InterMat Staff

PISCATAWAY -- The Broncs won six bouts to defeat Rutgers Wednesday night. "I was pleased overall," said Rider head coach Gary Taylor. "We're a little banged up right now, so to get through this match and get a win over a team that just beat Boston U. pretty solid was good." For Rider (8-6, 3-2 CAA), sophomore Doug Umbehauer (Shamong/Lenape), ranked eighth in the nation, junior 141 Don Fisch (Williamstown/Delsea) and senior Nathan Galloway (State College, PA) won major decisions. "It was huge for them to get the majors," said Taylor. "That's what you expect from your better people. They have to come through and get you the extra points." Sophomore Mike Kessler (Randallstown, MD/Owings Mills) and freshman 184 Mike Miller (Wilmington, DE/Brandywine) also won for the Broncs. "Kessler beat a pretty tough kid who is very solid," Taylor said. "Mike probably had the best performance for us tonight." Rider junior T. J. Morrison (Mechanicsburg, PA/Cedar Cliff), ranked 14th in the nation, was winning 11-2 before his opponent was disqualified for stalling. Rutgers (8-4, 4-2 EWL) won the first two bouts, building a 9-0 lead. Rider competes at Clarion Saturday. "Clarion is better than they've been in recent years," Taylor said. ‘If we wrestle well we should win, but we have to wrestle well. Then we get a team from Iowa (Iowa State) who just knocked off the defending national champions (Oklahoma State) and are probably the most improved team in the country."

This week we'll take a look at the week gone by and the weeks to come in our TDR Top 20 Report with Jeff Murphy. We'll Catch up with the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week Johny Hendricks, who earned that distinction and honor based on his hard driving performance against Northern Iowa and Iowa State. At 10:20, Lee Roy Smith, the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum in Stillwater, joins us to discuss the induction of four Distinguished Members in to the Hall. We'll touch base with our themat.com/TDR Athlete of the week Mo Lawal. Mo has just returned to the USA. Rider's Long time head coach and terrific singer Gary Taylor joins us to discuss his coming meeting and dual meet with Cael Sanderson's Cyclones on Feb. 9. Author Nolan Zavoral joins us to discuss his book "A Season on The Mat: Dan Gable & the Pursuit of Excellence". This is one of the best wrestling books I've ever read. Full of color, life and circumstance. At 9:50, Deanna Gilbert of Billy Joe's Pitcher Show joins us for a look at for UFC 67. Join us for America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show.

WEST POINT, N.Y. –- Following Sunday's dual meet loss to Harvard, Army head wrestling coach Chuck Barbee was concerned with the aggressiveness of his squad. Those concerns were erased Wednesday night at Christl Arena. Army won six of 10 bouts and upset EIWA rival, No. 25 Columbia, 21-13. Columbia was ranked 25th in the latest InterMat poll. The Black Knights were the aggressors from the beginning and improved to 10-4 overall and 6-1 in the EIWA. Columbia fell to 4-2 overall and 0-2 in conference meets. "We definitely talked about taking the match to our opponents," Barbee said. "After Harvard, we were just flat and tonight the guys really stepped up and showed good fight, the kind of Army fight that we need." Nathan Thobaben opened the dual with a fall at heavyweight and Fernando Martinez, Matt Kyler, Christian Snook, Brian Rowan and Scott Ferguson all won decisions as the Black Knights beat Columbia for the second straight season. The match stated at heavyweight and Thobaben got the Black Knights off to a great start with a first-period fall over Kevin Lester. Lester scored an early takedown at the edge of the mat. Seconds later, Thobaben stood up and escaped. He then took Lester down and to his back and racked up his third fall of the season in 1:27. On Sunday, Lester pinned Paul Weibel of Lehigh, the 20th ranked wrestler in the country. "Nathan really set the tone," Barbee said. "He beat a very good heavyweight and got us off on the right foot." Martinez extended the Army advantage to 9-0 with a 4-0 decision at 125. Following a scoreless first period, Martinez took down to start the second period and needed just seven seconds to escape. He added a takedown later and almost scored back points but led 3-0 after the second period. He rode out Brandon Kinney for the entire third period and had more than three minutes of riding time for his 18th victory of the season. Army's William Simpson dropped a tough match at 133 that made it 9-3. There was no scoring in the first period against Matt DeLorenzo, the 18th ranked wrestler in the country according to InterMat. Simpson aggressively rode out DeLorenzo in the second period. He chose neutral in the third and was taken down with 50 seconds left. He tried several rolls to score the escape or reversal but could not get the point needed to force overtime and dropped a 2-1 decision. Kyler put together three takedowns and an escape on the way to an 8-3 win at 141. Kyler had a takedown midway through the first period, an escape and takedown in the second and a final takedown in the third period to make it 12-3 Army after four weights. He also had more than two minutes of riding time on the way to his team-best 25th win of the season. Columbia cut its deficit to five, 12-7 with a major decision by Matt Dunn at 149, 9-0. Snook battled his way to a 4-3 win at 157 to give the Black Knights an eight-point advantage. Columbia's Devon Mesanko had a first-period takedown but Snook escaped seconds later. Mesanko took down to start the second period and Snook took him to his back for two more points and had more than 90 seconds of riding time. Snook chose top in the final period and Mesanko escaped to make it 3-3 but with riding time Snook scored a 4-3 decision and made the match score 15-7. "Wrestling is much more fun when you just go after and don't have the burden of winning or losing," Barbee said. "Tonight we just went after it and it showed that good things will happen." Rowan also rebounded from an early deficit and put Army ahead 18-7. Ricky Turk had a reversal after a scoreless first period but Rowan quickly escaped. Rowan then took him down later in the period to make it 3-2. He added a third-period escape for the final 4-2 margin. The Lions closed within eight points but Brent Smith made them work for it. Columbia's Matt Palmer led 4-0 early in the second period. Smith escaped but Palmer had a takedown to make it 6-1. Palmer escaped to open the third period and also had riding time for an 8-1 lead. Smith, though, had a takedown and took Palmer to his back for three points. He could not get the fall though and fell 8-6. Ferguson clinched the match with an impressive showing at 184. Andy Geving of Columbia had an early takedown but Ferguson controlled the match from the second period on. He had a takedown early in the second period and then a pair of double-leg takedowns and riding time for a 10-4 win that gave Army a 21-10 advantage. The final bout of the evening needed sudden victory to determine a winner and it was Columbia's Nick Sommerfield earning the victory with a takedown 17 seconds in the extra one-minute session. Army will wrestle at the Academy Championships, Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Air Force junior heavyweight Anthony Stegeman has been named the Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Week as announced by league officials. Stegeman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder HS) led the Air Force Academy in three dual meets, going undefeated on the weekend. Stegeman opened with a fall, his fourth of the year, over North Dakota State's Justin LaGosh, registering a pin in a time of 4:34. He then registered an 8-3 decision over Adams State's Jeff Schossow and closed out the weekend with a tech fall over Portland State's Zack Smith. Stegeman snapped his eight-match losing streak and improves his dual mark to 5-8. The Western Wrestling Conference is comprised of seven schools including the Air Force Academy, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley State and Wyoming. Others Nominated: North Dakota State: Adam Aho, 157, So., Frazee, Minn. (Frazee HS) Northern Colorado: Blayze Bahe, 133, So., Goodland, Kan. (Goodland HS) UNI: Moza Fay, 157, So., Anamosa, Iowa (Anamosa HS) South Dakota State: Jason Stripling, HWT, Jr., Minneota, Minn. (Minneota HS) Utah Valley State: Justin Morrill, 141, Fr., Logan, Utah, Mountain Crest High School Wyoming: Nick Ramirez, 133, R-Fr., Albuquerque, N.M. (Rio Rancho HS)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. –- Following a week that saw him clinch two Southern Conference duals with wins at heavyweight, VMI senior Scott Buhman has been named the SoCon's Wrestler of the Week for the week of Jan. 31. Buhman, a senior from Portage, Ind., led the Keydets to their first two SoCon victories of the season, as each match hung on his bouts. On Thursday, he defeated Appalachian State's Dave Hazell 2-1 in overtime to clinch the 21-17 win for VMI. In league action against Davidson on Sunday, Buhman once again rallied for the Keydets and recorded his fourth major decision of the season as he defeated Wil Carter to seal the 25-19 victory for VMI. Buhman ranks second on the team (tied) with 21 wins this season, while his four major decisions lead the team. His 86 career wins, against only 55 losses, tie him for the tenth-most victories in VMI history. Earlier this season, Buhman placed second at the Keystone Classic and seventh at the Nittany Lion Open, along with a third place finish at the Pembroke Classic and a fourth-place showing in the Virginia Intercollegiates.

