InterMat Staff

On April 15, Henry Cejudo became the first high school wrestler to win the U.S. Nationals since USA Wrestling became the national governing body for the sport in 1983. The high school senior, who lives and trains at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, entered the tournament as the No. 3 seed. Cejudo knocked off former NCAA runner-up Luke Eustice in the semifinals before earning a win in the finals over No. 1 seed Matt Azevedo to capture the 121-pound (55 kg) title. Henry CejudoLast November, Cejudo won the New York Athletic Club Holiday Championships and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event. Cejudo, who stands just 5-foot-5, won four state championships, two in Arizona and two in Colorado. His four-year high school record was an impressive 121-3, with all three of those losses coming during his freshman season. Andrew Hipps recently caught up with Cejudo to talk about his impressive U.S. Nationals performance, his relationship with Terry Brands, his thoughts on Sammie Henson, and his decision to forgo collegiate wrestling to train freestyle. First off, congrats on your U.S. Nationals title. Did you surprise yourself with your performance in Las Vegas? Or, was this something you kind of expected? Cejudo: Yeah, I always expect to win. Because of the way we train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, it's something I expected to accomplish. What is a typical day like for you? Cejudo: It depends on the day, actually. But I wake up in the morning and workout. Then I go right to school. Get out of school, go to practice. After practice, do extra stuff, extra workouts. And then after that, go to my room, do homework, and go to sleep. It seems as though your life pretty much revolves around wrestling. Do you ever get tired of wrestling? Cejudo: No, as you long as you keep winning, you never get tired of it. It's all about your goals. Who are your daily training partners? Cejudo: I work out with my brother, Angel. I also work out with Michael Lightner, Bill Zadick, Gabe Burak, Pat McCaffrey, and a few other guys, too. I read a story where you were quoted as saying if Terry Brands would have been hired as the new head coach at Ohio State job, you would have probably followed him there and wrestled folkstyle in college. Is that true? Cejudo: It was a thought. So it wasn't a done deal that if Terry got the job you were packing your bags for Columbus, Ohio? Cejudo: No, they kind of quoted me wrong. I said it would have been a thought for me, but freestyle right now is kind of my desire. Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs)In what areas of your wrestling specifically do you think Terry Brands has helped you the most? Cejudo: Conditioning. Especially hand fighting. A lot of motion. He tells me, 'Don't stop wrestling. Get it, get it.' He's helped me mentally. I've always been mentally tough, but he's just made me want it more. How long have you been working with Terry Brands? Cejudo: I started working with him last spring, so it has officially been a year now. In your opinion, what is the one area of your wrestling that you need to improve the most? Cejudo: I really don't want to say. Sammie Henson has been the dominant wrestler this weight class for over a decade. What's it going to take to unseat him and make the U.S. World Team? Cejudo: It's going to take a lot of hard work. Realistically, just capitalizing off his mistakes and doing what's right. As you get ready for the World Team Trials in late May, do you train specifically for Henson? Cejudo: No, I train for everybody. But he's the man right now. You won your fourth straight state high school title this season. After having so much success at senior level events, like the New York Athletic Club Holiday Championships, was it tough to get motivated against lesser competition? Cejudo: Actually, yeah, it was. It wasn't so exciting anymore. I remember my freshman and sophomore years, it was exciting. Once I started training at the OTC, everything became different. Would you say that you were bored in high school competition? Cejudo: No, I just didn't think it was very exciting. Have you officially ruled out collegiate wrestling? Or is that still an option at this point? Cejudo: It's still an option. Nothing is for sure yet. But as of right now, it's freestyle at least until 2008. Did you take any official college visits? And if so, which colleges did you at least consider? Cejudo: Minnesota, Oklahoma, Tennessee-Chattanooga, and Arizona State. In your opinion, were you the best 125-pound high school or collegiate folkstyle wrestler in the country this season? Cejudo: Oh, yeah, without a doubt. Do you like wrestling freestyle more than folkstyle? Cejudo: Yeah, I would say so. Freestyle is the style that I train every single day. Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs)Why do you feel training freestyle full-time is the best route for you? Cejudo: Freestyle is the style that you can win world and Olympic medals. Was there a wrestler that you looked up to when you were growing, someone you enjoyed watching? Cejudo: Not really. But I did have a video on Zeke Jones when I was young. I guess he was one of the guys I looked up to. Is it a tough cut for you to get down to 121 pounds? Cejudo: Yeah, actually it is. People don't know this, but I'm pretty big. I don't cut like some of the other guys do, but, yeah, I cut a fair amount of weight. What are your short term and long term wrestling goals right now? Cejudo: Short term is just to get through the World Team Trials. And then go to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, get that done. And then get the Junior World Team Trials done, too. And then after that, it's just to win them all, win all the World Championships.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Volunteer assistant coach Pat Smith has elected to step down from his position with Oklahoma State's wrestling program. "There is great pain in having your brother leave your staff after 11 years," head coach John Smith said. "Pat has made a contribution to the legacy of this wrestling program. He regrets his personal decisions and is stepping down because he loves Oklahoma State University and the wrestling program." Smith joined his brother's staff in 1994 after capturing his fourth NCAA title. He was recently elected to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and will be enshrined in June.

Evanston, Ill. -- Stanford volunteer assistant coach and first-ever NCAA Champion Matt Gentry posted a 6-1 record at the 2006 University Nationals en route to a third-place finish at the Welsh-Ryan Arena and McGaw Hall on the campus of Northwestern University. Gentry began the day with a shutout win over Harvard's Bobby Latessa to advance to the semifinals, where he matched up against Iowa State's Trent Paulson. Paulson narrowly edged Gentry, 0-1, 2-0, 2-2 but Gentry posted his second win of the tournament over Pitt's Matt Kocher and then added a 1-0, 3-1 victory over Paulson's twin brother, Travis Paulson, in the wrestleback championship to take third place. Redshirt freshman Luke Feist added another win to his record before falling out of the competition. Feist finished the weekend with four wins, including a 3-0, 2-1 decision over this year's Pac-10 Champion at 165 pounds, Patrick Pitsch of Arizona State. Sophomore Phillip Doerner also ended his day in the consolation bracket, but finished the tournament with one win.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -– Troy Steiner has been hired as an assistant coach for Oregon State's wrestling team, OSU head coach Jim Zalesky announced Friday. Steiner, who had been on Zalesky's coaching staff for the past two seasons at Iowa, previously worked at Oregon State as an assistant to head coach Joe Wells during the 1995-96 season. "Troy was out here for a year with Joe Wells and knows the area and a lot of the people in the area," Zalesky said. "And he brings a great work ethic to the table, which is very important to me. He's been successful as a wrestler in high school and in college and he's wrestled internationally. Troy has wrestled at all the levels and now he's coached at all levels – colleges, clubs, kids. He brings a lot of experience at all levels into our program." Prior to working with Zalesky at Iowa, Steiner owned and operated the ADVANCE School of Wrestling in Madison, Wis., for four years. He also served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 1997-2001 and Minnesota in 1996-97. During his career, Steiner has coached 22 All-Americans, 10 Big Ten champions, six NCAA champions and one junior FILA World Freestyle champion. Steiner was a four-time all-American at Iowa from 1990-93 and an NCAA champion in 1992. He won three Big Ten titles at Iowa, compiling a 148-13 career record at 134 and 142 pounds. He and his twin brother, Terry, were part of three national and four Big Ten championship teams. Steiner shares Iowa's school record for best season winning percentage for the 42-0 record he compiled during his junior season. He also ranks third in career wins (148) and sixth in season wins (42) in school history. In post-collegiate competition, Steiner was a nine-time U.S. National team member, winning the 1992 World Cup and the 1996 Pan-American Games titles. He placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996, and fifth in 2000. A native of Bismarck, N.D., Steiner was inducted into the North Dakota Hall of Fame in 1998. Steiner received his bachelor's degree in Social Work from Iowa in 1993 and his master's degree in Kinesiology with a sports management emphasis from Minnesota in 1998. He and his wife Shawn have two children, Spencer and Abbigail.

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- The Limestone College wrestling program has announced the signing of three athletes to National Letters of Intent. Casey Bradley, Todd Neptune and Dan Scanlan will wrestle for the Saints in the fall of 2006. "We're excited to add these three student athletes to our program," Limestone Head Coach Ben Stehura said. "We have added talent and depth to our lineup. They bring impressive credentials on and off the mat and will be a great fit for Limestone Wrestling." Bradley was a four year starter at Muncie South High School in Indiana, compiling a career record of 121-12. Bradley was the "Most Dedicated" wrestler three of his four years as a starter. He won three Sectional and Regional titles and was a two-time Semi-State qualifier. As a senior, Bradley wrestled his way to a 37-2 record and a fifth-place finish in the tough single division at the Indiana State Tournament. As a result of his accomplishments, Bradley was his team's 2006 MVP and also "2006 Athlete of the Year" for The Star Press. Bradley is projected to wrestle at 149 or 157 for the Saints. Neptune is a two-time state place winner out of John Glenn High School in Ohio. As a freshman, Neptune broke the single season win record after earning 42 wins. His first state appearance as a junior landed him the seventh-place spot on the podium. As a senior, Neptune broke his own single season win record by wrestling his way to a 49 wins and one loss and a second place finish at the State Championships in the 171-pound division II weight class. In addition to the single season win record, Neptune holds the career pin record and also broke the single season pin record this year after compiling 37 pins. He is projected to wrestle at 174 for the Saints. Hailing from Leesburg, Va., Scanlan is a two-time AA Virginia state champion. He qualified for the state tournament as a freshman and went on to win titles at 160 and 171 pound weight classes. Scanlan compiled an impressive 99 wins and four losses during his high school career. USA Today ranked Scanlan 17th overall in the nation at the 171-pound weight class coming out of high school. In addition to folkstyle competition, he was a member of the 2004 Virginia Junior National Dual meet team that took third place at the Junior National Duals. This year, Scanlan has competed in numerous college open tournaments placing second at the University of North Carolina – Pembroke Open and claiming a title at the Millersville Open in Pennsylvania. He is projected to wrestle at 184 for the Saints.

