InterMat Staff

NEW YORK -- Columbia University announces the establishment of a newly endowed varsity head coaching position, thanks to a gift from Andrew F. Barth '83CC '85BUS. The official title of Columbia's head wrestling coaching position will be the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling. Brendan Buckley, who is entering his sixth season as Columbia's head coach, will be the first coach to assume the new title. "Wrestling taught me many valuable lessons about life, lessons I use every day," says Barth. "Discipline, persistence and hard work really do make a difference. Some of the best times in my life and some of my best memories are due to wrestling and being a part of this team. Columbia was a wonderful experience and I received a great education. I hope this gift ensures that future generations of Columbia wrestlers will have even better opportunities and an even more positive experience than I did." Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education, says: "Andy's gift to the wrestling program at Columbia will benefit the entire athletics program. His commitment and dedication to Columbia Athletics are fine examples of how passionate Columbians are for Columbia. We thank him for this significant and generous gift." "I remain honored to be a part of Columbia wrestling, the nation's oldest intercollegiate wrestling program," says Buckley, the 2005 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Coach of the Year. "Our continual and improved success over the last five years has been, in part, thanks to the outpouring of support our team has received from our alumni and friends. It is with sincere gratitude that I thank Andy and his family." "Our student-athletes are amazing people who are future global leaders," says Murphy. "Andy's generosity will touch the lives of our more than 800 current student-athletes and head coaches, and all those who follow their path." Wrestling is one of the oldest sports at Columbia, dating back to 1903, and Columbia was the first school to host an intercollegiate wrestling match. Although the sport has enjoyed several eras of great success, none has been greater than the first three years of the 1980's, when Columbia won three consecutive Ivy League championships, during which time Barth was a key member of the team. "Our team took a giant step this past year. I felt a responsibility to respond and demonstrate to the team that the alumni are there with them and ready to take another giant step. I hope that we are at the beginning of a brand new chapter in our history," said Barth. "We hope that this chapter includes more Ivy League Championships, more EIWA placewinners and more All-Americans." In 2004-2005, the team enjoyed what was arguably the best post-season in Columbia wrestling history. After leading the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) Championships after the first session, to the surprise of Lehigh, Cornell and other top-ranked squads, the Lions proceeded to finish fourth, their best finish since 1931. Columbia finished ahead of Penn and Army, who were both nationally ranked. Among the highlights at EIWA's, six student-athletes were placewinners, including Matt Palmer's second-place, en route to his All-American season. The team received the EIWA Wrestling Officials' highly prized Sportsmanship Award. Team members earned academic accolades as well; Jeff Sato, who was 31-7 on the season, was named to the NWCA Division I All-Academic Team. Barth will be honored in recognition of his generous gift in a ceremony at wrestling homecoming on February 18, 2006, during the Inaugural Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame weekend. That weekend, the Lions host a tri-meet with Atlantic Coast Conference powerhouse Duke and Ivy League rival Harvard in Columbia's University (Blue) Gym. Beyond their direct impact on the program, endowments such as Barth's strengthen Columbia University academically and financially, ensuring the long-term vitality of the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. Gifts towards endowment provide donors with the opportunity to channel their resources into a secure financial investment, and to perpetuate the charitable organizations that have had meaning in their lives. Columbia Athletics is planning for the future to ensure that student-athletes have enhanced athletic opportunities while earning a world-class education.

BUDAPEST -- Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) turned in monumental performance in winning her first World Championship gold medal at the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 30. She defeated five-time World Champion Kyoko Hamaguchi of Japan, 3-1, 1-1, 1-0 in the finals at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. Iris SmithSmith's performance, along with a bronze medal by Katie Downing (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) at 67 kg/147.5 lbs., led the United States to a third-place finish in the team race. Japan won the team title, and China finished second. Smith scored a decisive three-point takedown midway through the first period using a two-on-one that finished with a scramble and exposure. Hamaguchi was able to score her lone point of the period with a late takedown off of another scramble. In the second period, Smith again got on the board using a two-on-one and driving Hamaguchi out-of-bounds. Hamaguchi forced a third period with a one-point double leg to even the score at 1-1 and win the period. Smith gained the match-winning point 50 seconds into the third period when both wrestlers scrambled out-of-bounds. After a video review, the referee awarded Smith the point that decided the match. For the next minute, Smith kept the pressure on as Hamaguchi wasn't able to create any offense. Smith advanced to the gold medal match with a strong performance in a semifinal win over Anita Schaetzle of Germany, 3-1, 2-0. Schaetzle jumped out to an early one-point lead when she scored 29 seconds into the match as the wrestlers scrambled for position. Smith next scored two consecutive points, driving the German off the mat with a series of double leg attacks. Smith sealed the period with a late one point go-behind. In the second period, Smith controlled the center of the mat and earned two points countering Schaetzle's leg attacks. The two points were enough to send Smith to the gold medal championship, securing her first ever world medal. In the quarterfinals, Smith shut out Agnieszka Wieszczek of Poland, 2-0, 6-0. Smith scored both of her points midway through the first period with back-to-back takedowns. In the second period, Smith scored a three point takedown at the halfway point and then followed up with a go-behind for one point at the 1:44 mark. She finished off the period with a two-point counter exposure at the final whistle. Smith was competing in her second World Championships, winning her first medal. She is a member of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). Katie DowningDowning defeated Ashlea McManus of Great Britain for a 6-0, 7-0 victory in her bronze-medal match. The bronze was Downing's first World Championship medal, as she was competing in her first World meet. There was no scoring through nearly two minutes of the first period, until Downing put six points on the board in the last 17 seconds. At 1:43, Downing scored on a reverse headlock trip for three points and a hold for one point. She then closed out the period with a two point power half. Downing quickly got on the board in the second period with a one-point double leg followed up by two exposure points. She closed out the period and the match on a three point head lock and a hold for one, nearly earning a fall. Downing was defeated earlier in the day when she lost a tight match to Martine Dugrenier of Canada, 1-0, 1-0 in the quarterfinals. Dugrenier scored both of her points on single leg attacks; driving Downing out of bounds in the first period and finishing the takedown in the second. In both periods, Downing was unable to create an offensive attack. When Dugrenier advanced to the gold medal finals, Downing was sent to the repechage (wrestlebacks) and a chance for the bronze medal. In her repechage match, Downing battled to a tight 0-2, 1-0, 3-1 win over Eri Sakamoto of Japan. Downing lost the first period when Sakamoto scored two exposure points off of a scramble from the clinch. After a short video review of the move, the points were awarded to Sakamoto. Downing scored the lone point of the second period when the referee called a caution against Sakamoto for inactivity. Downing fended off the Japanese to force a third and decisive period. In the third period, Downing scored one point on a go-behind at the midway point and added a two point gut wrench to secure the victory. Sakamoto's only score came on a late reversal for one. The men's Greco-Roman competition started with competition in one weight class, the 55 kg/121 lbs. division. In the evening session, Lindsey Durlacher (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) was eliminated from the competition when his second round opponent, Istvan Majoros of Hungary failed to reach the gold medal finals. Durlacher won his first match of the morning session, but then lost to Majoros in the second round. QUOTES: 67 kg/147.5 lbs. � Katie Downing, (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids): "I didn't come here for bronze at all. It's pretty hard. I had to wrestle back for it, something I did not want to do. Later, I've have more perspective. Right now, I know this is not what I came for." (about the match with Degrenier of Canada) "I have to figure something out. I worked on my high single and double leg defense a lot. She is just strong. It's not pretty technique, very simple. But it works. I have to never let it get there. She can't score singles on me if I am in on her leg. I'll figure it out next year." "I didn't have any choice but to wrestle back. I guess there is a part I had to turn on the switch. After I lost, I didn't feel like wrestling. I wanted to go home. I had to take the disappointment and use it to make me want to win more. In the match against Japan, where it seemed neither of us wanted to be there, there was a point in the third period where we were both sore and tired. She gave up a little and I knew I had it." "This is just the first time I've been here. I have dreamed of this so long. I wasn't nervous or stressed. I was excited to be here. I just knew I would win it. This is the beginning of my dream. This is the first time I'm here. I have imagined for so long what it would feel like. When I got to feel it for real, it was a neat experience." 72 kg/158.5 lbs. � Iris Smith (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army): "It feels so good. I was raised religious. Before my match, I prayed. I feel like through Him all things are possible. I totally believe in miracles. I wrestled every match to the best of my ability. I didn't care who wrestled. I went out and did my best. And it worked." "Before the finals match, I got a good warmup in. I wrestled her at the World Cup five months ago. She beat me. But I felt I could beat her. I decided to do my own thing. (U.S. Army coach) Shon Lewis helped me out to get prepared. My strategy was to keep moving. (National coach) Terry Steiner had everything ready, and he told me what to do. It worked." "I think my gold was important to the team. I wanted to hear the national anthem and see my flag raised. I love my country. It motivated me. I wanted to get my country another gold medal." "When it was over, I looked at Shon and Terry's faces. When I saw them, I thought, �I guess I won.' I was instantly thanking God. I was so pumped and teary eyed." (about starting her wrestling career in Georgia) "Every little wrestler's dream is to go to the Olympics or win the World gold. My first coach, Anthony White, always told me I could do it. At the time, I had posters of (four-time World champion) Tricia Saunders. I wanted to be like Tricia Saunders. Now it is my turn." USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner: "It was a huge comeback. We knew Katie Downing and Iris Smith were capable of medals and capable of winning the tournament. Being capable and doing it are different things. A gold medal is great to get. Iris went for the gold and ran with it. She looked great in all the training camps. It was well deserved." "As a team, we had matches that showed character. Sara McMann, Katie Downing and Sally Roberts showed great character. They had an opportunity to wrestle back after their losses and they did it. They fought through it. We have two teams ahead of us who are not slowing down. We need to move forward however. But this is a great place to start going forward to 2008." "In all of Iris' matches, she never beat herself. This was something she had to work on. She kept good position, nothing fancy, just good solid wrestling. She stayed focused." "This was a huge step for Katie Downing. She wanted a gold medal. It started by making the team and beating a seven-time World medalist. She did a great job here. She is a very focused and disciplined individual. Good things happen to those who work. This is just a start for Katie Downing." 55 kg/121 lbs. - Lindsey Durlacher, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC): "I felt good in my first match. Things were working for me. I created the right angles. I got my confidence real high, going against the Olympic champion in his own country. I knew it would be a dogfight. I would make it go my way. I didn't get that done. I'm upset about that. I tried to force a few things against the Olympic champion. This is my first World Championships. I got overzealous a bit and it cost me." Steve Fraser, USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Coach: "His first match against the Italian, he wrestled smart and he stayed focused. We were happy with that first match. The second match, he made one mistake. He tried to gutwrench the guy with two seconds on the clock and gives up points. You take that away and Lindsey wins the period. The guy is the Olympic champion. He is tough. Lindsey wrestled tough in the second period, and had a good defense. You can't make mistakes against the Olympic champion. He was ready. He prepared like we wanted him to. He worked hard, and was focused, ready and confident. Lindsey was well prepared today."

