InterMat Staff

USA Wrestling has announced that the ASICS University National Championships and FILA Cadet National Championships for men will be held in Akron, Ohio, April 20-22. The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the competition is the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission (GCSC). Located in downtown Cleveland, the GCSC is a non-profit organization whose mission is to measurably enhance the economy, image and quality of life in the Greater Cleveland community by attracting and creating significant sporting events and activities. (www.clevelandsports.org) The event is hosted by The University of Akron in its state-of-the-art intercollegiate Athletics Field House. The event will be sponsored by the Kent State University wrestling program, along with USA Wrestling/Ohio. "USA Wrestling is excited to announce Akron, Ohio as the host city of the 2007 ASICS FILA Cadet & University National Championships," said Pete Isais, USA Wrestling Director of National Events. "With a great tradition of wrestling in this region of the country, we feel northeast Ohio is the perfect location for one of USA Wrestling's premier National Championship events. With the help of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, USA Wrestling-Ohio, Kent State University wrestling, and the University of Akron, we look forward to building on the continuing success of this event." Competition will be held in the Olympic styles of freestyle and Greco-Roman in both age divisions. The University Nationals features many of the nation's top college-age wrestlers, both from college wrestling programs and the U.S. military teams. The FILA Cadet Nationals showcases many of the best high school wrestlers in the United States. University-age athletes are 18-24 years old (Born 1983-89) and the athlete must have graduated from high school. FILA Cadets are 15-17 years old (Born 1990-91, and 1992 with a medical certificate). This tournament has been hosted by the wrestling team at Northwestern Univ. and held in the Chicago area since 1992. The University Nationals has only had one other site during its history, at Penn State Univ. in 1990 and 1991. Finalists in the University Nationals in both styles qualify to participate in the U.S. Senior World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev., June 8-10. The top three place winners at the FILA Cadet Nationals qualify for their state's Cadet Nationals team above the state limit (and must adhere to all state policies). FILA Cadet and University qualifiers will receive information regarding an international tour opportunity from USA Wrestling's National Developmental coaches upon completion of the event. "The Greater Cleveland Sports Commission is thrilled at being awarded the 2007 University and FILA Cadet National Championships and looks forward to continuing Northeast Ohio's strong partnership with USA Wrestling," said David Gilbert, President, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission. Ohio is considered one of the nation's hotbeds for wrestling. There are numerous college wrestling programs in Ohio and the surrounding states. High school wrestling in Ohio is nationally respected, and the state has more high school wrestlers each year than any state except for California. "The University of Akron is pleased to be working with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and excited to host the 2007 USA Wrestling University Nationals / FILA Cadet Nationals event in the Athletics Field House. We look forward to providing a positive experience for all contestants and their families while visiting our beautiful campus," said Paul Hammond, the Assistant Athletics Director for Facilities and Operations for The University of Akron. The Athletics Field House at the University of Akron opened in August, 2004, and has 120,000 square feet of activity space. It has hosted numerous major competitions, including the Big East Conference Men and Women Track and Field Championships, the Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Indoor State Championship Meet and the Akron Road Runner Marathon Registration and Expo.

The Peacock Wrestling Team took their #8 national ranking on the road and visited the Rangers of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, who are ranked 13th in the nation. Upper Iowa won the dual 24-18 fueled by three major decisions by John Gamble, Andy Norton, and Ryan Phillips. The dual began at the 165 lb. weight class with Mitch Norton, redshirt freshmen, facing off against Kyle Becker. The match was tied 5-5 after the first two periods, but Norton could not keep up with Becker in the third period and lost the decision 12-6. "Mitch wrestled a good match, but his lack of experience caught up to him in the third period," said head coach Heath Grimm. In the 174 lb. weight class, Brady Hakeman, junior, lined up against Corey Van Groll and won by decision 10-4. "Brady looked extremely strong tonight. He jumped out to a 7-1 lead before locking up the win," said Grimm. The 184 lb. match set Phil Bruschuk, senior, against Luke Haag. Haag won by decision 7-6 over the Peacock senior. "Phil was leading 6-5 as the match wound down, but gave up a late takedown in the last 15 seconds and lost 7-6," said Grimm. Ryan Phillips earned a major decision with an 8-0 victory over Jon Tremi at 197 lbs. "Ryan wrestled well tonight and earned the bonus point for the team," said Grimm. In the heavyweight match up, Brian Black was leading 5-0, but was pinned by Joe Dhein. "Black took the Parkside wrestler down and put him on his back, but was reversed in a scramble, got caught on his back and was pinned. The result in this match was very unexpected," said Grimm. The 125 lb. match featured Tyler Mumbulo, sophomore, and Matt Lentz. Mumbulo earned the victory with a 6-4 decision. "Tyler came out and scored six points in the third period to get the win," said Grimm. In the 133 lb. weight class, Nate Naumann, senior, was pinned by Craig DeGreef. "Nate was ahead 2-1 and had earned quite a bit of riding time, but was reversed, got caught on his back, and we gave up a fall." After this match, Parkside was holding an 18-10 lead over Upper Iowa. John Gamble, senior, took it upon himself to begin the Peacock comeback. He faced off against Craig Becker, who is #6 in the nation at 141 lbs. He earned the win and four points for the visitors with a 13-3 major decision. "John scored six points in period one and five more in period three on his way to a major decision. It was an awesome match," added Grimm. With Upper Iowa trailing 18-14, fifth-year senior, Andy Norton hit the mat for his dual debut at 149 lbs. with the team's win on the line. Norton dominated the match verse Sal Scotto-DiVetta, 14-4, and earned a major decision and tied the match at 18-18. "Andy closed the deal for us tonight. He handled the pressure of the match and wrestled great," Grimm said proudly. The Peacocks earned the victory 24-18 when Brett Hakeman, redshirt freshman, earned the final six Peacock points due to a Ranger forfeit. Upper Iowa's Wrestling Team will be back on the mat this weekend at the University of Northern Iowa Open on Sunday, December 3rd. The UNI Open begins at 9 a.m. in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -– The Rutgers wrestling team will travel to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. to open its dual-match slate against the Midshipmen on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:00 p.m. at Lejeune Hall. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a sixth-place performance at the Navy Classic on Nov. 18. Dan Hilt (Manalapan, N.J.) and Jack Barrett (Metuchen, N.J.) highlighted Rutgers' performance, as both posted fourth-place finishes. Hilt took fourth at 133 pounds, while Barrett was the fourth-place finisher at 149 pounds. Chris Norrell (Phillipsburg, N.J.) also placed for the Scarlet Knights, taking sixth at 157 pounds. In last season's match-up on Dec. 3, then ranked 21st Navy posted a 21-12 victory, despite Scarlet Knight wins by Ryan Jablonski (Norristown, Pa.), Steve Adamcsik (Chester, N.J.) , and Mike Whalen (Lake Hiawatha, N.J.). At 125 pounds, Jablonski won a 5-4 decision over Mike Kohler, while Adamcsik also won by decision, 9-5, over Navy's Spencer Manley. At 174 pounds, Whalen recorded an 8-3 win over the Midshipmen's Jesse Feinsod. The Midshipmen lead the all-time series, 18-2. The last time the Scarlet Knights beat Navy was during the 2000-2001 campaign when they posted a 21-15 win. Following Friday's dual match, the Scarlet Knights will compete in the Penn State Open in State College, Pa., on Sunday, Dec. 3, with action slated to start at 8:00 a.m.

