InterMat Staff

AMES, Iowa -- Steve Knight has recently been named Executive Director and Club Coach of the Cyclone Wrestling Club, the support arm for the Iowa State University wrestling program. Knight's duties as Executive Director will include building membership, sponsorship and coordinating special events for the Cyclone Wrestling Club. Knight will also work with wrestlers to continue their careers beyond college while training for international competition and expand the regional training site concept. Iowa State wrestling has been designated as an official USAW Regional Training Site. "I'm excited to be back in Cyclone country and I'm honored and proud to be a part of this program again. I have great memories here. My wife and I are also pleased to be back around family," said Knight this past week from the Iowa State campus. "We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to hire someone with Steve's experience and background, " stated Jeff Murphy, Cyclone Wrestling Club president. "Coach Douglas and his staff are doing a great job of bringing the best wrestlers in the nation to Iowa State. Our top mission at the Cyclone Wrestling Club is to provide those wrestlers with the opportunity to pursue their post collegiate wrestling goals, and the addition of Steve Knight will help us to achieve that mission. Steve Knight received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Iowa State University. He was an Iowa State NCAA All American and Big 8 Champion at 126lbs. He went on to win the 1992 Pan American Championships at 136.5lbs. He wrestled on the US Freestyle circuit through 1992 competing both nationally and internationally. He was also a five time Senior National Freestyle All American while competing for the Cyclone Wrestling Club. Knight was an assistant coach for three seasons at Iowa State under Head Coach Jim Gibbons. After finishing his competitive career, he and his wife settled in Colorado. For the past ten years, Steve was the Head Coach for Team Excel, a USA Wrestling club that competed on both the Senior Olympic freestyle level as well as the Junior level. Team Excel has seen much success in 10 years with many Senior level All American performances. On the junior level, Team Excel wrestlers earned 62 High School State Championships with many of these wrestlers going on to wrestle on the college level. Two wrestlers from the program have achieved Division I NCAA All American status. Knight has been a member of the USA Wrestling National Teams coaching pool for 12 years. He is a USA Wrestling bronze level certified coach and has lead many teams abroad. He was the Head Coach of the US Pan Am team in 2004 that won the Freestyle Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala. In 2005, he coached the US World Cup team to Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He has served on two US Olympic Coaching staffs in 2000 and 2004. He also worked for two years with the Australian National team coaching in two World Freestyle Championships in 1998 and 1999. In Colorado, Knight was also the founder of the Colorado state chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was instrumental in developing USA Wrestling's very first Junior Olympic Program model that is currently being utilized today in several states. Knight is also a committee member for the USA Wrestling Federation of Clubs board. Steve and his wife Kristin have three children, Evan 13, Colby 11 and Mackenzie 9.

All three U.S. freestyle wrestlers who competed on the opening day of the World Wrestling Championships were defeated in the morning session at the Laszlo Papp Sports Arena in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 26. 1998 World Champion Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) won his first match of the day, but was defeated in his second round match at 55 kg/121 lbs. Losing in their opening matches of the day were Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) at 60 kg/132 lbs. and Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Henson opened the first match with a 2-3, 2-0, 4-0 victory over Vytas Cumakov of Lithuania. Henson was ahead 2-0 in the first period, but lost that period when Cumakov scored a takedown and a leg lace turn for three points. Henson dominated the next two periods, shutting out Cumakov 2-0 and 4-0 to win the match. In the next round, Henson was defeated by a young talent, Zalimkhan Kutseev of Russia, 1-1, 0-7. Henson scored the first point in the opening period on a takedown, but Kutseev scored a takedown with 12 seconds remaining to tie the match. The Russian won the period by scoring the last point in the period which is in the tiebreaking rules. In the second period, Kutseev scored a takedown and then turned Henson three times to his back to score seven points, winning the period by technical superiority. Under the new rules, if an athlete is six or more points ahead in any period, it ends the period by technical superiority. Lightner was defeated