BUDAPEST -- Two U.S. women wrestlers, Sally Roberts (Colorado Springs, Colo./Gator WC) at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Sara McMann (Iowa City, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) won bronze medals at the World Championships of Women's Freestyle wrestling in Hungary, Roberts defeated Anna Zwirydowska of Poland, 7-0, 6-2 in the bronze-medal match. Roberts ended the first period of the match quickly, scoring a 1-point arm spin only 11 seconds into the match. She then scored three consecutive 2-point gut wrenches, ending the period 7-0. In the second period, Zwirydowska scored first, earning 1 point off a leg attack and following up with a 1-point leg lace. That would be all the scoring for Zwirydowska as Roberts rallied with a 1-point high crotch followed by two consecutive 2-point gut wrenches to take a commanding 5-2 lead. Roberts closed the match out with a 1-point go-behind as time expired. Sally RobertsThe bronze medal is Roberts' second world-level medal as she also won bronze at the 2003 World Championships in New York City. Earlier in the day, Roberts lost a high scoring match in the semifinals to eventual silver medalist Mariann Sastin of Hungary, 7-4, 7-6. The loss to the local crowd favorite sent Roberts to the bronze medal match. Roberts started the semifinal match scoring a 2 point arm spin to a gut wrench and quickly followed with another 2 point gut wrench. Sastin stopped Roberts third gut wrench attempt, stepping over her to close the score to 4-2. The Hungarian then scored a 3 point double leg to gain the lead at 5-4. She closed off the period with a 2-point exposure off Roberts escape attempt as time ran out in the period. The two wrestlers scored a combined 13 points in a wild second period as Sastin built a strong 4-0 lead off of an out-of-bounds point and a 3-point hip toss. Roberts responded with a 1-point high crotch but was again stopped in a gut wrench attempt, giving up a 2-point exposure and a 1-point hold. Although Roberts was down by 6 points, she was allowed to continue her hold and finish her gut wrench for 2 points. She again scored on a 2 point gut wrench and was awarded another point for the fold to close within one. The flurry of points wasn't enough as time ran out on Roberts, giving Sastin a 7-6 win. McMann followed up Roberts's performance with a bronze medal of her own, earning a solid 1-2, 2-1, 4-2 victory over Anna Polovneva of Russia. McMann lost the first period as Polovneva scored a 2-point hip toss 22 seconds into the match. The only scoring the rest of the period came when McMann was able to fight off her back and score a 1 point reversal midway through the period. In the second period, McMann controlled the tempo and earned two consecutive points when she drove Polovneva off the mat. Polovneva scored a late 1-point double leg to close the gap to 2-1 before time expired and forced a third and decisive period. McMann scored early in the third period with a single leg attack that drove Polovneva off the mat for a 1-0 lead. She then hit a 3-point hip toss that sealed the win and the bronze medal as Polovneva was only able to muster two late 1 point scores before the match ended. The bronze medal is McMann's third world level medal and follows her silver medal performance from last year's Olympic Games. McMann was pushed to the repechage (wrestlebacks) when her first round opponent, Kaori Icho of Japan reached the championship match. In her repechage match, McMann defeated Helena Allandi of Sweden, 2-5, 4-2, 2-2 to advance to the bronze medal match. In the first period, McMann scored twice to take an early lead. Allandi tied the match at the halfway point on a reversal before scoring late on a flurry with back exposure and a hold to take the period 5-2. The second period saw McMann fall behind early, giving up a one point single leg and a 1 point exposure. She fought back scoring two consecutive takedowns and a late exposure to win the period 4-2. In the final period, the two traded scores before McMann stopped Allandi's bow and arrow attempt and earned the decisive 1-point reversal. Tina George (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army) was eliminated from medal contention at 55 kg/121 lbs. when her second-round opponent, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Tonya Verbeek of Canada, failed to reach the gold medal finals. The U.S. women and men continue competition on Friday with Katie Downing at 67 kg and Iris Smith at 72 kg wrestling in the women's freestyle competition and Lindsey Durlacher at 55 kg wrestling in the Greco-Roman competition. QUOTES: 59 kg/130 lbs. – Sally Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC): "I am the eternal bronze medalist, darn it! Against Hungary, I had no idea what the score was. I tried to get as many points as I coud, but sometimes they gave it to her. I knew I was wrestling against a Hungarian in Hungary. I had to make it more clean. I get a step closer each year, but I haven't made it yet. I'm closer; I miss the top step to the finals. I'm not giving up until I get the gold. I want to win that at the Olympics. I have to talk to FILA about getting this weight class there." "My quarterfinals match against the Italian was a dogfight. Fifteen minutes later, I had to wrestle the Hungarian superstar. I'm in condition. I lost my head a little. That had to do with me getting third place. I thought I would go bam, bam, bam. I need to do that in the finals. My match against Italy was at knotch 11. I had to stay at knotch 11." "I'm pretty happy with it. I give this tournament everything I had. I pulled it out. I'm not mad. I have to work on little things. My list is long, but it's little things. My goal for next year is to go to as many international tournaments as I can. It's learning to wrestle only 15 minutes later that is hard." 63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann, Iowa City, Iowa (Sunkist Kids): "It is a quote from someone else, but it is my favorite. ‘Winning does not develop our strength. Our struggles develop our strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.'" U.S. Women's World Team Coach Bill Scherr: "We got a few medals today. It is better than nothing. I thought the two women who were bronze could have been gold. Things happen. They showed a lot of guts wrestling back and getting bronze. Sara could have packed it in but she fought back hard. She helped the team and helped herself. Sally was the same way. She's a fighter, no matter what. She lost a tough match, then came back to win a tough match. You could cut your head off and she'd still be wrestling you." "I'm glad to get the bronzes, but we are not satisfied. We need two medals and we need a champion tomorrow. They are tough women and they want to win. We will see how it turns out."