Ewing, NJ -- The College of New Jersey wrestling team remained perfect in dual meet action on the young season as the Lions defeated visiting King's College by the score of 26-15 on Wednesday at Packer Hall. The win was also the 450th for veteran TCNJ head coach David Icenhower, Sr. Icenhower, who is in his 31st season at the helm of the Lion program, has an impressive dual meet record of 450-76-3. The team is currently 3-0 on the year and ranked ninth in the latest NWCA Brute – Adidas Division III poll. The Monarchs (0-2) opened the scoring as Jeff Mazurek (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) earned a decision at 125 pounds and then increased the lead to 6-0 as David Morgan (Scranton, PA/West Scranton) knocked off TCNJ's Ray Sarinelli (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills), 6-5. Morgan entered the match ranked third at 133, while Sarinelli is seventh. The Lions turned things around at 141 as freshman Tyler Branham (Newtown, NJ/Kittantiny) won by a major decision, while junior Lenny Goduto (Stanhope, NJ/Waldwick) put TCNJ in front for good at 149 pounds as he held off King's Christopher Poleto (Stafford, VA/Colonial Forge) by the score of 20-9. Senior Joey Galante (Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City), who is ranked fifth at 157, made it three straight wins for the Lions as he posted 10-5 victory and senior Mike Guenther (Ewing, NJ/Brick Memorial) made it a 17-6 TCNJ lead after receiving a forfeit at 165. Sophomore Greg Osgoodby (Waldwick, NJ/Waldwick) then won by fall at 174 and Jim Tomczuk (Delran, NJ/Delran) made it five straight wins for the Lions with a 4-3 decision at 184. King's Jason Reilly (Mountaintop, PA/Crestwood) ended TCNJ's string of victories at 197 pounds as the Monarch senior won by fall in 1:57. Jim Bishop (Valley Stream, NY/Valley Stream) ended the dual meet with a 2-1 decision at heavyweight for King's cutting TCNJ's final margin of victory to 24-15. The Lions will be back on the mat this weekend participating in the Spartan Invitational hosted by York College (PA).

Storm Lake, Iowa -- The Buena Vista University wrestling team began the home portion of its schedule with a solid 30-10 victory over Morningside College on Wednesday. The Beavers came away with eight victories on the night. After forfeiting at 125, Buena Vista was in a 10-0 hole when TJ Frien dropped a major decision at 133 to Morningside's Chris Utesch. Luke Satern started the Beaver winning streak by pinning Jared Pickett, who is ranked seventh in the nation in the NAIA. Fellow freshman Calvin Barber then won a decision at 149. Kyle Forness, who moved up a weight class this season, avoided being taken down in the final seconds to pull off an 8-7 victory in the 157 pound weight class. Tyler Winkleman followed that up with a 6-4 triumph over fifth-ranked Erin Hume. Julian Mancha recorded a victory at 174. Austin Hayes was awarded the win at 184 after his opponent was injured. The 197 pound match featured Buena Vista's Ben Strandberg, ranked fourth in NCAA III, and Brad Dodge, who is ranked seventh. The match started slowly, but Strandberg ultimately pulled off a 6-3 decision. In his first match of the year, Wade Hammen recorded an 8-4 victory to close out the evening. Buena Vista, ranked 11th in NCAA III, improves to 1-1 on the year. Morningside, ranked 13th in the NAIA, dips to 2-2. Buena Vista will next wrestle on Sunday at the UNI Open.

Oklahoma State's wrestling team is set for the first Bedlam matchup of the year on Sunday at 3 p.m. at the McCasland Fieldhouse in Norman. The Cowboys have owned the all-time series against the rival Sooners holding a 121-24-9 record. The Cowboys have won the last 16 meetings in the series dating back to a tie on Nov. 30, 1999. OSU is unbeaten in the last 24 duals, with Oklahoma's last victory coming in the 1995-96 season. The Cowboys are 2-0 on the season following wins over California-Davis and Michigan State. OSU ascended to the top of the polls this week with its undefeated record. The match will be broadcast live on 93.7 FM with Rex Holt and Roger Moore providing the commentary. The match will be televised live on Cox Cable. Last Time Out Oklahoma State had a strong showing from veterans Nathan Morgan and Johny Hendricks to lead the Cowboys to a 22-8 victory over Michigan State. Morgan upset second-ranked Andy Simmons, while Hendricks won convincingly after a close match against UC-Davis. Ryan Freeman stepped in for the injured B.J. Jackson and won his first career varsity match. The Cowboys also got victories from Newly McSpadden, Brandon Mason, Jared Shelton and Jared Rosholt. Scouting the Sooners The Sooners boast a balanced lineup with five wrestlers ranked, including three ranked in the top five. Sam Hazewinkel is ranked No. 1 at 125, while Matt Storniolo is second at 149 and Joel Flaggert is ranked fifth at 197. All three are capable of winning a national championship in March and will carry the ninth-ranked Sooners throughout the season. OU has a pair of national qualifiers in Will Rowe at 157 and Shane Seibert at 165. Seibert transferred in from Fresno State during the offseason. The rest of the Sooner lineup is young and inexperienced. Last time vs. Oklahoma Oklahoma State extended its dual winning streak over Bedlam rival Oklahoma to 16 consecutive matches with a 21-12 victory at the McCasland Fieldhouse in Norman. The Cowboys had solid outings from their All-Americans. Zack Esposito defeated fourth-ranked Matt Storniolo, Jake Rosholt defeated fourth-ranked Joel Flaggert and Steve Mocco defeated No. 6 Jake Hager. Attendance: 1,846 125- #2 Sam Hazewinkel (OU) Dec. #6 Coleman Scott (OSU), 2-0 133- #3 Nathan Morgan (OSU) Dec. Trey Blakely (OU), 9-2 141- #2 Teyon Ware (OU) TF5 Ethan Kyle (OSU), 19-4; 6:06 149- #3 Zack Esposito (OSU) Dec. #4 Matt Storniolo (OU), 4-0 157- #15 Kevin Ward (OSU) Dec. Will Rowe (OU), 6-5 165- #1 Johny Hendricks (OSU) Dec. Jarrod King (OU), 12-5 174- #10 Brandon Mason (OSU) Dec. #19 Wes Roberts (OU), 3-0 184- #15 Justin Dyer (OU) MD Rusty Blackmon (OSU), 13-4 197- #3 Jake Rosholt (OSU) Dec. #4 Joel Flaggert (OU), 4-1 285- #2 Steve Mocco (OSU) Dec. #6 Jake Hager (OU), 8-1 Hendricks Shooting for Century Mark Senior Johny Hendricks is 99-12 in his three plus years wearing the orange singlet. He is looking to join the exclusive 100-win club at Oklahoma State, which currently has 25 members. Jake Rosholt and Zack Esposito both joined the club last season. Hendricks is scheduled to meet Shane Seibert who he has defeated twice in his career when Seibert was at Fresno State. Hendricks won both matches convincingly pinning him once and winning by a major decision the second time. Ryan Freeman Making the Most of the Opportunity Oklahoma State fans have been spoiled watching Zack Esposito at 149. Following Esposito's graduation, The Cowboys were set with junior B.J. Jackson, but fellow junior Ryan Freeman eyed an opening and dropped down to 149 to contend for the spot. After Jackson suffered a knee injury in his opening bout against California-Davis, Freeman was inserted into the lineup. He took advantage as he won his first match against Michigan State by an easy score of 10-4. Freeman has a big week ahead of him as he is getting ready to wrestle the top two wrestlers in his weight class in Oklahoma's Matt Storniolo and Monnesota's Dustin Schlatter.

State College, Pa. –– The 2006 Nittany Lion Open is set for Sunday, Dec. 3, in Rec Hall with action beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tickets prices for the event have been set and GoPSUsports.com will feature both live bracket updates and a webcast of the finals. Tickets to the Nittany Lion Open can be purchased at the door: $5 for adults, $3 for students, $2 group rate (10 or more), FREE for season ticket holders and FREE for Penn State students with an ID. In addition, the tournament, which is run by the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, will feature the outstanding tournament direction of Gary Brownell of GimpSoftware, the national leader in wrestling tournament and statistical software. Bracket updates, in both .pdf and .html form, will be available periodically either by visiting GoPSUsports.com and following the links or by linking directly to http://www.gimpsoftware.com and clicking on Results Page on the left nav bar. Jeff Byers, longtime voice of Penn State wrestling, will once again call the finals. The action can be heard locally on WBLF 970 AM and will be streamed free on the web at GoPSUsports.com. The start time for finals is approximately 6 p.m., but that time could vary based on tournament flow, so check GoPSUsports.com often. Penn State will be sending nearly its entire roster into action, including the starting wrestlers and key reserves. The tournament will crown ten individual champions, an outstanding wrestler and award the grappler with the most falls in the least amount of time. No team scores are kept as it is an ‘open' tournament.

