InterMat Staff

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.

Blair, NE -— For some wrestlers across the country, the summer time is a relaxation time, a long rest away from the mat. But for others, the summer is no different than the winter and in some cases, more competitive. For three Dana College incoming freshman, their summer has been a very busy and competitive one. During the summer, there are two major competitions at the Junior Level, the Junior National Duals and the Junior Nationals. This year, the Junior Duals were held on the campus of Oklahoma City University, a new program to the NAIA and an opponent of Dana College in 2006-07. Junior Nationals is held, as always in Fargo, ND in the Fargo Dome on the campus of North Dakota State University. For Donny Altman (Derby, KS), Eric Graham (Kansas City, MO), and Brian Graham (Kansas City, MO), these two competitions have always been a big part of their summers. These three young men will all be freshman next month as they arrive on the campus of Dana College to prepare for their inaugural college wrestling season. Highly recruited, these three athletes are all ranked in the top 20 in the country in their respective weight classes and are no strangers to competing a high level. To help prepare for Junior Duals and Junior Nationals, these athletes traveled to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO with their future Head Coach, Richard Fergola of Dana College. The future Vikings spent a week training with some of the best Juniors in the country as well as many of the University World Team members and the OTC coaching staff. "This training experience will definitely help prepare these guys for Fargo as well as what lies ahead for them in college," said Head Coach Richard Fergola. Junior Duals was held June 28-July 2. Brian and Eric Graham of Park Hill High School in Kansas City, MO are no strangers to team success. They have been on two state championship teams at Park Hill High School, but this was no state tournament. In Greco-Roman competition, Team Missouri claimed the national title by defeating Illinois 33-28. The Graham's were competing up a weight class than they normally do and didn't see action in every dual. In the finals against Illinois, Brian Graham secured a close victory over Illinois's Volodymyr Rozdolsky Dec 0-3,3-1,4-2. Both Grahams were major contributors to the national championship for Team Missouri. Eric Graham finished the Greco-Roman competition with a 3-0 record while brother Brian went 5-1. Altman, competing for Team Kansas was unable to bring home a team trophy, but was able to complete the competition with a 12-2 overall individual record in both Greco-Roman and Freestyle at 119 lbs which is a strong showing heading into Fargo. Junior Nationals is only a week away and these three future Viking wrestlers will be departing for their state's respective team camps. All three wrestlers have experienced much success in Fargo with Eric Graham placing twice, Brian Graham placing three times and Altman has placed five times with two of them being national titles. This trip to Fargo will be their final stage at the junior level before they begin their college wrestling careers at Dana College.

Discounted hotel rooms at the host hotel are now available for participants at the U.S. Beach National Championships and U.S. Sombo National Championships, set for Palm Beach County, Fla., August 19-20. The host hotel is the Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort in Singer Island, Fla., which will also be the site for the U.S. Beach Nationals competition. The Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort is offering an exceptionally low rate of only $89.00 a night for those involved in the USA Wrestling events. Call (561) 848-3888 for room reservations before August 8th to receive this discounted rate. MAKE SURE TO ASK FOR THE USA WRESTLING RATE. The Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort is located at 3700 N. Ocean Drive in Singer Island. The hotel is within walking distance of the beach which will host the U.S. Beach National Championships, and is just five miles away from the venue for the U.S. Sombo National Championships. An official website for the events has been created with more information on the tournaments, as well as Palm Beach County at: http://www.palmbeachsports.com/Events/USA%20Wrestling/Untitled-2.html Athletes and coaches who need information on the events can download a PDF file for details on two national competitions. http://www.themat.com/eventfliers/2006/06BCSBNat.pdf These two events will serve as the qualifiers for the U.S. teams that will compete at the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sombo Championships, set for Antalya, Turkey, Oct. 27-29. There will also be age-group competitions provided in both tournaments. At the U.S. Beach National Championships, competition will be held in five age divisions: Schoolboy (Born 1992-93), Cadet (Born 1990-91), Elite (Born 1988-89), Open (Born 1998 or before) and Veterans (Born 1996 or before). Weight classes will be determined after weighins. 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. Although there have been a number of beach wrestling events held in the USA, this will be the first official U.S. National Championships in the new sport. The U.S. Sombo Nationals will begin on Sunday morning, August 20 at 9:30 a.m. at the North Palm Beach Community Center and will continue until conclusion. There are two age divisions in the tournament: High School (Born 1988-91) and Open (1988 or before). The weight classes will be the seven international divisions on the Senior level: 55 kg/121 lbs., 60 kg/132 lbs., 66 kg/145.5 lbs., 74 kg/163 lbs., 84 kg/185 lbs., 96 kg/211.5 lbs., 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Sombo is a style of jacket wrestling with submission holds originally developed in the former Soviet Union as a form of unarmed self-defense. It has similarities to judo and wrestling, and has been reinstated as an international style of wrestling this year. Sombo was included in international wrestling until the mid-1980s, when the international wrestling federation no longer recognized the sport.

High school national champion wrestler Anthony Robles of Mesa, Ariz. did not come away with the ESPY Award (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) for "Best Male Athlete With A Disability," but he considered himself a winner anyways. "This has been an amazing experience," Robles said. "Whether I won or lost, I knew I was experiencing something that not many people got to do. To be nominated was just an honor itself, and I am proud that I could represent my sport at this event." High school football player Bobby Martin, who was born with a condition called "congenital amputation" which left him with no legs, captured the award at the Kodak Theatre. Anthony Robles and Terrell OwensAlso nominated in the category was nordic skier Steve Cook, who won three medals at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. "Some people say I am an inspiration, but I look at those other athletes in my category and say the same about them," Robles said. ESPY Award winners are determined by online fan voting, which took place at www.espys.tv . Nominees are selected by a panel of ESPN staff and esteemed journalists. Robles' nomination marked the sixth consecutive year that a wrestler has been nominated for an ESPY Award. Throughout the week's events, Robles was paraded around Los Angeles and Hollywood hot spots with some of the most famous athletes in the world, including NBA Finals MVP Dwayne Wade, as well as former Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. He also visited the set of Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he met with Jimmy Kimmel, an Arizona State graduate, and Dwayne Wade. "Meeting everyone was really cool. It was neat that a lot of the athletes said they had heard about me or read about me. I really didn't expect that," Robles said. Life will now calm for Robles, as he will wrestle at Arizona State Univ., a college wrestling powerhouse. He plans to study Business and aspires to someday become a sports agent or compete in mixed martial arts. Anthony Robles and Stuart ScottBorn with just one leg, 17 year-old Robles capped off an amazing career on March 26 by winning the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national title at 112 lbs. with a 9-1 victory in the finals in Pittsburgh, Pa. The NHSCA invites only seniors in high school who won state titles to its national meet. Robles became the first disabled wrestler to win a title at the NHSCA national championships. As a junior, Robles placed second in the NHSCA national championships for juniors. The win also finished off a perfect 53-0 senior season for him. For his four-year career, Robles posted a record of 131-15 and won two Arizona high school state titles for Mesa High School. He was also undefeated as a junior. Amazingly, Anthony never wrestled until his family moved from just outside of Los Angeles to Mesa before his freshman year. "I think God gave me a gift by only giving me one leg," Robles said after winning his national title. "Other people may not see it that way, but I do." The ESPY Awards, created by ESPN in 1993, were held at famous the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. The show will be televised by ESPN on Sunday, July 16. Past wrestling ESPY winners include Kyle Maynard in 2004 for "Best Athlete with a Disability," Cael Sanderson in 2002 for "Best Male College Athlete" and Rulon Gardner in 2001 for "Male USA Olympic Athlete."

