InterMat Staff

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Cornell University wrestling team announced its schedule for the 2006-07 season on Monday. The Big Red will host five home duals and the Body Bar Systems Invitational in its 99th season of wrestling. Last season, Cornell compiled a 10-4 dual record before placing second at the EIWA championships and fifth at the NCAA championships. In the preseason poll from Wrestlingreport.com, Cornell is ranked No. 8 in Division I wrestling. The Big Red will kick off its season on Nov. 18 when it will serve as host for the Body Bar Systems Invitational. Teams competing will include Army, Drexel, Sacred Heart, Old Dominion, Maryland, Ithaca College, Kent State, No. 26 Pittsburgh and perennial powerhouse the No. 9 Michigan. Last year, Cornell took the team championship and won six individual titles. On Nov. 26, the Big Red will hold its first home dual against No. 14 Ohio State. That match, along with the home duals against No. 7 Penn State (Jan. 7) and Arizona State (Jan. 21), will be held in Newman Arena at Bartels Hall. The three highly anticipated matches are likely to have sold-out crowds. Cornell will travel to Las Vegas on Dec. 1-2 for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational where the team placed second overall last season. In 2005, then-freshman Troy Nickerson won an individual title at 125 pounds. The team also had five other place-winners. After the Christmas break, the Big Red will travel to Greensboro, N.C., to the Southern Scuffle where Cornell took third place in 2005. The team also took three individual titles, including Nickerson at 125 and then-junior Jerry Rinaldi at 197 pounds. On Jan. 13-14, the Big Red will head west to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the National Duals. Last January, the team went 1-2, defeating Northern Iowa but falling to Michigan and Oklahoma. Assistant coach Cory Cooperman will head with the Big Red back to his Alma matter, No. 19 Lehigh on Jan. 21. Cornell won the match between the two schools last year at home, 19-14. A premier match for Cornell will be against No. 10 Hofstra at the New York Athletic Club in New York City at 1 p.m. Later that night, the Big Red will wrestle Columbia for its first Ivy League matchup. Last year in the Ivy League, Cornell finished 5-0 to capture its fourth consecutive Ancient Eight crown. Continuing with Ivy League matches, Cornell will face Penn on Feb. 9 and Princeton the next day both at home. The following weekend the Big Red will travel to No. 22 Harvard, then to Brown to wrestle the Bears and Delaware. The EIWA championships will be March 2-3 in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Last season, the Big Red took second. During his rookie campaign, Nickerson took the 125-pound title. Cornell also had four second-place finishers, including Rinaldi and Steve Anceravage. This year's NCAA championship is being held in Detroit, Mich. from March 16-18. In Oklahoma City last year, Cornell placed fifth as a team and Nickerson placed second and Rinaldi fourth in their weight classes.

What is Up America? Wrestling is my passion and I know it is for you too. Here is your challenge for the season. Tell someone the story of your wrestling career, your interest in the sport. Get them excited about your sport. Invite them to buy season tickets. Set a schedule well in advance to get them to become a regular at the home meets at a school near you be it HS or Collegiate. Now is the time. take the challenge. No time in the history of this great sport has wrestling been poised to experience explosive growth as much as it is right now. Be a part of the EXPLOSION! This is a call to action! This week on TDR: Greg Strobel, Head Coach of Lehigh. What's going on in the Lehigh Valley. Recently Coach Strobel had the rug pulled out from under him. How does this change the way he does business if at all. Tim Cysewski, Head Coach Northwestern, with the addition of Drew Pariano to his staff, Coach Cysewski has the time to focus on the import of his job, COACHING! Jesse Reyes, Head Coach of Purdue, recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, Coach Reyes is in recovery after surgery and we'll check in to see how this competitor is doing. How has this affected his life, coaching, recruiting and family. C.D. Mock, Head Coach of the Tarheels of North Carolina Chapel Hill. What is the word from Chapel Hill. Coach Mock will fill us in on the returning stars of his squad and the up and comers expected to bring excitement to this historic program. Troy Letters, Asst. Head Coach of Princeton. He and the New Head Coach Chris Ayres are ready to write new chapters in the book of this legendary program and he'll share some of the visions they have. Nicole Woody, Themat.com and TDR's Athlete of the Week Feature brought to you by: Asics Join us for Takedown Wrestling Radio each Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM central time throughout the year at Takedownradio.com. Each program is archived and may be listened to when you can and TDR is now being Podcast as well.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling team, in conjunction with The Buckeye Wrestling Club, will hold its annual golf outing Sunday at Mental Memorial Golf Course. Registration will begin at noon, but interested participants are encouraged to pre-register by calling 614-292-7708 by Wednesday. There also will be several contests during the day, as well as raffle drawings. For more information or questions, please visit thebuckeyewrestlingclub.com or call Jim Humphrey or Ross Thatcher at 614-292-7708.