For information on the Trident Challenge, visit http://www.tridentchallenge.com In conjunction with Minnesota's wrestling match against defending national champion Oklahoma State on Wednesday, Dec. 6, the United States Navy SEALs will launch a focused recruiting program to appeal specifically to the wrestling community. This unique event will offer participants the opportunity to see how they stack up against America's elite operations team. The SEALs will conduct a Trident Challenge on Sunday, Dec. 10 at the University Aquatic Center and Field House. The Trident Challenge mirrors the initial physical screening test given to anyone who desires to become a Navy SEAL. The event consists of swimming, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and running. It is a max effort series of physical fitness events challenging athletes to maximize their performance in individual tests of strength and endurance. Representatives from the Navy SEALs will be at the Minnesota-Oklahoma State wrestling match on Dec. 6 to kick off the event. "What we're attempting to do is get the SEALs and the wrestling community together to benefit each other," Head Coach J Robinson stated. "We always talk about wanting to market our sport. This is a unique opportunity to promote our sport and the opportunities it affords." The idea of the Navy SEALs coming to Minnesota originated last spring at the national high school wrestling tournament when Robinson ran into a group of SEAL recruiters. In discussing the type of person needed to carry out special operations, the high rate of failure among soldiers training to be SEALs arose. Navy SEALs are, by nature, held to much higher standards than that of regular soldiers. However, the SEALs were having a difficult time finding people with the right type skill sets. Based on his own experience as a college coach, Robinson presented the idea of focused recruiting. Citing the skills and characteristics required in wrestling, he particularly pushed the idea of recruiting wrestlers. "I've always thought wrestlers would make ideal special operations soldiers because they already have a lot of the skill sets required," he said. "Wrestlers pride themselves on discipline, sacrifice and dedication, hard work and the ability to function under duress. These values are all directly transferable to special operations." Over the last nine months, Robinson has worked closely with the SEALs to devise a strategy that would benefit both the Navy SEALs and the wrestling community across the nation. With final approval passed just last week, the plan will come to fruition next week with the SEALs coming to the University of Minnesota. "They're bringing the Trident Challenge to Minnesota because they want to kick it off in conjunction with the match between two of the top teams in the country," Robinson said. "They are interested in the wrestling community in Minnesota and offering kids the opportunity to show they have what it takes to become a SEAL. Not many opportunities like this come along in life. This is one the wrestling community needs to take notice of and embrace." Describing it as an honor to have the U.S. Navy SEALs coming to Minnesota and specifically seeking out the wrestling community, Robinson said the only thing left is for the wrestling community to step up to the challenge. "Some kids say they can become a SEAL," Robinson said. "This event offers them the opportunity to prove it. We want the wrestling community to participate and see how they can do." If successful, Robinson realizes the impact the event could have on promoting the sport of wrestling as a vehicle for accomplishing bigger goals. "Young kids out there who dream of being a Navy SEAL will want to go into wrestling. If you spend 10 years in wrestling with the objective of that helping you become a SEAL, then it fulfills a life-long goal." While the inaugural event to be held next Sunday is significant for both the wrestling community and the Navy SEALs, Robinson sees it as just the beginning of something that has the potential to become much bigger. He envisions a day when the Trident Challenge will be a national event that will attract the best high school wrestlers from across the country. "In the entire wrestling community in the United States, 75,000 kids graduate a year. If we can produce just 200-300 SEALs a year, it would mean everything to the SEALs and it would mean everything to our sport. It could change the face of wrestling."

The Upper Iowa Wrestling Team's dual meet with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville has been rescheduled for Friday, December 15 at 8:00 p.m. in Dorman Gym. The meet was originally scheduled for November 10, but was postponed at the request of Southern Illinois.

The Augustana wrestling team picked up a pair of dual victories over Minnesota West Community College and Northwestern Wednesday night in Orange City, Iowa. The Vikings downed Minnesota West 36-15 and Northwestern 33-15. With the wins, Augustana improved to 2-0 in duals. Against Northwestern, the Vikings used a pair of pins and two forfeits to defeat the host Red Raiders. Brandon Kruger (149) earned the first fall by pinning David Bray in 1:01. Beau Severtson (184) picked up the other pin by putting Matt Leither on his back in 2:43. Chris Trampe (125) and Nate Buys (197) earned forfeit wins. Three other Vikings registered wins. Jeremie Degen defeated DeAlonzio Jackson 9-4 at 141 pounds, while Aaron Haddorff was an 11-7 winner over Lamar Reed at 157 pounds. Ray O'Connor capped the dual with a 6-4 win over Sam Zylstra. Augustana used 2 pins and 3 forfeits to defeat Minnesota West. Cody Henriksen (174) pinned Dominick Oliver in 2:22, while O'Connor (Hwt.) pinned Maxie Berrian in 1:27. Trampe, Severtson and Buys again eared forfeit wins. Degen and Kruger picked up their second wins by earning decision victories. Degen shut out Jacob Butrous 5-0, while Kruger edged Wade Granger 4-3. The Vikings return to the mat on Saturday when they compete in the Minnesota State-Moorhead Open.

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma wrestling team defeated the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos 20-18, Wednesday night at the Howard McCasland Field House. Oklahoma scored two technical falls and a major decision to help them secure their 12th consecutive victory over the Bronchos. Sam Hazewinkel got the Sooners off to a fast start as he recorded a technical fall on Tyler Zuckerman of Central Oklahoma in their 125-pound match. Hazewinkel scored two near falls in the first period than added two takedowns and a near fall in the second period on his way to a 16-1 final. The Bronchos got back-to-back wins at 133 and 141-pounds to take a 9-5 advantage. Matt Storniolo earned a big win for the Sooners as he defeated Shea Timothy at 149-pounds. Storniolo won by a decision of 2-0, after a takedown in the second period that ended up being the only points scored in the match. Storniolo's win brought the Sooners within one point of the lead as UCO still led 9-8. Will Rowe put the Sooners up 11-9 going into intermission as he defeated Jason Leavitt at 157-pounds. Rowe used two take takedowns and an escape in the third period to come from behind to win by a decision of 9-6. Central Oklahoma took the lead back at 12-11 after winning at 165-pounds. Joshua Weitzel gave the lead back to Oklahoma for good by defeating Daniel Morrison by a technical fall at 174-pounds. Weitzel scored six points in the second and eight points in the third to notch the shutout, 16-0. Joel Flaggert put OU up by five points heading into the heavyweight match as he scored a major decision over Heath Jolley of Central Oklahoma. Flaggert scored four takedowns and added a single point due to riding time to take the 197-pound match 11-2. The season's first edition of Bedlam will take place on Sunday, Dec. 3, as the Sooners host the Oklahoma State Cowboys at 3 p.m., in the Howard McCasland Field House.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Redshirt freshman Angel Escobedo has been named the Big Ten Co-Wrestler of the Week, the conference office announced Wednesday, Nov. 29. Escobedo, who shares the honor with Minnesota's Roger Kish, went 5-0 at the Hoosier Duals on Nov. 25, registering four falls on the day. Escobedo is the first Hoosier to garner Wrestler of the Week honors since his predecessor at 125 pounds, Joe Dubuque, won the honor on Dec. 22, 2004. Escobedo is currently ranked 13th in his weight class by Amateur Wrestling News and 16th by Wrestling International Magazine. After posting a major decision in his first match, the 125-pound Escobedo pinned each of the following four wrestlers he faced, registering falls on three of his adversaries in the first period. The Griffith, Ind., native also pinned Delrico Choates, the top-ranked wrestler in the NAIA, in 4:04, helping the Hoosiers to a 41-6 victory over Cumberland. Escobedo is now 10-1 on the year, with his only loss coming to Lock Haven's Obenson Blanc, the seventh-ranked wrestler in the nation according to the NWCA/Intermat poll, by a 2-1 score. Escobedo has five falls on the year to go with one major decision. The Hoosiers will see one wrestler in each weight class travel to Primm, Nev., for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 1-2. The remainder of the team will head to University Park, Pa., for the Penn State Open on Dec. 3.

