InterMat Staff

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State has paraded out NCAA wrestling champions like no other school in the country, but one Cowboy wrestler is seeking a title of a different sort. Coleman ScottJunior Coleman Scott has yet to win an NCAA title, but he is after a World Championship first. Scott will wrestle in the FILA Jr. World Championships in Guatemala City from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2. Scott will participate in freestyle, which takes place on Saturday. "It is a great experience for Coleman to make the world team and represent the United States," OSU head wrestling coach John Smith said. "It is his first opportunity to travel and compete against the world's best. It is what we are looking for in this program. It is for guys to go on and be competitive at the international level. "I believe he is prepared to do very well." The World Championships are sure to offer Scott much tougher competition then he can find on the collegiate level. "A lot of the kids, all they do is freestyle so they mature a lot sooner than we do," Scott said. "A lot of the guys on the senior level are 19 to 20 years old. There have been some guys that have lost at the Junior Worlds but won at the regular Worlds in the same year for their country. "I am going to be wrestling some real good guys from everywhere. Some of these guys will be representing their country on the Senior World Team. It is going to be a tough tournament." Shortly after Scott pinned Cal Poly's Chad Mendes for fifth-place at the NCAA Championships in March, he was right back to work preparing for the FILA Jr. National Championships in Las Vegas. The fifth-place NCAA finish was a disappointment for the Waynesburg, Pa. native, but the way he battled back after an early loss earned the respect of Cowboys fans everywhere. Scott lost his first match of the tournament, but he swept through the consolation bracket, picking up three falls and a technical fall along the way, before finishing fifth. Scott had only one fall all season before the tournament started. Scott was in the wrestling room as soon as he got back from Oklahoma City knowing that his summer was just beginning. He kept his focus in Las Vegas and came away with the national title. His victory in Vegas qualified him for the FILA Jr. World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, where he received a bye to the finals. Scott met the winner of the Challenge Tournament in the form of NCAA runner-up Troy Nickerson of Cornell. In a tough best-of-three format, Scott won the decisive third match by a score of 1-0, 3-0 to make the World Team and qualify for the FILA Jr. World Championships. It has been a grind for the 20-year old after having a successful collegiate season followed by a successful summer. The collegiate season begins again shortly after Scott returns from Guatemala. Scott will bump up a weight class for the 2006-07 season, after two All-America finishes at 125-pounds. He should be settled in rather nicely at 133 after competing and winning all summer at 132 pounds. Still, Scott will accept nothing less than a national title. "I have always said that it never hurts to wrestle guys that are bigger than you," Scott said. "It never hurts to wrestle a weight up. It just makes you better because you have to execute a lot of little things in order to score on them. It has helped me out a lot getting used to those guys so it has been good. "I am just looking for a national title. That is all I want. I am going to train hard, and I trained all summer. A lot of guys took off this summer. It is an advantage to me. I know nobody else has been in this room every day like I have. It helps keep me motivated to come out on top next year."

All professional sports league have their own unique format for its system of competition and ways of determining its champions. This article clearly explains how RPW will be unique in its format, pitting the best wrestlers in the world against each other in the upcoming 2006-07 season, otherwise known as "Season Two." Regional Qualifiers RPW's Regional Qualifier tournaments, which run from October-November of 2006. Any wrestler can apply to get into one of these four RPW Regional Qualifier tournaments, which are being held throughout the country. Once a wrestler applies, an RPW selection committee will pares down the applications and picks eight (8) wrestlers per seven (7) weight classes for each of the four Regional Qualifiers. These eight wrestlers at each weight class then compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine the 2006-07 RPW Regional Champions. Weight classifications: Olympic weights + 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) allowance -- 121 (127) lbs., 132 (138) lbs., 145 (151) lbs., 163 (169) lbs., 185 (191) lbs., 211 (217) lbs., 264 (270) lbs. Format: 7 weight classes. 8 wrestlers per weight. 56 athletes per qualifier. Single elimination. Process: Wrestler applies for regional tournament on RPW's website. Applicants are then chosen by RPW. Regional champions advance to the Super Qualifier. Eligibility: Any wrestler can apply, but not all can be accepted. NCAA seniors are eligible. Applications to post on RPW website Sept. 1st, 2006 Four (4) Dates/Locations: Oct-Nov, 2006 (TBA) Super Qualifier The next step is for the four RPW Regional Champions at each weight class to compete in the 2006-07 RPW Super Qualifier. The Super Qualifier event will host all Regional champions as well as all competitors eliminated from the first round of Season One. This will result in a maximum of eight wrestlers per weight class being entered into the 2006-07 Super Qualifier. Weight classifications: Olympic weights + 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) allowance - 121 (126) lbs., 132 (137) lbs., 145 (150) lbs., 163 (168) lbs., 185 (190) lbs., 211 (216) lbs., 264 (269) lbs. Format: 7 weight classes, 8 wrestlers per weight. 56 athletes. Wrestle backs TBA. Process: Champions from regional qualifiers and those eliminated from the first round of Season One compete for a spot on the roster Eligibility: Regional Qualifier champions One (1) Date/Location: Jan 2007 (TBA) Roster Selection Once the 2006-07 Super Qualifier has been completed, each RPW team will have its Season Two rosters determined. The top four wrestlers advancing from the Super Qualifier will be drafted into the openings on the eight teams. Super Qualifier champions will advance as a first round draft pick. Teams will be the same as Season One. Those teams in order of their Season One finish were the Iowa Stalkers (91 points), Pennsylvania Hammer (64 points), Oklahoma Slam (60 points), New York Outrage (57 points), California Claw (47 points), Chicago Groove (36 points), Texas Shooters (13 points), and the Minnesota Freeze (1 point). The Regular Season The biggest difference between Season One and Season Two will be the format used to determine RPW's team champions. Whereas Season One featured each team entering a wrestler into a single-elimination bracket at each weight class, Season Two will be carried out in a head-to-head, team dual meet format. Possibly the most significant addition to this season's meets will be the live events in each team's area, which will further add to the excitement. The regular season will play out over a span of eight weeks. Each week will feature a dual meet between two teams. During the eight weeks, each team will wrestle in a total of two dual meets, one home and one away. Week 1: Team 1 vs Team 8, Week 2: Team 2 vs Team 7, Week 3: Team 3 vs Team 4, Week 4: Team 5 vs Team 6, and so on... Live event locations per team: Iowa Stalkers: Des Moines or Cedar Rapids Pennsylvania Hammer: Pittsburgh or Bethlehem or State College or Reading Oklahoma Slam: Tulsa or Oklahoma City New York Outrage: New York City or Long Island or East Rutherford California Claw: San Jose or Fresno Chicago Groove: Chicago Texas Shooters: Dallas Minnesota Freeze: Minneapolis/St. Paul Team Championship After teams have wrestled in two regular season dual meets each, the two best teams will be chosen to wrestle in one final dual meet. This final dual meet will take place in the ninth week of the season, and the winner of this dual will be crowned the RPW Season Two Team Champion. Individual Championship RPW fans will be in for a special treat in week ten. In the last week of the season, every wrestler on an RPW roster will compete in an intense RPW Season Two Individual Championship Tournament. This tournament will crown an individual RPW Champion at each weight class. All 56 RPW athletes will compete for this title. More information is forthcoming regarding dates, locations, and TV times at http://www.realprowrestling.com.