Hempstead, NY -- Hofstra University 2006 All-American wrestler Mike Patrovich has been granted a medical hardship waiver by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and will wrestle for the Pride during the 2006-07 season, it was announced this week. Patrovich, a native of Bohemia, New York, earned his first All-America honor last March by placing fourth at 174 pounds at the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City. He advanced to the championship semifinals before losing to eventual national champion Ben Askren (Missouri). In the consolation semifinals, Patrovich defeated Penn's Matt Herrington 9-4 before dropping an 11-2 decision to Iowa's third-seeded Mark Perry in the third place match. He finished the 2005-06 season with a 34-5 record. A three-time NCAA qualifier, Patrovich is a three-time CAA Championship finalist and a two-time champion, capturing titles at 165 pounds in 2005 and 174 pounds in 2006. He was alsoselected the 2006 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year in a vote by conference coaches. Patrovich's CAA Wrestler of the Year award marks the fourth straight year that a Pride wrestler has been named the CAA Wrestler of the Year following Chris Skretkowicz in 2003 and 2004 and Jon Masa in 2005. "I am fired up about returning to the Hofstra team this season," Patrovich said. "I am excited to be working with Coach (Tom) Shifflet and being part of a very talented team. I sincerely believe that we have a top 10 caliber team this year."

A new syndicated television show hosted by Texas Shooter Aaron Simpson will be broadcasting Real Pro Wrestling to the world beginning this fall. RPW General Manager Rick Korn has been the mastermind behind the completion of 28 media markets, and new deals are still being cut virtually every day to get RPW on even more television stations across the country. RPW's new television program will debut on September 22nd, 2006. It will be a weekly broadcast which will run for 52 weeks. The first 26 episodes will feature RPW Season One action. When the Season One recap is complete in late February, Season Two will be ready to begin. The Season One wrestling action will be different from what originally aired. There will expanded coverage and more footage of the most exciting matches. Some matches that did not initially air in Season One will be shown on the new syndicated show, and all of the matches are being re-edited. In addition to the different look for the matches, new host Aaron Simpson describes the format of the show: "There are some backgrounds on the history of wrestling, there are some personal backgrounds on the athletes," Aaron explains. "I introduce every match, and then some comments after the match." To say that Simpson knows enough about wrestling to be an effective host is an understatement. Simpson was a two-time NCAA Division 1 All-American at 177 pounds for the Arizona State Sun Devils. He has remained at ASU as an assistant coach since 1998, including last season, when the team finished in 6th place at the NCAA Division 1 National Tournament. Aaron SimpsonAs a competitor for RPW's Texas Shooters in Season One, Aaron Simpson lost in the first round of competition last season to the Minnesota Freeze's Brandon Eggum. As part of his duties as the host of RPW's new show, Simpson will be hosting an episode that will feature his ill-fated match. "I was thinking it might be a little weird," Simpson says with a chuckle, "but it ended up being pretty funny stuff." Simpson will have to wrestle in the Super Qualifier to get on an RPW roster in Season Two, something he has every intention of doing. "It was fun," Simpson says of hosting the show, "I know the guys [at RPW] are expecting big things out of it." The business side of RPW's recent television deals, on the other hand, has been of a more serious nature -– in particular, it's been a serious success. Rick Korn took over the General Manager position at RPW seven months ago, and he's hit the ground running. Rich has been a producer for television, movies, and rock concerts for over a quarter century. His resume as a producer includes producing concerts for Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, as well as an Oscar nomination and Emmy Award for being one of the producers of the docu-movie, Hank Aaron: Chasing a Dream, which still airs annually on ESPN. "We are teaming up with sports networks in the eight states that we're launching team ins," Korn explains. "In the next couple of weeks, we'll announce exactly which stations those are in those markets. We'll be on regional sports networks in the eight team markets." The channels that RPW will be on will be accessible to most people. In the Chicago market, for example, they have a deal with the CBS affiliate. In other markets, there are deals with either regular broadcast channels or regional sports networks. "If they have cable in those markets, they'll be able to get our show," Korn states. The syndicated shows will initially feature Season One matches, and those episodes will be one hour in length. When Season Two rolls around, the live events will be broadcast on pay-per-view. Those Season Two live events will be two-team dual meets, and they will go on for as long as the event lasts. The final two events in Season Two will be an All-Star meet, which will be an individual tournament to determine RPW's individual champions at each weight class, and then finally a team championship dual meet between the two best RPW teams. Rick says that RPW plans on making the pay-per-view package affordable. "We haven't established a price yet, but it will be relatively inexpensive compared to other pay-per-view events. There will be a season package so that people can get all 10 live events." Rick Korn and Aaron Simpson both share Real Pro Wrestling's vision of bringing compelling wrestling programming to a wrestling audience that's starved for it. "The thing that Matt [Case] and Toby [Willis] did their first couple of years with RPW was to create really good and compelling sports programming," Korn says of RPW's co-founders. "The way that they shoot wrestling is much different than the way that we're used to seeing it. If you stayed up until 3 am watching wrestling in the Olympics, the way that they shot wrestling was really poorly done; it wasn't well thought out. "What Toby and Matt did, which was really interesting, is that they turned it on its head. They added many more cameras around the mat. They were wrestlers themselves, and they really knew how to shoot it from the perspective of the wrestler, so you feel like you're on the mat with them. This year, when we do it in HD, it's going to be even more real." Aaron Simpson is equally excited about the upcoming programming schedule and its implications for the wrestling community. "It should be a pretty good way to showcase that Season One again, and get it into some people's homes that weren't able to see it," Simpson explained. "Our whole goal is not just to pick up the wrestling fans, but to pick up that mainstream audience that's looking for some type of sport that's –- that's real. They can respect the athletes, and get a better understanding of them. "There are people who have wrestled at some time in their life who have just never had that connection with it because they don't live around it, or because they stopped doing it after high school, or because they stopped doing it after junior high. And they understand it because they went through it: they understand the scoring, and they understand the background behind it. If we grab some of those people, it will grow, because there are a lot us out there."

