InterMat Staff

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh senior Troy Letters picked up his 100th career victory, and the eighth ranked Mountain Hawks shook off a slow start en route to a 26-15 win over Rider Thursday night in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 1,827 at Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Lehigh dropped the first two bouts of the evening, but reeled off six wins in a row, including three bonus wins and a forfeit as the Mountain Hawks open the season at 1-0, while Rider falls to 0-1. Lehigh won its second straight season opener and now improves to 8-2 in openers under Greg Strobel. "We lacked a pop early on, probably because we really worked the guys hard in practice earlier this week," said Strobel. "We were able to pick things up a little, and Troy (Letters) was really determined to get that win. Tonight was good for us though, we picked up a win and obviously it's very early in the season so there is plenty of room to grow." The match started at 125 pounds, where sophomore Patrick Berger scored the first takedown, but Rider's Ryan Smith came back to even the match and was able to pin Berger in the second period. The Broncs' lead grew to 9-0 when Zack Cunliffe amassed over four minutes of riding time in a 5-0 blanking of Lehigh's John Stout. The Mountain Hawks got on the scoreboard with back to back major decisions by Cory Cooperman at 141 and Matt Ciasulli in his first dual at 149. Senior Derek Zinck won by forfeit at 157 to put Lehigh ahead and then Letters took center stage. Letters collected wins number 98 and 99 over the weekend at the Slippery Rock Open, where he forfeited his remaining matches to give himself the opportunity to crack the century mark in front of the home fans. The Shaler native and 2004 national champion did just that, building a 10-1 lead before pinning Ryan Cunningham in the second period. Letters improves to 100-4 in his career and becomes the 11th member of the 100 win club at Lehigh. "I really wanted to do it here at Grace," Letters acknowledged afterwards. "The fans here have supported me for so long they've almost become like family. I got my first career win in the old Grace, and I wanted number 100 here as well" The Mountain Hawks picked up wins by decision at 174 and 184 with Travis Frick edging Doug Umbehauer and then Dave Helfrich with a six point win over Joe Maroney. The Broncs would take the final two bouts as T.J. Morrison topped Matt Cassidy and then Tyler Rees used a third period escape to top Dan Murrer, who gave up nearly 90 pounds to his counterpart. Lehigh returns to action on Sunday when the Mountain Hawks head to University Park, Pa. to take part in the second annual Pennsylvania State Dual Championships. The Mountain Hawks will face a junior college team, Williamson in the opening round, which gets underway at 10:00 am from Rec Hall.

Stanford, Calif. -- Stanford wrestling will open the 2005-06 season against No. 14 Missouri on Friday at 7 p.m. The match will be held at Oak Park High School in Kansas City, Mo. The Cardinal will then travel to Warrensburg, Mo., for the Central Missouri Open on Sunday. Last season, the Cardinal finished the year with a 6-8-1 record, but Friday's dual will mark the beginning of first-year head coach Kerry McCoy's tenure at the helm of the Stanford wrestling program. "We're very excited for our first competition," noted McCoy. "It will be a tough test, but we're up for it. On paper, we're not the better team, but we're going to go out there and show what we can do. You have to go out and compete, wrestling is not done on paper." Stanford will stay in the Midwest for Sunday's tournament at Central Missouri State. Last year, the Cardinal placed six wrestlers at the tournament, including sophomores Tanner Gardner, who captured the title at 125 pounds as an unattached competitor, and Josh Zupancic, who finished in second place at 149 pounds. "The tournament will be a chance to get more guys competition time," added McCoy. "It will be good preparation for the end of the season. Right now, every day is practice, and the Central Missouri Open will be an opportunity to see how ready we are."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling team and head coach Russ Hellickson announced the signing of Lance Palmer Thursday. Hellickson adds the projected 141-pounder, who is a three-time Ohio state champion and has a 106-5 career mark. A two-time Most Valuable Wrestler at St. Edwards High School in Cleveland, Ohio, Palmer is only the second wrestler in Ohio High School Athletic Association history to pin his way through the sectional, district and state tournaments. Last season, 24 of Palmer's 33 wins came via fall at 125 during his junior campaign. Palmer also had a notable showing at the 2005 Junior Nationals, finishing third. As a sophomore in 2004, Palmer garnered his second state championship title in the 112-weight division after posting a 32-4 record and 21 falls. Palmer captured his first state championship in 2003 (103 pounds) during his freshman year after recording a mark of 41-1 and notching 16 falls. "Ever since I was young, I have wanted to wrestle at Ohio State," Palmer said. "I have been good friends with the guys on the team, so I'm coming into a friendly environment." Hellickson, who is entering his 20th season as Buckeye head coach, is eager for Palmer to showcase his swagger and passion for the sport. "His intensity and success at every competition level makes him one of the top wrestlers in the nation," Hellickson said. Palmer also owns numerous honors, including the 2004 and 2005 St. Edwards Most Pins Award (2004 – 21, 2005 – 24). Named Outstanding Wrestler in 2004 and 2005 after winning two-consecutive titles at the Medina Invitational (MIT), Palmer was a two-time Cliff Keen National Champion. Palmer also was a 2002 U.S. Freestyle National Champion and a member of the 2000 World All-Star Team. "Lance is one of the best recruits in the country," Mitch Clark, Ohio State assistant coach, said. "Lance also is a likable guy. His personality fits well with our team. He is one of the hardest working guys when it's time to focus." With Hellickson offering Palmer the lone scholarship available for the 2006-07 season, Hellickson is confident Palmer will make an easy transition from the high school scene to the collegiate ranks. "Lance will have a big impact on our team," Hellickson said. "He is a very powerful and strong wrestler with an aggressive style. He may be the most prepared high school wrestler we have recruited." Hellickson also credits Clark for recruiting one of the top high school wrestlers in the country. "Mitch Clark is mostly responsible for Lance and his family joining the OSU family," Hellickson said. "The Palmer family is very supportive and we all are glad he is on board." After years of preparation, Dwayne Palmer is excited about his son's pending career at Ohio State. "It has been a lifelong dream for Lance since he was 9 years old to compete for the Buckeyes and to see him reach his goal is icing on the cake," D Palmer said. "Russ and the coaching staff are a great group of people. We are a tight-nit family and we live the sport. We wanted to make sure Lance received a great education and found a secondary family in OSU wrestling." Lance Palmer (Senior, St. Edwards High School) Three-time Ohio high school state champion (2003, 2004 and 2005) … second wrestler in Ohio high school wrestling history to pin his way through the sectional, district and state tournaments … owns a three-year high school career record of 106-5 … has 61 high school career falls … two-time most valuable wrestler at St. Edwards high school (2004 and 2005) … recorded the most pins on high school squad in 2004 (21) and 2005 (24) … 2004 Ohio Division I State Duals MVP … 2004 Asics IronMan National Champion … 2003 Beast of the East Champion … third at the 2005 Junior National Tournament … U.S. Triple Crown National Champion at 75 pounds … Born Feb. 7, 1987.

NORMAN, Okla., -- The Oklahoma wrestling team opens the season this weekend when it travels to Brockport, N.Y., to compete in the seventh annual SUNY-Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic on Saturday, Nov. 12. "What we're looking for this weekend is to come out and wrestle well and wrestle hard and I think we're ready to do that," said head coach Jack Spates. "Brockport is a good mid-level tournament. There are 11 teams most of which are very competitive, including Penn which is a perennial top 15 team. There are a lot of competitive teams but it's a good tournament to open up with. "We're very excited to get out and battle with someone else," Spates said. OU has four wrestlers as the No. 1 seed in their respective weight classes. Sam Hazewinkel at 125 pounds, Teyon Ware at 141 pounds, Matt Storniolo at 149 pounds and Jake Hager at Heavyweight. The Sooners claimed the 2004 Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic team title with a score of 212.5. The win stretched the Sooners string of consecutive team titles at the event to six. The Sooners also had 10 wrestlers place fourth or better, with Sam Hazewinkel, Teyon Ware, Matt Storniolo, Charles Jones, Wes Roberts, E.K. Waldhaus and Joel Flaggert all bringing home individual titles. Season Ticket Information Become a season ticket holder and enjoy Oklahoma Wrestling at affordable prices. As a season ticket holder, you will also have access to intimate seating inside the newly renovated McCasland Field House which provides an up-close look at some of the best wrestling in the country. Public season tickets are only $30 and Faculty/Staff and Letterwinner season tickets are $24. Be a part of the fun and excitement of Oklahoma Wrestling.