Note: RevWrestling.com is dedicated to covering and promoting amateur wrestling on all levels. However, on occasion, RevWrestling.com will look at mixed martial arts (MMA) as it relates to amateur wrestling. Event: UFC 62: Liddell vs. Sobral Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, Nevada Chuck "The Iceman" LIDDELL (18-3) vs. Renato "Babalu" SOBRAL (27-5) Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell reigns as the 205-pound light heavyweight champion, having solidified his status by dethroning the legendary Randy "the Natural" Couture. Chuck may have the UFC's best takedown defense, and we know his fists are full of dynamite. The Iceman's game is putting you to sleep with his KO power. His weakness may be to a master submission artist. And, Renato "Babalu" Sobral may just be the one to find the chink in Chuck's armor. Babalu has won 10 straight MMA fights, and comes into the Octagon with a strong record of 27-5. He has only been KO'd once -- By Chuck. Liddell defeated Babalu four years ago with a sweep kick to the head that put the Brazilian on the mat, becoming easy prey for Chuck's reigning flurry of fists. But, that's the only time Sobral has been KO'd. And, he is not the same fighter today. I believe that Babalu will find the way to wrap Chuck into his boa constrictor grasp, and after a few rounds of Chuck's frustration in failing to land the big punch, Sobral will drop the champ to the mat with a rear naked choke that puts the Iceman to sleep. La-La land. Now, don't get me wrong. I love Chuck. But, I love cashing winning sports bets on 3:1 underdogs better! Tonight, the Brazilian art of jiu-jitsu shines. TAKE SOBRAL (+295) over Liddell in the featured fight. You will be glad you did! UFC Monster with Forrest GriffinForrest GRIFFIN (12-3) vs. Stephan BONNAR (12-2) This is the highly anticipated re-match of one of the UFC's most heralded and action-packed fights ever! These prodigies from Spike TV's TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) show put on a toe-to-toe bloody battle of fists and kicks that made all MMA fans weak from watching two years ago. Tonight is the rematch. Forrest is a pounder who rallied against Tito Ortiz to lose a close decision. Bonnar has shown promise, but is coming off a decision loss to former Michigan State wrestler Rashad Evans. None of that matters tonight. These two buddies will put on a show. How could they not? But, revenge is sweet in sports, and I like the underdog's chances here. This fight will be for those who like blood. TAKE BONNAR (+225) to get his revenge with a close decision over Forrest GRIFFIN. Nick DIAZ (11-6) vs. Josh "The Dentist" NEER (17-4-1) Nick Diaz is a late replacement for Thiego Alves, who got sick and had to go to the hospital. Nicki is one of my favorite UFC fighters, despite losing three straight close decisions in the sport. He is lucky to get another chance here. Another loss and he will join Tank Abbott's school of hard knocks. Josh "The Dentist" Neer is from the Militich camp of stallions. He is well-rounded with both stand-up and taking it to the mat. He's dangerous and determined, but a Diaz is a fighter trying to stay in the UFC. And, even more telling may be the fact that the oddsmakers have installed him as the favorite here! Rarely, does a late substitute go off as a favorite. There must be a reason. TAKE DIAZ (-155) over Josh NEER in this welterweight fight. Cheick KONGO (18-2-1) vs. Christian "The Hungarian Nightmare" WELLISCH (7-1). Out of nowhere surfaces a French fighter, chiseled like a slab of granite, into the UFC. That's Cheik Kongo. He will be fighting a man known for his kickboxing style. Kongo's past opponents may be in question, but his fighting abilities in the octagon are not. He made quick work of Gilbert Aldana in the first round of UFC 61. I think experience comes into play here and the betting public has been backing Kongo. Me, too. TAKE KONGO (-190) over Wellisch. Hermes FRANCA (15-5) vs. Jamie "The Worm" Varner (9-0). Varner is a former NCAA wrestler and an undefeated MMA fighter. Yet he is a 5:1 underdog to beat Franca! Why? Because, Franca takes your game away and is a master of submissions. He loves going to the mat, and that's just what a wrestler will do. This one will be a clinic in jiu-jitsu. Franca will take the young Varner to school. TAKE FRANCA (-550) over Jamie Varner, if you are into bridge jumping (betting on big favorites). In other non-televised fights on the card I see: Wes "The Soldier" COMBS (+105) beating Wilson Gouveia by decision. Cory "Hard Cor" WALMSLEY (+200) beating David Heath by TKO. Alan "The Talent" BELCHER (+165) beating Yushin Okami by KO. Rob "Maximus" MacDonald (-155) beating Eric Schafer by decision. That's five underdogs and four favorites for your betting entertainment. Enjoy the fights! More later. The UFC Monster

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Former Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling captain Adam Smith has been named the team's Director of Wrestling Operations, announced head coach Troy Sunderland. Smith, a 2005 Penn State graduate in Business Administration, will begin his duties effective September 1, 2006. Smith returns to Penn State after a year spent working with Care Capital Management in the greater Harrisburg area and serving as an assistant wrestling coach at Newport High School. Smith also owned and operated his own wrestling club, the Intensive Training Center. "I'm extremely excited to be back at Penn State given where this program is headed," Smith said. "Aside from the addition of our new world-class facilities, we have a group of young guys ready to step up and make things happen right away. With so many teams competing for a national title in Division I wrestling, you need to have wrestlers ready to have an impact right away, and Troy has such a group right now." The Newport, Pa., native was a three-time national qualifier at Penn State from 2003 through 2005. A four-year letterman, Smith was voted team captain for the 2004-05 season and is ninth on Penn State's all-time matches wrestled list with 151 appearances. An outstanding student, Smith won the 2005 Spiritus Leoninus ("Spirit of the Lion") Award and took part in the Student-Athlete Advisory Board's Speakers Bureau. He was also on the Dean's list in 2004-05. Smith was the bronze medal winner at the 2005 University Freestyle National All-Americans and was a 2005 University Freestyle World Team Trials finalist as well. He recently took the bronze medal at the 2006 U.S. Nationals. "The wrestling staff is looking forward to working with Adam in this new role," Sunderland said. "This will be an interesting and educational experience for Adam to see wrestling from the administrative side of things. We're fortunate that he has returned to Penn State and we're very happy that he has decided to continue to train here in order to reach his goal of making the U.S. Olympic Team." Penn State, which finished ninth at the 2006 NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City this past March, returns two All-Americans and a handful of other national qualifiers as well as one of the nation's top-rated recruiting classes. The 2006-07 season will begin on Sunday, Nov. 12, with Wrestle-Offs.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Head coach Tim Cysewski announced the addition of Bill Scherr as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2006-07 season. Scherr, a former World champion and Olympic bronze medalist, was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998. Scherr comes to Northwestern from the financial sector where he is a vice president at Goldman Sachs & Co. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1984 where he was a three-time All-American and 1984 NCAA National Champion. He received his MBA in 1989 from the Indiana University Kelley Graduate School of Business. While at Indiana, he served as assistant wrestling coach from 1985-89. In 1989 he helped coach the Hoosiers to an undefeated 14-0 record and a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships. Scherr currently lives in Glenview with his wife Teresa and their four children, Alexandra, 20, Ariel, 18, Austin, 12, and William, 8. His twin brother Jim is a graduate of Northwestern's Kellogg Graduate School of Business and is currently the acting CEO of the United States Olympic Committee. Bill Scherr's Wrestling Resumé: • Distinguished Member of National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Class of 1998 • South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2003. • USA Wrestling Volunteer Coach of the Year, Women's Wrestling, 2005 • 1984 NCAA National Champion; three-time All-American • 1980 National Junior USA Wrestling (USAW) Champion • Six-time USA Senior Freestyle National Champion (1982, '87, '88, '89, '90, '92). • National Senior Greco-Roman Champion • 1988 Pan American Games Champion • 1990 Goodwill Games Gold Medalist • 1985 World Champion; five-time World Medalist • 1988 Olympic Bronze Medalist

SUNY Maritime College & Dr. William E. Martinov, Director of Athletics have announced Jason E. O'Hara as the new head wrestling coach. O'Hara previously served as the assistant wrestling coach at SUNY Maritime College the last five seasons. Prior to that, he was a member of the Western New England College wrestling team. He replaces longtime SUNY Maritime coach Izzy Medina who resigned to accept a position at a Long Island high school. "I am really looking forward to the opportunity," O'Hara said. "I appreciate that the school & Dr. Martinov have faith in me. This year will be a turning point for Maritime Wrestling." SUNY Maritime College is a Division III school in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx. Maritime College competes in the Metropolitan Conference.