From time to time, I test new wrestling products, including books, videos, shoes, shorts, energy bars, and other miscellaneous items. Below is a performance review of the Double by Double Sport. Double Sport is a line of clothing that features tight-fitting micro fiber shirts and shorts. The two piece outfit (called the Double) has been NCAA and FILA approved as a uniform alternative to a singlet. This gear has also become popular for training purposes based upon its comfort and flexibility. A few months ago, I ordered some Double Sport gear for myself. For $65, I was able to purchase a two-piece set (shirt and shorts) designed to my specifications and style. This customization included picking a color scheme (I chose blue and grey) and lettering (I chose to have "REV.WRESTLING.COM" placed on the back of the shirt). I was very excited to try out my new wrestling gear, but encountered very poor customer service. After three months of frustration, I finally received a package in the mail. My days as a competitive wrestler have long passed, but I remain active in my training routine (both on and off the mat). On the mat, the Double Sport gear was ideal for high intensity practices in which sweaty T-shirts and baggy shorts would normally hinder the simulation of live match wrestling. The microfiber material enabled more efficient heat/mass transfer, which promoted evaporation and cooling. The tight fitting shirt reduced the incidence of gut burn (rashes that result from repetitive gut wrenches) and allowed for more fluid pummeling drills during Greco Roman practices. The tight fitting shorts provided the comfort and flexibility that were ideal for fast paced drilling from the neutral position during freestyle practices. Double Sport gear is also functional for cross-training purposes. I took advantage of the two-piece modularity by wearing the shorts during runs and the shirt during weight-lifting sessions. Double Sport gear is ideal for training based upon its performance and flexibility. However, the verdict is still out on the newly approved two-piece uniforms for competition purposes. "Most of the coaches regard the two-piece as more of a practice uniform," said Jim Keen Jr., President of Cliff Keen (New York Times, Nov. 2005). "The singlet has been part of wrestling for so many years, moving to a two-piece uniform would be like taking away the shoulder pads and helmet of football." Athletes who are overly conscious of their body image should tread cautiously, as Double Sport gear leaves little to the imagination. "Some coaches are still traditionalists and not too keyed up to change into a new garment," said John Purnell, the President of Brute (New York Times, Nov. 2005). "I don't know if they ever will. A two-piece garment is very form-fitting; therefore it doesn't look good on different body types." Thankfully, I've been blessed with a nearly flawless physique (see picture). I'm my opinion, Double Sport gear is ideal for training purposes based upon its performance and flexibility. Stylistically, however, I prefer the traditional singlet for competitions. I have a hard time imagining Dave Schultz wearing anything but the low-cut singlets that are representative of the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Then again, maybe the same statements were made about Dan Gable without tights. For more information on Double Sport apparel, check out their Web site at http://www.doublesport.net Read Jim Beezer's Past Reviews: Book Review: Pinned

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. –- The Lock Haven University wrestling program and head coach Rocky Bonomo has announced its 2006-07 schedule. The Bald Eagles have a 15-match slate, including six at home in the Thomas Fieldhouse. They face three nationally-ranked squads. The Bald Eagles open up the 2006-07 campaign by hosting the annual Pennsylvania State Duals Sunday, Nov. 19. Ten teams from all three divisions converge on the "House of Noise" headlined by No. 10 Penn State University, No. 13 Lehigh University and No. 16 Edinboro University. LHU will also host the revamped Mat Town Open Saturday, Nov. 25. The tournament switches to an open format this season to increase the talent level and competitiveness of the day's efforts. The Bald Eagles then hit the road for the month of December, competing in duals at Penn State and Edinboro, and tournaments at Penn State, Clarion and UNC-Greensboro. LHU returns to the Fieldhouse to face Millersville University Friday, Jan. 12. This year's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament begins Saturday, Jan. 27 at Bloomsburg University. LHU wraps up the regular season at Cleveland State University Feb. 2, hosting the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University Feb. 9 and 11, traveling to Bloomsburg for a dual Feb. 16 and hosting Clarion Feb. 18. The Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Tournament takes place March 3-4. Nov. 19 PA DUALS 10 a.m. Nov. 25 MAT TOWN INVITATIONAL 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at Penn State Open 7 p.m. Dec. 10 at Edinboro University 2 p.m. Dec. 15 at Penn State University 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at Clarion Duals 1 p.m. Dec. 29-30 at Southern Scuffle 10 a.m. Jan. 12 MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at PSAC Championships 8 a.m. Feb. 2 at Cleveland State University* 7 p.m. Feb. 9 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH* 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11 WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY* 2 p.m. Feb. 16 at Bloomsburg University* 7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 CLARION UNIVERSITY* 2 p.m. March 3-4 at EWL Championships March 15-17 at NCAA Championships *EWL Contest CAPS indicate home contest (Thomas Fieldhouse)

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Binghamton University wrestling has added a second assistant coach in Sean Gibbs, the school announced Thursday. Gibbs joins Dennis Papadatos on first year head coach Pat Popolizio's staff. Gibbs comes directly from University of Buffalo, where he was an assistant on the Bulls' staff for eight years. As recruiting coordinator, he was instrumental in Buffalo's rise to a perennial Top 25 program. He received the university's "Stars Award" for outstanding achievement as a recruiter and coach and signed numerous Top 100 recruits. "Sean's eight years of experience at Buffalo will be a huge help to us," Popolizio said. "He is extremely excited to get back into coaching. Sean will be focussing mainly on our upper weights and he'll also be running a lot of morning workouts and preseason workouts." Gibbs was a captain, team MVP and two-time NCAA qualifier at University of Pittsburgh, where he won 93 career matches. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1993. In addition to his experience at Buffalo, Gibbs served as head coach for the NWCA/USA Wrestling All-American Tour in 2001. That team of collegiate All-Americans competed internationally in Bulgaria and France. He also served as head coach of the New York Super Six - the largest freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling club in Western New York. Gibbs was an Espoir All-American in 1990 and is a member of the Stark County (Ohio) Wrestling Hall of Fame. TRANSACTION Binghamton University -- Sean Gibbs named assistant wrestling coach.