University of Minnesota junior Roger Kish has been named Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Week, the conference office announced today. A 184-pounder from LaPeer, Mich., Kish defeated two opponents ranked in the top seven in the nation and recorded a pin and a major decision in his other two matches on his way to a 4-0 record last weekend at the Northeast Duals. Kish defeated No. 5 Joe Rovelli of Hofstra, 4-1, and No. 7 Christian Sinnott of Central Michigan, 3-2. Kish then recorded the second-fastest pin of his career with a fall against Anthony Fuschino of American in just 1:42. He wrapped up his day with an 18-7 major decision over Lior Zamir of Penn. Ranked No. 2 in the nation at 184 pounds, Kish is a perfect 8-0 on the year with four pins and two major decisions to his credit. Kish shares Wrestler of the Week honors with Angel Escobedo of Indiana. Escobedo pinned four of his five opponents and registered a major decision in his other match on his way to a 5-0 record at the Hoosier Duals. This is the second Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honor for Kish during his career. He was also named Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Week on Jan. 25, 2006 along with Jake Herbert of Northwestern. This is the second straight week a Golden Gopher has earned Wrestler of the Week honors after Gabriel Dretsch won the award last week. Kish was also involved the last time Minnesota wrestlers took home weekly accolades in consecutive weeks. With his award last season, Kish followed Cole Konrad, who earned the honor the previous week.

Before the Thanksgiving break, the Northwestern team traveled to North Carolina. Both Ryan Lang and I competed at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Dallas. It was a busy few days to say the least. At the ACC/Big Ten Clash our team finished the day with a 3-0 record, so that was one goal accomplished. From the Big Ten, Purdue Wisconsin and Northwestern competed. The ACC featured host North Carolina, North Carolina State, and Virginia. I felt that our team competed well and we looked impressive in several matches on the day. Obviously, there is still room for improvement. Our 125-pounder, Brandon Precin, went 2-1 on the day and looked very good. He had a technical fall over a good North Carolina State opponent. In my opinion, he is turning out to be a nice replacement for All-American John Velez. James Kohlberg had a great day as well … winning a very impressive match against Bobby Shaw of North Carolina by major decision at 133. Lang looked like himself, glimpses of an NCAA champion for the third week in a row. Both of us felt prepared for the Classic. Mike Tamillow looked dominant again and went 3-0 on the day. Dustin Fox beat No. 3 Spencer Nadolsky from North Carolina, which should catapult Fox into the No. 3 or No. 4 spot nationally. After the event was over, Lang and I flew to Dallas for the Classic. Cutting weight in Dallas was not bad, primarily because I am up a weight! The workout room at the Dallas Convention Center was small and not very hot, but it had those movie star light bulbs, so it made me feel ready to compete. I said Hi to Trent Paulson in the workout room as he was working out with Cael. Oklahoma was in our area, too, so I got to hang with Matt Storniolo, a fellow Angry Fish wrestler from PA. I enjoyed watching Lang win a last minute match over Nathan Morgan of Oklahoma State … and it got me even more excited for my match against Roger Kish of Minnesota. I remember thinking that I was pumped going into my match against Kish in the finals of University Nationals, but this time beating him didn't win me a trip overseas like it did before. Instead, all of the competitors received a digital iPod. Jake Herbert (Photo/John Sachs)As a team, Northwestern was the only school at the Classic to come home victorious in two matches. That is the first time in the history of NU wrestling that has happened, which is another sign that Wildcat wrestling is worthy of national attention. I enjoyed wrestling under the spotlight and I was even able to drill with a female wrestler before the match. I believe that she was from Canada. It was an honor wrestling in the Classic and even better to have my coaches, my parents, and a teammate there to make it a great night. The Angry Fish Wrestling Club was well represented as we had four competitors in all at the Classic. I hope to make it back to the event in a year or two. Until next time, Jake Herbert Past Entries: Entry 3 (11/16/06) Entry 2 (11/1/06) Entry 1 (10/17/06)

THIS WEEK Iowa (2-0) will host intra-state rival Iowa State (2-0) Sunday at 4 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The winning team will receive two points in the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series. Iowa currently leads the 2006-07 series, 5-2, with wins in football and soccer. It will be the 72nd meeting between the two teams. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and purchase tickets in advance. Tickets are $10 per person, with University of Iowa students (with a student ID) and children ages five and under admitted for free. For tickets, contact the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-424-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. BRANDS TO MEET WITH MEDIA University of Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands will be available to meet with the media Wednesday at 3:15 in the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex (on the second floor of Carver-Hawkeye Arena). Brands and the Hawkeye wrestlers will be available to discuss Sunday's Iowa-Iowa State wrestling meet. ON THE AIR Radio - Steven Grace and four-time Hawkeye all-American Mark Ironside will call the action live on AM-800, KXIC. All dual meets, not including the NWCA National Duals, will be broadcast live, as will action from the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. Audio broadcasts from all competitions will also be available online. To listen online, go to the wrestling schedule on www.hawkeyesports.com and click on the event. Broadcasts are available using the Hawkeye All-Access subscription ($6.95 per month or $49.95 per year) or the CSTV XXL Premium subscription ($99.95 per year). Television - Iowa Public Television, which is in its 31st season of televising college wrestling, will air Sunday's Iowa-Iowa State dual live. Tim Johnson and Jim Gibbons will call the action. The Internet - Press releases, meet results, audio broadcasts andd home dual livestats are available on the University of Iowa's website, www.hawkeyesports.com. To access the live home dual scoring, go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Livestats link. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com. IOWA STATE CYCLONES Iowa State is 2-0, with wins over Buena Vista (46-0) and Arizona State (40-0). The Cyclones crowned five champions at the Harold Nichols Open and three champions at the Cal-State Fullerton Open in November. Cael Sanderson is in his first season as Iowa State's head coach. The Cyclone alum earned an Olympic gold medal in 2004 and was only the second four-time national champion in NCAA history. Tim Hartung, who served as an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 seasons, is an assistant at Iowa State. The Cyclones are ranked fourth by W.I.N. Magazine and the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. Iowa State is led by returning all-Americans and seniors Trent Paulson (157), Travis Paulson (165) and Kurt Backes (197). All three are undefeated this season. LAST MEETING Iowa improved to 2-0 on the season with its 20-15 win over Iowa State in Ames, Dec. 2. A crowd of 6,682 saw Iowa record wins in six matches to hand Iowa State its first loss of the season. Iowa 20, Iowa State 15 - December 2, 2005 Hwt. – Ryan Fuller (I) dec. Richard Schopf (ISU), 4-2 125 – Lucas Magnani (I) maj. dec. Ben Hanisch (ISU), 11-3 133 – Daniel Dennis (I) dec. Jesse Sundell (ISU), 10-7 141 – Nate Gallick (ISU) dec. Alex Tsirtsis (I), 4-1 149 – Ty Eustice (I) dec. Jason Knipp (ISU), 6-3 157 – Trent Paulson (ISU) dec. Joe Johnston (I), 8-3 165 – Travis Paulson (ISU) dec. Cole Pape (I), 8-4 174 – Mark Perry (I) maj. dec. David Bertolino (ISU), 13-3 184 – Paul Bradley (I) dec. Kurt Backes (ISU), 8-5 197 – Joe Curran (ISU) pinned Adam Fellers (I), 6:14 HY-VEE CY-HAWK SERIES The third annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk series is underway, with Iowa holding a 5-2 lead over Iowa State. The University of Iowa captured the inaugural Cy-Hawk Series in 2005 registering a 13-8 margin of victory. Iowa State evened the competition with its own 13-8 triumph in 2006. The 10-sport series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, two points are awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA. Iowa has earned the academic points in both 2005 and 2006, whereas Iowa State has failed to earn the extra points. Iowa garnered a 69 percent graduation rate in 2005, which was seven points higher than the national average of 62 percent. For the first time in three years, volleyball and women's tennis have been added to the competitive slate between the two schools. A new total of 23 points is up for grabs in 2006-07. A commemorative Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series Cup, which stands 31 inches tall and weighs 19 pounds, is displayed on the winning team's campus for an entire year after a victory. Replica cups are also presented as "traveling trophies" for individual victorious teams in the head-to-head competition. This season's Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series schedule and results is listed below: Date Event (Point Value) Site Result IA-ISU 8/26 Volleyball (2) Iowa City Iowa St., 3-2 0-2 9/12 Soccer (2) Ames Iowa, 1-0 2-2 9/16 Football (3) Iowa City Iowa, 27-17 5-2 11/30 W. Basketball (2) Iowa City 12/3 Wrestling (2) Iowa City 12/8 M. Basketball (2) Iowa City 12/8 W. Swimming & Diving (2) Iowa City 1/20 W. Tennis (2) Iowa City 3/4 W. Gymnastics (2) Iowa City 3/23 W. Gymnastics (2) Ames 4/3 Softball (2) Iowa City THE SERIES Iowa leads the series, 53-16-2, and holds a 27-5-1 advantage in matches wrestled in Iowa City. Iowa won the last meeting, 20-15, on December 2, 2005, in Ames. Iowa State's last win in the series was a 19-16 victory in Iowa City on December 5, 2004. HAVEN'T WE MET? Hawkeye junior Mark Perry is 2-0 vs. Iowa State's Travis Paulson at 165 pounds. Perry scored a 5-2 decision at the 2004-05 Iowa-Iowa State dual and a 6-4 decision in the finals of the 2004 Midlands Championships. TRIO LOOKS FOR CAREER MILESTONE WINS Hawkeye senior Eric Luedke (174) and juniors Alex Tsirtsis (141) and Matt Fields (Hwt.) will all be vying for career milestone wins in Sunday's dual against Iowa State. Tsirtsis will be wrestling for his 50th career win, Fields for his 45th and Luedke for his 30th. This will be the first time that any of the three face their Cyclone opponents. LAST WEEK Iowa opened the 2006-07 dual season with two wins. The Hawkeyes defeated Northern Iowa (18-15) November 21 in Cedar Falls and Arizona State (39-3) November 25 in Iowa City. Picking up wins in both duals for Iowa were seniors Mario Galanakis (133) and Eric Luedke (174) and juniors Mark Perry (165) and Matt Fields (Hwt.). Perry picked up his 50th career win against Arizona State. Perry also competed at the NWCA All-Star Dual in Dallas, TX, November 20. The second-ranked Hawkeye lost a 3-1 decision to top-ranked Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State. HAWKEYES SIGN TWO Iowa signed two student-athletes to national letters of intent in the early signing period. Jordan Johnson of Bettendorf, IA and Brodie Ambrose of Eldridge, IA, are Tom Brands' first signings as Iowa's head coach. Johnson won the 2006 Class AA Illinois state heavyweight state title at Naperville North High School. He moved to Bettendorf, IA, and will be competing for Bettendorf High School this season. Ambrose placed third at 171 pounds at the 2006 Class 3A state tournament for North Scott Eldridge High School. He will compete at 189 pounds this season and is a projected 197-pounder for the Hawkeyes. Ambrose also is a 189-pound Fargo freestyle all-American. IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY Iowa's overall dual meet record is 797-209-30 (.784) in 95 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 16, and 31 Big Ten titles. Iowa's 47 NCAA Champions have won a total of 73 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 13 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes' 99 Big Ten Champions have won a total of 180 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 24 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa's 129 all-Americans have earned all-America status 263 times, including 16 four-time, 27 three-time and 32 two-time honorees. CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home of Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes are 151-15 (.910) in the arena, which includes a record 10 victories during the 1986 season. Iowa has recorded 16 undefeated seasons in the arena, with the most recent (8-0) occurring in 2002-03. The dual wrestling attendance record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 15,291, set when Iowa defeated Iowa State on February 22, 1992. The arena seats 15,500 for a dual wrestling meet. CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Tom Brands, Dan Gable, Wes Hand, Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick earned a total of two Olympic gold medals, seven NCAA titles, 10 conference titles and 15 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 605-84-2 (.877), including three undefeated seasons. OH BROTHER Seniors Ben and Brett Stedman from Sioux City, IA, are the lone set of brothers on the 2006-07 Hawkeye roster. There have been 10 sets of brothers to wrestle together in the Hawkeye varsity lineup since the 1950s. They are Don and Tom Huff (1961), Mark and Scott Trizzino (1981), Lenny, Larry and Jim Zalesky (1981-82), Ed and Lou Banach (1981-83), Marty and Lindley Kistler (1984-85), Jim and John Heffernan (1987), Tom and Terry Brands (1989-92), Troy and Terry Steiner (1991-93), Ryan and Randy Fulsaas (2001) and Luke and Ty Eustice (2003-04). The Stedman's are also the fifth set of twins to wrestle at Iowa. Ed and Lou Banach, Tom and Terry Brands, Troy and Terry Steiner and Randy and Ryan Fulsaas are the other four. ESPN TO EXPAND LIVE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE ESPN recently announced that four of the six sessions of the 2007 NCAA Wrestling Championships will be aired on live television. The March 17 finals will air at 7 p.m. (CT) on ESPN, while session three, four and five will be shown on ESPNU. Session three will air March 16 at 10 a.m., session four will be shown March 16 at 6 p.m. and session five will air March 17 at 9 a.m. The 2007 championships will be held March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI. The University of Michigan and the Detroit Metro Sports Commission will serve as hosts NEXT COMPETITION Iowa will host Coe and North Carolina State Thursday, December 7 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Coe match will start at 6 p.m. and the North Carolina State match will start at 7:30 p.m.