Three high school standouts have signed national letters of intent to attend Augustana College and wrestle for the Vikings, Augustana head coach Jason Reitmeier announced Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. Signing with the Vikings were Jay Sherer of Columbus, Neb., Kyle Svendsen of Omaha, Neb., and Lance Peters of LeRoy, Minn. Sherer is one of the top wrestlers in Nebraska. Entering his senior season at Columbus High School, he has a 113-4 career record. A three-time Class A state finalist, Sherer won the 2004 state title at 125 pounds and the 2005 state crown at 135 pounds. He posted a 40-1 record as a junior and 38-0 as a sophomore. He is on pace to be the Discoverer's first four-time state finalist in Columbus High School history. Svendsen has a 107-17 career record in his first three seasons at Omaha Skutt Catholic High School. Last season, he posted a 37-6 record and finished third at the Class B state tournament while leading Skutt to its eighth-straight Class B state championship. As a sophomore, he was 36-6 and qualified for the state tournament, in addition to placing second at the Rocky Mountain Nationals. As a freshman in 2002-03, Svendsen posted a 34-5 record and placed third at the state meet. Peters enters his fourth season as a starter at LeRoy-Ostrander High School. He begins the 2005-06 season with a 95-16 career record. Last year as a junior, Peters posted a 43-6 record and was the state runner-up at the Class AA state tournament. As a team, the Bulldogs placed fifth at the state meet. A three-time All-Three Rivers Conference performer, Peters was also an academic all-conference selection in 2004-05. "We are extremely pleased to have signed young men of this caliber," Reitmeier said. "Jay is the total packeage. He is a great wrestler and student, having him inked will help us sign more of the areas top wrestlers. He will make and immediate impact on this team. Kyle comes from one of the nations top programs. He will be a great addition in the middle to upper weights and brings in the swagger of a winner. Lance gives us another athletic big man to the upper weight. He is very personable and will fit in great with the team. He is one of four wrestlers on our team from the LeRoy, Minnesota, area." Augustana won the North Central Conference and North Central Regional championships last season and placed second at the 2005 NCAA Division II National Championships. This season, the Vikings were ranked No. 4 in the preseason top 20 poll.

The 2006 USA Wrestling World Team Trials, will be hosted at Tyson Events Center in Sioux City, Iowa, May 27-28. The best wrestlers in the nation in the three international styles of wrestling will be on display in this exciting and important event, featuring men's freestyle, men's Greco-Roman and women's freestyle wrestling. The USA Wrestling World Team Trials determines who will represent the U.S. at the 2006 World Wrestling Championships in Guangzhou, China, Sept. 26 – Oct. 1. This will be the second straight year that USA Wrestling will host its World Team Trials in the state of Iowa. The 2005 USA Wrestling World Team Trials were held at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Other past World Team Trials held in Iowa were the 1983 Freestyle World Team Trials in Iowa City, the 1990 Greco-Roman World Team Trials in Cedar Falls and the 1998 Freestyle World Team Trials in Waterloo. The 2006 USA Wrestling World Team Trials will be organized by the Sioux City Championships Committee. "Sioux City is very proud to be the host of the 2006 USA Wrestling Senior Men's and Women's Freestyle, and Senior Men's Greco-Roman World Team Trials, including many current and future US Olympians. Wrestling is a wonderful part of our Midwestern heritage and enjoys tremendous popularity here," noted Sioux City Mayor Karen Van De Steeg. "Wrestling reflects many of our Midwestern traits, including the values of hard work, patience, focus and discipline. We look forward to hosting this exciting event." "Being selected as the site of this world-class event is a tribute to the support and dedication of our local wrestling community. We know the World Team Trials will be a success in Sioux City – an event not only the fans but the participants will remember for years to come," added Tournament Director Tim Tushla. The Challenge Tournament, featuring all of the qualifiers for the tournament except the 2006 U.S. Nationals champions, will be held on Saturday, May 27. The Final World Team Trials, featuring a best-of-three championship series between the 2006 U.S. Nationals champion and the Challenge Tournament winner in each weight class, will be held on Sunday, May 28. Many of the star wrestlers who competed in the 2004 Olympic Games, as well as the 2005 World Wrestling Championships are expected to participate. This event will also showcase many young talents who are training to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. There will be numerous athletes in the field who have a strong tie to the host state of Iowa, including athletes who competed at Iowa State, the Univ. of Iowa or at Northern Iowa, in addition to other wrestlers who grew up in the state of Iowa or reside there. Three members of the 2005 U.S. World Freestyle Team were residing in Iowa when they made the team: Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Joe Williams (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Tolly Thompson (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. Bono attended Iowa State and Williams attended the Univ. of Iowa. Thompson went to high school in Janesville, Iowa. In addition, Howells, Neb. native Brad Vering (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) grew up near Sioux City. Vering competed on the 2004 U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic Team and has competed in the last three World Championships for the U.S., placing fifth in two of those years. 2005 U.S. Greco-Roman World Team member Harry Lester at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. attended Iowa State for a season. 2005 Women's World Team member Sara McMann at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. resides in Iowa City. The Tyson Events Center will seat 7,000 fans for the World Team Trials. Sioux City has hosted numerous outstanding wrestling competitions in the past, as well as a number of other major sports competitions. Among the USA Wrestling events previously hosted in Sioux City were a USA vs. Turkey World Dual meet, a USA vs. Korea World Dual meet and a USA All-Star World Dual Meet. Sioux City is also the current host of the NAIA National Wrestling Championships. Sioux City currently hosts the NAIA Women's Basketball Championships, and has recently hosted the NAIA Baseball Championships and the ISC Men's World Fast-Pitch Softball Championships. The local wrestling community is large and well-respected. Two college wrestling teams are based in the city, Morningside and Briar Cliff. Among the top athletes who come from this community are Tony DeAnda, the assistant wrestling coach for the USOEC women's team at Northern Michigan Univ., and current NCAA Division II National Champion Patrick Allibone of the Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha. A number of other local wrestling stars are competing in major college wrestling programs. "The state of Iowa has proven its love and passion for the sport of wrestling over the last 50 years, and there is no better place to be able to take the 2006 USA Wrestling World Team Trials than to Sioux City," stated USA Wrestling Director of National Events Pete Isais. "We are confident that the Sioux City community will embrace this event and provide a great backdrop for some of the World's top wrestlers to complete the final step in earning a spot on the 2006 U.S. World Team." A website has been established that will provide ticket information, schedules and updates on the World Team Trials event this year. Visit: www.2006trials.org. Past World Team Trials sites 1983 – Iowa City, Iowa (FS), Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR) 1985 – Baton Rouge, La. (FS)*, Colorado Springs, Colo. (GR) 1986 – Indianapolis, Ind. (FS), Albany, N.Y. (GR) 1987 – Houston, Texas* 1989 – Stillwater, Okla.* 1990 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Cedar Falls, Iowa (GR), Toledo, Ohio (W) 1991 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Warrensburg, Mo. (GR). Las Vegas, Nev. (W) 1992 – Las Vegas, Nev. (W) 1993 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Rochester, Minn. (GR), Las Vegas, Nev. (W) 1994 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), LaCrosse, Wis. (GR), Las Vegas, Nev. (W) 1995 – Philadelphia, Pa. (FS), Colorado Springs, Colo. and Atlanta, Ga. (GR), Norman, Okla. (W) 1996 – Las Vegas, N.M. (W) 1997 – Las Vegas, Nev. (FS), Minneapolis, Minn. (GR), Roseville, Calif. (W) 1998 – Waterloo, Iowa (FS), Metarie, La. (GR), St. Paul, Minn. (W) 1999 – Seattle, Wash. (FS), Tampa, Fla. (GR), Rochester, Minn. (W) 2000 – Battle Creek, Mich. (W) 2001 – Cincinnati, Ohio 2002 – St. Paul, Minn. 2003 – Indianapolis, Ind. 2005 – Ames, Iowa 2006 – Sioux City, Iowa *- Held during U.S. Olympic Festival

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Four Panther wrestlers traveled to Slippery Rock last weekend to compete in the Slippery Rock Open. The competition was held on Saturday and featured a number of tri-state teams. Junior Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) led the Panthers, capturing the tournament title at 157 pounds. Kocher defeated Rob Hermo of Clarion 7-0 in the first round and Al Wonesh of Lycoming 17-2 in the second round. He went on to pin Mike Vacarier of Gannon in the third round at the 2:58 mark on his way to winning the finals, 12-5, over Chris Wade. Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) was on his way to being undefeated after winning his first match against Chris Swan of Bloomsburg, 23-11, and pinning Jacob Tazzi of Gannon at 1:42. Gavin had to forfeit his third match against Ben Hepburn of Lock Haven because of an injury. Dave Kapetanovich (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills/CCAC), a redshirt freshman and Panther newcomer, went 2-2 in the tournament. Kapetanovich posted wins over both Jared Hirtz of Thiel, 11-5, and Brad Shrum of Duquesne by a 9-3 count. Redshirt freshman Matt Darnell (Lyndhurst, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley C.A.) competed for the Panthers at 197 this weekend, also finishing with a 2-2 record. He secured two wins over Morgan Wanzer of AIC, 4-0, and Adam Lange of Mt. Union College in the second and third rounds of the tournament, respectively. The Panthers will officially open their season on Tuesday, November 15, at Bloomsburg.