The University of Minnesota wrestling program has announced the signing of Ben Berhow to a National Letter of Intent. In addition, Paul Ode and John Sundgren have signed Acceptance of Admission Forms and will join the program as recruited walk-ons. The three wrestlers will join the Golden Gophers for the 2006-07 season. A native of Hayward, Minn., Berhow was the 2006 Minnesota State Champion at 285 pounds out of Albert Lea High School. He finished runner-up as a junior in 2005. Berhow is the eighth-ranked high school heavyweight in the country according to Intermat. A team captain on his football, wrestling and baseball teams, Berhow will compete in the Minnesota State High School League All-Star Football game this coming June. A senior at Brandon Valley High School, Ode was a three-time placewinner at the South Dakota State Wrestling Championships, including a fifth-place finish this year. Ode compiled a 30-6 record during his senior season as he captured region and conference championships. He is projected to wrestle at 184 pounds for the Golden Gophers. A senior at Blaine High School, Sundgren was a three-time Minnesota state placewinner, including a runner-up finish at 140 pounds this year. Sundgren overcame a pair of injuries, including a broken ankle suffered during the regular season, to finish in second place. He placed fifth as a junior at 119 pounds and second as a sophomore at 103 pounds. He is projected to wrestle at 149 pounds for the Golden Gophers. The three wrestlers will join Minnesota's fall signees, which include Brent Eidenschink, Scott Glasser, Jordan Kolbow, Yura Malamura, Jake Mellmer, Joe Nord, Brandon Sitch and Michael Thorn.

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State head wrestling coach Bucky Maughan announced the signing of three high school student-athletes and one junior college transfer to National Letters of Intent and to continue their education and wrestle for the Bison. Eric Hoffman, Vince Salminen, Brady Schneeberger and Trevor Larson have all signed with the Bison during the late signing period which began on Wednesday, April 12. This group joins Evan Hacker of Canby (Minn.) High School, who signed during November's early signing period. ERIC HOFFMAN Davenport, Iowa (Davenport North H.S./Iowa Central C.C.) Junior college national champion at 125 pounds for Iowa Central Community College in 2005...Had a third place finish in 2004...Finished his career at ICCC with a record of 58-12...Compiled a record of 130-36 at Davenport North High School and holds every major near fall record at the program...Three-time district champion and a three-time state placewinner that included a state championship in 2004...Two-time member of the Iowa Cadet and Junior National Teams...Four-time Junior state champion, a two-time Cadet state champion and a four-time All-American which included a fourth place finish in the Greco-Roman division at the FILA Cadet Nationals in 2003...Plans to major in engineering at North Dakota State...Eric's father, Bob, was a two-time All-American for the University of Nebraska-Omaha from 1979-1983. Coach Maughan's take on Hoffman..."Eric is one of the country's top lightweights and we expect him to challenge for All-America honors his first year at NDSU." VINCE SALMINEN Billings, Mont. (Billings Skyview H.S.) Finished his high school career with a 131-10 record and 84 pins...State champion both his junior and senior seasons and placed third as a sophomore and fourth as a freshman...Named to "The Clash" National Wrestling Duals all-tournament team...Most outstanding wrestler at 152 pounds and crowned national champion at the Brute/Adidas Nationals at 140 pounds in 2005...During his AAU career, was a three-time Ironman champion and Freestyle state champion, a four-time Folkstyle state champion, a five-time Greco-Roman and Sombo state champion, and was a seven-time runner-up. In 1999, he was crowned Grand National Sombo Champion and earned runner-up twice...National champion in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle in 2000. He has been a member of the Montana National Team for the last three years and is a four-time national placewinner...Holds a 3.75 grade-point average and has been a member of the National Honor Society for the last two years...Son of Shane and Tina Salminen of Billings and has one brother, Paolo. Coach Maughan's take on Salminen..."Vince is an outstanding high school wrestler and nationally an eight-time All-American, including championships in Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Sombo. We expect him to be one of our star performers at the Division I level." BRADY SCHNEEBERGER Elbow Lake, Minn. (West Central Area H.S.) All-time leader in wins at West Central High School (184)...Five-time state entrant that won the Class A state title at 130 pounds in 2006...Had runner-up performances his sophomore and junior seasons...Placed sixth at the National Coaches Association Junior Nationals...Two-time all-conference performer in football, finishing with over 2,100 career rushing yards...Honor student selection...Son of Dean and Gail Schneebrger. Coach Maughan's take on Schneeberger..."Brady is one of this year's top lightweights in Minnesota. He captained both the football and wrestling teams and brings the tough, hard-nosed attitude we need as we move to Division I." TREVOR LARSON Starbuck, Minn. (Minnewaska Area H.S.) Projected to wrestle at 165 or 174 for the Bison...Runner-up in Class AA state championships at 145 pounds in 2006...Finished his senior season 39-1...Placed fifth as a junior at the state tournament...Compiled a career record of 128-25 at Minnewaska Area High School...All-state academic selection...Son of Richard and Sandra Larson. Coach Maughan's take on Larson..."Trevor is the type of aggressive wrestler that we like at NDSU. He had 114 takedowns and 22 pins his senior season. I feel he will be a great addition to our program." The Bison wrestling program completed its third year of reclassification to Division I with a 6-6 record. NDSU will also compete in the newly formed Western Wrestling Conference and be eligible for the NCAA tournament beginning next season.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy wrestling team put a cap on the 2005-06 season with its annual banquet on Sunday night. The Mids finished 13-2 in dual meets (the program's best record since 1990-91), placed fourth at the EIWA Tournament, sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament, won the Navy Classic for the second straight year and defeated rival Army for the sixth straight season. "Our program took another step forward during the year and had another very successful season," said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett, who owns a 66-28 record in six years guiding the Midshipmen. "We had another outstanding dual-meet season and placed seven wrestlers at the tough EIWA Conference Tournament with five of them going to the NCAA Tournament. All five then won matches at tbe NCAA Tournament with two making it to the round of 12. We also had eight wrestlers win 20 or more matches, showing off our depth. I am proud of the team and the coaches, and am especially thankful for the group of seniors that helped make it such a good year. With a couple of points here and there, it could have been a great year, and a great year is what we are all looking forward to next year." Senior heavyweight Tanner Garrett (Tulsa, Okla.) ended his career being awarded the Weems Award, given in memory of Lieutenant Commander George Thackray Weems, and earned by the Navy wrestler that displays aggressiveness, determination, good sportsmanship and team spirit. Garrett finished his season with a 43-5 record and was just one win shy of earning All-America honors. He placed second at the EIWA Tournament three times and his 43 wins were the second most ever by a Navy wrestler in a single season. He finished his career with a 114-33 record, good for a tie for fourth on the career victories list. He advanced to three NCAA Tournaments and posted an amazing 104-20 record during his final three years. Junior John Jarred (Kansas City, Mo.) earned the Most Improved Wrestler award, given to the wrestler who has made steady improvements throughout the 2005-06 season. Jarred burst onto the scene with a 35-10 record after recording just a 10-9 record in his previous two seasons combined. Jarred opened the season 17-1 with a title at the Eastern Michigan Open, a second-place finish at the Navy Classic and a third-place showing at the Penn State Open. His 35 wins are tied for the eighth most in a single season in school history. Senior Chris Pogue (Chesapeake, Va.) won the Ray Swartz Award, given in honor of former Navy wrestling coach (1938-60) and National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, Ray Swartz. The award is for the Navy wrestler achieving the most falls in the least amount of time. Pogue finished his senior season with a team-best eight falls and a 29-12 record. He advanced to his first NCAA Tournament after recording a 15-5 mark since moving to 197 pounds midway through the season. Senior Jonny Kane (Portland, Maine) was named the recipient of the Ed Peery Award, named for the former Navy head coach (1960-87) and member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The award is given to the wrestler who demonstrates outstanding leadership, hard work ethic and competitive spirit. Kane spent much of 2005-06 injured, but managed a 20-9 mark to end his career with a 68-38 record. Sophomore Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) was given the Coaches Award, an award for the wrestler that displays great leadership and work ethics. Stolpinski reached his first NCAA Tournament with a 30-11 record and owns a 55-28 career record. His 55 wins in the first two years are the third most by a Navy wrestler in his first two seasons. Lastly, senior Craig Dziewiatkowski (Aurora, Ill.) won the Brett J. Harman Award, given to the wrestler that demonstrates selfless character in both thought and action as well as an individual who puts the team ahead of himself. This person is able to maintain a positive attitude in spite of adversity and his disposition lifts the morale of teammates. His infectious attitude toward life and the sport of wrestling inspires those around him to excel in sport and life. Dziewiatkowski finished his season with a 19-11 mark after suffering an early season ankle injury that he was never able to recover from fully. Dziewiatkowski, who advanced to the 2005 NCAA Tournament, ended his career with a 72-41 record. Navy will return six wrestlers that competed at the EIWA Championships and three that wrestled in the NCAA Tournament.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Eight intercollegiate institutions, including the University of Northern Iowa, have announced the formation of the Western Wrestling Conference (WWC). The NCAA Division I wrestling-only alliance will begin competition in the 2006-07 season. Charter members of the Western Wrestling Conference will include: the United States Air Force Academy, Fresno State University, North Dakota State University, the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Northern Iowa, South Dakota State University, Utah Valley State College and the University of Wyoming. "We are happy with this new conference affiliation for our wrestling program," UNI Director of Athletics Rick Hartzell said. "At UNI, we strive to have a national top-10 program and we think this league affiliation will continue to allow us to have a strong wrestling program that can reach those lofty aspirations." With league members spread out over seven states and three time zones, schools will only be required to compete against five league schools in dual action to be eligible for the regular season conference championship. Schools will be encouraged to schedule as many conference schools as possible. Four of the members currently compete in the NCAA West Regional and they include Air Force, Fresno State, UNI and Wyoming. Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State and Utah Valley State are transitioning their programs to the Division I level. UNC, NDSU, SDSU will be eligible for the NCAA Championships in 2006-07, while UVSC will be eligible for the postseason in 2009-10. The 2007 NCAA West Regional will still serve as the NCAA qualifying tournament and will be hosted by the University of Northern Iowa. The goal of the league is to replace the West Regional with the conference tournament, which would then serve as the NCAA qualifier. The WWC will submit its application for formal recognition to the NCAA. The WWC plans to recognize student-athletes on both a weekly and full-season basis. Individual awards will include Wrestler of the Week; All-Conference teams; an Academic All-Conference team; and Wrestler, Newcomer and Coach of the Year awards. The league will also crown a team champion following the conclusion of the regular season conference competition and the postseason tournament. The governance of the Western Wrestling Conference will remain primarily with the member institutions. Scheduling of contests, assignment of officials and certain media relations functions will remain with member institutions. Colonel William Walker of the United States Air Force Academy will serve as the Conference Commissioner, while Colin McDonough of UNI will serve as the WWC Media Relations Director. "This is a very important alliance between quality institutions," Walker said. "We think that it will strengthen our programs and provide a better experience for our student-athletes." The eight member schools are spread out of over seven states and three time zones, which will give each school added exposure - both in terms of media and recruiting - in new destinations. The conference affiliation is also expected to generate much interest within the eight schools' substantial alumni base, which numbers nearly 800,000 combined.