This week Scott Casber and Steve Foster and the traveling mic's of TDR head to Primm, Nevada for the 25th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational LIVE from Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino Star of the Desert Arena This event just keeps getting better each year. I encourage each of you to attend in person and if that's not possible please tune in to Takedownradio.com. Check the following schedule for broadcast times. The chat room will be open so you can communicate with us during each show. The official Web site for this broadcast is TheWrestlingMall.com, where you will find up to date results etc.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -– The Rutgers wrestling team has announced the early signings of two New Jersey high school standouts for the 2007-08 recruiting class. Nationally-ranked John Mangini (Hillsborough) and Tyler Milonas (Jefferson, N.J.) will join the Scarlet Knights next season. "These are two of the best wrestlers in New Jersey and with last year's nationally-ranked recruiting class, we'll position Rutgers one step closer to our goal of winning an EIWA championship," said head coach John Sacchi. Mangini is a high school All-American and, through three seasons, has a record of 86-8 and has posted second and third-place finishes at the New Jersey state tournament. His sophomore season, where he wrestled for perennial-wrestling powerhouse Blair Academy, Mangini won the preparatory state title. Ranked fourth among juniors in the 152-pound weight class by Intermat, Mangini also earned the 44th ranking, nationally, among all recruits. Mangini, who will wrestle at the 157 or 165-pound weight class, is ranked fifth by W.I.N. Magazine and seventh by Wrestling USA Magazine. At the High School Junior Nationals in Pittsburgh, Pa., Mangini took second, while also posting a second-place performance at the Cadets in Fargo, N.D. Milonas has a high school record of 107-13 and is ranked 20th nationally by Wrestling USA Magazine. Boasting third and sixth-place finishes at the New Jersey state tournament, Milonas' father is a two-time NCAA national champion at Montclair State and was inducted into the Division III Athletic Hall of Fame. The Scarlet Knights will open their dual-match slate on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:00 p.m. when they travel to Annapolis, Md. to face-off against Navy.