RevWrestling.com employs the following system of team rankings based on tournament strength. The individuals are ranked up through the top 16 at each weight class to signify the consolation Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships. From the individual rankings, the following team points are assigned: 1. 16 placement + 4 advancement = 20 points 2. 12 placement + 4 advancement = 16 points 3. 10 placement + 3.5 advancement = 13.5 points 4. 9 placement + 3.5 advancement = 12.5 points 5. 7 placement + 3 advancement = 10 points 6. 6 placement + 3 advancement = 9 points 7. 4 placement + 2.5 advancement = 6.5 points 8. 3 placement + 2.5 advancement = 5.5 points 9-12 2 advancement = 2.0 points 13-16 1.5 advancement = 1.5 points

We Americans cherish our right to vote. When asked, we will jump at the chance to cast our ballot, whether it's for President of the United States, or our favorite on American Idol. We'll endure long lines at the polling station or put up with repeated busy signals on the phone just to be sure we can make a choice … and make our voices heard. More and more organizations are realizing the power of participatory democracy, including the NCAA. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of their first collegiate wrestling championship, the NCAA and the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) decided to name a team of all-time college wrestling greats. Power to the People Once upon a time, the members of the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team would have been determined by an elite group of experts -- wrestling journalists, historians and coaches -- then the wrestling community would have commented on their choices after the fact. However, in the interests of giving the wrestling community an actual voice in the matter, the NCAA opened up the voting to anyone who had online access. To make things easier for voters -- and not leave the experts out of the equation -- a panel of wrestling historians started with the thousands of wrestlers who have competed at the college level since 1928 (the first year of the NCAA championships). The experts came up with a list of 45 wrestlers, fifteen in each of three weight-based categories -- lightweight (115-141 pounds) … middleweight (142-172 pounds) … and heavyweight (177 pounds and up). (See sidebar for complete list of nominees.) Then they posted this ballot of potential NCAA 75th Anniversary Team honorees online, and invited the wrestling community to choose five names from each weight category. Once the online polls closed, the votes would be counted, and the five top vote-getters in each weight category would be honored at a special ceremony at the 2005 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis. And The Winners Are… Dan Hodge, who won three NCAA titles for Oklahoma, is the only amateur wrestler ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated.At an afternoon ceremony held outdoors on a blustery day under the vast former train sheds at the historic Union Station in downtown St. Louis, the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team members were introduced one-at-a-time to the assembled crowd in the three weight-based categories. The honorees in the lightweight class (listed here in alphabetical order) include Stephen Abas, Tom Brands, Dan Gable, John Smith and Yojiro Uetake. Among the middleweight members of the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team: Lee Kemp, Lincoln McIlravy, Wade Schalles, Pat Smith and Joe Williams. The heavyweight (upper-weight) honorees include Kurt Angle, Ed Banach, Carlton Haselrig, Dan Hodge and Cael Sanderson. A Difference of Opinion Once the nominees were introduced, I had two questions: 1. Were they selected strictly on the basis of their college careers? 2. Why is the list so light on "old-time" wrestlers? Let's take a look at each question. 1. College accomplishments … or lifetime achievement? In an online article introducing the 45 nominees (see sidebar for complete list) posted in January, the opening text said, "Please know that nominations are selected on NCAA performance only." Cael Sanderson finished his career at Iowa State with four NCAA titles and a 159-0 record.As a life-long wrestling fan and long-time professional writer/editor, I read that sentence to say, "We wrestling historians only looked at their college records. We ignored their post-college accomplishments whatever they may be. As a voter, you wrestling fans should NOT consider a candidate's freestyle or Greco-Roman achievements, Olympic medals, coaching records, stardom from professional sports or sports entertainment, service to the sport of wrestling, or any other stuff after college." It's possible that other wrestling fans read that sentence to say, "The experts may have selected the 45 nominees based on college performance … but that doesn't mean I have to restrict myself to that same criteria." In other words, the voters may have made the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team honors more of a "lifetime achievement" award than an award to honor excellence on the college mats. 2. Why a lack of "old-time" wrestlers? Look at the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team, and you'll notice something missing: No nominees who wrestled before the mid 1950s. In fact, there are only three wrestlers -- Hodge, Uetake and Gable -- whose college careers predate 1970. Yojiro Uetake won three NCAA titles (1964-1966) and compiled a 57-0 record while at Oklahoma State.Some fans might argue, "I voted only for guys I've seen in action." Still others might make a case that, thanks to better training and nutrition -- or in terms of number of matches wrestled in a college career -- today's wrestlers are superior. However, if you were putting together a list of "most significant automobiles of all time" would you leave off the Model T, the Volkswagen Beetle and the original Ford Mustang simply because they're not as sophisticated as today's models? A Second Look at the Overlooked When I cast my votes for the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team in early 2005, I had a list of "must-includes" -- guys who were so dominant in college and/or whose accomplishments were so historically significant, they could not be ignored, including (but not limited to) Dan Gable, Carlton Haselrig, Dan Hodge, Cael Sanderson, John Smith, Pat Smith and Yojiro Uetake. This is NOT to say that the others who made the team are not worthy; far from it. However, I would ask that you take a look at some other all-time greats who for some reason did not earn NCAA 75th Anniversary Team honors: Earl McCready: Historically significant as the very first three-time NCAA champ in any weight class (1928-30), Oklahoma State heavyweight McCready had a perfect career in Stillwater, winning all but three of his matches by pin -- still the highest percentage of wins by pin of any heavyweight. In the 1928 finals, the big Cowboy pinned his opponent in 19 seconds -- still an NCAA record as fastest pin in a championship bout. Earl McCready, a heavyweight for Oklahoma State, was the first three-time NCAA champion in any weight class (1928-30). The Peerys: It may be bending the rules to list a family of wrestlers, but, this father-son-son combination is worthy of consideration for their nine total college titles -- a record unmatched by any other family. Father Rex Peery won three NCAA titles at 115 pounds at Oklahoma State 1933-35. Elder son Hugh Peery (who was not on the 75th Anniversary ballot) earned his three championships at 115 pounds while wrestling for his dad at Pittsburgh 1952-1954, compiling a 57-1 record (including a 48-match winning streak); second son Ed (born while Rex was about to win his third title) also won three NCAA titles for Pitt in the 123-pound class 1955-1957, losing just one of 52 college bouts. Stan Henson: The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Web site says of this Distinguished Member, "In the never-ending debate over who has been America's greatest wrestler, the name Stanley Henson always receives plenty of support." This three-time NCAA champ for Oklahoma State (145 pounds in 1937 and '38, 155 pounds in 1939) had only one loss his entire college career, and was the first sophomore to earn NCAA Outstanding Wrestler honors (1937). Named Amateur Wrestling News Wrestler of the Decade for the 1930s. Bill Koll: Some present-day fans may be familiar with Koll's rough, tough image; reportedly the "slam" rule was instituted because of him. While wrestling at what is now Northern Iowa, Koll earned three college titles (1946-47 at 145 lbs; 1948 at 147.5 lbs) and Outstanding Wrestler honors two years in a row (the first to do so). Even more impressive than Koll's perfect 72-0 record: in his entire college career, he was taken down only once, reversed just twice … and pinned all five opponents at the 1948 NCAAs. Dick Hutton: Long before Pat Smith and Cael Sanderson were even born, this barrel-chested heavyweight for Oklahoma State came incredibly close to becoming the first four-time NCAA champion. After winning two straight college titles in 1947 and 1948, Hutton lost on a referee's decision to Minnesota's Verne Gagne in the 1949 NCAA finals -- his only loss in his college career. He came back to win his third title in 1950, concluding with a 42-1-1 record with 15 pins. Chris Taylor: Some fans may only know Chris Taylor for his size. Although he only wrestled two years at Iowa State, the surprisingly agile 415-pound Cyclone dominated the heavyweight ranks in his day … winning the title in 1972 and 1973 without surrendering a point in either finals match. While at Ames, Taylor had a perfect 87-0 record, pinning 42 of 48 opponents his senior year. Perhaps we'll give these "overlooked" wrestlers a second look when we cast our votes for the NCAA 100th Anniversary Team in 2027! Nominees for the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team: *Bold indicates Team member Lightweights -- 115-141 pounds: Stephen Abas, Fresno State Dave Auble, Cornell Tom Brands, Iowa Mike Caruso, Lehigh Dan Gable, Iowa State Dwayne Keller, Oklahoma State Randy Lewis, Iowa Gene Mills, Syracuse Rex Peery, Oklahoma State Ed Peery, Pittsburgh Myron Roderick, Oklahoma State Rick Sanders, Portland State John Smith, Oklahoma State Yojiro Uetake, Oklahoma State Middleweights -- 142-172 pounds: Darryl Burley, Lehigh Nate Carr, Iowa State Mark Churella, Michigan Tommy Evans, Oklahoma Stan Henson, Oklahoma State Lee Kemp, Wisconsin Cary Kolat, Penn State/Lock Haven Bill Koll, Northern Iowa Tim Kreiger, Iowa State Wayne Martin, Oklahoma Lincoln McIlravy, Iowa Bill Nelson, Northern Iowa Wade Schalles, Clarion Pat Smith, Oklahoma State Joe Williams, Iowa Jim Zalesky, Iowa Heavyweights -- 177 pounds and up: Kurt Angle, Clarion Ed Banach, Iowa Chris Campbell, Iowa Dick DiBattista, Penn Carlton Haselrig, Pitt-Johnstown Dan Hodge, Oklahoma Dick Hutton, Oklahoma State Jess Lewis, Oregon State Mark Lieberman, Lehigh Earl McCready, Oklahoma State Stephen Neal, Cal State Bakersfield Ben Peterson, Iowa State Cael Sanderson, Iowa State Mark Schultz, UCLA and Oklahoma Greg Strobel, Oregon State Chris Taylor, Iowa State

