InterMat Staff

If the saying "Everything's bigger in Texas," is true, then the 2006 NWCA All-Star Classic should be a spectacle for wrestling fans to concentrate on when the Dallas Convention Center Arena hosts the annual event on November 20. The NWCA All-Star Classic, presented by the United States Marine Corps, is an All-Star wrestling dual pitting the top collegiate wrestlers in the nation against each other in a showcase that is sure to be a preview of the NCAA Division I Championship finals. The event will include 10 collegiate weight classes along with several feature bouts involving college wrestlers with Texas roots. The 2006 event will be the 41st such event and the third year the event has been held in the beginning of the wrestling season, rather than in the heart of it. "The NWCA All-Star Classic is one of the nation's premier wrestling events," said NWCA President Ron Beaschler. "Having the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the state of Texas host the event will only continue the tradition of the All-Star Classic being a first-class event." "The NWCA is also happy to again partner with the United States Marine Corps in presenting this event for the third consecutive year," Beaschler said. "It's been a good partnership, not only for us, but for wrestling in general." Three groups spearheaded the effort: the Wrestling Association of Arlington, Team Monday and the National Collegiate Wrestling Association. The Wrestling Association of Arlington is the group that hosts the Lone Star Duals in South Grand Prairie, Texas, each year. The Lone Star Duals is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the 2006-07 season. Team Monday, a wrestling club headed by 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Kenny Monday, is also involved. Many of Texas' top rising stars have emerged out of Monday's wrestling club. The National Collegiate Wrestling Association, based in Dallas, also helped push to land the event in Texas. Proceeds will go to help the fledging wrestling program at the University of Texas-Arlington, an NCWA team. "What the NCWA does to promote the sport of wrestling is phenomenal," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "One of their primary goals is to start new wrestling programs where they didn't exist or re-start programs at places it once existed." "This is one of the things the NCWA is doing to help the sport of wrestling grow in Texas and nationwide," said Moyer. Like the Lone Star Duals, the NCWA is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Barry Boustead, the tournament director for the Lone Star Duals, is excited in the progress that Texas has made on the national wrestling scene. "We've been trying to do things (in Texas)," Boustead said. "We did the Dream Team Classic last year and brought in kids from all around the nation on the high school level, and now we're doing the same thing with the college kids." "It's a natural progression," he said. "We're doing this in addition to the Lone Star Duals, the NCWA Championships in March, and RealProWrestling is going to do something down here as well," said Boustead. "We're going to have a lot of wrestling in Texas this year." While the NWCA isn't expected to announce the line-up for the 41st All-Star Classic until October, the number of returning national champions and All-Americans should make for an impressive set of matches. For those that haven't ventured to the state for the Lone Star Duals, one thing that the folks in Texas traditionally do well, is hospitality and things for fans to do. "I think everyone that came down for the Olympic Trials in 2000 and Lone Star Duals in the past realize that the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is a great place to come for anything," said Boustead. "The weather's generally better than most places in the country that time of year. There are lots of hotels, restaurants, activities, just lots of things to do," he said. "And the venue is great. The Dallas Convention Center Arena is a great place to watch and a great place for fans to come to watch – it's really easy to get to." "One things that Texas is known for and what we try to do is be good hosts," Boustead said. "Of all the things we do, it's the one thing we succeed at best. Anyone that comes down is going to have a good time there." With the NWCA All-Star Classic as the next event headed to Texas, it makes Boustead and other event organizers like Jim Giunta of the NCWA and Steve Silver happy. "It's an opportunity for us to participate in a high-caliber collegiate event in addition to the Lone Star Duals," said Boustead. "It's an opportunity for our kids to see national championship-level competition for those that haven't been able to travel." "It also brings a lot of coaches down here, so that's a good thing," he said. "We're definitely pleased to have the opportunity to host this event in Texas and to lend a hand in helping develop the collegiate wrestling scene in a state that hasn't had varsity collegiate wrestling since the 1970's," said Moyer. "We're looking forward to it." The 2005 event was one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. Held in Stillwater, Okla., at the Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University, four defending NCAA champions were defeated in the event. The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Steve Mocco, a two-time NCAA champion at heavyweight who completed his wrestling eligibility in March, has joined Oklahoma State's football team. The 24-year-old Mocco, who is currently a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team at 120 kg, will play defensive tackle for the Cowboys and is listed as No. 69 on the team's roster. Nelson BarnesRevWrestling.com recently caught up with Oklahoma State defensive line coach Nelson Barnes and asked him 10 questions about Mocco the football player. When did you first learn that Steve Mocco would be playing football at Oklahoma State? And what was your initial reaction? Barnes: I think we first learned about it during the summer. The NCAA cleared him for a fifth year. His eligibility was done in wrestling, but he still had one more year in another sport. The NCAA grants permission for two-sport athletes who redshirt one season. It would be the same case if a young man played basketball and redshirted one season … and then played football. So you would still have a five-year clock. Has he talked to you about why he is giving football a try? Do you know if he has aspirations of someday playing in the NFL? Barnes: I never talk in terms of going beyond collegiate football and playing professionally. Steve Mocco made the decision to come out … and he wanted to be a part of the program. He knows a lot of the football players. A lot of the football players came out during the wrestling season and helped him prepare him to try to win a national championship, so he wants to have the opportunity to come out and help them. In your opinion, how have Mocco's wrestling skills translated into skills as a defensive lineman? Barnes: Well, I don't know anything about wrestling, so I couldn't speak intelligently on how his wrestling skills have helped. But what I can speak on is his work ethic. He has a tremendous work ethic. You can see that rubbing off on a lot of the players in our group. If you're a hard worker, people notice that. So, No. 1 … I would say his work ethic and how he goes about his business … a lot of the players have picked up on that and it has benefited them. He has been actively wrestling in the spring and summer … did he come into practice in good shape? How has his conditioning been? Barnes: His conditioning is good. He ran with the players during the summer, so he's in very good shape. Plus, he's a wrestler … those guys are always in great shape. Steve Mocco (Photo/John Sachs)I imagine there's a pretty big learning curve transitioning from wrestling to football. Have you seen him show any frustration during practice while he's trying to learn the techniques to be a successful defensive lineman? Barnes: No, he's been a great young man to work with. He has a great attitude every day. And he's been very positive every day. When I talk to him, he's really enjoying himself. We enjoy having him … and he's enjoying the experience. Have you noticed how Mocco has interacted with the other football players? How have they accepted him? Barnes: It's been excellent … athletes are athletes. Whenever they workout together and sweat together, there's a common bond. So he has bonded extremely well with the guys in the group. You open the season on September 2 at home against Missouri State. How much playing time do you anticipate Mocco will get this season? Barnes: Well, playing time is something I never talk about with the players. We have a starting group and we have a depth chart. We play players as we need to play them. It's never something we talk about. Of course, if you're the starter, you're going to start the game and you'll probably play a significant amount of it. If you're not, you're going to play as you're needed. Can you say where he sits on the depth chart at this point? Barnes: Well, we haven't really finalized our depth chart yet. We won't do that until two-a-day practices are over. Everybody just starts in a spot and we just work. We don't have a true starting depth chart. And we won't have that until we get ready to prepare the week of the first game. Stephen NealStephen Neal was a world class wrestler who has now made a smooth transition into professional football as an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots. Was there much discussion about whether Mocco would be an offensive or defensive lineman? Barnes: Well, we're happy to have him where he is right now. And I think he's enjoying the experience. So for me to be able to speak on behalf of (Neal), I wouldn't know. I don't know anything about his football background. So I couldn't speak on whether he and Mocco have similar attributes. Has Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith been spotted at practice yet checking in on his former wrestler? Barnes: I couldn't say that I know that. I have talked to John Smith … I've visited with him a few times. He could have been at practice … I don't know that. Our practices have been open, so there are always a lot of people out there. But I can't really say whether he has been there or not.