Charleston, SC -- The University of North Carolina at Pembroke's Brandon Wallace and Justin McEntire both won his respective weight class at The Citadel Open wrestling tournament on Saturday, November 5 at the Burke High School gym in Charleston. Wallace pinned Addison Nuding of Duke at the 3:25 mark of the finals match to win the 157-pound title, while McEntire took the 174-pound crown after Duke's Turner Rooney forfeited for medical reasons. Wallace, who was the four seed at 157, reached the finals on a first-round forfeit, a 19-3 quarterfinals techfall against Spartanburg Methodist's Cody Galloway and a 13-6 decision over Duke's Cameron harms in the semi-finals. McEntire, who was one of eight UNCP wrestlers competing at 174-pounds, downed Duke's Tad Anderson 8-1 in his opening match, while pinning Anthony White of Auburn in the quarterfinals and earning a 7-0 decision over Pembroke's own Andre Adams in the semis to advance to the championship bout. Fellow Brave Michael Hall reached the 197-pound finals but fell to South Carolina's Eric Lambert 3-2 to earn runner-up honors, as teammate Richard Alstrom placed third at 174 by defeating The Citadel's Clint Degain 9-2. After winning his first match, Alstrom was sent to the wrestleback bracket by Degain in the quarterfinals, only to avenge that loss in the championship 's consolation match. UNCP will next host the 25th Annual UNCP Classic on Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 in the Jones Center. Action will get underway at 5 pm on Friday, while wrestling will begin at 9 am on Saturday with the finals tentatively set for 6 pm Saturday evening.

Nick SimmonsEAST LANSING, Mich. -- Junior All-American Nick Simmons was named Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Week for his 125-pound championship performance at the Eastern Michigan Open Nov. 5. He shares the honor with Purdue's Ben Wissel, who claimed the 184-pound title at the EMU Open. Simmons dominated his first three matches of the tournament, recording falls against wrestlers from Edinboro and Michigan in less than a minute, before pinning Central Michigan's Josh Williams at 3:14 of their quarterfinal match up. Simmons capped off his 5-0 weekend record by earning a pair of 3-0 decisions in the semifinals against Ricky Deubel of Edinboro, and in the finals against his teammate, freshman Franklin Gomez. Simmons last earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors for his performance at the 2004 EMU Open, where he was named Outstanding Wrestler Simmons and the rest of the Spartan wrestling team return to action this weekend, Nov. 12-13, when they host the Michigan State Open at Jenison Field House. Wrestling begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. on Sunday.

Manheim, Pa. -- University of Michigan All-American Eric Tannenbaum has been selected to replace Hofstra' Jon Masa at 149 pounds in the 40th NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps. Tannenbaum, a red-shirt sophomore, placed fourth last season at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis after winning the Big 10 Championship at 149 pounds. He went 36-5 in 2004-05, including 15-1 in dual meets. Esposito beat Tannenbaum 7-2 in the semifinals of the 2005 NCAA Championships. This is Tannenbaum's first appearance in the All-Star Classic and he is the second replacement from the original lineup. Last week, Cal Poly's Darrell Vasquez was selected to replace Wisconsin's Tom Clum at 133 pounds. Tannenbaum is one of two University of Michigan participants in the event, Ryan Churella will wrestle Johny Henrdricks at 165 pounds. Updated Line-up: 125: Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) vs. Nick Simmons (Michigan State) 133: Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly) vs. Mack Reiter (Minnesota) 141: Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) vs. Nate Gallick (Iowa State) 149: Eric Tannenbaum (Michigan) vs. Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) 157: Joe Johnston (Iowa) vs. Alex Tirapelle (Illinois) 165: Ryan Churella (Michgan) vs. Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) 174: Mark Perry (Iowa) vs. Jake Herbert (Northwestern) 184: Paul Bradley (Iowa) vs. Pete Friedl (Illinois) 197: Joel Flaggert (Oklahoma) vs. Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State) 285: Cole Konrad (Minnesota) vs. Steve Mocco (Oklahoma State) Exhibition: 285: Josh LeadingFox (Central Oklahoma) vs. Tervel Dlagnev (Nebraska-Kearney)