To say that 2005 has been an emotional rollercoaster for Iowa State senior Nate Gallick would be understatement. In a three-month span (late March to late June), the 22-year-old Gallick came up just short, placing second, in the three most prestigious wrestling events in the country -- NCAA Tournament, U.S. Nationals, and World Team Trials. "It was real frustrating," said Gallick. "Three tournaments in a row I came up just short of accomplishing my goal. I wrestled the best I could. Maybe I could have wrestled a little smarter, but the bottom line is that I'm wrestling good competition. That's wrestling. You have to beat the good guys. And I didn't." Thankfully for Gallick, his luck changed in August when he traveled to Izmir, Turkey to wrestle in the World University Games. Nate Gallick (second from right) won the World University Games gold medal at 60 kg in Izmir, Turkey.Competing at 60 kg (132 lbs), Gallick cruised through his first three matches without surrendering a single point. He got stronger and more confident with every match. In the finals, he met Odabasi Tevfik, a 2004 Olympian from Turkey. After dropping the first period 6-2, the resilient Gallick battled back to win the final two periods by scores of 1-0 and 3-0, to become a University World champion. "He came back real strong after falling behind and just crushed his finals opponent," said Iowa State coach Bobby Douglas. "He did a superb job. It wasn't like he beat him up -- he just took him apart with very good technique." Added Gallick, "I felt as good as I've ever felt wrestling. I just felt really confident, really comfortable. The competitors that I was wrestling really fit well with my style." Now turn back the clock four years to 2001. Gallick, a Tucson native, had just captured his second individual state title for Sunnyside High School, a wrestling powerhouse in Arizona (the Blue Devils won the team state title every year of Gallick's high school career). He had compiled a high school career record of 107-3. He was coveted by many of the nation's top collegiate wrestling programs, but he only really considered two schools -- Arizona State, which was less than a two-hour drive away, and Iowa State. Douglas, a former coach at Arizona State (1974-1992) and someone who still has very close ties to the state of Arizona, had known Gallick since he was young. He had closely followed Gallick's development from the time he was a maturing middle school wrestler until he became one of the top high school wrestlers in the country. Sunnyside High has become a recruiting haven for Douglas, who had previously recruited three All-Americans, before Gallick, from the school. One of those wrestlers, Thom Ortiz, the current head coach at Arizona State, was an assistant at Iowa State when Gallick was recruited. "I originally had my heart set on Arizona State, and then Iowa State recruited me, and I kind of changed my mind," said Gallick. "Thom Ortiz had a pretty big influence on my decision. But I took my visit, met Coach Douglas and the guys, and I knew that it was the right place. As far as workout partners and facilities, Iowa State was the perfect situation for me. "Once Nate visited Iowa State, he was sold on coming," added Douglas. "There was no question in his mind that he wanted to come. And there was no question in our minds that we wanted him. What Nate was able to accomplish as a high school wrestler told us that he was the perfect fit for Iowa State, so we pursued him." So there he was … a wide-eyed 18-year-old, 1700 miles from home, wrestling in one of the most storied wrestling programs in NCAA history. It was then, in the fall of 2001, that Gallick would devise his eight-year wrestling plan -- a plan that included such milestones as becoming an NCAA All-American, winning an NCAA title, winning a World title, and winning an Olympic gold medal. Douglas, who has amassed more than 400 dual meet victories as a coach, almost always has his freshmen redshirt. He believes that redshirting his first-year wrestlers allows for them to adjust to the college environment and to mature as students. In 2001, the Cyclones brought in the top recruiting class in the country, bolstered by Gallick, Harry Lester (four-time Ohio state champion and current U.S. World Team member in Greco-Roman), and Ken Cook (California state champion). In 2005, Nate Gallick finished runner-up at both the U.S. Nationals and World Team Trials. He lost to Michael Lightner in the finals of both events.It turned out to be a great year for Gallick. He lived in the dorms with Lester, made a lot of new friends, and got acclimated to his new home. Plus, he had a stable of phenomenal workout partners, which included Zach Roberson, Aaron Holker, Cody Sanderson, and Lester. "It was actually nice not having as much pressure on me, because I wasn't competing in the lineup," said Gallick. "I got a chance to wrestle a lot of freestyle that year. We had some really good freshmen and we all hung out a lot. So it was great." Ironically, that season, Gallick's teammate, Holker, wrestled against one of Gallick's childhood friends and a former Sunnyside wrestler, Eric Larkin, in the NCAA finals at 141 lbs. "I was kind of caught between a rock and a hard place," said Gallick, recalling the match. "From a team standpoint, you want your teammate to win and help the team. And from a friend's standpoint, you want him to win and get his NCAA title that he deserves." Holker won the match 10-5. But Larkin would go on to win the NCAA title the following year and cap off his senior season with a perfect 34-0 record. Larkin was also awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy, which is presented by the International Wrestling Institute and W.I.N. Magazine, and given annually to the nation's most outstanding collegiate wrestler. The next year would prove to be a trying time in Gallick's life. With Roberson and Holker both returning to the Cyclone lineup at 133 and 141 respectively, the only way he could be assured a spot in the lineup was by moving up and wrestling at 149. It might not have been what was best for him, but it was best for the team. And Gallick just wanted to help the Cyclones win. All season he weighed in at 141, even though he competed at 149. Holker, a senior captain, was cutting a lot of weight at the time, so the Iowa state coaches wanted to make sure that Gallick could stay certified at 141 just in case Holker decided to move up to 149. "It was a nightmare for me," said Gallick of wrestling at 149. "I was undersized every match and got throttled quite a bit that year. I went through some real tough times. I think it really affected me. I got over it, but it was hard. Real hard. I was pretty unhappy that whole year." Gallick finished that season with a 16-16 record. While his technique and athleticism allowed him stay competitive with many of the top 149-pounders in the country, his lack of size and strength prevented him from defeating those wrestlers. He placed fourth at the Big 12 Championships, which kept him out of the NCAA Tournament. In 2003, Nate Gallick defeated Todd Meneely to win the FILA Junior National Championships.That spring, in April, Gallick won a title at the FILA Junior National Championships at 60 kg and was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler in the process. A month later, he placed seventh at the U.S. Nationals. Gallick's sophomore year, with Holker graduated, he settled nicely into the 141-pound slot for the Cyclones. He posted a 26-6 record, won the Big 12 title in his home arena, Hilton Coliseum, and earned the second seed at the NCAA Tournament. But in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, Gallick lost a heartbreaking match in double overtime to Matt Murray of Nebraska, a wrestler he had beaten twice during the season. Gallick went on to place fifth, while his teammate and close friend, Roberson, won the NCAA title at 133 lbs. Last year, as a junior, Gallick cruised through the regular season with an undefeated record. And then, in early March, he won his second straight Big 12 title by narrowly beating Teyon Ware of Oklahoma for the second time that season. It marked the fourth straight victory over Ware dating back to 2003. It had been a perfect season for Gallick. Now he just had one more thing to accomplish -- winning an NCAA title. Two weeks later, as expected, Gallick received the No. 1 seed at the NCAA Tournament. After rolling through his first four matches, only giving up 10 points along the way, he met Ware in the NCAA finals. This time everything was on the line. Gallick's 30-0 season record no longer mattered. Gallick's 4-0 career record against Ware no longer mattered. Gallick's two Big 12 titles no longer mattered. The fact that Gallick was the number one seed, Ware the number two seed, no longer mattered. All that mattered was that he was wrestling for an NCAA title. "I felt pretty confident going into the finals," said Gallick. "All of our matches were fairly close, though, so I knew anything could happen." Teyon Ware of Oklahoma defeated Nate Gallick by a score of 3-2 to win the 2005 NCAA title at 141.It wasn't to be. Ware won 3-2. "I felt like I was so close to a goal that I wanted to achieve, a goal that I still want to achieve," said Gallick. "I think about that match a lot. It bothered me. It still does." Douglas, who has produced six NCAA champions while at Iowa State, was a little more diplomatic in his assessment. "I think every loss is a lesson," said Douglas. "That was a valuable lesson to Nate. He knows what he did wrong and he's making steps to prepare to correct that." Gallick took a week off after the NCAA Tournament in March to clear his head and refocus, before beginning his freestyle training. This past summer, Gallick spent most of his summer training in Ames with Roberson, as he prepared for the University World Games and the upcoming collegiate season. Gallick and Roberson have been close friends and training partners ever since Gallick arrived in Ames in the fall of 2001. While both compete in the same weight class (60 kg), and have the same dream of winning an Olympic gold medal, they insist that nothing will stand in the way of their friendship. "It's not tough training and competing with a friend, because of the relationship we have," said Roberson, who finished fourth at the World Team Trials and second in the inaugural season of Real Pro Wrestling. "We keep it kind of lighthearted. We both know that we want to win, and we're going to do everything we can to beat the other one, but we joke around about it a lot. I would rather lose to him than anyone in our weight class. And I'm sure it's the same for him, too." Zach Roberson (left) and Nate Gallick have been friends and training partners since 2001.Gallick chimed in, "We tease each other all the time about who is going to be on the Olympic Team. It's not like an uncomfortable situation or anything. We just know that we're both after the same thing." As Gallick begins his senior season, he has a new roommate -- his younger brother, Nick, a freshman wrestler at Iowa State. Nick won four state titles for Sunnyside and was one of the most sought after recruits in the country. He will follow protocol and redshirt this season for the Cyclones. Gallick is excited to have his younger brother by his side for his final season. "It's pretty awesome," said Gallick. "We're spending a lot of time together. I haven't seen him for years, at least not for more than a week at a time. We're regular lifting partners. It's just overall great having him here." Gallick's wrestling goals are simply stated. He wants an NCAA title this season. He wants a World title. And then he wants an Olympic title. He believes that he's in the perfect environment to accomplish those goals. He is with his brother. He has great training partners and facilities. And he has a great coach in Douglas. Bobby Douglas is beginning his 14th year as head coach at Iowa State."Coach Douglas just cares so much," said Gallick. "On and off the mat, I just see him as a friend. It's real easy for me to think that he cares more than a lot of other coaches. When I win or lose, he genuinely feel as good or bad as I do. If I go to his house to pick up a videotape, or take care of his dog, he's there watching and studying videos late at night. Wrestling is his life. He makes it a point to help out. If there is anything I ever need, he's always right there." Douglas, who has twice served as head coach for the U.S. Olympic Team, sees an extremely bright future for Gallick. "He has a competitive heart, a passion for wrestling, and he's a good athlete," said Douglas. I'm not one to make predictions, but I will say that Nate has a lot of growth left in him. Technically, he can get 25-30 percent better. Physically, he can get 10-15 percent stronger. If he improves his conditioning and learns to move his hands properly, I think he definitely has a chance to be the man."

