InterMat Staff

Upper Iowa faces a steep challenge at the 2006 NWCA Cliff Keen Division II National Duals in Cedar Falls Saturday and Sunday. The 17th-ranked Peacocks will open against ninth-ranked and six-seed Ashland University Saturday at 11 a.m. in the UNI-Dome. Upper Iowa and Ashland shared the team title at the 2006 Midwest Classic in Indianapolis last weekend. A win would give Upper Iowa a 3 p.m. quarterfinal match-up with the winner of the Pitt-Johnstown and Central Missouri State dual. Third-ranked Pitt-Johnstown is the tournament's three seed while Central Missouri State is 16th in the country. The championship semifinals, championship finals, third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches will be Sunday. Preliminary, second round and third round consolation duals will be Saturday afternoon and evening. The top NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and NJCAA teams compete at the National Duals. The 16-team Division II field consists of 15 of the top 17 teams in the country, including the top seven. Top-ranked Nebraska-Omaha and second-ranked Minnesota State University Mankato highlight the field. Upper Iowa is coming off a strong showing at the Midwest Classic. The Peacocks crowned three individual champions to share the team title, including Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week Tyler Mumbulo at 125 pounds. Mumbulo, seeded fifth at 125 pounds, won his initial match by fall in 1:09. He proceeded to knock off the four, one and two seeds in succession to earn the title. Mumbulo wrapped it up with an 8-6 victory over Ohio Northern's Ty Klofta in the championship finals. C.J. MacNaught, a previous national qualifier, won the 174-pound title. He picked up back-to-back tech fall victories to reach the semifinals before slipping past two-seed Clint Carmony (Ashland) 4-3 in overtime. MacNaught won by medical forfeit over West Liberty's Tommy Clark to claim the championship. Two-time heavyweight All-American Brian Black cruised through his draw. He won by fall in 1:07 and by a 13-3 major decision to reach the semifinals. There, Black was tested before claiming a 9-7 win over Heath Soderstrom from Adams State. Black closed out his bracket with a fall in 5:43 over three-seed Jared Bonnell (Missouri Baptist) in the finals. Kyle Burkle (141 pounds) and Brady Hakeman (165) each finished fourth. Burkle advanced to the semifinals before losing 7-5 to eventual champion J.J. Zanetta from Mercyhurst. Burkle picked up a win in the consolation bracket before narrowly losing 8-7 in the third-place match. Hakeman won his opening match by a 12-3 major decision. He then pinned his quarterfinal opponent in 1:33 before losing to three-seed Eric Lakia (Ashland) 8-4 in the semis. Hakeman earned a 7-3 decision in consolation action before losing 8-6 to finish fourth. Ralph Acosta, a 2002 All-American, advanced to the semifinals at 133 pounds before settling for sixth place. Cory Schmitz also finished sixth for the Peacocks. Dan Goodson battled for seventh place at 197 pounds. While sharing the team title with Ashland, Upper Iowa finished ahead of several top Division II teams, including eighth-ranked Adams State, 12th-ranked Mercyhurst, 10th-ranked Findlay and 19th-ranked Indianapolis. Upper Iowa is an affiliate member of the NSIC in wrestling this season and will be a full league member beginning in 2006-07. Upper Iowa University, located in Fayette, is the only NCAA Division II Institution in the state of Iowa. For more information on the NWCA Cliff Keen National Duals, visit http://unipanthers.collegesports.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/niwa-06-nwca-main.html. The Division II bracket is attached.

North Dakota State will wrestle 25th-ranked Penn in the first round of the Virginia Duals Friday, January 13 at the Hampton Coliseum. The Bison will wrestle at 11:00 EST. Penn is the second nationally-ranked team the Bison will wrestle since their reclassification to Division I. North Dakota State was defeated by Northern Iowa, ranked 13th at the time, 31-6 on Feb. 10, 2005 at the Bison Sports Arena. Penn is 2-1 on the year and features Matt Valenti at 133 pounds. Valenti, ranked 12th in at 133 pounds in the latest USA Today/NWCA NCAA Division I Coaches' Poll, is 14-2 on the season. Penn has defeated Drexel 21-15 and Maryland 34-6 and were defeated by 10th-ranked Penn State 25-6. The winner of the dual will advance to the quarterfinals and meet the winner of the Drexel-Virginia dual on Friday, January 13 at 3:00 EST. The loser of the dual will face the loser of the Drexel-Virginia match at the same time in the consolation bracket. This will be the second consecutive year the Bison compete in the highly competitive Virginia Duals. Last year the Bison went 1-2 at the event, losing to Rider 19-16 and Buffalo 25-15 and defeating Virginia 21-18. The losses to Rider and Buffalo mark the last time NDSU has lost back-to-back matches.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Senior C.B. Dollaway, following three impressive victories in his first weekend of competition for the Arizona State University wrestling team, has been selected as TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week the site announced Wednesday. Dollaway returned to the starting line-up at 184 pounds and defeated two ranked foes in his first week back on the mats. The week opened with Dollaway (Mt. Gilead, Ohio) facing No. 11 Roger Kish of Minnesota in dual held in Minneapolis, Minn. Dollaway controlled the match and walked away with a 3-0 upset of the Golden Gopher. Then, at the Sun Devils on Sunday, Dollaway scored an 8-2 decision over UC Davis' Tyler Bernacchi, the third-ranked wrestler in the Pac-10 Conference, before taking on No. 6 Kurt Backes of Iowa State. In the last bout, Backes recorded a takedown with Dollaway escaping for a 2-1 score. Then, Dollaway bull-rushed the Cyclone All-American, taking him to his back on the mat and securing the fall at 1:06. Dollaway and the Sun Devil will travel to Cedar Falls, Iowa, for the 2006 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Saturday and Sunday at the UNI Dome on the campus of Northern Iowa. ASU will open the tournament facing eighth-seeded and ninth-ranked Missouri at 9 a.m. Saturday.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestler Matt Keller was named the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday. Keller went undefeated in four matches this past weekend at the Lone Star Duals in Arlington, Texas, and was named the meet's Outstanding Wrestler. The 133-pounder from McDonald, Tenn., defeated No. 1-rated Tom Clum of Wisconsin in the Mocs' opening dual. He also pinned Whit Dunning of Army, defeated Navy's Sean Knapp and earned a win by injury default in the Harvard match. The junior, ranked as high as No. 8 nationally last week, helped the Mocs to a 3-1 finish in Texas. The Wrestler of the Week award is the third this season for Keller, a transfer from the University of Nebraska. He was also voted the SoCon Wrester of the Month for the month of December. The Mocs compete Friday and Saturday at the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va.