It's OK to be envious of Andy Hamilton. Hamilton, the National Wrestling Media Association's 2004 Wrestling Print Journalist of the Year for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, has what many of us would consider to be a dream job: writing about wrestling in one of the sport's prime hotbeds … and having inside access to one of the legendary college programs in the nation, the Iowa Hawkeyes. It's the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Hamilton. As a kid, he wrote sports stories about the games he'd see on TV for himself. Now the guy who grew up collecting newspaper clippings and photos of Iowa wrestlers Jim Zalesky, Barry Davis, Dan Gable and the Kistler brothers now covers the Hawkeye wrestling program. The Early Chapters Andy Hamilton grew up in the heart of the heartland, in Williams, Iowa, about an hour straight north of Des Moines … where he gave an indication of his career path at an early age. "I wrote sports stories for myself before I was a teen," says Hamilton. "As a sophomore I had a project for PE class to write about sports. I did a preseason overview for Big Ten basketball. The teacher gave it to the local paper, which ran every word of it -- probably the longest story I've ever had published." After graduating from Northeast Hamilton High School, Hamilton continued his education at Ellsworth Community College in nearby Iowa Falls, where he played baseball … and did some writing for the Iowa Falls Times-Citizen. "When I turned 20, I realized I couldn't play baseball my whole life," says Hamilton. "I enjoyed writing, and my folks encouraged me to continue in it." From Iowa Falls to Iowa City After earning an associate's degree at Ellsworth, Hamilton made the move to the University of Iowa, where his writing career really took off. "I was fortunate enough to get a sports writing job at the Daily Iowan," says Hamilton. "One of my teammates at Ellsworth went to school at Waterloo East with Chris Snider, who was assistant sports editor at the Daily Iowan at the time, and my editor at the Iowa Falls paper wrote a strong recommendation." As a sports writer at the independent student paper for the University of Iowa, Hamilton gained experience covering just about every sport on campus. However, in his two-and-a-half years at Iowa, he filed only one wrestling story -- "when it was announced that the word �interim' was being taken off Jim Zalesky's title, and he was being made head coach in 1998. And the only way I got that story was that the guy who usually covered Hawkeye wrestling had gone out of town for the weekend," muses Hamilton. Hamilton's high school did not have a wrestling program when he was in school. However, he wrestled in some youth tournaments as a kid… and counts himself as a lifelong fan. "My dad wrestled at what is now called University of Northern Iowa," says Hamilton. "We went to lots of wrestling events as a family. I remember taking the trip all the way out to Corvallis (Oregon) to see the NCAAs as a kid." "I had so much fun working at Daily Iowan," says Hamilton. "I made some incredible friendships with guys who have jobs all over the country now, yet we all stay in touch." Hamilton graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in journalism in December 1998. He landed a part-time job at the Iowa City Press-Citizen where he stayed for four months … then headed a couple hours west to Ames, Iowa to cover sports for the Tribune. When the Press-Citizen contacted him about a job to write about wrestling, Hamilton jumped at the chance and found himself back in Iowa City almost exactly one year after graduation. Covering Takedowns and Touchdowns Hamilton's wrestling writing isn't limited to the Hawkeyes; his beat also includes the high school mat scene in eastern Iowa, and he covers the Iowa state championships in Des Moines each year. In addition, three years ago Hamilton was tasked with covering the Hawkeye football program as well. "The access for the media is quite a bit different between the two sports," notes Hamilton. "I remember the first day I showed up at the wrestling room, coach Zalesky said, 'Call anytime you need anything.' And that kind of access hasn't changed." "The media doesn't have that kind of access to the coach or players when covering Iowa football," says Hamilton. "We're pretty much limited to a once-a-week press conference with coach (Kirk) Ferentz, in a room with thirty other writers and media people." Hamilton also noted a difference in the types of responses when interviewing campus gridiron stars and grapplers. "Football players are generally more guarded and maybe a little more careful in what they say to with the media," says Hamilton. "Wrestlers seem to be more relaxed and candid." Hamilton adds, "Here in Iowa City, the dynamics surrounding the athletes of the two sports is so different, too. Iowa football players are almost treated like rock stars. By contrast, the Hawkeye wrestlers seem like regular college kids." Asked about what guides his sports reporting -- whether it's wrestling or football -- and Hamilton replies, "I always try to paint a picture for those who weren't at the event. I strive to be fair and accurate in my writing. Occasionally I hear from readers who say I'm too harsh, while others might read the same story and think I'm too positive." Hamilton has also heard from his fellow wrestling writers at the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA), who awarded him their prestigious Wrestling Print Journalist of the Year award in 2004. In its article announcing the award, the NWMA said, "Hamilton's articles show an understanding of wrestling and an insight into the athletes and coaches involved in the sport." Andy Hamilton gathers quotes while interviewing Iowa's Alex Tsirtsis.Weighing In On Iowa Fans … In six years of covering the Hawkeye wrestling program, Hamilton has witnessed the high of Iowa winning the national team title in 2000 … and considerable struggles as well. But he put it all in perspective: "This is a program where coming in eighth place at nationals isn't going to get them a parade. For other college programs, that might be viewed as a great accomplishment." When asked if Iowa fans might still be expecting the same results now as during the Dan Gable dynasty when national titles seemed to be almost a birthright, Hamilton answers, "I don't think the expectations have changed. The Iowa fans still want national championships. But they want to see action. They want to see effort and heart. If you give them that, they'll get behind you. That's why Joe Johnston and Mark Perry are probably two of the fan favorites. But that's probably because they win a lot." "Everybody thought the program was set up for great success when they signed (Steve) Mocco and then added Todd Meneely, Willie Parks and other guys," says Hamilton. "They've been trying to fully recover for a couple years since those guys left." … and the Hawkeyes Themselves Asked to name some of the more interesting Hawkeye wrestlers he's covered while at the Press-Citizen, Hamilton immediately named these guys from earlier in his career: Eric Juergens, Doug Schwab, Jody Strittmatter, Mike Zadick and Jessman Smith. As for the current crop, Hamilton says, "Adam Fellers, Mark Perry and Ty Eustice are the guys who fill up my notebook with quotes now. I'll say this about Perry -- I can ask him five minutes of questions and end up with thirty minutes of interesting quotes." Hamilton also mentioned both Tom and Terry Brands as being especially fascinating people to talk to -- "I would venture to guess a lot of people meet them for the first time and come away with a much different perception that what they might have formed of them as competitors," says Hamilton. "I've learned a lot about life from Tom Brands in particular. One of the most memorable quotes I've ever heard came from him: 'Anyone can act tough when things are going their way. But the sign of someone who's truly tough is when they can be tough when times are tough.'" What Will The New Season Bring? When asked for a forecast for the upcoming season, Hamilton responds, "I'm as intrigued as anybody as to what the season will bring. So much can happen." "Right now I'm interested to see what Iowa's starting lineup will be," adds Hamilton. "So many guys who were in the lineup at the end of last season aren't going to be there. Mario Galanakis isn't enrolled in school, Charlie Falck has a broken foot, Luke Lofthouse is on a Mormon mission to Africa." This early in the season, Hamilton is reluctant to make any predictions for the much-anticipated arrival of the Oklahoma State Cowboys on January 7. "The school is expecting a huge crowd. It's scheduled for the evening, after a big Iowa vs. Illinois basketball game," says Hamilton. One prediction is safe to make: Whatever the new season holds for the Hawkeyes, wrestling fans from Iowa City to Islip, Long Island can count on Andy Hamilton to provide not only clear coverage of the action on the mat, but insight into the behind-the-scenes activities as well.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling team begins the 2005-06 season at the Michigan State Open Saturday and Sunday at Jenison Field House in East Lansing, Mich. TOURNAMENT BREAKDOWN Approximately 300-400 wrestlers from 35-40 programs will participate in the double-elimination tournament. The wrestlers will compete for the Top 8 placings with no team score kept. Participating schools from last year included Big Ten programs Michigan State, Michigan, and Northwestern, as well as Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Ohio University, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Pittsburgh and Findlay. Log on to msuspartans.com for complete results and tournament information. MICHIGAN STATE OPEN 2004 As the top seed at 197 pounds, J.D. Bergman claimed the tournament title, while T.J. Enright scored his second-consecutive tournament crown at 133 en route to being named outstanding wrestler for the open. Overall, eight Buckeyes placed, including six freshmen. As a true freshman, Keegan Mueller made his first appearance as a Buckeye and took fourth place at 157 pounds. Fellow freshman Jason Johnstone also made his OSU debut with an eighth-place finish at 149. Another freshman, J Jaggers, defaulted to sixth place because of injury. At 165, Zach Craiglow took fifth place after benefiting from a win via injury default in his final match. COACHING CHANGES AND ADDITIONS Head coach Russ Hellickson announced the addition of Jim Humphrey, a former Buckeye and Ross Thatcher to the OSU wrestling staff. Humphrey replaces four-time OSU All-American Tommy Rowlands as the volunteer assistant coach and will head the Ohio International Wrestling Club based in Columbus. Rowlands will move to Director of Program Operations and Thatcher is the Program Director for Recruiting and Conditioning. "The changes in our staff give our team phenomenal depth," Hellickson, who is entering his 20th year at the helm of the Buckeyes, said. Humphrey owns an extensive wrestling background that includes All-America honors and a 1972 Big Ten Championship at 134. A member of the Ohio State Athletics Hall of Fame, Humphrey is a five-time freestyle national champion, as well as the 1977 World Games silver medalist. Humphrey also holds an impressive head coaching resume that consists of leading the 1984 Canadian Olympic Team and the 1988 U.S. Olympic squad. In the collegiate ranks, Humphrey was the head coach at Indiana from 1984-1989. Both of Humphrey's sons, Jordin and Reece, are members of the 2005-06 Buckeye squad. Thatcher, who will serve as Humphrey's assistant at the Ohio International Wrestling Club, was a Penn State letterwinner from 1997-2000 and served as an assistant coach at PSU from 2000-2003. While with the Nittany Lions, Thatcher was named team captain and garnered All-America honors. Following his time at Penn State, Thatcher wrestled for the New York Athletic Club, where he was a two-time Sunkist International Open Champion, New York Athletic International Open Champion, Dave Schultz International Open Champion and North East Regional Outstanding Wrestler and Champion. A two-time Ohio state champion and a three-time Ohio state finalist at Bishop Ready High School in Columbus, Thatcher won bronze as a member of the 2001 U.S. Pan American team and was a member of the U.S. University World squad. Rowlands, who is training as an Olympic hopeful for the 2008 games, graduated from Ohio State as the most decorated wrestler in the history of the program with four All-America accolades and two heavyweight national championships (2002 and 2004). During the summer, Rowlands won gold at the World University Games, becoming the fifth U.S. wrestling gold medalist in the history of the games. Earlier in 2005, Rowlands earned a silver medal at the Yarygin Memorial tournament in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and followed his second-place performance with a bronze medal showing at the Cerro Pelado tournament in Cuba. Mitch Clark and Ken Ramsey return as Buckeye assistants. Clark will enter is eighth year and Ramsey will serve his 12th. PRESEASON RANKINGS Buckeye wrestlers T.J. Enright, J Jaggers and Kirk Nail earned Top 20 preseason rankings in amateur wrestling publications W.I.N. Magazine, Intermat.com and WrestlingMall.com. Enright, who jumped from the 133 to 141 weight class, is 16th in both the WrestlingMall.com and W.I.N. Magazine polls. Jaggers holds down the 19th spot at 149 in W.I.N. Magazine and Nail is 15th at heavyweight in W.I.N. Magazine and WrestlingMall.com. Nail is 19th in the Intermat.com standings and also cracked the Top 20 in the USA Today/National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll at No. 20. 2005-06 REDSHIRTS All-American J.D. Bergman, Jason Johnstone and Keegan Mueller will redshirt the 2005-06 season. Bergman qualified for the 2005 NCAA championships after placing second at 197 in the Big Ten championships. During his freshman campaign, the Oak Hills, Ohio, native earned All-America honors after placing third in nationals in 2004. As a freshman last season, Johnstone placed eighth at the MSU Open in the 149 weight class to start the season. The Massillon, Ohio, native switched to 141 after an injury to classmate J Jaggers and preceded to knock off nationally-ranked wrestlers Rene Hernandez (No. 20), 9-5, at the Purdue dual and No. 14 Tyler Laudon of Wisconsin, 6-3. Mueller wrestled all but one match at 157 in the 2004-05 regular season as a freshman. The Dallas, Texas, native assumed the 165 slot at the Big Ten championships after facing a ranked wrestler in five of the last seven dual meets last season. STRENUOUS SCHEDULE Nine of the Buckeyes' 14 dual meet opponents are ranked in the Top 25 of the USA Today/NWCA Preseason polls. Michigan leads the way at No. 3, with No. 4 Illinois and No. 6 Minnesota rounding out the Top 10. Northwestern and Penn State are ranked back-to-back at No. 11 and No. 12, respectively. Missouri, which opens Ohio State's dual meet schedule, is 14th. Big Ten opponents, Wisconsin and Indiana hold down the 15th and 16th spots, while Pittsburgh is 20th. GOLDEN BOY Buckeye director of program operations Tommy Rowlands recently captured the gold medal in the 120 kg (264.5 pounds) freestyle weight class at the Clansmen International in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, Nov. 5. Rowlands also won gold at the 2005 World University Games August 14 in Izmir, Turkey. Rowlands, who competed in the 211.5-pound (96kg) freestyle weight class, claimed his fourth medal, including his first gold, for Team USA in four competitions since completing his OSU career in 2004. "I knew it was going to be a lot of fun," Rowlands said after his win at the World games. "My whole goal was to take the crowd out of it right away. I scored that three-point move in the first 30 seconds of the first period and that was big." FORMER BUCKEYE JOHN CLARK HIRED AT STANFORD Former Ohio State wrestler John Clark accepted an assistant coaching position at Stanford University Aug. 26. Clark, who lettered at Ohio State from 2001-2004, is a two-time All-American, becoming the ninth Buckeye to earn multiple All-America honors after placing sixth and fifth, respectively, at the 2003 and 2004 NCAA Championships. A 2004 team captain, Clark finished his OSU tenure fourth in career wins (134) and is third all-time in takedowns (486) and team points (432.0). Clark joins OSU's Tommy Rowlands and Adam DiSabato as the only Buckeye wrestlers to reach 400 career takedowns and 400 team points. 2005-06 OUTLOOK Ohio State is embarking upon a daunting task of facing the challenges of the 2005-06 campaign as a young and inexperienced team. However, Russ Hellickson, who is entering his 20th season as OSU head coach, and the Buckeyes refuse to use youth as an excuse. Hellickson's team will try to become a Top 20 squad in the nation by the end of the season, as well as a Big Ten contender. For Ohio State, the challenge to improve from an 8-11 dual mark and a 1-7 conference record in 2004-05 will depend on the mindset of a group that is composed of 18 true and redshirt freshmen, nine sophomores, seven juniors and four seniors. A pair of sophomores in T.J. Enright and Kirk Nail is expected to lead this developing squad, as both qualified for the NCAA championships, along with junior J.D. Bergman, who will be redshirting this season. "We are a team dominated by freshmen and sophomores," Hellickson said. "But that is no excuse. We have to be competitive because there is a lot of talent here. We may be a young team, but we can't act like it." TIMING IS EVERYTHING The Buckeyes will be forced to confront the reality they do not have much time to develop their skills and prove their talents on the mats. With a tough upcoming schedule, many will receive a fresh start at the collegiate ranks. However, Ohio State is prepared to bring its work ethic to a higher level, which can produce All-Americans by the end of the season, Hellickson said. The Buckeyes missed out on All-America accolades last year, but that is of little worry to Hellickson and Co. The 40-time producer of OSU All-Americans predicts Ohio State can garner multiple All-America candidates at the conclusion of the year, fulfilling an expectation that eluded the Buckeyes last season. "With the challenge in front of them, there is no time for adjustment," Hellickson said. "They have to think like seasoned veterans and act like they have been at the top before." There also will be greater expectations for the four seniors returning to the team. The senior class, comprised of Nathaniel Augustson, Brent Billet, Nathan Costello and Steve Sommer is presented with the same situation many of the underclassmen will work through; "they will have to do more than their experience would dictate they are capable of doing," Hellickson said. Augustson was a mainstay at 174 and was voted "Most Dedicated" by his teammates last season, leading the team in reversals (18) and was third in takedowns (53) and team points (48). Billet will step up at 184 after serving in a reserve role last season. Costello (125) recorded his best statistics to date at the collegiate level in 2004-05, registering career highs in wins (8), takedowns (30) and team points (28.5). At 157, Sommer also competed for Ohio State in a reserve role last year, but he too is predicted to be a stronghold in the 2005-06 starting lineup. Adam Huddle, Jordin Humphrey, Jermaine Jones, Alex Picazo and Steve Wolery make up a sound junior class. Huddle will return after spending majority of last season as a back-up. Humphrey who transferred to Ohio State and Jones, who did not compete for the Buckeyes last season, will battle teammate Costello for the start at 125. At 184, Picazo recorded career highs last season in wins (14), dual wins (6), takedowns (43) and team points (30.5). Wolery received the starting nod at 149 in 2004-05 as a walk-on. UNDAUNTED UNDERCLASSMEN Several sophomores, many redshirt freshmen from a year ago and numerous true freshmen will be thrust into action in 2005-06. In addition to qualifying for the NCAA championships, Enright, who will be jumping from 133 to 141, finished sixth at the Big Ten championships and was ranked in the Top 20 throughout the season, including a ranking as high as 11th. James King will compete for the starting role at 165 with Augustson and redshirt freshman Charlie Clark. Nail will be the go to guy at HWT after a successful 2004-05 campaign in which he finished eighth at the Big Ten championships before qualifying for the NCAA championships. Corey Morrison will vie for the starting spot at 197 with fellow freshman James Aston, who competed for the 2005 football Buckeyes. Reece Humphrey, the younger brother of Jordin, is projected to handle the reigns at 133, while J Jaggers, Blake Maurer and Eric Wanner should receive a start at 149, 174 and 133, respectively. "We have two good recruiting classes that will fortify what the seniors will bring to the table," Hellickson said. A LOOK BACK: 2004-05 SEASON REVIEW Ohio State featured a line up that consisted of up to seven freshmen in 2004-05. The Buckeyes started the dual season with a 1-3 record, but rolled to five-consecutive wins after the first of the year. OSU went 4-0 as host of the Buckeye Duals before hitting the road and knocking off then-No. 25 Pittsburgh, 20-17. The Pittsburgh win would be the last, however, until the final dual of the season, when the Buckeyes topped Penn State, 21-17, in University Park, Pa. In the midst of the losing streak, the Buckeyes dropped tight decisions to Purdue, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In tournament action, T.J. Enright became the first Buckeye freshman to win his first two events when he took first place at the Oklahoma Gold Classic and the Michigan State Open. All-American J.D. Bergman also performed well in tournament fields with a first-place finish at the MSU Open, a third-place stand at the Las Vegas Invitational and a second-place finish at Midlands. Bergman, who will be redshirting in 2005-06, closed the season with a runner-up performance at the Big Ten championships. UP NEXT Ohio State is back in action at the Las Vegas Invitational Dec. 2-3. The Buckeyes will compete at the Cashman Center before kicking off their dual meet schedule at Missouri at 2 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo.