For over a decade, this article might have been titled "Augsburg or Wartburg? Division III Teams to Watch." Not this season. A number of Division III teams will be making a strong run at the 'Burgs this season. And while this list is obviously not comprehensive, here is a preview of five teams I think will make some noise at the Division III level this year. And guess what? I'm not picking either one of the ‘Burgs to win it all. Read on. Augsburg Auggies Having won nine national championships in the last 15 years, including 2005, the fact that Jeff Swenson's Augsburg Auggies are among the favorites to hold the trophy should be no surprise. How they will do so after losing three undefeated champions, and five All-Americans overall, is the major question facing them for the upcoming season. Oh, and will three-time undefeated National Champion 157-pounder Marcus LeVesseur be able to finish his college career without a loss? Outlook: Marcus LeVesseurThe Auggies have lost five All-Americans from last year to graduation. Of course, this means that the team still has five All-Americans returning this year. Along with LeVesseur, Ryan Valek (165, runner-up), Brad Tupa (184, 4th), and Justin Sorensen (197, 6th) are all seniors looking to repeat or improve upon their All-American finishes in their final season. Jared Evans (149, 7th), a junior, is the only returning All-American who is an underclassmen. With success, naturally, comes greater competition within to even garner a starting spot. Augsburg is one of only a few Division III teams where returning All-Americans are not assured their position for the following year. All will have to again earn their positions. Who will replace the lost All-Americans from last season (three of whom -- Joe Moon, Mark Matzek and Matt Shankey were undefeated national champions)? Well, as with most years in Minneapolis, it'll be a battle for spots. Returning at 125/133, will be junior Ben Moss, who had a solid 12-3 record last year. The Auggies hope he will be able to help ease the loss either Shankey or Matzek, depending on which weight he goes. At 141, Rich Taylor (Sr., last year's record: 12-11) and Josh Hansen (Jr., 23-10) will be fighting to fill in the considerable shoes left by two-time national runner-up Jamell Tidwell. Replacing a wrestler of Moon's credentials at 174 will be difficult, but either Travis Birhanzl (Sr., 14-3) or Robbie Gotreau (So., 24-11) -- both platooned during Moon's absence the first part of last season, should be effective. At heavyweight, Andrew Neumann (Jr., 16-7) seems to be the front-runner for departed fourth-place finisher Mark Simmonds. Wartburg Knights The "other half" of the ‘Burg dynasty in Division III college wrestling, led by veteran coach Jim Miller, is just south of the Minnesota border in Waverly, Iowa. Wartburg has been trading championships with Augsburg over the last decade. The Knights hope to improve upon their second-place finish from last year. Led by two two-time NCAA champions, 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger and 197-pounder Akeem Carter, the Knights have their aim squarely on the "Burg nemesis" to the north. Outlook: As with Augsburg, guaranteed spots are non-existent in Knight-land. There's a pretty good chance, however, that Hinschberger and Carter have a stranglehold on their weights. Other All-American's battling for a return trip to national prominence includes Heavyweight Blake Gillis (Jr., runner-up in '05), who will try all the tricks in his bag to try to topple UW-Lacrosse's Ryan Allen this year. Senior Scott Kauffman (184, 5th), a senior, will try to rise higher in the ranks, as will Jacob Naig (149, 6th) who is only a sophomore. Akeem CarterGone from last year's national runner-up team are All-Americans Justin McClintock (4th at 125), Tyler Hubbard (3rd at 133), and 2004 All-American's Cory Connell (157) and Mark Sturm (174). Also gone is national qualifier Andrew Knaack at 165. Looking to step in at 125 is junior Corey Kalina, who sported a respectable 13-7 record last year. At 133, another junior, Kyle Blood (15-9), will be battling to represent the Knights. A clear-cut favorite to replace former runner-up Connell doesn't seem to be on the horizon. Perhaps Robert Kuennen (Sr., 13-11) or Dustin Cooper (Jr., 11-9) will move up from 149 to fill in; then again, it's always possible for a new recruit or transfer to fill in the shoes. Sophomores John Galbraith and Adam Swalla (10-7) are possible frontrunners for 165 and 174, respectively. University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse Eagles Eight-time defending Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion UW-Lacrosse has had a good run within the state's borders; yet, the school has yet to produce a National Championship team. Eagle faithful -- along with young coach Nate Skaar, are hoping this year's young and decorated UW-Lacrosse team will improve three spots from its fourth-place finish of 2005 -- I'm guessing they will. The team has perhaps the most celebrated Division III wrestler, along with Levesseur, in heavyweight Ryan Allen, who has won the past two national titles. There are a host of teammates who will be working to match their anchor's accomplishments. Outlook: Along with Allen, who has given both Steve Mocco (two-time Division I champion) and Cole Konrad (Divsion I runner-up) close matches, an astounding six 2005 All-Americans return for the Eagles. Youth is being served in LaCrosse, as five of those All-American's are underclassmen. Starting at 125 should be Jordan Kolinski, who took 7th as a freshman. Another sophomore, Mike Rohowetz, landed an 8th-place finish in a very tough 133 weight class last year. At 149, junior Jake Larsen finished 4th, and will look to improve upon that finish this year. There have been rumblings that senior Nick Ammerman (165, 6th) will not be competing this year; needless to say, Coach Skaar and all LaCrosse supporters are hoping this isn't the case. Other All-American's returning to the lineup in 05-06 are 174-pounder Josh Chelf (6th) and Jim Swanson (197, 5th) -- both juniors. Nate SkaarNot to be overlooked is junior Ross Needham (157, DNP), who gave Levesseur a bit of a scare at nationals, losing only 5-4 before bowing out in consolations. Also returning to the lineup is senior Adam Kuchnia (141, 19-9), who just missed the national tournament, finishing 2nd at the WIAC Championships, and sophomore Josh Zabel (184, 29-13). All this means that UW-LaCrosse likely returns its entire lineup. Also, coupled with the Eagles' massive recruiting class, this is a team to be reckoned with this year and the years to come. Luther Norse Coach Dave Mitchell has produced some quality Norse teams in his ten-year tenure; in fact, Luther has placed in the top five nationally four times in that span; this includes a 3rd-place finish in 2005. This team might again be headed towards a high national finish, but they need to find some effective replacements for the wealth of talent they lost. Led by returning 149-pound NCAA champion Matt Pyle, a junior, Luther brings a mix of youth and experience into the 2005-06 campaign. Outlook: The loss of five starters, including four All-Americans (including one National Champion), is tough for any DIII program. It is the hope in Decorah, however, that the more experienced Norse will lead their fledgling teammates by example throughout the year. One comrade Pyle hopes will help him in this quest is All-American Michael Lopez, a senior, who placed 4th last year. There are rumors that Lopez may not be eligible for the upcoming season. If this is the case, then Luther will have another substantial hole to fill in the lineup. Other veterans on the squad include Nathan Evans (125, Sr., 12-15) and former national qualifier Lon Welsh (Sr., 174, 12-8). The Norse had a successful national tournament in 2005, culminating in the aforementioned five All-Americans and third-place team finish. Who will they look to take those spots over? Starting at 141, Ben Kissling (Jr., 4-9) and Brad Ernst (So., 3-6) will be fighting to replace Jeff Patzke, who placed 3rd nationally in ‘05. Ryan Lebeau, 2005 runner-up at 157, is gone, leaving a void in the middle of the lineup. Perhaps look for Nate Van Dyke (Jr., 9-10 at 149) to move up a weight, or a new recruit to take the spot. At 165, the move might be the other way, as A.J. Gregg (So., 23-12 at 174) could look to replace Garrett South, the 2005 NCAA champion. 184 looks to be a wide-open weight for Luther, as all of the returning participants had sub-.500 records in 2005. Joe Postuma (Jr., 7-15) and Scott Jennings (So., 2-4) actually had the best-looking records at the weight behind graduated All-American Danny Adams (6th). The top highest weights look like they have serious holes. Gone is starter Wyatt Reyerson at 197, and his successor is a major question mark. Heavyweight also presents a problem, as Luther had no steady heavyweight during the 2004-05 season. How the team fills in those spots will be a good indicator of the team's success. State University of New York-Brockport Golden Eagles SUNY-Brockport was a wrestling powerhouse in the 1980s, winning three national titles during the decade (1980, 1982, and 1983). They have not tasted national glory since the 1992 season, however; this could be the year they put up a serious challenge. Veteran coach Don Murray, in his 36th season, is well-aware that returning four All-Americans is a very nice start. He hopes that there will be a glorious celebration near Rochester next March. Outlook: One person who won't be sad to see Augsburg's Mark Matzek graduate is junior Tony D'Ambra. Matzek won a tight 3-1 decision over D'Ambra in the 2005 finals match, giving D'Ambra a runner-up finish -- he will surely look to take it one step further this season. Joining him will be Shaheim Bradshaw, a sophomore, who took 5th place nationally in a meat-grinder of a weight class. Logic would dictate that a freshman, who did so well—at that weight, will be looking for a top-three finish this season. Brockport is well-represented at the upper-weights, as senior 197-pounder Will Weiss (3rd) and heavyweight Pat Bennett (Sr., 8th) anchor the Golden Eagles. Other returning wrestlers who saw time include Allan Boice (So., starter at 125, 15-13), Brett Giehl (So., 174, 11-10) and Donald Williams (So., 157/165, 17-9). Brockport did lose two 2005 national qualifiers in Dan Roberts (141, four-time national qualifier) and Pat Hanscomb (149) after last season to graduation. They will look to Kyle Fried (So., 141/149, 14-6) and Andrew Grillo (So., 149, 7-2) to pick up the slack. At 184, the Golden Eagles will return sophomore Steve Speiseleiere, who went 3-13 during his freshman campaign. Prediction for 2005-06: 1. UW-LaCrosse 2. Augsburg 3. Wartburg 4. SUNY-Brockport 5. Luther Up-and-Comers: Loras Duhawks Coach Randy Steward's Duhawks have a nice mix of youth and experience coming back this season. Last year's team was laden with underclassmen, including junior All-American Terry Morgan, who took third place at the 2005 Championships. A year older and wiser, Loras could be a top-10 team come March. Buena Vista Beavers Mark SchwabThere is a lot of excitement surrounding the Buena Vista program -- because of second-year coach Mark Schwab, who has been successful everywhere he has been. Beaver fans hope that the combination of Schwab's experience and the energy of youth, as well as the return of sophomore All-American Jestin Hulegaard (a former transfer from the University of Minnesota), will bring a top-15 finish to Storm Lake. Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers Coach Clay Nagel is a well-known name in Minnesota high school wrestling circles. He coached small-town Frazee to numerous state titles. His last name might be more familiar in national circles -- as he's the father of current Gopher All-American Matt Nagel, and former two-time Division II All-American Travis Nagel. The name has meant something to the Cobbers: Nagel has brought a huge recruiting class with him, especially by Division III standards. Likely not this year. Maybe not next. But Concordia will be a force in the near future.