Dear Coach: From my heart I bequeath to you today one little boy … in a new singlet and shoes … with two wondering eyes … and a happy giggle that lasts all day long and a flash of blonde hair that gleams in the sunlight when he runs. I trust you'll treat him well. He's slipping out of the wrestling room of my heart today … and running off down the drive to his first day of school and wrestling practice with you. And never again will he be completely mine. Standing tall and proud he'll wave his young and determined hand this morning and say "Good Bye"… and walk with little man steps to the schoolyard. Now he'll learn to stand in lines … and wait for his name to be called when teams are picked. He'll learn to tune his ears to the sounds of referee whistles … and weight management … and he'll learn to laugh … and roll around … and look away quickly when the little girl across the class looks his way. And now he'll learn to be jealous. And now he'll learn to win and to lose. And now he'll learn how it is to feel hurt inside. And now he'll learn how not to cry. No longer will he have time to sit on the front porch steps on a hot summer day and watch a bug scurry across the crack in a sidewalk. Nor will he have time to pop out of bed with the dawn to urge all speed to the next wrestling tournament. No, now he'll worry about important things. Like grades … and which clothes look cool … and who he might have to beat for a place on the roster. And the magic of single legs takedowns and learning will replace the magic of bugs and puppies. And now he'll find new heroes. For all his life I've been his sage and Santa Claus and pal and coach and father and friend. Now he'll learn to share his worship with his coaches … which is only right. But, no longer will I be the smartest man in the whole world. Today when that school bell rings for the first time … he'll learn what it means to be a member of a group, a team. With all it's privileges. And it's disadvantages too. He'll learn in time that practice makes perfect and that its OK to laugh out loud. He'll learn that he may not have time to kiss dogs noses. Or keep frogs in pickle jars in bedrooms. Or even watch bugs scurry across cracks on the summer sidewalks. Today he'll learn for the first time that all who smile at him are not his friends. And I'll stand on the front porch and watch him start out on the long, lonely journey to become a wrestler and a man. And so Dear Coach: From my heart I bequeath to you today one little boy … in a new singlet and shoes … with two big wondering eyes … and a happy giggle that lasts all day long and a flash of blonde hair that gleams in the sunlight when he runs. I trust you'll treat him well. Adapted from a poem by Victor Buono

Anthony Coleman, a two-time NCAA Tournament qualifier during his career at Cleveland State, has re-joined the program as a graduate assistant coach for the 2006-07 season, head wrestling coach Jack Effner announced Tuesday (Aug. 22). "We are very excited to add Anthony to our staff because he excelled both on the mat and in the classroom as a CSU starter," Effner said. "His accomplishments were because of hard work, and as a coach, he will be able to pass along those traits to our wrestlers." Coleman concluded his Viking career with an 87-59 record and was a three-time recipient of the CSU Athletic Academic Excellence Award. He made his Viking wrestling debut a memorable one, earning CSU's Most Outstanding Wrestler Award as a redshirt freshman in 2001 after posting a team-high 25 wins. As a junior in the 149-pound weight class, he grappled to a 28-12 record and his first NCAA berth. He returned to the national tournament his senior year at 141 and posted one win, finishing his the season with a 21-14 record. Coleman returns to the Vikings after coaching the 2005-06 season at Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C. He spent the previous season coaching the West Shore YMCA Club squad. "I'm really excited to return to my alma mater and help coach this talented team," Coleman said. "I have learned so much from Coach Effner and I feel very fortunate for the opportunity to coach with him." Coleman, 26, graduated in 2004 with a communications degree and will pursue a master's degree in sports management at CSU. Cleveland State returns eight 10 regular starters, including four NCAA qualifiers, from a team that finished last season 6-8. The Vikings open the 2006-07 season on Nov. 4 at the Eastern Michigan Open.

WRESTLING! Fall is in the air. The wrestling rooms are being aired out, mats rolled out, new equipment is being unboxed and for some "New" coaches the anticipation is just about over as their respective charges, the young freshmen athletes head to the many varied collegiate campuses across this great country. Talk about a run on sentence but I did have to get it out. I get charged up thinking about all the possibilities last years changes will bring this year and for seasons to come. WRESTLING! This week on TDR: The new head coach of American International College Yellow Jackets Chaz Seiberts joins us to tell us of his hopes, dreams and plans for the Yellow Jackets 15 year old program. Seiberts the first full time coach in the programs history was hired after a stretch at UNC Pembroke under P.J. Smith. Seiberts replaced Shirzad Ahmadi. Mark Cody, third year head coach of the Eagles of American University, will join us to share how he plans on topping last years break out team performance. Things will never be the same on the campus of this important college in our nations capital, Washington, D.C. Coach and Mrs. Cody are also enjoying the arrival of yet another little wrestler who loves the night life so to speak. No rest for the wicked I guess. Congratulations! Next we head down the road to what used to be rural Maryland. Not any more. You never really leave the city and its hard to tell where one community ends and another begins as you head to College Park. The Wrestling Terrapins of the University of Maryland are headed by Pat Santoro. The Terrapin faithful are a patient lot. Will this be the year for the squad to break out and realize all the dreams of their head coach. Tune in and find out! Joseph DeMeo Former head coach of the Stanford Cardinal, Standout Cornell Wrestler '66, National Freestyle Champion and Head Coach of U.S. Greco Roman World Team 4x, National Coach of the year for USA Wrestling 3x, Member of the USOC coaching staff in 1976, 1980, 1988, 1992, Named the Developmental Coach of the Year by USA Wrestling in 2005. Coach DeMeo has been selected for induction into the Cornell University Athletic Hall of Fame at the 29th annual ceremonies to be held Friday night, November 3rd on the Cornell Campus. The UFC has experienced tremendous growth and with the number of wrestlers active within this organization and others like it one must wonder if the future for wrestling professionals isn't a career in the octagon. The UFC's top competition official, Big John McCarthy joins us for a look at Saturday nights UFC 62 pay per view LIVE from Las Vegas, NV Join us. We're going to be all over the place but will still promise to make it fun for all of us. Thanks for listening and for all of your emails, letters, phone calls and encouraging comments!

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- University of Wyoming head wrestling coach Steven Suder announced today the hiring of Ben VomBaur as an assistant coach with the Cowboy program. VomBaur replaces K.C. Rock, who took a coaching position at Utah Valley State earlier this summer. VomBaur was a two-time All-American wrestler at 125 pounds for Boise State University. In his three years with the program, 2001-03, he placed fourth at the NCAA Tournament in 2002 and sixth in 2003, and was a Pac-10 conference champion in both 2001 and 2003. Prior to attending Boise State, VomBaur spent a year at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Ore., where he was an NJCAA All-American, placing third at nationals. VomBaur comes to Wyoming from Wasatch High School in Heber City, Utah, where he coached the wrestling team to back-to-back Utah state championships. He has coached seven individual state high school champions the past two years. VomBaur is also active in the wrestling community as a club coach, camp director and instructor. "The addition of Ben is more than a step in the right direction for this program," stated Suder. "He will bring a freshness, vigor and experience to our wrestling room that will really be a boost of motivation and encouragement to this team. "Ben had very good collegiate career at a very good program, which will enhance ours. He is a young, current guy who will actually be training himself, which only adds to the positives he brings UW Wrestling."