BLACKSBURG -- The Virginia Tech wrestling team will kick off its 2005-06 season by competing at the West Virginia Open Saturday at Morgantown. Eighteen of the 21 athletes on the roster are expected to compete, but only about half will represent Virginia Tech. The other half will wrestler unattached. In college wrestling, a wrestler can compete as "unattached" to preserve his eligibility status. The Tech athletes choosing this route must find their own transportation and lodging, as well as pay for all meals. On the mat, they can't wear Hokie singlets or have Tech coaches or trainers help them out during the match. Their records also will not count toward their season results and their results will not count toward the team competition at the Open. After this tournament, most of the team will compete in another open tournament. Tech will travel to Omaha, Neb., for the Kaufman-Brand Open, one of the top open tournaments in the Midwest. That will take place on Nov. 19. Here's a breakdown of the Tech wrestlers competing Saturday, as well as projected weight classes. This list, as well as each athlete's status, could change: Representing Virginia Tech: Eddie Baughan, 165 pounds Mark Czarny, 165 pounds Mike Faust, 285 pounds David Hoffman, 141 pounds John Laboranti, 197 pounds Sheridan Moran, 133 pounds Christian Smith, 125 pounds Justin Staylor, 125 pounds Tech wrestlers competing unattached: Steve Borja, 184 pounds Jay Borschel 174 pounds Dave Kiley, 157 pounds Dan LeClere, 141 pounds T.H. Leet, 165 pounds Mark Logan, 285 pounds Brent Metcalf, 149 pounds Anton Prater, 125 pounds Joe Slaton, 133 pounds Matt Woods, 197 pounds Not expected to compete: Jon Bonilla-Bowman, 157 pounds Tyde Prater, 149 pounds Joe Thompson, 125 pounds