What's up everyone? My name is Marshall Marquardt and I wrestle for Dana College, which is in the NAIA. We are located smack in the heart of America, in Blair, Nebraska. I will be writing entries every other week during the collegiate wrestling season. Each entry will be a look into my life as a Dana College wrestler. As much as I hate to admit it, I would have probably been considered a mediocre wrestler in high school, (never even placing at state, but finishing fourth on my high school's all-time win's list and going on to be a Junior Nationals Greco All-American). When I was offered a chance to wrestle at the collegiate level, I jumped at the opportunity. I was part of a 20 wrestler recruiting class to Dana College in 2001, which currently had about 20 wrestlers total. My class was the beginning of a new era at Dana College. An era of elite recruiting classes and some of the hardest working athletes and coaches I have seen in the sport. So I now enter my fifth year at Dana College, and my last year of eligibility (I redshirted in 01-02), I have a lot to prove to myself. Preseason started for us with a 12-mile run. Honestly, though, this is the easiest preseason practice we go through. This year it was a little different from the past, as we were assigned into groups of four. I did not know two of the three in my group, which I guess was the point because I got to know them much better in the time it took us to run 12 miles. Blair Alderman and Wade Jordan push themselves during the 12-mile runThis run was a big test to see who actually did something over the summer, and it was more than evident that many of the guys didn't do anything. Personally, I was ready for it, but could have been more prepared. I lifted all summer and ran at least once per week, but wish I could have got in the room a little more for some drilling sessions. However, I accomplished many goals this summer. One problem of mine was that I was always really light. I wrestle 174 pounds, and last season I came in around 194 pounds, but towards the end of the year, I was weighing 168-170 after practices, and was weighing in two to three pounds light on tournament days. It is nice not to be sucking weight all the time, but there is definite disadvantage to being light. I am coming in this year at 206, the heaviest I have ever been. I plan on wrestling 174 at some point in the season, just when that will be I am not sure. I started my wrestling diet the Monday before the 12-mile run, and after one week, I am down to 196. This is a very serious diet that I had a good friend and old wrestling partner, Sam Melendrez (seventh place at 2002 NAIA Tournament), help me put together. It basically consists of eating about 200-250 grams of protein a day strung out through 6-8 meals. I eat most of my carbohydrates in the morning and lunch meals, and very few at my evening meal. I eat 3-5 snacks throughout the day which usually contain 20-40 grams of protein with little carbohydrates. The main goal is to eat every one and a half to two hours to constantly keep your metabolism running full throttle for maximum fat burning (as well as working out of course, but for wrestlers that usually isn't a problem). My goal was to lose 1-3 pounds per week, but 10 in the first week made me pretty happy, considering I wasn't cutting back the amount of food I was eating or my liquid intake, just my fat and carb intake. Steve CostanzaOur second preseason practice of the year was insane. My coach, Steve Costanzo, broke the team up into three groups (we have 70 guys on the team, so we can't all fit in one place at the same time, including our wrestling room, but I'll talk about that sometime in the future.) There were three stations that we switched through, staying at each one for 20 minutes. The first station assigned to my group was the weight room. We were basically assigned to do three different exercises, hang/power cleans, front squats, and lunges. My group of three in the weight room got through four sets of both power cleans and front squats (returning later to finish lunges). It was then time to move on to the second station. This was an extreme version of plyometric training, which included squat jumps, stance-in-motion, leap frogs, push-ups, stair-steppers, etc. for twenty minutes. I tried to push as hard as possible, but there comes a point when your body can no longer do one more movement. I was so close to reaching that point, when the whistle blew to hit the next station. Jon Goodridge and Jason Bilinski run side-by-side down a dirt roadIt was a nice break to have a 30 second jog to the next station, where we started immediately. This last station was extremely difficult (the worst of the three) and pushed everyone to the limit. I am sure that most of you reading this are familiar with wheelbarrows -- well this is a modified version of those. We do them up a hill that is only about 30 yards long but at a 45 degree angle. It is ridiculous. I made 15 minutes and threw up at the top of the hill. I kept going and as the whistle blew to quit and go run a cool down lap, it came again, then again, then again. However, despite vomiting four times, I felt good. I did not feel out of shape. I thought I was deepening my current condition and getting stronger both mentally and physically. I have to give props out to the whole team, though ... it was a serious test and everyone finished. That is one thing that is interesting about an NAIA school and wrestling. Wrestling is a sport that has struggled in the last 30 years in the aspect of school support and maintaining programs. At Dana, everyone can come as long as they are willing to put in the time and effort, and many of them are. Until next time, keep getting better. Marshall Marquardt

