InterMat Staff

University of Arizona president Peter Likins and his wife, Patricia, have not only shared 50 years of marriage; they've also shared duties as coaches of a wrestling team. The Likinses' story begins at age 13, when the couple met in their hometown of Santa Cruz, Calif. At 5 feet 5 inches tall, "Pete" Likins began wrestling in high school after one of his football coaches said, "Let's start a wrestling team." Likins placed second in the state championships at 154 as a junior, then won the title and outstanding wrestler honors as a 145-pound senior. He also captured a Junior AAU championship. Because Likins had skipped a grade, he graduated with his brother, Tod, who as senior placed second in the state following a referee's decision in overtime and went on to captain the wrestling team at Berkley. As a youngster, Pete Likins was already experiencing the value of being a wrestler. "It has nothing to do with matches won and lost," he said. "It had to do with my believing in myself. I was young for my class and small for my age, and my hand-eye coordination was nothing to write home about. "Then came wrestling. I found myself able not to just try hard but to prevail. It enabled me to become an athlete. I needed to prove myself to myself," he said. "As a kid with all these insecurities, I'd get into fights. Wrestling gave me security; I didn't have to fight anymore. I learned through wrestling that even though I'm a little guy, I don't have to worry about the big guys. It removed from me a source of self-doubt." At the same time, Likins' future wife was a cheerleader. "That meant she was exposed to the sport as a kid," he said, "so you learn the sport in a very deep way." Likins acted as Stanford University's wrestling captain and went undefeated in dual meets for four years. "But I never had a season without getting beat," he said. "I went through high school and college testing myself," he explained. "I learned through wrestling how important it is to persist, to prepare and to bounce back in defeat. My defeats were rare, but it was critical to my self-confidence. I developed a sense of myself as able to compete with the best of them." Peter LikinsWith little guidance at Stanford from a gymnastics coach who simply supervised the wrestlers, Likins watched a teammate named Vaughn Hitchcock (who would eventually coach Cal Poly to eight NCAA team titles). Hitchcock perfected a move that involved attempting a fireman's carry; when the opponent typically flattened out in defense, Hitchcock tied up both arms and did a sit-out, putting the wrestler on his back with Hitchcock's back on the opponent's chest. "I called the move ‘The Hitchcock,'" Likins said. "I spent the rest of my (wrestling) career making a living on that hold." That career ended as Likins received civil engineering degrees at Stanford and MIT, later earning a doctorate in engineering mechanics at Stanford. He began his professional career as a developmental engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology. He later served as a member of the engineering faculty and as an associate dean at UCLA and as a Ford Foundation Fellow. Then Likins and his wife moved what he calls "an adopted, interracial, All-American family" of two sons and a daughter to New Jersey, and he became Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences and University Provost at Columbia University. Son John wanted to wrestle, but there was no team. "Finally, I decided we'd start a team for kids 14 and under, so my wife and I became parent coaches," Likins said. With a squad numbering 75, Patricia Likins coached the first- and second-graders after school, as John demonstrated moves. "She, too, has a plaque on the wall that says, ‘Thanks, Coach.'" Likins said. The family moved to Pennsylvania in 1982, when Likins was named president of Lehigh University. John won a state championship as a junior and placed second as a senior for Bethlehem Lehigh Catholic High School. Occasionally, Likins would drop in for workouts in the Lehigh wrestling room. One day he and trustee Kirk Franklin, a former NCAA champion and three-time All-American for the Engineers, agreed to a three-minute match that would be videotaped and shown before a televised dual meet. The referee would be another former national champion, Mike Caruso. "I was about 55, and Kirk was about 45," Likins recalled, "and we agreed not to do any defensive moves, since we figured fans wanted to see offense." Once the match got underway, Likins said, "Kirk forgot how old I was, I think, and he was beating the hell out of me." Then Likins pulled off "The Hitchcock" to close the match ahead, 6-5. "But then Caruso said he was giving one point to Pendleton on principle," Likens said, "so it ended in a tie." The next day, the university president dragged himself out of bed, tape recorder in hand. "I listed the top 10 reasons to say ‘No' the next year," he said. "They were the top 10 places I hurt." Likins spent 15 years as Lehigh's president before moving to the University of Arizona nine years ago. He will retire from that post June 30, shortly before he turns 70 on July 4. But he credits his days as a competitor and coach as a basis for his successful tenure at Lehigh and Arizona. "I learned to be a professor in the classroom," he said, "but I learned to be a university president on the wrestling mats."

Big thanks go to all of our guests on last weeks program. Steve Martin, Bucky Maughan, Greg Strobel, Chris Bono, Tim Cavanagh and Bob Zany. Thanks for the fun and information. This week on TDR: Steve Garland -- New Head Coach at Virginia Kevin Dresser -- New Head Coach at V Tech Jeremy Spates -- Live from the World Team Trials Vaughn Hitchcock -- Hall of Famer, Athlete and Coach Jason Bryant -- Intermatwrestle.com John Rizzuti -- InsideTexasWrestling.com Thanks to all of our colleges and coaches who join with our traditional advertisers in helping to make this program possible. Our listeners from around the country value this show and its content. Your support does not go unnoticed! Thank You!

Simpson College head wrestling coach Ron Peterson has announced the hiring of Clint Manny as a full-time assistant wrestling coach. Manny will also serve as Simpson's equipment manager. Manny was a student assistant for the Storm in 2005-06 as he completed his physical education degree. Manny became the all-time winningest wrestler at Simpson when he won three matches at the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championships. Manny concluded his career with a 148-24 record, breaking the old record of 146 (146-17-1) set by Travis Young (1989-92). A three-time All-American for Simpson at 149 pounds, Manny was the national runner-up at 149 as a junior and as a senior. The Peru, Iowa, native spent all of his senior season ranked first in the weight class. Of his five losses as a a senior (34-5), two were to wrestlers from NCAA Division I Oklahoma State including then No. 1 Zack Esposito and three were to nationally ranked Division III opponents. A Winterset High School graduate, Manny was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2004 Division III NWCA Duals. He was chosen Iowa Conference Male Athlete and Wrestler of the Week a total of four times in his career. Manny replaces Rick Schweitzberger who resigned his full-time position to enter private business. Schweitzberger will attempt to assist the Storm on a part-time basis as his schedule allows.

Ken Ramsey, an Ohio State native, accepted the position as Head Wrestling Coach of the Embry-Riddle Eagles early Monday the 15th of May ending the search for the vacant position left open when John Petty (2003-2006) left to coach at Northwestern College in Iowa. "We are thrilled that Ken has joined the ERAU coaching team," commented Athletic Director Larry Stephan. "He brings with him a wealth of experience, both as a coach and as an athlete and I expect that he will enhance and generate the recent success of our wrestling program." Ken RamseyKen was most recently on the coaching staff at the Ohio State University where he helped lead the Buckeyes to a 3rd place finish in 2004 and was in large part responsible for the success and accomplishments of five NCAA Champions and twenty-five NCAA All-Americans. Before his ten year stint at OSU, Coach Ramsey was the second assistant at Purdue University, another NCAA Division I Big Ten school. While at Purdue, Coach Ramsey helped lead the team to a 16th place finish in the NCAA National Tournament and also helped mold three All-Americans and two Academic All-Big Ten selections. During his time at OSU, Coach Ramsey became known for his ability to recruit and retain quality student-athletes, even posting the 3rd best recruiting class in the country in 2004. "His long history of success in the wrestling world will undoubtedly help bring in some of the best young wrestlers in the country and we are confident that he will build and surpass the 5th Place finish from 2006," said Larry Stephan of Coach Ramsey's ability to recruit and generate success in this already top performing sport at ERAU. Coach Ramsey also brings with him tremendous personal success in the sport of wrestling. He was a four time Ohio State Champion before heading to OSU where he was a two time All-American. Up until 2000, he still wrestled competitively and was a 5-time U.S. National Freestyle, a Sunkist International Champion in 163 lbs and a Final Olympic Trials participant in 152 lbs. He will be joining the Eagles the 1st of June and has already begun recruiting for the squad. Coach Ramsey's Wrestling Accomplishments 2000 Final Olympic Trials Participant, 152 lbs. 2000 South Regional Olympic Qualifier Champion 1998 USA Wrestling National Open Freestyle Champ. 6th Place 1997 Northeast Regional Champion/Most Outstanding Wrestler 1997 World Team Trials 4th Place 1997 USA Wrestling National Open Freestyle Championships 4th Place 1996 Sunkist International Champion 163 lbs. 1994 U.S. International Grand Prix 2nd Place 1994 World Team Trials 5th Place 1994 USA Wrestling National Open Freestyle Champ. 7th Place 1993 U.S. Olympic Festival Freestyle Bronze Medalist 1993 World Team Trials 5th Place 1993 USA Wrestling National Open Freestyle Champ. 6th Place 1992 U.S. International Grand Prix 6th Place 1992 USA Wrestling National Open Freestyle Champ. 4th Place 1992 NCAA All-American 150 lbs. NCAA Champ. 3rd Place 1992 Midlands Tournament Champion 158 lbs. 1991 NCAA All-American 150 lbs. NCAA Champ.5th Place 1989 USA Wrestling Espoir National Freestyle Champion 1988, 89, 91, 92 NCAA Qualifier The Ohio State University 1988, 89, 91, 92 Big Ten Championships 2nd, 3rd, 2nd, 2nd 1987 USA Wrestling Junior National Greco-Roman Runner-up 1986 USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle Champion 1984-1987 4-Time Ohio State High School Champion