The Gophers hit the road for the first time during the Big Ten season this weekend to face a pair of ranked conference opponents. Minnesota will meet the 18th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m., in Bloomington and stop in Champaign, Ill., on Sunday, Feb. 4 to take on No. 11 Illinois at 1 p.m. Gopher Wrestling Notebook Streaks, streaks and more streaks... ...Konrad Goes for 63 In a Row Senior heavyweight Cole Konrad is currently riding the second-longest winning streak in the nation at 61 consecutive matches. He trails only Missori's Ben Askren, who has won his last 73 contests. Konrad broke Tim Hartung's school record of 58 consecutive wins with his win against Penn State on Sunday, Jan. 21 and will be going for numbers 62 and 63 this weekend. ...Schlatter Not Far Behind Sophomore Dustin Schlatter is right on the heels of Konrad, currently with 54 straight wins of his own, good enough for the third longest streak in the country. Overall, Schlatter has won 66 of 67 matches for a .985 win percentage in his collegiate career, which currently ranks as the highest career winning percentage in school history. ...Rivera on a Roll Junior Manuel Rivera has attracted the attention of fans across the nation with his performance this season. Unbeaten at 29-0, Rivera currently possesses the nation's fifth-longest winning streak at 29 consecutive matches. He has earned bonus points in 16 of his 29 wins this season. Mack is Back! Two-time All-American Mack Reiter made his first appearance of the season competing unattached last weekend at the Jimmie Open in Jamestown, N.D. Reiter dominated the competition on his way to the 133-pound title, pinning all four of his opponents. Reiter, who has been out since the beginning of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, is scheduled to make his first dual meet start this weekend. The Series vs. Indiana Minnesota has dominated the series against the Hoosiers, holding a 39-4-1 advantage all-time. The last time Indiana defeated the Gophers was on Feb. 23, 1992 by a score of 29-13. Prior to that, Indiana had not beaten the Gophers since 1968. Minnesota downed Indiana, 25-13, on Senior Day last year in Minneapolis to finish unbeaten at home for the fifth time under Head Coach J Robinson. The Gophers broke a 13-13 tie with three wins to close the dual. The Series vs. Illinois The Gophers hold a 26-21-2 advantage in the all-time series against Illinois, but the Illini have held the upper-hand in the last two meetings. While the two schools did not meet last year, Illinois topped the Gophers twice in dual meets during the 2004-05 season and went on to capture to its first conference title since 1952, finishing 6.5 points ahead of the Gophers at the 2005 Big Ten Championships. Marquee Match-ups Both of Minnesota's opponents this weekend boast rosters stacked with ranked opponents. Jayson Ness and C.P. Schlatter will face the stiffest tests, as both are scheduled to face a pair of top-10 opponents. Ness will take on No. 8 Angel Escobedo of Indiana on Friday and No. 6 Gabe Flores of Illinois on Sunday. The featured match of the weekend will most definitely occur in the 157-pound bout on Sunday when Schlatter, ranked third in the country, meets Illinois' top-ranked Mike Poeta. First, he must get through No. 7 Brandon Tucker on Friday night.

With the recent advent of the New Year, and the subsequent NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, it's time to take a look at which Division III wrestlers are making their mark at each weight class. The NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals helped to clear up some muddled rankings at some weights, and served to dirty some others. Division III wrestling is arguably the most challenging of all the divisions to rank. With smaller schools and budgets, interstate travel makes match-ups from afar rarer. Not only this, but every year there is a spate of wrestlers who don't wrestle the first semester, only to show up after the Christmas break. This year is no different in this regard, and includes a very notable athlete indeed (up a weight!). Last week, we looked at the first five weight classes (125-157). Now let's now take a peek at the final five weight classes (165-285) … 165 Pounds: Marcus LeVesseur, Senior, Augsburg Marcus LeVesseur (Photo/The Guillotine)So there you have it: He's back. Up a weight after a season-long hiatus, LeVesseur is looking to complete his legendary journey through the annals of DIII wrestling history. One can be reasonably sure that the other 165-pounders were hoping he would a) not return, or b) stay at 157. No such luck. He has started with a 12-0 record (he didn't compete the first semester), which brings his college total to an astounding 135-0. He has had a couple of close matches (for him), thus far, score-wise upon his return. Although he did pin his way to the Sunshine Open title before the New Year, he beat Aaron Haddorf of DII Augustana, 6-3, in the teams' dual … and beat Wartburg's Jason Knipp (an Iowa State transfer), 5-1, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. It should be said that he dealt No. 3-ranked Steve Martell (Johnson and Wales) an 8-0 loss at those same Duals. The biggest question for fans of DIII wrestling might be: Will he reach the coveted 159-0 mark set by Cael Sanderson? Due to his sitting out the first semester -- probably not. It can be reasonably said, however, that he will end up a four-time NCAA champion, though. Not bad. Others on the Radar: Scott Dorn, Senior, UW-La Crosse Dorn might be voted "Least happy to see LeVesseur" in 2007. He has looked extremely tough this season. His 2-2 record at Midlands shows he is a top-level college wrestler. And, apart from a 5-3 loss to a tough Jake Dieffenbach of NAIA Lindenwood in the Wisconsin Open final, he has been on a mission. Steve Martell, Junior, Johnson & Wales Last season's fourth-place national finisher will be looking to get to the finals in 2007. Currently 18-3, Martell had a fair showing at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. He will look to close the gap between him and the likes of LeVesseur, however, as he lost their Duals match 8-0. Jason Knipp, Senior, Wartburg After failing to make Iowa State's varsity lineup this season at 149 pounds (losing out to Cyler Sanderson, Knipp transferred to Wartburg. Knipp had a solid NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, losing only to LeVesseur, 5-1. He defeated Bryon Grothus of Coe, 5-0, in their dual. A darkhorse pick come March. 174 Pounds: Josh Chelf, Junior, UW-La Crosse One of the premier current DIII wrestlers, Chelf has shown himself to be a top 174-pounder at any weight thus far this season. He won both the Husky and Wisconsin Opens (in the latter he was 5-0 with four pins). Most impressive, however, is his fifth place finish at Midlands. His most notable defeat at Midlands was a victory over highly touted Michigan State wrestler Rocky Cozart, 7-3. A returning AA, Chelf appears to be well on his way to bettering his third place finish in 2006. Others on the Radar: Kyle Vanderhyde, Sophomore, Olivet Vanderhyde, who was named OW of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, is 15-3 on the season. During the Duals he sent the 174 class a message by handing Dan Jonhenry of Heidelberg an 11-3 major defeat. He also won a pair of matches at the Duals up at 184. John Dolan, Senior, Williams A sixth-place finisher last year, Dolan would like nothing more than to cap off his senior season with a high-AA finish. He could very well end up a finalist if the brackets are good to him. 184 Pounds: Jason Lulloff, Senior, UW-La Crosse Jason Lulloff (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Lulloff has been a presence on the DIII wrestling scene for some time now. He capped off a very successful season last year with a third place finish at the National Championships. Lulloff has continued his fine for so far this season, holding a 22-3 record; two of his three losses came at Midlands, where he was a respectable 2-2 and lost to only DI grapplers. He was also the 184-pound champion at the Wisconsin Open and Husky Open, taking 1st place in the latter over Josh Zabel, also of UW-La Crosse. Lulloff, who has been beset by injuries during his career, has been conspicuously absent in the Eagles' recent matches, leaving the DIII wrestling world to wonder whether he'll be back to garner a higher place on the podium at Nationals. Others on the Radar: Romeo Djoumessi, Sophomore, Wartburg Don't let the sweet name fool you: Djoumessi is one tough dude. Last year he split time with two-time NCAA champion Akeem Carter and this year, with Carter gone, the weight is all his. He could've started at 99% of DIII schools, but he waited for his turn and is taking full opportunity. His recent results have been dotted with majors, pins and tech falls. In fact, at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, the sophomore went 4-0, with a pin, a technical fall, a major and one decision (8-5 over Augsburg's George Lynaugh). A good bet for finalist at the NCAA Championships. Nick Calandrino, Senior, Ithaca At 20-4 this season, and 78-32 in his career, Calandrino is the Bombers' biggest hope to erase the memory last season's disappointing National tournament, where the team did not have an All-American. A 2006 qualifier at 197, the senior is looking tough and looking forward to getting himself to the finals in March. 197 Pounds: Brandon Kelly, Senior, Wilkes Kelly, who is currently injured, placed third at last season's NCAA Championships. At 6-1 this season, he has seen limited time, but has solid results, winning the RIT Invitational early on. His lone loss thus far came via a 5-3 shocker to Lycoming's Matt Miller. Kelly has not wrestled competitively since that defeat. Kelly beat No. 2-ranked TJ Miller of Wartburg twice in last year's NCAA's. He missed the opportunity to face-off against Miller again in Wilkes' dual meet loss to the Knights earlier in the season. If he can recover successfully, look for him to butt heads with the Wartburg junior again in March. Others on the Radar: TJ Miller, Junior, Wartburg Although he did finish fourth in the nation last season, there are no doubts that Miller was not satisfied with the result. He went into the NCAA's as the No. 1 seed, but the two aforementioned losses to Kelly laid his title hopes to rest. While he hasn't had the dominating results during the dual season from last year -- surely he's no mystery anymore, the coach's son is finals material. Alex Bonander, Sophomore, Luther Having just missed AA honors last season (he was one match shy), Bonander looks well on his way to avoiding anything resembling a sophomore jinx. With a 21-4 record, which includes a 3-2 record at Midlands, Bonander appears to be in the right gear headed into conference and national time. 285 Pounds: Blake Gillis, Senior, Wartburg This has got to be the year. Bridesmaid twice to Ryan Allen, Gillis is the prohibitive favorite to come away victorious at the National Championships. He has dominating victories so far this season against his major competition. At the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals he handed Augsburg's Andrew Neumann a major defeat, beating him 11-2. Then, in the Knights' dual against Luther, Gillis humbled John Miller (then ranked No. 2), embarrassing the Norse sophomore, 15-0, in 3:54. The biggest question at this point of the season isn't whether Gillis will be a finalist for the third time, but who will have to face him in Dubuque. Others on the Radar: John Miller, Sophomore, Luther Well, if a technical fall loss to the No. 1 guy in the country doesn't get you motivated for the latter part of the season, nothing will. This is what is facing the prodigious Norse heavy. Miller ended his freshman season with All-American honors in New Jersey, where he lost a wild 22-13 decision to Mike Blair for seventh-eighth place. Miller is 11-3 on the season (with an impressive nine falls out of those 11 victories), but has a long way to go if he wants to take out the likes of Gillis. Arkadiy Levitin, Junior, Hunter A recent 8-7 loss, at New York States, to Kevin Lester of Columbia leaves Levitin with a 24-1 record on the season. The junior heavy, who was a national qualifier in 2004, also has 16 pins. Earlier this campaign, Levitin won the Ithaca and Oneonta tournaments.

