-respected, his name is seldom mentioned in a discussion of the greatest wrestlers to come out of Ohio in the past decade. And yet, while many much more celebrated wrestlers have long since hung up their shoes, Andy Hrovat will soon became the first Ohio wrestler to represent the United States in World or Olympic freestyle competition in almost a decade. Andy Hrovat (Photo/John Sachs)Along the way, the former Lakewood St. Edward's grappler sent shockwaves through the U.S. wrestling community by pinning Mo Lawal, believed by many to be the best wrestler this country has regardless of weight. Never the strongest, the fastest, or the flashiest of competitors, Hrovat is a true testament of what can be accomplished by ordinary athletes with extraordinary commitment to not only training hard, but learning as much as possible. OhioWrestlingSite.com had the opportunity to speak with Hrovat about his recent accomplishment and upcoming challenges. Ohio Wrestling Site: I'd like to talk first about your big win over Mo Lawal. Lawal just beat the defending world champion and many consider him to be the best pound-for-pound wrestler in the U.S. What was your strategy going into the match? Hrovat: My strategy was, first of all, I didn't want to let him control my wrist. He considers himself the best wrestler off a wrist tie in the world, that's where he gets a lot of his shots. He pulls the wrist, gets you stepping and heavy footed … I do a good job of keeping my right hand back. My plan was, once he reached for the wrist, to front headlock him with my opposite hand. I did that, and once I did that he started to freak out, and started backing out, I just kept it in the middle of the mat, and didn't veer from my strategy. Ohio Wrestling Site: Can you tell us about the flurry of action leading up to the pin in the Lawal match? Hrovat: When I was scouting him, I noticed he wrestles a lot off his knees- he's real explosive off his knees- he can re-shoot into you from that position. I just kept his head trapped, I had a front body lock, I was over both arms. I was just trying to hold it and wait, trying to expose him … but he ducked, he put himself in a bad position … I just drove into him, and put him right to his back and held him. Ohio Wrestling Site: Your senior year you probably entered as a co-favorite along with Victor Sveda and Damion Hahn, yet placed a disappointing seventh -- while a wrestler you had defeated numerous times, Rob Rohn, claimed the NCAA title. Did you consider retiring from the sport at that point? Hrovat: Absolutely not. I always had goals of wrestling after college. What happened in college was a learning experience for me, and I wasn't gonna quit just yet! Ohio Wrestling Site: I'd like to talk about your training situation. Unlike high school and college wrestlers, wrestlers training for international competition have to structure their own training. How does a typical day of training look for you? Hrovat: I actually have a coach who structures everything for me … that being Sean Bormet. I sit down before every competition, and we put together a plan, he breaks down my conditioning, my agilities, what I should be doing at each practice, he plans my lifting. Ohio Wrestling Site: Who are your main training partners then? Hrovat: The past month I've been training with Kevin Vogel, who is the volunteer assistant coach, he's really good to work with for me because he wrestled Greco, so he's really good with front headlocks and gut wrenches. The other two guys I've been training with are Kirk Trost and Greg Wagner -- two heavyweights, I like working out with them because they give me a different look, it's slower, but I can't rely on power … it's just a different feel and a different look. The other two guys I've been training with are Donny Pritzlaff and Clint Wattenberg in Chicago. Ohio Wrestling Site: You've been training with Wattenberg? (Wattenberg was the wrestler Hrovat defeated in the finals of World Team Trials). Hrovat: Yes, the three of us went to Naperville, IL and Sean (Bormet) had a camp before the Trials. Jake Herbert and Mike Tamillow from Northwestern were also there. Ohio Wrestling Site: I understand that you nearly defeated Cael Sanderson in a tournament in 2004. I am stunned when I see Sanderson merely get scored upon. What can you tell us about that match? Hrovat: That was actually my first tournament up at 185. It was at the Manitoba Open, he came out, he scored the first four points, then I scored the next six points and was winning 6-4 with about :20 left. I got him in a front body lock, tilted him for two, I think I got a couple shots on him, maybe turned him once, I can't remember everything … late in the match I tried to throw him, he countered and put me right to my back and pinned me. Ohio Wrestling Site: Andy, besides Mo Lawal, you've wrestled the following World or Olympic Champions: Cael Sanderson, Yoel Romero of Cuba, and Sazhid Sazhidov of Russia. Who do you view as the toughest wrestler of this group and how would you compare their styles? Hrovat: The toughest is Cael. You can't scout him, he does everything so well. He can counter, good short offense, great shots. He never loses his cool in a match. The most athletic was Romero, by far. He's so fast and strong. With Sazhidov, he's hard to wrestle, he did some weird things, like arm drags to opposite-side high-crotch. Andy Hrovat (Photo/John Sachs)Ohio Wrestling Site: Andy, you placed a very respectable 4th at HS Nationals but never placed at Junior Nationals in high school. Though you achieved NCAA All-American status three times in college, your highest placement was fourth. Now, you're No. 1 on a much higher level. Has it sunk in yet? Hrovat: No, it hasn't sunk in it at all. You know, I really don't want it to sink in. I prepare for every competition the same … if I start to put it on a pedestal I might start thinking differently when I'm training. Ohio Wrestling Site: Clearly you have moved to a much higher level since college, what do you think the difference has been? Hrovat: Everything started coming together … I've been picking up things here and there, working with