Wartburg College seeks its third National Wrestling Coaches Association/Cliff Keen Division III National Duals crown when the tourney invades the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14 and 15. The Knights (14-0) harbor the top spot in the Jan. 9 NWCA/Brute-Adidas Division III top 30 and are the number one seed. Wartburg receives a bye into quarterfinal round action at 1 p.m. Saturday in the UNI-Dome against either No. 21-ranked Simpson College of Indianola or No. 27-ranked McDaniel College of Maryland. The rest of the upper half of the draw includes No. 29-ranked Coe College of Cedar Rapids, No. 10-ranked UW-Stevens Point, unranked Ohio Northern and No. 5-ranked Luther College of Decorah. The low half of the draw includes defending national duals champion Augsburg College of Minneapolis, Minn., and No. 2-ranked UW-La Crosse. The complete pairings are available at http://www.go-knights.net/wrestling/2006NationalDualspairings.pdf. Takedown Radio will carry the action live both days free of charge through http://www.thewrestlingmall.com/takedownradio/, while live video of selected duals at the tournament will be available at http://www.livesportsvideo.com/duals.asp through a fee-based subscription. Live text coverage of each dual will also be available through www.intermatwrestle.com. * Knights rewind, notes: Wartburg dropped just five individual matches en route to four wins at the 2006 Ursinus North-South Duals Jan. 7. The Knights garnered their 4-0 record behind a 30-9 win over No.9-ranked York College of Pennsylvania, a 37-6 win over the host Bears of Ursinus, a 48-6 victory against SUNY-Oneota and a 53-0 blanking of No. 23-ranked McDaniel College of Maryland. Senior 141-pounder Dustin Hinschberger of Belle Plaine, sophomore 149-pounder Jake Naig of Emmetsburg and senior 174-pounder Scott Kauffman of Emmetsburg each finished with three-or-more wins during the day. Hinschberger led the group with a 4-0 record that included two major decisions and a fall. Wartburg used three pins and two technical falls to assist in a 44-0 shutout of No. 27-ranked Delaware Valley College of Doylestown, Penn., Jan. 6. Junior 197-pounder T.J. Miller of Cedar Falls, en route to receiving special recognition from the Iowa Conference in its Player of the Week announcement Monday, Jan. 9, highlighted the win, upending defending national runner-up Jamal Johnson 8-4. Senior 165-pounder Dustin Bliven of Columbus Junction joined Kauffman and Naig in registering falls, while junior heavyweight Blake Gillis of Spencer and Hinschberger recorded technical falls. Wartburg and Augsburg have met in the finals of the Division III National duals in each of the last five seasons. Augsburg holds a slim 3-2 lead in that span with all but one of the battles being decided by 10 points or less…The Knights turned in their third runner-up effort at last year's meet, held at the Cleveland State University Convocation Center. Wartburg rolled up wins over Case Western Reserve, The College of New Jersey and Luther en route to the final against the Auggies. Augsburg built an 18-3 lead and held off a strong charge for an 18-15 championship round win…The team's No. 1 ranking isn't the only thing fueling the Orange and Black this weekend. Eight individuals are ranked nationally with three, Hinschberger, Gillis and Miller, holding down the No. 1 slot at their respective weights. Senior 125-pounder Tyler Hubbard of Blue Springs, Mo., and Kauffman are each listed at No. 2, while Naig is No. 3 at 149. senior 184-pounder Akeem Carter of Waterloo is No. 4, and freshman 133-pounder Zach McKray of Iowa City is No. 8. * Next up – Wartburg's home campaign continues with a key league battle against rival Luther Friday, Jan. 20. The Knights follow the dual with the Norse with a trip to UW-Stevens Point Saturday, Jan. 21.

Columbia, Mo. -- One week after receiving recognition as Big 12 Wrestler of the Month, junior Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) has been named the CSTV: College Sports Televison Student-Athlete of the Week, an honor that "recognizes the unique combination of academic and athletic accomplishment." The Tigers' starter at 174 pounds, Askren is 26-0 and in the midst of one of the most dominating seasons ever put together by a Missouri wrestler. Of his 26 victories, 20 have come by fall, a total that ties the season record he set a year ago. With his next win, Askren will break his own record for consecutive wins, another mark that he set last year. Competing Dec. 2 at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, Askren broke the Missouri barrier for career falls, recording his 48th pin over Nick Padazan of Pittsburgh. Currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, Askren is a two-time NCAA runner-up, All-American and a Big 12 Champion in 2004. In addition to his exploits on the mat, the junior grappler is a two-time member of the Academic-All Big 12 First Team and a Student Athletic Advisory Committee Representative. Askren was also a member of the 2004 NWCA Academic First Team. "Ben is the type of person who strives to succeed in everything he does, and his success in the classroom and on the mat is a reflection of that," Head Coach Brian Smith said. CSTV, network channel 610 for Columbia residents, will produce a live broadcast of the Tigers' next dual, Jan. 22, against Oklahoma State. Wrestling begins in the Hearnes Center at 2 p.m. CST