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska wrestling team opened the early signing period with a flourish by receiving National Letters-of-Intent from three accomplished prep recruits, Husker Head Coach Mark Manning announced on Wednesday. "We got three really outstanding kids today," Manning said. "These guys all are good students, good wrestlers and have good character." NU's class is led by in-state recruit Matt Vacanti. The Papillion-LaVista product is 103-0 in his high school career and is slated to wrestle at either 133 or 141 pounds for the Huskers. Vacanti was 35-0 with all wins by fall last season en route to his third career state championship. Vacanti is also accomplished on the national stage, as a two-time cadet national champion. "Matt has a great work ethic and is a tough, hard-nosed kid," Manning said. "His style of wrestling fits in well with the rest of our team. He's an exciting wrestler to watch and he gets after it." Joining Vacanti is Curtis Salazar of Greeley, Colo. Salazar is a two-time Colorado state champion and a three-time state finalist. Salazar, who is projected to wrestle at 149 pounds in college, is another valuable addition to the NU wrestling team, according to Manning. "He's a good wrestler who wants to get better, and he is a great student," Manning said. "He's been dominating in state and national competition and beat a lot of good, ranked opponents. He's come to our camp the last couple years and gets along well with our guys. We're happy to have him be part of our family now." Rounding out Wednesday's signings is Alex Ward, from Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, Md. Ward, projected to wrestle in the middle weights in college, is a two-time state champion at 145 pounds. A fourth-place finisher the last two years in the national prep tournament, Ward is the son of three-time NCAA finalist and former NU assistant wrestling coach Kelly Ward. "He's an outstanding kid from a heralded program in Mount Saint Joseph High School," Manning said. "We expect him to improve and develop a lot in our program. He's an intelligent young man with great potential and upside. He will help us out in the future." The early signing period continues until Nov. 16.

#25 McDaniel College (1-0) won three of the first four bouts to upset #10 Delaware Valley (0-1) 22-17 in the first dual meet of the season for both teams, each of which was ranked in the Adidas / Brute NWCA preseason poll. McDaniel swept the upper half of the middleweights to pull away from the Aggies in a non-conference dual held at John Carroll High School in Harford County. Steve Colasuonno's (Holtsville, NY/Sachem, NY) major decision over Adam Olin at 125 pounds was followed by a 10-8 overtime decision by Rob Willey (Baltimore / McDonogh) to give McDaniel a quick 7-0 lead. The Aggies cut it to 10-8 following Ryan Herwig's major decision over McDaniel's Zach Hetrick (Hanover, PA / Southwestern). Then Delaware Valley ran into the strength of McDaniel's lineup. The nation's second ranked wrestler at 165 pounds, Tony Howard (Rockville, MD / Magruder), worked a 4-2 decision over Justin Powell. That was followed by Andrew Winfield's (New Windsor, MD / S. Carroll) win. Winfield, a sophomore transfer from Penn State, pinned Ryan Pope in the third period to give McDaniel an 11-point cushion. Delaware Valley was poised to climb back into the match heading into the final two bouts when Paul Donnell ran out to a 9-3 lead on McDaniel's Sucba Steve Jennings (Baltimore / Pallotti) in the 174-pound bout, but Jennings rallied for a 12-11 win to put the match out of reach. "I am proud of, but not shocked by the way we wrestled tonight," said head coach Sam Gardner. "After the 53-0 drubbing they put on us two years ago, I probably would have been pleased with it being respectable, but we showed grit and wrestled like we know we can. No one showed more grit than Jennings rallying to seal the win." The Aggies swept the night's final pair of bouts gaining a decision and a pin. With the win, McDaniel starts its dual meet season at 1-0, while the Aggies fall to 0-1 in head-to-head competition. The Green Terror returns to action on Saturday when McDaniel hosts the Sam Case Green Terror Duals. Festivities get underway in the Gill Center at 9:00am.

Cornell College upset #12 Simpson 32-18 in the season opener for both schools Nov. 9 in Mount Vernon. The dual began at 174 pounds where Simpson's Cody Downing (Sr., Creston, Iowa, Creston H.S.) pinned Kyle Kheril at 1:17. Adam Sandoval defeated freshman Sean Miller (Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill H.S.) 10-6 at 184. John Ugaste put the Rams into the lead at 197 with a technical fall victory over Chris Downing (So., Creston, Iowa, Creston H.S.) 22-7. Storm heavyweight Brett Christensen (Sr., Lenox, Iowa, Lenox H.S.), who is ranked fifth in the nation, pinned Lucas White 1:16 into the match to give Simpson a 12-8 lead. The Rams went ahead for good when Chris Heilman pinned Matt Koch (Fr., Indianola, Iowa, Indianola H.S.) 6:04 into the 125-pound match. Greg Murphy pinned Brooke Irlmeier (Fr., Exira, Iowa, Audubon H.S.) at 4:58 of the 133-pound match. Dave Parmski won by default at 141 with Aron Kindelsberger pinning Ben Hektoen (Fr., Birmingham, Iowa, Fairfield H.S.) at 4:50 of the 149-pound match. The Storm won the final two matches of the night when Kellen Delaney (Jr., Kansas City, Mo., Park Hill H.S.) defeated Pat McAuley 6-5 at 157 and Bryan Llewellyn (Sr., St. Charles, Iowa, I-35 H.S.) defeated Drew Vickers 5-3 at 165. Cornell's victory only marked the second time in the past 12 duals (since 1995) that the Rams have defeated the Storm. The Storm lead the all-time series 18-5.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy wrestling team travels to California for its first dual-meet action of the year, as it will battle Cal State-Fullerton, Cal State-Bakersfield and UC-Davis on Friday and Saturday. The Mids will take on Cal State-Fullerton on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. (PST) at Temecula Valley High School in Temecula, Calif. On Saturday, Navy will face Cal State-Bakersfield at 1:00 p.m. (PST), followed by UC-Davis. Both of Saturday's matches will be at Cal State-Bakersfield. Navy is coming off a 12-3 dual-meet record a year ago. Last year, Navy won all three of its duals on its California trip, defeating Cal State-Fullerton, 23-12, 13th-ranked Cal Poly, 26-16, and 21st-ranked Cal State-Bakersfield, 23-19. Tanner Garrett and John Cox went 3-0 during the duals to lead the Mids to victory. Cal State-Fullerton lost all three of its 2004-05 NCAA Tournament qualifiers to graduation, and will feature a balanced mix of young and old in its line-up this weekend. The Titans, which finished tied for 52nd in the NCAA Championship, could start as many as five freshmen and sophomores in the first seven weight classes. The final five line-up spots will likely be occupied by seniors, and just three of the returnees (Paul Tice, 141; Risto Marttinen, 165; and Jesse Taylor, 184) wrestled against Navy last year. None of the three won a match against Navy. Cal-State Bakersfield returns one NCAA qualifier off last year's team that finished 22nd at the NCAA Championship. Anthony Baza returns at 149 pounds and is ranked 12th in the country at the same weight. Bakersfield lost two All-Americans (Efren Ceballos, 125; and Matt Sanchez, 133) due to graduation. Another wrestler to keep an eye on for the Roadrunners is 174-pounder Christian Arellano, who is ranked 14th in the nation's top 20. UC-Davis returns one NCAA qualifier, with 11th-ranked Derek Moore (qualified at 133 pounds; wrestling at 141 this year) being the leader. It is not known what weight Moore is wrestling at this year. UC-Davis lost two NCAA qualifiers to graduation, Ron Silva at 174, and Branden Bear at 184. Navy is coming off a solid showing at last week's season-opening Eastern Michigan Open. Eight Mids placed in the top six of their respective weight classes, including John Jarred's (Kansas City, Mo.) title at 157 pounds and Tanner Garrett's (Tulsa, Okla.) victory at heavyweight. With the wins, Garrett moved into a tie for 23rd on the school's all-time victory list. Also of note, Garrett has won 21 straight dual meets, dating back to the 2003-2004 season. He went a perfect 14-0 last season. Navy leads the all-time series with Cal State-Fullerton, 1-0 (2004 was the lone meeting), is tied with Cal State-Bakersfield, 1-1, and leads the series with UC-Davis, 2-1. With this year's contest, the Mids will have wrestled UC-Davis in four of the last five years.