Thanks to my friends Steve Foster, John Rizzutti and Ross Peterson for filling in for me last week as I took a much needed vacation. I am so refreshed and energized, ready to get back to it for sure. By the way, if you did not hear Intermatwrestle.com's Jason Bryant on last weeks show, please go back and listen to the archives as his interview was tremendous! This week on Takedown Radio: Tyrone Lewis -- New Asst Coach at Ok. City University. Archie Randall knew what he was doing when he hired this guy. A tremendous wrestler, 4 x All American and nice guy how will this translate into coaching? Recruiting? We'll see. Andrew Pariano -- Asst Head Coach for the Wildcats of Northwestern. Is it too early to talk about the fall, the returning stars, the incoming stars of the future? What do the surprising Wildcats have in store for the Big 10 and the rest of D1? Jeff Ragan -- The business of wrestling at the Citadel is handled by Jeff Ragan. Coach Rob Hjerling is lucky indeed to have such a capable ally as Jeff. This was a huge year for The Bulldogs summer camp programs with clinicians like John Smith heading to D1 Wrestling's southern most campus. Matt Anderson -- Former U of Iowa standout wrestler. Always competitive now faces the toughest challenge of his career as he and his dogs prepare to face the 30 plus year old Iditarod. The race starts in Anchorage, Alaska and runs 1140 miles to Nome Alaska. Matt looks to win this race as he recreates the serum run of 1925 that saved the village of Nome Alaska. He feeds 24 dogs each day that are in training for the race . He needs the wrestling communities help. Mike Zadick may join in the call. What goals does he have left to achieve? Marty Morgan -- Minnesota's Favorite son returns to TDR for a look at his families history in boxing, carnival tough men and shoot wrestling. Some of you may not know that Marty's uncle is the infamous bad guy now turned for the better, "the Old Red Head" Red Bastien. Marty's impact on the world of collegiate wrestling begs the question, When will Marty Morgan be a D 1 Head Coach?

Beach Wrestling series travels to Long Beach, N.Y. this weekend, with U.S. Nationals in Palm Beach, Fla. August 19-20 USA Wrestling's schedule of Beach Wrestling competitions in August continues this weekend, with the ASICS East Coast National Beach Championships in Long Beach, N.Y., Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13. This event leads into the first U.S. Beach Wrestling Nationals, set for Riviera Beach, Fla. on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20. There were two events on the schedule held this past weekend. The TNT Northeast National Beach Wrestling Championships were held Caroga Lake, N.Y. on Saturday, August 5. Champions were crowned in nine weight divisions, and organizers considered the tournament a success. "The event went on without a hitch. The weather was great and everyone had a great time," said event director Tom Bergami. The photo with this article is action from the TNT Northeast tournament. For results of the TNT Northeast National Beach Wrestling Championships, visit: http://www.themat.com/results.php?page=display_results_style&ResultID=100733 The New Hampshire Beach Wrestling Tournament was also hosted on Hampton Beach, N.H. on Saturday, August 5, with a good turnout and positive response from those who participated. This will mark the second year of the ASICS East Coast Beach Nationals at Long Beach, a popular beach on Long Island's South Shore. A test event was held this past weekend, providing organizers a chance to prepare for another successful tournament this weekend and also showcasing the new sport to the many beachgoers that day. The 2005 competition attracted over 200 participants and received considerable media attention. Organizers have added a second day of wrestling this year, and have included a Veterans division along with additional age-groups. For information, visit the ASICS East Coast Beach Wrestling web page at: http://www.mwausa.org/usa-beach-wrestling-championship-2006.html USA Wrestling is excited to hosts its first U.S. Beach Wrestling Nationals at the Singer Island Hilton Oceanfront Resort in Riviera Beach, Fla. on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20. There will be a number of divisions in the competition for men and women including Schoolboy, Cadet, Elite, Senior and Veterans. Athletes from across the nation and around the region are expected in each division. The Senior competition will serve as the qualifying event for the U.S. team that will compete in the World Beach Wrestling Championships in Antalya, Turkey, November 3-5. The U.S. Sombo National Championships will also be held during the same weekend there. For more information, please visit the U.S. Beach and Sombo Nationals website at: http://www.palmbeachsports.com/Events/USA%20Wrestling/Untitled-2.html There are still a few rooms available at the Singer Island Hilton Oceanfront Resort at the USA Wrestling discounted rate. Call right away to get this great rate. Contact James Hanson directly at 561-472-0304 and tell him you