in a tight three-period match to 2004 Olympian Tevfik Odabasi of Turkey, 2-0, 0-1, 0-4. It was Lightner's first appearance in a World Championships. Lightner won the first period 2-0, with a takedown and a step out point. In the second period, Odabasi scored the only point when Lightner stepped out of bounds. The final period went to Odabasi, who scored a two-point crotch lift on a counter to a Lightner shot, then scored two more takedowns when Lightner tried to press his offense. Bono was defeated by Evan MacDonald of Canada, 1-1, 1-1. In both periods, Bono scored the first point of the match on a takedown. In the first period, MacDonald scored a point when Bono went out of bounds with four seconds left. In the second period, Bono stepped out with just one second remaining, giving the point to MacDonald. In the new rules, the athlete who scored the final point wins a 1-1 tie. Bono was competing in the World Championships for the second time in his career. MacDonald was eighth at the 2003 World Championships, and competed in the 2004 Olympic Games. Bono beat MacDonald at the Sunkist Kids International Open earlier this season. As of the end of the morning session, Henson and Bono still have the opportunity to wrestle back for third place, because the athletes they lost to are still alive in the competition. However, both of their opponents must advance to the gold-medal finals for Henson and Bono to qualify for the wrestle-back rounds. Lightner was eliminated from the competition when Odabasi was defeated in the second round by 2004 Olympic champion Yandro Quintana of Cuba. "The bottom line is we were in scoring position and didn't finish the holds," said U.S. coach Mike Duroe. "That happened in Michael's match, and in Bono's match. Bono was ahead in both periods. A one-point lead is never enough. If you try to hold a lead, you are taking a chance. When you are in a position to win, you have to finish it clean. We are capable of doing that." QUOTES: 55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson (Flintstone, Ga./Sunkist Kids) "It was nothing. I just woke up this morning and didn't feel it. I was tired. I was strong; I am always strong. That guy is a good wrestler, but he's not in my league. He is done. He won't beat the other guys. He beat me. I got beat. Sammie Henson wasn't there today. What are you going to say? I am mad. I am pissed off. I have three kids and a family…" 60 kg/132 lbs. - Michael Lightner (Norman, Okla./Sunkist Kids) "For myself, I felt good. I don't feel like he did anything. I was in on his leg. I got beat with my own technique. I didn't react on my finish quite enough. At the end, the rest of the points were scored on me forcing attacks. It is going to be hard to swallow. I beat myself, hesitating on a shot." "I was ready to go physically and mentally. I felt I went out there and was in control. Coach Jackson preaches it all the time. Don't let him score on your technique. I let him score on my technique. The chances are against me getting back in with (Olympic champion) Quintana there." "It has been a good experience. I have gotten better. I have grown as a wrestler. I am disappointed it ended this way. I had higher expectations and my family had higher expectations. I've been knocked down before. I will be back." 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Chris Bono (Gilbert, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) "I made two of the biggest mistakes in my life. Those were things I worked in camp. I let my coaches down. They had me ready. I felt great. I didn't do the things we practiced. I played defense instead of building my lead and wrestling. I didn't stay aggressive. I should have gone for another point. I played defense and it cost me." "He has a tough draw ahead of him, the Kazakhstan wrestler who was fourth in the Olympics and the Bulgarian." "I still feel like I can win this tournament. To do that, you have to wrestle mistake free. I didn't do that. I was ready. I blew it, everything I worked for." Joe Seay, U.S. World Team Coach "I don't know the reason Sammie lost. I can't say it was mental. But today, I looked at Sammie and I didn't see what I should see. He is in excellent shape. But it seemed like he was tired. It was a combination of things. I wish I had the answer." "You don't sit on a lead. You don't wrestle on the edge. You control the middle of the mat and you stay there. We worked on that all summer." Mike Duroe, U.S. World Team Coach "The bottom line is we were in scoring position and didn't finish the holds. That happened in Michael's match, and in Bono's match. Bono was ahead in both periods. A one-point lead is never enough. If you try to hold a lead, you are taking a chance. When you are in a position to win, you have to finish it clean. We are capable of doing that." "With Chris Bono, it happened with 15 seconds left in the first period and just four seconds left in the second period. You have to keep wrestling. That is how we coached them."

