InterMat Staff

#2 79 kg wrestler Ali Savadkouhi of Iran (photo courtesy of Bayrem Ben Mrad/UWW) 57KG #1 Zavur Uguev (RUS) beat 2021 world runner-up #20 Alireza Sarlak (IRI) 3-3 in the finals of the Iranian Pro League. Meirambek Kartbay (KAZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over #16 Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ). Bronze medalists at the D.A. Kunaev were #17 Zanabazar Zandanbud (MGL) and Berdakh Primbaev (KAZ). Kartbay debuts in the rankings at #16 for his victory over #16 Almaz Smanbekov (KGZ). Artem Gobaev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial tournament over Yunus Yavbatirov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Andiev Memorial were Magomed Magomedov (RUS) and Islam Shakhbanov (RUS). Abubakr Mutaliev (RUS) won the Semenov Cup by injury default over #12 Musa Mekhtikhanov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Semenov Cup were Artur Chebodaev (RUS) and Rustam Zhilyasov (RUS). Zane Richards (USA) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Guesseppe Rea (ECU). 61KG #19 Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Akbar Kurbanov (KAZ). Bronze medalists were Alibeg Alibegov (BRN) and Baurzhan Torebok (KAZ). Two-time Russian Nationals bronze medalist Cherman Tavitov (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial title over Dzhabrail Gairbekov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Andiev Memorial were Alexander Sabanov (RUS) and Akhmed Zubairov (RUS). At the Andiev Memorial, Gairbekov upset Sabanov in the quarterfinals while Tavitov beat 2021 U23 Russian Nationals runner-up Akhmed Zubairov (RUS). This will be important to understand after the results of the Semenov Cup. At the Semenov Cup, Alexander Sabanov (RUS) took gold over Efim Kormiltsev (RUS) with Dinislam Takhtarov (RUS) and Ibragim Khasiev (RUS) taking bronze. Sabanov upset Russian Nationals bronze medalist #11 Bashir Magomedov (RUS) and Kormiltsev upset 2019 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Dinislam Takhtarov (RUS). For winning the Andiev Memorial, Cherman Tavitov (RUS) returns to the rankings at #13. Gairbekov goes to the #14 spot for taking silver at the Andiev and beating Semenov Cup champion Alexander Sabanov. Sabanov returns to the rankings at #15 for taking bronze at the Andiev Memorial and winning the Semenov Cup where he beat Magomedov and Kormiltsev (RUS). Bashir Magomedov falls five spots to #16 for his loss to Sabanov. Kormiltsev (RUS) debuts in the rankings at #20 after a runner-up finish at the Semenov Cup. Yarygin runner-up #13 Fedor Baltuev (RUS) was removed from the rankings as he moved up to 65 KG, where he failed to place at the Semenov Cup after a close loss to 65 KG Russian Nationals champion #8 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS). 2017 57 KG world bronze medalist Andrey Yatsenko (UKR) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Nahshon Garrett (USA). Austin DeSanto (USA) took bronze at the Farrell. Of note, 57 KG Asian Championships runner-up #13 (57) Rakhat Kalzhan (KAZ) competed up at 61, where he failed to place after losses to Garrett and Bekzat Almazbek Uulu (KGZ). 65KG #15 Tulga Tumur Ochir (MGL) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Joey McKenna (USA). Bronze medalists were Azamat Shapaguly (KAZ) and Alibek Osmonov (KGZ). Elbrus Valiev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial Tournament over #14 Alik Khadartsev (RUS). Bronze medalists were Magomed Baitukaev (RUS) and Dzhabrail Eleskhanov (RUS). Valiev debuts in the rankings at #16 for his win over Khadartsev. Khadartsev falls three spots to #17 for his loss to #16 Elbrus Valiev (RUS). #7 Ramazan Ferzaliev (RUS) won the Semenov Cup over #16 Elbrus Valiev (RUS). Bronze medalists were #17 Alik Khadartsev (RUS) and #8 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS). Both Ferzaliev and Valiev registered ranked wins at the Semenov Cup on their ways to the final, with Ferzaliev beating Russian Nationals champion #8 Ibragim Ibragimov (RUS) and Valiev repeating his victory from the Andiev Memorial finals over #17 Alik Khadartsev (RUS). #19 (61) Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu (KGZ) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Nick Lee (USA). Matt Kolodzik (USA) took bronze at the Farrell over Pat Lugo (USA). 70KG #2 Ernazar Akmataliev (KGZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Tyler Berger (USA). Bronze medalists were Sanzhar Dozhanov (KAZ) and Nodir Rakhimov (UZB). #10 Inalbek Sheriev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial Tournament over 2021 65 KG U23 world runner-up Ibragim Abdurakhmanov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Andiev Memorial were Taigib Hasanov (RUS) and Georgy Sekinaev (RUS). #4 Anzor Zakuev (RUS) won the Semenov Cup over 2018 Russian Nationals runner-up Arpak Sat (RUS). Bronze medalists were Alan Kudzoev (RUS) and Magomed Eitemirov (RUS). Kudzoev returns to the 70 KG rankings at #11 based off the strength of his victory over Zakuev from back in August at the All-Russian Spartakiad. #7 Zagir Shakhiev (RUS) lost at 65 KG competing against #4 (65) Abdulmazhid Kudiev (RUS) at the Iranian Pro League. Sat returns to the rankings at #17 after his runner-up finish at the Semenov cup where he beat #10 Ruslan Zhendaev (RUS) and Eitemirov. Eitemirov debuts in the rankings at #18 for beating Zhendaev in the bronze medal match of the Semenov Cup. Zhendaev falls nine spots to #19 for his losses. Ian Parker (USA) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Cody Chittum (USA). Oleksii Boruta (UKR) took bronze. 74KG Nurkhoza Kaipanov (KAZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Murad Kuramagomedov (HUN). Bronze medalists were Daniyar Kaisanov (KAZ) and Bekzhan Dzhambulov (KAZ). #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) fell in the finals of the Iranian Club League to 79 KG Asian champion #2 (79) Ali Savadkouhi (IRI) up at 79 KG. This rose Savadkouhi from #11 to #2 at 79 KG and had him debut in the pound-for-pound at 79 KG, but did nothing to Sidakov's stock. This is because the loss to Savadkouhi happened at 79 KG and occurred in what is likely a diminished state for Sidakov. #5 Razambek Zhamalov (RUS) won the Murad Gaidarov Memorial Tournament over Iman Ganishov (RUS). Ganishov debuts in the rankings at #14 for beating Saipulla Alibulatov (RUS) in the semifinals after Alibulatov had beaten 2021 Umakhanov Tournament champion Mokhamad Nasirkhaev (RUS). Nasirkhaev had upset two-time world champion #13 Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov (RUS) in his opening match. Alibulatov debuts in the rankings at #15, Nasirkhaev returns to the rankings at #16 for beating Gazimagomedov and Gazimagomedov drops four spots to #17. #7 Cherman Valiev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial over Khabib Magomedov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Andiev Memorial were Murad Khabichev (RUS) and Magomed Nurmagomedov (RUS). Ruslan Bogatyrev (RUS) makes his debut in the top-ten at #9 after a runner-up finish at the Semenov Cup that saw him defeat 2021 world bronze medalist #10 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) and 2021 Yarygin champion Aznaur Tavaev (RUS) to make the finals. In the finals, Bogatyrev fell to Cherman Valiev. Bronze medalists at the Semenov cup were #11 Timur Bizhoev (RUS) and #13 Magomed Dibirgadzhiev (RUS). Toktomambetov Orozbekov (KGZ) beat Arman Andreasyan (ARM) in the finals of the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational. Mitch Finesilver (ISR) took bronze. 79KG #11 Ali Savadkouhi (IRI) moves up nine spots in the rankings to #2 after upsetting #1 (74) Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) in the finals of the Iranian Pro League. Savadkouhi also notched a ranked win over two-time world runner-up #6 Mohammad Nokhodilarimi (IRI). U23 world runner-up #17 Daulet Yergash (KAZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Rusam Myrzgaliev (KAZ). Khidir Saipudinov (KAZ) and Bibarys Nuryllauly (KAZ) took bronze. #5 Radik Valiev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial over David Betanov (RUS). Bronze medalists were Alik Badtiev (RUS) and Salamat Dzhioev (RUS). Valiev was also victorious in taking gold at the Semenov cup over 2020 Russian Nationals bronze medalist Amanulla Gadzhimagomedov (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Semenov cup were #7 Khalid Yakhiev (RUS) and Dmitri Zainidinov (RUS). #9 Vasyl Mykhailov (UKR) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over 2018 74 KG world runner-up Avtandil Kentchadze (GEO). Taking bronze at the Farrell was Alex Marinelli (USA) over #19 David McFadden (USA). Kentchadze beat Marinelli in the semifinals, while Mykhailov beat McFadden in his semifinals bout. From the results of the Farrell, Kentchadze debuts in the 79 KG rankings at #12 and Marinelli debuts in the rankings at #20 for his victory over #19 David McFadden (USA). 86KG World bronze medalist #8 Azamat Dauletbekov (KAZ) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Bekzat Jumanali (KAZ). Islambek Ilyasov (KAZ) took the bronze. #3 Artur Naifonov (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial over #16 Zaur Makiev (RUS). Bronze medalists were Tamerlan Tapsiev (RUS) and Khaibula Gyulmagomedov (RUS). Naifonov also took gold at the Semenov cup by forfeit over Tamerlan Tapsiev (RUS). Bronze medalists at the Semenov Cup were Alexey Evdokimov (RUS) and #20 Arsenali Musalaliev (RUS). Mukhammed Aliiev (UKR) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Brayden Thompson (USA). Taking bronze at the Farrell was #10 Myles Amine (SMR). Aliiev returns to the rankings at #9 for beating Amine in the semifinals. #2 Hassan Yazdani Charati (IRI) beat #5 Alireza Karimimachiani (IRI) in the finals of the Iranian Pro League. #4 Vladislav Valiev (RUS) moved back up to 92 KG, where he took fifth at the Soslan Andiev Memorial and bronze at the Semenov Cup. Valiev also competed at the Iranian Pro League where he took out 2013 74 KG world runner-up Ezzatollah Akbari (IRI). Valiev is currently ranked eleventh at 92 KG. 92KG Magomed Sharipov (BRN) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Rizabek Aitmukhan (KAZ). Nurdaulet Bekenov (KAZ) and Adilet Kaltaev (KAZ) took bronze at the D.A. Kunaev tournament. #16 Guram Chertkoev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial over Shamil-Imam Gadzhialiev (RUS). Bronze medalists were Slavik Naniev (RUS) and #13 Alan Bagaev (RUS). Chertkoev gets bumped up six spots in the rankings to #10 for beating #4 (86) Vladislav Valiev (RUS), while Gadzhialiev debuts in the rankings at #15 for beating Bagaev. Bagaev drops three spots to #16. Vladislav Valiev (RUS) returns to the rankings at #11 after a fifth place finish at the Andiev Memorial and a bronze medal at the Semenov Cup. Valiev lost to Chertkoev (RUS) and #3 Dauren Kurugliev (RUS) respectively at the Andiev and the Semenov. Kurugliev (RUS) moved up one spot to #3 after winning the Semenov Cup over Russian Nationals runner-up #7 Azamat Zakuev (RUS). Taking bronze at the Semenov Cup was Valiev and Chertkoev. Kurugliev beat Valiev while Zakuev beat #10 Chertkoev to make the finals. Eric Schultz (USA) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Morgan McIntosh (USA). Illia Archaia (UKR) took bronze. #1 Kamran Ghasempour (IRI) beat Javad Ebrahimi (IRI) at the Iranian Pro League. Ebrahimi returns to the rankings at #8 off of victories over #3(97) Batyrbek Tsakulov (SVK) #5 (86) Alireza Karimimachiani (IRI), Dato Marsagishvili (GEO), and Valiev to go with titles from the 2021 Ali Aliyev, 2018 Yasar Dogu, and a 2018 and 2020 Asian championships title. 97KG #18 Akhmed Tazhudinov (BRN) won the D.A. Kunaev tournament over Yunus Gafarov (KAZ). Bronze medalists were Serik Bakytkhanov (KAZ) and Bekzat Urkimbay (KAZ). #14 Zhorik Dzhioev (RUS) won the Soslan Andiev Memorial over Soslan Dzhagaev (RUS). Bronze medalists were Tamerlan Kotsoev (RUS) and Tamik Dzhikhaev (RUS). 2021 92 KG world runner-up #2 (92) Magomed Kurbanov (RUS) made the move up to 97 KG where he took gold at the Semenov Cup over #11 Sergey Kozyrev (RUS). #17 Aslanbek Sotiev (RUS) took bronze. Kurbanov debuts in the 97 KG rankings at #9. Michael Macchiavello (USA) won the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over 2017 U23 world bronze medalist Murazi Mchedlidze (UKR). Vasyl Sova (UKR) took bronze at the Farrell. 125KG Alisher Yergali (KAZ) beat Yusup Batirmurzaev (KAZ) to win the D.A. Kunaev tournament. Bronze medalists were Bekzat Taji (KAZ) and Omar Eyubov (KAZ). As has become commonplace now in the heavyweight rankings, a large amount of change took place due to Russian heavyweights. The first tournament that saw major shakeup was the Soslan Andiev memorial on November 6th saw Russian Nationals champion #13 Alen Khubulov (RUS) beat the likes of #8 Soslan Khinchagov (RUS), #12 (97) Sergey Kozyrev (RUS), Artem Tskharebov (RUS), and Alan Khugaev (RUS) to win the title. Khugaev made his presence known in the heavyweight division again by finishing runner-up at the Andiev Memorial by beating the likes of #7 Erik Dzhioev (RUS) and Artem Pukhovsky (RUS). In the bronze medal matches, Khinchagov would beat Artem Tskharebov (RUS) and Artem Pukhovsky (RUS) would beat #7 Erik Dzhioev (RUS). Tskharbeov did notch a career best win in his opening round match against #7 (97) Vladislav Baitsaev (HUN). After the events of the Soslan Andiev Memorial, the Semenov Cup took place on November 11th. Alan Khugaev (RUS) built on his momentum from the Andiev and won gold at the Semenov beating Ali Aliyev champion #11 Abdulla Kurbanov (RUS) and notching wins over 2021 Junior world bronze medalist Andrey Bestaev (RUS) and #10 Znaur Kotsiev (RUS). In the bronze medal match on Khugaev's side, Bestaev would upset Kotsiev to place. On Abdulla Kurbanov's repechage bracket, Saipudin Magomedov (RUS) won bronze over Tamerlan Kumyshev (RUS) 3-2. From the aftermath of the Andiev Memorial and the Semenov Cup Khubulov moves up seven spots to #5. Alan Khugaev returns to the rankings at #6 for wins over Kurbanov, Kotsiev, Dzhioev, and Artem Pukhovsky. Pukhovsky is in the rankings at #9 for beating Dzhioev in the bronze medal match of the Andiev Memorial. The final new Russian addition to the rankings is Bestaev at #13 for beating Kotsiev in the bronze medal match of the Semenov Cup. Dzhioev fell to #10 for his losses to Khugaev and Pukovsky at the Andiev Memorial. Kotsiev fell four spots in the rankings to #14 for his losses to Khugaev and Bestaev at the Semenov Cup. Outside of Russia, two-time world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski (USA) was successful in taking gold at the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational over Demetrius Thomas (USA). Taking bronze at the Farrell was Dom Bradley (USA). Pound for Pound #1 Zaurbek Sidakov (RUS) falls two spots in the rankings to #3 for his loss in the Iranian Pro League finals to Ali Savadkouhi (IRI). Savadkouhi debuts in the pound for pound rankings at #11 for his win over Sidakov in the Iranian Pro League finals. While Savadkouhi is Sidakov's only other loss in the past four years outside of Khetik Tsabolov (SRB), he is unable to leapfrog more established middleweight talent (#7 Jordan Burroughs, #8 Taimuraz Salkazanov, #9 Frank Chamizo, #10 Razambek Zhamalov) due to his inferior resume when compared to the quartet of world champions.