TEMPE, Ariz. -– The Arizona State University wrestling program has announced the dates and times for its annual Coaches and Wrestlers Clinic that will be held in conjunction with the 22nd Annual Sunkist Kids/ASU International Open inside Wells Fargo Arena October 12-14. The clinic, which will feature several top-notch instructors, will take place Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 at the Riches Wrestling Complex, ASU's training facility. The first night (Oct. 13) begins at 5 p.m. with registration before the clinic starts on the mat at 6 p.m. with Zeke Jones. The former three-time Sun Devil All-American, World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, will conduct his portion of the clinic until 7 p.m. when current ASU head coach Thom Ortiz takes the mat for one hour. Ortiz, entering his sixth year as the head coach of the program, is a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year and was a three-time All-American as a wrestler for the Sun Devils. On Oct. 14, the instruction once again begins at 6 p.m. as Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time NCAA Champion and four-time All-American Randy Lewis takes the mats for one hour. Lewis will be followed at 7 p.m. by current Sun Devil assistant coaches Aaron Simpson and Eric Larkin. Simpson was a two-time All-American and two-time Pac-10 Champion during his career in Tempe while Larkin completed his career as a Sun Devil as the 2003 NCAA Champion at 149 pounds and was a four-time All-American. The cost for the clinics is $30 for one day and $50 for both days with checks made out to Sun Angel Foundation.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State wrestling head coach Jim Zalesky and his staff will conduct four clinics around the Pacific Northwest this fall for wrestlers from the youth through high school levels. The clinics will be held in Kent, Wash. at Kentlake High School on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m.-12 noon and 1 p.m.-3 p.m.; in Lake Stevens, Wash. at Lake Stevens High School on Oct. 15 from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.; in Gresham, Ore. at Gresham High School on Oct. 21 from 10 a.m.-12 noon and 1 p.m.-3 p.m.; and Klamath Falls, Ore. at Henley High School on Oct. 22 from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.. The four-hour clinics will feature Zalesky, who guided Iowa to three team titles at the NCAA Championships, won three individual titles as a wrestler, and was named the 1980s Wrestler of the Decade by Amateur Wrestling News. Joining Zalesky will be assistant coach Troy Steiner, who earned a NCAA title; assistant coach Kevin Roberts, who was a two-time All-American; assistant coach Travis Pascoe, who earned All-America honors; and Orange Crush Wrestling Club coach Stryder Davis, who was a two-time NAIA national champion. Cost is $40 for wrestlers who pre-register by Oct. 10, or $50 at the door. A brochure with a registration form can be found at www.osubeavers.com, and more information is available by calling Steiner at 541-230-6014 or Roberts at 541-230-0613.

Join Steve Foster, Myself and Ross Peterson for this week in wrestling on Takedown Wrestling Radio. Another great lineup that includes- Central Michigan Chippewa's Head Coach Tom Borrelli. What's going on in MT. Pleasant, MI. Coaching changes across the country have made waves. Have they been felt in Michigan? NCAA champion and Asst Head Coach at THE Ohio State University Tommy Rowlands. The wrestling shoes are on the other foot. What's that like Coach? Future competition for one of my favorite wrestlers? Duane Goldman, Indiana Hoosier strong man and Head Coach joins us for a pre season look at his team, the big Ten and the NCAA overall. Duane is one of the true gentlemen of this sport but remains in Bloomington doing things very quietly and very well. Kyle Klingman, His articles on the Internet and in WIN Magazine are thought provoking and sometimes even gets me upset. Imagine what comes out of his mouth. Tune in for Kyle's unique perspective on our sport and on life. One of the good guys! The New Head Coach of the Clarion University Golden Eagles Teague Moore will join us in our continuing look at our sports extensive crop of young, energetic, tough minded coach's. This is Teague's first time on the show and we promise to be nice. Just kidding, we are always nice.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State's wrestling team opens fall practice today as the Cowboys are seeking their fifth straight NCAA championship. "I am excited," head coach John Smith said. "I am looking forward to working with these guys. A lot of people who have been involved in the program are getting the opportunity to start for the first time, and that is exciting. It is probably a very important preseason, as important as any we have ever had." OSU will have six new faces in the lineup in 2006-07 as former NCAA champions Zack Esposito, Jake Rosholt and Steve Mocco all graduated after last season. NCAA qualifiers Kevin Ward and Rusty Blackmon also graduated from last year's team. The Cowboys do return two-time NCAA champion Johny Hendricks at 165 pounds. All-Americans Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan are both moving up a weight class to 133 and 141, respectively. "Each season brings a different look, and this season is quite different," Smith said. "We know that as a team, we have to get much better. We must start immediately building a championship attitude. Associate head coach Mark Branch said the next couple of months will be critical for the Cowboys. "These first two months are very important because we are lacking the experience that we had the last couple of years. This first month is going to be real important in establishing a lot of skill that this team is going to need. We have a lot of young kids without varsity experience so this is the most important month of the season." Smith brought in 11 freshmen to help the Cowboys keep their momentum going after winning their fourth consecutive NCAA championship in March.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Head Wrestling Coach Chris Bono has named senior wrestlers Michael Keefe and Matt Keller team captains for the upcoming season. "Michael and Matt are two of the hardest-working guys on our team," Bono said. "They are the type of wrestlers that I want to have in our program. One leads by example, the other is more vocal. They are both All-Americans and know how to win. Everyone on the team will benefit from their leadership." Keefe earned All-America honors in 2005; Keller this past season. A native of Ringgold, Ga., Keefe placed third at 141 pounds last year at the Southern Conference Championships. He earned a wildcard entry to the NCAA Championships, making his third appearance at Nationals. Keefe placed fifth at the 2005 NCAAs to earn All-America accolades. He was the SoCon champion at 141 pounds his sophomore year. Keller, a McDonald, Tenn., native, produced an outstanding season for the Mocs in his first year in the program in 2005-06. Keller was the Outstanding Wrestler at the SoCon Championships, winning the 133-pound division. He finished eighth at the NCAAs, assuring himself of All-America honors and giving UTC two All-Americas in the last two years. Keller registered a team-best 37-11 record with 12 pins, while Keefe was an impressive 36-11 with four pins. The Mocs open competition with preseason matches at the Sunkist Duals Oct. 12-15 in Tempe, Ariz. The annual Blue-Gold match is Nov. 3.

Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith announced the 2006-07 schedule Wednesday afternoon. Throughout the course of the campaign, the Tigers will host eight events in the Hearnes Center, including the 11th annual Big 12 Wrestling Championships on Saturday, March 3, 2007. Ranked third in the preseason poll released by WrestlingReport.com, the Tigers will likely compete against a minimum of seven teams ranked among the top-25 in the nation. Missouri opens its season on the road, Thursday, Nov. 16, against preseason No. 14 Ohio State. Returning to the Hearnes Fieldhouse for the sixth consecutive year, Smith and his staff will host the Missouri Open on Sunday, Nov. 19. An all-day event, the Missouri Open attracts nearly 600 wrestlers from 20 teams across the Midwest. In last season's outing, the Tigers captured a program-high five individual titles. Big 12 competitors Nebraska and Iowa State will travel to Columbia, for duals Jan. 28 and Feb. 11, respectively. Both programs enter the season ranked in the top 20. Missouri will battle with preseason No. 2 Oklahoma State on Feb. 2 in Stillwater, Okla., before traveling to Norman, Okla., for a dual with No. 6 Oklahoma on Feb. 4. Once again, the Tigers will send a squad to the highly competitive Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Dec. 1-2, in Las Vegas and Southern Scuffle, Dec. 29-30, in Greensboro, N.C. Also in tournament action, the Tigers will make their second consecutive trip to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the Jan. 13-14 National Duals. Missouri closes its season with a four-dual home streak that leads up to the Big 12 Wrestling Championships, March 3. Northern Iowa (Feb. 9), Iowa State (Feb. 11), Old Dominion (Feb. 14) and Tennessee Chattanooga (Feb. 18) will all make attempts to take down the Tigers in Columbia. The Big 12 Wrestling Championships return to the Hearnes Center for the second time in 11 years. Missouri last hosted the all-day event in 2003, earning its first Big 12 individual title in Tyron Woodley's 165 pound championship. Along the way, the Tigers recorded their highest Big 12 team finish (second) since the creation of the league in 1996. The 77th annual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will run March 15-17 in Auburn Hills, Mich. Missouri returns three All-Americans to the team this season including 2006 National Champion Ben Askren at 174 pounds. The 2006-07 campaign marks the 63rd year of Missouri wrestling and Smith's ninth season at the helm of the program.

Hope all is well with you. This program should be really good as we have a broad range of guests on the show. Joining me in the studio will be non other than Frank Santana. Frank is an inspiration to me and many in the world of business. How does he do it? What challenges this man of letters in business? His son has just entered his freshman year of college. How was the handoff and more. We start this week with the venerable Head Coach of the Sooners of Oklahoma, Author Jack Spates. What's going on with the Sooners? Can they repeat last years performance? Can they better their position? How are they at heavy weight? These and more questions will be answered by this Slippery Rock grad Jack Spates. We then head out to the great North West for a visit with the former embattled head coach of Iowa now the Head Coach of Oregon State and the Beavers Jim Zalesky. How are things going? Is the family settled? What are the prospects of the team for this year and next? Then we go back East to chat with the Head Coach of the Bobcats of Ohio Joel Greenlee. How has the coaching changes in the state affected Ohio. What about recruiting? What are your opinions on the coaching changes across the country? Tune in and find out. We then head up state New York to Binghamton for our first visit with Freshman Head Coach Pat Popolizio. The Bearcats are on their way back from virtual extinction and with the help of many people this program has been resurrected. Now with its second head coach in as many seasons how does its future look now? Let's find out together.