MADISON, Wis. -- Senior Kelly Flaherty (Big Lake, Minn.) was named the USA Wisconsin Wrestling Club strength coach by the National Office of USA Wrestling. Flaherty will join former teammate Tom Clum who was recently named the Wisconsin club head coach. "I'm very excited to have Kelly join the staff," said Clum. "His work ethic and strength training knowledge will be very useful to the athletes that will be working out with us." A senior elite level club, the group will train in the UW wrestling room. "Wrestling and working out at Wisconsin the last four years has been a great experience," said Flaherty. "I'm looking forward to staying in the area and working at strengthening the athletes in our club. Wisconsin has a great facility for doing that."

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's head wrestling coach Tim Cysewski has announced three student-athletes - Bobby Joyce (Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator), Andrew Nadhir (Royal Oak, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central) and Brandon Precin (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) - have signed National Letters of Intent and will join the team for the 2006-07 season. Joyce, who will likely compete at the 125-pound weight class for the Wildcats, compiled a 142-21 overall high school record while competing four seasons on the varsity squad. He was a three-time East Suburban Catholic Conference selection and qualified for the state meet as a junior. In the offseason, Joyce was a 2006 state freestyle champion and was a 2005 FILA Cadet (All-American) fifth-place finisher in Greco-roman style. Joyce was an honor roll selection all four years at St. Viator. Nadhir, a three-time Detroit Catholic League champion, was a Michigan High School Athletics Association all-state and Detroit News second-team all-state selection. He put together a 137-29 record in three seasons on varsity while leading the Shamrocks to three district championships and one regional championship. Nadhir earned the district title in all three seasons he competed on the varsity squad, while earning the regional title once. He was on the honor roll all four seasons and was a National Honor Society member and Catholic League Wrestling Scholar Athlete Award nominee. " Precin, a two-time Illinois state champion, is expected to come in and immediately contribute in the lineup for the Wildcats at 125. Precin was one of the nation's most sought after recruits thanks in part to his 186-6 varsity record. He is Carl Sandburg High School's first four-time state placewinner and holds the school's career records in career wins, career pins, season wins and season pins. Precin's high school team finished the year as the No. 3 team in America according to Amateur Wrestling News. Precin is a four-time conference champion, four-time regional champion and three-time sectional titleholder. He was named team Most Valuable Player all four years of his high school career and earned the title of captain his senior season. He was named SWSC Outstanding Wrestling, SICA Oustanding Wrestling and WGN/Chicago Tribune Athlete of the Month his senior year. In club competition, Precin is a three-time freestyle state champion and a three-time FILA Cadet All-American. He competes for Team Overtime. He was on the honor roll of four years of his high school career, is a member of the National Honor Society and earned an Art Award in Illustration and Drawing. "With the addition of our early signees Keith Sulzer (133) and Kyle Bertin (157-165), both of St. Edward High school in Lakewood, Ohio, this is a very talented class," Cysewski said. "We have future All-Americans and NCAA Champions in this group. We couldn't be happier as Precin, Nadhir, and Joyce will make our lineup complete, next year and in the year's to come."

USA Wrestling's Beach and Sombo Nationals, along with Board of Directors meeting and State Leaders Conference, awarded to Palm Beach County, Fla., Aug. 17-20 USA Wrestling has named Palm Beach County, Fla. as the host for two of its national championship events this summer, the U.S. Beach Nationals and the U.S. Sombo Nationals, as well as its semi-annual Board of Directors meeting and its annual State Leaders Conference. These activities will be held August 17-20. The bid was awarded to the Palm Beach County Sports Commission and the Palm Beach County Sports Institute. Also participating with the local organizing committee will be the Palm Beach County Community Olympic Development Program in Wrestling and the Florida Amateur Wrestling Association. "We believe Palm Beach County will serve as a wonderful host for this important event," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "Palm Beach County has long been a leader within the Olympic Movement and we are very excited to bring athletes and our sports leadership to such a progressive sports community." "The Sports Commission and CODP are excited to welcome the USA Wrestling community to Palm Beach County this summer. We offer wrestlers and their families the opportunity compete in the first ever Beach and Sombo National Championships, while enjoying miles of beaches, crystal blue waters, wonderful cultural attractions and endless shopping," said Pam Gerig-Bland, Executive Director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission. USA Wrestling will host its first U.S. Beach Wrestling National Championships at the Hilton Singer Island Waterfront Resort on Singer Island in Riviera Beach, Fla., Saturday, August 19. The registration and weigh-in for the U.S. Beach Wrestling Nationals will be held on Saturday morning, with competition tentatively set to begin at 12:00 noon. Beach Wrestling was added as a new style of international wrestling, starting in 2005. Athletes compete on sand, in a style that features takedowns within a ring. Although there have been a number of beach wrestling events held in the USA, this will be the first official U.S. National Championships in the new sport. USA Wrestling will also host the U.S. National Sombo Championships in Palm Beach County August 19-20, at the North Palm Beach Community Center in North Palm Beach, Fla. Registration and weigh-ins for the U.S. Sombo Nationals will be on Saturday night, August 19. The competition will begin on Sunday morning, August 20 and continue to completion. Sombo is a style of jacket wrestling with submission holds originally developed in the former Soviet Union as a form of unarmed self-defense. It has similarities to judo and wrestling, and has been reinstated as an international style of wrestling this year. Sombo was included in international wrestling until the mid-1980s, when the international wrestling federation no longer recognized the sport. These two events will serve as the qualifiers for the U.S. teams that will compete at the World Beach Wrestling Championships and the World Sombo Championships, set for Antalya, Turkey, Oct. 13-15. USA Wrestling will also conduct its semi-annual Board of Directors meeting at the Hilton Singer Island Waterfront Resort. These are the volunteer leaders that set the direction for USA Wrestling and represent all aspects of the wrestling community. USA Wrestling will also conduct its annual State Leaders Conference at the Hilton Singer Island Waterfront Resort. This annual meeting brings together volunteer leaders from each of the USA Wrestling state associations. These participants attend workshops and seminars and network together to help expand and improve USA Wrestling's programs and activities. Specific details on the U.S. Beach Wrestling National Championships and the U.S. Sombo National Championships will be published shortly. Wrestlers and their families are encouraged to mark their calendar for August 19-20, and plan to attend these exciting events in Palm Beach County. About the Palm Beach County Sports Commission The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is a private, non-profit organization contracted by the County to promote and bring sporting events and activities to the area. Goals of the PBCSC are to enhance the economic impact of Palm Beach County, maximize utilization of facilities and stimulate bed tax revenues, primarily in the off-season. About the Palm Beach County CODP The Palm Beach County Community Olympic Development Program (CODP) is a community outreach collaboration between the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), national governing bodies and the Palm Beach County Sports Institute in which young athletes are introduced to Olympic sports through community-based initiatives. Through this collaboration, motivated and talented athletes receive high quality training, coaching and competitive opportunities they otherwise would not receive. The Palm Beach County CODP Wrestling Manager is Shawn Sheldon, who came to the Palm Beach County CODP from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he helped coach the U.S. National Team. He is a two time Olympian and World Silver Medalist, with nine U.S. National Championships under his belt in the sport of wrestling. Shawn was recently named 2005 Greco-Roman Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling.