a lot of different people. I worked with Sean Bormet and Tony Robie in college, but then after college I spent a lot of time at the Olympic Training Center for the first your years, I worked out with Cael before he went to the Olympics, I worked out with Charles Burton before he went to the 2000 Olympics … Lincoln McIlravy, I worked out with him for a while, Kevin Jackson, Lou Rosselli. Brandon Slay, he taught me my gut wrench. I've picking those guys' brains for years, and that knowledge is finally coming together, and helped me develop my match strategy. It finally came together this year. Ohio Wrestling Site: Your finals series at World Team Trials was against Clint Wattenberg. Wattenberg defeated you at NCAAs your senior year. What were you thinking going into that match, did the loss at NCAAs give you extra incentive? Hrovat: No … I haven't thought about NCAAs since they ended. I moved on and started thinking about freestyle. Before the match, I did think about the fact that I hadn't beaten him in a long time -- he tells me that I did beat him at the Cadet World Team Trials when were 15 years old, but I don't even remember that. Not only had he beaten me in college, but he had beaten me several times since in freestyle at the U.S. Open. But every match he had beaten me in came down to the last ten seconds … so that right there gave me extra incentive, not to put myself in a position to lose in the last few seconds. Ohio Wrestling Site: Since college, you have competed as low as 163, yet found much more success at the 185-pound class. What do you think has made you more successful at the higher weight? Hrovat: When I was in college, I was a real small 184. I would leave practice probably five pounds under weight. I just didn't really want to cut weight. After college, I just started growing, and my muscles were maturing, it just got real hard for me to get down to 163. I'm still a real small 84-kilogram (185-pound) guy, but I always pride myself on being strong. If you're strong, you can compete at any weight. Ohio Wrestling Site: With all due respect, in many ways you are not as physically imposing as some of the beasts that compete internationally at 185 lbs, guys like the Yoel Romero. Clearly you have compensated for this with other attributes. What do you think has separated you from so many others? Hrovat: I study the sport … you have to be smart. I treat it like a chess match. One time a guy may beat me, but I come back the next time with something new and surprise him. It's a war out there, you can't expect to do the same thing over and over again and be successful. I've always changed and added to my style. I remember Tadaaki Hatta came up to me after NCAAs my sophomore year, when I didn't place, and said "People scout you, people know what you do. If you're not constantly changing, they will get an advantage". I've tried to be constantly adapting. Ohio Wrestling Site: Speaking of Coach Hatta, you competed for national power Lakewood St. Edward's in high school, how much of an impact did that have on your career? Hrovat: Being in a program like that in high school, and having those expectations of success, it taught you how to handle those situations, big matches. Andy Hrovat (Photo/John Sachs)Ohio Wrestling Site: From there you went to Michigan, along with Mike Kulczycki, and you were soon followed by St. Ed's "blue-chippers" Ryan Bertin and Mark Moos. How much of a role did you have in them ending up there? Hrovat: (Laughs): I wish I could say I had huge role, but Bertin, he's a real smart kid, and he chose Michigan for the academics as well as the wrestling. But yeah, you could say I opened the door for those guys to come. Ohio Wrestling Site: Well, it's worked out well, as the above group has accounted for a total of eight All-American finishes so far. Hrovat: Yea, well hopefully we can keep it going. Ohio Wrestling Site: Now I have a tough question for you … what individual do you think has had the biggest impact on your wrestling success? Hrovat: (Pauses): That is a tough one. Recently, I would have to say it's Sean Bormet. After college, I was just kind of going around, without guidance, and he took me under his wing, taught me how to train and prepare for the matches. That's the biggest reason I was able to do what I did last weekend. Ohio Wrestling Site: Finally, what advice do you have for young wrestlers who want to get where you are? Hrovat: I would just tell them to have fun and enjoy what you do. I've been wrestling since I was 5 -- 21 years I've been enjoying wrestling, and that's all I've ever wanted to do. Have the passion for it, and continue to have fun with it. High school kids have to drive themselves and should want to become the best, but at the same time, you shouldn't put too much stress on yourself to go out and win everything … you should always go out and have fun. Ohio Wrestling Site: Sounds like a great outlook. Andy, thanks for the interview and on behalf of all of Ohio, good luck in China! Hrovat: Thank you.

Frank Santana joins Steve and I this Saturday as we go on location to Champion's Wrestling School where Cael Sanderson and Mike Land will conduct a clinic with athletes and parents. Our Guests on the Live line include: Stanford Head Coach Kerry McCoy -- Stanford Cardinal Head Coach Kerry McCoy, a leading example of our current crop of fine young coaches New Air Force Head Coach Joel Sharrett -- Joel is set to take over this high flying program on the heels of a legend, Wayne Baughman. Exactly what did he learn from Coach Burnett? West Point Head Coach (US Military Academy) Chuck Barbee -- What does the future hold for the Black Knights/Cadets? Olivet Head Coach Todd Hibbs -- This will be our first visit with 2nd year Head Coach Todd Hibbs. Todd has done a remarkable job with this program that was slated for the cutting room floor. Cael Sanderson -- This will be the first appearance for Coach Sanderson since he accepted the position at ISU. Mike Land -- This NCAA champion of the 70's still has it goin on and Frank Santana's got him back on the mat teaching America's youth the finer points of life and wrestling!