2x NCAA Champions Carter Starocci (left) and Roman Bravo-Young (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) 'He's going to be fine.' Max Dean's Penn State teammates offer support after 2-loss weekend After winning his first national title as a freshman in 2021, Penn State's Carter Starocci said head coach Cael Sanderson pulled him into his office and offered some advice. "He said, 'Just remember, the first one you win is always the easiest,'" Starocci recalled Tuesday. "And that kind of always stuck with me because now guys are breaking you down, breaking down your film." The Penn State sophomore was reminded of this advice after seeing his teammate, reigning 197-pound national champ Max Dean, take two losses over the weekend. Dean suffered his first loss Friday evening with a controversial takedown in sudden victory to Rider's Ethan Laird. He then fell, 11-9, to former teammate Michael Beard two days later in an action-packed match at Lehigh. "Max is a really nice kid. He'll hold the door for a hundred people in a row," Satrocci said. "I think he can be a little more mean, and that would help him out. But he's going to be fine. I think come the end of the year, he'll be on the top of the podium." For his own part, Starocci said he's never stopped having the mentality of "the hunter," even if everyone else is hunting him as the now-two-time national champ at 174 pounds. Starocci said he's texted Dean a few times since his losses but has mostly left him alone. "I know after a weekend like that you kind of don't want to talk to anybody. You kind of just want to think about what's going on," Starocci said. "So, I just let him deal with it because ultimately he's the one who's going to have to make the changes and the adjustments." As one of the wrestlers who have been with the program the longest, fifth-year-senior Roman Bravo-Young said likes to lead by example. He comes into the room twice a day every day, focuses and gets his work done. "Max had a tough weekend, but now it's back to work," he said. "We talk about it and move on." As a graduate senior, Bravo-Young is taking a different approach to this season. Already having two national titles under his belt, the Tucson native says he "doesn't have much to prove" and is just enjoying his final season while preparing for his next goal - winning a World medal in freestyle. Bravo-Young plans to wrestle a partial schedule this season, at least during the nonconference stretch. In the meantime, he's enjoyed watching other wrestlers, such as his roommate Karl Shindledecker, get a chance to compete in his stead. As the season progresses, Bravo-Young said he hopes fans of the sport will be a little more forgiving as wrestlers are learning or have bad weeks. "People don't understand that college wrestling is hard. It's hard to be on every time," he said. "People have this expectation for Penn State wrestling. College wrestling is hard and I think everyone needs to understand that it's not an easy sport. It's a mind game. I think there's a lot more that goes into it that people don't see."

The 2022 NCAA Championships (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) We're into December and back into a normal routine with some great duals (23 to be exact) this week, starting Wednesday evening. Since it can be difficult to figure out where and when to watch all of these events, InterMat has put together a list of all of the live-streamed events occurring this weekend. Below are the dates/times and how to watch each match (with links). All times are eastern Wednesday, December 7: Franklin & Marshall at Ursinus - 7:00 PM Centennial Conference TV Friday, December 9: Pittsburgh at Brown - 6:30 PM ESPN+ Army West Point at Penn - 7:00 PM ESPN+ Minnesota at North Dakota State - 8:00 PM NDSU All-Access Saturday, December 10: Missouri, Northern Iowa at UNI Open - 10:00 AM Fairmont State at VMI - 11:00 AM LIU at Binghamton - 1:00 PM ESPN+ Shenandoah at VMI - 3:00 PM Michigan State at Brown - 6:30 PM ESPN+ Iowa at Chattanooga - 7:00 PM ESPN+ Edinboro vs. Ohio at Saegertown, PA - 7:00 PM FloWrestling Wyoming at Air Force - 9:00 PM FloWrestling Sunday, December 11: Central Michigan, Cleveland State at Cleveland State Open - 9:30 AM Pittsburgh at Columbia - 12:00 PM ESPN+ Buffalo at North Dakota State - 1:00 PM NDSU All-Access Kent State at Ohio State - 1:00 PM B1G+ Maryland at Navy - 2:00 PM ESPN+ Oregon State at Penn State - 2:00 PM ESPNU Rutgers at Princeton - 2:00 PM ESPN+ Drexel at Wisconsin - 2:00 PM B1G+ Lindenwood vs. Minnesota at Cal Poly - 2:30 PM Lindenwood at Cal Poly - 4:00 PM Oklahoma State at Oklahoma - 4:00 PM ESPN+ Missouri at Virginia Tech - 4:30 PM ESPN+ Minnesota at Cal Poly - 5:30 PM

197 lb Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion Isaac Trumble (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) It was a wild, wild week in the ACC. We had an amazing dual performance from Pittsburgh and a comeback for the ages from Virginia. NC State and VT both had outstanding performances out in Vegas and brought back some hardware. Lots of fantastic individual results to look at this week as well. Let's get to it. Duke The Blue Devils were led by 2-0 performances from #21 Jonah Neisenbaum and Jared Papscy and split duals against VMI and F&M. Duke lost to VMI 28-9 with wins from Neisenbaum, Papscy and Patrick Rowland (149). In a back-and-forth dual, they topped Franklin & Marshall 19-18. They were led by a fall from Gaetano Console (165) and a major from Neisenbaum. Papscy, Logan Ferrero (149), and Luke Chakonis (184) also picked up decision wins. Duke is off next week and will be back in action on December 21st in duals against Presbyterian and George Mason. Duke 19, Franklin & Marshall 18 125: Mason Leiphart (F&M) dec. Ethan Grimminger, forfeit 133: Giovanni Diaz (F&M) dec. Drake Doolittle, 6-3 141: Jarred Papcsy dec. Pat Phillips (F&M), 3-1 SV 149: Logan Ferrero dec. Avery Clarke (F&M), 4-0 157: Nick Alvarez (F&M) dec. Nick Tattini, 7-6 165: Gaetano Console dec. RJ Moore (F&M), fall 1:17 174: Noah Fox (F&M) dec. Conor Becker, 3-1 184: Luke Chakonis dec. James Conway (F&M), 4-1 197: John Crawford (F&M) dec. Jack Wimmer, 4-3 285: Jonah Niesenbaum major dec. Chase Thompson (F&M), 13-2 Extra Match: 149: Patrick Rowland major dec. Hunter Hockensmith (F&M), 10-2 VMI 28, Duke 9 125: Anthony Burke (VMI) dec. Ethan Grimminger, forfeit 133: Dyson Dunham (VMI) major dec. Drake Doolittle, 10-0 141: Jarred Papcsy dec. Frederick Junko (VMI), 10-4 149: Patrick Rowland dec. Ryan Vigil (VMI), 6-4 SV 157: Job Chishko (VMI) dec. Preston Decker, 5-0 165: Braxton Lewis (VMI) dec. Gaetano Console, fall 2:43 174: Jon Hoover (VMI) dec. Conor Becker, 3-1 184: Zach Brown (VMI) dec. Luke Chakonis, 3-1 197: Tyler Mousaw (VMI) dec. Jack Wimmer, 6-3 285: Jonah Niesenbaum dec. Josh Evans (VMI), 3-2 Extra Match: 285: Solomon Harris (VMI) dec. Connor Barket, fall 4:18 #17 North Carolina The Tar Heels were off this week and will return to action December 15th with a dual against Appalachian State. #11 North Carolina State The Wolfpack had a fantastic tournament at the CKLV and left Las Vegas with two champs, a runner-up team finish, and five other placers. They were led by championship performances from #3 Trent Hidlay and #14 Isaac Trumble. Hidlay was 5-0 on the weekend, including ranked wins over #10 Matt Finesilver, #4 Kaleb Romero and #2 Parker Keckeisen; avenging a loss at last year's NCAA tournament. Hidlay was locked-in all weekend and was relentless on offense. He moves his record to 10-0 on the year. Trumble also looked solid all weekend and was a monster on top, picking up two pins en route to his title. He picked up ranked wins over #24 Jacob Koser, #23 Silas Allred and #21 Tanner Harvey to take the title. #9 Ed Scott and #14 Ryan Jack both finished in third. Scott picked up two pins and two ranked wins on the weekend; he lost a tight bout to #4 Peyton Robb--closing the gap from their earlier match this year--in the semifinals, before beating #3 Will Lewan for 3rd. Jack continues to impress with his growth this season and he put together a great tournament. He had ranked wins over #26 Matt Kazimir, #15 Cleveland Belton and #13 Tom Crook; he dropped a heartbreaker to #17 Brock Hardy in the semifinals before beating #29 Josh Koderhandt in the 3rd place bout. To wrap up the placers for the Wolfpack, #22 Jackson Arrington placed 5th, Alex Faison placed 6th and #19 Owen Trephan placed 7th. #20 Pittsburgh The Panthers went into Illinois and put on a show. They were dominating in a 30-6 win over the Illini, marking the largest winning score differential from an ACC program over a B1G team. #11 Micky Phillippi picked up a big ranked win over #6 Lucas Byrd--he had been winless in their previous two matches. #8 Nino Bonaccorsi also picked up a ranked win in sudden victory over #15 Zac Braunagel. They were led by pins from Colton Camacho and #21 Dazjon Casto as the only bonus points on the day. Just as the upperweights swept bouts in the dual against Lehigh, the lower weights took that honor against Illinois. The only losses for the Panthers on the day were both in sudden victory, and to ranked opponents. #14 Holden Heller dropped to #19 Danny Braunagel and #33 Luca Augustine fell to #10 Edmond Ruth. The Panthers have responded well to their dual loss to Maryland and have been on a roll since then. This dual performance was very impressive and shows that Pittsburgh is in a good spot moving into the midpoint of the season. Pitt 30, Illinois 6 125 | Colton Camacho (Pitt) pins Maximo Renteria (Pitt), 5:15 133 | #11 Micky Phillippi (Pitt) dec. #6 Lucas Byrd (Illinois), 4-3 141 | #1 Cole Matthews (Pitt) dec. Danny Pucino (Illinois), 4-2 149 | Tyler Badgett (Pitt) dec. Kevon Davenport (Illinois), 4-2 157 | #21 Dazjon Casto (Pitt) pins Luke Odom (Illinois), 4:58 165 | #19 Danny Braunagel (Illinois) dec. #14 Holden Heller (Pitt), 9-7 SV 174 | #10 Edmond Ruth (Illinois) dec. #33 Luca Augustine (Pitt), 3-1 SV 184 | #21 Reece Heller (Pitt) dec. Dylan Connell (Illinois), 8-1 197 | #8 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pitt) dec. #15 Zac Braunagel (Illinois), 3-1 SV HWT | Jake Slinger (Pitt) dec. Matt Wroblewski (Illinois), 2-0 Virginia The Hoos had one of the wildest duals of the weekend in Buies Creek, NC. Campbell swept the opening bouts, taking a 16-0 lead, before UVA stormed back to win the dual 18-16. The dual opened at 197, with Michael Battista falling by major decision to Levi Hopkins. Jessie Knight, manning the heavyweight spot after the injury of Gabe Christensen, wrestled well, but dropped a decision to #13 Taye Ghadiali. The next two bouts featured true freshmen for the Hoos, with Kyle Montaperto and Garrett Grice both on the losing side of one-point decisions. Dylan Cedeno then dropped a decision to Shannon Hanna. UVA was looking at a very large hole to climb out of; down 16 with five matches to go. #29 Jarod Verkleeren was the first to pick up a win for the Hoos, picking up a 3-1 decision in a match that he was dominant on top, despite a questionable stalling point given. Denton Spencer, bumping up a weight class and filling in for an injured Jake Keating, answered the call in a big way. Spencer was dominant from the first whistle, opening a quick 6-0 lead before getting the pin in 1:10 over Troy Nation. This was a big spark for the Hoos as they followed with a 9-3 decision in a controlling win for #9 Justin McCoy, and a 2-1 decision for Justin Phillips at 174 to bring the team score to 16-15 going into the final bout. In the final match of the evening, #30 Neil Antrassian put on a top work display, racking up over three minutes of riding time in a very dominant 9-3 decision over Caleb Hopkins to give UVA the win. I was incredibly impressed with the fight of the Cavaliers in this dual. The performances by Denton Spencer and Neil Antrassian were outstanding. The dual between these teams has been fun to watch the last two years, I really hope they keep this scheduled in the years to come, as both programs continue to improve. #15 Virginia Tech The Hokies took a partial lineup to the CKLV and finished with 5 of those 7 wrestlers on the podium, highlighted by a second trip to the finals by Mekhi Lewis. Lewis looked great in the early rounds, with a tech fall and a pin of #19 Cade Devos. He met #9 Chris Foca in the semis, where he worked his way to a 3-1 decision to set up a finals match with #3 Mikey Labriola. The finals was a tight match, with Lewis able to get to legs a few times but unable to finish. It went to sudden victory where Labriola was able to find his way to control in a scramble to get the winning takedown. Hunter Bolen wrestled an incredible tournament, bringing home third-place honors. After beating #27 Cade King, he dropped a 3-2 decision to #4 Kaleb Romero in the quarterfinals. He went on a run on the backside, including wins over #10 Matt Finesilver and a pin over a very scrappy Lenny Pinto to set up a rematch with Romero for third. This was the third meeting between the two on the season, with Romero holding a 2-0 advantage. Bolen wrestled a great match and was able to get the winning takedown in sudden victory to earn the third-place finish. Andy Smith had a stellar weekend, knocking off ranked opponents and making the semifinals. He was able to finish out a close match to knock off #11 Tanner Sloan to make the semis to face #21 Tanner Harvey. Smith had a tight bout with Harvey but came out on the losing side of a 3-2 decision. He medically defaulted after this match and ended the weekend with a 6th place finish. Smith was very impressive in Vegas and announced his presence at 197. Also placing for the Hokies were #13 Tom Crook and #9 Sam Latona. Crook placed fifth at 141 and had ranked wins over #18 Jesse Vasquez and #23 Parker Filius. Latona went 3-3 on the weekend with ranked wins over #7 Chris Cannon and #32 Jason Shaner on his way to a sixth place finish. The Hokies will open their home slate with a huge dual at Cassell Coliseum this weekend against #6 Missouri on Sunday.