Blair, NE -- Dana College Head Wrestling Coach Richard Fergola has announced the signing of a 17 member recruiting class for the 2006-07 season. This year's class is much smaller than the past few years, but is packed with quality. The Dana wrestling program recorded the No. 1 Non-Division recruiting class in 2005 and followed that ranking with an NAIA National Duals and NAIA National Championship. This year's class is highlighted by 17 state championships (14 from incoming freshman alone), 13 individual All-American honors, 2 junior college All-Americans, 3 individual national championships, and 6 nationally ranked wrestlers. In 2004 the Vikings recorded the No. 4 recruiting class in Non-Division 1, in 2005 they topped the country at the No. 1 spot, and in 2006 the Vikings have again brought in the elite and recorded the No. 2 Non-Division I recruiting class as ranked by Wrestling USA magazine. Fergola and his staff are extremely proud and excited about their incoming class. "After recording the No. 1 class in 2005, my expectations have stayed high. This year's class is small, but is again one of the best classes in the history of Dana College wrestling," said Fergola. Highlighting this year's class will be a group of outstanding freshman that compiled many state and national level credentials that should prove beneficial as they enter the Dana College wrestling program. Leading off is Donny Altman of Derby, Kan. Altman will be competing at 125 for the Vikings. Altman compiled a very impressive prep career reaching the state finals as both a junior and senior at Derby High School, claiming the title in his junior year. Altman was also accomplished on the national scene in freestyle and Greco wrestling. At the prestigious Asics Cadet/Junior Nationals held in Fargo, N.D., each summer, Altman claimed two Cadet Greco National titles, two Cadet freestyle All-American honors and one Junior freestyle All-American honor. Altman is ranked No. 19 by Wrestling USA magazine and is a Top 250 recruit as ranked by InterMat. Missouri brings Eric and Brian Graham to the Dana wrestling program. The Grahams are twin brothers from Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo. Like Altman, the Grahams are accomplished at the state and national level. Eric will be looking to compete for the Vikings at 133. Eric was a three-time state placer, winning two state championships. Eric also claimed two Cadet All-American honors in Fargo. He is ranked No. 15 by Wrestling USA magazine, No. 12 by InterMat, and No. 29 All-Class by Wrestling USA magazine. Brian was equally successful. He was a four-time state placer, placing 3rd, 5th, 1st and 1st. Joining Altman and his brother Eric, Brian brought home three All-American plaques from Fargo on both the Cadet and Junior level. He is ranked No. 11 by Wrestling USA magazine, No. 9 by InterMat, No. 17 All-Class by Wrestling USA and No. 13 All-Class by InterMat. The south will provide Dana College with two of its best in Josh Ghobadpoor and Forrest Millsap. Both wrestlers were four-time state finalists, with Ghobadpoor winning one title and Millsap claiming four state titles. Ghobadpoor comes to Dana via Lumpkin County High School in Dahlonega, Ga. Ghobadpoor placed 2nd, 1st, 2nd, and 2nd at state in high school. Ghobadpoor earned a Honorable Mention rankin by Wrestling USA magazine and will look to compete at 174. Millsap will become only the second four-time state champion to join the Dana College wrestling program, the first being current team member Burke Barnes. Millsap won his four state titles for Homewood High School in Birmingham, Ala. Millsap was a part of three state championship teams. If not for an injury suffered during his freshman year, Millsap could have won five state titles as he won his first as an eighth grader. Millsap also won the sophomore division at the Brute Adidas Nationals. Millsap is ranked No. 14 by Wrestling USA magazine, a Top 130 recruit by InterMat, WUSA magazine All-American, and No. 21 All-Class by Wrestling USA. Millsap will be competing at 149 or 157 for the Vikings. Rounding the top incoming freshmen is Ty Costa. Costa comes to Dana via Turlock High School in Ceres, Calif. The state of California only has one class for high school wrestling, so placing at the California State Tournament can be difficult. Costa claimed 7th place in 2006. Costa is ranked Honorable Mention by Wrestling USA magazine; Costa was a three-time member of California's Junior Duals team and will compete for a spot at 133 pounds at Dana. Eight more freshman will enter Dana College in the fall. John Paul Maynes, Clayton Wurtele, Tycen Gavin, Bryson Pascua, Jordan Davis, Micah Laufenberg, Jon Wilbourne, and John Schmalz will all be some dynamic freshman for the Vikings. Maynes comes to Blair from Silver City, N.M., where he claimed three state championships. Maynes will compete at 141. Wurtele is a local wrestler from nearby Nebraska City where he was a state qualifier. He will join current team member Webster Ferris who also hails from Nebraska City. Gavin is a two-time state placer from Sutherland, Neb. Gavin placed third twice and will try to fill the shoes of Scott Taylor and Ben Henderson at 157. Dana has always attracted wrestlers from Hawaii and this class wouldn't be complete without Bryson Pascua. Pascua comes to the mainland from Mililani, Hawaii, where he placed third in the Hawaii State Championships. Pascua will also be participating on the Dana College track team and will also compete for a spot at 157. Davis comes from the great wrestling state of Minnesota where he was a state qualifier for Blaine. Davis will wrestle at 174. Another local standout from Bellevue East High School in Bellevue, Neb., is Micah Laufenberg. Laufenberg was a three-time state placer in Nebraska, winning one state title. Laufenberg will compete at 184. Wilbourne will join the Viking wrestling program via Lake Stevens High School in Lake Stevens, Wash., where he competed for Coach Brent Barnes, father of Burke Barnes, returning All-American for Dana College. Wilbourne was a state runner-up for Lake Stevens and will wrestle at 184 pounds. Schmalz joins the Graham twins from Park Hill High School in Kansas City, Mo. Schmalz placed sixth at 189 in 2006. Schmalz possesses elite level technique and will mold nicely into a great 197 pounder. Transfer student Ross Milam is originally from Omaha Northwest High School where he was a two-time state placer, reaching the finals once. Milam transfers to Dana from NCAA Division III The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Milam will look to compete at 165 or 174. This elite recruiting class will join returning All-Americans Craig Trampe (125), Burke Barnes (133), and Terrence Almond (141).