Terrence J. McCann, an Olympic Gold Medal winner in freestyle wrestling and a leader in the sport of wrestling, died June 7. McCann helped found a new national governing body for the sport, the United States Wrestling Federation (now called USA Wrestling) and is credited with the United States' increasing involvement in the international wrestling scene. He spent four years as president of USA Wrestling and six years on the board of FILA, the international governing body of wrestling. In addition, he served for many years in various capacities on the United States Olympic Committee. "Terry was a tremendous wrestler as well as a leader within wrestling and the Olympic family," said Jim Scherr, CEO of the U.S. Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs. "His tenure as president (of USA Wrestling) marked a time of significant progress for the sport. He was a well-respected leader within the Olympic family and rose to the top of the USOC. He was noted for his honesty and passion for the National Governing Bodies and the athletes. He hired me to serve as executive director of USA Wrestling in 1990. I am proud to call him a mentor and a friend. I would not have the opportunity to serve in my present capacity were it not for Terry." It is ironic that the job that funded his dreams of winning a Gold Medal in wrestling is said to have caused his asbestos-related cancer. McCann, of Dana Point, California, won the 1960 Gold Medal after working at an oil refinery in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the late 1950s while training for the Olympics. In April 2005, McCann was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a rare cancer linked to asbestos exposure. Shortly after the diagnosis, he joined a class action lawsuit against asbestos manufacturers and became a spokesman against a proposal before Congress to impose limits on litigation against those companies. He appeared recently in a national television commercial denouncing the proposal. McCann's legacy in the sport of wrestling almost didn't happen. The day of the 1960 Olympic trials, he nearly missed competing because of illness and a debilitating knee injury. Against all odds, he won the test and went on to score a dramatic Olympic victory in Rome. After his heady accomplishment, McCann said he learned a lesson about success. "That it is a journey, and that having arrived at a high point guarantees nothing about the rest of the trip." A fellow Olympic wrestler and coach, Werner Holzer, calls McCann "the greatest of them all." "During my 50 years in the sport of wrestling, as an athlete, coach and administrator, I have seen all the great wrestlers," Holzer says. "Some of them had great technique, others were incredibly tenacious and had great endurance; some had tremendous strength, still others had catlike speed, agility and balance. Terry had it all; he was the most complete wrestler, the one who excelled the most in every aspect of the sport." "Although his stature was small, his attitude, confidence, courage and leadership while representing the sport both nationally and internationally was that of a giant," recalls Lee Roy Smith, a 1983 World Silver Medalist who coached for Arizona State University and the U.S. National Freestyle Team and is now executive director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. "He always felt it was important for anyone involved in the sport to conduct himself in an ethical and sportsmanlike way, yet no one wanted to win more than he did." McCann took great delight in helping young wrestlers. He was a volunteer coach of Greco-Roman wrestling at the Minnesota Wrestling Club and later of freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling at the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation in Chicago, Illinois, where McCann was born and grew up. Under his direction the Youth Foundation won six consecutive freestyle national championships and five Greco-Roman national championships. He also coached contenders in World, Pan-American and Olympic Games, with six of the wrestlers earning top medals. "We often spoke about training and coaching philosophies and what types of strategies and techniques each of our U.S. wrestlers needed to defeat a particular opponent," says Smith. "The record book shows that during his tenure as president of USA Wrestling and as a member of FILA Bureau, the U.S. Freestyle Team experienced one of its most successful eras in world competition." Russ Hellickson, a 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist in wrestling, an NBC Olympic wrestling commentator and wrestling coach at Ohio State University since 1986, credits McCann for his success. "My continued involvement in wrestling is a direct result of the encouragements and teachings of Terry McCann," he wrote in a letter supporting McCann's nomination to the Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1977. "He served as the wrestling coach of the Mayor Daley Youth Foundation during my early years of international competition. Without his urgings and confidence, I am certain that I would not have continued to compete in wrestling." After his Olympic victory McCann worked for various associations. In 1975 he was named executive director of Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Southern California that helps people develop their communication and leadership skills. After retiring in 2001, he served for two years as executive director of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA), the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. An avid surfer, McCann was active in Surfrider Foundation, an environmental group, serving as the Foundation's president from 1993 to 1997. McCann was the first University of Iowa wrestler to win Olympic gold and earn three all-America honors, and the second to win two NCAA individual titles. Competing for the Hawkeyes from 1954-57, he also won two Big Ten titles. McCann graduated from the University of Iowa in 1957 with a B.S. from the school of business administration. McCann is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lucille; seven children; 18 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a brother and two sisters.

BLOOMSBURG -- Bloomsburg University has named Carl Fronhofer as it new assistant wrestling coach. Fronhofer comes to Bloomsburg after spending two seasons as an assistant at the University of Pittstburgh, his alma mater. At Pitt, Fronhofer was in charge of techniques and training methods in the wrestling room as well as recruiting. "This is a great career opportunity for me and I am very excited to have a chance to work with John (Sutzman) and the entire Bloomsburg team," said Fronhofer. "I have gotten to know coach Stutzman over the last few years and know that he has the team headed in the right direction." "Bloomsburg has several good veterans back in Mike Sees and Mike Spaid who I look forward to working with," Fronhofer continued. "Plus, John has brought in great class of freshman who l can't wait to start coaching." A 2003 graduate of Pittsburgh, Fronhofer earned All-Americans as a senior, advancing to the NCAA Division I finals at 174 pounds. In his career at Pittsburgh, Fronhofer won 123 matches against just 39 losses. His win total is the third-highest in Panthers history. As a freshman, Fronhofer became just one of five first-year Pittsburgh wrestlers to win 30 matches in a season when he finished the year 30-11. He qualified for his first NCAA Championships and won his first Nationals match. Also that year, Fronhofer won his second consecutive FILA Junior National Greco-Roman title at 167.5 pounds and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler for the second time as well. Fronhofer won an EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) title at 165 pounds in 2001 and qualified for his second straight NCAA meet. During the season, he was a perfect 11-0 in dual meets. After a third straight appearance at NCAAs as a junior in 2001-02, Fronhofer moved up a weight class prior to his senior year. After finishing second at the EWL Championships, Fronhofer won five straight matches before dropping the championship match to Robbie Waller of Oklahoma by a 7-3 decision. He earned All-American honors for his second-place finish, the first Panthers' All-American in three years and first finalist in 13 years. Bloomsburg head coach John Stutzman is looking forward to having someone like Fronhofer on his staff. "I am excited to have someone the caliber of Carl join my staff," said Stutzman. "Carl brings a strong work ethic, and a wealth of experience both collegiate and internationally. As a athlete he was a four-time NCAA qualifier, EWL champion, NCAA Division 1 finalist, and a five-time US Open Freestyle and Greco Roman All-American. I believe he is one of the best young coaches in the country and he will give our wrestlers the mental edge to compete at the highest level." Fronhofer is a 2003 graduate of Pittsburgh with a degree in sociology. He was a NCWA first team Academic All-American as a senior.