141 lb Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion Brock Hardy (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) This week was the busiest and most action-packed for Big Ten teams so far this season. Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Northwestern and Purdue were all competing out west at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, while Michigan State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Indiana were busy competing against EIWA teams on the opposite side of the country at the Garden State Grapple in New Jersey. Meanwhile, Iowa and Penn State both faced intrastate foes in Iowa State and Lehigh, respectively. Minnesota earned an upset win over Oklahoma State on the road and Illinois held its home opener, splitting duals with Chattanooga and Pittsburgh. Here are five things we learned from Week 5: Iowa is nearing in on two decades of beating Iowa State. Iowa's win streak over their in-state rival, the Cyclones of Iowa State, is now old enough to vote. We just recently celebrated my nephew's 18th birthday, and he's only been alive in a world where Iowa has never lost in wrestling to Iowa State. That's not to say that some of these duals haven't been close over the years, but the fact remains that when these two teams have wrestled over the last 18 years, Iowa has ended the day as the better team. Iowa, coming off of a nice dual against Penn, had to bring out the big guns for ISU, and they had to bust them out right away. Spencer Lee made his season debut after missing most of last season to get surgery on both knees. Despite a bit of a slowdown midway through the match, he really looked great. Spencer has spoiled us over the years, looking more like a machine than a mortal man, but you could tell that he wasn't quite in peak Spencer Lee condition for this match. Regardless, he got the major decision, which helped the Hawkeyes gut this one out. Of note, Spencer mentioned after the dual that this was really the first time he's gotten the full Carvery Hawkeye crowd experience since before March of 2020. Glad he had a chance to get out there and get to work. Another Hawkeye debut came from Real Woods, who had to dig deep to get the win over Casey Swiderski. The match got a little heated at the end, but thankfully both of these teams like tough wrestling, so it was to be expected at some point. Cobe Siebrecht was super impressive to me in this one. He had a huge win in their previous dual against Penn, pinning Anthony Artalona in the second period. He showed an aptitude for big moves here when he was able to use a body lock to launch Jason Kraisser and really break open the match. Patrick Kennedy and David Carr was a match I had been looking forward to, especially since Carr got the nod at U23 Worlds this year over Kennedy. The result was in Carr's favor, and he looked good in doing so, but these are the sort of matches and feels you need to get if you're Kennedy. Nelson Brands got the other win for the Hawkeyes with a hard-fought 13-5 major decision over MJ Gaitan at 174. Brands was thought to possibly miss more time after a car accident earlier this year, but he's looked as dangerous as ever, and it was great to see him out there competing. He's looked great competing full-time at his natural weight so far, and you could tell by the smile on his face after that win, he's relishing these experiences. Next, the Hawkeyes will have their first home dual of the year this weekend as they travel south to take on Chattanooga. Minnesota takes out Oklahoma State in Stillwater The Golden Gophers snapped a six-dual losing streak, and got their first win in Gallagher-Iba Arena since 2013. They did so on the backs of several upset wins, which were gritty and truly impressive wins. They really looked great wrestling on top, creating action and scrambling in key situations, and finished each match strong. Especially at 197 and Heavyweight where Michial Foy gets a late escape and takedown, followed by Garret Joles getting an escape in OT rideouts to win 2-1. It helps when you're constantly getting extra battles in your room and have a tremendously deep lineup. Minnesota has 20 guys on the roster that currently have NCAA-ranked wins, so iron is continuously sharpening iron in that room. Patrick McKee gets another win over Mastrogiovanni, now being 2-1 over the Cowboy 125. Oklahoma State made a run winning three of the last four matches, including upset wins for Carter Young over Jake Bergeland at 141 and Kaden Gfeller over Brayton Lee at 157. Despite those two losses, this is an impressive win for Minnesota on the road, and will keep them rolling into their next dual this Friday night against former Golden Gopher, Roger Kish, and his North Dakota State Bison. Wisconsin, Rutgers, Indiana, and Michigan State go a combined 8-0 at the Garden State Grapple. The Big Ten sent some teams, the EIWA sent some teams, and this venture was decidedly won by the Big Ten. This event featured four teams from the Big Ten (Wisconsin, Rutgers, Indiana, and Michigan State), and four from the EIWA (Drexel, Penn, Princeton, and Binghamton), and they matched them up so that the teams should ideally get some challenging matches. Some duals were closer than others, but this was largely a one-sided affair and a statement by these Big Ten teams. Rutgers beat 15th-ranked Penn with the help from some upset wins at 125, 133, 197, and Heavyweight. Mean Dean Peterson started the dual off with a major decision over 17th-ranked Ryan Miller, which set the tone for the rest of the dual. Michigan State looked solid in their two wins. Most notably, Cam Caffey got the OT win over 7th-ranked Lou DePrez of Binghamton, then fell to 19th-ranked Luke Stout of Princeton. Layne Malczewski (184), Rayvon Foley (133), Tristan Lujan(125), Peyton Omania (149), and Jordan Hamden (141) were undefeated this weekend for the Spartans. Indiana's two wins at this event has them 4-0 on the season, with wins over Drexel, Binghamton, Princeton, and SIUE. This is the first time that Indiana has been 4-0 since their 2015-2016 season. Jacob Moran (125), Henry Porter (133), Caydon Rooks (141), Graham Rooks (149), Derek Gilcher (157), DJ Washington (174), and Jacob Bullock (HWY), all went undefeated for the Hoosiers at this event. Next up for the Spartans is a dual against Brown this Saturday (12/10), and for the Hoosiers, they will be competing next on 12/18 in the Reno Tournament of Champions. Wisconsin came to party, and party they did. They got wins over Princeton 38-3, as well as over Penn 27-9. They also walked away with the Big Ten's Outstanding Wrestler of the event in Braxton Amos (197), getting two ranked wins over the weekend over Luke Stout (19) of Princeton, and Cole Urbas (27) of Penn. Braxton was ranked 20th heading into this event. The rest of the cast of characters did what you'd expect. Eric Barnett (125) walked away with 12 team points and a combined :22 seconds of wrestling. Sure, he took a forfeit against Princeton, but the point remains the same. Austin Gomez got a nice win against 9th-ranked Doug Zapf of Penn, as well as a pin against the Tigers of Princeton. He joins Barnett (125), Hamiti (165), Tyler Dow (184), Amos (197), and Hilger (HWY), as the undefeated Badgers from this event. Wisconsin competes next against Drexel at home as part of the Wisconsin Wrestling Showcase on December 11th. Nebraska proves it's still king of Las Vegas We're in the fourth week of this column and have yet to feature Nebraska. The Cornhuskers have had a bit of a slow start to the season, dropping a tight slugfest against North Dakota State, 20-16, in its opener. With losing four All-Americans this season – Taylor Venz, Eric Schultz and CJ Red running out of eligibility and Ridge Lovett redshirting – it was fair to question whether Nebraska would be able to hold onto its reign as king of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. But, they did it. Not only did the Huskers pull off the three-peat, but they also did so with more points (137.5) and more champions (three) than the previous two years. Brock Hardy (141), Peyton Robb (157) and Mikey Labriola (174) each won crowns, three more finished in the top five and another made the medal stand. The highlight of the tournament for the Huskers had to be Labriola's sudden victory win over 2019 NCAA champ Mekhi Lewis, of Virginia Tech, in the finals to give Nebraska the three-for-three championship sweep. But there were plenty of other high points, as well. They include: Sophomore Brock Hardy's breakout performance, going from eighth seed to champ – pinning top-seeded Cole Mattin, of Michigan, in 39 seconds, along the way at 141. Bubba Wilson going to work in the consolation bracket after losing in the first round to finish fourth at 165. Unseeded freshman Lenny Pinto's two ranked wins, including a 5-4 decision over InterMat's then-No. 6 Trey Munoz, of Oregon State, at 184. No. 6-seed Silas Alred's 5-2 win over Ohio State's No. 3-seed Gavin Hoffman at 197. The Cornhuskers should be riding a new wave of confidence and momentum heading into their Dec. 18 dual at South Dakota State. The Jackrabbits also had an exceptional tournament in Las Vegas, placing third with eight medalists, setting up what's sure to be a can't-miss dual meet. While Nebraska still has some developing to do, the pieces of the puzzle became a little more clearer this weekend. Both Robb and Labriola have ascended to the No. 2 spot in their respective weight classes this week in the InterMat rankings and several others moved up – including Pinto, who vaulted from unranked to No. 12. Hardy also cracked the top 10. They should be making a lot more appearances in this weekly column. Intrastate rivalries are special and shouldn't be taken for granted Two of the oldest and most storied intrastate rivalries involving Big Ten teams were on display this past weekend when Iowa and Iowa State met up in Iowa City for the 86th official time in 110 years and Penn State and Lehigh battled for the 110th time. Prior to the Cy-Hawk match, Iowa coach Tom Brands tried to downplay this dual as being any more significant than any other dual on their schedule. But he couldn't quite help himself. “Is it significant? You're doggone right it is. You're doggone right it is,” Brands said in his weekly press conference. “It's a great opportunity for our guys. It's in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Great opportunity.” Both duals delivered on the hype. Nearly 15,000 fans filled Carver-Hawkeye and more than 6,000 packed a sold-out Stabler Arena in Bethlehem. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson has said several times in the past about how important it is for his team to be able to compete in front of their fans in different parts of the state. The brown and white at Stabler on Sunday was also speckled with a healthy mix of blue and white. Both duals lived up to the hypes when it came to action, too. Iowa vs. Iowa State was a back-and-forth battle that came down to bonus points and Penn State vs. Lehigh brought the drama when reigning national champ Max Dean was taken out by his former teammate Michael Beard, of Lehigh, in a high-scoring, action-packed battle. This marked Dean's second loss of the weekend. Wrestlers on both benches were on their feet throughout the bout and the crowd exploded when the clock ran out with Beard on top, 11-9. This performance gave credence to all the reports that had come out of Penn State's wrestling room last year about the two wrestlers being razor close in wrestle-offs. While recent history has been kinder to the Big Ten teams in these rivalries – Iowa is riding an 18-dual win streak in the series and Penn State has won 13 straight – there's always an extra level of drama and excitement when programs with as much history and that value the sport as much as these programs do get together. Even Brands didn't have to think long when asked about his favorite memory of the series – his teammate Brooks Simpson's fall over NCAA champ Eric Voelker, of Iowa State, which swung the match back in Iowa's direction to set up the win in 1988. Sometimes, traditions can be taken for granted, especially as time goes on and things change. But here's to hoping that these century-old rivalries continue to create memories for years to come.