Oskaloosa -- William Penn University Athletics Director Mike Laird has announced the hiring of Jeff Barber as assistant wrestling coach and security guard at the university. Barber comes to Penn from NCAA Division II Central Missouri State where he was an assistant coach from 2003-2005. He also has assistant coach experience at Minnesota State-Moorhead from 1999-2003 and Delta Junction HS in Alaska from 1993-1996. During his tenure, he has helped produce three state finalists, 11 NCAA DII All-Americans, and 19 members of the NWCA All-Academic team. He has experience on the mat as well, earning two letters at State College Area HS. Barber also compete two seasons with the U.S. Army Europe in 1987-1988. Away from the sport, Barber has served as a U.S. Army Military Policeman and a Sergeant with the Covington County Sheriff's Department in Andalusia, Ala. Barber, a native of Pennsylvania, graduated from Minnesota State-Moorhead with a degree in american studies. He has also completed his graduate work from criminal justice from Central Missouri State.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -– Lehigh University has received word from incoming prospective wrestling student-athlete Mike Grey that he will not be honoring the commitment he made to attend Lehigh and instead will enroll in a community college near Ithaca, New York. Grey shared that it is his intention to eventually enroll at Cornell University. This news was received on Tuesday evening, August 15 by Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel, in a telephone call from Mike Grey. In November 2005, Grey and both his parents signed a letter of understanding and commitment prepared by Lehigh regarding his offer of admission and his financial aid award. His intentions to enroll at Lehigh in the fall of 2006 were affirmed throughout the 2005-2006 academic year, during the summer months, and as recently as early August 2006, in telephone conversations with members of the Lehigh Wrestling staff. Institutions that do not participate in the national letter of intent program are not precluded by NCAA rules from continuing to recruit prospective student-athletes that have made commitments to another institution. Lehigh has no specific knowledge of, interest in, or comment on the recruitment tactics used by other institutions. As a matter of operating policy, Lehigh does not bind students to decisions that those students subsequently determine to be contrary to their best interests, and does not continue to recruit or communicate with students that have made formal commitments to other schools. Lehigh does, however, share with relevant institutions, cases involving students that change their minds about attending Lehigh after initially accepting an early decision offer of admission and a financial aid award. Grey has been released by Lehigh from his intended commitment and the University and wrestling program wish him academic, athletic and personal fulfillment.

GAFFNEY, S.C. -— Limestone College's wrestling head coach Ben Stehura has announced that Trent Goodale will join the team's coaching staff as an assistant for the upcoming season. Goodale, a native of Osage, Iowa, attended the University of Iowa where he earned a bachelor of arts in communication studies. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes and was a 2004 NCAA Division I national qualifier. He was also a two-time Fila Junior All-American in freestyle. His coaching experience includes volunteering as an assistant coach during college with the Iowa West High School and working several University of Iowa Athletic Camps. During his high school career at Osage High School, he was a three-time state champion and a four-time conference champions.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling coaching staff will host the 2006 Ohio State Wrestling Coaches Clinic in St. John Arena Oct. 12-13 in conjunction with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) and the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association. The first-year OSU personnel will hold four technique sessions during the two-day annual event, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12. Immediately following the first technique session, team wrestle-offs will be held at 8 p.m. Coaches attending the clinic will be admitted free of charge for the wrestle-offs. Leading the Buckeye staff is head coach Tom Ryan, who was a seven-time conference coach of the year at Hofstra. Ohio State assistants, Tommy Rowlands (two-time NCAA champion and 2008 Olympic hopeful) and Lou Rosselli (1996 Olympian and 2006 U.S. World Team coach) and volunteer assistant coach Joe Heskett (NCAA champion and 2008 Olympic hopeful) also will be in attendance. Also a part of the session is OSU wrestling director of operations Ross Thatcher (All-American at Penn State) and Jim Humphrey (1988 Olympic coach). OSHAA will present the state rules interpretation, as well as hold a coaches association meeting. Registration will begin at 2 p.m. and will end at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12. For more information and registration, log on to www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com. 2006 Ohio State Coaches Clinic Schedule Thursday, October 12, 2006 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Early Registration (receive parking passes during check in) 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Registration - St. John Arena (NE side) Session 1 6:30 p.m.-7:45 p.m. Technique Session: OSU coaching staff 8 p.m.-9 p.m. OSU Wrestle-offs (St. John Arena) 8 p.m.-9 p.m. Coaches Hall of Fame Committee Meeting (Recruiting Room) 9:15 p.m.-11:15p.m. Coaches Social - French Field House Friday, October 13, 2006 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Breakfast - St. John Arena 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Registration - St. John Arena (only for those who have not checked in) Session 2 8:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m. State Rules Interpretation Meeting - OHSAA 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Coaches Associations Meeting with OHSAA Representatives "State Wrestling Announcements" 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Technique Session: OSU coaching staff noon-1 p.m. Lunch - French Field House Session 3 1 p.m.-1:45 p.m. Technique Session: OSU coaching staff 1:45 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Technique Session: OSU coaching staff 2:45 p.m. Ohio State Practice (wrestling room Steelwood facility)

Please tune in to the weeks Takedown Radio. We welcome back Minnesota's Asst. Head Coach Marty Morgan. Last week we talked to Marty about his families back ground in boxing and wrestling. This week let's focus on the future of preseason favorite Minnesota and what it will take to win a national championship in Detroit! Next we venture to D1's southern most wrestling campus at the Citadel for a conversation with Bulldog Head Coach Rob Hjerling. The bulldogs have made some credible improvements over the last several years. What does the future hold for this time honored program? Tune in and find out. UFC Legend Jens "Lil Evil" Pulver will join us to discuss his future with the UFC and Saturday evening's Green Sparks Entertainment night of MMA action at Frank Santana's 7 Flags Event Center. With Jens officiating and me announcing, it's sure to be a terrific night of great action. Oh, Chris "The Crippler" Leben will be there too. Next we head west to visit with Cardinal Head Coach Kerry McCoy. One of the most technically graceful athletes to ever wrestle and taught by one of the great coaching teachers in Greg Strobel, Kerry has so much to offer his student athletes. How has the arrival of new asst coach Ray Blake tinted the picture for the program? The Purler Academy features brothers Tony and Nick Purler. Their accomplishments are numerous and my fingers are tired so you gotta just check out their web site. We'll talk with Coach Nick Purler to see what it is that drives these brothers, their academy and further more what keeps them involved to the degree they are in the sport we love. Their web site is PurlerWrestling.com Influential Coach Mike Duroe who is now heading up the program at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon Iowa will join us to update us on what is going on there and at USA Wrestling. This soft spoken, knowledgeable athlete/coach and Gable confidant is more important to the wrestling community than many of us even know. Tune in and Find out why. Thanks for tuning in each week Live, archived or now Pod Cast. Keep it on the Mat! Keep Wrestling!