This week the TDR Mics take their annual trip to Newton Iowa for the induction Ceremonies into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Hall of fame. The Pro Hall of Fame is located at the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa. The Pro wing is thought to be one of the most inclusive and far reaching collections of professional wrestling artifacts in existence today. The collection covers decades of history that otherwise may be long forgotten. Potential candidates are eligible for consideration only if they had an amateur background. Most of this years inductee's had stellar national and international amateur careers. The headliner at this years inductions is Bret "The Hitman" Hart. This Canadian saw his star rise professionally in Vince McMahon's then WWF. Prior to his years in Stamford Connecticut Hart cut his pro teeth in his fathers Calgary Alberta Canada organization called Stampede Wrestling. Well know for his wrestling abilities, Stu Hart, the patriarch of the large Hart Clan that included 4 wrestling boys was also one of the sports greatest teachers. The senior Hart lent credibility to his pro wrestling moves by incorporating amateur techniques. Bret Hart and his brothers all competed in youth wrestling tournaments and Bret went on to win the Calgary City Championship and the Alberta Collegiate Championship. The inductions and following banquet are nearing sold out status. This is the final year for the museum in Newton as it will be moving during the traditional wrestling season. Talk about wrestling with the past. My hat is off to Mike and Bev Chapman, Kyle Klingman, The Board of Directors of the Museum. You all are just great! Also a big thanks to Scott McLin for doing all you do with such great passion and emotion. This weeks TDR is scheduled for 9 AM CST to 11 CST

New Dana College Head Coach Richard Fergola, who has been the head assistant coach for the Vikings the past two seasons and helped lead the Vikings to the 2006 NAIA National Duals title as well as the 2006 NAIA National Championship, announced the Vikings' 2006-07 schedule today. Fergola will begin his third season with the Viking wrestling program and first year at the helm. The 2005-06 Vikings finished the season 18-1-1 in dual matches and a first place finish at National Duals, the GPAC Conference, Central Regionals and the NAIA National tournament. The Vikings lone loss was to Cal Poly who at that time was ranked No. 18 in the Division 1 rankings. The single tie was to Oregon State who was ranked third in the PAC 10 and eventually beat Cal Poly a week later in dual action. In 2006-07, the Vikings have 10 duals scheduled, not including the National Duals where they will try to defend their 2006 crown. The Vikings will vie for their fifth Great Plains Athletic Conference championship and region title as well as another national championship. Dana College will begin the season as always at the Daktronics Open at South Dakota State University on Nov. 4. In the past, the Vikings have traveled to the always tough Central Missouri State Open in Warrensburg, but this year have added the Harold Nichols Open in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to the schedule in its place on Nov. 11. The Vikings' dual season will begin at home in the Gardner-Hawks Center on Nov. 17 when the Stars of Oklahoma City and Northwestern College come to town for a double dual. Oklahoma City is in its first season in the NAIA and will be a good test for the defending national champs. Following the double dual, the Vikings will go in their own backyard and attend one of the nation's most premiere opens, the Kaufman-Brand Open at the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Nov. 18. The Kaufman-Brand Open features almost every top Division I team in the country with two age divisions, 21 & over and 20 & under. In December, the Vikings will start out the month at the Simpson Invitational in Indianola, Iowa, on Dec. 2. This tournament will feature some of Division II and III's top teams. Then, on Dec. 8, the Vikings will travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to take on another new team to the NAIA, the University of Sioux Falls. Sioux Falls is a GPAC and North Central Region member as well. Following the Sioux Falls dual will be the University of Nebraska-Kearney Loper Open on Dec. 9. Ending out December will be two more GPAC and North Central region foes both out of Sioux City, Iowa. Coming to Gardner-Hawks Center on Dec. 15 will be Briar Cliff University and on Saturday, Dec. 16 are the Morningside Mustangs. The Vikings will start out the new year by playing host to the annual Dana College Open on Jan. 6. The Dana Open is also Parents' Day for all Dana College wrestlers. Following the Dana Open, the Vikings will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the NWCA/NAIA Cliff Keen National Duals on Jan. 13-14. In 2006, the Vikings were the third seed among 16 of the top NAIA schools and walked away with the school's first ever national championship by defeating the University of Cumberlands, 22-13, in the final. After the National Duals, the Vikings will host Division II Northern State University in Gardner-Hawks Center on Jan. 17. On Jan. 20, the Vikings will travel to Orange City, Iowa, where they will compete in the annual Northwestern College Red Raider Invitational. The Vikings have claimed the championship here the past two seasons, most recently defeating nine-time Division III national champion, Augsburg College. To finish out the month of January, the Vikings will host the two biggest duals of the season. Highlighting the 2006-07 schedule will be Jan. 27 in the Gardner-Hawks Center when the NAIA National Champions, Dana College, will host the three-time NCAA Division II National Champion, the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Following the dual with UNO, the Vikings will host Augustana College four days later on Jan. 31. Augustana finished 7th in 2006 and 2nd in 2005 in NCAA Division II. In 2006, Dana defeated Augustana in Sioux Falls, 20-17. February will begin with the Vikings finishing out their dual season with Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, S.D., on Feb. 2 and Missouri Valley College in Marshall, Mo., on Feb. 7. Dana College defeated Missouri Valley twice in 2006. The Vikings will be looking to claim their fifth consecutive GPAC Conference championship in Mitchell, S.D., on Feb. 10 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The 2006 Vikings claimed eight individual champions. The NAIA regions were realigned and the Vikings are now part of the North Central region comprised of Briar Cliff University, Dakota Wesleyan University, Dickinson State, Northwestern College, University of Sioux Falls, Morningside College, and Jamestown College. The Vikings will travel to Dickinson State in Dickinson, N.D., on Saturday, Feb. 17 to look for their fifth regional title. The Vikings will close out their 2006-07 campaign with the 50th Annual NAIA National Championships at the Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, on March 2-3.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -– Lehigh head wrestling coach Greg Strobel has announced Timothy Dernlan and Jon Trenge as his program's new assistant coaches for the 2006-07 season. Dernlan and Trenge will become key components in the program as they will look to fill the void left by former coaches and Lehigh grads, Chris Ayres '99 and Jason Kutz '96 who will take on head coaching positions at Princeton University and East Stroudsburg University respectively. "I'm pleased that our nationwide search netted us two prime candidates," said Strobel, the 2006 EIWA Coach of the Year. "Tim Dernlan has eight years of coaching experience and will fill our need for a lightweight coach, while Jon Trenge continues our tradition of bringing up someone from within and is also going to do a fine job for Lehigh. Jon TrengeTrenge is no stranger to the Lehigh mats; this three-time Mountain Hawk team captain and school career leader in wins returns to Lehigh as a coach after graduating in 2005 with a degree in environmental science. Trenge, an Academic All-American, as well as a three-time EIWA Champion and All-American has had wrestling experience beyond his incredible Lehigh career. In the 2003-04 season Trenge took an Olympic deferral year in order to train for the United States team where he finished fourth in the 211 lb. weight class at the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, Ind. Trenge's Olympic experience and outstanding Lehigh undergrad career has firmly secured him as one of the great wrestlers to come through the program. Trenge will kick off his collegiate coaching career after acting as assistant coach at Brandywine Heights (Pa.) High School in 2006. "I'm glad to be able to give back to a program that helped me grow and mature so much as a person during my time there," Trenge said. "I'm excited to be at Lehigh and to see what we can accomplish in the coming years." Timothy DernlanDernlan graduated from Purdue University in 1998 where he was named an All-American and two time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Dernlan's list of accomplishments also includes placing in eight national competitions including the National World Team Trials where he took fourth in 2001 and 2002 and fifth in 1999 and 2003. Some of his most recent victories include a first place finish at the USA Wrestling South Regional Olympic Qualifier in 2000, and the USA Wrestling Rocky Mountain Regional Championship in 2002. Dernlan, a former assistant coach at Purdue University (1998-1999) and Club Coach at Ohio State University (1999-2000), arrives at Lehigh from Penn State University where he acted as an assistant coach for two years prior to being appointed to Director of Operations in 2005. Dernlan received his bachelors in communications from Purdue in 1998 and a degree in secondary education in 1999. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to work with the student-athletes here and to join one of the best coaching staffs in the country," Dernlan explained. "It's exciting to be part of one of the most storied wrestling programs in America." Dernlan will provide an outside perspective and style for the Mountain Hawks while Trenge will fill the "homegrown" role that Coach Strobel feels is important to the success of his program. The team will look to capture another EIWA championship and improve their ninth place national ranking with seven returning NCAA qualifiers as well as with the number one ranked recruiting class in the nation.