Dana College is pleased to announce the appointment of Richard Fergola as interim head wrestling coach for the 2006 NAIA National Champion Dana Vikings. Fergola will become Dana's seventh head wrestling coach in its storied history dating back to the start in 1960. "I am confident that Coach Fergola is going to help us continue the national prominence we have built in NAIA wrestling over the last several years," said Athletic Director Bill Danenhauer. "He was a key component in the teams that finished fifth at Nationals in 2005 and first in 2006." Fergola has served as head assistant coach at Dana since 2004. He previously coached junior college wrestling at Neosho County Community College in Kansas. In two years at NCCC, he coached nine NJCAA All-Americans and helped lead the Panthers to two top ten finishes. Since Fergola's arrival at Dana College, the Vikings have produced the No. 4 and No. 1 Non-Division I recruiting classes in the country as reported by Wrestling USA magazine as well as completed their highest finishes at the NAIA National Tournament with a 5th place finish in 2005 and a national championship in 2006. 2006 also brought a NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Championship as well. In his two years at Dana, the Vikings posted a 29-6-1 dual record as well as helped coach 17 All-Americans, four national finalists, and two national champions. Overall in Fergola's four-year college coaching career, he has helped produce 26 All-Americans, two national champions and four top ten team finishes. Prior to his position at Neosho, Fergola was a high school head coach in Kansas. Overall, he coached 36 state qualifiers, 15 state placers, and two state champions in five years of coaching at the high school level. Fergola is also very active with freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions. On the national level, he has produced 52 Cadet and Junior All-Americans and five national champions. Fergola earned his bachelor's degree from Emporia State University in physical education and special education in 1996. He completed his master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Emporia State University in 2004. "I am very excited about this opportunity to take over the Viking wrestling program. We will still strive for excellence both in the classroom as well as the mat. Dana has reached the top of the NAIA ranks and my goal is to keep them there," said Fergola. Fergola also teaches special education for Blair High School. He lives in Blair with his wife, Marcy, and three children Anthony, Taylor and Rocco. Fergola replaces Steve Costanzo who has been hired as head wrestling coach at NCAA Division II St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn.

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum will be hosting its 30th Honors Weekend in Stillwater, Okla., June 2-3. Those being honored at the 2006 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Honors Weekend include: Distinguished Members: Terry Brands, Colorado Springs, Colo. Josiah Henson, Tulsa, Okla. Tricia Saunders, Phoenix, Ariz. Pat Smith, Stillwater, Okla. Outstanding American: Pat Day, Louisville, Ky. Order of Merit: Larry Sciacchetano, Baton Rouge, La. Medal of Courage: Randy Meyer, Sheboygan Falls, Wis. Lifetime Achievement Award for Officials: Sam Williams, Fall Creek, Pa. Dave Schultz National High School Excellence Award: David Craig, Brandon, Fla.

St. Cloud, Minn. -- St. Cloud State University Athletics Director Dr. Morris Kurtz has announced that Steve Costanzo has been named as head wrestling coach and assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for the University. Steve CostanzoHe becomes the 13th coach in the history of the SCSU wrestling program, which dates back to 1949-50. Constanzo replaces Steve Grimit, who will continue to serve as an assistant football coach at the University after leading the Husky wrestling program from 1993 to 2006. "We are very excited that Steve (Costanzo) will be taking over as our new wrestling coach," Kurtz said. "His record at Dana College has been very impressive and given his experience, knowledge and energy, we feel he is a perfect match for St. Cloud State. He is a man of integrity who is committed to having his student-athletes excel academically and athletically." Costanzo comes to St. Cloud State from Dana College, where he has served as the head wrestling coach since 2000. He led Dana to a NAIA national team championship in 2006 (with a tourney record 193 points) and he has coached 31 NAIA All-Americans since 2000. His squads at Dana won Great Plains Athletic Conference titles in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006, and they won regional championships in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006. He was recognized by Wrestling USA magazine as having the best recruiting class among non-NCAA Division I programs in 2005, and Costanzo led Dana to a first place finish at the NWCA National Dual Team championships in 2006. His career record at Dana is 61-30-2, which includes top 10 finishes at the NAIA championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Costanzo received the NWCA and NAIA Coach of the Year awards in 2006, and gained NAIA Regional Coach of the Year accolades in 2005 and 2006. He has coached 74 national qualifiers at Dana, and two of those athletes went on to win NAIA national championships. In 2005, Costanzo served as the NWCA All-Star team coach. A 1996 graduate of University of Nebraska-Omaha, Constanzo was a three-time All-America wrestler for the Mavericks from 1993-95. He was inducted into the Nebraska Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006, and he still ranks fourth on UNO's all-time wrestling win list with 133 victories as a collegiate wrestler. In 1994 and 1995, Constanzo earned NCC champion honors and he served as a team captain at UNO in 1995. Constanzo was named the Nebraska Collegiate Wrestler of the Year in 1994. "As a former North Central Conference student-athlete, I am really looking forward to being part of St. Cloud State's program and the nation's elite NCAA Division II wrestling conference. SCSU has tremendous facilities, the educational aspects of the University are outstanding and there is great support for the program from alumni and administration," Costanzo said. "Minnesota is also one of the premiere wrestling states in the nation, and with St. Cloud State's location, I believe there is great potential for the program's success." Prior to his move to Dana College, Costanzo served as a high school head wrestling coach and assistant football coach in Estes Park, Colo. In addition to his coaching duties at Dana, Costanzo served as the school's assistant athletic director and athletic recruiting coordinator.

Cambridge, Mass. -- Harvard wrestling is the latest program affected by all the coaching changes in the world of collegiate wrestling. Crimson Head Coach Jay Weiss announced the hiring of Olympic silver medalist Jamill Kelly and Harvard's own three-time All-American and NCAA champion Jesse Jantzen, `04 as assistant coaches on Tuesday. Kelly and Jantzen take over for Jared Frayer, who left the Crimson after three years to train at the Olympic Training Center, and Teague Moore, who leaves after one season to become the head coach at Clarion University. "Both Teague and Jared have meant a lot to our program in many ways. We are ever thankful for what they have contributed as they both have been key factors in our success over the last few years," Weiss said. "We will miss Jared and Teague both professionally and personally, but are very excited for their opportunities - Jared will be moving to the Olympic Training Center and Teague has become a head coach. Its bittersweet for us, but I do not feel we are going to miss a beat." "Obviously, Jamill has not only competed at the highest level, but he has succeeded on the grandest stage. He is the product of a program that is arguably the best in the county right now. Jesse knows exactly what it takes to succeed at Harvard on the mat and in the classroom and he is well respected among his peers. Having him involved in the daily training of the athletes in our program is immeasurable to me. It will be an honor to have Jesse on staff as he trains for a bid to the 2008 Olympic Games." Kelly, a 2000 graduate of Oklahoma State, won a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics after winning the Olympic Trials and the U.S. Nationals at 66kg (145.5 lbs.) that year. Kelly placed fifth or higher at the U.S. Nationals from 2001- 03 and was second at the Pan American Games in 2003. Kelly served as an administrative assistant for OSU from 2002-05 and also worked with the Cowboy Wrestling Club, which he founded in 2001 and serves as head coach. "I'm just really excited to take my knowledge and experience from the most storied wrestling school in the world, to the most storied academic school in the world," Kelly said. "I'm excited about getting the chance to work with Coach Weiss and Jesse Jantzen in helping take Harvard wrestling to the next level." Jantzen won the 149-pound title as a senior to become the second national champion at Harvard - and the first since 1938. He was also named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA championships and was chosen as the Ivy League and EIWA wrestler of the year. He is the only Harvard wrestler in history to make four NCAA tournament appearances and is the Crimson's first three-time All-America selection. He continues to compete on the international level at 145.5 pounds and is training for the 2008 Olympic Games. He was the 2005 University World Champion, third at the Schultz International and took fourth at the 2005 Senior World Team Trials. "I am excited and eager to play a more active role in Harvard wrestling this coming year," Jantzen said. "The past two years I have been very involved with the program as a volunteer and as a training partner for the athletes. Now as a member of the staff I can contribute more of my time and make a serious commitment to the team. I look forward to working with Coach Weiss and Jamill Kelly on a daily basis."