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Maryland Fall Wrestling Coaches/Wrestlers Clinic is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, October 21 & 22, 2005. This clinic is designed for coaches and wrestlers to learn and interact with their team on the instruction. Registration needs to be completed by Oct. 19. Walk-ins are welcome. A $10 additional fee will be charged for those who do not pre-register by Oct. 19. The clinic will be held at the Comcast Center Wrestling Room on the University of Maryland's campus. Directions will be provided upon receipt of registration. Fees for the clinic include instructional costs, supplies, educational materials, a t-shirt, dinner on campus and a coach's social. Coaches cost: $75 per coach for both days $50 second coach from the same high school $25 each additional coach from the same high school Cost for a single wrestler includes a Maryland Wrestling t-shirt $45 for both days (starting at 5:30 pm on Oct. 21) $35 for Saturday only Make checks payable to Pat Santoro's Minds in Motion For additional information and questions, or to register for the clinic, please contact Todd Beckerman at (301) 314-6677 or via email at tfb@umd.edu. University of Maryland Fall Wrestling Coaches/Wrestlers Clinic October 21 & 22, 2005 University of Maryland Comcast Center-Wrestling Room College Park, MD Clinic Schedule: October 21, 2005 1:45 -- 2:30 pm - Registration in the Comcast Wrestling Room, College Park, MD 2:30 -- 3:30 pm -- Session I 3:30 -- 5:00 pm -- MD wrestling practice 4:45 - 5:30 pm -- Dinner 5:30 -- 7:00 pm -- Session II (Coaches and Wrestlers) 7:30 -- 9:00 pm -- Coaches Social October 22, 2005 9-11 am -- Session III (Coaches/Wrestlers session) 11- 12 pm -- Wrestlers only in wrestling room 11- 12 pm -- Session IV- Coaches (Strength and Conditioning with MD wrestling team) 12 pm -- Final Comments Hotel Information: Comfort Inn & Suites, Phone: (301) 441-8110 Holiday Inn: Phone: 301-345-6700 Quality Inn & Suites, Phone: (301) 276-1000 Days Inn College Park, Phone: 301-345-5000