For many wrestling fans, serving as editor of a major amateur wrestling publication would be the ideal job. The opportunity to witness major wrestling events from press row … get to go one-on-one with the top athletes and coaches in the sport … and then share what you've learned with readers hungry to read what you've written. Mike Finn is already living that life. As editor of Wrestling International Newsmagazine -- better known by the acronym W.I.N. -- Mike is ultimately responsible for the content of this Newton, Iowa-based amateur wrestling magazine. Not just the stories, but the look of the publication as well. Mike's introduction to the sport Mike FinnMike Finn was born 51 years ago in Waterloo, Iowa, a community with a rich amateur wrestling legacy … being perhaps best-known as the birthplace of Dan Gable. "I was a teenager when Dan was competing at Iowa State," says Mike. "I followed his wrestling career with great interest." Mike is modest when he talks about his own wrestling background; "I wasn't as good as my brother, who placed at states." Mike competed at Waterloo Columbus Catholic High School until he was a senior, when he took time away from the sport and other activities to earn money for college … which turned out to be the University of Iowa, where he earned a journalism degree in 1978. The beginning of a writing career Upon graduating, Mike left Iowa to launch a career in public relations in Memphis, where he stayed for a decade. However, he returned to his native state in 1988 to become editor of Voice of the Hawkeyes, which Mike described as "a magazine that covered the sports scene at the University of Iowa, independent of the school. We covered all sports, including and especially wrestling. This was when Dan Gable was head coach, and the Hawkeye program was winning national titles on a regular basis." "It was a great experience," adds Mike. "I got to cover the NCAA's … Although the magazine covered various sports at Iowa, wrestling was the number one sport for me." Joining a W.I.N.-ner In 2002, Mike Finn was contacted by Bryan Van Kley, publisher of W.I.N., and became the magazine's editor in 2003. (Mike jokes that, throughout his life and career, he has been following long-time wrestling writer and historian Mike Chapman. Chapman, also a native of Waterloo, was the original publisher of Voice of the Hawkeyes magazine … then, later, launched Wrestling International Newsmagazine which he sold to Van Kley a few years ago.) Powering up prep coverage "W.I.N. covers all of wrestling," says Mike. "We're mostly known for our college and international coverage, but we're trying to increase our high school coverage. We're striving to bridge the gap between high school and college wrestling." "So many fans have a connection to the sport because they know a wrestler -- their own kids, or a friend's kids," Mike adds. "High school is where the greatest numbers are in terms of participation. So many wrestlers have to give up the sport once they graduate high school because there are fewer college programs available nowadays." "Just because of the sheer numbers of participants and fans, we think it's important to provide greater coverage of the high school wrestling scene throughout the country," according to W.I.N.'s editor. "In addition, we think that college fans like to be made aware of the up-and-comers in the sport, before they're in college." "We're making a real point to provide in-depth coverage of national prep events like Beast of the East, the Clash, Reno Tournament of Champions," Mike continues. "We also devote considerable attention to NHSCA events, and what goes on up in Fargo." "In February, we put out our annual high school state championship preview," says Mike. "Rob Sherrill, a great writer, goes state-by-state to provide our readers with a picture of who to watch for at each state championship. There's no one else who knows more about high school wrestling on a national basis than Rob." A more competitive market for wrestling magazines In talking about how W.I.N. is expanding its coverage of the prep wrestling scene across the nation, Mike Finn then segues into the challenges facing all amateur wrestling magazines. "Years ago, wrestling-specific publications filled a need not being met elsewhere," according to Mike. "Outside of some wrestling hotbeds, the regular media -- newspapers, TV -- weren't offering much coverage of the sport. These magazines and newspapers were created to fill that need, with some publications having a very specific focus on wrestling in a particular state or region." "Now, thanks to the Internet, fans can get results instantaneously," says Mike. "Wrestling publications have to give fans more than what they can find online." To that end, W.I.N. seems to be stepping up to that challenge, starting with its large page format, colorful pages (including generous use of full-color photos of wrestling action), and snappy headlines that compel reader interest. "Magazine pages need to come alive," according to Mike. "We want there to be action on the pages. Not just with great photos, but also with sidebar features, stats and other elements which not only catch the eye of readers, but provide interesting, compelling information in a way that's geared to folks who have grown up with TV and the Internet." "We want to stir up interest," Mike adds. "We're doing more profiles of specific wrestlers, to give readers insight into these athletes that they can't find elsewhere … Even when we cover events like the NCAA's, we want to provide a behind-the-scenes perspective. Not just the scores and the stats, but the human-interest stories and background stuff about the wrestlers." Challenges facing college wrestling While the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships still rank among the highest-attended events of all college sports, college wrestling continues to face tough times, with programs still being eliminated because of Title IX or budgetary issues. "Fresno State was shocking," says Mike Finn. "The decision to eliminate that program in California, which has the greatest number of high school wrestlers, demonstrates a lack of respect that some college administrators and some in the public have for the sport … Sometimes it seems that wrestling is an almost forgotten sport." Mike FinnMike is definitely not Mr. Gloom and Doom. "Those in the wrestling community need to emphasize the positives of the sport -- elements such as leadership and character that come from wrestling. These positives should be so ingrained in the public at large, that, when a college considers cutting sports programs, the general consensus is, 'You can't cut wrestling, it's too valuable.'" "It's important for the college wrestling community to focus on what it has, the positive aspects, the great athletes, the exciting programs … It's good to see that there's more TV coverage of the NCAA's, and that ratings are up," says Mike. "Don't simply focus on what you don't have." Looking forward … to the college season When asked to gaze into his crystal ball as to what the just-started college season might hold, Mike Finn shares some interesting insights: • Minnesota: "It's easy to see why they're ranked No. 1, with all the talent on their roster. One question is, ‘Will Mack Reiter's injuries be a factor in the overall performance of the team?'" • Oklahoma State: "A reloading year, but, for the Cowboys, that isn't as much a problem as it would be for most programs." • Iowa and Iowa State: "Having two new head coaches (Tom Brands at Iowa, Cael Sanderson at Iowa State) breathes new life into this rivalry. This new generation of coaches understands the legacy of their programs and will do a lot to fire up their wrestlers and their fans." • "Ohio State is the sleeping giant -- could be a top ten program." • "Watch the east -- Penn, Penn State, Cornell, Lehigh. There's plenty of great wrestling there." • "It's amazing to see the level of talent coming straight out of high school these days. Look at how many kids do well as true freshmen. They've had so much experience before they even start college." … and to the international scene Mike also offered some thoughts on freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling from an American perspective: • "The U.S. wrestlers made an impressive showing at the 2006 World Championships. That bodes well for the future." • "There have been wonderful success stories for the U.S. in women's wrestling. Ideally, this success should translate into encouraging more women to compete in high school and college, which would do so much for the sport, and ensure its success at all levels." • "Ben Askren could do so much for wrestling as a world competitor. He could be around for many Olympics … He has the talent and the personality to generate lots of interest."

NORMAN, Okla. -- The Oklahoma wrestling team will host the University of Central Oklahoma on Wednesday Nov. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Howard McCasland Field House. "This is a very exciting time as we get our dual season under way against a very tough and competitive Central Oklahoma team," said head coach Jack Spates. Last season the Sooners dominated Central Oklahoma, beating the Bronchos 32-6 in Edmond, Okla. The Sooners recorded one fall and four major decision, while only losing two matches. The Sooners are coming off the tournament and Open portion of the schedule when they wrestled at the SUNY-Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic, Missouri Open and hosted the 36th Annual Oklahoma Open. The Sooners captured the Brockport team title with a score of 143 points and captured five individual titles. At the Missouri Open, the Sooners placed 10 wrestlers and Nathan Fernandez won the teams lone individual title at heavyweight. Oklahoma placed seven wrestlers and had five individual champions last weekend at the Oklahoma Open. "Central Oklahoma is a perennial Division II national power and this dual should provide some very exciting match-ups," continued Spates. Wednesday night will also be .50 cent hot dog night while supplies lasts. The season's first edition of Bedlam will take place on Sunday, Dec. 3, as the Sooners host the Oklahoma State Cowboys at 3 p.m., in the Howard McCasland Field House.