PITTSBURGH -- The Panthers have signed Jimmy Conroy as their first wrestling recruit for the 2006-07 season. Conroy has been listed as a top 50 recruit in a number of wrestling polls and is ranked fourth nationally at his weight class. Conroy (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) currently holds a 106-5 record going into his senior year and is a three-time state placewinner, capturing the championship in 2004. Last year, Conroy was named "Junior of the Year" by the New Jersey Star Ledger. "He's one of New Jersey's better guys," said Head Coach Rande Stottlemyer. "We're very excited to have him. He's a lightweight, and we don't know if he'll wrestle 125 or 133, but he'll definitely help us out in those lower weight classes. This is a good start to our recruiting class." In an interview earlier this year, Conroy told the Courier News, "I just loved the whole city. The coaches are nice guys, and they have a brand new wrestling room. It's really a hotbed for wrestling." Conroy will join a program that's currently ranked in the top 20 and has seven returning NCAA qualifiers for the 2005-06 season.

Ames, Iowa -- Iowa State (2-0, 0-0), coming off season-opening victories against Upper Iowa and Wisconsin-La Crosse, returns home to face the Wolverines of Utah Valley State Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones topped UVSC last year in the schools' only meeting, 35-9. The Wolverines are coached by former Iowa State two-time All-American Cody Sanderson. "They are a young team but should not be overlooked," head coach Bobby Douglas said. "Coach (Sanderson) will have them ready to go and his program is on the rise." ISU returns five starters from last year's squad which topped the Wolverines at the Utah Valley State Open. All-Americans Nate Gallick (141), Trent Paulson (157), Travis Paulson (165) and Kurt Backes (184) each scored bonus points at their respective weight class to lead the Cyclones. Trent Paulson and Backes scored pins and will face the same opponent again. Sophomore David Bertolino will see his first action of the season at 174 pounds. Utah Valley State, which finished 3-12-1 in its second season of competition at the Div. I ranks, will feature five freshmen who are making their first collegiate dual start. The Wolverines will be bolstered by the return of 133-pounder Erkin Tadzhimetov, a native of Uzbekistan who holds team records in most wins in a single season (18) and quickest fall (0:38). While competing for the Cyclones, Sanderson was a two-time All-American, Big 12 champion and most outstanding wrestler, four-time NCAA qualifier, Midlands champion and three-time Academic All-American. ISU heads to Fort Dodge on Saturday to compete at the annual Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open. Gallick, the Paulsons and Backes are returning champions. Amateur Wreslting News All-Americans Nick Fanthorpe, Nick Gallick, David Zabriskie and Mitch Mueller will make their anticipated Cyclone debuts.

Pembroke, NC -- The University of North Carolina at Pembroke wrestling team will host its annual UNCP Classic, an open wrestling tournament, on Friday, November 11, and Saturday, November 12 at the Jones Center. The tournament will feature over 200 wrestlers from approximately 20 schools. Participating schools include UNCP, The Citadel, NC State, Carson Newman, Central Florida, Duke, Campbell, Gardner-Webb, Newberry, Anderson, Campbellsville, Spartanburg Methodist, Pensacola Christian, Limestone, Apprentice, Cumberland, Southern Virginia, Belmont Abbey and Kings College. Last year, Pembroke's Willie Hilton took the 141-pound Classic title, while fellow Brave Dwayne Coward was the 165-pound champion. Eventual All-American Aaron Gunning lost in the finals and earned runner-up honors at 157. Eric Burrell of Campbell (174) tallied the quickest pin, 16 seconds, while Davidson's Matt Pendle (157) earned the Most Falls Award with five pins. Action will get underway at 5 pm on Friday and 9 am on Saturday morning with the finals tentatively set for 6 pm Saturday evening. Admission is $8 for adults and $1 for students.

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- The green team, led by three All-Americans, won five of the first six matches and then hung on for a 20-11 win over the white team in Adams State College's annual Green & White Dual on Wednesday night in Plachy Hall. The dual was the first competitive action of the season for the Grizzlies, ranked ninth in the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Coaches Association Preseason Poll. Wednesday's action started with a battle of returning All-Americans in a 125/133-pound match-up. Sophomore 133-pounder Raymond Dunning (Nashville, Tenn.) scored five takedowns and a second period near fall to post a 13-7 win over senior 125-pound Rob McCabe (Nucla, Colo.). Dunning finished sixth in last year's NCAA Division II National Championships and begins 2005-06 ranked fifth. McCabe finished fourth at last year's national championships and is tabbed second this year. The green team extended its lead to 6-0 after junior Brian Pitts (Rio Rancho, N.M.) scored a 6-4 win 141-pound win over Joey Deaguero (Commerce City, Colo.). Pitts, a 2002 All-American at 125 pounds, trailed 3-2 after the first period but rallied to defeat the 3-time state champion from Adams City High School. The white team got on to the scoreboard in dominating fashion as Jacob Sheridan (Manassa, Colo.) thrashed Joe Kelso (Monte Vista, Colo.) in a battle of San Luis Valley natives. Sheridan scored all four of the white team's near falls throughout the evening and posted a 15-0 technical fall win that closed the overall deficit to 6-5. The green team quickly regained momentum as Dan Intlekofer (Fort Collins, Colo.) edged Noomis Jones (Arvada, Colo.) in a 149-pound battle of 2005 Class 5A State Champions. Intlekofer, a 2-time state champion at Rocky Mountain High School, scored the only takedown of the match in the first period and then escaped the Pomona High School product's grasp to secure the win in the third period. Intlekofer wrestled at 145 pounds in high school while Jones grappled at 152 pounds. The Green team then went up 12-5 with a key win at 157 pounds. Senior Aaron Thompson (Newton, Kan.) reversed junior Dusty Vaughn (Montrose, Colo.) to begin the second period and then scored a 3-point near fall while using riding time to post the 6-0 win. The punches kept on coming as returning All-American Evan Copeland (Las Cruces, N.M.) blasted freshman Andre' Jones (Gold Canyon, Ariz.) in the 165-pound match-up giving the green team a 17-5 lead. Copeland, who finished third at nationals in that weight class, scored 10 of the green team's 21 takedowns and then ended the match 44 seconds early with a near fall to close out a 23-8 win. Jones, a 2-time freestyle state champion from Apache Junction High School, scored all of his points on escapes. The white team closed the gap in one of the most exciting matches of the night at 174 pounds. Sophomore Max Smith (Parker, Colo.) scored a first period takedown of returning national qualifier James Reynolds (Monte Vista, Colo.) to take a 2-0 lead. Smith then escaped for the only second period action before Reynolds, a returning national tournament qualifier, closed the gap to 3-2 with a third period takedown. He also erased Smith's riding time advantage but could not turn him as the white squad closed the gap to 17-8. The white team also squeaked out a 5-4 win thanks to riding time at 184 pounds as returning national qualifier Josh Vialpando (Walsenburg, Colo.) overcame an early 2-0 deficit to 4-time state champion Torben Walters (Olney Springs, Colo.) with a pair of escapes. Vialpando then scored a second period takedown before Walters, a Crowley County High School graduate, tied the score at 4 with two escapes of his own. However, he could not find a late takedown to overcome Vialpando's 82 seconds of riding time. That win closed green's lead to 17-11 heading into the final match-up of the night, a inter-weight class battle of former national tournament qualifiers. 197-pound junior Casey Woodall (Morenci, Ariz.), a 2004 184-pound qualifier, scored the first point of the match senior Heath Soderstrom (Englewood, Colo.) tied the score at 1 with an early third period escape. Woodall then scored a pair of takedowns on the heavyweight to close out his win and the dual win for his team. The Grizzlies will begin their regular season at the University of Wyoming's Cowboy Open on Sunday in Laramie, Wyo. Action in UW's War Memorial Fieldhouse begins at 9 a.m.