David Craig, a 171-pounder from Brandon, Florida, was arguably the No. 1 high school wrestling recruit in the country in 2005-06. The soon-to-be Lehigh freshman's wrestling resume speaks for itself: Four-time Florida high school state champion, 184-0 record, 102 pins, Junior Nationals double champion, Cadet Nationals champion, Walsh Ironman champion, Beast of the East champion, and two-time First Team Asics All-American. Just days before heading off to Lehigh to begin his freshman year, Craig spoke to RevWrestling.com about his decision not to defend his Junior National titles last month, whether or not he expects to redshirt this season, his projected weight class, and his future aspirations. You chose Lehigh over Oklahoma State, Iowa State, and many other elite collegiate wrestling programs. What was enticing to you about the Lehigh program? Craig: Well, first of all, it's a great wrestling program. Coach Strobel is a great coach and he has a great staff. There are a lot fans behind the program, too. It was the best combination for me … it was the best academic school that I could go with, so I thought I'd be better off there. What was the hardest part about the whole recruiting process? Craig: I guess the hardest part for me was feeling personally tied to some of the people recruiting me. You can make friends quickly with the coaches and wrestlers on the different teams. You kind of feel like you're letting them down if you don't pick their school. It was tough making the calls. I was just glad when it was finally over. David Craig (Photo/Jon Malinowski)You were a double champion at the 2005 Junior Nationals. Why did you decide not to defend your titles this summer in Fargo? Craig: I don't know … I just really didn't want to go. I've been out there a lot. It's a long tournament. I just wanted to spend some time at home. How much have you been able to get on the mat this summer? Craig: I can't get on the mat every day. I've been taking a little break, I guess. The mats are always open and available at our high school. But I've been on the mats a good amount of time. I went to the Olympic Training Center and was also out at Lehigh for the camps. You obviously come from a very successful wrestling program in Brandon, Florda … one that has produced Division I wrestlers like Rocky Cozart at Michigan State and Cesar Grajales at Penn. What have they told you about making the transition from high school to collegiate wrestling? Craig: They didn't psyche me out or anything. Of course it's tough. It's obviously tougher than high school. They just told me to work hard and I'll be fine. It's the same stuff you have to do to get better. As you begin your collegiate wrestling career at Lehigh as the No. 1 high school recruit in the country … how much pressure do you feel to succeed at the next level? Craig: A little bit, but I try not to think too much about it. I just try to think about, OK, it's college wrestling … it's whole new slate. It doesn't matter how I did in high school. Have you had discussions with the Lehigh coaches about whether or not you will redshirt this season? Craig: I'm fairly sure that I'm going to redshirt. That hasn't been set in stone or anything, but I'm fairly sure that is what's going to happen. You were a 171-pounder for most of your high school wrestling career. What weight do you see yourself wrestling in college? Craig: I think 174 at the lowest. I would like to go 184, but I only weigh 180 right now. I could really go either one without any problem as far as feeling comfortable. David Craig (Photo/Jon Malinowski)You're extremely accomplished in all three styles of wrestling -- freestyle, Greco-Roman, and folkstyle. Do you favor any one style over another? Craig: Not really. They all kind of have their benefits. I like them all just the same, though. Do you plan to continue wrestling the international styles during your collegiate wrestling career? Craig: Oh, definitely. I'll probably just be wrestling freestyle. I don't think I'll be wrestling Greco anymore. I plan on wrestling freestyle in the off-season. I don't know if I will after college or not … I don't know how that's going to work out. Was there a wrestler that you looked up when you were growing up? Craig: Not really. When I was growing up, I didn't really focus too much on other wrestlers. I was just kind of worried about how I was doing. Last month, Jon Trenge, one of Lehigh's all-time greats, joined the Mountain Hawks coaching staff. What does it mean to you to have such a talented upper-weight, like Trenge, in the wrestling room every day? Craig: Well, it's going to be a big help because he's extremely accomplished. He obviously knows what it takes to get it done. I'll have a lot of confidence in what he's going to be showing me … and the advice he's going to provide. So it'll be a big confidence booster. What do you hope to accomplish at Lehigh? Craig: The most important thing is to graduate. And also win as many NCAA titles as I can.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. –- Lehigh head coach Greg Strobel completed his coaching staff for the 2006-07 season with the addition of two-time All-American John Clark as a volunteer assistant coach. Clark will also serve as the new head coach and clinician for the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club. He comes to Lehigh after spending last season as an assistant coach at Stanford under former LVAC head coach and Lehigh volunteer assistant Kerry McCoy. Clark was a four-time NCAA Qualifier at 165 pounds for Ohio State, earning All-American honors in each of his final two seasons. He placed sixth at the 2003 NCAA Championships and then took fifth in 2004. He won 134 career bouts for the Buckeyes and was a two-time runner-up at the Big Ten championships. Clark will work primarily with the Mountain Hawks' middleweights in addition to his LVAC duties. "This is a great addition for us," said Strobel, the 2006 EIWA Coach of the Year who is entering his 12th season. "I've been impressed with John since I first saw him wrestle for Ohio State. He is good on his feat, he is good on the mat, and he brings a lot to Lehigh with his previous coaching experience. " A native of Canton, N.Y., Clark earned his degree in sociology from Ohio State in 2004 and worked for a year in sales before joining McCoy's staff at Stanford. "I am honored to be part of the rich Lehigh wrestling tradition," said Clark. "With the supporting staff, wrestlers and exceptional fans we look forward to having great success at Lehigh. As head coach of the LVAC, Clark will be responsible for planning and promoting LVAC clinics in both folkstyle and freestyle for young wrestlers ages 10-17 and will serve as head coach for the annual clinics run by the club. Clark comes from an accomplished wrestling family. His older brother Mitch is a former NCAA Champion for Ohio State and is currently on the coaching staff at Cornell. Younger brother Charlie is entering his junior year on the Buckeyes wrestling team. Strobel's coaching staff now consists of Clark, and assistant coaches Tim Dernlan and Jon Trenge, who were hired last month. Lehigh, the five-time defending EIWA team champions, return seven NCAA Qualifiers as well as the nation's top recruiting class in 2006-07.

Blair, NE -- New Head Coach Richard Fergola announced his coaching staff for the 2006-07 season today. The 2006 NAIA National Champions went through a major coaching change after former coach Steve Costanzo headed to St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. Fergola, who was the head assistant for the past two seasons, has not had to go very far from the Dana campus to fill his staff. Fergola hired four new individuals all of which are Dana College graduates or soon to be. Taking over the head assistant position vacated by Fergola after moving into the Head coaching position, is Wynn Fangmeier. Fangmeier is no stranger to Dana College as he was a 2x NAIA All-American for the Vikings placing 8th and 3rd. Fangmeier is a 2004 graduate of Dana. Fangmeier's concentration will be the upper weights. In addition to Fangmeier's coaching duties, he will also be working in computer services on Dana's campus. The 2nd assistant position will be filled by Antonio Barber. Barber is a 2006 graduate of Dana College. He competed for the Vikings the past three years. In 2006, Barber worked as a student assistant coach with his main focus in the strength & conditioning area. Barber will also work with the upper weights and continue his role in strength & conditioning. Ernie Abariotes will be returning on the Dana coaching staff and will be entering his 14th year. Ernie has spent a majority of his time looking over the Dana College wrestling program that he had once competed for and served as the commander in the head coaching position. He is responsible for producing the school's first-ever wrestling All-American, Virgil Watson, in 1979. Still affiliated with the program, he has spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach. A native Nebraskan, Abariotes is a Dana College Athletic Hall of Fame member, a 2003 inductee into the Dana College Wrestling Hall of Fame and a member of the Nebraska Wrestling Hall of Fame. Abariotes graduated from Dana in 1965. Coach Fergola will utilize some youth yet experienced as well by adding two student assistant positions. Filling these positions will be 4x All-Americans Jimmy Rollins and Blair Alderman. Rollins is fresh off winning the 2006 NAIA National title for the Vikings at 133 pounds. Rollins claimed two junior college All-American titles, one of which as a national championship in 2002 as well as two NAIA All-American honors. Rollins, a native from New Jersey will work mostly with the lighter and middle weights. Alderman was also a 4x All-American. A transfer from North Idaho Community College, Alderman placed twice while at NIC and twice for the Vikings. Alderman will work with Coach Fangmeier and Coach Barber in helping develop the upper weights. Both Alderman and Rollins were part of Fergola's first recruiting class at Dana in 2004. Fergola will have the luxury of three more former Dana wrestlers serving in Volunteer Coaching positions. Ben Henderson, Marshall Marquardt and Willie Parks will all be assisting with the program. Henderson was a 2x All-American for the Vikings placing 5th in 2005 and 2006 at 157. Henderson will help develop the middle weights. Marquardt, also a 2006 graduate for the Vikings, claimed his first All-American honors in 2006 by placing 7th. Marquardt was also Junior Greco and University Greco All-American. 2x National Champion, Willie Parks will serve in a volunteer role working with middle to upper weights as well as using his time as a coach to train freestyle in his quest to make a world team. Parks was a junior college national champion in 2002 and a NAIA National champion in 2006 for Dana. "I am very excited to have these great people on my staff," said Head Coach Richard Fergola. They bring experience, work ethic, and loyality to this program. A head coach couldn't wish for a better staff. These guys were great wrestlers and will make outstanding coaches".