CHICAGO -- World Sport Chicago, in alliance with Chicago 2016 and the City of Chicago, will present its first major event on Feb. 6 with the 2007 Chicago Cup: USA vs. Russian World Champions, an exhibition wrestling match at the Welsh-Ryan Arena on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. World Sport Chicago is non-profit organization that was formed to promote the development of amateur sport and international competition in the Chicagoland area. Headed by Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Conley, World Sport Chicago works to enhance the image, awareness and participation of Olympic and amateur sports across Chicago with the goal of giving athletes the opportunity to see and experience sport across all levels. The 2007 Chicago Cup will start with a youth demonstration at 5 p.m., and the wrestling match will begin at 7 p.m. "The USA vs. Russia wrestling match is a great example of the type of event World Sport Chicago will bring to the area," said William Scherr, chairman of the board of World Sport Chicago. "Fans will have the chance to see our national team take on some of the very best wrestlers in the world in a major international competition that will make for a historic day in Chicago sports." The U.S. National Team is led by World Silver Medalist Mike Zadick at 60 kg/132 lbs., and World Bronze Medalists Sammie Henson (55 kg/121 lbs.) and Donny Pritzlaff (74 kg/163 lbs.). The event will also include four exhibition matches featuring world-class athletes in Greco-Roman and women's freestyle. Two U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers will face opponents from China while two American women will battle top opponents from Canada. "This event will showcase America's top wrestlers in heated competition against the best wrestlers in the world," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling's Executive Director. "Fireworks are sure to fly as the athletes attempt to establish themselves on the world's elite stage." For more information on the 2007 Chicago Cup: USA vs. Russian World Champions, visit www.worldsportchicago.org. For more information on World Sport Chicago and Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics, visit www.chicago2016.org. About World Sport Chicago World Sport Chicago was established as an independent 501(c)3 corporation, and the Athlete's Advisory Council (AAC) of Chicago 2016 will provide strategic counsel, as appropriate. Through strategic partnerships with organizations such as the United States Olympic Committee, International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association and other national governing bodies, World Sport Chicago works to promote the development of recreational and competitive sports throughout the region. A major component of the organization's programs will be hosting demonstrations that provide kids the opportunity to learn from all-star athletes. Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Conley is the executive director of the organization, while wrestling world champion and Olympic Medalist William Scherr serves as chairman of the board. About Chicago 2016 Chicago 2016 is a 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to seek the privilege of hosting the Games of the XXXI Olympiad in Chicago. The Committee's Board comprises business, civic, athletic, cultural and academic leaders representing Chicago and the surrounding Midwest region. Its honorary chairmen are Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Patrick Ryan serves as chairman and CEO.

Oklahoma State's fourth-ranked wrestling team travels to Lincoln, Neb., to face No. 20 Nebraska on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Oklahoma State comes into the dual with a 12-4 record and is ranked fourth in the country according to both W.I.N Magazine and the NWCA coaches' poll. All four of the Cowboys losses have come to the three teams ranked ahead of them. The last time OSU wrestled in Lincoln, the Cowboys escaped with a 19-18 victory. The official scorer made a scoring error in the 184-pound match that would have tied the dual, but it was too late to make a change by the time the error was caught. OSU leads the all-time series with the Cornhuskers, 49-2-1. The Cowboys have not lost in the last 19 meetings, with NU earning a tie in 1996 as the only blemish in that time. The last Cornhusker victory came way back on Feb. 14, 1993 when the Huskers won 39-12 in Stillwater. Nebraska's only win in Lincoln came during the 1921-22 season, and OSU leads the series in Lincoln 19-1-1. The dual will be broadcast live on 93.7 FM with Rex Holt and Roger Moore providing the commentary. Last Time Out Oklahoma State split a road trip last weekend with Northern Iowa and third-ranked Iowa State. The Cowboys pounded Northern Iowa, 35-6, but fell at Iowa State, 21-12, to close out the weekend. OSU won seven of the nine matches, with the Panthers forfeiting at heavyweight. Five of the seven victories were by bonus points. Tyler Shinn recorded a fall at 125, while Nathan Morgan recorded a technical fall at 141. Three other Cowboys recorded major decisions. The Cowboys could not carry the momentum into the dual with the Cyclones as ISU won six matches to take the dual. OSU started with a 6-0 lead as the dual started at 165. Johny Hendricks defeated third-ranked Travis Paulson and Brandon Mason followed with a decision over Grant Turner. The two swing matches were at heavyweight and 125, and ISU won both. Jared Rosholt tied the match at heavyweight with a takedown, but he released David Zabriskie and he could not score the winning takedown before time expired. Nick Fanthorpe then defeated Tyler Shinn at 125 to put ISU ahead in the dual 15-6 and all but clinch victory for the Cyclones. The Cowboys got decisions from Coleman Scott and Nathan Morgan to pull within three points, but ISU finished with a pair of decisions of their own to close out the dual. Scouting the Huskers Nebraska comes into the dual with a 7-5 record and ranked 20th in the nation according to the recent coaches' poll. The Huskers have three wrestlers ranked in the top 20, but have been plagued by injuries as heavyweight Jon May has been lost for the season. Freshman Craig Brester has come on strong and is 9-1 in dual meets with his first loss coming to top-ranked Max Askren at 197. Brester is currently ranked No. 12 nationally. Domicick Moyer leads the way for NU with a No. 9 national ranking, while 125-pounder Paull Donahoe is ranked No. 10 and leads the team with a 24-3 record. Moyer and Donahoe are the Huskers best All-America candidates. The Huskers have a pair of NCAA qualifiers in the lineup in Robert Sanders and Marc Harwood, but neither wrestler is ranked. Sanders is 17-12 at 149, while Harwood bumped up from 165 to 174 and is 10-7 on the season. Last Time Versus Nebraska The fifth-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers visited Stillwater to try and upset second-ranked Oklahoma State. The Cowboys removed any doubt of an upset when Zack Esposito recorded a technical fall in the first match, and Johny Hendricks put OSU up 9-3 with a major decision at 165. The Cowboys siezed the momentum as Brandon Mason followed with an upset over third-ranked Jacob Klein and Rusty Blackmon defeated Vince Jones. OSU went on to win the dual by a score of 27-15, which really was not that close as the Cornhuskers did not record a takedown until the last match of the dual when Patrick Aleksanyan took down Nathan Morgan, but Morgan rallied to win 12-6. Steve Mocco recorded a fall, and Coleman Scott recorded a decision to help lead the Cowboys. Hendricks Earns Second Big 12 Honor Johny Hendricks went on the road and wrestled a pair of top five opponents. Hendricks first defeated No. 5 Nick Baima of Northern Iowa, 2-1. He followed it up with a decision over third-ranked Travis Paulson of Iowa State. It was the second time Hendricks has defeated both wrestlers this season. He is currently 25-0 on the season, and has won his last 47 matches. Hendricks Named Wrestler of the Week Johny Hendricks was named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for his performance for the week ending Jan. 21. Hendricks defeated Iowa's fourth-ranked Mark Perry on a late takedown before pinning Oregon's Jake McCoy. The previous week at National Duals he defeated the second, third, fifth and seventh ranked wrestlers in the country. Simpson Makes Debut True freshman Dakotah Simpson was pulled out of redshirt to face rival Iowa in the quarterfinals of the National Duals. Simpson made an immediate impact in the dual, pinning fifth-year senior Alex Grunder to put the Pokes up 15-0 and all but sealing the Cowboy victory. Simpson is currently 6-3 on the season and won an open title at the Oklahoma Open.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The top two small-college wrestling programs in the country will face off on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Augsburg College's Si Melby Hall, as Augsburg faces Wartburg (Iowa) in a dual meet. Augsburg is currently ranked No. 1 in the latest Division III national poll, while Wartburg, the defending NCAA Division III national champions, is ranked No. 2 in the current poll. There are no advance tickets sold for the meet, and all seats are general admission. Tickets will be available in the Kennedy Center lobby (main entrance to Si Melby Hall and the Kennedy Center) starting at 5 p.m., and doors to the Si Melby Hall gym will open at 6 p.m. The dual meet begins at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to park in Lot L on the east side of campus (see campus map by clicking here; Si Melby Hall/Kennedy Center is No. 25 on the map). Please be reminded that certain Augsburg parking lots that are reserved for students, faculty/staff, etc., are subject to ticketing. Parking lots B, E, F, G, and J are ticketed 24 hours every day (see campus map by clicking here). Fans can also park for $5 at the Fairview-University Medical Center Riverside campus' Yellow Ramp (see Fairview map by clicking here). along 23rd Avenue South off of Riverside Avenue. The $5 parking deal is for the Yellow Ramp ONLY; all other Fairview ramps/lots will charge regular hourly rates. You MUST have your game ticket stub to show to the parking attendant when you leave, in order to get the $5 parking deal. There are no in-out privileges at the Fairview lots/ramps. If you have questions regarding tickets or parking, please contact the Augsburg athletic department at 612-330-1249. Augsburg is 10-0 in dual meets this season, and has won 85 of 100 matches in its 10 dual wins (including three shutout victories). Augsburg topped Wartburg 22-10 at the championship match of the NWCA Division III National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, earlier this month. Augsburg has eight individuals ranked nationally, including four No. 1-ranked wrestlers -- Jafari Vanier (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) at 133 pounds, Quincy Osborn (Jr., Grand Rapids, Minn.) at 141, Jeremy Anderson (Jr., Thief River Falls, Minn.) at 157 and Marcus LeVesseur (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS) at 165. Wartburg, 18-1 in dual meets this season, has seven individuals ranked nationally, including one No. 1-ranked individual -- heavyweight Blake Gillis (Sr., Spencer, Iowa).