EDINBORO, PA –- Edinboro University Director of Athletics Bruce Baumgartner has announced the appointment of former University of Iowa wrestling great Cliff Moore as assistant wrestling coach. Moore replaces Lou Rosselli, who accepted a similar position at Ohio State earlier this summer. Cliff MooreMoore worked the past two years with the Iowa program. After serving as the strength and conditioning coach in 2004-05, he was an administrative assistant a year ago. Edinboro head coach Tim Flynn is thrilled to have his staff completed, and excited with what Moore will bring to the Fighting Scots. "We are all excited to have Cliff on board," related Flynn. "He is exactly what you want in an assistant coach. He is an excellent role model for our kids. His work ethic is unbelievable, and obviously, he is a great wrestler! Cliff has what all of our kids want....an NCAA Championship! Cliff also has experience in the office to help with our many fundraisers, recruiting and administratively! We could not be more pleased!" After winning three state titles as a prepster at Hempstead (IA) High School, Moore joined the Iowa wrestling program in 1999. Over the next five years, he would win one national title and earn All-American status three times, in addition to claiming two Big Ten titles. The national championship came while competing at 141 lbs. as a senior in 2003-04. That capped a year in which he finished 33-2 after defeating Nebraska's Matt Murray, 5-2, in the national title match. He recorded a team-leading six pins and was presented the Mike Howard Award as Iowa's most valuable wrestler. Moore ended his career with twenty straight wins, including his second Big Ten title thanks to a 6-2 win over Doug Withstandley. All told, Moore posted a 109-24 career record. After redshirting in 1999-2000, he was 17-3 in 2000-01 while competing at 133 lbs. In 2001-02, he took over as the starter at 133 lbs. and proceeded to earn All-American honors with a sixth place finish at Nationals. Moore ended the year with a 28-10 record, placing fifth at the Big Ten Championships. He won three tournament titles, including the Midlands Championships. Moore captured Big Ten titles as a junior and senior. He gained another sixth place finish and All-American honors at Nationals in 2002-03, once again competing at 133 lbs. While ending the season with a 31-9 record, he captured his first Big Ten title with a 3-1 win over Minnesota's Ryan Lewis in sudden victory. He was named the John and Dorothy Sill Award winner as Iowa's most dedicated wrestler. A native of Dubuque, Iowa, Moore graduated from Iowa with a bachelor's degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing, in 2004. He was named a wrestling Academic All-American in 2003. Moore was a member of the 2006 World Team. Oddly enough, Rosselli is the coach of the World Team.

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala -- Oklahoma State junior wrestler Coleman Scott lost his first match at the Fila Jr. World Championships yesterday and was eliminated in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Scott wrestled Jack Bond from Canada in his opening bout. Scott won the first period, but lost the second period before suffering an ankle injury and being forced to default. Scott was eliminated from the championships when Bond failed to reach the gold medal round. The Waynesburg, Pa. native will bump up a weight and wrestle at 133 pounds for the Cowboys after two All-America finishes at 125 the past two seasons. Wrestling Practices officially begins on Monday, Sept. 11.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State is mourning the loss of longtime staff member Tommy Chesbro, who passed away last night from a sudden heart attack at the age of 66. Chesbro has spent 40 years in OSU athletics as an athlete, coach and administrator. He was working yesterday afternoon making final preparations for OSU's game today against Missouri State. "When I heard the news on Friday evening, all I could think about was I lost my coach," current OSU head wrestling coach John Smith said. "My relationship with coach Chesbro was one you would have with your mother and father. "He was one of the most positive mentors I ever had as an athlete and coach. He had a great passion for Oklahoma State and its wrestling program." Chesbro was recently inducted into Oklahoma State's Heritage Hall as an outstanding coach. He is one of nine coaches to win an NCAA title at OSU, which he captured in 1971. He spent 15 years as a wrestling coach for his alma mater where he amassed a career record of 227-26, a .900 winning percentage. Before beginning his coaching career at Oklahoma State, Chesbro was a high school coach for eight years at Blackwell and Stillwater, winning a state title and finishing as runner-up twice. Chesbro was inducted as a distinguished member into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995. Chesbro married the former Shirley Wright and the couple had three sons: Tommy, Doug and Todd. Doug serves as the Stillwater High School wrestling coach and Todd was a three-time All-American at OSU. Services will be held at Sunnybrook Christian Church on Wednesday at 2 p.m. The family said that flowers can be sent to Strode Funeral Home in Stillwater.

University of the Cumberlands is honored to be the training center for lady wrestlers Jessica Medina (Pomona, CA) and Heather Martin (Wellington, OH). Medina and Martin faced off against the world's finest athletes at the Junior World Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala on Thursday evening. Medina, a junior at Cumberlands, competed in the 51 kilogram weight division. Defeating opponent Nanna Pedersen of Sweden 4-3, 2-0 in the bronze-medal match, Medina earned her first World Medal. Martin, also a junior, fell from a second place finish in the event in 2005 to fifth place this year. Despite the finish, Martin has gained a valuable experience to apply to future tournaments. The women's wrestling program looks to open the upcoming season on October 5, 2006 with an intra-squad dual.