*Pierre Luigi Bondoc* Modesto, CA/Beyer HS Two-Time MMC Champion…San Joaquin Delta Subsection Champion…2006 San Joaquin Section Champion…2006 CIF Third Place…Second Place Senior Nationals…2006 High School All-American. *Vincent Bordi* Manteca, CA/Manteca HS First Team All-League in wrestling this past season, first at sub-sectionals and second in state….Also was All-League in football and was part of Section Championship Team in football…Undecided about his major this Fall at SF State…Son of Kathleen Bordi. *Cory Creighton* Stevenson, WA/Stevenson HS Four-Time District Champ…Two-Time Regional Champ…State Sixth his sophomore season, fourth his junior season, and third his senior year in State of Washington…Also played football and soccer in high school…Undecided about his major this Fall at SF State. *Alecxis Lara* Gilroy, CA/Skyline College Two-time California Junior College State Placer and All-American…Placed 8^th in state in 2004 and second in state in 2005…Voted Most Improved and Team Captain…Three-time Section qualifier in High School…Third in Central Coast Section in 2001…State Qualifier…Also ran cross country and played badminton in high school…Planning on majoring in Spanish at SF State this Fall…Son of Jose and Teodora Lara. *Alipio Lee Lockett* San Francisco, CA/Skyline College MVP of the Week at Skyline this past season…At George Washington HS, he was MVP and Most Outstanding Wrestler…Planning on majoring in Child Development at SF State this Fall…Son of Donald and Beatriz Lockett. *Brian Tharp* San Clemente, CA/San Clemente HS 2002-03 Most Outstanding Wrestler…2003-04 Student of the Month…Warrior Award…All-County Wrestler…2004-05 Athlete of the Week for the /Sun Post/…/Orange County/ Athlete of the Week (twice)…All-Star Wrestler…CIF Qualifier…2005-06 Herdust Worker Award…State Tournament Participant…Iron Man Award…San Clemente Rotary Student of the Month…Captain of Wrestling Team…May Student of the Month…125 lb…Also played baseball at San Clemente….Planning on majoring in Kinesiology at SF State this Fall…Son of Laura Tharp. *Alexander Trueblood* Vista, CA/Vista HS Most Improved Athlete and Offensive Player of the Year in football…CIF Champ (sectionals)…Master's Champion (Regionals)…Ranked third in state…Avocado League Wrestler of the Year…/North County Times* */All-League…Planning on majoring in Mathematics this fall at SF State…Son of Mike and Susan Trueblood. *Austin Torres* Skyline JC 5th in JC State Meet

Hempstead, NY -- Tom Shifflet, the head wrestling coach at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and a former assistant coach at Cornell University, has been named the head wrestling coach at Hofstra University, Pride Director of Athletics Jack Hayes announced today. Shifflet, who becomes the 10th head wrestling coach in the program's storied 58-year history, replaces Tom Ryan, who resigned on April 22 after 11 seasons at Hofstra to become the head coach at the Ohio State University. Tom Shifflet"An All-American collegiate wrestler, a top-notch recruiter and an outstanding coach, Tom Shifflet has all the qualities that we were looking for to continue the winning tradition of Hofstra Wrestling," Hayes said. "He has been a winner at every level, knows what it takes to get to the top, and shares our vision and passion to make the Pride program the best that it can be." Shifflet comes to Hofstra after four seasons as head wrestling coach at UNC Greensboro, where he was directly responsible for all aspects of the Spartans' programs including instruction, recruiting, scheduling, academic counseling and community relations. His tenure at UNCG was marked by annual improvements in recruiting, recognition and success. He also created and organized the annual 35-team Southern Scuffle wrestling tournament, which is one of the largest and more competitive Division I regular season tournaments in the country. "I am excited about continuing the tradition that Hofstra University has in wrestling," Shifflet said. "It is a great opportunity for me to move the program along, like Tom Ryan did, without missing a beat. I look forward to setting lofty goals and working with a great group of student-athletes to achieve them. I want to move the Hofstra Wrestling program into the top 10 and top five in the nation. We certainly have that opportunity at Hofstra, which was a big reason why I took this position. I eagerly await the chance to work with the alumni and the friends of Hofstra wrestling to keep our program moving forward." A three-time All-American and a four-time national qualifier as a student-athlete at national powerhouse Edinboro University from 1992 through 1995, Shifflet began his coaching career as an assistant at Georgia State University in1995, helping the Panthers post back-to-back winning seasons, and develop three conference champions and four NCAA qualifiers. In 1997, Shifflet left Georgia State to begin a five-year tenure as an assistant coach at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. During his time with the Big Red, Shifflet coached 24 NCAA qualifiers, three NCAA All-Americans and helped head coach Rob Koll to a pair of Ivy League championships in 1999 and 2001. More importantly, Cornell was also consistently ranked among the nation's top-15 programs. The final Big Red recruiting class that he was involved with placed fifth at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City. After five seasons at Cornell, the Amherst, New York native was named the head wrestling coach at UNC Greensboro on May 17, 2002. After a typical transitional season in his first year at UNCG, Shifflet managed to sign one of the top recruiting classes in the nation in 2003. That class, which included one high school All-American, four honorable mention high school All-Americans and seven state champions, received an honorable mention based on InterMat's 2003 final rankings. In 2003-04 the Spartans claimed their first winning season since 1998-99, posting a 9-6 overall record with the nine victories ranking as the third most in the program's 12-year history. In addition, two of his recruits, Kevin Artis (141 lbs.) and Daren Burns (197 lbs.), captured conference championships in their respective weight classes with Burns being named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. Shifflet guided UNCG to the most wins in school history during the 2004-05 season as the Spartans recorded a 12-5 overall record, 4-1 in the Southern Conference. He produced the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year for the second consecutive year as Joe Kemmerer earned the award following a 31-7 season. Kemmerer, along with teammates Daren Burns and Joe Lowe, each won their respective weight classes at the Southern Conference Mat Jam and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. In 2005-06 UNCG tied a school-record by sending four wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships in Oklahoma City and the Spartans finished tied for 31st with Harvard in the final Championship standings. The Spartans finished the season with an 11-6 dual match record and a 4-1 mark in the Southern Conference and had two wrestlers miss out on all-American honors by one victory. Shifflet graduated from Edinboro University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education. As a wrestler, he registered 118 wins for the Edinboro Fighting Scots and was coached by the legendary Bruce Baumgartner. Competing at 142 pounds, Shifflet finished seventh at nationals as a freshman, sixth as a sophomore and third as a senior. He is one of four three-time All-Americans in school history. Shifflet also received the Eastern Wrestling League Freshman of the Year Award in 1992 and the EWL Wrestler of the Year Award in 1995. He was inducted into both the Edinboro University and the EWL Halls of Fame in 2006. In 1996 Shifflet placed seventh in the final U.S. Olympic Trials in freestyle wrestling at 149.5 pounds. One year later he placed sixth in both the World Team Freestyle Trials and the U.S. Open. Shifflet is married to the former Alice Faron of East Setauket, New York.