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Steelwood Athletic Training Facility, practice site for the Ohio State wrestling team, will also serve as the home of The Buckeye Wrestling Club, an Ohio Regional Olympic Training Center. The mission of The Buckeye Wrestling Club includes producing various levels of champions, from the Ohio state high school tournament to national, world and Olympic level events. It is the goal of the center to fund an Olympic hopeful at each of the seven weight classes in freestyle competition within the next three years. Additionally, The Buckeye Wrestling Club seeks to expand the community support for the Ohio State wrestling program in its goal of winning a NCAA championship. Head coach of The Buckeye Wrestling Club is Jim Humphrey, who has an extensive wrestling background that includes head coaching duties for the U.S. Olympic and World and Canadian Olympic and World teams. A 1972 Big Ten individual champion and NCAA All-American at Ohio State, Humphrey also was a World Silver Medalist, a five-time U.S. Open champion (two Most Outstanding Wrestling honors) and a four-time World Team member. Humphrey went on to coach at Indiana University and later was inducted into the state of Indiana Hall of Fame. Humphrey also is a member of the Ohio State and the state of Ohio halls of fame. "As a former two-time head Olympic coach, it is my goal to create a dynamic environment where The Buckeye Wrestling Club members can strive to reach their international goals and OSU wrestlers can succeed in the efforts to be NCAA champions individually and as a team," Humphrey said. "I am confident my experience coaching the likes of Olympic, world and NCAA champions Dave Schultz, John Smith and Kenny Monday will enhance The Buckeye Wrestling Club members' efforts to achieve athletic excellence." 2006 U.S. World Team head coach Lou Rosselli also will serve as one of six coaches of The Buckeye Wrestling Club. Rosselli's resume includes serving as a U.S. head coach for the 2005 World University Games and the Women's World Cup. As an assistant coach at Edinboro for nine seasons, Rosselli coached 17 All-Americans. Competitively, Rosselli was a 1996 U.S. Olympian, 1997 World Cup champion, three-time U.S. Open champion (1995-1999) and two-time NCAA All-American at Edinboro (1991, 1993). OSU assistant coach Tommy Rowlands and volunteer assistant coach Joe Heskett currently are training at the center in The Ohio State Wrestling Room as 2008 Beijing Olympic Games hopefuls in addition to fulfilling their commitment to The Buckeye Wrestling Club as staff members. "As an Ohio native and an alumnus of The Ohio State University, I am excited to be in an environment that is conducive to being an Olympic champion in Columbus, Ohio," Rowlands said. "It is my obligation and my duty to fulfill my dream and help the OSU wrestling team reach its potential as NCAA champions." Rowlands epitomizes the center's objective of producing champions at all levels by succeeding at the high school, collegiate, national and international stages, including most recently becoming the 2005 World University Games Champion and Pan-American Games silver medalist. A letterwinner at Ohio State from 2001-2004, Rowlands was a two-time NCAA champion and a four-time All-American. At Bishop Ready High School, Rowlands was a two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state champion. A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who attended Walsh Jesuit High School, Heskett, returns to the state of Ohio after attending Iowa State (1999-2002), where he was a 2002 NCAA champion and a four-time All-American. Heskett's international and national experience includes being named an alternate to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and two University National Freestyle championships. At Walsh Jesuit, Heskett was a three-time OHSAA state champion. "I am back in the greatest wrestling state in the country," Heskett said. "It is great to be home. I have been searching for an environment where I can grow as a coach and have the opportunity to coach a winning team and become an Olympian." The training center also will maintain outreach and community initiatives to serve the Central Ohio area, as well as a Kids Club, which provides club practices and clinics throughout the year. "We want to surround kids in the local community around Olympic hopefuls while training in the OSU wrestling room, which is considered one of the best facilities in the country," Ross Thatcher, the Ohio State wrestling team's director of operations, said. A NCAA All-American at Penn State (1998-2000), Thatcher was an assistant coach for PSU and served as the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club coach before joining OSU and The Buckeye Wrestling Club. His additional coaching duties include the 2006 Junior Fila World Team and the Ohio International Wrestling Club. Internationally, Thatcher was a Bronze medalist at the Pan-American games for the U.S. squad and a World University Games Freestyle team member. Also a part of The Buckeye Wrestling Club staff is Jim Edwards. A two-time OHSAA state champion and NCAA All-American at Louisiana State University, Edwards was an Ohio International Wrestling Club Coach. Edwards also mentored Rowlands at the high school level. For more information about The Buckeye Wrestling Club, log on to http://www.thebuckeyewrestlingclub.com

With the school year rapidly approaching, it is time once again for the Annual Sooner Wrestling Golf Classic. Attached is a sign-up sheet. Please fax, mail, or email Robbie Waller (rwaller@ou.edu) (405-325-8211 or 255-9942) with your team, hole sponsorship, and plans to attend. Thank you all and we look forward to seeing you on the course Sept. 22nd! Register Here!

The Virginia Challenge, a non-profit wrestling organization aimed at brining national level wrestling events to Virginia, has announced its newest event, the Neptune Festival Beach Brawl Wrestling Championships to be held on Sept. 30-Oct. 1 in Virginia Beach, Va. The event will be the second Beach Wrestling Event that the Virginia Challenge has sponsored; the first was the North American Beach Wrestling Championships in June of 2006. "The North American Beach Wrestling Championships were a real hit with people that were on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront," said Virginia Challenge Executive Director Frank Lipoli. "We held it in conjunction with the North American Sand Soccer Championships and we had literally thousands of people stopping to watch the wrestling in between the soccer matches." "It really helped us not only present the new style of Beach Wrestling to regular wrestling fans, it helped us get exposure for the sport of wrestling to non-wrestling fans," said Lipoli. The Neptune Festival Beach Brawl will again have a side-by-side partner – the 33rd annual Neptune Festival. The Neptune Festival routinely attracts over 300,000 people to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. "This is a great weekend for people to come down to Virginia Beach for a weekend getaway and have some wrestling in their itinerary," said Lipoli. "Think about it, you can wrestle in front of 300,000 people!" he said. One thing that the Virginia Challenge launched at the North American Championships is a dual-meet format. The "Hungry Hungry Hippos," a team comprised mostly of Great Bridge High School wrestlers, won the first Beach Wrestling dual tournament held in the United States. The format is something Lipoli and the Virginia Challenge will keep and to continue to develop. "It was so much fun, not just for the fans, but for the kids wrestling too," said Lipoli. "This really helps the event stand out among Beach Wrestling events – we're the first and only tournament to have a dual meet element." Always a master of the catchphrase, Lipoli's "Beach Brawl Duals" will likely have creative teams like the "Sand Devils and Sandmen" again. The event, like the North American Championships, will be USA Wrestling sanctioned and competitors must have a valid USA Wrestling Card to compete. September 30 will be the individual portion of the event, with roped off competition circles dotting the 18th Street shoreline. The Beach Brawl Duals will hit the sand on October 1. "What I really like about Beach Wrestling is basically, it's a day at the beach," said Lipoli. "You go out, wrestle a few minutes, and go rinse off in the Atlantic Ocean." Coupling the event with major functions at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront will continue. "We really think this is a great way to showcase the sport of wrestling, regardless of the style, to the public," said Lipoli. "We'll have elementary, middle school and high school divisions along with open, military and college divisions, too." The second Virginia Challenge event continues a trend of the new FILA style of wrestling in the U.S. This past weekend, Long Island was host to the East Coast National Beach Wrestling Championships and the first U.S. Nationals are set for Florida later in the month. Registration information and additional information on Beach Wrestling and the Neptune Festival Beach Brawl Wrestling Championships can be found at www.virginiachallenge.org. W.I.N. Magazine, InterMat and GameDay Magazine will again be media sponsors of the event.