St. Cloud, Minn. -- The St. Cloud State University wrestling program's 2006 Husky Fall Clinic is set for 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 4, in the fieldhouse of Halenbeck Hall. The clinic will be featuring Brandon Eggum, the current University of Minnesota Gopher's assistant wrestling coach. Eggum is a three-time NCAA All-American and a two-time Big Ten Champion. After his collegiate competition years, Eggum became the 2001 World Silver Freestyle Medalist and a Pan American Freestyle Runner-Up in 2002. ""Brandon has been an excellent student-athlete during his prep, college and international days as a competitor," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "I feel very fortunate that Brandon is taking time from his busy schedule to help promote wrestling at SCSU. In addition, he has a great reputation as being one of the top clinicians/coaches in this area of the country. It should be a great experience for everyone that attends the SCSU Fall Wrestling Clinic." SCSU head wrestling coach, Steve Costanzo, has made the clinic available for all individuals in grades 1-12. The cost of the clinic is $45 and registration is due by Monday, October, 30, 2006. The clinic includes three sessions of instructions, a t-shirt and a lunch. All fans are welcome to attend the Cardinal/Black Challenge, which will showcase the 2006-07 SCSU Husky wrestling team, following the Husky Clinic at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 4, 2006, in the main gymnasium of Halenbeck Hall. For more information about the clinic or the Cardinal/Black Challenge, please call Coach Costanzo at 320-308-2996. An NCAA Division II affiliate, St. Cloud State is a member of the North Central Conference. Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is the second largest college in the state of Minnesota with 16,000 students. SCSU's main campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city of St. Cloud, Minn. - which is located approximately one hour north of Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Bakersfield, CA –- The California Community College wrestling season gets under way on September 9th with the Bakersfield Duals. Action takes place at the Gil Bishop Sports Complex. First whistle will be at 10am for this all day tournament. Scheduled to compete along with host Bakersfield College are: Cuesta College, San Joaquin Delta College, Modesto JC, Mt. San Antonio College, Sacramento City College, Shasta College, and West Valley College. Bakersfield Head Coach, Bill Kalivas had these comments, "The upcoming season should be very competitive with the addition of West Hills College and Lassen College. A variety of new faces and teams will play a role in who will be in the hunt for the title." The top 5 teams from the 2005 State Championships are: 1. Santa Ana College 2. Bakersfield College 3. Sierra College 4. Mt. San Antonio College 5. Cerritos College A comprehensive list of schedules as well as complete contact information for all California Community College Wrestling programs can be found at http://www.caccwrestling.com.

Date: September 30, 2006 Event: 5th Annual Golf Tournament *Flyer can be found here. Make your plans now to participate in the 5th Annual Dana College Wrestling Golf Tournament! Put together your own foursome or ask us to group you with other Viking Wrestling supporters or team members. You will enjoy a fun, exciting day of golf, followed by a delicious meal, the fellowship of other golfing enthusiast and possibly win some big prizes! At the same time you will be supporting the fastest growing, small college wrestling program in the country, the Dana College Vikings! The 2006-07 Vikings are set and ready to defend their 2006 national championship. Dana College coaches and wrestlers will be on hand at the tournament participating as well as cheering you on! So get your TEAM together today! Unable to play on Sept. 30, consider becoming a hole sponsor or simply send a donation. The proceeds will be used to aid the Vikings in this quest for another national title! Date: October 21, 2006 Event: Dana College Red & White Classic and Fall Wrestling Clinic Featuring Olympic Champion Kevin Jackson *Flyer can be found at here. Attention athletes & Coaches: The 2006 NAIA National Champions, Dana College, will be hosting their annual Red and White Classic on Friday October 20th at 7:00 pm followed by their annual Fall Wrestling Clinic on Saturday October 21, 2006. This year's clinic is open to all athletes grades 1-12 and all coaches. In 2005, the Dana Fall Wrestling Clinic attracted 180 area wrestlers and coaches! The 2006 clinicians will be featured by 1992 Olympic Champion, 2x World Champion and current Head Coach for the U.S. Freestyle Team, Kevin Jackson, as well as the National Champion, Dana College Viking wrestlers and coaching staff! Don't miss out on this year's Red & White Classic and Fall Wrestling Clinic at Dana College! For clinic flyer, click on the link below: Fall Clinic Flyer For more information, please call Coach Fergola at 402-426-7288 or e-mail at rfergola@dana.edu.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State wrestler Mike Bizzle was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars this semester. The sophomore from Tahlequah, Okla., applied and was one of the few students from Oklahoma State accepted into the exclusive group. Members of NSCS must complete their freshman year of college and maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA. Bizzle attended Cascia Hall High School, a preparatory school in Tulsa. The advanced curriculum at Cascia Hall prepared him well for being a student at Oklahoma State. Bizzle was four-time state champion at Cascia Hall. He redshirted his first season at Oklahoma State going 13-6 in open tournaments. "It shows how, even in our top wrestling program, we still take academics seriously," Bizzle said. "We can still compete at a high level both in academics and athletics. Most people think student-athletes are lazy, but we actually work twice as hard."