The University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) has one of the largest and most successful women's wrestling programs in North America. The Patriot ladies come to UC from all corners of the United States. Coach Kip Flanik (Cleveland, OH) has been very successful in finding and recruiting the nation's top wrestlers. Although there are close to fifty wrestlers from eighteen different states on the team, Coach Flanik could not ask for a closer group of student-athletes. Horrified by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, junior Aquilla Hills (Charlotte, NC) and Coach Flanik joined together to form a relief effort for the hurricane's victims. After careful planning, Coach Flanik called a meeting to inform the team of their goals. The team supported the idea and was ecstatic to help. Hills, along with several teammates, planned clothing drives in each of the dorms on campus. They also set aside an entire Saturday to accept donations outside of the local Wal-Mart and raise funds through a carwash. Without the team, Hills feels that the project would not have been successful. "I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to be part of such a loving team. The girls are always willing to help no matter what the situation may be," stated Hills. The ladies raised over $750 to help aid Katrina victims.

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Former Oklahoma State wrestler Muhammed Lawal was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Lawal was defeated by 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Sazhid Sazhidov of Russia in the quarterfinals. Sazhidov was defeated in the semifinals and finished fifth for the tournament at 84 kg (185 lbs.). It was the first international tournament for Lawal and he posted a 2-1 record.

The mats were delivered to the Blake Family Wrestling Training Center on Monday evening.WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The clock is ticking towards the beginning of the 2005-06 wrestling season, and that brings extra excitement for the Purdue Boilermakers. When practice begins on Oct. 12, the Boilermakers will no longer be in the basement of Mackey Arena. The Blake Family Wrestling Training Center is nearing completion, with the practice mats being delivered on Monday evening, Sept. 26. With the mats in the room, and the new sound system installed, the finishing date is just around the corner. "The new facility is vital for our training and recruitment of blue-chip student-athletes," head coach Jessie Reyes said. "This room will bring our program to the forefront of college wrestling." The new room, built in Lambert Fieldhouse in the location of the former swimming pool, features two full-size competition mats, plus extra room for drilling as well as designated space for cardio machines and a video/sound room. "The floor surface and mat surface in this room will be second to none," assistant coach Tom Erikson said. "The way this place was put together, there won't be a better wrestling surface in the country."

Simpson College's Bob Darrah, a high school and college wrestling coach for 33 years, has been elected for induction into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. Bob DarrahDarrah will be inducted as part of the Class of 2006 Apr. 8 in the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa wing of the International Wrestling Institute and Museum. The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa was begun in 2002 as a way to further recognize and honor the people who have made an impact on the Iowa Wrestling scene. Darrah was the head coach at Morning Sun (1961-67), Urbandale (1967-69), and Dowling Catholic High Schools (1969-89). In 27 years on the prep level, Darrah's teams went undefeated 17 times and did not have a losing record. In his final 11 years at Dowling, the Maroons went 161-1 and won the first three state dual meet championships (1987-89). Dowling won four state championships (1975, 1978, 1984, 1988). The Maroons were second five times at the state tournament. Dowling won the 3A State Tournament Qualifying meet 17 years in a row. He led four of his Dowling wrestlers to five US Federation High School Freestyle Championships (Jeff Carter, two times, Perry Hummel, Tim Anderson, and Kurt Engler). For his efforts, Darrah was named the 1977 Iowa Class 3A Coach of the Year, the 1988 Amateur Wrestling News High School Coach of the Year, and the 1990 National High School Athletic Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. He also coached the Iowa Federation Wrestling team for 21 years. His high school teams posted a 340-17-2 record. His 340 dual wins are the second most in Iowa high school history. Darrah held all office of the Iowa High School Wrestling Coaches Association, serving two terms as president. Darrah also organized All-Star dual meets between wrestles from Iowa and Pennsylvania and those duals were held in conjunction with the Penn vs USA All-Star meets at the University of Pittsburgh Fieldhouse. Darrah served as the head wrestling coach at Simpson from 1989-1995 where he compiled an 86-25-1 record and one Iowa Conference Championship (1991). Five of his wrestlers were named All-Americans and one was a two-time National Champion (Travis Young). He was voted Iowa Conference Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1991. His contributions to the program continue to be remembers as in 1996, the practice facility at Simpson was renamed the Darrah Wrestling Room. Simpson has won 87 of 192 meets (a .453 winning percentage) in which they have entered since Darrah took over the team. Darrah has been named Iowa Conference Women's Golf Coach of the Year 10 times and has led the Storm to eight league titles. Since 1989, Simpson has finished second at the national women's golf tournament (either NCAA or NCGA) three times, two third place finishes, and one fourth place showing. Simpson golfers have posted 55 All-Conference performances with four; Tracey Voss (1994), Leah Willenborg (1994, 1995, 1996), Hannah Willenborg (1998, 2000), and Fay Bradley (2000), earning All-American honors. Voss earned Academic All-American honors on two occasions as well. In 1994, Leah Willenborg became the first Division III player from Iowa to compete at the NCAA Division I National Championships. Both Leah and Hannah Willenborg were awarded NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarships. Darrah also served as the Simpson's men's golf coach from 1994-1998 where his teams finished in the upper division of the conference every year and one player, Jordan Dirks, earned All-Conference honors. This is the seventh Hall of Fame that Darrah will be a member of. He is currently a member of the Iowa High School, Dowling Catholic High School, Westmar College (charter member), Chariton High School, Iowa Wrestling Federation (Cresco, Iowa), and National Wrestling Hall of Fames.

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- Former Oklahoma State wrestler Muhammed Lawal advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Lawal had a quick pin over Ibrahim Al Khatib of Libya in just 22 seconds. He advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Ruslan Sumenkov of Kyrgyzstan. The 84 kg (185 lbs.) bracket will be completed later today. Lawal will face Olympic bronze medalist Sazhid Sazhidov of Russia in the quarterfinals. Daniel Cormier did not fare as well 96 kg (211.5 lbs.). Cormier won his first match, but was defeated in the second round by Aleksei Krupnykov of Kyrgyzstan. Cormier must hope for Krupnykov to reach the finals in order to compete in the wrestle-back rounds.

Sara McMannCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- No stranger to the national wrestling experience, former Lock Haven University wrestler Sara McMann will compete at this year's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary Thursday Sept. 29. A former member of the Bald Eagle wrestling squad, McMann was an Olympic Silver Medalist in 2004, also taking second in the 2003 World Cup. She also added championships in the Manitoba Open in both 2001 and 2003. McMann is the top ranked grappler at the 63 kg class for Team USA. With a new format this season, the World Championships take each day to work through an entire weight class. McMann will wrestle Sept. 29, while another former LHU grappler, Jenny Wong, will compete Sept. 28.

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.