Erie, Pa. -- Head coach Tony Cipollone announced his initial batch of recruits today. If the first eight are any indication, the 2006-07 season could be another excellent one for a program that's only five years' old. "We are very excited to have these new wrestlers in our program and look forward to seeing them compete," said Cipollone. "We feel that these newcomers will help us in our continuing quest for regional and national championships. We feel like we succeeded in adding some much-needed competition in our upper weights as well as filling some holes in the middle of our lineup. With our returning wrestlers and these new additions, we think we'll be one of the teams to beat in the East Region this coming season." The following is the list of incoming recruits, so far, for the Lakers: Andy Lamancusa-West Branch HS, OH-149/157 OHSAA State Champion-2006 3rd place OHSAA State Championships-2005 Senior Season Record of 40-0 Career Record of 134-15 Josh Shields-Burrell HS, PA-157/165 2nd Place PIAA State Championships-2006 PIAA State Qualifier-2005 8th Place PIAA State Championships-2004 3X Section Champ Regional and District Champion-2006 Senior Season Record of 47-3 Career Record of 145-38 Mike Sullivan-Youngsville HS, PA-Hvy 3rd place PIAA State Championships-2006 5th place PIAA State Championships-2005 Senior season record of 45-3 Career Record of 143-26 Bill Schindel-Akron Hoban HS, OH-184/197 7th place OHSAA State Championships-2006 5th place OHSAA State Championships-2005 2006 Bill Dies Memorial Tournament MVW Double Champion at Brockport Northeast Regional-2006 Senior Season Record of 37-6 Career Record of 118-40 with 59 career pins Justin Schiavone-Hempfield HS, PA-174/184 4th Place WPIAL 39-8 Senior Season Record Ryan Uber-Warren HS, PA- Transfer from Edinboro U.-165 6th Place PIAA State Chyampionships-2005 Senior Season Record of 42-5 Over 100 career HS Wins Ryan Farrell-St. Ignatius HS, OH-125 OHSAA State Qualifier-2006 Senior Season Record of 40-10 Engel Vargas-Ft. Pierce HS,FL-Transfer from Mercyhurst-Northeast-157/165 Florida State Championships-5th place JUCO National Qualifier Another round of recruits is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Teague Moore, 30, a native of Pittsburgh, Pa. (Wexford), a 1995 graduate of North Allegheny High, an NCAA Champion at Oklahoma State, and an accomplished international wrestler and coach, was named today as Clarion University's head wrestling coach, it was announced by Athletic Director Dave Katis. Moore replaces Ken Nellis who announced in March he was stepping down as head coach. Teague MooreMoore, who is very familiar with the Golden Eagle wrestling program, comes to Clarion from Harvard University, where he was an assistant coach for the past season. He also was an assistant at Oklahoma State in 2003-04, at Oklahoma in 2002-03 and at Pitt from 2000-01. "I am excited to announce that Teague Moore has accepted the position as head wrestling coach at Clarion," said athletic director Dave Katis. "We feel Teague possesses all the attributes we were looking for in a head coach," he continued. "He has a dynamic personality, is highly respected in wrestling circles, will be an outstanding recruiter, is committed to graduating student-athletes and is motivated to be the best. The Clarion wrestling tradition is in good hands with Teague Moore." Moore becomes only the fifth head coach at Clarion since 1960. Frank Lignelli re-started the wrestling program in the Fall of 1959 and coached through 1966. Bob Bubb elevated the program to elite NCAA Division I status as head coach from 1967- 92, while Jack Davis mentored from 1993-97 and Nellis from 1998-2006. "It is very humbling to be named the new head wrestling coach at Clarion University," said Moore. "To be named the leader at one of college wrestling's most decorated traditions is an unbelievable honor. I want to thank President Grunenwald, Dave Katis and the search committee for their trust and belief in my abilities. I also want the entire Clarion wrestling family to know that I will dedicated myself and do everything I can to restore the program to be amongst the nation's elite. To be the best at anything one must be willing to sacrifice and persevere. The alumni of Clarion have done that. They have proven that Conference, National, World and Olympic Titles can be earned here. It is time for Clarion to revitalize that level of commitment and that level of success." Moore knows the Clarion University campus and the area community pretty well, since he regularly attended the Summer wrestling camps at Clarion that were run at that time by coach Bubb. "I spent many weekends and Summers learning the sport of wrestling right here at Tippin Gymnasium from coach Bubb and his staff," said Moore. "They were great camps. Clarion's system allowed me to attain State and National titles because of what I learned while on this campus. As head coach and camp director I hope to be able to bring the next generation of wrestling champions to our campus so that they can experience and learn as I did. Armed with this knowledge they too will have an opportunity to represent their program, state and nation in our great sport." At North Allegheny High School Teague was a three-time PIAA placewinner including a runner-up in 1993, a third pace ending in 1994 and State Champion in 1995. He also was a three-time Pennsylvania State Freestyle Champion (1993-95), a three-time Junior National Freestyle Champion (1993, 94, 95) and National High School Champion in 1995. Heading to Oklahoma State to wrestle under coach John Smith, Teague was a four-year starter at 118-pounds for the Cowboys. A 4-time NCAA Division I National Qualifier, he was a three-time Division I All-American (1997-99), including an NCAA National Championship in 1998. He pinned Michigan State's Dave Morgan in the finals to win his title. He also placed third at nationals in 1999 and 4th in 1997. Teague was a Big 12 Champion in 1997 and 98 and runner-up in 1999. He posted a career record of 118-25 and was 15th in career wins at Oklahoma State at that time. Following graduation in 1999, Teague coached at Pitt, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Harvard prior to coming to Clarion. He also used that time to follow his Olympic dreams. Placing third at the US Olympic Trials in 2000, he won the US Open National Championship at 55KG in 2002, was a national team member and runner-up at the World Team Trials. In 2003 he was a National Team Member, was a Silver Medalist at the World Cup and placed third at the World Team Trials and the US Open Nationals. A National Team member in 2004, Teague placed third at the US Olympic Trials and at the US Open. Wrestling internationally, he was University World Champion (@ Tokyo, Japan) in 2000, Manitoba Open Champion in 2001, Yasar Dogu Champion (Ankara, Turkey) in 2002, Manitoba Champion again in 2004 and second at the Ulan Ude, Russian International Open, among others. "We are delighted to welcome Teague Moore as our next head wrestling coach, said Clarion President Dr. Joseph P. Grunenwald. "His distinguished competitive career and his significant experience as a coach provide strong evidence of his knowledge and approach to wrestling. More importantly, coach Moore is a person of strong character who is committed to the academic performance of his athletes. He will serve as an excellent role model to our wrestlers. We welcome him to the Clarion family and know he will work very hard to re-establish Clarion as a top Division I wrestling power." Teague and wife Mary Alice have a daughter Talen Josephina. He is the son of Patricia J. Moore and the late John J. Moore of Pittsburgh. He has three brothers Tim, Terry and Ty, two sisters Colleen and Tina, and one brother Tom who is deceased. Teague Moore has always had an abiding respect and admiration for former Clarion head coach Bob Bubb. "Coach Bob Bubb built a tradition that only a few men have achieved in our great sport," reflected Moore. "He was a man dedicated to building men of integrity, men of character and men of action. His record stands among the nations elite and he has been rightly honored by being inducted into the NWCA Wrestling Hall of Fame last Summer. I hope to follow and build upon the qualities that such a great man like Coach Bubb was dedicated to. Coach Bubb and all of the great men who have led Clarion have built a tradition and family that I am now a part of. I hope to honor him and these men by doing things the right way for the right reasons and bring Clarion wrestling back to national prominence." CLARION NOTES: Teague Moore becomes only the fifth coach at Clarion since 1960… The Golden Eagles are 473-256-12 over that time … Lignelli was the coach from 1960-66 with a record of 61-12... He passed the torch to Bob Bubb, who from 1966-92, put Clarion wrestling on the national stage... Bubb had a career record of 322-121-4 ... Bubb led Clarion to a 4th place team finish at D-I nationals in 1973, sixth in 1972 and 87 and eighth in 1992, his final season... Bubb coached 7 D-I champions, 3 college division champs, 27 All-Americans, 29 EWL winners and 68 PSAC champs ... Bubb will be remembered for two special athletes, namely Wade Schalles and Kurt Angle... Both were named to the NCAA/NWCA 75th Anniversary Team last March ... Schalles had an amazing career record of 153-5-1, won 2 NCAA titles and posted an NCAA record 106 pins ... Angle also was a 2-time NCAA D-I Champion, posted a record of 116-10-2 and also won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 ... On June 4, 2005, Bubb was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma .... Jack Davis was Clarion's head coach from 1993-97 with a record of 43-34-5 and then Nellis ... Davis was also a long-time assistant at Clarion under Bubb ... He was the assistant for 17 years before becoming the head coach in 1992... Since the 1960 season Clarion has a dual meet record of 473-255-12 ... Clarion has 8 D-I National Champions, 43 All-Americans, 51 EWL winners and 106 PSAC Champions... That also includes 13 PSAC and 3 EWL team titles...