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- The Duke wrestling team suffered its fourth loss of the season, falling to The Citadel, 28-12, on Monday afternoon in McAlister Field House. The Blue Devils fall to 0-4 on the year while the Bulldogs improve to 1-2. Duke picked up wins from freshman Michael Degli Obizzi at 133 pounds and freshman Addison Nuding at 157 pounds. Sophomore Kellan McKeon also earned a victory for the Blue Devils, winning by forfeit in the 125-pound weight class. The dual match started at 141 pounds and the Bulldogs jumped out to a 9-0 lead by winning the first two matches. The Citadel's Matt Bullwinkel pinned junior Antwone Floyd in 4:36, earning six points. Nick Orio followed with a 6-2 decision win over junior Daniel Shvartsman at 149 pounds. Nuding picked up Duke's first win of the day, defeating Chris Humphries, 5-0. The Citadel then extended its lead to 28-3 by winning the next five matches. Dan Thompson recorded a major decision victory over redshirt freshman Aaron Glover at 165 pounds, Darius Caldwell pinned junior Rick Lindquist in 4:07 at 174 pounds and John Dickerson topped redshirt freshman Dan Tulley, 8-3, at 184 pounds. Sophomore Konrad Dudziak fell to Mark Thompson, 2-1, at 197 pounds before John Buck defeated freshman Wade Van Sickle, 3-1, in the heavyweight division. The Blue Devils then earned six points as McKeon won by forfeit at 125 pounds before Degli Obizzi closed out the match with a victory, defeating Michael Arias, 7-6. The Blue Devils will hold their first home dual meet of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 17, hosting N.C. State at 7:30 p.m. in Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Citadel 28, Duke 12 141: Matt Bullwinkel (The Citadel) fall Antwone Floyd (Duke), 4:36 (6-0) 149: Nick Orio (The Citadel) def. Daniel Shvartsman (Duke), 6-2 (9-0) 157: Addison Nuding (Duke) def. Chris Humphries (The Citadel), 5-0 (9-3) 165: Dan Thompson (The Citadel) major decision Aaron Glover (Duke), 15-6 (13-3) 174: Darius Caldwell (The Citadel) fall Rick Lindquist (Duke), 4:07 (19-3) 184: John Dickerson (The Citadel) def. Dan Tulley (Duke), 8-3 (22-3) 197: Mark Thompson (The Citadel) def. Konrad Dudziak (Duke), 2-1 (25-3) 285: John Buck (The Citadel) def. Wade Van Sickle (Duke), 3-1 (28-3) 125: Kellan McKeon (Duke) forfeit (28-9) 133: Michael Degli Obizzi (Duke) def. Michael Arias (The Citadel), 7-6 (28-12)

WILLIAMSPORT, P.A. -- Gettysburg (1-3) fell to #12 Lycoming (8-3-1), 45-6, in non-conference wrestling action on Tuesday. Andrew Goldstein (Easton, PA/Easton), wrestling at the 149 weight class, scored the lone points for the Bullets. He pinned Chris Depietri at 2:34 in the first round. Goldstein, whose record is 14-5, leads the Bullets in wins this season. Lycoming overmatched the Bullets by winning two matches by falls and three matches by major decisions. The Warriors picked up 18 points due to Gettysburg forfeiting at the 125, 133, and 141-pound weight classes. Gettysburg returns to action Saturday at the Ursinus Brute/Adidas Invitational. Matches begin at 10 a.m. Results 125 – Nick Mascellino (L), win by forfeiture 133 – Travis Fenstermacher (L), win by forfeiture 141 – Kyle Hopkins (L), win by forfeiture 149 – Andrew Goldstein (G) wins by fall Chris Depietri (L) – 2:34 157 – Al Wonesh (L) wins by maj. dec. Caleb Seufert (G) – 10-1 165 – Heath Oberlin (L) wins by maj. dec. Joshua Kaplan (G) – 9-1 174 – Derek Crane (L) wins by maj. dec. Aaron Fuchs (G) – 11-3 184 – Tom Daub (L) wins by dec. John Leinberger (G) – 3-0 197 – Bryan Kopesky (L) wins by fall James Stevenson (G) – 4:19 285 – #5 Tommy Snyder (L) wins by fall Mike Pattanite (G) – 2:14

Pembroke, NC -- Willie Hilton (pictured) picked up a tech fall and a major decision as UNC Pembroke split a tri-match with Pensacola Christian and Centenary. The Braves defeated Pensacola 27-16, but fell to Centenary 28-13. In the first match of the night, Centenary downed PCC 27-17. Against Pensacola, the Braves jumped out to an early 9-3 lead after three matches thanks to decisive wins by Matt Schoffner and Hilton. Pensacola battled back with back-to-back wins to take a 10-9 lead. UNCP, however, won four of the final five matches to win the team event 27-16. In the final five matches, Cedric Turner scored a tech fall, while Richard Alstrom picked up a major decision and James Dingle recorded a pin fall. In Pembroke's second match, Centenary won seven of the ten matches including a major decision and two pin falls. The Braves' Hilton did manage a major decision, followed by a five-point Eddo Hojilla victory. Even with Hilton's dominating effort, it was not enough as the Cyclones downed UNCP 28-13. UNC Pembroke, who now has a 3-3 dual record, will be back in action on Saturday, January 14 as they travel to the NWCA National Duals. Centenary 27, Pensacola Christian 17 125: Mike Gummerson (CC) def. Vinny Bianchi (PCC), 5-0 133: Rickey Redd (CC) def. Chris Johnson (PCC), 7-5 141: Zack Brewer (PCC) def. Anthony Accardi (CC), 9-6 149: Jon Peters (PCC) maj. dec. Mark Garripoli (CC), 16-0 157: Greg Tierney (CC) fall John Porcher (PCC), 4:13 165: Jared Duffy (CC) fall Sean Stewart (PCC), 0:52 174: Seth Wisner (CC) def. Tony Colella (PCC), 10-6 184: Mike Colella (PCC) def. forfeit 197: Daniel Miller (PCC) def. Anthony Greene (CC), 2-0 285: Andrew Haubois (CC) fall Lafe Cornwell (PCC), 1:29 UNCP 27, Pensacola Christian 16 125: Matt Schoffner (UNCP) maj. dec. Vinny Bianchi (PCC), 14-3 133: Chris Johnson (PCC) def. Adam Dedmon (UNCP), 2-1 141: Willie Hilton (UNCP) tech fall Zack Brewer (PCC), 20-5 149: Jon Peters (PCC) maj. dec. Eddo Hojilla (UNCP), 9-0 157: John Porcher (PCC) def. Bryan Howington (UNCP), 10-7 165: Cedric Turner (UNCP) tech fall Sean Stewart (PCC), 16-0 174: Richard Alstrom (UNCP) maj. dec. Tony Colella (PCC), 15-6 184: Derek Garris (UNCP) def. Mike Colella, 10-4 197: Daniel Miller (PCC) fall Matt Dunn (UNCP), 6:46 285: James Dingle (UNCP) fall Lafe Cornwell (PCC), 2:58 Centenary 28, UNCP 13 125: Mike Gummerson (CC) maj. dec. Matt Schoffner (UNCP), 11-0 133: Rickey Redd (CC) def. Adam Dedmon (UNCP), 10-8 141: Willie Hilton (UNCP) maj. dec. Anthony Accardi (CC), 21-8 149: Eddo Hojilla (UNCP) def. Mark Garripoli (CC), 8-3 157: Greg Tierney (CC) fall Bryan Howington (UNCP), 1:11 165: Cedric Turner (UNCP) fall Jared Duffy (CC), 6:20 174: Seth Wisner (CC) def. Richard Alstrom (UNCP), 6-0 184: Derek Garris (UNCP) def. forfeit 197: Anthony Greene (CC) def. Matt Dunn (UNCP), 2-1 285: Andrew Haubois (CC) def. James Dingle (UNCP), 3-2