La Crosse, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has named Dave Malecek as its head wrestling coach/exercise sports science instructor/recreational sports development specialist. "I am very excited about the opportunity to the be the head coach at UW-La Crosse," says Malecek. "Joe Baker (UW-L Athletic Director) and the administration have been very supportive throughout the process. I am eager to meet with the team and coaching staff and get everyone on the same page and start working towards our goals." "I consider UW-L to be one of the premiere coaching jobs in NCAA Division III," adds Malecek. "My wife, Kayah-bah, and our triplet daughters are excited about moving to the La Crosse area." Malecek had served as the head assistant coach at Wartburg College (Iowa) since 2000, helping lead the Knights to three National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships (2003, 2004, 2006). He was selected the NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year in 2006. Wartburg also won Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) titles every season since his arrival on campus. The Knights had 11 national champions and 47 All-America selections since Malecek begin coaching in 2000. Malecek was also Wartburg's Wrestling Recruiting Coordinator, Summer Wrestling Camp Director and handled the upper weight classes for the Knights. A four-time NCAA Division I qualifier at Northern Iowa University (1991-94), Malecek earned All-America accolades in 1994 with a fourth-place finish at 177-pounds. He served as the Panthers' team captain in 1993 and 1994 and ranks seventh in career victories at Northern Iowa. Malecek earned his bachelor's (1994) and master's (2005) degrees from Northern Iowa. He was a participant in the United States' Olympic Wrestling Trials in 1992 and 1996. Malecek was also a two-time state champion at Osage (Iowa) High School. Malecek spent two years as head coach at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he recorded 31 dual victories. Xavier also had 10 state qualifiers and one state champion under Malecek's guidance. Along with his coaching responsibilities at Wartburg, Malecek has served as an instructor in the physical education department since 2001. He has also taught at Wright Elementary School in Cedar Rapids (1997-2000) and in the Aurelia, Iowa Schools (1994-96). UW-L finished second at the 2006 NCAA Division III Championships, tied for the best finish in school history. The Eagles also won their ninth straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title in 2006.