St. Cloud, MN -- St. Cloud State University wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced the signing of Derek Skala to a national and North Central Conference letters of intent to attend St. Cloud State in the fall of 2006. Skala is a resident of Owatonna and the son of Ron and Dawn Skala. A 2006 Minnesota High School state champion from Owatonna High School at 160-pounds, Skala also earned third and fifth place finishes at the MSHSL state meet during his high school career. As a prep wrestler, Skala posted a 151-25 record. He is expected to wrestle at the 157- or 165-pounds for the Huskies this winter. "Derek is an extremely gifted athlete with a winning attitude," Costanzo said. "He comes from a rich tradition of wrestling and I look for great things from him in the near future." Skala intends to major in business at SCSU. An NCAA Division II affiliate, St. Cloud State is a member of the North Central Conference - widely recognized as the nation's top Division II wrestling conference. Costanzo will begin his first season as head coach at St. Cloud State in 2006-07. Costanzo previously served as head coach at Dana College from 2000 to 2006. He led Dana to four conference titles and the 2006 NAIA national championship. Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is the second largest college in the state of Minnesota with 16,000 students. SCSU's main campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city of St. Cloud, Minn. - which is located approximately one hour north of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia University wrestling coach Craig Turnbull today announced the addition of former Illinois wrestler Kyle Ott to his coaching staff effective August 1. Ott's position replaces the graduate assistant coaching position that the program has had in past years. "We are very pleased to have a person of Kyle's background and character joining our staff," says Turnbull. "We were particularly interested in having someone come into the lighter weight classes to coach. It will be great to have some fresh ideas come from the outside from an outstanding wrestling program such as Illinois." Ott brings an impressive collegiate and national wrestling resume with him to Morgantown. The Huber Heights, Ohio, native finished as the runner-up in both the 2004 and 2005 NCAA tournaments in the 125-pound class and as the Big Ten runner-up in 2005 and 2006, placing third in 2004. The three-time Illini captain led his team to regular season conference titles in 2004 and 2005, as well as a Big Ten tournament championship in 2005. The four-time NWCA All-Academic team member was the 54kg champion at the 2002 FILA Junior World Nationals and champion of the 2002 University National Championships. "I am very excited to start," says Ott. "It is a great opportunity to come in and work with a great staff and program. I am ready to come in and give it my all as an assistant coach." Ott graduated from Illinois in December, 2006, with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology.

St. Cloud, MN -- St. Cloud State University wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced the signing of Russ Lumley to a national and North Central Conference letters of intent to attend St. Cloud State in the fall of 2006. Lumley is a resident of Becker and graduate of Becker High School. At the 2006 Minnesota State High School League championships, Lumley placed fourth. In his prep wrestling career, Lumley posted a sterling 134-39 record that include 72 falls. "Russell (Lumley) is a hard working athelte who has won most his matches by a fall," said Coach Costanzo. "I look forward in working with him. His aggressive pinning style in the sport will be much welcomed in the Husky wrestling program." Lumley intends to major in engineering at SCSU. An NCAA Division II affiliate, St. Cloud State is a member of the North Central Conference -- widely recognized as the nation's top Division II wrestling conference. Costanzo will begin his first season as head coach at St. Cloud State in 2006-07. Costanzo previously served as head coach at Dana College from 2000 to 2006. He led Dana to four conference titles and the 2006 NAIA national championship. Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is the second largest college in the state of Minnesota with 16,000 students. SCSU's main campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city of St. Cloud, Minn. -- which is located approximately one hour north of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

This week on Takedown Radio: Tom Erickson -- Asst. Head at Purdue Mark Weader -- Head Coach George Mason Brian Smith -- Head Coach at Missouri Bas Rutten -- Head Coach IFL Anaconda's

Mixed martial arts (MMA) have become one of the most popular sports over the past decade –- not just in the American culture, but in the entire world. With worldwide exposure of MMA productions such as Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) and Pride, the sport has blown up. And with that exposure has come the popularity of its athletes. Names such as Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz and Matt Hughes are known worldwide. Before them, athletes such as Mark Coleman and Kevin Randleman were controlling the ranks. What is common among them? A wrestling background. And while the martial arts have helped many MMA athletes to earn wins by submission or knock out, it is tough to get that end result without taking your opponent down. In other words, a wrestling background is becoming more and more important in MMA. A case in point is the recent fight between UFC Hall Of Fame member Royce Gracie, the man who single-handedly popularized jiu-jitsu in the United States. Gracie, however, was no match for former Eastern Illinois All-American Matt Hughes, who dismantled Gracie in less than five minutes. The fight was won with Hughes riding the legs of Gracie, a common wrestling technique. From there, he used hip pressure to hold Gracie down and punch his head until the official stopped the match. Jiu-jitsu, in a sense is a form of wrestling. It is in the same family, just as a kitten is related to a lion. Jiu-jitsu, judo, wrestling –- they all learn from each other. Though it could be said that the sport of wrestling is the most refined of all of the mixed martial arts styles. As the UFC recently celebrated its 12-year existence with its 60th pay-per-view event on Sunday night and Pride prepares to enter its 10 th year of competition, it is inevitable that more wrestlers will inch their way to the top of each circuit. History of MMA Mixed martial arts (MMA) is an intense and evolving combat sport in which competitors use interdisciplinary forms of fighting. These forms include jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, boxing, kickboxing, and wrestling among others. Athletes use these martial arts forms in a supervised and controlled environment to compete against one another. The interesting part comes with the relation of these sports to one another. Each discipline gives and takes from one another. Many wrestlers have also excelled in judo because of the takedown aspects involved. Jiu-jitsu can be used in many ways to help with wrestling, especially when the competitors are on the mat and not on their feet. Boxing and kickboxing can help with set-ups for shots and takedowns. The sport began centuries ago with the ancient Olympic Games in Greece. Then, it was known as pancratian, which today, simply means athletics. Often times, these