Just when you thought the water was smooth for sailing the summer camp season comes on full force. All of our coaching changes will be discussed today as will the overall climate of the sport. Should be very interesting commentary from some great men. This week on TDR: 9:05 NC State Head Coach Carter Jordan 9:35 Old Dominion's Head Coach Steve Martin 10:05 UTC Head Coach Chris Bono 10:20 North Dakota State University Head Coach Bucky Maughan 10:45 Lehigh University Head Coach Greg Strobel Alright, so I thought they would be in studio last week but I was wrong, so, Joining me in the studio this week will be Vegas Headliner Comics Tim Cavanagh and Bob Zany for a lighter look at life if only for a day. This show should be very funny I encourage you to tune in Saturday morning 9 AM to 11AM CST. I stand corrected!

Columbia, Mo. -- The Missouri wrestling program announced today that four wrestlers have signed on to join the Tigers for the 2006-07 season, bringing this year's recruiting class total to 11. Seven wrestlers were inked during the early signing-period in November. Vince Hannon, a native of Lombard, Ill., and Nick Velliquette of Nixa, Mo., are each expected to compete at 125 pounds for the Tigers. Hannon compiled a 156-28 mark for Montini High School, placing at the Illinois State Tournament three times and helping the team to three state championship titles. Competing on the national stage, Hannon placed fifth at both the Cadet Folkstyle Nationals and the National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Senior Nationals. Hannon is a two-time Illinois state freestyle champion, and finished eighth at the Cadet Freestyle Nationals. Nick Velliquette was a two-time Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA) state finalist for Nixa High School, finishing second at 119 pounds as a junior and winning the state title as a senior. Aaron Bridgeman joins the Tigers and is expected to wrestle at 184 pounds after winning 77 consecutive matches from his junior to senior years in Maysville, Mo. Bridgeman compiled a 151-8 record in high school, taking fourth place as a sophomore before winning back-to-back MSHSAA titles at 189 pounds with consecutive unbeaten seasons. Bridgeman was named the Class I Wrestler of the Year as a senior, and finished third at the Brut/Adidas Nationals in 2006. Rounding out the class, Mitch Barnett will make the trip from Liberty, Mo., to join Missouri's squad at either 197 pounds or heavyweight. Barnett compiled an 82-29 mark at Liberty High School, becoming a three-time state qualifier and a state champion at 215 pounds as a senior. Barnett also racked up 52 pins in four years at Liberty High School.

State College, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling coach Troy Sunderland has finalized what many consider one of the best recruiting classes in the nation. A slew of talented high school grapplers are set to invade Happy Valley this fall as part of an outstanding 2006-07 class of incoming freshmen. Leading the way is a quartet of the nations finest, each of whom was ranked as one of the top high school wrestlers in the country at their respective weight classes. Alphabetically, high school standouts Jesse "Bubba" Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.), Dave Rella (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Josh Rohler (Akron, Ohio) and Garrett Scott (Alexandria, Pa.) all signed national letters of intent to attend Penn State earlier this year and have helped establish this recruiting class as one to rival last year's class. Jenkins, a native of Virginia Beach and a student at First Colonial High School, was the top-ranked 145-pound wrestler in the country according to Amateur Wrestling News and Intermat and projects at 149 for Penn State. A Virginia State high school champion, Jenkins was voted Outstanding Wrestler at the 2005 Beast of the East Championships. He won the 2006 NHSCA National Championship, dominating the tournament and winning the crown with a pin in the second period of the finals. Rella, who projects at 165 for Penn State, entered this season as the defending Ohio State Champion 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. This past year, Rella claimed yet another Ohio state title and won the 2006 High School National Championship as well. Rohler, who projects at 157 for Penn State, was 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. Rohler finished second at the 2005 Ohio State Championships and was the Bronze Medal winner at the 2006 High School National Championships. Scott, who projects at 141 for the Nittany Lions, was a three-time Pennsylvania AA State Champion at Juniata Valley High School. 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. Joining this quartet are, alphabetically, Nathan Andrews (Spring Mills, Pa.), Eric Burnett (Uniondale, N.Y.), Eric Caschera (South Williamsport, Pa.), Mike Eagan (Wharton, N.J.), Mike Farina (Denville, N.J.), Christian Harr (Hollidaysburg, Pa.), John Laboranti (Scranton, Pa.), Michael Lorenzo (Bellefonte, Pa.) and A.J. Papa (Allentown, Pa.). "We feel these wrestlers bring a lot of untapped potential and a desire to be part of something great at Penn State," Sunderland said. "They will help to solidify our needs at different weight classes, this is something we wanted to address with this class." Andrews projects as a heavyweight for Penn State. He was a Pennsylvania state qualifier for nearby Penns Valley High School. Burnett projects at 197 for the Nittany Lions and is coming off a second place finish at the 2006 New York state championships. He was sixth as a junior. Burnett wrestled for Uniondale High School. Caschera recently finished fourth at the 2006 PIAA championships, wrestling for South Williamsport High School. He projects at 125 for Penn State. Eagan recently completed his senior year at Morris Knolls High School, where he finished seventh this past season and was a three-time state qualifier. Eagan projects at 141 for Penn State. Farina was a high school teammate of Eagan and is the younger brother of Nittany Lion heavyweight Joe Farina. Farina, who projects at 157, was also a state qualifier for Morris Knolls. Harr, who wrestled at nearby Hollidaysburg High School, projects at 149 for Sunderland and the Nittany Lions. Laboranti is a heavyweight and a transfer from Virginia Tech. A sophomore, he went 8-8 for the Hokies last season. A Pittston High School grad, he placed third and eighth at states, finished second at FILA Junior Nationals last year, and was a four-time Junior Nationals All-American. Lorenzo, another local product from Bellefonte High School, projects at 157 for Penn State and was a PIAA regional qualifier. Papa, an Allentown native who is wrapping up his high school days at Parkland High School, projects at 165 for Penn State and was a PIAA state qualifier. "Overall, we're very excited to bring this group of young men to campus," Sunderland said. "We're very pleased to have a recruiting class of this caliber coming off last year's class. I'm thankful for the time and efforts of my coaching staff for attracting and landing these wrestlers. Recruiting student-athletes of this caliber is very competitive and with the combined effort of the entire University community, we were able to attract this outstanding class. We are grateful to everyone across campus who helped us this year." Penn State is coming off an outstanding 2005-06 season, notching a ninth place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City, crowning three All-Americans with one national finalist. Sunderland's Nittany Lions went 13-4 in dual matches, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten action. The Lions crowned one Big Ten Champion and placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships with eight national qualifiers.