Nebraska head wrestling coach Mark Manning announced the 13 members of the Huskers' recruiting class of 2006 on Tuesday. The class includes three signees from the fall signing period, along with 10 wrestlers who signed National Letters-of-Intent during the spring signing period. "We're excited about this class," Manning said. "These young men are good students and great wrestlers. Our philosophy is to recruit tough, hard-nosed competitors who are willing to work hard, and these guys fill that criteria. We're really excited about these young men joining the Husker wrestling family." Included among the 13 signees are four wrestlers ranked in the top 20 nationally in Intermat's High School All-Class Individual Rankings. This list is headed by fall signee Matt Vacanti. A four-time state champion at Papillion-LaVista High School in Papillion, Neb., Vacanti was the third-ranked 140-pound high school wrestler in the nation according to Intermat. Another highly touted in-state recruit is Cameron Browne, who was ranked sixth at 215 pounds. The Plattsmouth, Neb., native and the brother of current Husker Brandon Browne was a state champion and finished third at high school nationals. He is expected to wrestle at 197 pounds at NU. Also listed among the top 10 in his weight class is Jordan Burroughs. Projected to wrestle at either 149 or 157 for Nebraska, Burroughs was ranked seventh at 135 pounds by Intermat after a strong high school career including a state championship at Winslow Township High School in New Jersey, the alma mater of current NU wrestler Vince Jones. Another New Jersey recruit, Bobby Laraway, was ranked 12th at 171 pounds. The Union, N.J., native and graduate of St. Benedict's Prep is slated to wrestle at 174 pounds next season after a high school career that saw him win the prep national championship and take fourth in a high school prep tournament. "We had a pretty young team this year, and these 13 guys will blend in nicely with the wrestlers we have coming back next year," Manning said. Nebraska returns seven NCAA qualifiers and eight starters from last year's squad, which finished with a 12-5 dual record and in 16th place at the NCAA Championships. Nebraska Wrestling Class of 2006 133-Matt Vacanti, Papillion, Neb. (Papillion-La Vista) 141-Casey Gubbles, Randolph, Neb. (Randolph) 149-157-Jordan Burroughs, Sicklerville,, NJ (Winslow Township) 141-Malcolm McGruder, Omaha, Neb. (Creighton Prep) 149-Curtis Salazar, Greeley, Colo. (Valley) 149-Paul Sanders, Blanding, Utah (Blanding) 165-Frank Jonas, Wichita, Kan. (Kapaun-Mt. Carmel) 165-Alex Ward, Baltimore, Md. (Mt. Saint Josephs Prep) 165-Andy Johnson, Yankton, S.D. (Yankton) 165-Stephen Dwyer, Rockton, Ill. (Hononegah) 174-Bobby Laraway, Union, N.J. (St. Benedicts Prep) 197-Nick Schaefer, Omaha, Neb. (Skutt Catholic) 197-Cameron Browne, Plattsmouth, Neb. (Plattsmouth)

IOWA CITY, IA -- University of Iowa senior Ty Eustice has been named the Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler for the 2005-06 season. He received the award at the team's annual awards banquet in Iowa City. Eustice was the 149-pound 2006 NCAA runner-up. The Blue Earth, MN, native posted a 28-3 overall record and a 16-1 dual mark. He led the Hawkeyes with 57 team points in dual matches and placed third at the Big Ten Championships. The two-time all-American ended his Hawkeye career with a 111-29 collegiate record and 55-11 dual mark. Eustice also shared the team all-American award with fellow 2006 all-Americans Joe Johnston, Eric Luedke, Mark Perry and Alex Tsirtsis. Johnston, a senior from Prairie Village, KS, also earned the J. Donald McPike, Sr. Award, given annually to the senior with the highest grade-point average, and the John & Dorothy Sill Most Dedicated Wrestler Award. He placed sixth at the Big Ten and NCAA meets. He finished the season with a 27-11 record, going 14-4 in dual matches. The two-time all-American completed his Iowa career with a 113-45 collegiate and 45-18 dual record. Luedke, a junior from Colby, KS, earned the team's Most Improved Wrestler Award. After joining the varsity lineup in January, he compiled a 23-15 season record and 7-7 dual mark at 165 pounds. He also placed sixth at the Big Ten Championships and eighth at the NCAA meet. Perry, a sophomore from Stillwater, OK, picked up the team's most pins award with 13. He went 21-4 at 174 pounds, posting a 9-1 dual record. He placed second at the Big Ten Championships and third at the NCAA meet. Perry also collected the Gorriarian Trophy at the NCAA Championships, which is annually awarded to the wrestler who pins the most opponents in the shortest overall time. He decked four foes in a combined total 15:33. The two-time all-American has a career mark of 48-9. Tsirtsis, a sophomore from Griffith, IN, also earned the Mike J. McGivern Most Courageous Wrestler Award. The 141-pounder posted a 22-10 season record and went 12-6 in dual meets. He placed third at the Big Ten Championships and seventh at the NCAA meet, and has a career record of 44-22. Sharing the Coaches Appreciation Award were Tama, IA, natives Paul Bradley and Matt Walz. Bradley went 16-10 overall and 11-6 in dual matches at 184 pounds. The senior placed seventh at the Big Ten Championships. The two-time all-American finished his Hawkeye career with a 77-37 collegiate and 30-18 dual record. Walz served as team manager for the past five seasons (2002-06). 2005-06 University of Iowa Wrestling Team Awards Mike Howard Award (Most Valuable): Ty Eustice Mike McGivern Award (Most Courageous): Alex Tsirtsis J. Donald McPike, Sr. Award (Highest GPA for graduating senior): Joe Johnston John & Dorothy Sill Award (Most Dedicated): Joe Johnston All-America Award: Ty Eustice, Joe Johnston, Eric Luedke, Mark Perry, Alex Tsirtsis Most Pins Award: Mark Perry (13) Most Improved Award: Eric Luedke Coaches Appreciation Award: Paul Bradley, Matt Walz