contests were fights to the death. Surrendering before that point may have proved shameful to the losing competitor then. The ones who did surrender, or had merciful opponents, lost limbs, were greatly disfigured and in some cases, left brain-dead, which led to certain death. Over time, these sporting events evolved into the early forms of wrestling throughout many civilizations. Sand and oil were used on the bodies, and the competition area often resembled a modern day sumo ring, only larger. Different regions of the world began to specialize in different areas of the combat sports world. The South Americans became skilled in the martial arts such as judo and jiu-jitsu. Those in the European region became skilled in wrestling. All of these were infused with each other. What is today known as mixed martial arts was resurrected following the brutal combat sports of the 1906 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Soon after that event, Brazilians began to compete in a combat fighting sport named Vale Tudo, which translated from Portuguese means "anything goes." The Brazilians, not known for their wrestling skills, began to incorporate many of the martial arts into these Vale Tudo competitions. Over time, the sport made its way to the Eastern hemisphere and grew a major fan base in Asia. Then, like a wave of killer bees, MMA began to migrate north from Brazil. The sport really took off in 1993 with the inception of the UFC, the first MMA promotion geared at popularizing the sport. Gracie brought jiu-jitsu into the fold and dominated using only those skills. Since then, Pride and K1, a kickboxing league, have always gained worldwide notoriety and in the last five years, numerous independent promotions have popped up all across the United States. Each promotion has its own niche. The UFC is fought in a cage, and has many restrictions on how you can attack and strike your opponent. Pride, however, looks to keep restrictions to a minimum. One of those independent promotions is LA Sub X, a purely submission fighting league, which held its first show in Santa Monica, Calif. this past weekend. The league was started by former Iowa wrestling great Rico Chiapparelli. Wrestling and MMA Chiapparelli may be one of the first great U.S. wrestlers to get involved with MMA. He has competed in numerous leagues over the years and has helped involved many former wrestlers gain experience through the promotions he is involved with. In 1987, Chiapparelli won an NCAA title in wrestling for the Hawkeyes. In 1989, he won a U.S. freestyle national title. After that, he fell behind some of the greatest U.S. wrestlers of all time, including eventual Olympic gold medalist Kevin Jackson and Royce Alger. He then dove into the world of MMA. "I found it to be an intriguing sport," Chiapparelli said of his early involvement with MMA. "You have to have a different mindset to want to compete in any MMA production. It's not like in wrestling, where if you fall behind you can come back. If you fall behind in MMA, you might not get up." And while it has its differences from wrestling, there is no doubt that wrestling is a crucial component to winning any MMA bout, not matter what production it is in. "I've made a career in the UFC out of wrestling my opponents. I've grown to develop skills in other areas, but getting a takedown in any match gives me a surefire advantage every time," stated Randy Couture, who is known as "The Natural" when he fights in the UFC. "Wrestling has changed MMA overall, and definitely the UFC. It is so tough to get the distance on your feet when in a fight to strike an opponent the way you would want to, so your next option would be to take him down. It's a big reason you are starting to see so many college wrestlers train in MMA all across the world," Couture added. The main wrestling skill used in MMA is the takedown. Double-legs are the most common, though the athletes will execute single-legs from at times as well. "Getting your man on the mat is half the battle," said UFC commentator Joe Rogan. "I would go as far to say that in a round where a submission takes place or a knock out occurs, the man who scored the takedown won that bout. In a decision, the man with the most takedowns will usually win." The leg ride is also very common in MMA fights. In wrestling, riding an opponent is crucial, especially at higher levels. It wears an opponent down, which makes them prone to mistakes. In college, one minute of riding time even earns one point for the offensive wrestler. In MMA, it is used for the same effect –- to wear an opponent down and make them prone to mistakes. Punches to the head and body are used from this position, and good hip control is what keeps an opponent on the mat. This skill is developed through wrestling. "There is a reason wrestlers are dominating in the UFC and in other MMA leagues," Rogan said. "It is because they are using half the necessary skills their entire lives. Kids grow up learning proper takedowns and riding techniques. They don't necessarily grow up learning how to strike someone else." It was those techniques that helped Couture defeat former junior college wrestler Tito Ortiz in a fight nearly two years ago. Ortiz had said before that fight that he would take down Couture throughout the entire match. It was the 42 year-old Couture who did all the taking down, though, and consequently won the match. Couture has not officially retired, but he admits his competition days are slowing down. He is now helping former Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland with the day-to-day operations of Team Quest, which represents another former Olympic wrestler –- Dan Henderson. "When it comes to submission, that is what half of pinning combinations in wrestling are – a submission. A lot of times when you get a pin in wrestling, it's because your opponent gave up," Chiapparelli said. "If I have to choose between a martial arts star and a wrestling star to work with or train, I'm going with the wrestling star every time. It's easier to teach you to strike than it is to get your opponent on the mat." The Future of Wrestling and MMA In the past decade, more and more wrestlers have looked for ways to try their hat in an MMA bout. On any given week, one could walk into the wrestling room at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and see a wrestler working on his MMA skills. At a point two years ago, Hughes spent time training in Colorado Springs with Olympian Kevin Bracken. "Around that time, I was just getting to where I wanted to be as a fighter," Hughes said. "Wrestling was becoming more important in the UFC, and it was a good way to hone my skills, but also, those guys know some good tactics for when you're on the ground, too." Lindsey Durlacher, a current U.S. Greco-Roman World Team member, has fought numerous times in smaller promotions in the Denver area. Fresh out of college stars such as NCAA champion Josh Koscheck have made their mark as well. Koscheck was featured on the show Ultimate Fighter, and is considered one of the sport's up-and-coming stars. Even Olympic great Rulon Gardner dabbled in the sport, competing in a Pride fight on New Year's Eve, 2004. With the development of Real Pro Wrestling (RPW), though, will any of these born fighters be swayed to continue to compete in wrestling? Possibly. "If Real Pro Wrestling was around when I was moving into fighting, I definitely would have considered that option," Couture said. "I love the fight game, but wrestlers need viable options financially for when they are done competing in college, or even in freestyle and Greco-Roman. If Real Pro Wrestling can provide that, then you'll see a lot of wrestlers stay with wrestling." And that is something RPW is providing. They are not competing with MMA promotions. RPW and wrestling in general does not focus on the amount of pain one individual can bring to his opponent. It focuses on the skill that is involved in defeating your opponent. While chokes and moves that will break someone's arm or leg are glorified in the MMA world, it is illegal in the sport of wrestling, and is more likely to get an athlete disqualified than cheered. Indeed, RPW is not competing with MMA. Instead, they are promoting wrestling, the truest mixed martial art of them all.