City, State: Evanston, IL Job Description: The Wildcat Wrestling Club and Club President/Director Mark Massery are seeking an Assistant Club Coach to help take this emerging training program to the next level. We are looking for qualified candidates who have achieved success in the sport at the collegiate, national or international levels that would like to dedicate themselves to helping the Wildcat Wrestling Club and it's affiliates. Interested candidates will be expected to demonstrate the ability to help execute successfully in the following areas: • Running designated club practices • Teaching collegiate/freestyle/Greco technique • Drilling and wrestling effectively in live situations with designated club members • Organizing and marketing fall and spring technique sessions for high-school aged wrestlers. Ideal candidates will be those who can wrestle effectively with wrestlers competing at 174 pounds through 197 pounds or higher. This is an eight-month position beginning October 1, 2006. Compensation will be offered based on experience. Qualified candidates should plan on securing additional part-time employment in the Chicago area, for which the WWC members will be available to assist. All interested candidates should submit a cover letter, a resume and provide a listing of three professional references to Mark Massery). Information can be mailed to 3820 Timbers Edge, Glenview, IL. 60025 or emailed to: markmassery@comcast.net

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Former LHU wrestler is set to appear for the second time on the SpikeTV show "Pro vs. Joes" Monday May 15 at 10 p.m. Charlie Brenneman (2004) appeared on the May 8th show taking home the $20,000 prize while competing against pro's Herschel Walker, Dominique Wilkins, Brandi Chastain, Justin Gatlin and Darren Daulton. Brenneman is set to appear on the season finale which has been cast as the best joe's of the previous season. Each of the three joe's competing was told to bring back their best buddy for the final competion. They will be competing against Xavier McDaniel, Clyde Drexler, John Rocker, Daulton, Kevin Greene and Bill Goldberg. Visit SpikeTV.com for more details.

It has been nearly six years since Brandon Slay won an Olympic gold medal in Sydney, Australia. The Texas native hasn't followed the normal path of an Olympic champion, however. Jumping into coaching at the collegiate wrestling level is what seems to be expected of most Olympic success stories. With an impressive career at Penn behind him, Slay could have easily followed that same road. But Slay is a rare breed of athlete that is able to put other things in front of his training, or his sport. For Slay, that one thing is his faith. It is that faith that helped Slay to found Greater Gold, a message and philosophy teaching people to always strive to reach their full potential -– to go for gold in life. "We should go for the gold in art, music, sports, business, education, leadership, and beyond. However, the gold's of the world will never fulfill us and should never define us. There is a greater treasure, a greater reward, and a Greater Gold that can only be found through integrity, love for others, genuine community, and a personal relationship with The Savior, Jesus," Slay said. "Hedonism, intellectualism, materialism, and the successes of the world will always leave you empty. Our Creator, Heavenly Father, and Savior is the only One meant to fulfill us on earth and in Heaven," he added. Slay's faith in God is strong, and he is proud to tell others about it. Without that faith, Slay does not feel that he would have captured that Olympic gold in 2000. "It's crucial before, during, and after your career," Slay said. "Physical and mental strength will only get you so far, but the addition of spiritual strength produces complete athletes. Faith gives you the freedom to do your best and let Got take care of the rest. Faith empowers you to do the natural and allows God to do the Supernatural." While Slay's faith remains the same, the sport of wrestling has changed so much around him. He has dipped his hands into many different jars, keeping him busy throughout the year. Slay works full-time for Stream Realty Partners, a commercial real estate firm in downtown Dallas, while also running Greater Gold Wrestling Clubs in Texas, Washington and Kansas. On top of all that, Slay helps with the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club every Thursday night at Highland Park High School and he is still a favorite wrestling clinician across the country, giving him the opportunity to spread his message of success and Greater Gold even more. "Now that I am working full-time, my free time has been minimized. But, I'll always pour a section of my life into the sport which makes me who I am today," Slay said. Three years ago, Slay thought about making another run at Olympic gold. He moved out to the U.S. Olympic Training Center for a brief period to test his skills against some of the best in the U.S. Already, many changes had occurred in the sport. Slay's Olympic weight class of 167.5 lbs. no longer existed. He either needed to get smaller, a tough option for a wrestler with his short, stocky build, or he needed to get bigger. After a short stint at the USOTC, Slay decided to finally retire. "Once you accomplish a life long dream, your intensity to do it again is not the same. I believe your desire determines your destiny, and my desire wasn't strong enough to reach wrestling's apex once again," he said. "When it was time to run sprints while pushing to catch the guy in front of you or climb 25 foot ropes until I couldn't feel my forearms anymore, I started thinking about lunch instead of pushing myself harder." Brandon SlayThere were other factors as well. "The OTC in 2003 was much different. The environment for training was different, the coaches were different, and the training partners were different. All these things led to my retirement." Slay also gets frustrated by all the rules changes that seem to be ongoing within international wrestling. While he is still sure of the success he would have under the new rules, he does not feel the sport can continue at its current pace of rules changes. "If an Olympic champion shows up at a tournament and a 10 year-old has to explain some the new rules to him, there is a problem. Yes, other mainstream sports have rule changes, but if Emmitt Smith walked away from the game for a few years, on his return, he wouldn't miss a beat. Wrestling is ever changing and ever confusing to your average fan," Slay said. "Personally, with unlimited gut wrenches, I would have been even more dangerous as long as my takedown skills continued to increase." Nonetheless, Slay would love to continue his role with Real Pro Wrestling when Season Two gets underway later this year. In Season One, he coached the Texas Shooters alongside another Olympic champion Kenny Monday, who along with Slay has helped build the state of Texas into a competitive state nationally at the youth and high school levels. In that nearly six years away from wrestling, a lot has changed for Slay, but in some ways, a lot as stayed the same. "My mentality to compete, win and be the best in the working world is still alive. Though, I have learned that earthly success will never fulfill you," Slay said. And that maturity would be considered normal. Favorite Country Singer: George Strait's old stuff and Travis Tritt's love songs. Favorite Rock Song: "Tomorrow" by Silverchair Favorite song to sing: She Talks to Angels: by The Black Crows Advice for any young athlete thinking of wrestling: If you want to win tons of matches, it's going to take time and a lot of commitment. Work extra hard, believe in yourself, make good decisions, and use the gifts God has given you. My personal mode of operation is this: Plan for the future yet live in the moment while choosing right. The strength of your message without winning an Olympic gold: The message would not have been as powerful. The gold medal sets the stage for the Greater Gold message. Without the experience of accomplishing the gold's of the world, it's hard to encourage others that there is something ultimately greater.

ATHENS, Ohio -- Seven more high school standouts will be joining the Ohio wrestling program this fall as Bobcat head coach Joel Greenlee announced the group on Wednesday that will join the three high school state champs Ohio already signed last November. The seven newcomers include Kevin Christensen (Enon, Ohio), Quentin Keyes (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), Antoine Love (Bexley, Ohio), Mike Marrero (Reynoldsburg, Ohio), Seth Morton (Canal Winchester, Ohio), Cody VanBuskirk (Rushsylvania, Ohio) and Michael Wilson (Marion, Ohio). "First and foremost, these guys fill needs that we have," said Greenlee about the future additions to his roster. "We're pretty thin at the lower weights and the upper middle weights. These guys have a great deal of experience and have the potential to step in right away." Christensen was a four-time state qualifier for Greenon High School, where he finished his career with a 164-23 record. The team captain and Clark County Wrestler of the Year went 42-5 with 12 pins as a senior and placed fourth in the state at 135 pounds in Division II after taking fourth at 130 pounds the previous year. He also lettered in tennis and holds a 3.1 grade-point average. Keyes was the Division II state runner-up at 125 pounds with a record of 36-6 in 2006. Overall, he won 156 career matches at Walsh Jesuit High School and placed third in the state at 119 pounds as a junior, second at 112 as a sophomore and fourth at 112 as a freshman. The high school All-American was ranked eighth in the country at his weight by W.I.N. Magazine. Keyes holds a 3.0 GPA and plans on majoring in civil engineering at Ohio. Love earned All-America honors while placing third at 174 pounds in the Junior College National Championships and helping Iowa Central Community College win the 2006 national title. As a 160-pound senior at Gahanna Lincoln High School, he finished fourth in the state with a 45-10 record. He lettered all four years for the Lions and also won the football team's Most Improved award in 2004. Love, who intends to study art, will have two years of eligibility remaining for the Bobcats. Marrero finished fourth in the state Division I tournament at 171 pounds. He posted a 31-8 record as a senior at Reynoldsburg High School this past season. He also excels on the baseball diamond for the Raiders. Before moving to Reynoldsburg, Marrero was a state wrestling champ in New Jersey. Morton placed third in Division II at 119 pounds in 2006 after a fourth-place finish at 112 the previous year. He was named outstanding wrestler at the Watterson Invitational last December after pinning all five of his opponents at the event. Morton completed his senior campaign at Canal Winchester High School with a 48-2 record. In the Division II 171-pound bracket, VanBuskirk finished fifth in 2006 and sixth in 2005. As a senior, he posted a 43-3 record for Benjamin Logan High School and the sectional and district champion was named to the Greater Miami Valley Wrestling Association's All-Area Second Team. VanBuskirk also was a standout in football and baseball for the Raiders. Wilson finished third in Division III at 119 pounds in 2006, ending his senior season with a 22-2 record and his prep career with a 121-8 mark. As a four-year letterman, he won four sectional titles and three district championships for Marion Pleasant High School. Wilson also was a Cadet Freestyle All-American in 2003 and a three-year member of the Ohio Junior National Freestyle Team. The Bobcats inked Anthony Ciraky (Westerville, Ohio), Shane Friery (North Royalton, Ohio) and Ben Llanas (Lucky, Ohio) during the early signing period last November. All three won state titles in 2005 and Ciraky completed his second straight undefeated season for Westerville South High School with another state crown in 2006. "I think we've got a great group of guys with a great attitude," Greenlee said about next year's squad. "We're still going to be young but we'll be much more mature. I'm excited and our guys are excited because we should have a really good year."