Due to numerous requests concerning the eligibility status of Virginia Tech wrestlers, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department issues the following statement: "The Virginia Tech Athletics Department has chosen not to release for the 2006-07 academic year any National Letter of Intent (NLI) signee or those wrestlers receiving athletics financial aid to any Division-I institution. The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) sets forth guidelines pertaining to transfer situations amongst its member institutions. The NCAA has had a transfer rule in place throughout its years. The NCAA transfer rules require the permission of the institution in order for the student-athlete to avoid eligibility consequences. The rule was enacted, in large part, and remains in place to this day, in order to control the unfettered transfer of athletes from one team to another due to a coaching change. Virginia Tech will apply this rule for the purpose that it was intended. The Virginia Tech Athletics Department has informed these athletes that it will provide transfer releases following the 2006-07 academic year if a student-athlete still wishes to transfer out of Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech announces its position, aware that its decision is subject, per NCAA rules, to an appeal hearing conducted by a committee of Virginia Tech faculty and staff that reside outside of the athletics department." In releasing this statement, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department will have no further comments until the process has run its full course. Concerning "Permission to Contact"... NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.3 "An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution's athletics interests shall not make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA or NAIA four-year collegiate institution, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining the written permission of the first institution's athletics director (or an athletics administrator designated by the athletics director) to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact. If permission is not granted, the second institution shall not encourage the transfer and the institution shall not provide athletically related financial assistance to the student-athlete until the student-athlete has attended the second institution for one academic year. If permission is granted to contact the student-athlete, all applicable NCAA recruiting rules apply." NCAA Bylaw 13.1.1.3.1 "If the institution decides to deny a student-athlete's request to permit any other institution to contact the student-athlete about transferring, the institution shall inform the student-athlete in writing that he or she, upon request, shall be provided a hearing conducted by an institutional entity or committee outside of the athletics department (e.g., the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members). The institution shall have established reasonable procedures for promptly hearing such a request." Concerning the One-Time Transfer Exception ("Release")... NCAA Bylaw 14.5.5.1 "A transfer student from a four-year institution shall not be eligible for intercollegiate competition at a member institution until the student has fulfilled a residence requirement of one full academic year (two full semesters or three full quarters) at the certifying institution." NCAA Bylaw 14.5.5.2.10-(d) "If the student is transferring from a NCAA or NAIA member institution, the student's previous institution shall certify in writing that it has no objection to the student's being granted an exception to the transfer-residence requirement. If the student's previous institution denies his or her request for the release, the institution shall inform the student-athlete in writing that he or she, upon request, shall be provided a hearing conducted by an institutional entity or committee outside of the athletics department (e.g., the office of student affairs; office of the dean of students; or a committee composed of the faculty athletics representative, student-athletes and nonathletics faculty/staff members). The institution shall have established reasonable procedures for promptly hearing such a request." Bylaw language taken from the 2005-06 NCAA Manual, pages 90, 177, and 179.

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army head wrestling coach Chuck Barbee announced his 2006-07 recruiting class on Tuesday, welcoming a group of 15 wrestlers to the USMA Class of 2010. The contingent features eight grapplers who won state titles in high school, as well as five wrestlers who attended and developed their skills at USMAPS last year. Four members of Army's 2006-07 recruiting class hail from the talent-rich state of Pennsylvania. "This class will help give us a strong foundation over the next three to four years," remarked Barbee, who is excited about the group. "The kids we are bringing in from the prep school have put themselves in position to succeed at West Point in the Corps and in the wrestling room." With the loss of 11 seniors, the starting lineup is wide open, according to the Army mentor. "I challenge each one of our recruits to make their mark right away. We have a lot of unproven weight classes going into next season and a freshman could certainly break into the starting lineup." Matt Kyler, who put together a 136-13 career record in high school with a state title in 2005, is one of Army's most-heralded recruits. He was ranked the 11th best high school senior and No. 19 overall this past year by USA Wrestling. Kyler won the Pennsylvania state title as a junior, while placing third as both a sophomore and senior. He won the junior national Greco title in 2005, along with placing fourth in the freestyle bracket. A two-time placewinner in the state of Minnesota, Ryan Mergen enters West Point's gates following a year at USMAPS, where he went 7-0 on the wrestling mat. Mergen, who placed eighth at the junior nationals while in high school, placed fifth at the state tournament as a junior before finishing runner-up as a senior. Andy Nicodin compiled a 125-5 career mark in high school, where he won two state titles (2003 and 2004) and placed runner-up at the state championships once (2002). Ranked as high as 12th by NHSCA in 2005, Nicodin is a six-time Greco and freestyle state champion. A product of USMAPS, Lance Penhale was a three-time state champion in Alaska, where he compiled a career mark of 89-12. Penhale, who went 17-7 at the prep school last season, was ranked as high as 12th by USA Wrestling during his senior year of high school. Adam Smetana is coming off a productive season at USMAPS, where he put together a 17-5 record last year. The Valencia, Pa., native won the Greco/freestyle state championship in 2004. Richard Starks, a native of Midway, Ky., won three straight state championships and authored a flashy 205-14 while in high school. He ranked as high as 16th in the nation among seniors by USA Wrestling in 2005-06. Steven Gilbert, a four-time state champion in New Mexico, comes to the Academy having authored a 117-13 record in high school. A NHSCA All-American in 2003 and 2004, Gilbert ranked as high at No. 12 in the nation as a junior. Adam Martinez, a three-time state champion in New Mexico, comes to Army following a decorated high school career, during which he racked up an impressive career record of 200-28. Martinez won state titles as a sophomore, junior and senior, after placing runner-up as a freshman. The Las Vegas, N.M., native also won the state crown during his eighth grade year. Chris Grill comes to Army after placing seventh at the state championships as a junior and senior. The Lansdowne, Pa., product authored a 133-32 career record, setting the school and Delaware County records in the process. A native of Valrico, Fla., Ryan Nye comes to Army having authored a 138-42 career record in high school. Nye won the state title as a senior last season after placing runner-up as a junior. Ranked as high as 26th among high school seniors by USA Wrestling last year, Nye is a two-time member of the National Team. He won back-to-back state titles in Greco, while finishing third in the freestyle competition. A two-time state champion in North Carolina, Charles (Chip) Reed comes to Army straight from high school, where he authored a 127-21 career record. Reed, who placed first at the NHSCA preseason nationals in 2004 and 2005, ranked among the Top 20 nationally by USA Wrestling and by WrestlingInternational.com. A native of Sioux Center, Iowa, Casey Mouw arrives on the banks of the Hudson River following a high school career during which he forged a record of 138-31. Mouw placed sixth at the state tournament as a senior. A four-year letterman in three different sports, Ed Mobley is coming off a sixth-place finish at the Indiana state championships as a senior. Another native of Pennsylvania, Robert O'Neill embarks on his Army career after a year at Army's prep school, where he went 2-1 on the wrestling mat. David Quinn, a two-time all conference selection and three-time all-county honoree, forged a 78-31 record in high school. A state qualifier as a sophomore, Quinn won a district and county championship in 2005. 2006-07 Army Wrestling Recruiting Class (Incoming Freshmen) Name Wt. Hometown High School Steven Gilbert 174 Albuquerque, N.M. Albuquerque Academy Christopher Grill 149/157 Lansdowne, Pa. Upper Darby High School Matthew Kyler 125/133 Clearfield, Pa. Clearfield Area High School Adam Martinez 149/157 Las Vegas, N.M. Robertson High School Ryan Mergen 174/184 Monticello, Minn. Monticello High School Ed Mobley 197 Beech Grove, Ind. Beech Grove High School Casey Mouw 174 Sioux Center, Iowa Sioux Center Community High School Andy Nicodin 165 Falcon, Colo. Hilltop Baptist School Ryan Nye 141 Valrico, Fla. Bloomingdale Senior High School Robert O'Neill 184 Washington Xing, Pa. Council Rock High School North Lance Penhale 125 Kenai, Alaska Nikiski Junior Senior High School David Quinn 165 Flemington, N.J. Hunterdon Central Regional High School Charles (Chip) Reed 197/HWT Winston Salem, N.C. Robert B. Glenn High School Adam Smetana 125/133 Valencia, Pa. Mars Area High School Richard Starks 184/197 Midway, Ky. Woodford County High School

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion wrestler David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) was Outstanding Wrestler at the 2006 USA Wrestling Northeast Regional Championships at the Cadet Freestyle Festival in Brockport, N.Y. Erwin won the award after dominating the competition en route to winning the 185.5-pound weight class. Head coach Troy Sunderland had a number of Penn Staters compete at the event, with a total of five earning top four spots. In addition to true freshman Erwin winning his title, red-shirt freshman Jon Clemens (McVeytown, Pa.) was runner-up at 163 pounds. Red-shirt freshman Joe Farina (Denville, N.J.) was runner-up as well, placing second in the 264.5-pound weight class. State College native Nathan Galloway (State College, Pa.), a junior, finished third at 163 pounds and true freshman Mike Ward (Mayfield, Ohio) placed fourth at 185.5. The solid performance at this past weekend's Brockport event follows closely on the heels of an outstanding showing by Penn State's freestyle wrestlers in Las Vegas earlier this month.