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Stephen Neal, a former Cal State Bakersfield wrestler and current offensive lineman for the two–time defending NFL champion New England Patriots, earned recognition for his work in the trenches, being named the second runner-up for the Tuesday Morning Quarterback Non-QB Non-RB NFL MVP. NFL.com columnist Gregg Easterbrook gives the special "award" annually to the NFL's most valuable non–quarterback or running back. Easterbrook, who pens the whimsical weekly column Tuesday Morning Quarterback, honored Neal above a host of worthy honorees on the Patriots team because "Neal has been a blocking machine this season." He adds, "Neal earns extra gold stars because he did not play football in college." Earlier this season, Easterbrook also honored Neal by naming him to the All-Unwanted All-Pros first–team. The award goes to the NFL's best players who were never drafted or were let go. Neal has anchored the Patriot's offensive line that has been ravaged by injuries this season. He has starting every game and helped lead New England to its fourth playoff berth in five seasons. Prior to playing in the NFL, Neal was a standout wrestler at Cal State Bakersfield, winning a pair of NCAA championships and posting a career 156–10 record. He then went on to win titles at the 1999 World Championships and the Pan–American Games en route to being named that year's FILA International Wrestler of the Year. Easterbrook is a senior editor of The New Republic, a contributing editor of The Atlantic Monthly and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution. He contributes his Tuesday Morning Quarterback column to NFL.com readers each week during the NFL season. His columns can be found at http://www.nfl.com/writers/easterbrook.

Team: 1. Arizona St. 2. Cal Poly 3. UC Davis 4t. Boise St. 4t. Oregon St. 6. Oregon 7. Cal State Bakersfield 8. Cal State Fullerton 9. Stanford 10. Portland St. Individual: 125 Pounds 1. Jeremy Mendoza (Arizona St.) 2. Chad Mendes (Cal Poly) 3. Tanner Gardner (Stanford) 4. Eric Stevenson (Oregon St.) 5. Marcos Orozco (UC Davis) 6. Brandon Zoteway (Cal State Bakersfield) 133 Pounds 1. Scott Jorgensen (Boise St.) 2. Darrell Vasquez (Cal Poly) 3. Justin Pearch (Oregon) 4. Omar Gaitan (UC Davis) 5. TJ Dillashaw (Cal State Fullerton) 6. Tommy Vargas (Cal State Bakersfield) 141 Pounds 1. Derek Moore (UC Davis) 2. Kyle Larson (Oregon St.) 3. Steve Esparza (Cal Poly) 4. Skyler Woods (Oregon) 5. Tommy Owen (Boise St.) 6. Matt Schumm /Jeremy Doyle (Cal State Bakersfield) 149 Pounds 1. Tyler Sherfey (Boise St.) 2. Pat Payne (Arizona St.) 3. Anthony Baza/Brandon Doyle (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Jeff Owens (Cal Poly) 5. Josh Zupancic (Stanford ) 6. Morgan Atkinson (Cal State Fullerton) 157 Pounds 1. Brian Stith (Arizona St.) 2. Scott Loescher (Stanford) 3. Tony Hook (Oregon St.) 4. Shawn Reilly (Cal State Fullerton) 5. Ryan Williams (Cal Poly) 6. Dustin Noack (UC Davis) 165 Pounds 1. Joey Bracamonte (Oregon) 2. Pat Pitsch (Arizona St.) 3. Frank Richmond (UC Davis) 4. Brian Busby (Cal State Bakersfield) 5. Ray Blake (Stanford) 6. Risto Marttinen (Cal State Fullerton) 174 Pounds 1. Jeremy Larson (Oregon St.) 2. Ken Cook (UC Davis) 3. Christian Arellano (Cal State Bakersfield) 4. Ian Murphy/Ryan Budd (Cal State Fullerton) 5. Yuri Kalika (Cal Poly) 6. Chet McBee (Oregon) 184 Pounds 1. Shane Webster (Oregon) 2. CB Dollaway (Arizona State) 3. Ryan Halsey (Cal Poly) 4. Tyler Bernacchi (UC Davis) 5. Jesse Taylor (Cal State Fullerton) 6. KC Walsh (Boise St.) 197 Pounds 1. Ryan Bader (Arizona St.) 2. Casey Phelps (Boise St.) 3. Matt Monteiro (Cal Poly) 4. Dan Pitsch (Oregon St.) 5. Elliot Kelly (UC Davis) 6. Chris Chambers (Cal State Fullerton) Heavyweight 1. Cain Velasquez (Arizona St.) 2. Andy Patrick (Boise St.) 3. Ty Watterson (Oregon St.) 4. Eric Parker (Cal State Bakersfield) 5. Arturo Basulto (Cal Poly) 6. Chris Dearmon (Oregon)