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State wrestling coach Tom Ryan announced the team's 2006-07 schedule Tuesday. The Buckeyes will host six duals at St. John Arena and will host Northwestern in Lakewood, Ohio, because of a scheduling conflict. "This schedule will challenge our student-athletes in preparation for the Big Ten and NCAA championships," Ryan said. Ohio State again will open the season at the Michigan State Open Nov. 12 in East Lansing, Mich. Last year, the Buckeyes' J Jaggers finished first in the 149-pound division. The Scarlet and Gray's home schedule gets underway when it welcomes Missouri to St. John Arena Nov. 16. A trip to Ithaca, N.Y., is on tap Nov. 26 when the Buckeyes face Cornell for their ninth meeting all-time and second in three years. OSU will participate in two tournaments in the month of December, beginning with the Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 1-2. A dual meet against Tennessee-Chattanooga in Columbus is scheduled Dec. 17 before Ohio State returns to the road to see action in the Southern Scuffle Dec. 28-29 in Greensboro, N.C. The Buckeyes kick off the 2007 portion of their schedule at home against Kent State Jan. 7, 2007. The Big Ten slate begins Jan. 14 against Purdue at St. John Arena and is the first of four conference home matches. Before traveling to Penn State Jan. 26, OSU will participate in the Ashland Duals Jan. 21 in Ashland, Ohio. Ohio State then will compete in its second dual in three days when it welcomes Indiana to Columbus Jan. 28. A home match vs. Michigan State is featured Feb. 2. The Buckeyes and Spartans did not meet during the 2005-06 season. Ohio State's final home dual vs. Northwestern is Feb. 4. OSU will compete in its final three regular-season duals on the road against Michigan (Feb. 11), Iowa (Feb. 16) and Illinois (Feb. 18). The Buckeyes will not meet 2005 Big Ten Champion Minnesota and Wisconsin during the regular season. Michigan State will host the 2007 Big Ten Championships at Jenison Field House March 3-4. The Scarlet and Gray will return to the state of Michigan for the NCAA championships hosted by Michigan and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission in Auburn Hills, Mich. The event is March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- The grunting, grinding and shoes squeaking all over the wrestling room are the future of high school wrestling for the San Luis Valley. These are the youngsters who will undoubtedly blossom into the state qualifiers and state champions in several years. For now, however, they are busy learning and applying the fundamentals of wrestling learned here at the Cool Sunshine Wrestling Commuter Camp under the direction of Adams State College head coach Jason Ramstetter. Ramstetter, assistant Rob Odell and the camp staff, which includes several Grizzly wrestlers, are teaching the youngsters the fundamentals for a lifetime of grappling. "I'm very happy with the turnout," Ramstetter said. "We ended up way bigger than in the past year. It looks like it's growing and I'm very pleased with the local interest in wrestling. In the past we've right around 25 kids come to our camp and this year we're right at 50." "The majority of the kids participating are local. We had a few kids traveling from a long ways away, but the connection there usually was because a cousin was coming or something of that nature. It's not an overnight camp and we usually don't get kids from too far away." This year's camp features ASC NCAA All-Americans Evan Copeland, Brian Pitts and Raymond Dunning. Also helping out are Grizzlies wrestling team members Jacob Sheridan, Joey Deaguero and Noomis Jones. The camp, which features five sessions of premier technique, runs through Wednesday. The Cool Sunshine Wrestling Team Camp that runs from June 11-14 features technique sessions, weight classes, a camp store and ASC wrestling team members to coach teams in dual competitions. "We're looking at about the same amount of teams," Ramstetter noted. "Last year we had a lot of nationally ranked teams and some of them will not be able to make it this year due to changes. We do still have a team from California coming," For more information on the team camp, please contact Ramstetter at (719) 587-7274.

BLACKSBURG -- The Virginia Tech athletics department, along with head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser, announced Tuesday the hiring of Tony Robie as the associate head coach for the Tech wrestling program. Tony RobieRobie comes to Blacksburg after serving as the head coach at Binghamton University in New York last year. A two-time collegiate All-American and 1997 NCAA runner-up, Robie took over a program that had been discontinued after the 2003-04 school year because of budget constraints. Before taking over at Binghamton, he resided in Ann Arbor, Mich., for four seasons as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan. "I'm very excited to work with Tony Robie," Dresser said. "Tony brings experience, a great work ethic and super people skills to Virginia Tech. We will be a great team." In six years as a Division I assistant coach, Robie helped coach 23 All-Americans, nine Academic All-Americans and one national champion. As the Wolverines' top assistant coach, Robie recruited three top-10 classes, including the No.-2 ranked class in 2004. His one-on-one work with Michigan student-athlete Ryan Bertin culminated in Bertin's 2003 NCAA championship - the school's first national champion in 18 years. In all, Michigan's team earned national top-10 status all four years that Robie was a coach. His dedication and influence off the mat resulted in the wrestling team winning the 2003 community service award at the school. A world-class wrestler in his own right, Robie racked up a 126-23 record on the collegiate mat. A two-time captain for former Olympic gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner at Edinboro University, Robie was a three-time Eastern Wrestling League Champion and a three-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champion. As a senior, Robie led the Fighting Scots to a sixth-place national finish -- the highest in school history. He ranks fourth on the school's all-time wins list and went on to earn a bronze medal at the 1998 U.S. Open Freestyle Championships. A native of Erie, Pa., Robie was a Dean's List student at Edinboro, and received the school's Academic Achievement Award before graduating with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 1997. Robie brings strong ties to the eastern wrestling hotbed as he also served as an assistant coach at West Virginia (1998-99) and Edinboro (1999-00). The other positions on Dresser's staff will be announced as they are filled.