USA Wrestling's University Nationals will carry added significance this year as it will serve as the qualifying event for the World University Championships. The University Nationals for freestyle and Greco-Roman, along with the FILA Cadet Nationals in both styles, are scheduled for April 28-30 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. Champions at the University Nationals qualify to represent the United States at the World University Championships in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, on June 15-20. Finalists from the University Nationals qualify for the World Team Trials on May 27-28 in Sioux City, Iowa. Wrestlers 18-24 years old who are U.S. citizens and whose class has graduated from high school are eligible to compete at University Nationals. This event showcases future stars of the sport and is an important stepping stone for Olympic hopefuls on their path to winning medals for the United States. Wrestlers who may be back to defend their titles in Greco-Roman are 2005 U.S. World Team member Harry Lester of the U.S. Olympic Education Center/Gator Wrestling Club (145.5 lbs.) along with NCAA All-Americans Trent Paulson of Iowa State (163) and J.D. Bergman of Ohio State (211.5). Bergman also won a title in freestyle last year. Lester has been the Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman the past two years. Minnesota heavyweight Cole Konrad, who won his first NCAA title last month, is expected to compete in Evanston. Konrad placed third at the World Team Trials in 2005. Konrad did not compete at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas and needs to reach the finals at University Nationals to make this year's World Team Trials. Michigan State's Nick Simmons, third at 121 pounds in freestyle at the World Team Trials last year, also may compete in Evanston since he did not wrestle in Vegas. He still has not qualified for the World Team Trials. He won University Nationals last year and went on to place fifth in the 2005 World University Games. University of Missouri teammates Ben Askren (185) and Matt Pell (163) also could be in the field. Askren, the reigning Hodge Trophy winner, was second in freestyle at University Nationals last year while Pell is the defending champion at 163. Justin Millard of the U.S. Air Force likely will return to defend his Greco-Roman title at 185. Northwestern All-American Jake Herbert, who lost to Askren in the NCAA finals at 174, placed fourth at University Nationals at 185 last year. NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota may compete in the University Nationals. He could meet another talented true freshman, Virginia Tech's Brent Metcalf, at 145.5 pounds in Evanston. Metcalf won the FILA Junior Freestyle title last week in Las Vegas. Another possibility for University Nationals is Cornell true freshman Troy Nickerson, who placed second at the NCAA meet at 125. In the FILA Cadet Nationals, a number of top young stars may be entered in Evanston. Ohio's David Taylor, a double FILA Cadet National champion last year at 92.5 pounds, also won Cadet Nationals last summer. Cadet National champions Andrew Long of Iowa, Eric Grajales of Florida and Tyler Clark of Illinois also could be in the mix to take home more hardware. Long was third in Greco-Roman and fifth in freestyle last year at 92.5 pounds in FILA Cadets. Grajales was third in Greco-Roman and fifth in freetyle at 101.25. Clark was third in freestyle at 110. Cadet All-American Andy Pokorny of Nebraska is a returning FILA Cadet National champion as is Esai Dominguez of Iowa. 2006 SCHEDULE FOR UNIVERSITY/FILA CADET NATIONALS Thursday, April 27: 7-8 p.m. -- University and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman registration 8-8:30 p.m. -- University and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman weigh-ins Friday, April 28: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. -– University and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman preliminaries 3 p.m.-conclusion –- University and FILA Cadet Greco-Roman preliminaries through finals 6-7:30 p.m. –- University freestyle registration 6-8 p.m. –- FILA Cadet freestyle registration 8-8:30 p.m. –- University and FILA Cadet freestyle weigh-ins Saturday, April 29: 9 a.m.-noon –- University and FILA Cadet freestyle preliminaries 2-5 p.m. –- University and FILA Cadet freestyle preliminaries 6-9 p.m. -- University and FILA Cadet freestyle preliminaries Sunday, April 30: 9 a.m.-conclusion -- University and FILA Cadet freestyle preliminaries through finals 2005 CHAMPIONS FROM UNIVERSITY/FILA CADET NATIONALS University Greco-Roman 50 kg/110 lbs. - Ricardo Osorio (U.S. Air Force). 55 kg/121 lbs. - Joe Betterman (USOEC). 60 kg/132 lbs. - Jeremiah Davis (USOEC). 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Harry Lester (USOEC). 74 kg/163 lbs. - Trent Paulson (Cyclone WC). 84 kg/185 lbs. - Justin Millard (U.S. Air Force). 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - J.D. Bergman (Ohio International WC). 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Jake Marquardt (Viking WC). University Freestyle 50 kg/110 lbs. - Daniel Jackson (Minnesota Storm). 55 kg/121 lbs. - Nick Simmons (Michigan WC). 60 kg/132 lbs. - Drew Headlee (Pitt WC). 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Jason Mester (Central Michigan). 74 kg/163 lbs. - Matt Pell (Tiger WC). 84 kg/185 lbs. - Tyler Nixt (Hawkeye WC). 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - J.D. Bergman (Ohio International WC). 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Israel Silva (Chattanooga). FILA Cadet Greco-Roman 42 kg/92.5 lbs. - David Taylor (Ohio). 46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Andy Pokorny (Nebraska). 50 kg/110 lbs. - Brian Owen (Washington). 54 kg/119 lbs. - Dak Adamson (New Mexico). 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Spencer Jasper (Arizona). 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Esai Dominguez (Iowa). 69 kg/152 lbs.- Jon Reader (Michigan). 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Brent Chriswell (Washington). 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Patrick Flynn (Pennsylvania). 100 kg/220.25 lbs. - Ryan Nachtrab (Ohio). FILA Cadet Freestyle 42 kg/92.5 lbs. - David Taylor (Ohio). 46 kg/101.25 lbs. - Riley Adamson (New Mexico). 50 kg/110 lbs. - Brandon Davis (North Carolina). 54 kg/119 lbs. - Alex Meade (Delaware). 58 kg/127.75 lbs. - Coby Boyd (Ohio). 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Matt Ballweg (Iowa). 69 kg/152 lbs. - Jon Reader (Michigan). 76 kg/167.5 lbs. - Scott Giffin (New Jersey). 85 kg/187.25 lbs. - Brent Chriswell (Washington). 100 kg/220.25 lbs. - Christopher Lewis (California).

Ames, Iowa -- Cody Sanderson, a two-time 133-pound NCAA finalist as an Iowa State wrestler who has been the head wrestling coach at Utah Valley State the last three seasons, has joined the Cyclone coaching staff as associate head coach. The staff addition was announced Friday by ISU head coach Cael Sanderson, Cody's younger brother. Cael Sanderson hired former Iowa assistant coach Tim Hartung earlier this month. "People who know Cody will be thrilled by his addition to our coaching staff," Cael Sanderson said. "He knows Iowa State but has also been a head coach the last three seasons and will bring unique experience to the wrestling room. Cody is smart. He is driven to be successful. Ultimately, he is someone I trust and respect.He did a lot to help our wrestlers during his time in Ames. Our wrestlers will attest to his contributions. The only wrestling coach that Utah Valley State has known, Cody Sanderson built the Wolverine program in Orem from scratch starting in 2003. His team won six its last seven dual meets this season. "I am anxious and excited to return to Ames," Cody Sanderson said. "Iowa State University has been great to my family. Coaching at UVSC was a very unique experience. Forming a new Division I wrestling team has, at times, been especially challenging. Because of those challenges, I feel that I am better prepared to help Iowa State wrestlers reach their goals." Cody Sanderson grew up with brothers Cael and Cole in Heber City, Utah. He wrestled for his father Steve at Wasatch High School. Cody Sanderson was a four-time state champion, two-time junior national champion and his high school's valedictorian. Cody Sanderson's Iowa State credentials include: two-time NCAA runner-up, two-time All-American, Big 12 champion, Big 12 Most Outstanding Wrestler honoree, four-time NCAA Tournament qualifier, Midlands champion and two-time academic All-American. Sanderson wrestled at Iowa State from 1996-2000. He finished his career with 116 wins, ranking 17th on the all-time ISU win list. He made the NCAA 133-pound championship match as a junior (1999) and as a senior (2000), posting a 62-9 record his last two collegiate seasons. He was also the Big 12 133-pound champion his senior season. He served as captain of the Cyclones in 1999 and 2000 for lSU head coach Bobby Douglas. In 1999, Iowa State finished fourth at the NCAA Championships and a year later finished second nationally. Sanderson also wrestled internationally for Coach Douglas. Cody Sanderson wrestled for the USA national team. He was a Sunkist International Open champion, runner-up at the Dave Schultz International Open and a three-time University national champion. His coaching career began where his collegiate career ended, at Iowa State, where Sanderson served as an administrative assistant before heading for Utah Valley State. Sanderson served as the Cyclone Wrestling Club coach for three years, where his teams competed in the University National Championships, United States national championships, United States World Team Trials, Junior World Team Trials, and the Espoir National Championships. Sanderson has also assisted with the Utah National Team for the past seven years and is a certified Bronze Level Coach with USA Wrestling. Sanderson earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa State in psychology. Cody married his wife Sarah on July 17, 1999 in Hudson, Wisconsin. They met at Iowa State where Sarah was a member of the ISU gymnastics team. Together they have a son, Kade and a daughter, Tylar Ann.

Tom Ryan has been named as Ohio State's new head wrestling coach. Gene Smith, athletics director at Ohio State, announced the hiring Saturday. Ryan, a 1993 graduate of Iowa, comes to Ohio State after spending the past 11 years at the helm of the Hofstra wrestling program. He will sign a five-year contract with Ohio State. "Ohio State is one of the most inspiring campuses I have ever visited," Ryan said. "The combination of academic and athletic standards allows Ohio State to attract the top student-athletes in the country. I am humble and thankful Gene Smith has entrusted me with the wrestling program at Ohio State. "In the short term, I plan to first meet with the team and begin putting together a staff of national caliber. I also want to get out to the communities in Ohio and reach out to the coaches at the high school level. There is great high school wrestling in Ohio and it not only is my job to coach Ohio State, but also build strong relationships with coaches at the high school level." At Hofstra, Ryan led the Pride to six-consecutive conference titles, including this past season. Hofstra won the Eastern Collegiate Wrestling Association championship in 2001 before winning five-consecutive Colonial Athletic Association crowns (2002-06). Ryan, who took over the Hofstra program in September 1995, was named conference coach of the year seven times. He was a two-time New York State Coach of the Year. Ryan compiled a 109-82-2 record at Hofstra and led the Pride to a 47-match (46-0-1) unbeaten streak in dual-match action. In his 11 years at Hofstra, Ryan guided 65 wrestlers to NCAA championship appearances, including eight in 2006. Eleven of his wrestlers earned All-America honors, while 10 were named Academic All-Americans. He also coached his wrestlers to 45 individual conference titles. "I want to thank (Ohio State Associate Director of Athletics) Heather Lyke and the search committee for all their hard work in finding a great choice for this position," Smith said. "Tom will be a terrific addition to our staff. He is one of the top wrestling coaches in the country." Ryan was a two-time Big Ten champion at Iowa, winning the 158-pound titles in 1991 and 1992. He earned All-America honors twice with a second-place finish in 1991 and third-place finish in 1992. He began his collegiate career at Syracuse, wrestling two seasons for the Orange, where he captured an Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association title in 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from Iowa in May 1993. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Indiana from 1993-94.