Wow! What can I say? The last two weeks have been very interesting to say the least, and very trying. As many of you may have heard, I lost in the Black/Red Classic (our varsity wrestle-offs). I lost 12-10 to Kyle Frawley, a transfer from North Idaho. Anyway, it was a very hard loss to swallow. I mean, what fifth-year senior wants to lose his spot the last year of his collegiate career? But again, our wrestle-offs are a bit different than most other schools. Our coaches name a No. 1 wrestler at each weight (usually the returning starter). The rest of the guys at that weight are then seeded into a mini-tournament, which is wrestled out and the winner of that bracket wrestles the number one guy in the Black/Red Classic. Therefore, even though I lost in the Classic -- that was only the first match of a best-of-three series. It is basically just like the Olympic Team Trials. I knew that I had another shot at winning the varsity spot, but I would have to beat Frawley the next two matches. We found out that the next set of matches were going to be held the following Wednesday. The first would be wrestled before practice, and if necessary, the second (or third overall) would be wrestled immediately following practice. Every wrestler that gets beaten in the Classsic has the option of wrestling the guy who beat him again, so not everyone wrestles, but there were to be four matches. I was the last match since I was the last weight to be re-contested. I watched the other three matches basically end up the same way they did before, and then it was my turn. I was a bit nervous, as always, but knew I could win. Marshall Marquardt rides Kyle Frawley in a 174-pound match-up at the Black/Red Classic.Before I can get into the matches, I have to take you back a little bit to let you know exactly how I was feeling and my overall mindset. The previous Thursday (the night before the Classic was held) I started to get a sore throat. I thought it was just one of those things that would come and go, but when I woke up Friday mornings for weigh-ins, it was extremely painful. I tried to drink as much as I could Friday, trying to attribute my sore throat to maybe being a little dehydrated, but nothing seemed to work. I didn't want to take any medicine for fear of its effects it could have on my match later that night. After the match, I went to the store and got some over-the-counter medicine. The next day we had an all-day camp, so I swooped by the local clinic and got prescribed some real medicine. I felt pretty bad all day, but managed to make it through, showing a little technique along the way. On Monday, nothing was happening and I still was pretty sick. I didn't end up going back to the clinic until Tuesday, where they gave me some different medicine, promising me that it would work this time. Anyway, by the time the second and third match of the wrestle-off came around, I was still not up to par. It was wearing on me mentally, but I tried to put it in the back of my mind, focusing on the task at hand. I knew that what I was doing and how I was training would pay off. I watched video of the match and did some "problem-solving" with my brother, Jake Marquardt, late Sunday night. The second match was a success, as I was victorious -- 4-2. I got a takedown with 45 seconds to go in the third period and rode him out to win. I was pleased with the match, but still knew I could do better. I was the only person to wrestle the third match, so I was up right away after practice. It went very well, as I prevailed in the match, 11-5. I know it was only a wrestle-off, but I was so happy to get my hand raised. It let so much hype and pressure off my back. I felt like a brand new person inside and out. The stress that had been building the last week was instantly gone when my hand was raised after the last match. I felt a new energy and growing confidence I have been missing for a while now. I don't know when exactly I went into hibernation, but I am glad I am finally awake, and on the hunt. Until next time, keep getting better. Marshall Marquardt Past Entries: Entry 3 (10/26/05) Entry 2 (10/13/05) Entry 1 (10/1/05)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana wrestling team will host an intra-squad scrimmage on Tuesday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at the Brown County High School gym and will feature 12 matches in weight classes ranging from 125-HWT. Competing at the scrimmage are senior 125-pound national champion Joe Dubuque, NCAA qualifiers senior Brady Richardson, junior Isaac Knable and sophomores Brandon Becker and Max Dean. Senior Nick Spatola, juniors Marc Bennett, Josh Buuck, Ian Campbell and Matt Cooper, sophomores Blane Culp, Justin Curran and Dave Herman and redshirt freshmen Jose Escobedo, Andrae Hernandez and Heath Vandeventer also will see time on the mat. Hoosier newcomers include freshmen Matt Coughlin, Angel Escobedo, Wesley Fike, Maurice Gunn, Hunter Hughes, Scott Kelley and Trevor Perry also will take to the mat on Tuesday. The Hoosiers are coming off an open competition at the Eastern Michigan Open, where Perry took the crown at 174 pounds followed by Herman in second at heavyweight and Angel Escobedo taking bronze at 133. Indiana will open its season at the Missouri Open in Columbia, Mo., Nov. 20.

State College, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion head wrestling coach Troy Sunderland and his outstanding staff are seeing the fruits of their recruiting labors pay off as a trio of the nation's best high school wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Penn State on day one of the signing period. Alphabetically, high school standouts Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Josh Rohler (Akron, Ohio) and Garrett Scott (Alexandria, Pa.) will attend Penn State in 2006-07 as members of one of the nation's top recruiting classes. "We are extremely pleased to get commitments from wrestlers and young men of this caliber," Sunderland said. "All three are ranked number one in their weights in at least one poll, so getting wrestlers ranked that high across the board adds to the credibility of this class being considered one of the best incoming classes in the nation." Rella, who projects at 165 for Penn State, is the defending Ohio State Champion heading into his senior season at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cleveland, Ohio. The 2005 Junior National Freestyle runner-up, he was a Junior National All-American. Rella was also runner-up at the FILA Junior National Freestyle Championships and is a two-time Powerade Champion and an Ironman Champion. "Dave is the total package," Sunderland said. "He's a great wrestler and student and he is so personable that he'll fit right in with his teammates. His presence will help us sign even more of the nation's top high school wrestlers." Not only ranked No. 1 in his weight class, Intermat ranks him as the No. 8 overall high school recruit in the country. Rohler, who projects at 157 at Penn State, is heading into his senior season at St. Vincent/St. Mary High School. The 2005 Ohio Division II third place finisher also placed third in the 2005 Beast of the East Championships. Rohler was the 2004 Ironman runner-up and an Ohio State runner-up in 2004. Rohler also is a two-time Cadet National All-American. "Josh has tremendous flow and he's good in all three positions," Sunderland said. "His athletic ability is an outstanding plus for him and he's a welcome addition to the Penn State wrestling family." Not only ranked at the top in his weight, Rohler is ranked as the No. 15 overall high school recruit in the nation by Intermat. Scott, who projects at 141 or 149 for the Nittany Lions, is a three-time defending Pennsylvania AA State Champion at Juniata Valley High School. He heads into his final season at JVHS looking to join an elite group of four-time champs. Scott was the 2005 FILA Junior National Freestyle eighth-place finisher and the 2004 Cadet National Greco runner-up. He won the Cadet Freestyle National title in 2002 and 2003 and was National Greco runner-up both those years as well. "Garrett brings a natural style with him," Sunderland said. "He has great balance and flow and is seemingly never panicked. He's always cool under pressure. It's always very gratifying to get one of Pennsylvania's top high school wrestlers." In addition to his lofty weight class ranking, Scott is ranked No. 13 overall in the country by Intermat. Penn State's incoming recruiting class, which is considered among the best in the nation by nearly every wrestling publication and outlet, follows closely on the heals of last year's 12-man recruiting class, which was ranked No. 5 by Intermat. Intermat is the official website and media outlet of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA).

USA Wrestling will add a Junior division to its annual National Folkstyle Championships, which will be held at the UNIDome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, April 7-9, 2006. There are currently two other divisions which are contested at this annual competition: Kids (ages 9-14) and Cadet (ages 15-16). The Junior division is for wrestlers who are currently enrolled in grades 9-12, and features the best high school wrestlers in the nation. "USA Wrestling strives to provide quality wrestling opportunities for America's youth and the Junior Folkstyle Nationals is sure to be just that," stated USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender on the addition of this event. "We are proud to add this event to our National Events Program." Folkstyle is the American-style of wrestling, also known as scholastic or collegiate style. This form of wrestling is only practiced in the United States. With the addition of a USA Wrestling Junior Folkstyle National Championships, USA Wrestling will now institute a Triple Crown award for the Junior division. Any wrestler who wins USA Wrestling national titles in all three styles (folkstyle, freestyle, Greco-Roman) during the same year will receive this outstanding honor. 2004 Olympic gold medalist and Iowa State Univ. assistant coach Cael Sanderson will be in Cedar Falls to hand out awards to the placewinners. While a competitor at Iowa State, Sanderson became the first collegiate wrestler to finish his career undefeated (159-0) with four NCAA titles. The final two legs of the Junior Triple Crown, the 2006 ASICS/Vaughan Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships, will be held in Fargo, N.D., July 23-29. Currently, USA Wrestling recognizes Triple Crown winners in the Kids and Cadet age levels. The USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals is the first leg of the Triple Crown in these three age divisions. This is one of the most sought-after awards within USA Wrestling. The USA Wrestling Kids Folkstyle Nationals has developed into one of the most important events on the annual Kids wrestling calendar. The tournament marks the conclusion of USA Wrestling's Ultimate Challenge Series of Folkstyle Wrestling, an 11-event series of major youth competitions around the nation. At the conclusion of the USA Wrestling Kids Folkstyle Nationals, nine "Dominator Belts" as well as the prestigious "Ultimate Dominator" award are presented to the most successful athletes in this program. USA Wrestling now annually recognizes all champions from each Kids National Championship as members of USA Wrestling's Kids National Team at the conclusion of each events season. For more information on the Folkstyle National Championships for the Kids, Cadet or Junior levels, contact USA Wrestling Director of National Events Pete Isais at (719) 598-8181 or by e-mail at pisais@usawrestling.org.