DeKALB, Ill. -- Northern Illinois University has signed seven wrestlers to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period. The group of future Huskies will be eligible to compete during the 2007-08 academic year. Four members of NIU's class hail from the "Land of Lincoln" including: Bryan O'Connor (Carol Stream/Glenbard North), John Odeen (Coal City/Coal City), Scott Penny (Granite City/Granite City) and Zachary Taylor (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem). A trio of Huskie signees come from out of state: Garrett James (Kewanna, Ind./Culver Academy), Lance Wade (Islip, N.Y./Islip) and Timothy Wunnicke (Dodgeville, Wis./Ithaca). "I am excited about signing seven student-athletes during the early period," said head coach Dave Grant. "These individuals are quality people on and off the mat. They have strong academic records and are quality athletes. Quite a few of these wrestlers are from the state, which has always been our recruiting base. We are really pleased to bring in so many outstanding student-athletes." Below is a bio on each of the seven signees. Garrett James Kewanna, Ind./Culver Academy High School: Transferred to Culver Academy from Rochester but not was allowed to compete * ISWA State Champion at 145 pounds as junior * Finished 45-4 and was sixth in state at 125 pounds as sophomore * Captained team and earned team MVP while leading squad in team points, falls and takedowns during both junior and sophomore seasons * Went 37-4 and was state qualifier as freshman at 112 pounds * Member of the Indiana Junior National Duals Team after junior year * Wrestled for Team Indiana Freestyle and Team Indiana Greco-Roman after both freshman and junior years * Wrestled in the Liberty Nationals. Bryan O'Connor Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North High School: Went 45-5 at 152 and was DuPage Valley Conference champion, regional champion and placed second at sectional as junior * Finished third at IHSA championships * Earned coaches' award and was co-captain during junior campaign * Posted 37-9 mark at 135 as sophomore and won conference, regional and sectional titles * Team was IHSA runner-up during sophomore season * Was 39-9 at 119 as freshman and placed second in conference * Won regional championship and placed fourth at sectional meet during first year as prep * Wrestled at the 2005 and 2006 Junior National Championships for Team Illinois. John Odeen Coal City, Ill./Coal City High School: Posted 39-2 record and earned state championship at 130 pounds as junior * Runner up at the NHSCA Junior National Championship in Pittsburgh during the spring of 2006 ... Claimed conference, regional, and sectional titles as junior while serving as team captain and earning the team award for most points * Finished 31-9 and placed second in Interstate 8 Conference and finished as runner up at regional, sectional and state meets as sophomore at 119 pounds * Two-time Interstate 8 academic all-conference selection * Went 39-6 while wrestling for West Liberty (Iowa) High School * Won conference, regional and sectional titles and finished the season by placing fifth at state. Scott Penny Granite City, Ill./Granite City High School: Enters senior campaign with 120 career victories and 67 pins * Team captain went 47-2 with 31 pins at 189 as junior and finished third at IHSA championships * Named Wrestler of the Year by Belleville News-Democrat and was first-team all-conference selection * Won the William Schmidt Holiday Tournament and finished second at the Bi-State Tournament * Posted 42-8 record with 21 pins and was first-team all-conference and IHSA qualifier as sophomore ... Recorded 31-14 varsity record with 15 pins and was first-team all-conference selection at 171 during freshman year * Three-time recipient of school's wrestling award for pride, dedication and hustle * Named to USA Junior National All-Dual Team in 2006 * Two-time Illinois Greco Champion at 189. Zachary Taylor Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem High School: Went 41-3 and won NIC-9 title and placed fifth at state at 119 pounds * Set school's single-season pin record with 29 and was champion and MVP of Hoffman Estates Meet * First-team all-conference selection, regional and sectional champion and was team's most valuable wrestler * Posted 36-1 record and was conference champion and state runner-up as sophomore * Named team's most valuable wrestler, was all-conference selection and regional and sectional champion * Went 38-4 and won conference and regional titles before finishing as runner-up in sectional and as state qualifier during freshman year *Named first-team all-conference during initial prep season. Lance Wade Islip, N.Y./Islip High School: Went 35-2 and won conference and regional championships before finishing as state runner-up at 152 pounds * Team captain and was named all-conference while helping lead team to runner-up finish at state meet * Posted 32-4 mark and was conference champion and regional runner-up as sophomore at 135 pounds * All-conference selection after sophomore season * Three-time New York State Freestyle Champion. Timothy Wunnicke Dodgeville, Wis./Ithaca High School: Already owns school record for career pins and takedowns * State champion at 119 during junior season and set records for most wins and pins in a season with 28 * Posted perfect 47-0 record in 2005-06 while capturing conference, regional and sectional championships * Also took first in the Bi-State Meet * Named co-captain and earned most valuable award during senior season * First-team all-state, All-Southwestern Conference selection and league MVP, Blackhawk MVP, and MVP of Mineral Point * Went 39-3 as sophomore at 112 and finished sixth in state after winning conference, regional and sectional championships * Was MVP of Richland Center and Blackhawk Tournament and won Bi-State Meet as sophomore * Third-team all-state and first-team all-conference during second prep season * Posted 41-0 record and won state title at 103 and also earned conference, regional and sectional titles * Won team MVP award and MVP of IG Invite and Ithaca Invite and took title at Bi-State Meet as freshman * First-team all-conference and all-state selection during first year as prep.

COLUMBUS, Ohio –- First-year Ohio State wrestling head coach Tom Ryan scored his first win as the head coach of the Scarlet and Gray and earned his 110th career win, as the No. 15 Buckeyes upset No. 9 Cornell, 18-17, Sunday at Newman Arena in Ithaca, N.Y. The Buckeyes are 1-1-0 overall and improve their record against the Big Red to 7-4-1 in the all-time series. Ohio State also is 40-28-0 all-time in road openers. In a close match that had five lead changes, the final; l outcome was decided in the closing bout at 133 pounds between Buckeye and No. 18th-ranked T.J. Enright (Jr., Galloway, Ohio/Westland) and Cornell's Nick Bridge. With Ohio State down 17-15, Enright was able to pull out a 5-3 decision for the three points needed for the OSU win. Enright never trailed in the match, starting off the first period with a takedown to go up 2-0. Bridge scored an escape to cut the lead in half to end the opening period. Enright increased his lead to 3-1 after recording an escape for the only scoring in the second period. Entering the third and final period, Bridge scored an escape to bring the score to 3-2 in favor of Enright. However, Enright notched a takedown less than 20 seconds later to go up 5-2. Bridge ended the scoring with an escape with 54 seconds remaining. Prior to the final bout between Enright and Bridge, a key turning point came when sophomore heavyweight Corey Morrison (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Shaker Heights) dropped Zach Hammond in 3:57 to give the Buckeyes six points and a 15-13 lead with two matches remaining. After freshman Will Livingston (Stillwater, N.J./Kittatinny Regional) lost to Mike Rodriguez, 8-0, at 125 pounds, the Big Red took a 17-15 lead to set up the final showdown between Enright and Bridge. Buckeye J Jaggers (So., Northfield, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) opened the scoring for Ohio State at 141 pounds when he recorded a 4-3 decision over Corey Manson. Trailing 3-2 after the second period, Jaggers recorded an escape to even the score at 3-all in the third period. With a riding time advantage of 1:39, Jaggers secured the 4-3 win to give OSU a 3-0 lead. Cornell tied the score at 3-3 in the next bout at 149 pounds, which featured No. 19 Lance Palmer (Fr., Lakewood, Ohio/St. Edwards) for the Buckeyes and No. 13 Jordan Leen for the Big Red in a close match that went into a third overtime. With no scoring in the first and second periods, Palmer recorded a two-point nearfall a little more than midway through the third period. However, with 55 seconds remaining, Leen scored an escape to bring the score to 2-1 in Palmer's favor, but with a riding time advantage of 1:14, Leen evened the score at 2-2 to end regulation. It was not until the third overtime scoring resumed with Leen notching an escape with 25 seconds remaining in the bout. Ohio State regained the lead in the next match-up between Jason Johnstone (So., Massillon, Ohio/Perry) and Drake Hovis. Johnstone scored an 8-2 decision to help the Buckeyes go up 6-3. After trailing 1-0 early in the second period, Johnstone answered with a 3-point nearfall, two takedowns and an escape before Hovis notched an escape of his own in the waning seconds of the match. The Buckeyes dropped their next two bouts at 165 and 174 pounds. Chris Vondruska (5th Sr., Lakewood, Ohio/Hofstra) lost to No. 13 Steve Anceravage, 11-2, while No. 12 Blake Maurer (So, Evansville, Ind./Mater Dei) dropped a close 7-5 decision. With the losses, Ohio State trailed Cornell, 10-6. Redshirt freshman and No. 13th-ranked Mike Pucillo (Cuyahoga, Ohio/Hofstra) helped cut the Big Red's lead to one at 10-9 when he defeated Luke Hogle, 11-4. Pucillo never trailed, as he ended the first period with a 4-1 advantage after scoring two takedowns. Following the second period, Pucillo increased his lead to 7-1 after recording a takedown and an escape. A takedown, escape and a riding time advantage of 2:45 at the end of the match gave Pucillo his second OSU career dual win. Cornell increased its lead, 13-9, after No. 2-ranked Jerry Rinaldi defeated fifth-ranked J.D. Bergman (Jr., Oak Harbor, Ohio/Oak Harbor), 4-3. Even at 2-all after the second period, Rinaldi scored a reversal with just 15 second remaining in the match to go up 4-2. Bergman held the riding time advantage to bring the final outcome to 4-3 in favor of Rinaldi. The Las Vegas Invitational and the Penn State Open is up next for the Buckeyes. Ohio State will travel to Primm, Nev., for the all day event Dec. 1-2, while some members of the squad will compete at the Penn State Open in State College, Pa., Dec. 3 for that all day tournament.