Taking part in some of the premier off-season wrestling tournaments in the nation, Fresno State wrestlers placed highly in both the FILA Junior National Championships as well as the U.S. Senior National Championships. Both tournaments are qualifiers for the national trials, which cover entry onto both the junior and senior national teams. Eight wrestlers currently affiliated with the Fresno State program participated in the two championships, which were both held this past weekend in Las Vegas. Among the wrestlers participating in the FILA Junior National Championships, two wrestlers stood out. True freshman and NCAA qualifier Cory Borges placed eighth in the 55kg (121 pound) weight class, earning All-American honors and heavyweight Wade Sauer placed fifth in the 120 kg (264 pound) weight class, also earning All-American honors as well as a trip to the FILA Junior National World Team Trials. That competition will take place during June in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. "This is a great chance for our wrestlers to gain a lot of experience," said head coach Shawn Charles. "At these tournaments, individual wrestlers will see a lot of styles, and get the chance to meet the top competition. From a team standpoint, our guys who still want to compete even in the off-season can use this as an opportunity to build strength and stay in top condition, even while facing some of the best wrestlers in the nation." In the U.S. Senior National Championships, assistant coach Travis Pascoe had the top finish for the Bulldogs. Wrestling at 84 kg (185 pounds), the former All-American defeated some of the top competition in the nation to finish in fourth place, earning a spot in the 2006 United States World Team Trials. One of the key tournaments for Olympic Team representation, that competition will be held in Sioux City, Iowa, beginning on May 26. "It was a great result for Travis, and obviously something that he has been working towards," said Charles. "This certainly reinforces to anyone involved with the program that they're working with one of the top wrestlers in the country. Any recruit that comes here knows that they will learn good techniques and skills from a wrestling partner of that caliber."

Augustana head wrestling coach Jason Reitmeier today announced the addition of seven individuals to the Vikings 2005-06 recruiting class. The group includes Josh Montgomery of Canton, S.D., Kirk Bunkers of Brookings, S.D., Tyler Copsey of Glenwood, Iowa, Jarred McCarthy of Farmington, Minn., Beau Penk of Litchfield, Minn., Mike Wubbena of Fairmont, Minn., and Charlie Cunningham of Kaycee, Wyo. The new additions join a recruiting class that already included Jay Sherer of Columbus, Neb., Kyle Svendsen of Omaha, Neb., Lance Peters of LeRoy, Minn., who signed with the Vikings in November. This could be our best recruiting class ever, Reitmeier said. We not only filled some needs, but we also brought in some depth. This is definitely one of the most successful classes we have brought in with many awards and accolades. Montgomery posted a 159-26 record during the final four years of his career at Canton High School, including an amazing 90-3 mark in his junior and senior seasons. In 2005-06, Montgomery went 44-1 with 20 falls and captured the Big Sioux Conference title, a regional crown and the Class A state title at 125 pounds. In the process, he helped the C-Hawks to a 27-0 record, the Class A state duals championship and a runner-up finish at the state individual tournament. Montgomery, a three-time first team all-conference performer, won the Class B state title in 2005 after placing fourth as a sophomore in 2004. As a freshman, he finished fifth at the Class A state meet. Josh is a very scrappy wrestler who performs best in the big matches, Reitmeier said. He was a very accomplished high school wrestler and will make an impact in our lineup. Bunkers was a three-time Class AA state qualifier at Brookings High School. He qualified for the Class AA state meet the final three years of his career, placing fourth as a junior and seventh as a senior. A four-year starter, Bunkers posted a 26-8 record in 2005-06 after going 32-10 as a junior. Kirk is an athletic big man who we are looking forward to working with, Reitmeier said. He has had lots of success in high school. Copsey was a three-time state qualifier at Glenwood High School. He won 127 career matches, including 72 wins by fall. He had a 43-0 record as a senior during which he won the Hawkeye 10 Conference title, the sectional and district crowns and the Class 2A state championship, while helping the Rams to a sixth-place finish in the team standings. As a junior, Copsey went 39-9, won the conference title and placed second at the state meet. Tyler is a beast on top and a smart athlete on his feet, Reitmeier said. He comes from a great high school program and will be very successful at the college level. McCarthy was a four-time All-Missota Conference performer at Farmington High School. He was 30-2 with 21 pins as a senior. However, he was unable to compete at the Class AAA state tournament due to illness. He did win the state title in 2005 after compiling a 38-3 overall record. As a sophomore, he posted a 35-8 record and placed fourth at state. Jarred is a former state champion who we�re really excited about having in our program, Reitmeier said. �He can score points in a hurry and is a very smart wrestler. Penk compiled a 235-25 career record with 114 pins at Litchfield High School. His 235 wins is the second-highest win total in Minnesota high school history. He went 43-1 with 20 pins in 2005-06 and won the Class AA state title after going 38-3 with 20 pins and finishing second at state as a junior. As a junior in 2003-04, he went 43-3 with 24 pinds and placed sixth at state. �Beau is a viscous competitor,� Reitmeier said. �He has the second most wins in Minnesota high school history. He will compete for a starting spot immediately.� Wubbena, who also signed with the Augustana football team, was a six-year starter at Fairmont High School. Five times he placed at the Class AAA state tournament, earning a third-place finish as a senior after finishing second as a junior and sophomore. He had a career record of 205-28, including a 35-1 record as a junior and a 41-1 mark as a senior. Mike is one of the most athletic kids I have seen,� Reitmeier said. He's very explosive and quick. Cunningham is the younger brother of Viking football player Ben Cunningham. He capped his career at Kaycee High School by winning the Wyoming Class 1A state title in 2006. Charlie is a Wyoming state champion who is looking to continue his success at the collegiate level, Reitmeier said. He will add more depth to the upper weights and challenge for a starting job at 174 pounds. Augustana placed seventh at the 2006 NCAA Division II National Championships, crowning six All-Americans in the process. The Vikings were the 2005 national runner-up.

The University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) women's wrestling team competed in the Senior National Championships on April 12-15, 2006. Seven lady wrestlers returned from Las Vegas, NV with medals. The competition features wrestlers of all ages, not just those currently enrolled in college. Jessica Medina (Pomona, CA) represented Cumberlands in the 51 kg weight class. Medina was pinned in the second period of the consolation finals, finishing in fourth place. Only a sophomore, Medina has a chance to improve on her finish in the future. Junior Othella Lucas (San Diego, CA) finished fourth at 59 kg after falling to her opponent in the consolation finals. Lucas, sponsored by NYAC, hopes to continue to improve throughout her senior year as a Patriot. Alaina Berube (Escanaba, MI), also sponsored by NYAC, finished third in the 63 kg division. Berube won her consolation finals match 3-0, 3-1 to claim a bronze medal. Next season, Berube will strive to conclude her college career with a national title. Krisha Childress (Goddard, KS) also wrestled in the 63 kg weight class. Finishing eighth, the freshman has three years left to improve. NYAC also sponsored sophomore Heather Martin (Wellington, OH). Martin defeated her opponent by tech fall in the consolation finals. After only two years on the college scene, Martin has much to look forward to. Shelly Ruberg (Harrison, OH) completed her college career with a sixth place finish. Ruberg represented Cumberlands at 67 kg. Tabetha Golt (Chesapeake, VA) finished the tournament with a fifth place medal in the 72 kg weight class. Golt, only a sophomore, will continue to improve throughout her college career. These seven ladies have qualified to compete at World Team Trials. World Team Trials for women's freestyle are set for June 30, 2006 at the Colorado Springs Christian School in Colorado Springs, Colo.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- John Smith had needs to fill in his 2006 recruiting class with the departure of one of the most successful senior classes in school history, which won five individual championships, had nine All-American finishes and won four team titles; and he believes he met those needs with the signing of three high school seniors. Dakotah Simpson, Carl Hines and Landon Harris were all multiple state champions and the three wrestlers combined to go 121-1 during their senior years. Simpson and Hines are local recruits hailing from Cushing and Bristow, respectively, while Harris will come to Stillwater from Sugar City, Idaho. Simpson was a three-time state champion at Cushing High School wrestling in three different weight classes over his career. Simpson went 40-1 in the 152-pound weight class on the way to his third state title. Hines went a perfect 39-0 at Bristow High School. He has won the last two state championships at 215 pounds. Hines is currently ranked seventh in his weight class by Amateur Wrestling News. Harris is the fifth-ranked heavyweight in the country according to Amateur Wrestling News. He is a two-time state champion in Idaho and has a career record of 120-5. Harris has posted an 11-1 record with 11 falls in the state tournament over the last three years. The last recruit Smith signed out of Idaho was Jake Rosholt who went on to be a three-time NCAA champion. The three new recruits will join the five the Cowboys signed in November and will be on campus in the fall of 2006.