In November of 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship was organized. The concept was brilliant in its simplicity: there were only two major rules regulating the fighters �- no biting and no eye-gouging �- and the rounds were 10 minutes each in length. Presumably to look good on television, fighters were put into an eight-sided cage dubbed "The Octagon" with no way out during the match. Each competitor would try to secure a victory, either by knocking out, choking out, or forcing the surrender of his opponent. As an example of how vicious the competition was, none of the matches in that first event even went the full length of the first round. Royce Gracie was crowned the original UFC Champion in what is now known as UFC 1. Originally, the sport of mixed martial arts (abbreviated MMA) was billed as a mixture of sports more than as a sport unto itself. Early matches pitted jiu-jitsu experts against boxers, boxers against karate fighters, karate fighters against wrestlers, etc. In its early form, the MMA movement was a kind of mix-and-match of fighters with various backgrounds. Fast forward to 2006. As of this writing, the UFC series of tournaments �- around which the world of MMA is still loosely centered �- has not only become a pay-per-view phenomenon, it has signed a broadcasting deal with Spike TV, a male-focused cable television station. UFC competitions occur every month or two, and the next one, which will appear on August 27th, 2006 on pay-per-view, will be UFC 62. As it has grown in popularity among both fighters and fans, the concept of "style vs. style" has fallen by the wayside. Fighters, in particular, have learned that they must not only know how to strike, they must know how to wrestle. This realization has turned the fiercest legal fighting league in North America into an increasingly wrestling-dominated one. Don't take my word for it. The following quote is taken from an article on ww.mmafighting.com about the UFC's Forrest Petz, a 30 year-old fighter who carries a 17-2 record in MMA competition: "Wrestling is the base upon which everything rests. Without it, you will surely lose." You might think Petz is just saying that because he's a former wrestler �- but you'd be wrong. Petz is a former boxer who still considers his left hook to be his most potent weapon. He was forced to learn wrestling so that he could compete effectively in the UFC. Georges St. PierreThe same could be said of Georges St. Pierre, a 25 year-old from Montreal. In his words, taken from www.ufc.com: "I started martial arts when I was six, doing Kyokushin karate. When I started training for MMA, three years ago, I started wrestling with the national team and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with Nova Uniao..." That's the Canadian National Wrestling Team that Georges is referring to. His 12-1 MMA record indicates that his training decisions have been good ones. And those couldn't have been tough decisions for St. Pierre �- or for any other UFC fighter, for that matter. It's difficult to find any elite MMA fighter who doesn't list wrestling at the top of his training regimen. Muay Thai boxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu are both extremely popular disciplines among MMA fighters as well, but it's difficult to find fighters even from these disciplines (or any other) who don't mention their wrestling skills and accomplishments early and often. Looking beyond fighters of other styles who have incorporated wrestling into their training, the extent to which former wrestlers have taken over MMA is telling. About 20% of the 176 fighters that the UFC lists on its website have at least some wrestling experience beyond the high school level. When you factor in the fighters who wrestled in high school, that number goes up by double or triple. While it's tough to get exact figures, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that most American fighters in the UFC came from at least a high school-level wrestling background. Most surprising, perhaps, is to see that it's not just wrestling superstars who have successfully made the jump to UFC fighting. It's revealing to see "State Champion" listed in on the short list of an MMA competitor's accomplishments, or to hear it be mentioned by them in interviews. Olympic and NCAA accomplishments are always noted on any MMA fighter's resume, and even junior college-level wrestling accomplishments are never excluded from a UFC fighter's bio. In fact, a number of competitors list any college wrestling experience they have at all on their bio, even if they were career back-ups in college. That's not to say that elite former wrestlers haven't made their mark in MMA. Randy Couture, Mark Hamill, Chael Sonnen, Mark Van Arsdale, and Josh Koschek are all current UFC fighters who were National Champions on at least the NCAA or University Nationals level. But these elite wrestlers are the exception among UFC fighters, not the norm. In an upcoming article, just for fun, we'll take a look at dozens of wrestlers who now fight at the UFC level but did not have National Championship-caliber careers in wrestling. As a concluding thought, the sport of wrestling has certainly left its mark on MMA competition. Athletes from other disciplines have learned that they need to train in the sport of wrestling to become the best fighters in the world. Wrestlers who have taken up MMA, on the other hand, have learned in sport what many of us ex-wrestlers have learned in life: once you've been through wrestling �- even if you weren't very good at it �- everything else seems manageable.