For the second straight day, the 18th-ranked Nebraska wrestling team rode a hot start to a dual victory. The Huskers won the first four matches in their dual at Maryland to build a 13-point lead and never looked back in a 27-12 win Saturday in College Park, Md. The win was Nebraska's 20th straight against ACC opponents, including its ninth straight win over ACC schools under seventh-year head coach Mark Manning. The Huskers' four-match winning streak started with an 11-5 win by 133-pounder Mike Rowe, who was wrestling in his home state of Maryland. Rowe won both his matches in his first weekend as a varsity starter. Dominick Moyer followed with a 7-3 win over Charlie Pinto. Then, Robert Sanders got back on the winning track with a 6-5 win over Andrew Schlaffer. Chris Oliver capped the winning streak with a 16-3 major decision triumph over Mike McGill. Oliver closed the weekend 2-0 with two bonus-point victories. After back-to-back losses cut Nebraska's lead to seven, Levi Wofford put the Huskers back in the driver's seat of the dual with a win by fall over Rich DiPietro at 184 pounds. Wofford closed his first weekend as a starter in NU's dual lineup at 2-0, including a win against ninth-ranked Steve Borja of Virginia Tech on Friday. Maryland cut Nebraska's lead to seven with two matches remaining in the dual, but heavyweight Jon May clinched the dual victory for NU with a 4-0 win over Jerry Afari. With the dual in hand, Paul Donahoe won by technical fall at 125 pounds over James Knox, 19-4. The Huskers (2-0) return to tournament competition next weekend in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitiational in Primm, Nev. Nebraska participates in the Las Vegas Invitiational this year after a one-year absence. The Huskers won the 2004 Las Vegas Invitational championship in 2004 and took second place in 2005.

AMES, Iowa -- Three Iowa State redshirt freshmen scored pins in their Hilton Colliseum debuts and Trent Paulson beat his chief rival at 157 pounds for the second time in a week as the Cyclones blanked Arizona State 40-0 Sunday afternoon. In front of 1,807 fans, newcomers Cyler Sanderson (149), Jake Varner (184) and David Zabriskie (HWT) each won their match via pin. ISU did not give up a takedown to ASU. The Cyclones wrestle at intrastate rival Iowa Sunday at 4 p.m. “It is early,” first-year head coach Cael Sanderson said. “We have good kids who are hard workers. We matched up well with Arizona State. There are a lot of little things that we need to be working on and that is where we are concentrating.” The 40-point victory marked Iowa State’s biggest win over Arizona State. ISU NCAA champion teams beat the Sun Devils 32-2 in the 1968 – 69 season and 33-3 during the 1969 – 70 season. The 40-0 victory also marks only the fifth time since the program began in 1916 that the Cyclones have shut out their first two opponents. Meeting for the second time in less than a week, Iowa State’s two-time All-American Trent Paulson took on NCAA runner-up and top-ranked Brian Stith. The two faced off at the NWCA All-Star Meet Nov. 20 with Paulson coming out on top, 2-1. Sunday’s match remained scoreless until the start of the third period when Paulson started from the down position. He scored an escape at the 1:50 mark. Paulson accumulated 1:48 worth of riding time that ultimately gave him the advantage and the 2-0 victory. “I am just working hard to continue to improve,” the undefeated Paulson said. “This match was a part of that.” At 149-pounds, Cyler Sanderson wasted no time by taking down Cameron Smith six seconds into the match. From there it was only a matter of time before the redshirt freshman was able to stick Smith to the mat for the pin at 51 seconds. “I just went out to wrestle hard and it worked out,” Sanderson said. “I have been waiting for a long time to wrestle in Hilton Coliseum.” Jake Varner registered his seventh pin of the season at 184-pounds against Greg Glifford to improve to 10-0 overall. Varner scored early with a takedown in both the first and second periods before he pinned Glifford at the 4:05 mark. Like Sanderson, Varner has pinned both opponents in dual meet action on the season. David Zabriskie closed out the dual, recording three takedowns and a three-point nearfall in the first period to go up 9-2 on Arizona State’s Thor Moen. With 35 seconds left in the second period, Zabriskie scored another takedown and then stuck Moen to the mat in 4:35. Redshirt ISU freshman Nick Fanthorpe amassed four takedowns and a two-point nearfall en route to a 14-3 major decision over ASU’s Tyler Bowles in the match’s first bout.

GUILDERLAND CENTER, N.Y. -– The No. 14 University of Pennsylvania wrestling team went 2-2 at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Collegiate Duals on Saturday, beating Binghamton and Bloomsburg while falling to No. 1 Minnesota and No. 12 Central Michigan. It was the first dual-meet action of the season for the Quakers. Penn opened the day with a 45-0 shutout of Binghamton and a 24-9 victory over Bloomsburg. Facing some of the nation's toughest competition, the Quakers were unable to pull out victories in their final two meets, falling to Central Michigan, 30-12, and Minnesota, 28-12. "I think we had mixed results from an outcome standpoint," said Head Coach Zeke Jones. "Certainly the kids wrestled hard, and I think we're on track and making a lot of progress learning about the team. When you wrestle two top-12 programs, you learn a lot about yourself." Penn returns to action this Friday and Saturday when it travels to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. The Quakers will then break for finals and the holidays before opening their home dual slate with York College on Jan. 6.

GUILDERLAND CENTER, New York -- The Pride won six of 10 matches, including the dramatic, match-clinching 11-8 victory by Chris Weidman at 197 pounds, as #11 Hofstra upset #1 Minnesota, 18-17, at the Journeymen/Brute Northeast Collegiate Duals at Guilderland High School Saturday. "I am so proud of our guys," Hofstra's first year coach Tom Shifflet said. "We knew coming in that it was going to be a close match. I told the team that we had to go out and grab the momentum, and that's what Dave (Tomasette) and Louie (Ruggirello) did for us with victories. That boosted the whole team's confidence. Everybody wrestled hard for us and I am so proud of them." Tomasette, the junior from Sewell, New Jersey who is ranked 20th in the Intermat preseason poll, opened the match with a hard-fought victory over red-shirt freshman Jayson Ness, 12-9, at 125 pounds. Hofstra freshman Lou Ruggirello boosted the Pride lead to 6-0 with a 5-3 victory over freshman Mike Thorn at 133. Minnesota's 10th-ranked junior Manny Rivera put the Golden Gophers on the board with a 5-1 victory over Pride junior Charles Griffin, ranked 14th. Minnesota took its first lead of the match, at 8-6 when sophomore Dustin Schlatter, the top-ranked wrestler at 149 pounds, downed Pride senior Mike Parziale by tech fall 17-0. But the Pride rallied back with three straight victories as 12th ranked senior James Strouse improved to 7-0 on the year with a 4-2 victory at 157 pounds over sixth-ranked junior C.P. Schlatter in the second sudden victory period. Pride senior Mike Patrovich, ranked third at 165 pounds, downed junior Jeremy Larson 8-5, while sophomore Alton Lucas, who entered the season unranked, upset Minnesota's 12th-ranked junior Gabe Dretsch 5-3, at 174 pounds to boost the Pride lead to 15-8. But the Golden Gophers' second-ranked junior Roger Kish downed Hofstra's fifth-ranked junior Joe Rovelli, 4-1, at 184 pounds to close the deficit to 15-11. With the 285-pound match looming, featuring the top-ranked heavyweight in the country in Minnesota senior Cole Konrad, the 197-pound match was a must-win match for the Pride's sixth-ranked senior Chris Weidman over Minnesota sophomore Yura Malamura. After taking a 2-0 lead, Weidman struggled with the unranked wrestler and trailed 7-2 entering the third period. But Weidman rallied and scored nine of the next 10 points to post a 11-8 come-from-behind victory that gave Hofstra an insurmountable 18-11 lead. Konrad did pin Pride senior Matt Pollock in 1:48 to close the final margin to 18-17 as the Pride, which defeated second-ranked Lehigh two years ago at the Mack Sports Complex on the Hofstra campus, posted the biggest victory in program history. The Pride went on to add three more dual victories later in the day as Hofstra defeated American, 33-12, Princeton, 45-6, and Bloomsburg. In the American University match, the Pride won eight of the 10 matches, including tech fall victories by Strouse, Rovelli and Weidman, to cruise to the 33-12 victory. One of the losses was costly as Pride junior Dave Tomasette (125) suffered a leg injury that could cause him to miss the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational next weekend. Hofstra rolled over Princeton 45-6, losing just one match by forfeit at 125. Ruggirello, freshman Ryan Brown at 141, Weidman and Pollock all recorded wins by fall. The Pride took seven matches in their 27-15 victory over Bloomsburg University in the Northeast Duals finale. Weidman and Patrovich posted wins by fall against Bloomsburg.