HEMPSTEAD, New York -- The Hofstra Wrestling team will be one of 80 college teams competing on the 16 mats in the seven divisions of collegiate wrestling at the 2006 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals presented by PayDay PRO at the University of Northern Iowa's UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa on January 15-16. Hofstra will face second-ranked Minnesota in the first round of the Division I bracket on Saturday at 11 a.m. The winner of that match will face the winner of the #7 Iowa State vs. Northwestern at 3 p.m. The Pride, currently ranked 21st in the country, will enter the tournament with a 3-2-1 dual mark following its 28-14 victory over West Virginia Friday night. Minnesota is 8-0 on the year. National Duals champion and top-ranked Oklahoma State, and 2005 Duals finalist Illinois return to this year's tournament, as do Minnesota, Oklahoma, Michigan, Central Michigan and Hofstra. The 2006 Division I field will also see fresh faces from some familiar programs. Coming back to the National Duals will be: Cornell, Iowa, Iowa State, Kent State, Northwestern, Missouri, Northern Illinois, Arizona State, Nebraska and host Northern Iowa. "Having all three Iowa Division I programs in the field will really make it exciting for the fans," Moyer said. "There are few places where the passion about collegiate wrestling is rivaled than the state of Iowa." The Cowboys have won the past three NCAA Division I team titles and return four NCAA individual national champions. In its history, Oklahoma State has won 33 national championships and is the defending champion of the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Last season, the Cowboys beat Illinois to claim the team championship. "We feel that this is going to be one of the best wrestling tournaments ever held in the United States," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "You have representation from every level of collegiate wrestling, varsity and club, men and women all under one roof. This will be a fantastic event for the fans. In addition to the Division I bracket, 16-team fields will be held in Division II, III and NAIA. Smaller fields will be held on the junior college, women's collegiate freestyle and National Collegiate Wrestling Association for unassociated and club programs levels. TICKET PRICES AND SCHEDULE All Sessions Pass $25 All Sessions Senior/Student* $17 All Session Group Tickets(8+)** $17 Individual Session $12 Individual Session Senior/Student* $8 Individual Session Group Tickets(8+)** $8 Session I - 9 AM - 3PM Saturday; Session II - 3 PM - 11PM Saturday; Session III - 9 AM - 5 PM Sunday

ALAMOSA, Colo. -- Athletic Director Dr. Jeff Geiser announced Tuesday that Adams State College will host a "Pack the House" promotion in conjunction with Championship Night presented by Valley Wide Health Services during next Tuesday's (Jan. 17) basketball doubleheader against rival Fort Lewis College. The women's game begins at 6 p.m. with the men's to follow at 8 p.m. To encourage members of the San Luis Valley community to attend both games and the special Championship Night festivities, Geiser noted that all fans who arrive at Plachy Hall by 7 p.m. will be admitted free. Regular admission prices of $6 for adults, $4 for students and seniors and $2 for children 6-12 will apply after the 7 p.m. cutoff. As normal, AS&F and Grizzly Club members will be admitted free. At halftime of the men's game, ASC's nine championship teams from the past year will be recognized. The Grizzlies swept all six possible Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference titles in indoor track and field, outdoor track & field and cross country in 2005. The Grizzly cross country teams also swept the North Central Regional Championship titles in November before the ASC women's team went on to claim a record-setting 11th NCAA Division II Championship. "This is a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy some great basketball and to honor the accomplishments of our fine cross country and track & field teams," Geiser said. Tuesday's games are shaping up to be just as important as they are entertaining. The Grizzly women have thoroughly challenged the best in the RMAC, especially in thrilling home games this year, and begin an important 12-game stretch against RMAC West Division foes with the Skyhawks, currently just a game out of the divisional lead. The men's game will be a battle for the top spot in the RMAC's West Division. FLC currently leads the division by just one game over Adams State and Mesa State heading into this weekend's action. Some family bragging rights will also be on the line as ASC sophomore Marcus Mortensen leads the Grizzlies into battle against his younger brother Ryan, a freshman on the Skyhawk squad. Both players were first team all-state and league player of the year selections while playing for their father Wade's Montezuma-Cortez High School team. Wade Mortensen is now the head boy's basketball coach at Alamosa High School. Wade's wife and Marcus and Ryan's mother, Lindy, recently completed her first season as the head volleyball coach at ASC. Visit ASCGrizzlies.com for the latest news and info on Adams Sta

Augustana College wrestler Tim Boldt has been named the North Central Conference Co-Wrestler of the Week for the week ending January 8, the league office announced Tuesday. He shares the award with Les Sigman of Nebraska-Omaha. Boldt, 197-pound senior from Arlington, S.D., went 2-0 last weekend in his first competition of the season. Boldt, who is ranked No. 2 in Division II at 197 pounds, won a 16-7 major decision over Augsburg's Wally O'Connor in the Vikings' 23-14 setback to the defending Division III national champions. O'Connor is ranked No. 3 in Division III. He used 7 takedowns, an escape and riding time to register the win. All 7 of O'Connor's points were escapes. The 2005 Division II national runner-up, Boldt then pinned St. Cloud State's Cody Byrns in 2:19 as he helped the Vikings to a 46-3 NCC victory over the Huskies. The Vikings return home on Wednesday for a dual against Dakota Wesleyan at 7 p.m. in the Elmen Center. Augustana then travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa, this weekend for the Division II National Duals. The Vikings finished second at last year's event.

BLOOMSBURG -- Bloomsburg University wrestler Mike Sees (Northumberland/Northumberland) has been named Wrestler of the Week in the Eastern Wrestling League and the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). Sees, a red-shirt sophomore who wrestles at 125 pounds, was 2-0 for the Huskies last week. He beat Drexel's Steve Mytych, by 4-2 decision, then, came back the following evening to beat Rider's Ryan Smith 13-6. With the victories, Sees, the EWL reigning champ at his weight and former PSAC Rookie of the Year, is now 15-2 for the year and has won of his last eight matches. Bloomsburg, 6-4, will wrestle at the Virginia Duals on Friday and Saturday.