WASHINGTON -- Junior Adam LoPiccolo, a heavyweight wrestler from Glen Rock, Pa., has been released from the men's wrestling program. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects any additional information regarding disciplinary actions toward a student. LoPiccolo had been the No. 5 ranked heavyweight in the country in 2006-07 and was a two-time NCAA qualifier for the Eagles.

BELMONT, NC -- The Belmont Abbey wrestling team, in its final home match of the season, defeated Limestone by a 31-16 tonight at the Wheeler Center. The Abbey was victorious in seven of ten matches, including a pair of pins and a tapout. Senior AJ Scales, the lone senior who was honored prior to the match, recorded the first Crusader pin, as he pinned William Moss, the top-ranked heavyweight in the East Region, 2:07 into the match. Adam Phillips, wrestling at 157 pounds, forced Mikel Bush into a tapout 2:43 into his bout. One match later, Phil Bliss wasted no time in recording a win, pinning Greg Satterfield 18 seconds into the match. Other Abbey winners were Chris Neidermeier (125 pounds), Appolon Jean-Paul (141 pounds), David Hoggard (174 pounds) and Tim Stanton (197 pounds). Belmont Abbey is back in action Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. when it goes on the road to face Anderson.

THIS WEEK Iowa (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten) will kick off the month of February with two Big Ten road duals. The Hawkeyes will wrestle at Michigan (1-5-1, 0-2 Big Ten) Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) and at Penn State (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT). ON THE AIR Radio - Steven Grace and two-time Hawkeye NCAA champion and four-time all-American Mark Ironside will call the action live on AM-800, KXIC. All remaining dual meets will be broadcast live, as will action from the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments. Live audio broadcasts from all competitions will also be available online at www.hawkeyesports.com. To listen online, go to the wrestling schedule, click on the event and click on the Listen link. Broadcasts are available using the Hawkeye All-Access subscription ($6.95 per month or $49.95 per year) or the CSTV XXL Premium subscription ($99.95 per year). Television - The Penn State dual will be aired live on FOX Sports Pittsburgh. Announcers Steve Jones and Ken Chertow will call the action. The Internet - Press releases, meet results, audio broadcasts and dual livestats are available on the University of Iowa's website, www.hawkeyesports.com. To access live dual scoring, go to the wrestling schedule page, select the event and click on the Livestats link. Current staff and student-athlete head shots can be found at pics.hawkeyesports.com. LUEDKE ON A ROLL Hawkeye senior 174-pounder Eric Luedke is 21-1 in collegiate matches and 12-0 in dual competition this season. The Colby, KS, native has won his last 19 matches. His only loss this season was a 6-5 decision to Nebraska's Brandon Browne at the Kaufman-Brand Open. His 21 wins include three pins, one technical fall, two major decsions and 15 decisions. Luedke, who is ranked as high as second, has also scored 40 team points in dual competition, which ranks fourth on the team. His streak will be tested this weekend against Michigan redshirt freshman Jordan Sherrod and Penn State senior James Yonushonis. Yonushonis is ranked seventh in the nation with a 24-3 overall and 14-1 dual record. MICHIGAN WOLVERINES Michigan is 1-5-1 (0-1 in the Big Ten) with a win over Lehigh (18-14), losses to Central Michigan (21-12), Iowa State (25-15), Nebraska (23-13), Minnesota (26-9) and Michigan State (21-17), and a tie with Hofstra (18-18). Head Coach Joe McFarland is 105-28-4 overall and 47-9-2 in Big Ten duals in eight seasons at Michigan. He has a 129-48-4 record in 11 years as a college head coach. During his tenure with the Wolverines, McFarland has coaches two NCAA champions, 27 all-Americans and seven Big Ten champions. He is assisted by Michigan alums Kirk Trost and Mike Kulczycki, and Central Michigan alum Kevin Vogel. The Wolverines are led by team captains and returning all-Americans Josh Churella (149) and Eric Tannenbaum (165), and sophomore Tyrel Todd (184). Tannenbaum is undefeated a 15-0 overall (7-0 in duals), Churella is 19-2 (6-1) and Todd is 16-3 (6-1). Michigan's heavyweight is Iowa City native Omar Maktabi. The junior was a 2003 state finalist at West High School. THE SERIES Michigan leads the series, 25-23-1 and has won the last three meetings. The Wolverines have a 13-10 series lead at Ann Arbor. Iowa's last win in the series was 29-11 at the 2003 National Duals. LAST MEETING Iowa lost a 19-15 decision to Michigan to finish sixth at the 2006 N.W.C.A/Cliff Keen National Duals in Cedar Falls, IA. The Hawkeyes won five decisions, but Michigan used bonus point victories at two weights to pull out the team win and place fifth at the tournament. The Hawkeyes were without 174-pound starter Mark Perry, who suffered an injury in the first day of the tournament. Michigan 19, Iowa 15 125 - Lucas Magnani (I) dec. Michael Watts (M), 5-4 133 - Mark Moos (M) dec. Daniel Dennis (I), 12-6 141 - Josh Churella (M) dec. Alex Tsirtsis (I), 3-1 149 - Ty Eustice (I) dec. Eric Tannenbaum (M), 7-4 157 - Joe Johnston (I) dec. Steve Luke (M), 6-4 165 - Ryan Churella (M) maj. dec. Eric Luedke (I), 8-0 174 - Nick Roy (M) pinned Ben Stedman (I), 3:25 184 - Paul Bradley (I) dec. Tyrel Todd (M), 7-5 197 - Dan Erekson (I) dec. William Breyer (M), 6-2 Hwt. - Greg Wagner (M) dec. Matt Fields (I), 4-0 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS Penn State is 10-5 (1-3 in the Big Ten) with wins over Clarion (47-0), Pittsburgh-Johnston (29-6), Edinboro (27-9), Lehigh (23-12), Lock Haven (20-15), Cornell (18-12), North Dakota State (39-3), Bloomsburg (22-9), Rider (41-0) and Ohio State (26-12), and losses to Hofstra (24-10), Edinboro (19-17), Wisconsin (17-16), Minnesota (31-12) and Illinois (18-16). Head Coach Troy Sunderland is 89-73 in nine seasons at Penn State. During his tenure, he has coached two NCAA champions, 16 all-Americans and six Big Ten champions. He is assisted by Penn State alums David Hart and John Hughes, and Matt Dernlan. The Nittany Lions are led by returning all-Americans James Yonushonis (174) and Philip Davis (197). Yonushonis, a senior, is 24-3, and Davis, a junior, is 18-1. Penn State's other top wrestlers are senior heavyweight Aaron Anspach (12-2), junior 125-pounder Mark McKnight (17-3) and sophomore 133-pounder Jake Strayer (17-4). THE SERIES Iowa leads the series, 21-5-2, and holds a 9-2-1 advantage at University Park. Penn State won the last meeting (21-12) in 2006. Iowa's last win in the series was 23-16 in 2005. LAST MEETING The Hawkeyes lost to Penn State, 21-12, last February at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. It was only the 11th Iowa wrestling loss in Carver since the facility opened in 1983. Senior Joe Johnston got the dual off to an exciting start at 157 pounds when he rallied from an 8-0 deficit to defeat Nathan Galloway, 12-10. Johnston recorded a takedown with 1:02 remaining and followed with a three-point nearfall to win the match. Penn State responded by winning six of the next seven bouts, including a pin at 125, to build a 21-6 lead. Sophomore Alex Tsirtsis (141) and senior Ty Eustice (149) scored wins for the Hawkeyes to end the dual, but could not affect the team result. Penn State 21, Iowa 12 157 - Joe Johnston (I) dec. Nathan Galloway (PSU), 12-10 165 - David Erwin (PSU) dec. Eric Luedke (I), 4-3 174 - James Yonushonis (PSU) dec. Ben Stedman (I), 7-5 184 - Eric Bradley (PSU) dec. Paul Bradley (I), 4-2 197 - Philip Davis (PSU) dec. Dan Erekson (I), 7-1 Hwt. - Ryan Fuller (I) dec. Joel Edwards (PSU), 7-4 125 - Tim Haas (PSU) pinned Lucas Magnani (I), 1:01 133 - Jake Strayer (PSU) dec. Daniel Dennis (I), 10-7 141 - Alex Tsirtsis (I) dec. 5-2 DeWitt Driscoll (PSU) 149 - Ty Eustice (I) dec. James Woodall (PSU), 7-3 LAST WEEK Iowa went 1-1, defeating Purdue (36-3) Friday night in West Lafayette, IN, and losing to Wisconsin (21-14) Saturday night in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes won nine of 10 matches at Purdue, including two by major decision and two by pin. Highlights included Griffith, IN, native and junior Alex Tsirtsis had a happy homecoming with a 20-10 major decision over Nick Bertucci at 141, and senior Mario Galanakis (133) and junior Matt Fields (Hwt.) collecting their respective 35th and 55th career victories. Senior 149-pounder Alex Grunder also upset Purdue's 11th-ranked Jake Patacsil, 7-5, avenging an earlier loss. Iowa lost its Big Ten home opener to Wisconsin the following night in Iowa City. It was the Badgers' first win in the series since 1966. The Hawkeyes won four bouts on the night, and three of their six losses were by two points. Sophomore Charlie Falck's (125) 12-9 decision over Collin Cudd gave Iowa its only team lead of the night, as the Badgers rolled off four-straight decisions to take a 12-3 lead. Junior Mark Perry's 18-2 match termination over Jake Donar at 165 made up some ground, and senior Eric Luedke 5-0 decision over Mike Felling at 174 pulled Iowa to within one (12-11). But Wisconsin scored a decision at 184 and a first-period pin at 197 to put the win out of reach for the Hawkeyes. Fields won the final match of the night - a 6-3 decision over Kyle Massey. HAWKEYES SIGN TWO Iowa signed two student-athletes to national letters of intent in the early signing period. Jordan Johnson of Bettendorf, IA and Brodie Ambrose of Eldridge, IA, are Tom Brands' first signings as Iowa's head coach. Johnson won the 2006 Class AA Illinois state heavyweight state title at Naperville North High School. He moved to Bettendorf, IA, and will be competing for Bettendorf High School this season. Ambrose placed third at 171 pounds at the 2006 Class 3A state tournament for North Scott Eldridge High School. He will compete at 189 pounds this season and is a projected 197-pounder for the Hawkeyes. Ambrose also is a 189-pound Fargo freestyle all-American. CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA Carver-Hawkeye Arena has been the home of Iowa wrestling since 1983. The Hawkeyes are 154-16 (.906) in the arena, which includes a record 10 victories during the 1986 season. Iowa has recorded 16 undefeated seasons in the arena, with the most recent (8-0) occurring in 2002-03. The dual wrestling attendance record for Carver-Hawkeye Arena is 15,291, set when Iowa defeated Iowa State on February 22, 1992. The arena seats 15,500 for a dual wrestling meet. Iowa's meet with Iowa State earlier this year drew 13,732. That figure ranks 11th in NCAA and Carver-Hawkeye Arena history. IOWA WRESTLING HISTORY Iowa's overall dual meet record is 806-212-30 (.783) in 95 seasons. The Hawkeyes have won 20 national titles, including nine of the last 16, and 31 Big Ten titles. Iowa's 47 NCAA champions have won a total of 73 NCAA individual titles, crowning six three-time and 13 two-time champions. The Hawkeyes' 99 Big Ten Champions have won a total of 180 conference titles. There have been seven four-time, 18 three-time and 24 two-time Iowa winners. Iowa's 129 all-Americans have earned all-America status 263 times, including 16 four-time, 27 three-time and 32 two-time honorees. IOWA TICKET INFORMATION Tickets for Iowa's remaining home duals are on sale at the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office. Tickets purchased in advance are $8 for adults and $4 for youth/non-University of Iowa students. Tickets purchased at the door are $10 for adults and $5 for youth/non-University of Iowa students. University of Iowa students will be admitted free of charge with a student ID. For tickets, contact the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-424-2957, 319-335-9327 or www.hawkeyesports.com. CHAMPIONSHIP EXPERIENCE The Hawkeye wrestling staff of Tom Brands, Dan Gable, Wes Hand, Doug Schwab and Mike Zadick earned a total of two Olympic gold medals, seven NCAA titles, 10 conference titles and 15 all-America honors. Their combined college career wrestling record is 605-84-2 (.877), including three undefeated seasons. NEXT COMPETITION Iowa will host Michigan State (2-5, 1-1 Big Ten) Sunday, February 11 at 2 p.m. in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The match will be aired live on Iowa Public Television.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- The 15th-ranked wrestling team ends the month of January by hosting Southern Conference foe The Citadel Wednesday. The Mocs and the Bulldogs meet at 6 p.m. at Maclellan Gym on the UTC campus. While The Citadel is facing its first SoCon opponent of the season, UTC is looking to move to 4-0 in the league with a win over the Bulldogs. The Mocs, 13-1 overall, moved up one space in this week's NWCA/InterMat Collegiate Rankings from 16 to 15. They took over first place in the league standings this past weekend, sweeping UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State. The Citadel, 3-4 overall, has wins over Anderson University, Duke and Campbell. The Bulldogs put together a successful day a week ago, edging the Blue Devils 20-17 and shutting out Campbell 54-0 on the same day. The Bulldogs have four freshmen in their tentative lineup, but return 2005 SoCon Champion Travis Piccard at 157 pounds. Piccard, a senior, sat out the 2005-06 season but is currently 13-3 overall and will give UTC's Jake Yost a stiff test. Junior Darius Caldwell is set to wrestle at 174 pounds against UTC's Lloyd Rogers. Caldwell placed second in the weight class at last year's SoCon Championships, and Rogers is trying to halt a two-match losing skid. UTC's Michael Keefe, ranked 14th at 141, Matt Keller, seventh at 133, and No. 10 Aaron Martin (149) remain undefeated in dual matches this season. Martin jumped from 12th to No. 10 in the latest NWCA/InterMat National Rankings. Keefe, who has sat out the last two duals, is questionable for Wednesday's action. Also likely to see mat time for the Mocs are No. 18 Javier Maldonado at 125, T.J. Sayers at 165, Josh Edmondson at 184, Nick Lorenzano at 197 and No. 18 Matt Koz at 285. Josh Keefe could step in for his brother at 141, as could Cody Cleveland. Also available to wrestle Wednesday are Joey Knox (157), Seth Garvin (165), Mike Marable (184) and Kyle McKee (197). Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for senior citizens and $2 for youths under the age of 18.

NORFOLK, VA -- The Old Dominion wrestling team will host Virginia Tech on Feb. 8 in the University's first wrestling match at the Ted Constant Convocation Center, followed by a match against American on Feb. 11. Both matches will be video streamed live through the Monarch All-Access package on www.odusports.com where fans will be able to log on and watch the Monarch grapplers from the comfort of their own home. The Monarchs are receiving votes in the national rankings and five individuals are ranked nationally. Admission to both matches is $6 and tickets can be purchased at the Constant Center box, by calling 1-888-411-4TED or purchasing online at www.constantcenter.com To subscribe to Monarch All Access, fans must register at www.odusports.com, and select either the monthly or annual membership. A portion of the membership assists the Old Dominion University athletic program. As a member of CSTV's Monarch All Access, fans can also watch and listen to the ODU men's and women's basketball games, radio shows, and post-game press conferences. The CSTV All Access network features games from over 30 collegiate sports from over 100 top schools and conferences. Start time for the Virginia Tech dual on Feb. 8 is set for 7:30 pm while the American match on Feb. 11 will follow the Lady Monarchs basketball 1 p.m. contest with Delaware at 5 p.m. Fans that purchase tickets to the women's basketball game will be admitted free to the wrestling match.