Charlottesville, VA -- Steve Garland, a former All-American at the University of Virginia, has been named the head wrestling coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage today. Garland has served the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell University, where he helped the Big Red to four consecutive top-11 finishes at the NCAA Championships. He spent the last four seasons as the top assistant under 2005 NCAA Coach of the Year, Rob Koll. Steve Garland"I've learned important things about Steve Garland from those in the college wrestling community," Littlepage said. "The outstanding work he did as Cornell University's assistant coach is a major reason why he is the best fit for UVa wrestling at this time. Cornell built a nationally-ranked program and Coach Garland was a big part of the program's development. We are fortunate that in addition to the experience he gained there, he is also one of our own and knows the UVa wrestling community as well as anyone. I anticipate that Virginia's program will take off and achieve great success under Coach Garland." Over the past six years, Garland has helped the Cornell wrestling program move into the national spotlight. He has coached 17 All-Americans, four NCAA Finalists and 46 NCAA qualifiers. "I am humbled by the support of the administration and the alumni of the University of Virginia wrestling program," Garland said. "This is an incredible opportunity and something that I have dreamed about since beginning my coaching career in 2000. As a graduate of the University of Virginia, I have a genuine love for the University and an intense desire to help the wrestling program become one of the top programs in the nation. "For the past six years, I have been a part of a system that has consistently produced successful wrestlers at the national level under the direction of one of the best coaches in the country in Rob Koll. I feel very confident that I can implement many facets of this system at the University of Virginia." The Cornell wrestling team has finished in the top five at the NCAA Championships two years in a row and have finished in the top 11 at the NCAA Tournament for four straight years. The Big Red won five of the last six Ivy League titles. He has worked closely with and been integral in the development of four-time All-American (2001-05) and two-time NCAA Champion Travis Lee and true freshman NCAA finalist Troy Nickerson (2006). As the recruiting coordinator the last four years, he has helped bring in two top-five recruiting classes, which included three high school national champions, four junior national champions and numerous state champions. His 2005-06 class was ranked second nationally and included the No. 1 recruits at their weight classes in Nickerson (125 pounds) and Adam Frey (130 pounds). Garland, a 2000 Virginia graduate, was a three-time Atlantic Coast Conference finalist and a winner of the ACC Wrestling Tournament Championship at 125 pounds in 1997. He qualified for the NCAA tournament in each of his three years of competition. At the 2000 NCAA tournament, Garland earned All-America honors, falling in the national title match after he upset the top seed, Jody Strittmatter of Iowa, 9-7 in overtime. Garland still ranks sixth all-time in UVa career wins (91). In 2000, he was also named the ACC Wrestler of the Year. In his career, he compiled 93 wins, including a 30-5 mark during his senior season, when he competed in the NWCA All-Star meet. Garland (28) and his wife, English, are expecting their first child this spring.

Tommy Rowlands has quickly become the face of Ohio State wrestling. He finished his collegiate career in 2004 as the most decorated wrestler in Ohio State history after winning two NCAA titles and earning four All-American medals. Tommy RowlandsAs an international competitor in freestyle, Rowlands has fared well at many prestigious world-level events. He won a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey. In 2004, he won both the New York AC Christmas International and Sunkist Kids International events. He has been runner-up at both the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials. Now, after the recent retirement of longtime Ohio State coach Russ Hellickson, Rowlands is one of four finalists for the coveted Ohio State head coaching position. RevWrestling.com's Andrew Hipps recently caught up with Rowlands to discuss why he believes his youth is a positive as he hopes to become Ohio State's next head coach, his thoughts on his performance at U.S. Nationals, his rivalry with Steve Mocco, his experience in Real Pro Wrestling, and what lies ahead for the former Buckeye star. You have obviously built a relationship with Russ Hellickson over the years. Were you surprised that he retired after this last season? Or was this something that had been discussed for a while? Rowlands: Russ is obviously a legend of the sport and I think he's going to have a great retirement. It's something that has been on his mind for some time. I think he'll be happy in the long run with everything that happened. Do you know if he has plans to stay involved with wrestling? Rowlands: Russ is just enjoying retirement right now. He went to Italy with his wife. He's up at his lake house in Wisconsin. I don't think he's really thought much past what he's doing right now. It has been widely discussed that you're one of four finalists for the Ohio State head job. Can you confirm that? Rowlands: Yeah, I'm interviewing Friday. What is the timetable, if you know, on when you expect the Ohio State administration to make a decision? Rowlands: I would assume that the decision will be made in the next two weeks. I'm just going to play devil's advocate. Many people across the country believe that you can be a successful head coach in a big time program right now. But still there others out there who say Tommy Rowlands is too young, he doesn't have the experience. How would you respond to that? Rowlands: Well, I consider my youth to be a positive. The greatest collegiate coaches ever started at a young age -- John Smith, Dan Gable, Myron Roderick. I feel like it's a young man's game. My youth is a positive. I can maintain a physical involvement with the athletes. Even though I am young and don't have any head coaching experience, I feel like I have enough of a passion for Ohio State wrestling to not let any potential roadblocks stand in the way of me helping our program be as successful as it can be. I've been bound to this program. I grew up eight miles from Ohio Stadium. I've dedicated my adult wrestling career to helping make Ohio State national champions. Unfortunately, we've come up short. But I would like to continue that as the head coach. And I feel like I have the ability to do it. I wouldn't apply and set the kids back on the team right now if I didn't think I was ready to make an impact immediately. Many people consider Ohio State to be a potential goldmine with a lot of potential. What makes the wrestling program so enticing for head coaches across the country? Rowlands: I think Ohio high school wrestling is arguably one of the best youth wrestling states in the entire country. And the only reason that it's an argument is because of our next door neighbor, Pennsylvania. So you're right in the middle of the hotbed for recruiting, great wrestling talent. Ohio State Athletics has the largest athletic budget in the country. We have great resources. It's a great haven for wrestling. I don't think there's any other program that has more potential for success than Ohio State. You placed third last weekend at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas. How would you asses your overall performance? Rowlands: I don't think I was overly happy with my performance. Obviously, what's been going on the past two or three weeks has been somewhat of a distraction, and one that I've accepted because I'm willing to move on and be the head coach if that opportunity presents itself. But I feel like if I don't get the job, I'll have a clear head for the World Team Trials and I'll accomplish my goal of making the team and competing in the World Championships. It's something that I've been training for the past two years. And I certainly won't have a problem continuing that dream if I'm not the head coach. You had some great battles with Steve Mocco during your collegiate career. What was the biggest difference you noticed this time compared to the last time you met him in college? Tommy Rowlands and Steve Mocco have battled numerous times throughout their careers (Photo/John Sachs).Rowlands: There was a closer size difference and strength difference. I would say that Mocco still has the advantage strength-wise and size-wise. I was surprised by the little variance between us in size. I think as a result, I didn't move as much as I should … because I wasn't getting pushed all over the mat like I was used to. I think, instead of that being a positive for me, it was a negative because I was overly comfortable with just standing there with him. That was mistake that I made. When did you make the decision to move up from 211 pounds to heavyweight? And what were the main reasons for your move up in weight? Rowlands: I went to the University World Championships in late August. I had been cutting weight throughout the year at the Yarygin and the U.S. Open, things like that. The cut was very, very difficult for me. It was a constant effort for me to maintain my weight at 240. That was a battle to just stay at that weight to be within striking distance of making 211. The cut in Turkey for the University World Championships in August was just absolutely insane. I had a lot of people who are close to me and my career, and a lot of people who I really respect in the wrestling community, tell me that I needed to go up. I'm just as competitive, if not more, at the weight class. I have more upside. And my speed can be utilized as more of an advantage at the heavyweight weight class. Obviously, I've been able to lead a better lifestyle. I've been able to focus entirely on my training, which was something that I wasn't used to with cutting the weight. I've never cut weight my entire life, and although I truly believe I'm mentally tough enough to get the weight down, it's not a lifestyle that I became accustomed to. I think the guys who suck a lot of weight on the international level had been doing it all through college and possibly all through high school. So it's a lifestyle they're accustomed to. I think to have the focus you need to be an Olympic champion, you need to be just tunnel vision on your goals. And I think at the heavyweight weight class, I enable myself to do that. Overall, how would you assess the strength of the current group freestyle heavyweights in the United States? Rowlands: I think that it's a great group of heavyweights. I think whoever represents our country is going to be a strong contender for the world title, and should be a medalist at the very least. I think there are plenty of us who are capable of doing that. Hopefully, I'm our representative -- unless I'm to be the head coach at Ohio State where I'd have to forfeit that dream and pickup the new one with Ohio State wrestling. Talk about your current training situation. Where are you working out? And who are your main workout partners? Rowlands: I train with J.D. Bergman, Ross Thatcher, Kirk Nail, and Mitch Clark. I spend a lot of time at the Olympic Training Center. I've also been to Stanford three times to train with Kerry McCoy. I've basically made myself available to the best training environment that I can possibly be in. I think the best environment out there right now for someone who wants to be an Olympic champion is to be at the Olympic Training Center. It's an environment that's conducive to freestyle. You've got world-class coaches who wake up every morning who are paid to worry about you and your development. And If I were to continue my career, that's certainly a place that I think I'm going to have to head. What area of your wrestling do you think you've improved the most since your collegiate career ended? Tommy RowlandsRowlands: Well, I think the area that I've improved the most is still the area that I need to improve more in. In terms of match strategy and match awareness, I've become better at. I still think it's my main area of concentration. At the international level, it's a huge, huge strategy game. You need to have a plan with each opponent. It's something that I've never really worried too much about or possessed in college. I just went out there and threw in the kitchen sink and hoped for the best. And it actually worked out. But at the international level, there are too many good wrestlers, too many smart wrestlers. You have to have a plan. I think that I've improved on that, but at the same time, there's much, much more room for improvement on that end. You finished second in Real Pro Wrestling's Season One. How would you describe your experience? Rowlands: I thought RPW was a great thing, great for wrestling. Anytime you can get wrestling into the mainstream media, I think it's going to be great for the sport. This is certainly something that I hope continues to grow into Season Two in the fall. And I think it's a good thing. So do you plan to compete in Season Two? Rowlands: If I continue my career as a competitive wrestler, I will definitely be part of RPW. What are your competitive wrestling goals, assuming that you're still competing, both short term and long term? Rowlands: Short term is to make the U.S. World Team in May and compete for the world title at the end of September. Long term, I want to be an Olympic champion in 2008. Hypothetical: Tommy Rowlands wins the 2008 Olympic gold medal in Beijing. Is he done competing? Rowlands: I'm pretty certain that it would be over. I know a lot of people have continued their careers as Olympic champions and world champions, and that's very admirable, but to me it's about reaching the pinnacle of the sport. Once I've done that, I think I'd like to focus on other things.