Online voting for the 2006 ESPY Award nominees will conclude at midnight on Sunday, July 9. High school national champion wrestler Anthony Robles of Mesa, Ariz. has been nominated for a 2006 ESPY Award for "Best Male Athlete With A Disability." Robles' nomination marks the sixth consecutive year that a wrestler has been nominated for an ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Award. Nominees are selected by a panel of ESPN staff and esteemed journalists. To vote for Robles, visit http://www.espys.tv, click on "Vote Now" and then click on the "Best Male Athlete With A Disability" category and select Robles. Winners are determined solely by online voting. "This is an incredible honor," Robles said of his nomination. "Not only have so many great wrestlers been nominated for these awards before, but so many great athletes are nominated every year. The ESPY Awards are for the best of the best, and for them to include me in that category with athletes that I see as an inspiration is just an amazing feeling for me." "So many people have helped me to be successful in all areas of my life, including in wrestling. My family, friends, coaches and teammates have all been supportive of me and my career and without them by my side every day, this nomination may not have been possible," Robles added. Also nominated in the "Best Male Athlete With A Disability" category are high school football player Bobby Martin, who was born with a condition called "congenital amputation" which left him with no legs and nordic skier Steve Cook, who won three medals at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games. Last year, a record three wrestlers were nominated for ESPY Awards. Cael Sanderson was nominated for "Best Male Olympic Performance," Rulon Gardner was nominated for "Best Comeback" and Steve Mocco was nominated for "Best Male College Athlete." Born with just one leg, 17 year-old Robles capped off an amazing career on March 26 by winning the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) national title at 112 lbs. with a 9-1 victory in the finals in Pittsburgh, Pa. The NHSCA invites only seniors in high school who won state titles to its national meet. Robles became the first disabled wrestler to win a title at the NHSCA national championships. As a junior, Robles placed second in the NHSCA national championships for juniors. The win also finished off a perfect 53-0 senior season for him. For his four-year career, Robles posted a record of 131-15 and won two Arizona high school state titles for Mesa High School. He was also undefeated as a junior. Amazingly, Anthony never wrestled until his family moved from just outside of Los Angeles to Mesa before his freshman year. "I think God gave me a gift by only giving me one leg," Robles said after winning his national title. "Other people may not see it that way, but I do." His high school coach, Bob Williams, calls him "the most inspirational athlete I've ever seen." Last weekend, Robles signed a National Letter of Intent to wrestle at Arizona State Univ., a college wrestling powerhouse, where he plans to study Business. In high school, he posted a 3.5 GPA. He aspires to someday become a sports agent and also compete in mixed martial arts. The ESPY Awards, created by ESPN in 1993, will be held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, Calif. on July 12. The show will be televised by ESPN on Sunday, July 16. Past wrestling ESPY winners include Kyle Maynard in 2004 for "Best Athlete with a Disability," Cael Sanderson in 2002 for "Best Male College Athlete" and Rulon Gardner in 2001 for "Male USA Olympic Athlete." In 2003, Eric Larkin, also an Arizona State wrestler, was nominated for "Best Male College Athlete."

St. Cloud, Minn. -– St. Cloud State University head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced the signing of two Onamia High School and Itasca Community College athletes to letters of intent. Costanzo has signed Matt Steffenson and Nicholas Wilkes to National and North Central Conference Letters of Intent. Matt Steffenson most recently placed fourth at the NJCAA Nationals in 2005 as a member of the Itasca Community College team. He wrestled at 165 lbs and earned All-American honors. While at Onamia High School, he placed third at the 2003 Minnesota State High School League Wrestling Championships. A marketing major, he is projected to wrestle at 174 lbs. at SCSU. Matt is the son of Greg and Jeanne Steffenson. "I am very excited about Matt joining the Husky wrestling program," said Costanzo. "Matt will bring a lot of experience to our middle weights and I look for strong leadership to come from him immediately." Nicholas Wilkes was a teammate to Steffenson at Itasca Community College and was a 2003 Minnesota State High School League Championship qualifier. He is a two-time NJCAA All-American at 184 lbs. In 2005, he placed fifth at the NJCAA Nationals and placed sixth in 2004. During the 2005-06 season, he received a medical hardship from Dana College, having recorded a 19-9 record. A criminal justice major, he is projected to wrestle at 184 or 197 lbs. at SCSU. Nicholas is the son of Peter and Lori Wilkes. "Nick will add a lot of experience to our upper weights," said Constanzo. "He excels in the top position and has a lot of tools in creating fast points. I look for Nick to be one of the leaders of the Husky wrestling program."

Nebraska head wrestling coach Mark Manning announced the hiring of Tony Ersland as an assistant coach to the Husker staff and the promotion of Mike Greenfield to head assistant coach. "We are very excited about the addition of Tony to our staff," Manning said. "His ability to recruit top-level student-athletes and his commitment to excellence in all facets of our program will be a real asset to the University of Nebraska. We look forward to him and his wife Carolyn joining the Husker family." Ersland comes to Nebraska after serving as an assistant wrestling coach for the Cyclone Wrestling Club last season. From 2000 to 2005, Ersland was the head assistant coach at Northwestern University. Ersland was also an assistant coach at Northern Illinois for one season and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan. "We are pleased that we were able to get a great coach with proven experience," Manning said. Ersland will build on his coaching experience in three conferences which followed an illustrious competitive career. He was a letterwinner on three national championship and four Big Ten Conference championship teams at Iowa. A 1997 NCAA qualifier, Ersland was also accomplished in the classroom as a four-time All-Big Ten honoree and the 1997 winner of the J. Donald McPike award, given to the senior Hawkeye wrestler who had the highest grade-point average. Ersland graduated from Iowa in 1997 with a degree in psychology, and later earned a master's degree from Central Michigan with a degree in athletic administration. "I believe Tony will come here and have an immediate impact within our program," Manning said. Ersland fills the vacancy at assistant coach left by the promotion of Greenfield to head assistant coach. Greenfield, in his fifth year in the NU program, filled the vacancy left by the departure of Charles Burton, who left to pursue a career in medical sales.

They barely speak English. All they know is Greco-Roman. Yet, a team from Croatia ventured some 5,425 miles to participate in the Oklahoma State Wrestling Camp. It has been a learning experience for a team making its first trip across the Atlantic Ocean. Dalibor Vracan, the coach for the Croatian team, says his boys are a little confused. Four boys from Zagreb, the Croatian capital, aged 13 and 14 made the trip to attend the camp. It has been a positive experience for the group that are getting this opportunity. Croatia is part of the former Yugoslavia in a part of Europe that has been at war for much of the last two decades. The boys were very young at the time, but are now in a time when Croatia can help kids. The country is in a position where it can now help kids develop through sports. This opportunity came about from a sports director that had studied at Oklahoma State and told Vracan of this opportunity. It has been something entirely new for the four teens and their coach. "In Croatia, everybody practices Greco," Vracan said. "This is something new for us. We train in only Greco. This is a different style." The Oklahoma State camp they are attending lasts until July 14. It is an intensive camp that includes workouts beginning at 6:30 a.m. and lasting until 9 p.m. "Their biggest struggle is that they participate in Freestyle and Greco and know very little about Folkstyle wrestling (collegiate style)," Oklahoma State head wrestling coach and camp director John Smith said. "They get into some positions that they are unfamiliar with, but I think in the long run that it can help them be a little bit better in finishing their attacks. "There is not much of a barrier. A couple of the kids speak English and you can tell they are kind of excited to practice their English here in America. It has been fun having them." Having a group come from so far away only enhances Smith's wrestling camp. The camps have been full for several years, but Smith enjoys having a group from overseas and would welcome another group in the future. "It would be nice to have a few more people from overseas," Smith said. I think it is a good experience not only for them, but also for the student-athletes that are from Oklahoma or wherever. "They get a chance to visit with them and compete against them in practice, it is definitely a different feel and a different style. Overall, it is a good experience for not only them, but us as well." The young Croatians will spend an extra three days in Oklahoma before returning to Europe where they will attend a camp in Hungary before finishing their summer at a camp in their native Croatia. Vracan says they have enjoyed their stay in Oklahoma, and they have learned stuff that they can incorporate into their own style back home.