If the saying "Everything's bigger in Texas," is true, then the 2006 NWCA All-Star Classic should be a spectacle for wrestling fans to concentrate on when the Dallas Convention Center Arena hosts the annual event on November 20. The NWCA All-Star Classic, presented by the United States Marine Corps, is an All-Star wrestling dual pitting the top collegiate wrestlers in the nation against each other in a showcase that is sure to be a preview of the NCAA Division I Championship finals. The event will include 10 collegiate weight classes along with several feature bouts involving college wrestlers with Texas roots. The 2006 event will be the 41st such event and the third year the event has been held in the beginning of the wrestling season, rather than in the heart of it. "The NWCA All-Star Classic is one of the nation's premier wrestling events," said NWCA President Ron Beaschler. "Having the Dallas-Fort Worth area and the state of Texas host the event will only continue the tradition of the All-Star Classic being a first-class event." "The NWCA is also happy to again partner with the United States Marine Corps in presenting this event for the third consecutive year," Beaschler said. "It's been a good partnership, not only for us, but for wrestling in general." Three groups spearheaded the effort: the Wrestling Association of Arlington, Team Monday and the National Collegiate Wrestling Association. The Wrestling Association of Arlington is the group that hosts the Lone Star Duals in South Grand Prairie, Texas, each year. The Lone Star Duals is celebrating its 10th anniversary in the 2006-07 season. Team Monday, a wrestling club headed by 1988 Olympic Gold Medalist Kenny Monday, is also involved. Many of Texas' top rising stars have emerged out of Monday's wrestling club. The National Collegiate Wrestling Association, based in Dallas, also helped push to land the event in Texas. Proceeds will go to help the fledging wrestling program at the University of Texas-Arlington, an NCWA team. "What the NCWA does to promote the sport of wrestling is phenomenal," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "One of their primary goals is to start new wrestling programs where they didn't exist or re-start programs at places it once existed." "This is one of the things the NCWA is doing to help the sport of wrestling grow in Texas and nationwide," said Moyer. Like the Lone Star Duals, the NCWA is celebrating its 10-year anniversary. Barry Boustead, the tournament director for the Lone Star Duals, is excited in the progress that Texas has made on the national wrestling scene. "We've been trying to do things (in Texas)," Boustead said. "We did the Dream Team Classic last year and brought in kids from all around the nation on the high school level, and now we're doing the same thing with the college kids." "It's a natural progression," he said. "We're doing this in addition to the Lone Star Duals, the NCWA Championships in March, and RealProWrestling is going to do something down here as well," said Boustead. "We're going to have a lot of wrestling in Texas this year." While the NWCA isn't expected to announce the line-up for the 41st All-Star Classic until October, the number of returning national champions and All-Americans should make for an impressive set of matches. For those that haven't ventured to the state for the Lone Star Duals, one thing that the folks in Texas traditionally do well, is hospitality and things for fans to do. "I think everyone that came down for the Olympic Trials in 2000 and Lone Star Duals in the past realize that the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex is a great place to come for anything," said Boustead. "The weather's generally better than most places in the country that time of year. There are lots of hotels, restaurants, activities, just lots of things to do," he said. "And the venue is great. The Dallas Convention Center Arena is a great place to watch and a great place for fans to come to watch – it's really easy to get to." "One things that Texas is known for and what we try to do is be good hosts," Boustead said. "Of all the things we do, it's the one thing we succeed at best. Anyone that comes down is going to have a good time there." With the NWCA All-Star Classic as the next event headed to Texas, it makes Boustead and other event organizers like Jim Giunta of the NCWA and Steve Silver happy. "It's an opportunity for us to participate in a high-caliber collegiate event in addition to the Lone Star Duals," said Boustead. "It's an opportunity for our kids to see national championship-level competition for those that haven't been able to travel." "It also brings a lot of coaches down here, so that's a good thing," he said. "We're definitely pleased to have the opportunity to host this event in Texas and to lend a hand in helping develop the collegiate wrestling scene in a state that hasn't had varsity collegiate wrestling since the 1970's," said Moyer. "We're looking forward to it." The 2005 event was one of the most unpredictable in recent memory. Held in Stillwater, Okla., at the Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University, four defending NCAA champions were defeated in the event. The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Steve Mocco, a two-time NCAA champion at heavyweight who completed his wrestling eligibility in March, has joined Oklahoma State's football team. The 24-year-old Mocco, who is currently a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team at 120 kg, will play defensive tackle for the Cowboys and is listed as No. 69 on the team's roster. Nelson BarnesRevWrestling.com recently caught up with Oklahoma State defensive line coach Nelson Barnes and asked him 10 questions about Mocco the football player. When did you first learn that Steve Mocco would be playing football at Oklahoma State? And what was your initial reaction? Barnes: I think we first learned about it during the summer. The NCAA cleared him for a fifth year. His eligibility was done in wrestling, but he still had one more year in another sport. The NCAA grants permission for two-sport athletes who redshirt one season. It would be the same case if a young man played basketball and redshirted one season … and then played football. So you would still have a five-year clock. Has he talked to you about why he is giving football a try? Do you know if he has aspirations of someday playing in the NFL? Barnes: I never talk in terms of going beyond collegiate football and playing professionally. Steve Mocco made the decision to come out … and he wanted to be a part of the program. He knows a lot of the football players. A lot of the football players came out during the wrestling season and helped him prepare him to try to win a national championship, so he wants to have the opportunity to come out and help them. In your opinion, how have Mocco's wrestling skills translated into skills as a defensive lineman? Barnes: Well, I don't know anything about wrestling, so I couldn't speak intelligently on how his wrestling skills have helped. But what I can speak on is his work ethic. He has a tremendous work ethic. You can see that rubbing off on a lot of the players in our group. If you're a hard worker, people notice that. So, No. 1 … I would say his work ethic and how he goes about his business … a lot of the players have picked up on that and it has benefited them. He has been actively wrestling in the spring and summer … did he come into practice in good shape? How has his conditioning been? Barnes: His conditioning is good. He ran with the players during the summer, so he's in very good shape. Plus, he's a wrestler … those guys are always in great shape. Steve Mocco (Photo/John Sachs)I imagine there's a pretty big learning curve transitioning from wrestling to football. Have you seen him show any frustration during practice while he's trying to learn the techniques to be a successful defensive lineman? Barnes: No, he's been a great young man to work with. He has a great attitude every day. And he's been very positive every day. When I talk to him, he's really enjoying himself. We enjoy having him … and he's enjoying the experience. Have you noticed how Mocco has interacted with the other football players? How have they accepted him? Barnes: It's been excellent … athletes are athletes. Whenever they workout together and sweat together, there's a common bond. So he has bonded extremely well with the guys in the group. You open the season on September 2 at home against Missouri State. How much playing time do you anticipate Mocco will get this season? Barnes: Well, playing time is something I never talk about with the players. We have a starting group and we have a depth chart. We play players as we need to play them. It's never something we talk about. Of course, if you're the starter, you're going to start the game and you'll probably play a significant amount of it. If you're not, you're going to play as you're needed. Can you say where he sits on the depth chart at this point? Barnes: Well, we haven't really finalized our depth chart yet. We won't do that until two-a-day practices are over. Everybody just starts in a spot and we just work. We don't have a true starting depth chart. And we won't have that until we get ready to prepare the week of the first game. Stephen NealStephen Neal was a world class wrestler who has now made a smooth transition into professional football as an offensive lineman for the New England Patriots. Was there much discussion about whether Mocco would be an offensive or defensive lineman? Barnes: Well, we're happy to have him where he is right now. And I think he's enjoying the experience. So for me to be able to speak on behalf of (Neal), I wouldn't know. I don't know anything about his football background. So I couldn't speak on whether he and Mocco have similar attributes. Has Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith been spotted at practice yet checking in on his former wrestler? Barnes: I couldn't say that I know that. I have talked to John Smith … I've visited with him a few times. He could have been at practice … I don't know that. Our practices have been open, so there are always a lot of people out there. But I can't really say whether he has been there or not.

Thanks to my friends Steve Foster, John Rizzutti and Ross Peterson for filling in for me last week as I took a much needed vacation. I am so refreshed and energized, ready to get back to it for sure. By the way, if you did not hear Intermatwrestle.com's Jason Bryant on last weeks show, please go back and listen to the archives as his interview was tremendous! This week on Takedown Radio: Tyrone Lewis -- New Asst Coach at Ok. City University. Archie Randall knew what he was doing when he hired this guy. A tremendous wrestler, 4 x All American and nice guy how will this translate into coaching? Recruiting? We'll see. Andrew Pariano -- Asst Head Coach for the Wildcats of Northwestern. Is it too early to talk about the fall, the returning stars, the incoming stars of the future? What do the surprising Wildcats have in store for the Big 10 and the rest of D1? Jeff Ragan -- The business of wrestling at the Citadel is handled by Jeff Ragan. Coach Rob Hjerling is lucky indeed to have such a capable ally as Jeff. This was a huge year for The Bulldogs summer camp programs with clinicians like John Smith heading to D1 Wrestling's southern most campus. Matt Anderson -- Former U of Iowa standout wrestler. Always competitive now faces the toughest challenge of his career as he and his dogs prepare to face the 30 plus year old Iditarod. The race starts in Anchorage, Alaska and runs 1140 miles to Nome Alaska. Matt looks to win this race as he recreates the serum run of 1925 that saved the village of Nome Alaska. He feeds 24 dogs each day that are in training for the race . He needs the wrestling communities help. Mike Zadick may join in the call. What goals does he have left to achieve? Marty Morgan -- Minnesota's Favorite son returns to TDR for a look at his families history in boxing, carnival tough men and shoot wrestling. Some of you may not know that Marty's uncle is the infamous bad guy now turned for the better, "the Old Red Head" Red Bastien. Marty's impact on the world of collegiate wrestling begs the question, When will Marty Morgan be a D 1 Head Coach?