are with the USA Wrestling group. The beach schedule for the month wraps up with the first Southern Sand National Beach Wrestling Championships in Tulsa, Okla. on Friday, August 25 and Saturday, August 26. The tournament will be held on the Beach Volleyball Courts in Tulsa. There are numerous age groups, starting with Kids wrestling divisions and going all the way up to Senior and Veterans divisions. There will also be live music at the competition, and a variety of family activities. For more information, visit the Southern Sand National Beach Wrestling website at: http://www.okbeachwrestling.com/ Beach Wrestling was added as a new style of international wrestling, starting in 2005. Athletes compete on sand, in a style that features takedowns within a ring. The sport is gaining in popularity as more people are trying the new style. For information on Beach Wrestling, contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181 or via e-mail at gabbott@usawrestling.org REMAINING BEACH WRESTLING SCHEDULE August 12-13 -- ASICS East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships in Long Beach, N.Y. Divisions: middle school, high school, college, veterans, girls and women. Additional information can be obtained by calling TW Promotions, Inc. at 631-588-4343 x104, or by e-mailing ASICSBeach@aol.com August 19 –20 – U.S. National Beach Wrestling Championships at the Singer Island Hilton Oceanfront Resort in Riviera Beach, Fla. The Senior division is the qualifying event for the World Beach Wrestling Championships in Turkey. Divisions: Schoolboy, Cadet, Elite, Open, Veterans. Contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at 719-598-8181. August 25-26 – Southern Sand Beach Wrestling Championships at the Beach Volleyball Courts in Tulsa, Okla. Divisions: Veterans, Senior, University, Junior, Cadet, Schoolboy/girl, Novice Midget, Bantam. Contact John Nix at 972-816-3876.

We are hiring a full-time assistant. You will have the opportunity to train and develop many dedicated young wrestlers. This is a full time year round position and requires relocation to State College, PA. You would need to handle a significant amount of camp office work as we plan for and promote our camps, though there will be plenty of mat time coaching too. Your summer would be spent coaching at camps and you would have opportunity to coach many fall weekends and two or more days per week throughout the school year. Salary is commensurate with experience. If you are interested in exploring a career opportunity with us, let me know. If someone you know may be interested, please share this email with them. We could also get you involved in our remaining PA camps. Though our staff Is largely finalized, we could work you into teaching schedule if you want to visit and discuss future employment. We have over a week of camp left in Allentown, PA August 7-18. To learn more about our expanding camp system visit the camp section of www.kenchertow.com.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling coaching staff will travel to various high schools throughout the state of Ohio between Aug. 30-Sept. 14 to share their outlook on the future of Ohio State wrestling, Tom Ryan, OSU head coach, said. "We are bound to the state of Ohio and the people that make it the greatest wrestling state in the country," Ryan said. "It is our intention and duty to help continue such a great tradition at the youth and high school level. Our program has set out a plan for success and the support from the Ohio wrestling community is a part of that plan. We want everyone in the state to have the chance to hear what we have planned for the future of Ohio State wrestling." The first-year coaching staff invites all fans and coaches to attend one of six sessions, as the wrestling personnel also will discuss their commitment to the Ohio wrestling community, along with a detailed calendar of events. "As an Ohio native and lifetime Buckeye, I want nothing more than to see this program win an NCAA championship," Tommy Rowlands, assistant coach, said. "Through hard work and the support of the Ohio wrestling community, I know this is possible." The 2006-07 Buckeye schedule gets underway Nov. 12 at the Michigan State Open. Ohio State's first home dual meet at St. John Arena is vs. Missouri Nov. 16 and is Ohio High School Wrestling Night. OSU will honor former multiple state high school wrestling champions and title-holders, who will be congratulated at halftime by Gene Smith, Ohio State Director of Athletics. Please contact the wrestling coaching staff at 614-292-4302 or wrestling@buckeyes.ath.ohio-state.edu if interested in participating in the ceremony. Ohio State Wrestling Coaches' Tour: Date Time Location City Aug. 30 7 p.m. Oregon Clay Oregon, Ohio Aug. 31 7 p.m. Archbishop Moeller Cincinnati, Ohio Sept. 6 7 p.m. Beavercreek Beavercreek, Ohio Sept. 7 7 p.m. St. Edward Lakewood, Ohio Sept. 13 7 p.m. Wadsworth Wadsworth, Ohio Sept. 14 7 p.m. Hilliard Davidson Hilliard, Ohio

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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