TEMPE, Ariz. –- The Arizona State University wrestling team has again compiled one of the toughest schedules in the nation as four of the Top 5 teams from the 2006 NCAA Wrestling Championships appear on the 2006-07 slate, Head Coach Thom Ortiz announced Wednesday. The two-time defending Pac-10 Champions could also see duals against seven of the Top 10 teams from one year ago with only two coming in Tempe. "This is a very tough schedule, especially since we will be a young team this year," Ortiz said. "Every year, I try to put our wrestlers in tough environments against some of the best in the nation to prepare them for the Pac-10 and NCAA Championships and this year is no exception. We will be wrestling in some tough places like Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State and Cornell and facing the best each week. When it comes time for the championship season, I know this schedule will prepare us to contend for another Pac-10 title and another strong finish at the national level." The Sun Devils, who placed sixth at the NCAA event following the program's 16th Pac-10 title, have scheduled duals on the road against No. 2 Minnesota, No. 4 Iowa, No. 5 Cornell and No. 13 Iowa State while welcoming No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 9 Lehigh and No. 17 American to Wells Fargo Arena on the ASU campus. The Sun Devils have a chance of also facing No. 8 Edinboro and No. 9 Penn State as all three are on the entry list for the 2007 Virginia Duals. Of the 19 other teams that placed in the Top 20 at the national champions one year ago, the Sun Devils could face in either dual competitions and/or individual tournaments 17 of those squads. ASU will once again head to the Cliff Keen/Las Vegas Invitational (Dec. 1-2) and the Reno Tournament of Champions (Dec. 20) where many of the top teams in the nation compete. ASU will see competitors from No. 7 Michigan, No. 11 Hofstra, No. 12 Penn and No. 15 Missouri in Las Vegas while the Reno event will feature No. 1 Oklahoma State and No. 14 Northwestern. The season opens Nov. 12 with the Sun Devils playing host to conference foe Portland State and intrastate rival Embry-Riddle at 2 p.m. inside Wells Fargo Arena. After competing in the Fullerton Open in Fullerton, Calif., on Nov. 18, the Sun Devils jump back into dual action with their first tough road swing of the season as they face No. 4 Iowa (Nov. 25) and No. 13 Iowa State (Nov. 26) on back-to-back nights in Iowa. After closing out the 2006 calendar year with the Las Vegas and Reno tournaments, the Sun Devils again hit the road for another tough contest, this time heading to No. 2 Minnesota on Jan. 2 in Minneapolis. Back at home, ASU will play host to the Sun Devil Duals on Jan. 7 with the hosts taking on No. 9 Lehigh, No. 17 American and Pac-10 rival Cal State Fullerton. After competing in the Virginia Duals on Jan. 12-13 in Hampton, Va., the Sun Devils return home to face their third Pac-10 foe, Cal State Bakersfield, on Jan. 19 in Tempe before heading back across the nation to take on No. 5 Cornell in Ithaca, N.Y. The following weekend, the Sun Devils travel to the state of Oregon where they will meet Oregon State (Jan. 26) and Oregon (Jan. 28) in Pac-10 action. The month of February will bring about the final three duals of the season for the Sun Devils, starting with a Feb. 2 showdown in Tempe with No. 3 Oklahoma. The following weekend, ASU will play host to Cal Poly (Feb. 11) in the final home dual of the season. The Sun Devils then close out the dual season on the road on Feb. 16 when they return to Palo Alto, Calif., and the site of their 2006 Pac-10 title to face Stanford. With the dual season behind them, the Sun Devils will travel to Bakersfield, Calif., on Feb. 25-26 as the team fights for its 17th Pac-10 title and third in a row. The tournament also will be used to select the qualifiers for the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which will be held March 15-17 at the Palace of Auburn Hills outside of Detroit, Mich. The 2006-07 season will mark the 45th year of varsity competition for the Sun Devil program. Last year, ASU finished the dual season 14-7 overall and posted an 8-0 mark against the Pac-10 for the second year in a row.

This week on Takedown Radio: Mike Chapman rejoins us to discuss the future of the International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Newton, Iowa, It's big move and the final major event to be held next weekend July 14th and 15th Al Nacin: This former Cyclone will join us to talk about his wrestling past and how he's staying in touch with wrestling today! Chris Bono: Head Coach of the Moc's of Tennessee Chattanooga will bring us up to speed on all the happenings in Chattanooga. What's the future look like for Coach Bono as a competitor? Leroy Smith: The Director of the National Museum in Oklahoma. This former head coach and eldest of the Smith Clan will fill us in on the expansion plans for the Stillwater facility. John Smith: Let's talk Cowboy Wrestling! Can they repeat? We'll take a look at whom has left the program and the guys that are ready to step up and fill the slots. How will the changes in the coaching landscape affect his coaching style if at all. Should be a great show. Please join us for another in depth look at the wrestling world.