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Hofstra University junior Joe Rovelli is the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Week, and Hofstra freshman Lou Ruggirello is the CAA Rookie of the Week, for all competition January 23-29. Rovelli, a 184 pounder from Wilkes-Barre, PA (E. L. Meyers), defeated a pair of national top 20 wrestlers last week, leading Hofstra to wins over #14 Penn and #24 Lehigh. Currently ranked seventh in the nation, Rovelli improved to 26-4 on the season with victories over the 13th ranked wrestler from Penn and the 19th ranked wrestler from Lehigh, and picked up his 75th career win. Ruggirello, a 133 from Walden, NY (Valley Central), defeated his Lehigh opponent and took the number two wrestler in the nation from Penn to a second tie breaker, after finishing regulation tied at 4-4. With his victory Ruggirello improves to 26-6 on the season, 18-3 in duals, and is ranked 18th in the nation.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -– North Carolina's wrestling team will look to run its Atlantic Coast Conference winning streak to four straight victories Wednesday when it meets rival Duke at 7 p.m. at Chapel Hill High School. The Tar Heels (6-6, 3-1 ACC) have won 31 of their last 32 meetings with the Blue Devils (7-5, 0-2 ACC) and can gain a point towards the Carlyle Cup with a win. Carolina leads the annual all-sports competition with the Blue Devils, 5.5-4.5, heading into Wednesday's wrestling match, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday in Durham. Junior Keegan Mueller leads Carolina with a 23-6 overall record and a 9-2 dual mark at 165 pounds. Junior Drew Forshey owns a team-best 10-2 record in duals and is 15-7 overall at 125. He has won eight of his last nine bouts. Senior heavyweight Spencer Nadolsky is second on the team with a 19-6 overall mark, while senior All-America Evan Sola is slated to return at 133 after missing both duals last weekend. Sola is 9-3 on the year and 5-2 in duals. The Tar Heels topped Virginia (21-11) and Virginia Tech (25-15) last weekend in Chapel Hill. The Blue Devils are coming off a 27-13 loss at league-leader Maryland Jan. 27. John Barone, slated to wrestle at 174 Wednesday, leads Duke with an 18-9 overall mark and is 8-4 in duals. Aaron Glover is 16-10 at 165 and leads the team with nine dual victories. Following Wednesday's match, UNC is off until its return trip to Raleigh to face NC State next Wednesday, Feb. 7. The Tar Heels posted a 16-14 win over the Wolfpack Jan. 19.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -– The Rutgers University wrestling team will host Rider University in an in-state battle on Wednesday, Jan. 31, at the College Ave Gym at 7:00 p.m. The Scarlet Knights (8-3, 4-2 EWL) are coming off a 3-0 performance at its quad meet last weekend, including wins over Boston University, Delaware State and NYU. Sophomore Matt Pletcher (Eastampton, N.J.) and freshman Chris Norrell (Phillipsburg, N.J.) went undefeated to lead the team. Pletcher recorded three-consecutive decisions at 165 pounds to go 3-0 on the day and Norrell posted two pins and had one decision win, also finishing the day with an unblemished 3-0 record. Ryan Jablonski (Norristown, Pa.), Jack Barrett (Metuchen, N.J.), and Mike D'Amico (Kenilworth, N.J.) all went 3-0, winning two matches and being awarded a forfeit during the day. Lamar Brown (Red Bank, N.J.) went 2-0 on the day, as did freshman Keith Dobish (Lodi, N.J.), who returned to the mat for the first time since Jan. 9, due to an injury. Rutgers will look to snap a three-match losing streak against the Broncs, who lead the all-time series 10-2. Last season, Rider defeated the Scarlet Knights, 26-15, on Jan. 25. Steve Adamcsik (Chester, N.J.), Jamie Lijo (Hopatcong, N.J.) and Mike D'Amico (Kenilworth, N.J.) all chipped in wins for RU, as Adamcsik and Lijo won by major decision. Following the match-up with the Broncs, the Scarlet Knights will travel to Washington, D.C., for an EIWA match-up with American University on Sunday, Feb. 4, at 12:00 p.m.

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 Rankings aren't perfect. They aren't something to be taken as law for one wrestler being better than another. However, I do believe they are good for the sport of wrestling in terms of prompting discussion and promoting athletes. Many articles and press releases will boast what a school's team and athletes have achieved in the latest rankings and this is well-deserved praise. Friends and families of wrestlers deserve to boast not only of their athlete's individual victories, but that those victories have been validated with a spot in the polls. And while rankings are constantly contradicted week after week as lower or non-ranked wrestlers defeat those above them in the polls, any flaws in the rankings are only so damaging, since the sport of wrestling allows for everything to be settled with postseason tournaments. Obviously, individual rankings are only part of the equation. In wrestling, the performance of each individual adds up to the performance of a team. However, wrestling is unique in that it is two vastly different forms of team competition: dual meet and tournament. A strong dual meet team doesn't necessarily equal of strong tournament team and vice versa. Ranking teams in terms of dual meet strength is relatively easy as the squads face off against each other week after week, painting a reasonably clear picture of which team is stronger than which. It's not perfect as some squads happen to match up perfectly against teams that do better against the same competition. Moreover, some teams face each other more than once during the season with different results. But any difficulties in ranking teams dual-meet-wise are very minor when compared to ranking teams in terms of tournament strength. Yes, teams compete in tournaments throughout the season in which points are kept, but the problem with each of these tournaments is that they aren't against the whole field. At this season's Southern Scuffle in December, Missouri beat out Minnesota to claim the title. It would be easy to say that Missouri should then be ranked as a stronger tournament team. Maybe, but it's not quite as simple as that. Missouri got 10 placement points from Ashtin Primus at 141 pounds … as did Minnesota from Jayson Ness at 125 pounds. Ness is currently ranked fifth in the nation and Primus is unranked (RevWrestling.com). If those rankings held up at the NCAA's (and obviously, they often do not), Ness would get 7 placement points and Primus would get none. The NCAA tournament is filled with unpredictability, but two things are certain: placement points and (to a lesser extent) advancement points. An NCAA champion will, with one-hundred percent certainty, get 16 placement points and at least 4 advancement points for a total of at least 20 points. If the weight class has a pigtail round and/or the athlete scores bonus points along the way, there's some room for more, but 20 is the minimum. Calculations for the other finishers can be made using the same method, although there is some room for error depending on when a wrestler entered the consolation round. If a wrestler lost in the opening round and then battled back to the consolation finals, 3 advancement points would be earned along the way. If the same wrestler made the semis, then lost and won again to make the consolation finals, 3.5 advancement points would be earned. Any pollster will tell you that ranking individuals becomes increasingly difficult after you get past the top 12 or so wrestlers and in terms of team tourney calculating, wrestlers who finish lower than the Round of 16 score only a negligible amount of team points. The problem with this system, as mentioned before, is that it doesn't take into account bonus points. It gives the same 20 points to a pinning machine like Ben Askren of Missouri as it does to a Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota, who wins consistently, but often only by very narrow margins. While it might be possible to come up with some sort of prediction of bonus points based on the percentage of major decisions, technical falls, and pins that a wrestler scores throughout the season, such calculations would not only be cumbersome, but only worth so much. It's very difficult to know who's going to go on a rampage for the Big Show. At the Big 12's, Oklahoma State won the event, but really didn't do much in terms of bonus points with only 4. However, at the NCAA Championships, they truly went to town, amassing a whopping 26.5. Therefore, I find it more prudent to just leave bonus points alone. And go with point estimates that will probably be lower than actual points earned at the Big Show, but equally lower for each team." The total points from all the ranked wrestlers on each team will determine the team rankings. These totals will also be included in the rankings.

This week's edition of 'On the Mat' will feature Oklahoma Sooner head coach Jack Spates and Wrestling International Newsmagazine editor Mike Finn. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa hosts the show. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Tentative schedule of upcoming guest appearances: January 31: * Jack Spates, head wrestling coach at the Oklahoma University * Mike Finn, editor of Wrestling International Newsmagazine February 7: * Mark Kreidler, author of "Four Days to Glory", a new book on former Iowa High School four-time state champions Jay Borschel and Dan LeClere. * Mike Chapman, author of "Legends of the Mat", a new book featuring 34 of America's greatest wrestling legends. February 14: * Tim Hartung, assistant wrestling coach at Iowa State University. * Tom Brands, head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. February 21: * Jim Gibbons, former Iowa State head wrestling coach and Iowa Public Television commentator. * Andrew Hipps, senior writer for RevWrestling.com.