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University head wrestling coach Bucky Maughan announced today that high school senior Casey Buchholz of Oakes (N.D.) High School is planning to continue his education and wrestle for NDSU as a recruited walk-on in 2006. With the addition of Buchholz, the Bison now have eleven total commitments for next year's squad. Buchholz is a four-time state qualifier that won state championships at 140 pounds as a junior and 145 pounds as a senior. He also finished in second place as a sophomore. A two-time Region 1 champion, Buchholz finished his high school career with a 148-31 record. In addition, Buchholz was named team captain his final three years, most valuable wrestler by his coaches and team for four years and a 2006 Triple Crown Winner. Casey is the son of Jeff and Naomi Buchholz of Oakes. The Bison wrestling program completed its third year of reclassification to Division I with a 6-6 record. NDSU will compete in the newly formed Western Wrestling Conference and be eligible for the NCAA tournament beginning next season.

Waterloo, Iowa -- Two-time All-American Travis Paulson captured 74 kg. freestyle and Greco-Roman titles and redshirt freshmen Nick Gallick and Mitch Mueller claimed freestyle crowns at 60 and 66 kg. to qualify for the World Team Trials at the Northern Plains Regional in Waterloo. Paulson captured outstanding wrestler honors in Greco-Roman competition while Mueller was named the outstanding wrestler in freestyle. 2006 recruits T.J. Sebolt and Mark Kist also recorded freestyle titles in the junior division. Paulson, who was fourth in freestyle and eighth in Greco-Roman, respectively, at University Nationals in Evanston, Ill., registered a crucial quarterfinal victory over former Minnesota three-time All-American Jacob Volkman, winning by decision, 3-0, 1-0. Paulson toppled Northern Iowa's Moza Fay in the finals, 6-1, 6-0. Paulson joins his brother Trent who qualified for the World Team Trials with a 74 kg. freestyle championship at University Nationals. Gallick, who redshirted this season, defeated UNI wrestlers Brett Robbins in the finals and Kyle Anson in the semifinals. In April, Gallick qualified for the championship bracket at the U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas at 60 kg. in the senior division. Mueller, who recently placed third at the FILA Junior Nationals helped by a consolation semifinal victory over former four-time Iowa state champion Dan LeClere (North-Linn) at 66 kg., defeated another Hawkeye, this time Iowa's 157-pound two-time All-American and 2005 NCAA runner-up Joe Johnston by a 1-0, 4-3 decision in the semifinals. Mueller topped W.R. Groves (Olympic Training Center), 1-1, 4-4, 1-0 in the finals. ISU 174-pounder David Bertolino, a 2005 freestyle All-American, was runner-up at 84 kg. Bertolino scored a pin and technical fall prior to reaching the finals. Sebolt, a four-time Iowa state champion from Centerville, rolled through the 140 pound bracket with a 6-0, 7-0, technical fall in the finals over Weldon Rogers (Illinois). Kist, a three-time Iowa state champion from Eagle Grove, defeated Mike Mille, 4-0, 5-1, at 119 pounds. ISU wrestlers and alumni will make their way to the World Team Trials May 27-28 in Sioux City at the Tyson Events Center. Current wrestlers who have qualified include Nick Gallick, Mitch Mueller, Trent Paulson and Travis Paulson. Former wrestlers who qualified are Eric Akin (4x All-American), Grant Nakamura (3x NCAA qualifier), Nate Gallick (2006 NCAA Champion), Aaron Holker (2002 NCAA champion), Zach Roberson (2006 U.S. Nationals 60 kg. freestyle champion), Chris Bono (2x U.S. Nationals champion), Matt Azevedo (2x NCAA qualifier) and Joe Heskett (2002 NCAA champion), who was recently named an assistant coach at Ohio State under Tom Ryan.

Everyone has always known that Zach Roberson has all the talent in the world. But sometimes, they just happen to forget about him. Throughout his entire career, Roberson has been a dominant performer. However, he is always competing at deep weight classes, whether it be in college or at the international level. His 133-pound weight class left him with such NCAA individual powers as Travis Lee, Johnny Thompson and Ryan Lewis. But in 2004, he topped all of them with an NCAA title for Iowa State. Part of Roberson's underachiever stigma comes from himself. An undefeated, four-time Kansas state champion at Blue Valley Northwest High School, Roberson went to Iowa State with high expectations –- and a quiet demeanor. That shyness for Roberson translated into a lack of passion as far as some Iowa State fans were concerned. But Roberson never needed to question his passion or work ethic. He knew that his time at the top would come –- he just wasn't sure when it would happen. "You always want to go into something thinking you're going to win. That's how I was my freshman year at Iowa State. I always believed I could be the best. Sometimes it just takes a little bit longer than you originally expect. College is a major learning process," Roberson said. In 2003, already an All-American, Roberson was pinned in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Not many remember that he battled all the way back to fourth place –- a difficult task that included wrestling a high number of matches. It was that three-day event that helped him to his title nearly one year later. Zach Roberson"That tournament taught me a lot. After losing in the first round like that, I could have either folded, or figured out how to help my team," Roberson said. "I decided to use it as motivation. Even though I came back for fourth, I always remembered how disappointed I was after that first loss. I didn't want to dwell on it, but I didn't want to forget it either." But even with an NCAA title on his resume, Roberson continued to assume the quiet role. That's why it was somewhat of a surprise to see him on the Iowa Stalkers during Real Pro Wrestling's Season One. Surrounded by five former Iowa Hawkeye wrestlers and Joe Heskett, a former ISU teammate who was very vocal, Roberson was once again the forgotten wrestler. Once again, Roberson made them remember. Competing at the comfortable weight of 132 lbs., he dashed through opponents Lewis and Greco-Roman star Joe Warren before losing 8-7 in one of the most exciting matches of Season One to Tony DeAnda of the New York Outrage. His success there helped springboard him to success in international competition as well, culminating with the U.S . Nationals freestyle crown just two weeks ago. There, he downed 2005 U.S. World Team member Michael Lightner in the championship bout. It was the biggest win of what is shaping up to be a long career. "Ever since I got out of college, I have been training so hard in freestyle. I still have a ways to go to get where I want to be, but for the first time really since high school, guys are coming into a tournament trying to knock me off the top." And if all goes according to Roberson's plan, by the time 2008 has passed, no one will have forgotten about him.