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. –- The Lock Haven University wrestling program and head coach Rocky Bonomo announced its 2006 recruiting class, bringing 17 talented student-athletes to the Thomas Fieldhouse. Young men from five different states will join the Bald Eagle squad in the 2006-07 season, including seven from Pennsylvania, four from New Jersey, three from New York, two from Florida and one from Maryland. With five state champs and four nationally-ranked grapplers, this group of 17 is primed to make an immediate impact on the Bald Eagle squad. "Our staff worked very hard this year to bring in one of the best recruiting classes in Lock Haven Wrestling history and one of the best in the country," Bonomo said. "With five state champs and 10 state place winners the future of Lock Haven Wrestling looks good. This class will bring great ability and depth to our wrestling room and lineup. The room will be very competitive as we want the entire incoming freshman class to jump right in and compete." Jim Almy - 285 lbs. - Delanson, N.Y./Duanesburg Was a two-time state champion in his junior and senior seasons ... Took fifth at the Fargo tournament in freestyle competition ... Finished his career at 125-20 ... Ranked No. 18 nationally by Intermat. Jeremie Cook - 197 lbs. - Venice, Fla./Venice Was a two-time Florida State Champion ... Added another state place in 2004, taking third ... Posted a 177-17 career record, winning 99 straight to finish his high school career ... Took third at the High School Nationals ... Ranked No. 13 in the Intermat National Rankings. Alex Dalrymple - 174/184 lbs. - Branchville, N.J./Highpoint Took fifth in the New Jersey States in 2006 ... Finished 113-29 in his high school career. George Ester - 125 lbs. - Odenton, Md./Arundel Took sixth in the Maryland State Tournament his senior year ... Finished in the top-12 at the High School Nationals. Jesse Harrington - 149/157 lbs. - New Providence, N.Y./Bound Brook Took second in the New Jersey States during his senior season ... Finished with 128-17 career mark. Nick Hyatt - 125 lbs. - Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Was a two-time state placewinner, taking seventh in both 2006 and 2005 ... Wrapped up his career at 124-35 ... High school teammate of fellow Bald Eagle recruit Josh White. Zach Kell - 133 lbs. - Ikesburg, Pa./West Perry Was a 2004 State Qualifier in Pennsylvania ... Picked up 111 career wins and was a Pennsylvania State Junior National Team Member. Steve Loomis - 174 lbs. - Oxford, Pa./Oxford Academy Picked up a pair of New York State places, taking third in 2006 and fourth in 2005 ... Finished his career with 214 wins ... Was a Third-Team Cadet Greco All-American in 2004 ... Slotted No. 27 in the USA Wrestling National Rankings. Brent Parsons - 285 lbs. - Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson Won the Florida State Championship in 2006. Dustin Pine - 197 lbs. - Mercersburg, Pa./James Buchanan Earned state qualifier status in his senior season. David Richmond - 157/165 lbs. - Oxford, N.J./Warren Hills Placed in the New Jersey state meet three times, taking third in both his junior and senior seasons ... Finished with a 128-17 record. Travis Stern - 184 lbs. - Bellfonte, Pa./Bald Eagle Was a three-time Pennsylvania State Qualifier, taking sixth in 2006 ... Took second at the 2006 High School Nationals ... Finished with a 117-46 overall record ... High school teammate of fellow recruit Landis Wright. Josh White - 197 lbs. - Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Finished as runner-up at the state meet in 2006 ... High school teammate of fellow Bald Eagle recruit Nick Hyatt. These 13 grapplers join the nationally-ranked early signing period group of Donnie Ament (Acme, Pa./Mount Pleasant), Anwar Goeres (Phoenix, N.Y./Phoenix), Danny Lopes (Oakhurst, N.J./Ocean Township) and Landis Wright (Bellefonte, Pa./Bald Eagle).

Well the World Team Trials 2006 are over for another year. Congratulations to the newly crowned champions and a special heart felt thanks to all of the wrestlers who competed. To USA Wrestling's staff. As always, from what I hear, a well run event! This week on TD: Tom Borrelli -- Cent. Mich Head Coach Anthony Robles -- Inspirational Wrestler, HS Champion Kerry McCoy -- Head Coach at Stanford Mike Chapman of the International Wrestling Institute and Museum Mario Mercado of Double Sport Jay Weiss -- Head Coach of Harvard This will be a great show. Lots to talk about. Thanks for listening each week. God Bless you and Wrestling!

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley State wrestling coach Greg Williams announced that Ben Kjar of Viewmont High School has signed a national letter of intent to wrestle at Utah Valley State. Kjar comes to Utah Valley with solid wrestling credentials. At Viewmont he was a three-time state champion. In 2002 he was the National Junior Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Folkstyle champion. He was also a two-time FILA Espoir National Champion in 2003. That same year he was third in the Greco-Roman and Freestyle University National Championships. "This is huge for our program," Williams said. "Ben is the type of kid that will make an immediate impact for our whole program. He has high expectations for himself and he cares about everybody around him. Even though he will redshirt this year, his impact in our room will be tremendous." This isn't the first time Kjar has worked with Williams. Kjar wrestled for Williams on the club level from for over five years. "Working with Greg Williams again is a sweep opportunity," Kjar said. "I am excited to come to UVSC. There is not another program in the country like this. It will be exciting to put our own personality into building this."