Sandy, Utah -- Mountain Top Wrestling Club traveled to Price to compete in the USA Wrestling Utah State Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, held April 7-8, 2006, at Carbon High School. Thirty-seven wrestlers took away 27 awards in freestyle; 23 athletes in Greco-Roman took away 22 awards. This was our best showing at state yet,_ said Coach Bill Kilpack (III). We didn't have as many champions as we have a couple times in the past, but we had a lot who came in with silvers, and that's impressive. We had some firest-year wrestlers who really stepped it up, and some others who really wrestled their guts out with some tough competition. We're very proud of them." Coming away with State Championships in freestyle were five wrestlers: Tanner Orton of West Jordan, Flyweight (ages 6 and Under) 35 lbs.; Cole Moody of West Jordan, Bantam (ages 7 and 8) 50 lbs.; Helaman Suesue of Salt Lake City, Bantam 65 lbs.; Tyler Jensen of West Valley City, Novice (ages 11 and 12) 60 lbs.; Nick Pappas of Taylorsville, Schoolboy (ages 13 and 14) 125 lbs. For Orton, this was his second state title, coming at the end of a second consecutive year undefeated in Utah. For Suesue, this was also a second consecutive state championship. For Jensen, this was an apt conclusion to a tournament where he beat every opponent by pin or technical superiority (gaining a six-point lead in two of three rounds). Winning silver medals in freestyle were five wrestlers: Skylar Orton of West Jordan, Bantam 45 lbs.; Beau McRae of South Jordan, Bantam 50 lbs.; Kyler Machan of West Jordan, Novice 60 lbs.; Matthew Findlay of Draper, Novice 65 lbs.; and Zayne Sayers of Sandy, Novice 130 lbs. Earning bronze medals in freestyle were six athletes: Jordan McRae of South Jordan, Midget 55 lbs.; Tayler Johnson of Draper, Midget (ages 9 and 10) 65 lbs.; Clark Hinton of West Jordan, Midget 80 lbs.; Wesly Orton of West Jordan, Novice 65 lbs.; Daniel Bactista of Kaysville, Schoolboy 85 lbs.; and Jessica Osborne of Salt Lake City, Junior (ages 17 and 18) 112 lbs. Taking fourth-place bronze medals in freestyle were four wrestlers: Devin Johnson of Draper, Bantam 45 lbs.; Ajax Revels of Sandy, Bantam 60 lbs.; Caden Maynes of West Jordan, Midget 50 lbs.; Tyler Schwendiman of South Jordan, Midget 55 lbs.; and Addison Day of Sandy, Midget 60 lbs. Garnering fifth-place medals were five athletes: Garrick Kilpack of Sandy, Flyweight 40 lbs.; Justin Schwendiman of West Jordan, Novice 60 lbs.; William Kilpack of Sandy, Novice 80 lbs.; Bryce Lindsey of Clearfield, Cadet (ages 15 and 16) 125 lbs.; and Jordan Layton of Clearfield, Cadet 145 lbs. Earning sixth-place medals were two wrestlers: Bradley Findlay of Draper, Bantam 55 lbs.; and Jordan Drage of Taylorsville, Schoolboy 100 lbs. In Greco-Roman, two State Champions were crowned: Tyler Jensen, Novice 60 lbs. (who also won state titles in freestyle and in folkstyle at the 4A/5A Junior High State Championships last January); and Jessica Osborne, Junior 112 lbs. Winning silvers in Greco-Roman were 10 athletes: Caden Maynes, Midget 50 lbs.; Tyler Schwendiman, Midget 55 lbs.; Tayler Johnson, Midget 65 lbs.; Kyler Machan, Novice 60 lbs.; Matthew Findlay, Novice 65 lbs.; William Kilpack, Novice 80 lbs.; Zayne Sayers, Novice 130 lbs.; Nick Pappas, Schoolboy 125 lbs.; Travis McRae of South Jordan, Cadet 125 lbs.; and Jordan Layton of Clearfield, Cadet 145 lbs. Winning bronze in Greco-Roman were five athletes: Jordan McRae, Midget 55 lbs.; Addison Day, Midget 60 lbs.; Justin Schwendiman, Novice 60 lbs.; Wesly Orton, Novice 65 lbs.; and Daniel Bactista, Schoolboy 85 lbs. Three wrestlers earned fourth-place bronze medals in Greco-Roman: Austin Maynes of West Jordan, Novice 65 lbs.; Jordan Drage, Schoolboy 100 lbs.; and Devin Sayers of Sandy, Schoolboy 165 lbs. Two athletes earned fifth-place bronze medals in Greco-Roman: Brayden Schwendiman of South Jordan, Novice 65 lbs.; and Bryce Lindsey, Cadet 125 lbs. Also competing in the tournament in both styles was Jacob Rutledge of Sandy, Cadet 105 lbs. Also competing in the freestyle tournament were brothers Jefferson and Jordan Harbaugh of South Jordan, Jefferson in Flyweight 40 lbs., and Jordan in Bantam 45 lbs.; Braden Hensen of Salt Lake City, Flyweight 40 lbs.; brothers Jed and Matthew Lee of Draper, Jed in Flyweight 40 lbs., Matthew in Midget 55 lbs.; Austin Maynes, Novice 65 lbs.; Brayden Schwendiman, Novice 65 lbs.; and Devin Sayers, Schoolboy 165 lbs. "This was an exciting state tournament for the kids," said Coach Bill Kilpack (Jr.). "The character showed on the mat was outstanding, showing sportsmanship whether they won or lost. There's a good group of wrestlers that made the trip to price, both on and off the mat." Mountain Top Wrestling Club is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation dedicated to providing a venue for individuals to learn, develop and refine their athletic skills and abilities; and teaching the rules and regulations of freestyle, folkstyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. It is open to male and female athletes ages four and older who live anywhere in the State of Utah. Practices are held three days a week from 6_7:30 p.m. at Jordan High School. For more information, call 641-9832, e-mail coach@mountaintopwrestling.com or visit them on the Worldwide Web at www.mountaintopwrestling.com.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State University recently signed a pair of high school standouts to National Letters of Intent, Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Tuesday. Todd Schavrien of Poway, Calif., and Randel Aleman of Las Vegas will pursue their respective academic and collegiate wrestling careers with the Sun Devils in time for the start of the 2006-07 season. "Todd and Randel are great additions to our team," Ortiz said. "We expect great things from them in the future as Arizona State shoots for a national title. Their experience and success at the high school level has provided them a solid background on which we look to build. We hope to see both men continue to excel as they represent our program and help us remain on top of the Pac-10 standings." Aleman comes to Tempe after four outstanding years at Cimarron-Memorial High School in Las Vegas where he not only helped his team win four-consecutive state championships, but also become the first wrestler in CMHS history to win four individual state crowns. As a senior, Aleman won the 145 pound crown after moving up in weight all four years he competed. He opened his career with the 103 title as a freshman before taking the 112 and 130 crowns. Schavrien also comes from a solid background of high school success after competing for Poway High School, one of the top programs in the state of California. As a senior, Schavrien capped an undefeated 46-0 record by winning the 125 pound championship as he scored two falls, one tech fall and two major decisions en route to his title. The first PHS wrestler to ever go undefeated in a season, he also helped his team finish second overall after winning the 2005 state title. The San Diego Region Athlete of the Year, Schavrien capped his prep career by placing fourth at the High School Senior Nationals. Aleman and Schavrien are the fourth and fifth members of this year's signing class. They join Shawn Jones (Snake River, Idaho), David Green (Oviedo, Fla.) and Kenny Lester (Oviedo, Fla.), who signed with the program in November. Jones completed his high school career as a four-time state champion and posted a career record of 148-10. Green and Lester helped Oviedo High School to the state team title while both reached the finals of their respective weights. Green captured his third state title in a row to finish his career at 157-22 while Lester placed second to cap his career with a record of 182-26.