133 lb Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational champion Vito Arujau (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) This weekend had an insane amount of wrestling. The EIWA was all over the country, making its presence known in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational out west. They also competed in the EIWA/B1G challenge, at the Garden State Grapple. We also had teams getting some non-conference dual action as well. This week's Outstanding Wrestlers were both crowned champions at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Cornell's Vito Arujau went on a tear to win 133lbs bracket, beating two former All-Americans in the process. He is a force to be reckoned with at his new weight class. The other Outstanding Wrestler this week was Cornell's Julian Ramirez. He avenged a loss to Columbia's Ogunsanya from EIWA's last season in the semifinals - before earning a first-period technical fall in the finals. Congrats to both Big Red Wrestlers! American The Eagles hosted the Army Black Knights to a dual, winning two of ten bouts, in a 27-6 loss. There were some other close losses as well, which could have made the score closer than indicated. The AU staff made some lineup changes, bumping up Raymond Lopez to 133 lbs and Jack Maida up to 141 lbs to try and snag two wins. Unfortunately, both of these resulted in a loss for American. Caleb Campos knocked off 28th-ranked Dalton Harkins by a 4-3 score. The second win for American came at 197lbs where Connor Bourne defeated Kyle Swartz. Max Leete suffered a one-point loss to Berginc (#10 @ 125lbs). Max Leete has had some great close losses this year. With a few tweaks to correct, he'll find himself winning these in March. American is getting better every week. They will be off until they compete at George Mason in a few weeks on December 18th. Army West Point As mentioned above, Army defeated American 27-6. They won four of the six closely contested bouts en route to victory. Richard Treanor defeated Lopez at 133 lbs, after Lopez bumped up. Julian Sanchez had a win by major decision over a tough Maida, after Maida bumped up to 141lbs. Nate Lukez (#31 @ 157lbs) took care of business with a major decision. Ben Pasiuk (#20 @ 174lbs) also worked for a major decision. This was a nice performance by Army, who is now 2-0 in the EIWA. They will have a tough conference match-up at Penn this Friday. Binghamton The Bearcats were participants in the Garden State Grapple. They squared off against Michigan State and Indiana, dropping both duals. Against Michigan State, only Sam DePrez (174lbs) and Cory Day (285) earned victories. Lou Deprez (#18 @ 197lbs) dropped a match to Cam Caffey (#17) in the ultimate tiebreaker after being in on the leg half a dozen times, failing to finish. Also, dropping a 1-0 decision to Layne Malczewski (#10 @ 184lbs) was Jacob Nolan #25 @ 184lbs). Against Indiana, the Bearcats dropped the first four matches, then got wins from Dimitri Gamkrelidze at 165lbs by major, Nolan at 184lbs won by fall, and Lou DePrez at 197lbs. This was not enough to stage a comeback, but the Bearcats competed hard. After nearly knocking off both North Dakota State, and Minnesota two weeks ago, this team is sneaky tough. I can't wait until the lineup takes form in the second semester. Before then, they will wrestle LIU at home this coming Saturday in a conference matchup. Brown The Bears were off over Thanksgiving and the weekend after. They will host two tough matches this weekend. They'll square off against #20 Pitt on Friday then #25 Michigan State on Saturday. Bucknell The Bison were in Las Vegas for the CKLV Invitational. Although they had no placewinners, the team scrapped hard, dropping matches to multiple highly-ranked opponents. Kurt Phipps (133lbs) won three matches, while losing two to top-10 opponents and former All-Americans. At 141lbs, 20th-ranked Darren Miller lost to two EIWA foes in #22 Vince Cornella of Cornell and #27 Josh Koderhandt of Navy. Kolby DePron had two victories on the weekend at 149lbs. At 157lbs, Nick Delp won three matches while losing to #2 Peyton Robb of Nebraska and #14 Trevor Chumbley Chumbley of Northwestern. Nolan Springer also won 3 matches at 197 lbs, losing both matches to ranked opponents. After the long weekend of wrestling, The Bison will be off this coming weekend. Columbia The Lions finished in 13th place out of 33 teams at the CKLV Invitational, walking away with two placewinners. Their highest finisher was Josh Ogunsanya (#12 @ 165lbs), who earned 5th place. His only ranked loss was to Cornell's Ramirez (#7 @ 165lbs), who went on to win the bracket. Josh had a win over #23 Matthew Olguin of Oregon State. At 157lbs, Cesar Alvan lost in the first round, only to rally off a few wins for 7th place. Alvan is having a nice year thus far with a 9-3 record. Expect to possibly see him in the rankings shortly. Going 2-2 on the weekend was Angelo Rini at 133 lbs. He had a win over #33 Boo Dryden of Nebraska, then dropped his second loss to Phipps of Bucknell. Columbia's 149lb wrestler, Danny Fongaro, went 3-2 in the event. Lennox Wolak almost upset Ethan Smith (#7 @ 174lbs) – which would have been the second time in this short season. Matt Kazimir had a tough break at 141 lbs, winning only twice. Both losses were to quality opponents in #16 Parker Filius of Purdue and #13 Ryan Jack of NC State. Columbia will face their third-ranked team (losses to #6 Michigan and #4 Ohio State) in a dual this week, when #20 Pitt comes to town Sunday afternoon. Cornell The Big Red had a great weekend in Las Vegas, as they crowned two champions and multiple placewinners. They finished seventh in the team race, without Yianni and Jacob Cardenas competing. Third-ranked Vito Arujau looked super impressive, winning the 133lb bracket and knocking off former All-Americans Sam Latona and Michael McGee (12th and 4th ranked, respectively). He seems to be settling into his new weight class without any speed bumps. Also winning a title, was Julian Ramirez. His path did not have any All-Americans, but he defeated Will Formato (26th) of App State, Cook (18th) of South Dakota State, and Ogunsanya of Columbia. Ramirez was defeated by Ogunsanya at EIWAs a season ago. Brett Ungar, at 125lbs, came onto the scene right away when he upset 11th-ranked Heinselman of Ohio State. He then beat Trombley of NC State on his way to a seventh-place finish. Chris Foca lost in the semifinals to Mekhi Lewis (#3 @ 174lbs) before earning bronze with a win over Cade DeVos (#19) of South Dakota State. Unfortunately, both Jonathan Loew (#6 @ 197lbs) and Lewis Fernandes (#15 @ 285lbs) were both forced to exit the competition early due to injury. Hopefully, they will be back in a few weeks when the Big Red travel to New Orleans for the National Collegiate Duals. Drexel The Dragons dropped two matches to their B1G opponents at the Grapple State Garden on Sunday. Evan Barczak (#24 @ 165lbs) was the first victory of the day for them. Brian Bonino was the other win against Indiana. The Dragons lost by a 29-6 score. One exciting match in this one was Cody Walsh nearly upsetting DJ Washington (#16 at 174lbs). The Dragons had a better outing against #24 Rutgers. Dom D'Agostino was the first winner at 157lbs for Drexel. Barczak and Walsh followed up with wins. Sean O'Malley won his bout at 197lbs also. With a few starters still banged up, the Dragons will have a tough road opponent in Wisconsin (#12) this weekend on Sunday afternoon. Franklin & Marshall The Diplomats dropped two close duals to both VMI (15-24) and Duke (18-19). Interestingly, Mason Leiphard had two forfeits on the day. Pat Phillips was up a weight class at 141lbs, and split matches on his day. Gio Diaz was up at 133lbs, winning both of his matches against larger opponents. F&M's John Crawford (197lbs) was also 2-0 on the day, after moving up two weight classes from a season ago. Finally, both Nick Alvarez (157lbs) and Noah Fox (174lbs) earned one win on the day. I'm sure the Diplomats are kicking themselves over these matches, but this will be a good lesson for the guys who came on the short end of the stick in the close matches. They will keep improving. They will battle D3 team Ursinus this week on Wednesday in a mid-week wrestling match. Harvard The Crimson were competing in the CKLV Invitational in Vegas. The lone place winner was heavyweight Yara Slavikouski, currently ranked seventh in the nation. This weight class was loaded, and Yara beat almost everyone thrown his way. He had impressive wins over #18 Grady Griess from Navy, #14 AJ Nevills of South Dakota State, and a quality opponent in Owen Trephan of NC State. Earning third place at this weight class is no joke. Great weekend for Yara, after tearing an ACL a year ago at this same event. Harvard's second highest-ranked wrestler, Philip Conigliaro (#12 @ 174lbs) lost to #5 Demetrius Romero of Utah Valley before injury defaulting out. At 157 lbs, Evan Gleason won two matches, as did Josh Kim at 165 lbs. This team had a great Keystone Classic, but that momentum did not entirely roll through into Vegas. Yes, these tournaments are vastly different in terms of quality. I was looking forward to seeing some of their young talent make some noise, but we'll need to wait for that. Next up, they compete at the Midlands after the holiday break. Hofstra The Pride also were at the Vegas Invitational. At 197lbs, Trey Rogers (#25) won three matches on the weekend. His lone losses were to #26 Jake Koser of Navy and #19 Kordell Norfleet of Arizona State. One more win would have put him on the podium. Also losing in the round of 12 was #26 Jacob Ferreira at 184lbs. His losses were to #9 Matt Finesilver and #13 TreyMunoz. Ferreira had a nice tournament, but he will need to find ways to beat these two to find the podium in March. Hofstra's 133lbs wrestler, Chase Liardi, also lost to two ranked opponents in Dylan Ragusin (#7) of Michigan and Kyle Biscoglia (#6) of UNI. The Pride caught some tough breaks in the brackets, but that's how the sport goes. Expect them to get back to the drawing board before their next dual versus American a few days before Christmas. Lehigh The Mountain Hawks hosted the top team in all the land, Penn State, in front of a sold-out crowd. Winning four of ten matches, they fell short by the score of 24-12. Carter Bailey (#31 @ 125lbs) and Connor McGonagle (#8 @ 133lbs) started the match off with wins. Josh Humphreys (#8 @ 157lbs) won by decision over #30 Terrell Barraclough. The final win occurred at 197 lbs for the Hawks. The match of the night did not disappoint, as former Penn State All-American Michael Beard (#4) upset his former teammate, and defending National Champion Max Dean (#1 @ 197lbs) in an 11-9 thriller that was worth the price of admission. Lehigh was outmatched by Penn State, but they should feel pretty good about this one. Beard had a big win, in many aspects. Look for him to keep the momentum going when the Mountain Hawks wrestle #28 Cal Poly and #11 North Carolina State at the Collegiate Duals in New Orleans in a few weeks from now. Long Island The Sharks took about half of their lineup to the Las Vegas Cliff Keen Invite. With a half-full lineup, they walked away with a few wins. Robbie Sagaris had a win over Sacred Heart's Mike Manta. Rhise Royster had some good results dropping a decision to Tommy Askey of App State and Luke Kemerer of Edinboro. Interestingly enough, Blake Bahna traveled all the way across the country to wrestle two EIWA opponents in Val Park of Navy and Josh Kim of Harvard. The Sharks were a little short-handed in Vegas. We'll see them return to action when they square off against Binghamton this Saturday 12/10 at Binghamton. Navy The Midshipmen were also at the Cliff Keen Invite in Las Vegas. 17th ranked Josh Koderhandt, at 141lbs, had quite the tournament – walking away in fourth place. With wins over Lawrence Saenz of Cal Poly, Darren Miller (#25) of Bucknell, and Dylan D'Emilio of Ohio State – he wrestled to a 6-2 record on the weekend. Jacob Koser (#26 @ 197lbs) earned a win over Trey Rogers (#27) of Hofstra on his way to a seventh-place finish. His two losses were to Isaac Trumble (#9) of NC State and Evan Bockman (#22) of Utah Valley. Grady Griess (#18 @ 285) was a round away from making the podium. Both of his losses came to #14 AJ Nevills of SDSU and #5 Yara Slavikouski of Harvard. Sammy Starr (174lbs) and David Key (#29 @ 184lbs) were both 2-2 in action over the weekend. Navy's two placers helped boost Navy up to 14th out of 33 teams. The Midshipmen will host (#19) Maryland on Sunday 12/11. Penn The Quakers competed against #19 Rutgers and #19 Wisconsin, dropping both duals 19-12 and 27-9, respectively. Anthony Artalona (#12 @ 157lbs) went 2-0 on the day with a win over #14 Garrett Model of Wisconsin. At 174lbs, 23rd-ranked Nick Incontrera was the other wrestler to go undefeated. He has a win over #28 Jackson Turley of Rutgers. Michael Colaiocco (#13 @ 133lbs) split matches, losing to #11 Joe Heilmann of Rutgers, but beating #19 Lamont of Wisconsin. At 165lbs, Lucas Revano earned a win over Connor O'Neill of Rutgers in his lone match. The Quakers let a few matches slip out of their grasp against Rutgers. This was a winnable match, and I know the team is kicking themselves over it. Moving forward, Penn will host Army this Friday and to try and get a “1” in that win column. Princeton The Tigers were up the road in Newark, competing in the Grapple in the Garden State. They were without NCAA runner-up Patrick Glory once again due to injury. They were forced to forfeit both matches, losing 38-3 to #11 Wisconsin and 21-15 to Michigan State. The only wrestler to go 2-0 on the day was Kole Mulhauser at 174lbs. Quincy Monday (#1 @ 157lbs) won his only match of the day over #15 Chase Saldate of Michigan State. Luke Stout (#16 @ 197lbs) had a busy day, going 1-1. He had an overtime loss to #14 Braxton Amos of Wisconsin. He followed it up with a major decision win over four-time NCAA qualifier, Cam Caffey (#17). At 165lbs, Blaine Bergey upset #32 Fish of Michigan State, to help close the gap for the team in the second dual. If Glory is healthy, you would imagine they win against Michigan State – so overall, not a bad day for them. They'll have a big, rivalry matchup with #25 Rutgers this Sunday at home. Sacred Heart The Pioneers were the final team at CKLV in Las Vegas. They did not have any place finishers, but they won some quality matches. Andrew Fallon went 2-2 on the weekend, including a close 4-3 loss to returning All-American Chris Cannon (#18) of Northwestern. Unfortunately, Nick Palumbo had to medically forfeit after his first match in the 157lbs bracket. The story is the same every week. The Pioneers will be wrestling the best in the country whenever possible. This was no exception. They will take this as a learning experience, and get back to work. They are off this weekend, but have two EIWA duals the following week.

197 lb Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational finalist Tanner Harvey (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Sun Devils Sixth Place Finish has mixed feelings Arizona State finished sixth at the Cliff Keen Invitational with 89 points. Although the Sun Devils finished near the top of the standings, questions are surrounding the team. First, Richard Figueroa claimed the lone title for the Sun Devils in the 125-pound class. Figueroa has a win over top-10 opponent, including his finals victory over Purdue's Matt Ramos, while Brandon Courtney is sidelined with an injury. Therefore, Figueroa is putting pressure on Courtney's starting spot for the 125-pound spot at ASU. Second, Michael Kilic took the starting role at 157 pounds compared to Max Wilner. Currently, both wrestlers have struggled this season since Jacori Teemer is most likely out for the season. As of now, ASU has no answer to fill the shoes of Teemer. Third, the 197-pound class has been wide open for a handful of years. However, Kordell Norfleet has been stuck as a top 25 wrestler for multiple seasons. Norfleet is struggling to push the Sun Devils into a higher position. Lastly, Cohlton Schultz was upset by South Dakota State's AJ Nevills. After medically forfeiting to eighth place, the Sun Devils have to be worried that Schultz is not untouchable. Schultz must work on his takedown offense and defense if he wants to remain atop. Luka and Legend Drive the Mustangs at Cliff Keen Cal Poly did not send a full lineup to the Cliff Keen Invitational, making them finish 24th with 11.5 points. Yet, Luke Wick and Legend Lamer made deep runs in their weight classes. Wick finished 3-2 in the 157-pound class including a major decision over Kilic. Lamer went 2-2 against a tough 165-pound bracket. However, Lamer earned one of Cal Poly's two pins in the tournament with a second-period fall over Kaden Hart in the first round. Beavers Prove to Be a Wrecking Force at Cliff Keen Oregon State's lightweights are not far behind Arizona State's squad. 125-pound Brandon Kaylor earned victories over Virginia Tech's Eddie Ventresca and Ohio State's Malik Heinselman to finish fourth. 133-pound Jason Shaner went 1-1 against Sam Latona. In addition, he picked up wins over North Carolina State's Kai Orine and CSU Bakersfield's Chance Rich on his way to a fourth-place showing. Tanner Harvey outperformed his fifth seed by finishing second in the 197-pound class. Harvey looks to sit atop of the Pac-12 with an early 5-2 victory over Norfleet.