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The World Wrestling Championships, which begin Monday in Budapest, Hungary, will have a distinctive University of Tennessee at Chattanooga flavor. Three members of the UTC coaching staff are members of the USA Wrestling National Team, including Mocs' Head Coach Joe Seay, who is one of two U.S. Freestyle coaches. Two new UTC assistant coaches, Chris Bono and Sammie Henson, are competing next week as members of the U.S. National Team in the freestyle tournament. Bono is the top-ranked U.S. wrestler at 66 kilograms (145.5 pounds) while Henson ranks first at 55 kilograms (121 pounds). Bono, an NCAA Champion from Iowa State, is a three-time U.S. World Team member, a two-time U.S. Nationals Champion and a 2003 World Cup Gold Medalist. Henson is a graduate of Missouri who won two NCAA titles while competing for the Tigers. He is a 1998 World Champion, a 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist and a three-time U.S. Nationals Champion. Seay was hired by UTC in May of this year to replace former Head Coach Terry Brands. Seay served as head coach of the 1996 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Team which produced three Gold Medal winners. He has led U.S. freestyle teams to World Team titles in 1993 and 1995. Prior to his arrival in Chattanooga, Seay won two NCAA team championships as the head coach at Oklahoma State and earned seven NCAA Division II National titles while the head coach at Cal State-Bakersfield. The World Championships conclude Wednesday.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Former Oklahoma State wrestlers Muhammed Lawal and Daniel Cormier will compete for a world championship at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, beginning Mon., Sept. 26. Lawal took the title at the U.S. Senior Nationals and then won the finals at the World Team Trials to earn this opportunity. He does not have much international experience, but part of that is due to wrestling at the same weight class (84 kg/185 lbs.) as Cael Sanderson. Sanderson has not competed since he won the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics. Lawal is a medal threat despite being a new face on the international scene. At Oklahoma State, Lawal wrestled one season and finished third at the NCAA Championships in 2003. He began his collegiate career at Central Oklahoma before transferring to OSU. Cormier has improved each year he has wrestled at the international level. He will be considered one of the favorites at 96 kg (211.5 lbs.). Cormier is coming off of a World Cup title in March, and he finished a disappointing fourth-place at the 2004 Olympic Games. The Russians have been a force at this weight class for the last few years. At Oklahoma State, Cormier was an All-American in 2001 finishing as the national runner-up at the 184 lb. weight class.

Four weeks ago, as the nation stood in awe of the disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, a small group from University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) set out to make a difference. The University's women's wrestling team saw the need for assistance and dedicated themselves to helping the victims of the disaster. Hurricane Katrina has topped the list of the costliest and most destructive tropical storms in the western hemisphere. The city of New Orleans was almost completely submerged in water while other coastal areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama suffered major damages. A majority of the victims were left without a home and without hope. UC's women's wrestling team aimed to help Katrina's victims regain hope and help the victims on the path toward recovery. Working in conjunction with the local Red Cross chapter, the ladies set up car washes, monetary donation centers at local stores, and drop off boxes within each of UC's dorms. Through these donations, the team was able to raise close to $800 and over twenty bags filled with clothing. The ladies then used the donations to buy simple but necessary toiletries such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. After only two weeks of full practice, the ladies will travel to London, Ontario on September 30, 2005, to compete with the University of Western Ontario in a scrimmage.