Columbia, Mo. -- College Sports Television (CSTV) announced that it will televise the Jan. 22 home dual between No. 9 Missouri and No. 1 Oklahoma State, beginning at 2 p.m. CST. This marks the second straight year that the Missouri wrestling squad has appeared on CSTV. The network channel 610 for Columbia residents also broadcasted the Tigers' matchup against Lehigh last season, in which then-No. 12 Missouri suffered its first loss of the 2004-05 campaign against the No. 6 Mountainhawks. Promising to be an intense opening to the Big 12 Conference slate, the Tiger-Cowboy matchup will feature 16 wrestlers currently ranked among the top 20 at their respective weights. The three-time defending national champion, Oklahoma State boasts four returning national champions at the 149 pounds, 165 pounds, 197 pounds and heavyweight slots in the lineup. Both teams feature a grappler ranked No. 1 in the nation. Junior Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) possesses a 26-0 mark for the Tigers at 174 pounds, and senior Steve Mocco is 11-0 for the Cowboys at heavyweight. The Missouri wrestling squad travels to Cedar Falls, Iowa, this weekend to compete at the National Duals Jan. 14-15. With seedings for the team tournament released today, the eighth-seeded Tigers could face No. 1 seed Oklahoma State this weekend, offering a preview of the Jan. 22 matchup.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Senior Jake Hager has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for his peformances from Jan. 3-8. The Senior from Perry, Okla., was 2-0 at the Lone Star Duals last weekend when the Sooners defeated Clarion, Utah Valley State and Cal-State Fullerton. Hager who is the No. 5 wrestler in the country at the heavyweight division, pinned both of his opponents in under two minutes and received the Outstanding Wrestler award for the upper weight classes. Hager is 16-1, overall and 4-1 in duals. He was the heavyweight champion at the Missouri Open and the Oklahoma Open earlier this season.

The Utah Valley State wrestling team continues the busiest stretch of its season this week when they travel to Oregon to take on Portland State on Wednesday before competing in the Oregon Classic on Friday. They will wrestle Oregon and Pacific University, a Division III school from Forest Grove Oregon, at the Classic which takes place in Redmond, Oregon. "Portland State is a Pac-10 team so it would be great for us to bounce back and have a good showing," said Wolverine head coach Cody Sanderson. "Oregon is a tough team too. But with the way we match up hopefully we can give them a good fight." The Wolverines are coming off of a tough tournament at the Lone Star Duals that saw them lose four times, three of which came against ranked opponents including #3 Oklahoma. Senior Erkin Tadzhimetov went 3-1 in matches at the Lone Star Duals, including an 8-2 win over #3 (D-II) Earl Jones. Utah Valley is in the middle of a stretch that has them wrestling eight duals in 10 days, ending with Northern Colorado next Monday at home. Rawle Earns Scholar-Athlete for December ... Junior Justin Rawle has been named Utah Valley State's Scholar-Athlete of the Month for December. The award is given by the athletic department each month to a student athlete based on academic excellence, leadership, and performance in the field of competition. Rawle had a fall semester GPA of 3.94 that placed him on the athletic department's Honor Roll. He has a cumulative GPA of 3.54. "He's just a great kid, a hard worker...both on and off the mat," said Sanderson. "On the mat he's very tough and aggressive and doesn't back down. He's had a lot of success, which is remarkable considering the fact we moved him up to 149 (from 141 lbs.)." The Wolverine junior has been equally impressive on the wrestling mat. Rawle had an impressive month of December by recording a 7-4 record. Six of the wins came in the Las Vegas Invitational and the Reno Tournament of Champions. Both tournaments are highly regarded on the national level. His other win came in a dual meet against Western State. Up Next ... Utah Valley State will host Northern Colorado next Monday, the 16th in the Activity Center at 7:00pm. close window

LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ -- Adam Wright of Old Dominion University, and Charles Griffin of Hofstra University, were named the Colonial Athletic Association Wrestlers of the Week, and Scott Hunter of Drexel University was named the CAA Rookie of the Week, for all competition January 3-9. Wright, a senior from Dayton, VA (Turner Ashby), was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the Virginia Intercollegiate tournament, leading ODU to its first team State Championship since 1994. Wright won the 197 pound title with a fall, a tech fall and a major decision while collecting his 101st career win. The top ranked 197 in the CAA, Wright improves to 16-4 on the season. Griffin, a sophomore from Reading, PA (Reading), defeated the 16th ranked 141 in the nation, Brandon Rader of West Virginia, 17-8 in a major decision. The victory broke an 11-11 tie and propelled Hofstra to victory over the Mountaineers. Griffin was the CAA Rookie of the Year in 2005. Hunter, a freshman from Macungie, PA (Emmaus), pinned the 15th ranked 165 in the nation, Jim Bertulis of Bloomsburg, leading the Dragons to victory over Bloomsburg last week. Hunter's pin came with just :20 left in the match after trailing by as much as 6-1 in the second period. Hunter tied the match at 7-7 but Bertulis held riding time prior to the fall.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The pairings for the 2006 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals were announced Monday evening with Arizona State University drawing eighth-seeded Missouri in the opening round of the event that will take place Saturday and Sunday at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Unseeded and ranked No. 19 in the nation, the Sun Devils enter the tournament with a 4-4 overall record and stand 2-0 in the Pac-10. Following a 25-18 victory over conference foe UC Davis and a 26-23 setback to No. 7 Iowa State Sunday at the Sun Devil Duals, ASU is now set to face the Tigers (6-0, 0-0 Big XII) in the first round of the national tournament for the second time in four years. At the 2003 Duals, the Sun Devils, who were seeded No. 8, scored a close 19-17 decision over the Tigers before eventually finishing seventh overall. The winner of the ASU-UM dual, which is set for 9 a.m. Saturday morning, will face the winner of No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. Kent State while the losers of these duals will meet in the consolation rounds. The Cowboys are the two-time defending NCAA champions and sport a 6-0 record on the season while the Golden Flashes, coming out of the Mid-America Conference, stand 7-1 on the season. The other opening round pairings include No. 5 Iowa vs. Nebraska; No. 4 Michigan vs. Northern Illinois; No. 3 Oklahoma vs. Cornell; No. 6 Central Michigan vs. host Northern Iowa; No. 7 Iowa State vs. Northwestern and No. 2 Minnesota vs. Hofstra. ASU has competed in the National Duals 13 of the 16 years it has been conducted and holds a 29-27 overall record. The Sun Devils advanced to the finals each of the first two years (1989 and 1990) before falling to OSU both times to place second overall. ASU will look to rebound from a tough tournament one year ago as the Sun Devils did not win a dual for the first time, going 0-2 with losses to Michigan (24-16) and Central Michigan (20-19).