PRINCETON -- Chris Ayres, no stranger to EIWA individual or team success, has been hired as the head coach of Princeton wrestling, it was announced today by Director of Athletics Gary Walters. Ayres, who spent the last five years as an assistant coach at Lehigh University, becomes the 10th head coach of Princeton wrestling and takes over for Michael New, who resigned following the 2005-06 campaign. "We are thrilled to have Chris Ayres take over our wrestling program," Walters said during the announcement. "We believe he is one of the very talented coaches in collegiate wrestling, and we're confident he will provide excellent leadership as we attempt to restore the fortunes of Princeton wrestling." "I am honored and excited to be part of the Princeton athletics staff," Ayres, a 1999 graduate of Lehigh, said. "Every time I met somebody affiliated with Princeton, whether it was a staff member, alumnus, student-athlete or fan, I came away impressed. Throughout the process I was more and more drawn to Princeton with each person I met. My goal is to help student-athletes reach their goals in wrestling, school, and ultimately life, and the Princeton Athletics staff shares those same ideals. Princeton seems to bring the best out of people and I can't imagine a better place to continue my coaching career." A former EIWA champion and All-America during his undergraduate career at Lehigh, Ayres joined the coaching staff in June 2001. During his tenure, the Mountain Hawks claimed five straight EIWA team championships and produced 12 All-Americas and two national champions. Ayres worked specifically with five of the All-Americas in all aspects of training. A superior mat coach, Ayres also brings a highly regarded recruiting ability to Princeton. He was an integral part of every aspect of five recruiting classes, and his most recent recruiting class will bring a combined 14 state championships to Lehigh. Among those was arguably the top New Jersey high school recruit, Delbarton's Mike Grey. "Although there are a lot of factors that contribute to the development of a top national wrestling program, my main goal is to provide each individual on the Princeton wrestling team the direction and opportunities necessary to be the best they can be in wrestling," Ayres said. "Through this process I also hope to shed light on the lessons learned in sport that will later be applied in life. As well as training the current team, I look forward to recruiting and training the next generation of Princeton wrestlers. Princeton athletics has a long history of attracting and developing the best and brightest student-athletes and it is my intention to continue that tradition in wrestling." Ayres also had significant administrative duties at Lehigh, including monitoring the academic careers of the student-athletes and raising money for the renovation of the weight room and locker room. He also served as the assistant director of the wrestling summer camps, a role he has served since 1999. Ayres came to the Lehigh wrestling program as an undergraduate walk-on, but ended his career among the best in Mountain Hawk history. While at Lehigh, Ayres established a new school record with 120 career victories, and in 1998 he amassed the most wins in a single season for a Lehigh wrestler with 39. He won the 150-pound EIWA championship as a junior and earned All-America honors at 157 points as the NCAA sixth-place finisher during his senior season. Over his four-year career, he never missed a dual match. In the summer of 2001, Ayres placed fourth in the U.S. Senior Open Nationals and fourth at the U.S. World Team Trials. He also finished fifth at the 2002 Team Trials. Prior to wrestling for Lehigh, Ayres wrestled at Newton High School and Blair Academy in New Jersey, where he won 69 bouts. In his senior season Ayres was a District Champion and a regional runner-up at 135 pounds. With a model work ethic, Ayres was the first Lehigh Wrestler in 38 years to become an All-American without earning a medal at the state championship level. He earned his undergraduate degree in marketing and earned his master's in elementary education at Lehigh in 2001. Ayres and his wife Lori have one daughter, Chloe.

USAFA, Colo. -- Former national team member and three-time All-American Joel Sharratt was named the new head wrestling coach at the Air Force Academy, as released by athletic administrators this morning. Sharratt replaces Wayne Baughman, who retires after 27 years at the helm of the Falcons' wrestling program. Joel Sharratt"Air Force has a great program, a great staff and I'm looking forward to the chance to get it going," said Sharratt. "My goals for the Air Force wrestling program are for every athlete to graduate and be commissioned as an Air Force officer, for our wrestlers to be leaders in the Cadet Wing, and for each individual to reach his full potential on the mat. This team has a good nucleus of leaders to move forward, such as the Lord brothers (Bridger and Zach), who have a great work ethic, and athletic kids such as Chris Nissen. I look forward to helping them improve." "Following Coach Baughman, who is a legend in our sport, is a great opportunity for me," said Sharratt. "I'm fired up about the opportunity to work for the direct chain of command of Col. Walker and Dr. Mueh. Hopefully, I will be able to continue to get our alumni involved and everyone moving in one common direction -- and that's forward." Sharratt comes to the Academy after spending the last six seasons as the head assistant wrestling coach at the United States Naval Academy. This past season, Sharratt helped lead the Midshipmen to a 13-2 dual record, its best win total since the 1990-91 season, while also sending five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Sharratt is also a tenured assistant professor at the Naval Academy, teaching physical education courses in wrestling, martial arts, judo and hand-to-hand combat, while also serving as the faculty chair of the USNA combative courses. A 1995 graduate of the University of Iowa, Sharratt was a three-time All-American, a two-year team captain and a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes, training under the tutelage of legendary coach Dan Gable. During his college career, Sharratt competed for the NCAA title in three-straight seasons, winning the individual crown in 1994 and was a member of NCAA National Championship teams in 1993 and 1995. Following his college career, Sharratt was a two-time member of the U.S. National Team, and has also coached multiple national team members, including world team members and national champions. Prior to his stint at Navy, Sharratt served as a graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota, where he earned his masters degree in sports administration in 2000. While there, Sharratt also served as the Developmental Freestyle Coach for the state of Minnesota. Sharratt also worked as an assistant coach at Lehigh from 1996-98 after serving as a graduate assistant at his alma mater during the 1995-96 season. "We're tremendously excited about welcoming Joel Sharratt, his wife, Jamie, and their two little girls to the Air Force Academy athletic department family," said deputy director of athletics Col. Billy Walker. "Joel rose to the top as our choice in an extremely competitive pool of candidates. He comes with tremendous credentials not only as a competitor, but as an assistant coach in four of the most successful programs in the country. Joel brings a level of enthusiasm, excitement and intensity to our program that will translate perfectly into our wrestling room. We anticipate Air Force wrestling to be very competitive nationally under Joel's leadership." "Coach Baughman will be missed after 27 years at the helm of our program," continued Walker. "I can say personally, as I've known him since I began wrestling for him as an 18-year-old, that there has been no better role model and mentor for our cadets. Coach Baughman leaves an impressive legacy indeed." Sharratt is slated to begin his tenure at the Academy following Baughman's retirement on July 31, 2006.