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Binghamton University has hired Pat Popolizio as its head wrestling coach, the school announced Wednesday. Popolizio was the lead assistant coach at American University for the last two seasons, helping that program finish 17th in the country last winter. He is a former three-time NCAA qualifier and scholar-athlete at Oklahoma State. "We're delighted that Pat Popolizio has accepted our offer to join Binghamton's coaching staff as our head wrestling coach," Athletics Director Joel Thirer said. "Pat has great credentials and I'm confident that he'll provide outstanding leadership as we strive to bring our program back to national prominence." At American, Popolizio coached seven NCAA qualifiers and the school's first All-American alongside head coach and Binghamton native Mark Cody. This past season, the Eagles went 13-6, had three wrestlers ranked in the nation's top-10 and crowned two more All-Americans. Cody and Popolizio transformed a once-stagnant American program into a successful one in a short time span. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Army (2003-04) and Sacred Heart (2002-03). His team at Sacred Heart achieved the highest grade-point average of any wrestling program in the country. "I am very excited to come back to New York and take over the program at Binghamton," Popolizio said. "On my campus visit I was impressed with the facilities and the support from the whole department. The entire atmosphere is very positive." As a collegiate wrestler, Popolizio won more than 90 matches and was a two-time All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier at Oklahoma State under six-time world champion John Smith. While in Stillwater, Popolizio's teams finished as national runnerup, took third place twice and fifth place the other year at the NCAA Championship. He was a Big 12 runnerup in 1998 and 2002 and went on to place fifth at the World Team Trials in 2003. As a senior Popolizio was given the 2002 Oklahoma State Hustle Award, after being ranked as high as No. 1 in the country at 184 pounds. Also on his competitive resume is a Northeast Regional Open title, two University Freestyle All-America honors and FILA Junior All-American distinction in 1997. His academic accomplishments include being named Academic All Big 12 twice and earning the Oklahoma State Student-Athlete Award five semesters. He graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in health and physical education. A former New York state scholastic champion for Niskayuna High, Popolizio will put his New York roots to good use with an in-state recruiting emphasis. "One of my main focuses will be to recruit the top talent out of New York - to keep them at home. The state is a hotbed for wrestling, especially in the Binghamton area. It's going to be a great opportunity to suceed and I'm looking to take the program to a top 25 level in the next few years." He was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1996 state meet, where as a senior at Niskayuna, Popolizio captured the 177-pound title. He went on to become the national high school runnerup. Popolizio replaces Tony Robie, who departed after one season to accept a position at Virginia Tech.

Neither wrestling nor writing came easily for John Irving. But for this acclaimed novelist, the two pursuits have intertwined in more than their difficulty. "Wrestling requires extreme dedication, self-punishing behavior and devout concentration on the repetition of small details," Irving said. "You learn something unnatural until it is natural. Writing a novel that may take you five or six or seven years is a lot like being wrestler." Dedicating oneself to a task the way a wrestler goes about his business isn't easy, he said. "Writing is hard. I learned how to work hard from wrestling, not English courses." Irving -- who would eventually write such critically acclaimed novels as "The Cider House Rules," "A Prayer for Owen Meany" and "The World According to Garp" -- discovered wrestling as a133-pound prep at Exeter. In "The Imaginary Girlfriend," his 1996 memoir, he explains, "The best answer to why I love wrestling is that it was the first thing I was any good at." For what he calls his "limited success" in the sport, he said he owes completely to his first coach, Ted Seabrooke, a Big Ten champion for Illinois and an NCAA runner-up. "The best thing he told me was that I was not very talented," said Irving, who put together two undefeated dual meet seasons at Exeter. "There would always be better athletes -- quicker, stronger kids. I could make myself technically superior, however, and I could out-condition most people. Seabrooke taught me to wrestle within my limits: Keep the score close, avoid scramble, keep good position." Seabrooke also told him, "Talent is overrated. That you're not talented needn't be the end of it." Later, as a coach, Irving used the knowledge he'd gained. "If you have a great athlete, you want him to scramble, you want him to force the mix-up, to make mayhem," Irving said, "and just the opposite is true of the not-so-gifted athlete." John IrvingFrom Exeter, Irving headed to the University of Pittsburgh, where he found Coach Rex Peery's team loaded with future All-Americans. "My technique was not the problem," he says in his memoir. "The problem at Pittsburgh was that my limited athletic ability placed me at a considerable distance from the top rank of wrestlers around the nation." Years later as a coach, Irving said, "I had the highest respect for the backup wrestlers on good wrestling teams; they were what made the teams good -- as teams." Irving transferred to the University of New Hampshire, which had no wrestling team, but he became an extra coach for Exeter and competed "unattached" in open tournaments in the area. In fact, Irving competed in his last tournament when he was 34. But he gives no thought to entering a veteran's competition. "If I entered a veteran's tournament, I would probably lose to the same guys who were beating me when I was in my late 20s and 30s," he said. Irving's involvement in the sport included time spent in the University of Iowa wrestling room, first as a student and, later, a teacher, in the university's famed Writers' Workshop. In "The Imaginary Girlfriend," he recalls, "Like everyone else, I couldn't resist the occasional thrill (and instant humiliation) of wrestling Dan Gable." One of the memoir's many photos shows Gable launching Irving with a wicked foot sweep. "I went there only when I wanted to punish myself," he said. Certified as a referee at 23, Irving retired from coaching in 1989, when he was 47. He occasionally wrestled to age 62 -- until a torn extensor tendon in his right index finger impacted this author's use of a typewriter. However, he still maintains a wrestling room, filled not only with a mat but also with a variety of exercise equipment. That photo of Gable's foot sweep also remains in the wrestling room. Among wrestlers Irving coached were his two oldest sons: Colin, a 1983 prep school All-American and New England Class A champion, and Brendan, who pinned all his opponents to capture the New England Class A title in 1989. His youngest son, Everett, 14, excels at downhill skiing, tennis, middle-distance running and soccer, but he's not a wrestler. "Frankly, I'm relieved," Irving said. Irving sees his strength as a writer in his capacity for rewriting, noting that since scouting locations for a film in late February, he'd already written 13 drafts of a screenplay. "There will probably be 13 more," he said. "I don't get tired of fine-tuning." And that's another way in which wrestling and writing mesh. "You can't simply wrestle if you don't love it," Irving said. "The question isn't ‘Can I do this thing?' The question is, ‘How many times can I keep doing it, again and again?' Irving's tattoo of a starting circle symbolizes that philosophy. "Whatever you do in life, you're going to have to keep doing it again," he said. "Storytelling is about starting one story after another, often within the same story. You are always beginning again. "If you don't handle repetition well," he said, "you won't be much of a wrestler or much of a writer."