Record number of participants Early in September 2005, a total of 734 competitors in the 3 wrestling styles (freestyle, Greco-Roman, and female) from 98 countries returned their preliminary registration forms to the Organising Committee of the Senior World Championship in Budapest. If this number is confirmed, the competition, starting on 25 September 2005, will be the biggest event ever organised by FILA. Broadcasting innovations With its huge number of cameras at the competition, the Hungarian public television will provide the wrestling fans with services characterized by innovations. Their impact will extend far beyond the Hungarian borders, since the events will be relayed by Eurosport and various televisions from Greece, Turkey, Finland, Russia, and Germany. In addition, Canadian, Japanese, Indian, and Iranian channels will ensure a permanent coverage of the World Championship. Finally, and for the first time, FILA will broadcast the matches live on its website (www.fila-wrestling.com). Olympic anniversary On 10 December 2005, the Hungarian Olympic Committee (HNOC) will celebrate its 110 anniversary. However, the celebration will be anticipated in order to coincide with the World Championship. Mr. Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee President, will honour us with his presence as well. He will take part in the Hungarian NOC solemn general meeting taking place on 1 October 2005 in Budapest National Theatre and then he will attend the wrestling events. Two thousand young wrestlers As the Freestyle European Championship in 2000, Junior Olympiads will be organised at the same time and will welcome two thousand young wrestlers. They will take place in the Syma stadium that hosted the Veterans World Championship in 2003. Meetings and exhibition An exhibition devoted to the roots of wrestling will be opened on 25 September 2005, a few hours before the Opening Ceremony. It will be also the opening of the 2nd Hungarian Meetings, bringing together 600 to 800 former great wrestling champions. Anthem and pop concert During the Opening Ceremony, the violinist Edvin Marton, who plays with a highly valuable Stradivarius, will perform the Championship anthem that was kindly composed by him. After this performance, he will stay on the stage with his guest, Lou Bega, the international pop star, for a gala concert. Entertainments for children Finally, the Organising Committee will put a lot of effort into entertaining children who are an integral part of their massive advertising campaign. A wide range of recreational activities, including photography contests, games, and extreme sports, will be offered between the wrestling sessions. Tamas Gaspar, the head of the Organising Committee and Secretary General of the Hungarian Wrestling Federation, explains this great involvement: "We wish that the seven days of competition will make the heart of Budapest, city of 2 millions people, beat with the Laszlo Papp Arena."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Wrestling Committee has selected the Savvis Center in St. Louis as the site for the 2008 and 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the Qwest Center Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska as the host site for 2010 and the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia to serve as host in 2011. "The Wrestling Committee thought it said a great deal about the sport and these championships to have the number of quality bids that we had, and that made our job that much more difficult," said Tom Bold, the previous chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee who presided over the site selections. "We felt the three cities we selected each offer something very unique and exciting, and will offer an outstanding experience to our student-athletes and fans." The University of Missouri, Columbia will co-host the events along with the St. Louis Sports Commission March 20-22, 2008, and March 19-21, 2009. St. Louis has been the host for three previous Division I Wrestling Championships in 2000, 2004 and 2005. In 2000, St. Louis set the all-session attendance record of 96,944 fans, which still stands. "St. Louis has done a tremendous job of hosting the wrestling championships in the past," Bold said. "The wrestling committee has been extremely impressed with the dedication of the staff from Missouri, the Savvis Center and the St. Louis Sports Commission to the championships. In addition, the feedback the committee received from the student-athletes, coaches and fans during the last two years in St. Louis was overwhelmingly positive so we are excited to go back." In 2010, the University of Nebraska, Lincoln will co-host the event along with the Omaha Sports Commission March 18-20. It will mark the first time the championships have ever been held in the state of Nebraska. "We were extremely impressed with the proximity of everything in Omaha," Bold said. "The Qwest Center Omaha, hotels, airport and restaurants are all very close. Also, Omaha is conveniently located with regards to many of our institutions and the fans that have supported this event in the past. With the great partnership the NCAA already has with the city of Omaha through the Men's College World Series, we know that they will to do a tremendous job." The championships will be back in the state of Pennsylvania for the first time since 1999, March 17-19, 2011. Rider University and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference will host the event. Overall, the event has been held in the state 10 times before, but this will be the first time it will be held in Philadelphia. Previous Pennsylvania host sites include Bethlehem, Pittsburgh and State College. "The state of Pennsylvania is a wrestling hotbed," Bold said, "and this will give our fans on the East Coast a chance to see wrestling's premier event for the first time in a long while. The Wachovia Center is a state-of-the-art venue, and the city of Philadelphia is a perfect site to showcase the championships." Previously announced, the 2006 championships will be held at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, March 16-18, while the 2007 championships will be held March 15-17, at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan.