Michael Beard (left) takes down Max Dean in Sunday's dual (photo courtesy of Juan Garcia; JCG Photography) The first quarter (or month) of the regular season is behind us and we moved into the second in a big way with a weekend that included the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, As is usually the case with Vegas, some superstars were on display, some new stars were made, and lots of upsets happened along the way. Vegas wasn't the only notable event though. Iowa's CyHawk dual took place and there was plenty to take away from that clash. Along with that, past team champs Minnesota and Oklahoma State renewed acquaintances, with plenty of surprising results. The weekend was closed out by teams from the Big Ten and EIWA wrestling at the Garden State Grapple. All in all, it was a busy week with lots to digest. We tried to narrow it down to “7 Big Stories from the Week in College Wrestling.” 1) 18 Straight There was a lot of talk this year that Iowa State would finally snap its losing streak against cross-state rival Iowa and hand the Hawkeyes their first loss to ISU under Tom Brands. After Sunday, those talks will stop for another ten months or so. Though Iowa State has improved and deservedly is ranked in the top ten, they are still a step behind their counterparts from Iowa City. A win from Tony Cassioppi at 285 lbs put the finishing touches on an 18-15 win for the Hawkeyes. As is normally the case when these two teams meet, the dual was a memorable one. It had a little bit of everything. The return of a superstar. Some heated moments and posturing from both sides. A stud freshman with a big win. Matches that will impact national rankings. Slight upsets. With a dangerous Cyclone lineup and some struggles from the 125 lb weight class this year, there were questions about whether Brands and staff would unleash Spencer Lee for the first time in 2022-23 and see his first action since December 2021. Lee returned and showed that he'll need some time to round into his typical self; but at the same time, still posted a major decision. For the full article, Subscribe to InterMat's Rokfin Page

Iowa 157 lber Cobe Siebrecht (photo courtesy of Mark Lundy; LutteLens.com) Saturday's Dual Results Army West Point 27 American 6 125 - Ethan Berginc (Army West Point) dec Max Leete (American) 4-3 133 - Richard Treanor (Army West Point) dec Raymond Lopez (American) 8-7 141 - Julian Sanchez (Army West Point) maj Jack Maida (American) 11-2 149 - Matthew Williams (Army West Point) dec Patrick Ryan (American) 6-4SV 157 - Nathan Lukez (Army West Point) maj Jack Nies (American) 13-4 165 - Caleb Campos (American) dec Dalton Harkins (Army West Point) 4-3 174 - Ben Pasiuk (Army West Point) maj Lucas White (American) 16-8 184 - Sahm AbdulRazzas (Army West Point) dec Colin Shannon (American) 10-5 197 - Connor Bourne (American) dec Kyle Swartz (Army West Point) 2-0 285 - Kade Carlson (Army West Point) dec Will Jarrell (American) 3-2 Illinois 32 Chattanooga 9 125 - Maximo Renteria (Illinois) fall Logan Ashton (Chattanooga) 5:40 133 - Lucas Byrd (Illinois) dec Brayden Palmer (Chattanooga) 5-0 141 - Danny Pucino (Illinois) fall Dayne Dalrymple (Chattanooga) 4:00 149 - Noah Castillo (Chattanooga) fall Kevon Davenport (Illinois) 3:28 157 - Lincoln Heck (Chattanooga) dec Anthony Federico (Illinois) 3-2 165 - Danny Braunagel (Illinois) tech Jackson Hurst (Chattanooga) 23-7 174 - Edmond Ruth (Illinois) dec Rocky Jordan (Chattanooga) 5-2 184 - Dylan Connell (Illinois) dec Matthew Waddell (Chattanooga) 3-1 197 - Zac Braunagel (Illinois) dec Jake Boyd (Chattanooga) 11-5 285 - Matt Wroblewski (Illinois) dec dec Logan Andrew (Chattanooga) 2-1 Pittsburgh 30 Illinois 6 125 - Colton Camacho (Pittsburgh) fall Maximo Renteria (Illinois) 5:15 133 - Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh) dec Lucas Byrd (Illinois) 4-3 141 - Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) dec Danny Pucino (Illinois) 4-2 149 - Tyler Badgett (Pittsburgh) dec Kevon Davenport (Illinois) 4-2 157 - Dazjon Casto (Pittsburgh) fall Luke Odom (Illinois) 4:58 165 - Danny Braunagel (Illinois) dec Holden Heller (Pittsburgh) 9-7SV 174 - Edmond Ruth (Illinois) dec Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh) 3-1SV 184 - Reece Heller (Pittsburgh) dec Dylan Connell (Illinois) 8-1 197 - Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) dec Zac Braunagel (Illinois) 3-1SV 285 - Jake Slinger (Pittsburgh) dec Matt Wroblewski (Illinois) 2-0 Sunday's Dual Results VMI 24 Franklin & Marshall 15 125 - Mason Leiphart (F&M) FFT 133 - Giovanni Diaz (F&M) dec Dyson Dunham (VMI) 7-5 141 - Pat Phillips (F&M) dec Freddy Junko (VMI) 9-2 149 - Ryan Vigil (VMI) dec Avery Clarke (F&M) 6-1 157 - Job Chishko (VMI) maj Anthony Micci (F&M) 10-1 165 - Braxton Lewis (VMI) tech RJ Moore (F&M) 20-4 174 - Jon Hoover (VMI) dec Noah Fox (F&M) 3-2 184 - Zach Brown (VMI) fall James Conway (F&M) 2:50 197 - John Crawford (VMI) dec Tyler Mousaw (VMI) 6-3 285 - Josh Evans (VMI) dec Chase Thompson (VMI) 4-0 Duke 19 Franklin & Marshall 18 125 - Mason Leiphart (F&M) FFT 133 - Giovanni Diaz (F&M) dec Drake Doolittle (Duke) 6-3 141 - Jarred Papscy (Duke) dec Pat Phillips (F&M) 3-1SV 149 - Logan Ferrero (Duke) dec Avery Clarke (F&M) 4-0 157 - Nicolas Alvarez (F&M) dec Nick Tattini (Duke) 7-6 165 - Gaetano Console (Duke) fall RJ Moore (F&M) 1:17 174 - Noah Fox (F&M) dec Conor Becker (Duke) 3-1 184 - Luke Chakonis (Duke) dec James Conway (F&M) 4-1 197 - John Crawford (F&M) dec Jack Wimmer (Duke) 4-3 285 - Jonah Niesenbaum (Duke) maj Chase Thompson (F&M) 13-2 VMI 28 Duke 9 125 - Tony Burke (VMI) FFT 133 - Dyson Dunham (VMI) maj Drake Doolittle (Duke) 10-0 141 - Jarred Papscy (Duke) dec Freddy Junko (VMI) 10-4 149 - Patrick Rowland (Duke) dec Ryan Vigil (VMI) 6-4SV 157 - Job Chishko (VMI) dec Preston Decker (Duke) 5-0 165 - Braxton Lewis (VMI) fall Gaetano Console (Duke) 2:43 174 - Jon Hoover (VMI) dec Conor Becker (Duke) 3-1 184 - Zach Brown (VMI) dec Luke Chakonis (Duke) 3-1 197 - Tyler Mousaw (VMI) dec Jack Wimmer (Duke) 6-3 285 - Jonah Niesenbaum (Duke) dec Josh Evans (VMI) 3-2 Penn State 24 Lehigh 12 125 - Carter Bailey (Lehigh) dec Gary Steen (Penn State) 3-1 133 - Connor McGonagle (Lehigh) dec Karl Shindledecker (Penn State) 6-1 141 - Beau Bartlett (Penn State) dec Malyke Hines (Lehigh) 8-4 149 - Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) fall Manzona Bryant (Lehigh) 2:28 157 - Josh Humphreys (Lehigh) dec Terrell Barraclough (Penn State) 6-3 165 - Alex Facundo (Penn State) dec Brian Meyer (Lehigh) 6-2 174 - Carter Starocci (Penn State) maj Jake Logan (Lehigh) 22-8 184 - Aaron Brooks (Penn State) dec Tate Samuelson (Lehigh) 8-3 197 - Michael Beard (Lehigh) dec Max Dean (Penn State) 11-9 285 - Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) tech Nathan Taylor (Lehigh) 18-0 Iowa 18 Iowa State 15 125 - Spencer Lee (Iowa) maj Corey Cabanban (Iowa State) 16-5 133 - Ramazan Attasauov (Iowa State) dec Cullan Schriever (Iowa) 3-1 141 - Real Woods (Iowa) dec Casey Swiderski (Iowa State) 4-2 149 - Paniro Johnson (Iowa State) dec Max Murin (Iowa) 3-1 157 - Cobe Siebrecht (Iowa) maj Jason Kraisser (Iowa State) 10-2 165 - David Carr (Iowa State) dec Patrick Kennedy (Iowa) 10-4 174 - Nelson Brands (Iowa) maj MJ Gaitan (Iowa State) 13-5 184 - Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) dec Abe Assad (Iowa) 3-2 197 - Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) dec Jacob Warner (Iowa) 4-3 285 - Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) dec Sam Schuyler (Iowa State) 9-2 Minnesota 18 Oklahoma State 12 125 - Patrick McKee (Minnesota) dec Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) 4-1 133 - Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) dec Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) 10-3 141 - Carter Young (Oklahoma State) dec Jake Bergeland (Minnesota) 5-1 149 - Michael Blockhus (Minnesota) dec Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State) 3-1 157 - Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma State) dec Brayton Lee (Minnesota) 2-0 165 - Andrew Sparks (Minnesota) dec Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State) 5-4 174 - Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) dec Bailee O'Reilly (Minnesota) 10-5 184 - Isaiah Salazar (Minnesota) dec Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State) 4-0 197 - Michial Foy (Minnesota) dec Luke Surber (Oklahoma State) 7-4 285 - Garrett Joles (Minnesota) dec Konner Doucet (Oklahoma State) 2-1TB Virginia 18 Campbell 16 125 - Anthony Molton (Campbell) dec Kyle Montaperto (Virginia) 6-5 133 - Dom Zaccone (Campbell) dec Garrett Grice (Virginia) 6-5 141 - Shannon Hanna (Campbell) dec Dylan Cedeno (Virginia) 5-1 149 - Jarod Verkleeren (Virginia) dec Chris Rivera (Campbell) 3-1 157 - Denton Spencer (Virginia) fall Troy Nation (Campbell) 1:10 165 - Justin McCoy (Virginia) dec Dom Baker (Campbell) 9-3 174 - Justin Phillips (Virginia) dec Cole Rees (Campbell) 2-1 184 - Neil Antrassian (Virginia) dec Caleb Hopkins (Campbell) 9-3 197 - Levi Hopkins (Campbell) maj Michael Battista (Virginia) 13-3 285 - Taye Ghadiali (Campbell) dec Jessie Knight (Virginia) 10-5 Wisconsin 38 Princeton 3 125 - Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) FFT 133 - Taylor LaMont (Wisconsin) dec Sean Pierson (Princeton) 6-4 141 - Joe Zargo (Wisconsin) maj Danny Coles (Princeton) 14-4 149 - Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) fall Rocco Camillaci (Princeton) 4:36 157 - Garrett Model (Wisconsin) tech Drew Lang (Princeton) 18-2 165 - Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) maj Blaine Bergey (Princeton) 13-5 174 - Kole Mulhauser (Princeton) dec Josh Otto (Wisconsin) 4-2 184 - Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) dec Nate Dugan (Princeton) 6-5 197 - Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) dec Luke Stout (Princeton) 3-1SV 285 - Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) maj Matt Cover (Princeton) 10-1 Rutgers 19 Penn 12 125 - Dean Peterson (Rutgers) maj Ryan Miller (Penn) 10-2 133 - Joe Heilmann (Rutgers) dec Michael Colaiocco (Penn) 3-2 141 - Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) dec Carmen Ferrante (Penn) 3-1SV 149 - Doug Zapf (Penn) dec Tony White (Rutgers) 7-2 157 - Anthony Artalona (Penn) dec Andrew Clark (Rutgers) 4-1 165 - Lucas Revano (Penn) dec Connor O'Neill (Rutgers) 9-8 174 - Nick Incontrera (Penn) dec Jackson Turley (Rutgers) 7-4 184 - Brian Soldano (Rutgers) dec Max Hale (Penn) 10-3 197 - Billy Janzer (Rutgers) dec Cole Urbas (Penn) 2-1 285 - Boone McDermott (Rutgers) dec Ben Goldin (Penn) 11-5 Michigan State 29 Binghamton 6 125 - Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) dec Micah Roes (Binghamton) 2-1 133 - Rayvon Foley (Michigan State) maj Anthony Sobotker (Binghamton) 13-1 141 - Jordan Hamdan (Michigan State) dec Nate Lucier (Binghamton) 5-0 149 - Peyton Omania (Michigan State) fall Michael Zarif (Binghamton) 1:38 157 - Chase Saldate (Michigan State) maj Conner Decker (Binghamton) 8-0 165 - Caleb Fish (Michigan State) dec Dimitri Gamkrelidze (Binghamton) 5-4 174 - Sam DePrez (Binghamton) dec Lucas Daly (Michigan State) 6-3 184 - Layne Malczewski (Michigan State) dec Jacob Nolan (Binghamton) 1-0 197 - Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) dec Louie DePrez (Binghamton) 2-1TB 285 - Cory Day (Binghamton) dec Ryan Vasbinder (Michigan State) 8-4 Indiana 29 Drexel 6 125 - Jacob Moran (Indiana) dec Antonio Mininno (Drexel) 3-2 133 - Henry Porter (Indiana) dec Kyle Waterman (Drexel) 5-3 141 - Cayden Rooks (Indiana) fall Deon Pleasant (Drexel) 6:19 149 - Graham Rooks (Indiana) dec Dom Findora (Drexel) 10-3 157 - Derek Gilcher (Indiana) maj Tate Nichter (Drexel) 12-2 165 - Evan Barzcak (Drexel) dec Nick South (Indiana) 6-4SV 174 - DJ Washington (Indiana) dec Cody Walsh (Drexel) 11-10 184 - Brian Bonino (Drexel) dec Drayton Harris (Indiana) 6-1 197 - Gabe Sollars (Indiana) maj Sean O'Malley (Drexel) 9-0 285 - Jacob Bullock (Indiana) dec Santino Morina (Drexel) 3-1 Wisconsin 27 Penn 9 125 - Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) fall Ryan Miller (Penn) :22 133 - Michael Colaiocco (Penn) dec Taylor LaMont (Wisconsin) 4-2 141 - Joe Zargo (Wisconsin) dec Carmen Ferrante (Penn) 4-3 149 - Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) dec Doug Zapf (Penn) 9-4 157 - Anthony Artalona (Penn) dec Garrett Model (Wisconsin) 3-2 165 - Dean Hamiti (Wisconsin) tech Adam Thompson (Penn) 19-4 174 - Nick Incontrera (Penn) dec Josh Otto (Wisconsin) 7-4 184 - Tyler Dow (Wisconsin) dec John Stout (Penn) 3-2 197 - Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) maj Cole Urbas (Penn) 9-1 285 - Trent Hillger (Wisconsin) dec Ben Goldin (Penn) 3-0 Rutgers 26 Drexel 13 125 - Dylan Shawver (Rutgers) dec Antonio Mininno (Drexel) 10-5 133 - Joe Heilmann (Rutgers) fall Jaxon Maroney (Drexel) 2:27 141 - Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) tech Deon Pleasant (Drexel) 18-3 149 - Tony White (Rutgers) dec Gabe Onorato (Drexel) 7-2 157 - Dom D'Agostino (Drexel) dec Al DeSantis (Rutgers) 7-6 165 - Evan Barczak (Drexel) dec Connor O'Neill (Rutgers) 7-1 174 - Cody Walsh (Drexel) maj Eric Freeman (Rutgers) 12-2 184 - Brian Soldano (Rutgers) dec Brian Bonino (Drexel) 9-3 197 - Sean O'Malley (Drexel) dec Billy Janzer (Rutgers) 3-0 285 - Boone McDermott (Rutgers) fall Liam Dietrich (Rutgers) :17 Indiana 25 Binghamton 16 125 - Jacob Moran (Indiana) dec Micah Roes (Binghamton) 5-4 133 - Henry Porter (Indiana) dec Ivan Garcia (Binghamton) 6-2 141 - Cayden Rooks (Indiana) dec Nate Lucier (Binghamton) 9-2 149 - Graham Rooks (Indiana) dec Michael Zarif (Binghamton) 4-0 157 - Derek Gilcher (Indiana) dec Conner Decker (Binghamton) 1-0 165 - Dimtri Gamkrelidze (Binghamton) maj Robert Major (Indiana) 13-4 174 - DJ Washington (Indiana) maj Sam DePrez (Binghamton) 13-3 184 - Jacob Nolan (Binghamton) fall Drayton Harris (Indiana) 6:38 197 - Louie DePrez (Binghamton) fall Gabe Sollars (Indiana) 4:51 285 - Jacob Bullock (Indiana) fall Cory Day (Binghamton) 3:45 Michigan State 21 Princeton 15 125 - Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) FFT 133 - Rayvon Foley (Michigan State) dec Sean Pierson (Princeton) 11-6 141 - Jordan Hamdan (Michigan State) dec Danny Coles (Princeton) 11-4 149 - Peyton Omania (Michigan State) dec Rocco Camillaci (Princeton) 3-2 157 - Quincy Monday (Princeton) dec Chase Saldate (Michigan State) 5-0 165 - Blaine Bergey (Princeton) dec Caleb Fish (Michigan State) 6-4SV 174 - Kole Mulhasuer (Princeton) tech Lucas Daly (Michigan State) 15-0 184 - Layne Malczewski (Michigan State) dec Nate Dugan (Princeton) 8-4 197 - Luke Stout (Princeton) maj Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) 11-3 285 - Ryan Vasbinder (Michigan State) dec Matt Cover (Princeton) 8-6SV