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State has hired Kevin Roberts as an assistant coach in its wrestling program, OSU head coach Jim Zalesky announced Friday. Roberts had been a strength and conditioning coach at Minnesota since 2004. The former Oregon wrestler had also been an assistant at North Idaho College and Wyoming. Kevin Roberts"Kevin contacted me two years ago when I had some openings on my Iowa staff," Zalesky said. "At that time, we didn't really have a place for him. He went to Minnesota, so I got to see him coach there for a couple of years. I know he wrestled at Oregon, and coming out here you've got to have people who have contacts. "I know he's well-respected in this area -- Oregon, Washington and Idaho -- and he coached a couple years at North Idaho junior college, and that was attractive to us." Roberts joins Troy Steiner as assistants on Zalesky's staff at Oregon State. At Minnesota, Roberts coordinated the strength and conditioning program for the wrestling team, assisted in the daily operation of the wrestling program and was the program's video coordinator. "It's a part of the country I'm familiar with and that I enjoy a lot," Roberts said of returning to the Pacific Northwest. "The biggest thing was the opportunity that I think lies ahead to work with Coach Zalesky and Coach Steiner. I think there's a lot of potential for great things to happen with the program, and I want to be part of that." Roberts said the shift to OSU orange from UO green will be no problem. As a Duck, he wrestled for Ron Finley, who had wrestled for Oregon State before becoming Oregon's coach. "I remember guys -- more in jest -- giving Fin a hard time about it," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to return to the area and go to work with Jim and Troy." At North Idaho from 1998-2000 and 2001-04, Roberts helped lead NIC to the 2003 NJCAA National Championships. He was at Wyoming for the 2000-01 season. As a wrestler at Oregon from 1994-96, Roberts was a two-time All-American at 118 pounds, placing fourth in 1994 and eighth in 1995, and he was a three-time Pacific-10 finalist. As a senior, Roberts was team captain; earned the school's Pacific-10 Medal for a male athlete for outstanding achievements in scholarship, athletics and citizenship; and earned the Daily Emerald Trophy as the school's outstanding senior athlete. He was named the Ducks' Most Valuable Wrestler three times. Roberts is originally from Spokane, Wash., where he was a state champion for University High. His family includes his wife, Cami, and son, Drew, age 3.

BUFFALO, NY -- Coming off one of the most successful campaigns in the 67-year history of the University at Buffalo wrestling program, head coach Jim Beichner has put together another noteworthy recruiting class, featuring four state high school champions and nine state placewinners, while retaining a local flavor by recruiting three Section VI athletes. "We're very pleased with our incoming class," Beichner said. "When you combine this class with our 12 returnees with starting experience and our eight returning redshirt freshmen, we feel that we have a competitive team, not just now, but for years to come." Included in the returnees is also Ryan Needle (Newfane, NY/Newfane), Section VI's all-time wins leader, as the Ohio State transfer will compete for the Bulls for the first time after shoulder surgery kept him out for the entire 2005-06 season. The Bulls will benefit from the addition of Section VI's Aris twins, as Mike Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) and Vince Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) have both committed to UB. Mike Aris finished his career with two stellar seasons, as he won the 2005 New York State High School Division II Championships with an impressive 3-0 performance to finish his junior year 42-2. He set the school's record for consecutive wins and all-time wins and won his second Section VI Class A title as a senior, Aris lost in the semifinals of the state tournament before rebounding to finish fifth, wrapping up a 39-4 season. He also earned mention in Wrestling USA's Best 2006 High School Seniors, ranking 27th in the list of 30, in the list released in February. Vince Aris also wrapped up a stellar senior campaign, as he went 40-9 en route to a fourth-place finish at the Division II Championships at 140 pounds. Along the way, he won more than 100 matches in his career, joining his brother as the top-two winningest grapplers in school history, and won two Section VI Class A titles. Dan Audy (Clarence, NY/Clarence), an Empire State Games bronze medalist in 2005, comes to UB after wrapping up a 39-3 senior season that saw him rise to second in the Section VI Individual Rankings at 130 pounds before wrapping up a Class AAAA Section VI title. He moved on to a fifth-place showing at the 2006 New York State Division I Championships, finishing 3-2 at the tournament. At the Empire State Games, Audy wrestled in the 59 kilogram (132 pounds) weight class, going 4-1 and defeating Western teammate Mike Bunn, 14-7, to medal at the event. Jason Brown (Cato, NY/Cato-Meridian) will have one of the toughest jobs in UB's lineup, as he will be asked to step into three-time NCAA Qualifier Kyle Cerminara's (Lewiston, NY/Lewiston-Porter) shoes at 197 pounds. However, Brown does have the credentials for it, as he wrapped up a New York State Division II State Championship at 215 pounds as a senior, finishing with a 37-1 record after winning four matches at the state championship and pinning two in the event. Brown, who won the Section III Championship after a second-place finish as a junior, was also a member of Cato-Meridian's football team, starting as a running back. "We are very glad we have some very good local wrestlers coming in," Beichner said of the Aris twins and Audy. "That's a goal of any program, to keep local talent close to home and we kept three solid Section VI wrestlers with Division I potential, as well as Brown, who is from Section III, just two hours away." Sean Bauer (Walden, NY/Valley Central) comes to UB from Sacred Heart University, where he participated with the team for one season. He comes to UB to join former high school teammates senior Pat Lloyd (Middletown, NY/Valley Central) and redshirt freshman Ricky Scott (Walden, NY/Valley Central). Bauer wrapped up his senior season in style in 2005, as he completed a 36-7 season in the New York State Division I Championships by falling to 2006 NCAA finalist Troy Nickerson. Bauer moved up in weight after qualifying for the state tournament in 2004 and won a Section IX title at 125 pounds as a senior to go along with his championship run. Joe Wilson (Chester, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) will also join the team as a transfer from Sacred Heart. "The two transfers are also good New York wrestlers," Beichner said. "We are getting guys who went out of state and are coming back." Reid Garcia (Ballwin, MO/Parkway South) earned St. Louis Post-Dispatch Honorable Mention All-Metro honors three times in his career, as he finished with a school-record 166 wins for Parkway South. A four-time District Champion, Garcia finished fourth at the Missouri State Championships as a sophomore, second as a junior and third as a senior. With plenty of experience on the national level in folkstyle, Garcia also finished second at the USA Wrestling National Kids Folkstyle Championships Cadet Division in 2003. Carlo Izzo (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) also completed a notable senior season, as the 112-pounder won the Class C Sectional Championship and also won the Section II Division II title. He capped off his 36-4 senior season by finishing fourth at the New York State Division II Championships and then posting a 3-2 record at the NHSCA Senior Nationals at 112 pounds. "One of the problems we had last year was at 125 pounds," Beichner said. "With this recruiting class, we think that we have some solid depth at the class with Bauer, Garcia and Izzo to go along with redshirt freshman Dan Bishop (Whitehall, NY/Whitehall) and our end-of-the-year starter Eric Piedimonte (Spencerport, NY/Spencerport). Mark Germano (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) will add depth at the heavyweight class, as he enters the same wrestling room that took 2006 graduate Harold Sherrell (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) from a walk-on from Jack Williams' Warriors program five years ago and turned him into an NCAA Qualifier. Tom Graff (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) will give the 157-pound weight class more depth, as he comes to UB after wrapping up a four-letter career with the Admirals, earning All-League and All-Section honors as a senior during a 37-1 season that helped him to Poughkeepsie Journal All-Star honors. In 2005, he won the Long Island Wrestling Association "Summer Heat" Tournament at 163 pounds and he also competed at the 2006 National High School Senior Wrestling Nationals, winning a match at the event at 160 pounds. He also played football for the Admirals. "Graff and Germano are kids with a blue-collar attitude that didn't have the ends to their high school careers that they would have liked," Beichner said, "and these are the kinds of kids we have had a lot of success with in the past. These are two guys who still have a lot left to prove in their careers." Corey Greene (Bennington, VT/Mount Anthony) will give the Bulls an added layer of depth at 133 pounds as senior Mark Budd (Orrville, OH/Orrville) wraps up his NCAA-qualifying career in 2006-07. Greene was a three-time Vermont state champion and a two-time New England Region Champion, earning Wrestling USA All-America honors. Like Aris, he also found a slot in Wrestling USA's top 30 high school seniors at 130 pounds, ranking 14th. He was also among Intermat's top 200 recruits and was the 2005 National High School Coaches Association Open Champion. He finished his career 192-13 with 92 falls at Mount Anthony, earning Vermont's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in April. The award is handed out to one wrestler in each state by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum and is given to wrestlers who demonstrate scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service on top of mat prowess. Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick) will become a contributer for the Bulls at 184 pounds after winning a Massachusetts State Championship at 189 pounds before finishing second at the New England Championships. Hamel was named the Bay State Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2006 and to the Boston Globe's All-Scholastics Wrestling Team for his efforts. In 2005, he also had a second-place showing at the New England Championships, wrestling at 171 pounds. He finished his career with a 146-23 record and also excelled on the football field, helping Natick to Massachusetts Division 2 Super Bowl Championship. He was also the lacrosse team's captain. "We look for kids with blue-collar work ethics," Beichner said. "Both Corey and Jimmy are blue-chip recruits with blue-collar work ethics. They really sold themselves to the coaching staff and we believe they will make a difference on the team." 2006-07 Buffalo Recruiting Class Projected Collegiate Weights 125 Sean Bauer (Walden, NY/Valley Central/Sacred Heart) Reid Garcia (Ballwin, MO/Parkway South) Carlo Izzo (Canajoharie, NY/Canajoharie) 133 Corey Greene (Bennigton, VT/Mount Anthony) Dan Audy (Clarence, NY/Clarence) Mike Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) Joe Wilson (Chester, NY/Monroe-Woodbury) 141 Vince Aris (Barker, NY/Barker) 157 Tom Graff (Lagrangeville, NY/Arlington) 184 Jimmy Hamel (Natick, MA/Natick) 197 Jason Brown (Cato, NY/Cato-Meridian) HWT Mark Germano (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool)