Matt Zwaschka, Tony Wright, Nick Karls and Jeff Zastrow have been named assistant wrestling coaches at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, head coach Tim Fader announced. Zwaschka wrestled for Fader at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse from 2000-2003. He earned National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American honors twice. He was UW-L's team captain in 2003, the same year he won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship at 165 pounds and qualified for the NCAA III championship. He went 43-26 in his four seasons at La Crosse, and gained international experience as a member of a Division III all-star team that competed in Bulgaria and Turkey in 2002. He served as an assistant coach at Holmen (WI) High School the last two years. "I am very familiar with Mat and what he brings to the program," Fader said. "He was the ideal candidate for the position in that he can bring a lot of experience to all this duties on campus. He is a great technician and has the work ethic and attitude that will impact all of the UW-W wrestlers." Zwaschka has bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education from UW-La Crosse. His duties at UW-W will include lecturing in the department of health, physical education, recreation and coaching, as well as assisting with the strength and conditioning program in intercollegiate athletics. Tony Wright wrestled for the Warhawks for three years (2002-2004), winning the WIAC championship at 157 pounds in 2004 and qualifying for the NCAA III championship. He also qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics championship as a freshman at Mount Saint Clare College (IA) before transferring to UW-W. Wright earned NCAA III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar Athlete honors in 2004. "Tony brings his loyalty to this program back for 2005-2006," noted Fader. "He ahs committed to student teaching and coaching, which I think shows his passion for the UW-W program." Wright will graduate from UW-W in December with a bachelor's in fine arts and teaching licensure. He duties at Whitewater will include serving as the head coach of the Warhawk wrestling club. Karls concluded his collegiate wrestling career last season with his name scattered throughout the Warhawk record book. He qualified for the NCAA III championship twice, earning All-American honors in 2003 and 2004. He earned NCAA III Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American recognition in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He was the 2004 WIAC champion at 141 pounds, as well as the league's Max Sparger Scholar Athlete for wrestling. The 38 wins he piled up during the 2003-2004 season is the sixth highest in school history; his 102 career wins is ninth; and his career winning percentage of .803 is tenth best in the record book. "I wish we had another year to put Nick in a singlet," said Fader. "He loves to be in the room, and will have a big impact on the guys around his weight class. He is a pretty serious athlete in that he is training all the time. I'm excited to have him here again this year." Zastrow is another former Warhawk wrestler. He qualified for the NCAA III championship in 2002 and 2004, and earned NCAA III WCA Scholar All-American honors in 2004. He finished second in a state benchpress competition last summer, and competes in ultimate fighting contests. "Jeff is one of the strongest forces behind our program right now," commented Fader. "He is learning a lot about the coaching side of the sport while continuing to compete. I challenge our wrestlers to work harder than "Z" and this coaching staff. If they can, we will be in good shape." Fader is entering his second year at UW-Whitewater. In his first year he directed UW-W to a fourth place finish in the WIAC, had two wrestlers earn NCAA Division III championship berths, and Karls earned his second All-American honors. In a recent compilation of results, UW-W was among the top twenty Division III teams in the country over the thirty year period that that NCAA has offered a Division III championship.