2x CKLV champion Mikey Labriola (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) 2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Placewinners Championship Finals 125 lbs - Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) dec Matt Ramos (Purdue) 3-2 133 lbs - Vito Arujau (Cornell) dec Michael McGee (Arizona State) 6-1 141 lbs - Brock Hardy (Nebraska) dec Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) 6-1 149 lbs - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) dec Kyle Parco (Arizona State) 6-2 157 lbs - Peyton Robb (Nebraska) dec Kendall Coleman (Purdue) 7-3 165 lbs - Julian Ramirez (Cornell) tech Tanner Cook (South Dakota State) 17-1 174 lbs - Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) 3-1SV 184 lbs - Trent Hidlay (NC State) dec Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) 8-2 197 lbs - Isaac Trumble (NC State) dec Tanner Harvey (Oregon State) 6-4 285 lbs - Mason Parris (Michigan) dec Lucas Davison (Northwestern) 6-4 Third Place Bouts 125 - Liam Cronin (Nebraska) dec Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) 4-2 133 - Kyle Biscoglia (Northern Iowa) MedFFT Jason Shaner (Oregon State) 141 - Ryan Jack (NC State) fall Josh Koderhandt (Navy) 5:16 149 - Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) dec Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) 2-1 157 - Ed Scott (NC State) InjDef Will Lewan (Michigan) 165 - Matt Olguin (Oregon State) fall Bubba Wilson (Nebraska) 5:41 174 - Chris Foca (Cornell) dec Cade DeVos (South Dakota State) 6-4 184 - Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) dec Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) 3-1SV 197 - Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) dec Evan Bockman (Utah Valley) 4-3 285 - Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) MedFFT Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) Fifth Place Bouts 125 - Malik Heinselman (Ohio State) dec Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) 11-5 133 - Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) dec Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) 3-1 141 - Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) MedFFT Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) 149 - Jackson Arrington (NC State) dec Alec Hagan (Ohio) 5-2 157 - Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) dec Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) 6-2 165 - Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia) MedFFT Austin Yant (Northern Iowa) 174 - Troy Fisher (Northwestern) MedFFT Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) 184 - Cade King (South Dakota State) fall Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) 1:17 197 - Silas Allred (Nebraska) MedFFT Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) 285 - Tyrell Gordon (Northern Iowa) dec AJ Nevills (South Dakota State) 3-1SV Seventh Place Bouts 125 - Brett Ungar (Cornell) MedFFT Kurt McHenry (Michigan) 133 - Chance Rich (CSU Bakersfield) InjDef Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 141 - Parker Filius (Purdue) dec Dylan D'Emilio (Ohio State) 12-6 149 - Chance Lamer (Michigan) tech Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) 18-2 157 - Cesar Alvan (Columbia) fall Tommy Askey (Appalachian State) 4:02 165 - Will Formato (Appalachian State) MedFFT Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) 174 - Aaron Olmos (Oregon State) dec Alex Faison (NC State) 3-1SV 184 - Matt Finesilver (Michigan) MedFFT Trey Munoz (Oregon State) 197 - Jacob Koser (Navy) MedFFT Kendall Norfleet (Arizona State) 285 - Owen Trephan (NC State) MedFFT Cohlton Schultz Team Scores 1. Nebraska 137.5 2. NC State 127.5 3. South Dakota State 123 4. Michigan 96.5 5. Northern Iowa 96 6. Arizona State 89 7. Cornell 83.5 8. Ohio State 82.5 8. Oregon State 82.5 10. Northwestern 81.5

All-American's Patrick Glory (left) and Eric Barnett (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) This weekend is just loaded with great wrestling events. Friday saw the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational kick-off and it will continue into Saturday. Sunday features our Dual of the Week, but also the Garden State Grapple from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Four Big Ten schools will square off with four EIWA teams with conference bragging rights on the line in a two-round of prearranged duals. This should be a treat for the home fans as two of the three New Jersey DI schools (Princeton and Rutgers) will be in attendance and Penn featured a handful of wrestlers from the Garden State. In attendance will be four programs that appear in InterMat's rankings in some form or fashion. With those caliber schools competing there are sure to be plenty of notable individual matchups. Below, we've targeted ten potential matchups to keep an eye on. There are plenty of other quality matches possible throughout the eight duals, plus we've only mentioned wrestlers that we expect to compete. 125 lbs - #2 Patrick Glory (Princeton) vs. #9 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) This is quite possibly the best possible match of the day and the only one between returning All-Americans. Actually, multiple-time AA's as both have made the NCAA podium twice. Hopefully, it comes to fruition, as Glory did not wrestle two weeks ago during Princeton's dual with Indiana. Though both are returning All-Americans, they have not met in college. Neither is shy about putting points on the board, so it should be an entertaining affair, as well. Glory was tested twice in week one as he won the Princeton Open, while Barnett suffered a loss in his 2022-23 season debut. 125 lbs - #17 Ryan Miller (Penn) vs. #20 Dylan Shawver/Dean Peterson (Rutgers) Above we mentioned that Patrick Glory was pushed twice in his first outing of the year. Rutgers tandem of Dylan Shawver and Dean Peterson were responsible for testing their in-state rival. The Scarlet Knights are still sorting out the starting role at 125, as both Shawver and Peterson seem capable of winning matches at nationals. Since this is a tougher of Rutgers' two duals on the day, maybe we get an insight into how this battle is progressing by the starter of the Penn dual. Ryan Miller is a returning third-place finisher and a good gauge of how the Rutgers pair stacks up. Both Shawver and Peterson suffered close losses to returning AA Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) at the Roadrunner Open. Miller went into Iowa and came away with a dual win via tech in the Quakers loss to the Hawkeyes. 133 lbs - #10 Michael Colaiocco (Penn) vs. #14 Joe Heilmann (Rutgers) The event is called the “Garden State Grapple” so it's appropriate to have a pair of Jersey natives squaring off as we'll likely see at 133 lbs. Michael Colaiocco has gotten off to a good start with his only two losses of the year coming to returning All-Americans. Colaiocco got a dual victory in Iowa over the Hawkeyes Cullan Schriever and is now 6-2. The graduate transfer from North Carolina, Joe Heilmann, is coming off a Roadrunner Open title, where he notched bonus points in four of five bouts. Heilmann's only loss on the year came to Arizona State's Michael McGee, someone who beat Colaiocco too. 133 lbs - #10 Michael Colaiocco (Penn) vs. #16 Taylor LaMont (Wisconsin) Colaiocco has his hands full Sunday with a pair of matches against top-16 opponents. His second match of the afternoon is slated to be against 2021 NCAA All-American Taylor LaMont. LaMont's first month competing for the Badgers hasn't gone exactly as planned, with losses in half of his four matches. He was upset by Zach Redding (Iowa State) at the Battle at the River City and was majored by Vito Arujau (Cornell) two weeks later. Earlier in the day, LaMont will hopefully stop his two-match losing skid against Princeton, then will a pair against the 2022 EIWA champion. 149 lbs - #10 Doug Zapf (Penn) vs. #2 Austin Gomez (Wisconsin) The last time we saw Austin Gomez on a wrestling mat he sent shockwaves throughout the wrestling world with a stunning 9-3 victory over three-time national champion Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell). Not only did Gomez hit a four-point move on Diakomihalis, but he also added a pair of additional takedowns for good measure. He remains one of the most dangerous wrestlers in the sport. Having the unenviable task of trying to slow down Gomez is Doug Zapf. A week ago, Zapf was involved in one of the weekend's most high-profile matches as his bout against Max Murin was targeted as a swing match in Penn's upset big against Iowa. The match itself lived up to the hype and Zapf was defeated in sudden victory after a prolonged scramble. Zapf has wrestled one of the most difficult schedules in the country thus far, as a match with Gomez would be his fourth against a top-ten opponent (in ten tries). 157 lbs - #1 Quincy Monday (Princeton) vs. #14 Garrett Model (Wisconsin) In a weekend that shaping up to be challenging for #1's, top-ranked 157 lber Quincy Monday has a pair of capable top-15 opponents to deal with. Monday has only seen action in one official bout this season, downing Indiana's Derek Gilcher, 8-4. He also participated in the All-Star Classic and competed against 2021 national champion David Carr (Iowa State) the third-ranked 165 lber. After a month of action, name the only Wisconsin starter with a perfect record? I'm sure you probably answered Garrett Model, right? Model is 4-0 with four hard-fought wins coming via regular decision. To be fair to his teammates, Model hasn't faced any ranked wrestlers yet. Now he has to deal with #1 (plus a tough Anthony Artalona). 157 lbs - #1 Quincy Monday (Princeton) vs. #15 Chase Saldate (Michigan State) After getting tested by Model, Monday will have to contend with 2021 Big Ten fourth-place finisher Chase Saldate. The two-time national qualifier for the Spartans comes to New Jersey sporting a 6-1 record. The only blemish came to red-hot Peyton Robb (Nebraska) at the Navy Classic. Though the competition isn't quite on par with Monday, Saldate has registered bonus points in all of his previous wins this season. 197 lbs - #19 Luke Stout (Princeton) vs. #20 Braxton Amos (Wisconsin) The next Princeton Tiger to have a pair of top-20 opponents from the Big Ten to deal with is Luke Stout. Stout was a 2022 EIWA Runner-up, as a freshman, in a deep 197 lb weight class. His only loss this season is to the now-famous Ethan Laird (Rider) by a point in the Princeton Open finals. Laird made news last night as he knocked off 2022 national champion Max Dean (Penn State). Stout's first opponent Sunday will be Greco-Roman world team member Braxton Amos. The highly-anticipated freshmen year for Amos was solid; however, didn't live up to his out-of-this-world expectations. With a season in Madison under his belt and more times getting down to 197 lbs, I'd expect a better year out of the Badger star. Amos showed that may be the case when he put together a 2-0 victory over #22 Jacob Cardenas (Cornell) that was instrumental in Wisconsin's upset of Cornell. 197 lbs - #19 Luke Stout (Princeton) vs. #17 Cam Caffey (Michigan State) In the nightcap, Stout has to deal with Michigan State's Cam Caffey. Though he hasn't faced any top contenders yet this year, Caffey is 3-0 with two techs and a fall. Last season, Caffey was responsible for the only loss on Max Dean's record during a national title-winning campaign. Caffey is looking to become an NCAA All-American for the first time in his tenure in East Lansing. Three times he's been seeded in the top ten at the NCAA Championships. Once he went out in the Round of 12 and in 2020 he was named an NWCA All-American. 197 lbs - #7 Louie DePrez (Binghamton) vs. #17 Cam Caffey (Michigan State) Before getting to Stout, Caffey will have to deal with the defending EIWA champion at this weight, Louie DePrez. Actually, DePrez's title was the third in his career. He's looking to get back to the NCAA podium after taking eighth in 2021 and coming up a match shy in Detroit. There's plenty of familiarity between the two as DePrez has beaten Caffey twice at the NCAA Tournament over the years. The first time came in 2019 and the most recent was in last year's Round of 16. With a sneaky-tough Binghamton team likely pushing Michigan State for the first time this year, this bout could have massive ramifications on the team score.