DURHAM, N.C. –- Senior Levi Craig, junior Daniel Shvartsman, sophomores Aaron Glover and Kellan McKeon and freshman Wade Van Sickle were all named to the inaugural All-ACC Academic Wrestling Team announced by league officials on Thursday. Duke led all schools with five honorees on this year's team. Maryland placed three student-athletes on the team, while North Carolina, N.C. State and Virginia had two selections apiece. Virginia Tech rounded out the inaugural squad with one honoree. To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. Craig, a 2004 ACC Champion, battled through injuries during his senior season to finish with a 6-11 mark at 174 pounds. Shvartsman posted a 16-15 record at 149 pounds, while Glover went 16-23 and finished fourth at the 2006 ACC Championship at 165 pounds. McKeon registered a 14-20 mark at 125 pounds and Van Sickle posted a 17-22 record in the heavyweight division.

GREENSBORO, N.C. –- North Carolina juniors Spencer Nadolsky and Bobby Shaw were each named to the inaugural All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Wrestling Team, the league office announced Thursday. Nadolsky and Shaw were two of only three All-ACC grapplers to also earn a spot on the academic squad. To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. Nadolsky (HWT) and Shaw (125) each finished as the conference runner-up in their respective weight classes, but played a crucial role in North Carolina winning its 17th ACC Championship, second in a row and third league title in the last four years. Nadolsky, ranked as high as No. 12 by the NWCA and InterMat, received an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship and finished with a 3-2 mark at nationals. The junior heavyweight finished the season with a record of 42-7 and a team-high 11 pins. Shaw posted a 21-17 overall record at 125.

St. Cloud, MN -- St. Cloud State University wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced the signing of John Sundgren to a national and North Central Conference letters of intent to attend St. Cloud State in the fall of 2006. A resident of Blaine, Sundgren is the son of Jim and Kathy Sundgren. A three-time overall Minnesota State High School League Tournament medalist, Sundgren placed second in 2006, fifth in 2005 and second in 2004 at 140-pounds, respectively. At Blaine High School, he tallied a prep career record of 142-32 and was named to the 2006 Academic All-State First Team. Sundgren is expected to wrestle at the 149- or 157-pounds for the Huskies this winter. "I am extremely excited that John has decided on St. Cloud State University," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "John is the type of individual that a coach can build his program around. Combine his character, leadership, academics and athleticism and you have a top quality student-athlete." An NCAA Division II affiliate, St. Cloud State is a member of the North Central Conference - widely recognized as the nation's top Division II wrestling conference. Costanzo will begin his first season as head coach at St. Cloud State in 2006-07. Costanzo previously served as head coach at Dana College from 2000 to 2006. He led Dana to four conference titles and the 2006 NAIA national championship. Founded in 1869, St. Cloud State University is the second largest college in the state of Minnesota with 16,000 students. SCSU's main campus is located on the banks of the Mississippi River in the city of St. Cloud, Minn. - which is located approximately one hour north of Minneapolis-St. Paul.