Todd BeckermanCOLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Former Nebraska All-American Todd Beckerman has joined the University of Maryland's coaching staff, head coach Pat Santoro announced today. A native of Crofton, Md., Beckerman spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at the Naval Academy. Last season with the Midshipmen, the team posted its best dual record since 1993, finished 33rd at the NCAA Championships and had a school-record eight wrestlers post 25-win seasons. "We are excited to have someone of Todd's caliber join the program," Santoro said. "He has been involved with very successful programs in Nebraska, Penn State and Navy, and the program will benefit from his experience. Being a local guy, he's a great fit for the program. He will work well with all of our wrestlers, especially the lower-weight guys." "I'm excited to be a part of the Maryland program and to work with Pat Santoro," Beckerman said. "I look forward to working with the athletes and helping the team achieve success in the ACC and nationally." A former four-year letterwinner and two-time All-America at Nebraska, Beckerman came to Navy from Lincoln, Neb., where he spent the 2002-03 season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Huskers. Beckerman coached primarily the lower weight classes and helped coordinate and assist in the Husker recruiting efforts. He also organized and conducted daily teaching and technique sessions. Prior to returning to his alma mater, Beckerman worked during the 2001-02 season as an administrative assistant in the Penn State wrestling office, where he worked one-on-one with student-athletes and played a large role in directing summer camps. Beckerman also created and implemented the Todd Beckerman All-American Wrestling Camp, which was held for six-straight summers at Nebraska beginning in 1997. At the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Championships, Beckerman wrestled to All-America status as well as Academic All-Big 12 honors in both seasons. He was named the 2000-01 Nebraska Male Athlete of the Year, as well as the Husker Power Lifter of the Year. The 2000-01 Nebraska team captain also competed internationally in 1999 and 2000 as a member of the Big 12 All-Star Wrestling Team. Beckerman graduated from Nebraska in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in Human Resources and Family Sciences.

FRESNO, Calif. -- The new coaching staff at Fresno State is teaming with local and nationwide wrestling leaders to provide a day full wrestling action and instruction as the Bulldogs open the 2005 California Coaches Wrestling Clinic. Both coaches and athletes are invited to attend the clinic, which will feature instructional seminars from world-class coaches and clinicians, coaching certification, as well as admission to the Fresno State wrestle-offs that evening. Among the wrestling icons that will be in attendance at the clinic are the new Fresno State coaching staff, led by head coach Shawn Charles, who takes over the program following four years as an assistant at Big 12 powerhouse Nebraska. In addition, long-time Fresno State head coach and local wrestling legend Dennis DeLiddo will provide his leadership. The program has also invited two world-class wrestlers to help provide leadership in Cael Sanderson and Stephen Abas. Sanderson was a four time NCAA champion at Iowa State and recorded a 159-0 record in four years as a Cyclone, the only wrestler ever to remain undefeated through four years of collegiate competition. He is joined by Abas, a three-time national champion for the Bulldogs and a 2004 Oympic Medalist. All attendees will attend two clinics, and the coaches will be able to attend the USA Wrestling seminar and the CIF rules and weight certification clinic with Duane Morgan, which will provide coaches with the required certification for the upcoming year. Any athletes that want to attend will participate in two athlete-only technique sessions, receive a Fresno State wrestling t-shirt and will have dinner provided for them. The 2005 Bulldog wrestling squad will finish off the evening by opening the team’s varsity wrestle-offs for viewing. All coaches and athletes attending the clinic will receive admission to the wrestle-offs, which will determine the varsity squad for Fresno State during the 2005 season. The pre-registration deadline for the 2005 California Coaches Clinic is on October 24. All coaches and athletes interested in attending the clinic can reach the Fresno State wrestling office by email at klake@csufresno.edu or by phone at (559) 278-4804. More information can also be found on the Fresno State Athletics Web site, www.gobulldogs.com.

John SmithSTILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State’s wrestling team will once again boast one of the toughest schedules in the country in 2005-06. The Cowboys open the season at the Kaufman Brand Open in Omaha and they will return home to host the NWCA All-Star duals at Gallagher-Iba Arena on Nov. 21. OSU opens its dual season on the road at Michigan State. The Cowboys will have a tough test for its home opener when Lehigh comes to town on Dec. 2. Bedlam rival Oklahoma will wrestle in Gallagher-Iba a week later on Dec. 9. Oklahoma State will open the new year with home meets against Army and Northern Iowa on Jan. 5. The Cowboys will travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes on Jan. 7. They will return to Iowa the following week for the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Fresno State, Cal Poly, Iowa State, Nebraska and Hofstra are all set to make trips to Stillwater late in the season. OSU will wrestle Minnesota at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, before closing out the dual season against Oklahoma in Norman. Iowa State will host the Big 12 Championships at the Hilton Coliseum on March 4, and the Cowboys will wrestle for their 34th national championship at the Ford Center. Nov. 19 Omaha Open Omaha, Neb. All Day Nov. 21 NWCA All-Star Duals Stillwater, Okla. TBA Nov. 27 Michigan State East Lansing, Mich. 1 p.m. Dec. 2 Lehigh Stillwater, Okla. TBA Dec. 9 Oklahoma Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m. Dec. 18 Reno TOC Reno, Nev. All Day Dec. 20 Boise State Boise, Idaho TBA Jan. 5 Army Stillwater, Okla. 6 p.m. Jan. 5 Northern Iowa Stillwater, Okla. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 Iowa Iowa City, Iowa TBA Jan. 14-15 National Duals Cedar Falls, Iowa All Day Jan. 20 Cal Poly Stillwater, Okla. 6 p.m. Jan. 20 Fresno State Stillwater, Okla. 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 Missouri Columbia, Mo. TBA Jan. 29 Iowa State Stillwater, Okla. 2 p.m. Feb. 3 Nebraska Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m. Feb. 10 Hofstra Stillwater, Okla. 7 p.m. Feb. 12 Minnesota Oklahoma City, Okla. TBA

Chris BonoCHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Chris Bono, a nine-year assistant wrestling coach at national-power Iowa State, has accepted an assistant coaching position at UTC, Head Coach Joey Seay announced Thursday. Bono is expected to coach the Mocs’ middleweight wrestlers. A member of Head Coach Bobby Douglas’ coaching staff since 1997, Bono has held the title of the Cyclones’ head assistant coach for five years. He helped ISU to a 16-4 dual match record in 2004-05, a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and a sixth-place showing at the 2005 NCAA Championships. Bono is currently preparing to compete at the 2005 World Championships which will take place Sept. 26 in Budapest, Hungary. At the 2005 World Team Trials, Bono, the number one seed, captured the title at 66 kilograms by defeating Jared Lawrence two matches to none. Seay is the head coach of the United States team. "I am thrilled that he has decided to take this position," Seay said. "He is another quality individual for our program and gives us, in my opinion, the best staff in the country. You have to have the right people in the right places. These guys will make this thing happen and will certainly help in our nationwide recruiting efforts." Bono joins Steve Hamilton, Sammie Henson and Leonce Crump as members of Seay’s first staff at UTC. A native of Gilbert, Iowa, Bono holds many coaching and competitive honors. He was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002 for his role in ISU’s success that season. The Cyclones compiled a 17-5 dual match record and were NCAA runner-ups with five wrestlers earning All-America status. Bono, who lettered at Iowa State from 1994-97, ranks fifth on the program’s all-time wins list with 130 victories. He won the NCAA 150-pound title as a junior. A four-time NCAA participant, he placed fifth at the Nationals as a sophomore and second as a senior. As a freshman, he placed eighth at the Big Eight Conference Championships. He wrestled to a Big Eight Conference runner-up finish his sophomore year, won the Big Eight title as a junior and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the inaugural Big 12 Conference Championship