Sammy Sasso and Yahya Thomas (right) at the 2021 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) In a few hours, the 2022 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational will kick off its second day of action with the semifinals. On day one, there were plenty of upsets and incredible matches. The championship bracket will start at the semifinals, with lots of great potential matchups. Some of these competitors are meeting for the first time, while others have plenty of familiarity with each other. Below, with the assistance of the great website WrestleStat , are past collegiate meetings between CKLV Invitational semifinalists: 125 lbs Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) vs. Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) - No Previous Meeting #10 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) vs. #8 Matt Ramos (Purdue) - No Previous Meeting 133 lbs #3 Vito Arujau (Cornell) vs. #9 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) - Arujau 1-0 - 2021 College Duals (12-2 Arujau) #4 Michael McGee (Arizona State) vs. #5 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) - McGee 2-0 - 2021-22 Dual Meet/ECM (10-0 McGee) - 2022 NCAA Quarterfinals (8-7 McGee) 141 lbs #17 Brock Hardy (Nebraska) vs. #14 Ryan Jack (NC State) - Jack 1-0 - 2022 WrangleMania (9-7 Jack) #11 Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) vs. #22 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) - Split 1-1 - 2021-22 Dual Meet (11-4 Carlson) - 2022 Daktronics Open (8-6 Happel) 149 lbs #3 Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) vs. #7 Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) - Sasso 3-0 - 2020 Big Ten Championships (5-4TB Sasso) - 2021 NCAA Quarterfinals (8-3 Sasso) - 2021 CKLV Semifinals (6-4 Sasso) #4 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) vs. #5 Kyle Parco (Arizona State) - Parco 2-1 - 2021 NCAA Consolation Quarterfinals (9-5 Parco) - 2021 Mountaineer Invitational (Fall Parco) - 2022 NCAA Consolation Quarterfinals (9-4 Millner) 157 lbs #3 Will Lewan (Michigan) vs. #11 Kendall Coleman (Purdue) - Coleman 1-0 - 2019 Michigan State Open (Coleman 3-1 SV) #4 Peyton Robb (Nebraska) vs. #9 Ed Scott (NC State) - Robb 2-0 - 2022 NCAA Round of 12 (Robb Fall) - 2022 WrangleMania (Robb 8-2) 165 lbs #12 Austin Yant (Northern Iowa) vs. #26 Tanner Cook (South Dakota State) - Cook 1-0 - 2019-20 Dual Meet (Cook Fall) #8 Julian Ramirez (Cornell) vs. #10 Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia) - Split 2-2 - 2021 CKLV Consolations (Ramirez 13-5) - 2021-22 Dual Meet (Ogunsanya Injury Default) - 2021-22 EIWA Semifinals (Ogunsanya 6-4) - 2022 NCAA Consolation Round of 24 (Ramirez 14-3) 174 lbs #2 Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) vs. #9 Chris Foca (Cornell) - Lewis 1-0 - 2021 Collegiate Duals (Lewis 3-1 TB) #3 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) vs. #5 Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) - Labriola 1-0 - 2021 NCAA Consolation Semifinals (Labriola 5-4) 184 lbs #2 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs. Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) - No Previous Meeting #3 Trent Hidlay (NC State) vs. #4 Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) - Hidlay 1-0 - 2022 NCAA 5th Place Match (Hidlay 3-2) 197 lbs #21 Tanner Harvey (Oregon State) vs. #32 Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) - No Previous Meeting #14 Isaac Trumble (NC State) vs. #23 Silas Allred (Nebraska) - Trumble 1-0 - 2022 WrangleMania (Trumble 9-2) 285 #4 Lucas Davison (Northwestern) vs. #14 AJ Nevills (South Dakota State) - Davison 1-0 - 2021 CKLV Invitational (Davison Fall) #3 Mason Parris (Michigan) vs. #8 Wyatt Henderickson (Air Force) - No Previous Meeting

Rider 197 lber Ethan Laird (photo courtesy of Tony DiMarco/FantasyCollegeWrestling) Friday's Dual Results George Mason 28 Bloomsburg 15 125 - Markel Baker (George Mason) dec Bronson Garber (Bloomsburg) 10-4 133 - Cole Rhone (Bloomsburg) dec Josh Jones (George Mason) 6-4 141 - Josh Mason (Bloomsburg) fall Michael Rapuano (George Mason) 2:47 149 - Nathan Higley (George Mason) fall William Morrow (Bloomsburg) :43 157 - Peter Pappas (George Mason) maj Cade Balestrini (Bloomsburg) 10-1 165 - Drew Dickson (George Mason) tech Josh Bonomo (Bloomsburg) 16-0 174 - Logan Messer (George Mason) dec Matt Benedetti (Bloomsburg) 3-2 184 - Malachi Duvall (George Mason) maj Bruno Stolfi (Bloomsburg) 14-1 197 - Jon List (George Mason) dec Tanner Culver (Bloomsburg) 10-3 285 - Shane Noonan (Bloomsburg) fall Donovan Sprouse (George Mason) 2:28 Gardner-Webb 27 Bloomsburg 10 125 - Drew West (Gardner-Webb) fall Bronson Garber (Bloomsburg) 6:11 133 - Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) dec Cole Rhone (Bloomsburg) 4-2 141 - Josh Mason (Bloomsburg) maj Tyler Lamon (Gardner-Webb) 8-0 149 - Corbin Dion (Gardner-Webb) dec William Morrow (Bloomsburg) 11-6 157 - Cade Balestrini (Bloomsburg) dec Tyler Brignola (Gardner-Webb) 4-3 165 - Rodrick Mosley (Gardner-Webb) tech Josh Bonomo (Bloomsburg) 18-2 174 - Andrew Wilson (Gardner-Webb) dec Anthony DeRosa (Bloomsburg) 3-2 184 - Jha'Quan Anderson (Gardner-Webb) maj David Tuttle (Bloomsburg) 11-3 197 - Samuel Mora (Gardner-Webb) dec Tanner Culver (Bloomsburg) 5-1 285 - Shane Noonan (Bloomsburg) dec Abraham Preston (Gardner-Webb) 8-1 George Mason 22 Gardner-Webb 10 125 - Drew West (Gardner-Webb) dec Markel Baker (George Mason) 9-7 133 - Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) maj Josh Jones (George Mason) 11-2 141 - Anthony Glasl (George Mason) dec Tyler Lamon (Gardner-Webb) 7-1 149 - DJ McGee (George Mason) dec Corbin Dion (Gardner-Webb) 7-4 157 - Peter Pappas (George Mason) maj Tyler Brignola (Gardner-Webb) 20-9 165 - Rodrick Mosley (Gardner-Webb) dec Drew Dickson (George Mason) 10-5 174 - Logan Messer (George Mason) dec Andrew Wilson (Gardner-Webb) 9-5 184 - Malachi Duvall (George Mason) dec Jha'Quan Anderson (Gardner-Webb) 3-2 197 - Tyler Kocak (George Mason) dec Samuel Mora (Gardner-Webb) 3-2 285 - Jon List (George Mason) dec Abraham Preston (Gardner-Webb) 3-2 Missouri 38 West Virginia 3 125 - Peyton Moore (Missouri) fall Colton Drousias (West Virginia) 1:16 133 - Connor Brown (Missouri) fall Davin Rhoads (West Virginia) 4:25 141 - Allan Hart (Missouri) maj Jordan Titus (West Virginia) 11-2 149 - Brock Mauller (Missouri) maj Sam Hillegas (West Virginia) 10-2 157 - Jarrett Jacques (Missouri) dec Alex Hornfeck (West Virginia) 4-3 165 - Keegan O'Toole (Missouri) dec Peyton Hall (West Virginia) 3-0 174 - Peyton Mocco (Missouri) dec Scott Joll (West Virginia) 10-4 184 - Sean Harman (Missouri) FFT 197 - Austin Cooley (West Virginia) dec Colton Hawks (Missouri) 3-1 285 - Zach Elam (Missouri) dec Michael Wolfgram (West Virginia) 6-3 Buffalo 25 Gannon 16 125 - Jose Diaz (Gannon) dec Patrick Adams (Buffalo) 7-2 133 - Chase McLaughlin (Gannon) fall Tommy Maddox (Buffalo) 1:12 141 - James Ryan (Gannon) maj Jack Marlow (Buffalo) 11-2 149 - Nick Young (Gannon) dec Kaleb Burgess (Buffalo) 8-1 157 - Michael Petite (Buffalo) dec Dom Means (Gannon) 10-9 165 - Ty Raines (Buffalo) tech Robert Boley (Gannon) 28-13 174 - Jay Nivison (Buffalo) dec Cole Casilio (Gannon) 3-2TB 184 - Guiseppe Hoose (Buffalo) tech Anthony Glessner (Gannon) 27-9 197 - Eli Sheeran (Buffalo) fall Eddie Farrell (Gannon) 1:58 285 - Greg Hodulick (Buffalo) dec Ely Reese (Gannon) 4-3 Virginia 44 Queens 6 125 - Patrick McCormick (Virginia) maj Ashton Thompson (Queens) 15-3 133 - Erik Roggie (Virginia) fall Griffen Gonzales (Queens) 141 - Dylan Cedeno (Virginia) maj Melvin Rubio (Queens) 13-4 149 - Jarod Verkleeren (Virginia) tech Nico D'Amico (Queens) 19-1 157 - Denton Spencer (Virginia) tech David Makupson (Queens) 16-0 165 - Justin McCoy (Virginia) fall Caleb Moore (Queens) 174 - Justin Phillips (Virginia) maj JT Skalecki (Queens) 13-1 184 - Neil Antrassian (Virginia) tech D'Andree Hunt (Queens) 16-1 197 - Michael Battista (Virginia) tech Riley Kuhn (Queens) 22-5 285 - Jamikael Lytle (Queens) InjDef Ethan Weatherspoon (Virginia) Presbyterian 41 Truett-McConnell 0 125 - Dominic Chavez (Presbyterian) tech Brandon Navixay (Truett-McConnell) 21-6 133 - Khalid Brinkley (Presbyterian) maj Frankie Salcedo (Truett-McConnell) 12-4 141 - Jacob Brasseur (Presbyterian) tech Joshua Bledsoe (Truett-McConnell) 20-5 149 - Trenton Donahue (Presbyterian) dec Leonel Silvestre (Truett-McConnell) 5-3 157 - Michael Ramirez (Presbyterian) fall Breighton Flores (Truett-McConnell) 4:48 165 - Ty Chittum (Presbyterian) maj Spencer Fields (Truett-McConnell) 13-3 174 - Reed Douglass (Presbyterian) dec Ian James (Truett-McConnell) 9-3 184 - Cordell Duhart (Presbyterian) maj Hans Evatt (Truett-McConnell) 18-6 197 - Malcolm Wiley (Presbyterian) maj Nathan Cook (Truett-McConnell) 10-2 285 - Will Leonard (Presbyterian) dec Phillip Terrell (Truett-McConnell) 7-5SV Penn State 37 Rider 3 125 - Gary Steen (Penn State) dec Tyler Klinsky (Rider) 6-4 133 - Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) maj Richie Koehler (Rider) 23-9 141 - Beau Bartlett (Penn State) fall McKenzie Bell (Rider) 6:08 149 - Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) dec Quinn Kinner (Rider) 11-6 157 - Terrell Barraclough (Penn State) InjDef Jake Silverstein (Rider) 165 - Alex Facundo (Penn State) maj Hunter Mays (Rider) 13-4 174 - Carter Starocci (Penn State) maj Shane Reitsma (Rider) 18-6 184 - Donovan Ball (Penn State) dec Asa Terrell (Rider) 9-3 197 - Ethan Laird (Rider) dec Max Dean (Penn State) 3-1SV 285 - Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) maj David Szuba (Rider) 11-1

2022 CKLV Invitational semifinalist Cael Happel (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) 125 lbs Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) dec Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) 8-6 Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) dec Brett Ungar (Cornell) 6-2 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) dec Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) 6-4 Matt Ramos (Purdue) dec Jake Ferri (Kent State) 6-2 133 lbs Vito Arujau (Cornell) maj Cody Phippen (Air Force) 16-4 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) dec Chris Cannon (Northwestern) 7-2 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) dec Chance Rich (CSU Bakersfield) 6-1 Michael McGee (Arizona State) maj Kai Orine (NC State) 18-4 141 lbs Brock Hardy (Nebraska) fall Cole Mattin (Michigan) :39 Ryan Jack (NC State) dec Cleveland Belton (Oregon State) 6-1 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) dec Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) 7-1 Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) dec Vince Cornella (Cornell) 3-1 149 lbs Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) fall Alec Hagan (Ohio) 2:51 Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) dec Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) 5-2 Kyle Parco (Arizona State) dec Chance Lamer (Oregon State) 4-1 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) dec Jackson Arrington (NC State) 6-0 157 lbs Will Lewan (Michigan) dec Tommy Askey (Appalachian State) 8-2 Kendall Coleman (Purdue) dec Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) 6-5 Ed Scott (NC State) dec Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) 4-0 Peyton Robb (Nebraska) tech Peyten Keller (Ohio) 15-0 165 lbs Tanner Cook (South Dakota State) fall Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) :37 Austin Yant (Northern Iowa) maj Tony Negron (Arizona State) 11-2 Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia) dec Matthew Olguin (Oregon State) 5-2 Julian Ramirez (Cornell) dec Will Formato (Appalachian State) 6-1 174 lbs Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) fall Cade DeVos (South Dakota State) 1:51 Chris Foca (Cornell) dec Ethan Smith (Ohio State) 8-4 Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) fall Phil Conigliaro (Harvard) 5:44 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec Sal Perrine (Ohio) 9-2 184 lbs Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dec Anthony Montalvo (Arizona State) 5-3 Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) dec Trent Munoz (Oregon State) 5-4 Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) dec Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) 3-2 Trent Hidlay (NC State) dec Matt Finesilver (Michigan) 7-3 197 lbs Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) dec Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) 5-2 Tanner Harvey (Oregon State) dec Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State) 5-2 Silas Allred (Nebraska) dec Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) 5-2 Isaac Trumble (NC State) fall Jake Koser (Navy) 5:49 285 lbs AJ Nevills (South Dakota State) dec Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) 5-2 Lucas Davison (Northwestern) dec Tyrell Gordon (Northern Iowa) 6-1 Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) maj Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) 10-2 Mason Parris (Michigan) dec Owen Trephan (NC State) 8-1