Manheim, Pa -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association has released the draws for four of the seven collegiate dual meet championships to be held Jan. 14-15 at the UNI Dome on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa at the 2006 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals presented by PayDay PRO. The top seed in the Division I tournament is defending National Duals champion Oklahoma State. The Cowboys, who are going for their 34th NCAA Division I tournament title, will face Kent State in the opening round. Second-ranked and second-seeded Minnesota faces CAA champion Hofstra. Third-seeded Oklahoma will face Cornell and fourth-seeded Michigan faces Northern Illinois. Iowa is the fifth-seed and will face Nebraska from the Big 12, while host Northern Iowa will face sixth-seeded Central Michigan from the Mid-American Conference. Seventh-seeded Iowa State takes on Northwestern. Traditional powers Wartburg, Wisconsin-La Crosse and Augsburg are the top seeds in the Division III tournament. Last year, Augsburg beat Wartburg in the final. Wartburg is ranked #1 in Division III after a dominating effort on an East Coast swing last weekend and are 14-0 coming in. Fourth-seeded Luther College of Iowa is ranked 5th and seeded fourth. In the 16-team NAIA tournament, top-seeded Lindenwood is the favorite and will face Campbellsville, a second-year program from Campbellsville, Ky. Dickinson State (N.D.), Dana College (Neb.) and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University round out the top four seeds. The Junior College tournament expands to an eight-team bracket and Northwest Wyoming and Labette (Kansas) Community College are the top two seeds. Full tournament coverage can be found on the National Wrestling Coaching Association's media website, www.intermatwrestle.com throughout the course of the event. Division II, NCWA and Women's pairings will be drawn later in the week.

Upper Iowa University red-shirt freshman Tyler Mumbulo (Bainbridge, N.Y./Bainbridge Guilford HS) was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week today. Mumbulo won the 125-pound championship at the 2006 Midwest Classic in Indianapolis this weekend. He was one of three Upper Iowa champions, helping the Peacocks to a share of the team title with Ashland University. Mumbulo finished a perfect 4-0 as the five seed in the 125-pound draw. He began with a fall over Campbellsville's John Chidester in 1:09. Mumbulo reached the semifinals with a 4-0 win over four-seed Brent Clausing (Limestone). He then defeated top-seed Rob McCabe, from Adams State, 10-5. McCabe was a 2005 All-American and ranked fourth in the country at 125 pounds. In the finals, Mumbulo defeated second-seed Ty Klofta (Ohio Northern) 8-6. Klofta was a 2005 Division III All-American and ranked third in the nation. The two-day event featured 20 teams from the NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA ranks. UIU, ranked 17th in the recent NCAA Division II coaches poll, finished ahead of several top D-II teams. Upper Iowa finished with 130.5 points to share the team title with Ashland, the ninth-ranked team in the country. Wisconsin-Parkside finished third, eighth-ranked Adams State finished fourth and 12th-ranked Mercyhurst finished fifth. The University of Findlay (10th) and the University of Indianapolis (19th) were other top-20 teams in the field. Upper Iowa is an affiliate member of the NSIC in wrestling this season and will be a full league member beginning in 2006-07. The Peacocks will compete in the NWCA National Duals Saturday and Sunday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Upper Iowa University, located in Fayette, is the only NCAA Division II Institution in the state of Iowa.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Wrestler Matt Keller was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Lone Star Duals this past weekend in Arlington, Texas. Keller, a 133-pound wrestler from McDonald, Tenn., went undefeated in four matches at the Duals, including a 9-5 victory over No. 1-rated Tom Clum of Wisconsin. Keller, ranked as high as No. 8 nationally, helped the Mocs to a 19-18 victory over the 18th-ranked Badgers. Keller, a junior, also had wins over wrestlers from Army, Harvard and Navy. He pinned Army's Whit Dunning at 4:27 in UTC's 25-9 victory over the Black Knights, scored a 12-4 major decision over Navy's Sean Knapp in the Mocs' 26-14 loss to the Midshipmen and won by injury default in UTC's 27-15 win over Harvard. Keller has made an immediately positive impact on the Mocs' wrestling program this season after transferring from the University of Nebraska. He placed in three different national tournaments during the month of December, taking first at the prestigious Brute Reno Tournament of Champions, fourth at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and fifth at the 2005 Southern Scuffle. He is a two-time Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week this season and was named the SoCon Wrestler of the Month for December. "Matt has been everything we have expected," UTC Head Coach Joe Seay said. "He is a talented young man who is extremely skilled at this sport. He has been a tough opponent since this season started, and he will continue to work hard toward earning an NCAA berth." The Mocs compete Friday and Saturday at the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va.

Columbia, Mo. -- Head Coach Brian Smith announced today that 13 Missouri wrestlers finished the fall semester with grade-point average's above a 3.0, the most student-athletes the team has had crack the barrier in Smith's time in Columbia. Sophomore Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.), ranked No. 14 in the nation at 133 pounds, led the academic charge for the No. 9 Tigers by achieving a perfect 4.0 GPA. No stranger to success in the classroom, McCormick was the 2004-05 recipient of the Total Person Program Academic Excellence Award, given to the wrestler with the highest grade-point average. A business major, McCormick has been just as successful on the mat, entering the weekend with a 15-4 record. The Tigers next compete at the National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Jan. 14-15, before returning home to open Big 12 action against the No. 1 Oklahoma State Cowboys Jan. 22, a match that will be televised live on CSTV at 2 p.m. CST.