BOONE, N.C. -- The 16th-ranked wrestling team dominated Southern Conference foe Appalachian State Sunday in a 35-3 victory. The Mocs won all but one match in the dual in improving to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in the league. Four of UTC's victories came with extra team points as the Mocs recorded two technical falls, a pin and a major decision. Heavyweight Matt Koz, ranked 20th nationally, started things rolling for UTC with a 2-1 decision over Dave Hazell. Javier Maldonado and Matt Keller followed with consecutive tech falls. Maldonado, ranked 18th this week, defeated Brody Essick 17-2 at 125 pounds, and No. 8 Keller blanked Frank Celorrio, 15-0 at 133 for a quick 13-0 UTC lead. Senior Josh Keefe stepped up in weight to 141 pounds in place of his twin brother, Michael, who is not at full strength after a minor injury. Keefe registered a 6-1 win over Clinton Swango. The Mocs pushed their advantage to 25-0 by winning the next three with close calls. Aaron Martin, ranked 13th at 149, edged ASU's Scott Ervin, 5-4 in overtime. Jake Yost pulled out a 3-2 win over Eddie Hutchinson at 157, and T.J. Sayers shut out Tommy Hutchinson at 165, 2-0. Neal Martin notched the Mountaineers' only points of the afternoon, defeating 16th-ranked Lloyd Rogers, 6-0 at 174. UTC closed out the match with Josh Edmondson's 15-3 major at 184 and Nick Lorenzano's pin over Brandon Brothers at 197. The Mocs, who defeated UNC Greensboro Saturday, return to Southern Conference action Wednesday, hosting The Citadel at 6 p.m. at Maclellan Gym.

BLOOMSBURG -- Bloomsburg University wrestler Mike Sees (Northumberland/Shikellamy) has been named the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Co-Wrestler of the Week for the period ending January 28th. He shares the honor with Edinboro's Alex Clemsen. Sees helped lead the Huskies to a second place finish at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships this weekend. He defeated nationally ranked Obenson Blanc of Lock Haven to win the 125-pound crown for the second straight year. In his first match at the championships, Sees notched a major decision (12-4) win over Toby Seger of Clarion. In the finals, he defeated Blanc by a score of 10-5. For his efforts, Sees was also named the PSAC Tournament's Outstanding Wrestler. On the season, Sees is 22-3 with five falls, three technical falls and seven major decisions. He is ranked 12th in the latest InterMat/NWCA/NWMA Division I poll. Bloomsburg, 8-7 on the year and 1-1 in the EWL, will be back in action at Clarion University on February 2nd beginning at 7:00 p.m.

In the past twelve months, the coaching ranks in college wrestling underwent seismic shifts. Among the most powerful changes: A number of veterans such as Russ Hellickson, Bobby Douglas, Joe Wells and Wayne Baughman left head coaching positions after many years of service with their particular programs. David IcenhowerAll this makes the coaching accomplishments and career longevity of David Icenhower, Sr., even more impressive -- and incredible. Now in his 31st year as head coach at the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) just outside the state capital of Trenton, David Icenhower has earned more than 450 coaching victories. He has led the Lions to five NCAA Division III team titles, with a top-five finish in 18 of the past thirty seasons. Just as impressive, Icenhower has coached 68 wrestlers to All-American status a total of 117 times. That puts the TCNJ coach in very elite company; only four other coaches in all divisions can claim to have coached over one hundred All-Americans. Of all those All-Americans Icenhower coached, twenty were Division III individual champions. One of those champs -- Tom Martucci -- went on to win a Division I title at the 1981 NCAA's at 190 pounds … giving Icenhower the distinction of being one of only two men who have coached a wrestler to DI and DIII titles in the same year. David Icenhower can claim other individual coaching honors as well. He is a two-time Division III Coach of the Year (1979 and 1987). He was the first DIII coach selected to be head coach of the East-West All-Star event in 1982 … then made history again in 1997 when asked to coach the All-Stars for a second time, becoming the first DIII coach to serve twice in that capacity. In 1999, he was inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame. "Ice" shows no signs of slowing down just yet, either. As of this writing, the Lions are on a ten-match winning streak, with a regular-season record of 16-1, the one loss being to perennial powerhouse Wartburg. Among the highlights for the College of New Jersey season to date include first-place finishes at the Ithaca Invitational and the Budd Whitehall Duals at Lycoming College. The education of a future college coach David Icenhower grew up in southeastern Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia. Introduced to wrestling by his older brother, Joe, David took up the sport in junior high school, at Drexel Hill. "Things were different back then," says the College of New Jersey coach. "You didn't start wrestling at age five or six like so many of today's wrestlers do." His mat career continued at Upper Darby High School under Coach Art McCall, who, according to Icenhower, "had a tremendous effect on my life and my love of the sport of wrestling." "At my school, wrestling was king, and I was a wrestling nut." That self-proclaimed "wrestling nut" was small, weighing in at only 95 pounds his junior year, competing in the lightest weight class. "I had the opportunity to go to prep school, Penn Charter in Philadelphia," says Icenhower. "That made all the difference in the world. I grew to 123, which opened the door for me to go to Lehigh." Learning from legends at Lehigh While at the university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Icenhower's mat career was guided by a succession of two coaching legends. First was Gerry Leeman, a 1946 NCAA champ and 1948 Olympic silver medalist from Iowa State Teachers College (ISTC; now the University of Northern Iowa) whose teammates included future coaching greats Bill Koll (long-time ISTC and Penn State head coach) and Bob Siddens, who can include Dan Gable among the champs he coached at Waterloo West High in Iowa. In Icenhower's senior year of college, Thad Turner took the helm. An All-American at Lehigh, Turner returned to his alma mater in 1970, where he guided the program to fourteen top ten finishes at the NCAA's, and coached six wrestlers to a total of nine collegiate titles. "It was while at Lehigh that I started to think about coaching," according to Icenhower, who was the captain of the team his senior year. "Kind of a surprise for a marketing major in the business school, isn't it? … I enjoyed helping Coach Turner, and wanted to continue my involvement in the sport." Icenhower's introduction to Coaching 101 After graduating from Lehigh, Icenhower got his first coaching opportunity from yet another mat legend turned successful coach, Ed Peery, a three-time NCAA champ in the 1950's for the University of Pittsburgh who was head coach at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. "I was in the Navy Reserve. I was asked by coach Peery to help coach at Navy Prep, a prep school they had at the time. I was there for my three-year service commitment." "Once I completed that commitment, I decided to stay with coaching," continues Icenhower. "I got a grad assistant position at Trenton State, now the College of New Jersey. The next year, I became head coach while still as a grad assistant. It happens that, my first year, we beat our archrival Montclair State. The president of the college was in the stands to see it, and hired me for the head coaching job on a full-time basis." Everything changes but the position David Icenhower has remained at the same school as head coach for more than three decades. However, much has changed around him, and not just the school's name. "The College of New Jersey has changed tremendously in the time I've been here," says Coach Icenhower. "Back in the seventies, it was more of a teachers college. Now it has become more academically diverse, with a wider range of academic programs. With that, it has also become more academically challenging as well, which makes it a lot more challenging in terms of recruiting wrestlers." Now that he's 58 years old, David Icenhower isn't the "hands-on" coach that he once was, either. "We always have young assistants who 'crack heads' with the guys," as the veteran coach puts it. "We're also blessed with local high school coaches who work out with the kids … A number of these guys are veterans of our program, so they know my way of working. It all works out really well for us." Recruitment drive "When it comes to recruiting, we're going up against smaller Division I programs in the region such as Rider, George Mason, James Madison," Coach Icenhower continues. "It's pretty rare that we're seeking the same wrestlers as other DIII schools." When asked to describe what he's looking for in recruits, Icenhower says, "We focus on the state of New Jersey. In fact, right now, all but one of our wrestlers is from New Jersey. (The one out-of-stater is from Georgia.) There's so much talent in this state. There's really no need to go looking out-of-state." David Icenhower"The ideal candidate for our program is a guy who's academically strong, who placed somewhere between fourth and eighth in the state tournament, or just missed placing." Multi-sport athletes also catch the attention of Coach Icenhower. "It's always great to find a wrestler who has competed in other sports as well, for instance, a football player who wants to concentrate on wrestling in college … Having that multi-sport perspective is a real plus in so many ways. It indicates a level of flexibility and adaptability that goes beyond athleticism to the mental aspects as well … Sadly, the multi-sport athlete is becoming rarer and rarer, as more kids concentrate on a single sport." In addition to his own coaching credentials and winning legacy at the College of New Jersey, David Icenhower can claim another recruiting advantage: "We get tremendous support from our alums. We have about fifty alums from our program who are now in coaching. It's like having a network out there, giving us advance notice of potential recruits. It really helps us with the recruiting process." Experience provides perspective David Icenhower has been head coach long enough that he is now coaching the sons of former wrestlers. Yet he is not one of those veteran coaches who longs for "the good old days." Ask him how today's wrestlers differ from those in the past, and the coach offers a candid assessment: "Today's kids are better. They got started earlier in the sport. They wrestle more matches. They go up against more diverse competition. Most of them are single-sport athletes, so they tend to be more focused." "There are some drawbacks to all that," adds Icenhower. "Some guys have been at it so long and have been so focused, that burnout can be more of an issue than it once was." When asked if there are generational differences between him and his wrestlers, he replies, "I'd like to think that being on a college campus helps keep me young." He quickly adds, "When you come right down to it, today's kids aren't that much different than previous generations." Every day, David Icenhower, Sr., brings a wealth of experience to the wrestling room at the College of New Jersey. The Lions benefit from Coach Icenhower's unique blend of expertise gained by learning from past coaching legends such as Art McCall, Gerry Leeman, Thad Turner and Ed Peery … more than thirty years of real-world mat success at TCNJ … and an enduring enthusiasm for the sport and its athletes.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In a thrilling finish that came down to the final match, the No. 23 Michigan State wrestling team held off No. 17 Michigan to secure a 21-17 victory over the Wolverines Sunday afternoon in Jenison Field House before a season-high crowd of 2,792. With MSU owning a slim 18-17 advantage and needing to claim the heavyweight bout to clinch the dual, red-shirt freshman Alan O'Donnell delivered a 2-1, double-overtime decision over Omar Maktabi to give the Spartans their first dual win over Michigan since 2003. MSU jumped out to a 15-0 lead thanks to pins by both Nick and Andy Simmons, but after losing the first three matches, the Wolverines won five of the next six to cut the margin to one point going into the heavyweight bout. Neither Maktabi or O'Donnell scored in the first period, but Maktabi got on the board with an escape in the second. O'Donnell evened the score with an escape in the third to bring the bout into overtime. The first overtime went scoreless, forcing a double-overtime in which each wrestler started in the down position with 30 seconds on the clock. In the first portion of double overtime, O'Donnell easily escaped to go ahead, 2-1. In the next round of 30 seconds, with the entire crowd on its feet, O'Donnell held down Maktabi to earn the win. It marked O'Donnell's first dual-match victory of his career. "That was the biggest win of my career," said O'Donnell. "In high school, I got a pin in the last match to win districts, but that doesn't compare to this atmosphere and this rivalry." "Alan's a great kid who's really committed to doing well," said Minkel. "But he's still a freshman who has had to make a transition from 215 in high school to heavyweight in college. For the whole dual to come down to him, he really kept his wits about it, and did what he needed to do to get the win. I'm really proud of him - that's a lot of pressure for a freshman." In the first match of the dual at 125 pounds, sixth-ranked Franklin Gomez got out to a 7-1 lead en route to his 11-6 victory over Michael Watts. Watts closed the gap to 7-6 in the third period with a takedown and near-fall points, but Gomez recovered as he escaped and scored another takedown in the closing seconds. Gomez added a point for riding time in the 11-6 win, his team-leading 28th of the season. The Simmons brothers electrified the Jenison crowd with back-to-back pins at 133 and 141 pounds, respectively. Nick took care of Brandon Elliott in just 1:34 for his 44th career fall, which is now just one away from tying Jim Mason's school record of 45. The top-ranked Simmons (27-0) quickly took Elliott down in the opening seconds of the match, and added near-fall points to go up 5-0 before delivering the pin. Andy was nearly as quick in recording his 21st career pin, as he disposed of Brad Cusumano with 47 seconds remaining in the first period. Andy, now 8-1 on the season, took the same route in registering his fall - he scored an early takedown, notched near-fall points, then established position for the pin. Simmons left the platform to a roaring crowd after giving the Spartans (2-5, 1-1 Big Ten) a 15-0 team lead. "I don't ever remember Nick and Andy getting back-to-back first period falls - that was big," said Minkel. "That gave us a huge shot of momentum." "This feels good, because I've never beat Michigan," said Andy. "I figured if Nick and I could get a couple of falls we would have a good chance for the victory. I was definitely going for the fall the entire time. I really fed off Nick's energy after he got the fall and the crowd was really pumped. It felt good to get a pin in that atmosphere." Michigan (1-5-1, 0-2 Big Ten) won the next two matches heading into the break. No. 3 Josh Churella controlled Jeff Wimberley at 149 pounds with a 14-1 major decision, and Jeff Marsh held off Tony Greathouse at 157, 7-5. The Wolverines cut MSU's lead to four points at 15-11 as second-ranked Eric Tannebaum recorded a 13-4 major decision over Rocky Cozart in the 165-pound match. John Murphy used the perfect opportunity to win his first dual-match of the season, as he picked up a crucial 6-5 victory against Jordan Sherrod at 174 pounds. Murphy went up 2-0 with a takedown in the first, and built a 4-2 lead with another takedown in the second. Sherrod escaped later in the period, and took his only lead of the match at 5-4 with his first takedown. Murphy tied the score at 5 with an escape to begin the third, and with over a minute of riding time in his possession, he held off Sherrod the rest of the period to claim the 6-5 win, giving MSU an 18-11 lead. In a battle of top-10 wrestlers at 184, fourth-ranked Tyrel Todd of Michigan took care of No. 10 Joe Williams, 9-4. Todd recorded three takedowns, a reversal and riding time in the victory. MSU's lead was trimmed to 18-17 heading into the final match as Casey White beat Nick Palmieri, 6-0, at 197 pounds. Michigan State returns to action Friday, Feb. 2 to take on Ohio State in Columbus.