in 1997. He registered a 41-11 record as a sophomore, went 37-4 as a junior and was 37-2 his senior season. Bono’s wrestling success did not come to a halt upon his graduation from Iowa State. During the summer of 2004 as a freestyle competitor, Bono decisioned Doug Schwab, 5-4, to take third place at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 2003, Bono won the 145.5-pound title at the U.S. Senior Freestyle National Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, qualifying for the World Team Trials in Indianapolis, Ind., where he was runner-up at that same weight. He was a U.S. World Cup team member, earning the gold medal at the 2003 World Cup Wrestling Championships in Boise, Idaho, and was a member of the national team at the 2003 Titan Games in San Jose, Calif. Bono's freestyle accomplishments in 2002 led to a No.1 U.S. Senior Freestyle national ranking at 145.5 pounds and a spot on the U.S. World Team. He began the year with a first-place showing at the Dave Schultz Memorial in Colorado Springs, Colo., followed by a fourth-place finish at the Kiev Grand Prix in Kiev, Ukraine. He won a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships in Caracara, Venezuela, and placed third at the U.S. Freestyle National Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, earning a berth to the World Team Trials. At the 2002 World Team Trials, Bono swept through the mini-tournament beating Reggie Wright (Gator WC) of Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-1 and Schwab (Hawkeye WC) of Iowa City, Iowa, 3-2 to advance to the finals. In the 145.5-pound championship, Bono defeated Jamill Kelly (Gator WC) of Stillwater, Okla., 3-1 and 3-0, earning his second consecutive World Team Trials title. In a special wrestle-off for the 145.5-pound spot on the 2002 U.S. World Team, Bono defeated Bill Zadick (Hawkeye WC) of Iowa City, Iowa, two matches to one, 2-3, 3-1, 3-2 OT, to earn his second consecutive trip to the World Championships. The U.S. World Team, however, did not compete at the World Championships in Tehran, Iran. Bono also captured top honors at the 2004 NYAC Invitational with a victory in the finals over 2004 NCAA champion Jesse Jantzen, formerly of Harvard, and also earned a 66 kg. title at the 20th annual Sunkist International Open with a win in the finals over former 2003 NCAA 149-pound champion and current Arizona State assistant coach Eric Larkin. Bono earned his bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Iowa State in 1997. He and his wife, Niki, have two daughters, Josie and Ellie.

The Golden Gopher wrestling team has announced that senior Matt Nagel and junior Cole Konrad have been named captains for the 2005-06 season. Nagel and Konrad will lead a Minnesota team that returns three All-Americans and seven starters from a year ago. Matt NagelNagel became a first-time All-American in 2005 with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He was named the team's most improved wrestler after compiling a 31-15 record. More impressive, 29 of his 46 matches on the year came against wrestlers that qualified for the NCAA Championships. A three-year letterwinner, Nagel finished with a 5-3 record in conference dual meets and placed a career-best third at the Big Ten Championships. Cole KonradKonrad is a two-time All-American heavyweight for the Golden Gophers. Last season as a sophomore, Konrad won a Big Ten title and finished second at the NCAA Championships. Konrad finished the 2005 season with a 41-3 record, the fourth-highest win total in school history. In just two seasons, Konrad has a 79-13 career record. His 79 wins are the most by a Golden Gopher in back-to-back season since Dan Zilverberg's 88 victories from 1978-80. Minnesota begins the season at the Bison Open on Nov. 12. The Golden Gophers open their dual meet season on Dec. 2 at Northern Iowa.

Related Link: The MMA Outsider Podcast Archives Richard and John did not even talk this week, but they were still able to put together a great piece of audio. This episode is kind of like The Postal Service before they got sued by the actual postal service. Richard breaks takes a look at the upcoming UFC event in Sweden, while John chats with Strikeforce veterans Lumumba Sayers and Andreas Spang.

NCAA Division I Championships Brackets

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