Entering this season, Central Michigan coach Tom Borrelli returned five of nine NCAA qualifiers, including All-Americans Mark DiSalvo (149) and Wynn Michalak (197). The Chippewas graduated three All-Americans in David Bolyard, Mitch Hancock, and Bill Stouffer. On paper, it looked like a solid team, possibly even good enough to match or slightly exceed last year's 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships. Wynn Michalak (photo by John Sachs) But with the National Duals set to get underway on Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa, who could have predicted that we would be talking about Central Michigan, of all teams, as a legitimate threat to reach the finals? No one. The Chippewas, seeded sixth, will face Northern Iowa in the opening round. If they can get by the Panthers, they will face the winner of Oklahoma/Cornell. Before the season started, back in mid-September, I vividly recall breaking down each of the top seven or eight team's lineups to determine what each would need to do in order to place in the top five at the NCAA Championships. At the time, Central Michigan wasn't even on my radar. I wasn't alone in my early analysis, either. Below is a look at where other national media outlets ranked Central Michigan in the preseason: Amateur Wrestling News: 19th Wrestling USA: 18th WIN Magazine: 15th Wrestling Mall: 15th NWCA/InterMat: 13th Now, they are on virtually everyone's radar. The Chippewas were runners-up at both the Reno Tournament of Champions and Midlands Championships -- to Oklahoma State and Illinois respectively. They have a dual meet record of 4-2 -- with their only two losses coming to No. 5 Minnesota (19-13) and No. 2 Michigan (22-14). Tom BorrelliIt's about time people give credit where credit is long overdue. And that's to Borrelli. Since taking over head coaching reins in 1991, he has steadily and quietly built Central Michigan into a national wrestling power. His career record during his tenure in Mount Pleasant is a remarkable 162-79-5. He has guided the Chippewas to Mid-American Conference (MAC) championships every year since 1998. He was named National Coach of the Year by two organizations (NWCA and WIN Magazine) in 1998, after guiding the Chippewas to a fifth place finish at the NCAA Championships. In 1999, they finished seventh at the NCAA Championships, with five All-Americans, and an NCAA champion in Cassie Cunningham. Borrelli has been successful at Central Michigan because of his ability and desire to recruit student-athletes who are as committed to the classroom as they are to the wrestling mat. His wrestling program has finished in the top 16 academically for the past 13 seasons, including six top-five finishes. Central Michigan has had 24 Academic All-MAC selections under Borrelli, and Cunningham was twice a first-team NWCA Academic All-American. His recruiting classes aren't generally comprised of three and four-time state champions who have dominated the national scene. They are comprised of one and two-time state champions who know the value of hard work and are driven to be successful when their wrestling careers are over. Now the questions is, can this year's Central Michigan's team place higher than the 1998 team that finished fifth? Below are five things that Central Michigan will likely need to have happen in order to put themselves in a position to accomplish that. 1. Wynn Michalak must reach the national finals Michalak, who is ranked No. 1 in the country at 197, has been dominant this season for the Chippewas. He currently boasts an 18-0 record, and has won Reno and Midlands titles. In the Reno finals, Michalak defeated two-time NCAA champion Jake Rosholt of Oklahoma State, 5-1. If he continues to wrestle like he has, there is no reason that he won't be in the national finals, with a real chance to become Central Michigan's second NCAA champion ever. 2. Mark DiSalvo must place in the top five Mark DiSalvo (photo by John Sachs)DiSalvo, who placed eighth at the NCAA Championships last season, has a 12-3 overall record this season and is ranked fifth in the country at 149. However, one of those losses came to a post-collegian (and former NCAA champion), Cliff Moore, in the finals of the Midlands. His other two losses have come to All-American Eric Tannenbaum of Michigan and NCAA champion Zack Esposito. He narrowly lost to Esposito, 7-6, in the Reno finals. DiSalvo, who never won a state high school title (third as a junior, runner-up as a senior) is the only wrestler this season to defeat super frosh Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota. 3. Jason Borrelli must save his best performance for last Borrelli, the son of Tom Borrelli, is 14-4 this season at 133 pounds. He came out of Mount Pleasant High School as a highly-touted recruit in 2000 -- after finishing his career with a 209-11 record and a pair of state championships. He posted 28 wins as a freshman, but has not duplicated the feat. He is a very good wrestler, but his career has been marred by injuries and disappointments. Last season, he won the MAC and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career, but finished a disappointing 1-2. If he can continue to stay health, he should contend for a place on the All-American podium. 4. Luke Smith must wrestle to his ability Luke Smith (photo by John Sachs)Smith, a sophomore, is 10-2 this season and ranked 13th in the country at 125. He is an extremely talented wrestler who appears to be on the verge of a breakthrough season. In high school, while wrestling in the state of Wisconsin, Smith posted an astonishing 117-2 record and was runner-up at the High School Senior Nationals. He has already made a name for himself nationally in Greco by placing fourth at the 2004 Olympic Team Trials. But at last year's NCAA Championships, Smith lost his first two matches and bowed out early. Central Michigan needs Smith to at least reach the round of 12 and rack up some points for the Chippewas. 5. The supporting cast must step-up The Chippewas have a stable of lesser-known wrestlers who are capable of scoring points at the NCAA Championships. At 141, two wrestlers have seen action in the line-up, Brandon Carter and Eric Kruger. Both have performed well. Carter, who has a record of 13-6, reached the semifinals of the Midlands, but lost 3-0 to top-ranked Nate Gallick of Iowa State, and eventually placed fifth. Kruger is 12-9 this season, which includes a win over Iowa's Alex Tsirtsis. Eric Neil, a returning NCAA qualifier at 157, is 11-4 this season, and has a win over Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion Steve Luke of Michigan. At 174 and 184, The Sinnott twins, Brandon and Christian, have a combined season record of 28-15. And heavyweight Bubba Gritter is ranked by nearly every wrestling media outlet.