Columbia, Mo. -- The second-ranked Missouri wrestling team opened its Big 12 season at home with a 31-11 victory over No. 20 Nebraska in the Hearnes Center. A record-setting 2,728 fans were on hand to watch the Tigers hold off the Huskers for the first time in four meetings. Seven Tigers took wins in their weight class with junior Josh Wagner (Milton, Wis.) securing a fall in the second bout of the day. The stick at 149 pounds helped Missouri overcome a 4-0 deficit created after 17th-ranked freshman Ashtin Primus (South Connelsville, Penn.) suffered a 15-2 loss to eighth-ranked Dominic Moyer in the opening bout at 141 pounds. Battling at 157 pounds, sophomore Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.) was unable to overcome his Husker opponent, losing the match by a score of 4-3. Chandler and Chris Oliver entered the third period tied at three, but Oliver escaped with 1:12 left on the clock for the eventual one point win. A victory at 165 pounds by seventh-ranked All-American Matt Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.) was the start of a five bout Tiger win streak. The first of four Tiger wins by major decision, Pell scored six back points on Stephen Dwyer and accumulated 1:06 of riding time. Pell won the match 12-2. Fan favorite senior Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.), Missouri's sole wrestling National Champion, rattled off a 20-9 victory over Marc Harwood at 174 pounds. Askren took down Harwood nine times and was taken down only once. Scoring a one point escape and tallying 2:54 of riding time, Askren bumped his season record to 28-0 while his career mark stands at 139-8. "People that wrestle Ben [Askren] are going to wrestle not to get pinned," Head Coach Brian Smith said. "No one in Division I wrestling wants to get pinned, but Ben [Askren] just keeps wrestling and scoring points." Sophomore Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) won his bout at 184 pounds with a 13-5 major decision of Levi Wofford. Ranked fifth in the country, Jordan scored first with a takedown 23 seconds into the dual giving up a reversal with 1:55 left on the clock. After Wofford was hit with a stall call at 1:04, Jordan escaped to take the 3-2 lead entering the second period. Never giving up his advantage, Jordan collected three takedowns in the third period to help Missouri to an 11 point team lead over the Huskers. In a battle between two ranked freshmen Missouri's Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) proved dominant besting eighth-ranked Craig Brester, 11-3, at 197 pounds. Askren, ranked No. 1 in the country, was awarded three back points with one second remaining in the second period and scored three takedowns to take the win. Both Askren brothers own perfect records this season, with 197 pounder Maxwell in the books as 23-0. After missing the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Cliff Keen Duals, redshirt freshman Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) returned to his winning ways by scoring a 10-5 decision over Nebraska's Cameron Browne. The heavyweights were tied at two entering the second period and Ellis recorded a three-point nearfall at the buzzer in the second to hold on to his lead and take the win. Missouri redshirt freshman John Olanowski (Virginia Beach, Mo.) suffered a setback after losing 19-7 to 15th-ranked Paul Donahoe. In the end, Nebraska forfeited at 133 pounds giving the Tigers the 33-1 victory. "This was a good win for us," Smith said. "It's always nice to start the Big 12 season with a win, especially over a good program like Nebraska's. Our guys went out and wrestled hard today. The fan support was great and made the environment that much more challenging for Nebraska. I'm hoping we can continue to draw even bigger crowds for our upcoming duals." The Tigers will return to action Saturday, Feb. 3, when they take on fourth-ranked defending National Champion Oklahoma State at 7 p.m. (CT) in Gallagher Iba Arena. Following the dual with OSU, Missouri will travel to Norman, for a 3 p.m. (CT) meeting with 13th-ranked Oklahoma Sunday, Feb. 4