All-Americans Yonger Bastida (left) and Jacob Warner at the 2021 CyHawk Dual (photos courtesy of Mark Lundy; LutteLens.com) Recently, Iowa has dominated the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry match against their in-state rivals. The Hawkeyes are favored once again this year, but Iowa State is probably closer than they have been in several seasons. The following is a match-by-match preview of the dual. Will Iowa State finally get a win or will it be 18 straight victories for Iowa? 125: Aidan Harris (Iowa) vs. No. 19 Kysen Terukina (Iowa State) The good news for Iowa is that they have the top-ranked 125-pound wrestler in the country on their roster. The bad news is that he is still on the comeback from injury and was not listed as probable for this dual. Harris has been filling in so far this season. This is his first year with the Hawkeyes after spending two years at Iowa Central, where he was an NJCAA All-American. So far this season, he has lost all four of his matches and given up bonus points twice. Terukina is in his third season as a starter for the Cyclones, and he has qualified for the last two NCAA tournaments. This season has gotten off to an interesting start. In his very first match of the year, he upset No. 9 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) in sudden victory. However, the following week, Terukina dropped a decision against No. 32 Eli Griffin (California Baptist). Based on the early season results, Terukina will be the heavy favorite in this contest. The Cyclones would love to tack on some bonus points here as well. However, Terukina has only been able to win with bonus against three Division I opponents in his career. While Harris was listed, don't totally rule out a return by Spencer Lee. If the dual is close and 125 ends up being one of the final weights, I could see Lee making his season debut. Prediction: For the full article, Subscribe to InterMat's Rokfin Page

The 2022 NCAA Championships (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) 125 lbs Tanner Jordan (South Dakota State) vs. Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) vs. Brett Ungar (Cornell) Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) vs. Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) Jake Ferri (Kent State) vs. Matt Ramos (Purdue) 133 lbs Vito Arujau (Cornell) vs. Cody Phippen (Air Force) Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) vs. Chris Cannon (Northwestern) Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) vs. Chance Rich (CSU Bakersfield) Kai Orine (NC State) vs. Michael McGee (Arizona State) 141 lbs Cole Mattin (Michigan) vs. Brock Hardy (Nebraska) Cleveland Belton (Oregon State) vs. Ryan Jack (NC State) Tom Crook (Virginia Tech) vs. Cael Happel (Northern Iowa) Vince Cornella (Cornell) vs. Clay Carlson (South Dakota State) 149 lbs Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) vs. Alec Hagan (Ohio) Colin Realbuto (Northern Iowa) vs. Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) Kyle Parco (Arizona State) vs. Chance Lamer (Michigan) Jackson Arrington (NC State) vs. Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State) 157 lbs Will Lewan (Michigan) vs. Tommy Askey (Appalachian State) Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern) vs. Kendall Coleman (Purdue) Ed Scott (NC State) vs. Cael Swensen (South Dakota State) Peyten Keller (Ohio) vs. Peyton Robb (Nebraska) 165 lbs Carson Kharchla (Ohio State) vs. Tanner Cook (South Dakota State) Tony Negron (Arizona State) vs. Austin Yant (Northern Iowa) Josh Ogunsanya (Columbia) vs. Matthew Olguin (Oregon State) Will Formato (Appalachian State) vs. Julian Ramirez (Cornell) 174 lbs Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) vs. Cade DeVos (South Dakota State) Chris Foca (Cornell) vs. Ethan Smith (Ohio State) Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) vs. Phil Conigliaro (Harvard) Sal Perrine (Ohio) vs. Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) 184 lbs Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) vs. Anthony Montalvo (Arizona State) Lenny Pinto (Nebraska) vs. Trent Munoz (Oregon State) Kaleb Romero (Ohio State) vs. Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) Matt Finesilver (Michigan) vs. Trent Hidlay (NC State) 197 lbs Tanner Sloan (South Dakota State) vs. Andy Smith (Virginia Tech) Tanner Harvey (Oregon State) vs. Kordell Norfleet (Arizona State) Gavin Hoffman (Ohio State) vs. Silas Allred (Nebraska) Jake Koser (Navy) vs. Isaac Trumble (NC State) 285 lbs Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State) vs. AJ Nevills (South Dakota State) Tyrell Gordon (Northern Iowa) vs. Lucas Davison (Northwestern) Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) vs. Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) Owen Trephan (NC State) vs. Mason Parris (Michigan)

#3 ranked 184 lber Trent Hidlay (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Duke: The Blue Devils head a couple hours north to face Franklin & Marshall and VMI in Lexington, VA on Sunday. #21 Jonah Neisenbaum will look to add to his 9-1 start with matches against Josh Evans (VMI) and Franklin & Marshall. North Carolina: The Tar Heels are off this week and will return to action on 12/15 against Appalachian State. North Carolina State: The Wolfpack shift to tournament mode as they head to Vegas for the CKLV. They send a full lineup with one minor change from what we have seen in duals thus far. Alex Faison will get the nod at 174 as they continue to determine the starter for the weight. #29 Jarrett Trombley--9 Seed at 125 #24 Kai Orine--11 seed at 133 #14 Ryan Jack--4 seed at 141 #22 Jackson Arrington--7 seed at 149 #9 Ed Scott--4 seed at 157 Donald Cates--165 Alex Faison--174 #3 Trent Hidlay--2 seed at 184 #14 Isaac Trumble--2 seed at 197 #19 Owen Trephan--10 seed at 285 Check out Earl's article for a full CKLV preview #21 Pittsburgh: The Panthers travel to Illinois for a Saturday showdown with the #27 Illini. There will be a few big matches between ranked wrestlers and several toss-up matches of pretty evenly paired wrestlers. This has the potential to be a very entertaining dual. Big matches to keep an eye on: 125: Colton Camacho v #24 Justin Cardani 133: #11 Micky Phillippi v #6 Lucas Byrd 165: #14 Holden Heller v #19 Danny Braunagel 174: #33 Luca Augustine v #10 Edmond Ruth 197: #8 Nino Bonaccorsi v #15 Zac Braunagel Virginia: The Hoos travel to North Carolina for a pair of duals against Queens and Campbell. UVA is heavily favored over Queens, a program making their transition into D1 competition. The dual against Campbell last year was excellent, and I expect another good one in Buies Creek. Looking through the lineups, there should be some fun matchups in this one. 133: Erik Roggie v #28 Gabe Hixenbaugh 141: Dylan Cedeno v Shannon Hanna 149: #29 Jarod Verkleeren v Callum Sitek 157: #26 Jake Keating v #33 Troy Nation 165: #9 Justin McCoy v Riley Augustine 184: #30 Neil Antrassian v #18 Caleb Hopkins 285: Gabe Christenson v #13 Taye Ghadiali Virginia Tech: The Hokies will also head west to compete in the CKLV. Virginia Tech will have a limited roster for the CKLV, but will have some heavy hitters in the lineup. Here are the Hokies making the trip: #16 Eddie Ventresca--5 seed at 125 #9 Sam Latona--5 seed at 133 #13 Tom Crook--3 seed at 141 Drew Nicholson--165 #2 Mekhi Lewis--1 seed at 174 #9 Hunter Bolen--6 seed at 184 #32 Andy Smith--9 seed at197 Check out Earl's article for a full CKLV preview

Arizona State 125 lber Richie Figueroa (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Welcome all to Jagger Bag 1000 here at Intermat. What's that? It's only like my 45th? Oh. My bad. I had a whole speech ready and everything. Forget it, there's a lot going on so I'll get right to the questions. Is there a better event this weekend than the Garden State Grapple at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ? Representing the Big Ten are Rutgers, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Indiana. EIWA reps include Binghamton, Drexel, Penn, and Princeton. Mike Abromitis Gee, I don't know. There's some tough competition this weekend. The CKLV is the first major tournament of the year and sets the tone for the next few months. The good news for fans is that they aren't on the same day, so it's not a problem. Now the annual CYHawk dual on Sunday is a bit of an issue. But one dual first, multiple good duals at one location? I‘ll have to side with The Grapple on that one and catch up on Cyhawk later. I think the GSG is a great event and I love that they hold it in North Jersey. We have plenty of fans up here and the closest we can go to see matches are to travel to South Jersey. Something no self-respecting North Jerseyan ever wants to do unless it's out of necessity. Best place for a post-match meal in Newark? Kevin McGuigan I'm no expert on the fine dining of Newark, but...they are quite known for their Rodizio restaurants that are near the Prudential Center, so I'd recommend looking into that. Get your Ironbound Section on while enjoying various meats and some pineapple. You can thank me later. Who will be the breakout star from the CKLV? Jim Dutrow Vince Cornella of House Cornell at 141. The murkiest weight class will get even murkier when the Corndog rips it up in Vegas. Also, keep an eye on Richie Figueroa at 125. Figs might be the best wrestler in college who doesn't have a starting spot. Or maybe he is the starter, we simply have no idea what's going on with Courtney. How's the new pup? Please include a new picture. 184 at Cliff Keen who do you like for the win? Lana Mockler Rowley Sylvie is doing well! She seems to have made herself comfortable quickly, but we need to work on the chewing of wires! Thanks for asking! I'll tell you what, I'll tweet out a pic when this mailbag comes out. It's a little tough to go against a Hidlay-Keckeisen final, but I'll go out on a limb and pick Matt FInesilver simply because he hasn't been mentioned here today and it's in my contract to do so. Should Russian wrestlers be allowed to compete internationally again? Eric Asselin Of course, they should be allowed. And the sooner the better. The world is a messed up place and unfortunately, these things sometimes get caught up in the mess. I just hope these guys aren't getting thrown into uniform right now to fight a war that they likely don't give a hoot about. CKLV, Scuffle, or Midlands. Which one would you want to go to? Mat Jerms Podcast Cliff Keen without hesitation. It's the best location. One of these years the Las Vegas Raiders will be good and I'll make my way out there for the tournament and a game. Hopefully to see them mollywhop the Chiefs for a perfect weekend. Who loses first amongst the PSU big four? Dean, RBY, Starocci, or Brooks? Bonus question, did you miss me? Jkos11 Of course, I missed you! Why do you think I can barely do this column every week now? It's very depressing without you here. As far as your real question goes, that's a tough one. We may not know the answer until March, if there's an answer at all. I feel that Roman and Brooks have the toughest weights, but they've proven in the last two years that it doesn't really matter and they're virtually unbeatable at this point. You can pretty much say the same for Carter Starocci after his second win over Mekhi Lewis. By default, I have to say Max Dean. Simply because it's the deepest weight class of the four in my opinion. We just saw Rocky Elam dismantle Warner, Yonger Bastida continues to improve, and Louie Deprez and Braxton Amos, both now have a year of adjustment to the class after coming up and coming down, respectively. I realize Amos didn't wrestle heavyweight, but everyone knows it was a tough cut last year. What does the Spotify Wrapped look like? Jagcast coming soon? CEO of Italians Back in my day, we didn't care about how many minutes of music or what songs we listened to the most. You kids these days are just too weird for me. I don't see any podcasts coming any time soon. I'm better off as a guest and I don't even want to do that. Pulp or no pulp in your Orange Juice? Tsabolov Brands In this house, we eat the orange. But when in liquid form, I do prefer no pulp. Should Rhino have to use a roster spot for Gable? The Big Sleezy Yes, the DLMT fantasy league is still doing their draft a month into the season. As commish of the league, I've read the portents and the portents state that he's allowed to be rostered in a designated, non-roster spot along with any other wrestler with eligibility who is not on a current roster. Some guys like to tease that they're coming back after the sacred tradition of leaving shoes on the mat, other guys take gap years, and some are currently selling socks in Florida. The fact is, they all have eligibility left and should be able to be reserved in fantasy without penalty. Worse owner: Daniel Snyder or Rhino in the DLMT dynasty fantasy league? Rhino You may be a lot of things. Internet troll. Vague tweeter of sporting events. Doctor who I would never let operate on me. Patriots fan. Fosterer of dogs. Shrinker of the sport of wrestling. Meme God. But worse owner than one of the worst humans on the face of the Earth? Don't be so down on yourself. Jagger, how did you get so damn good-looking?Johnstown Steel It's all about the hair. If you got it, flaunt it. Huge weekend coming up! Forget about the Christmas lights. They can wait. Check the viewer guide for streams and watch some wrestling. Jags out.

Two-time All-American Stephen Buchanan (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Two days ago, the #2 ranked 197 lber, Stephen Buchanan, put his name into the transfer portal. Today, he announced via social media his intention to transfer from Wyoming to Oklahoma. Buchanan has earned All-American honors twice during his three years competing for the Cowboys. In 2021-22, Buchanan went 28-3 and captured his first Big 12 championship, on his way to a third-place finish in Detroit. Earlier in the season, Buchanan became the first Wyoming wrestler to win the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational since Shane Onufer and Joe LeBlanc did so in 2011. That led to a second seed for Buchanan at the 2022 national tournament. In 2021-22, Buchanan was a conference runner-up before finishing eighth in the nation. Buchanan has not competed at all during the 2022-23 campaign and does have a redshirt year available. He competed right out of the gate for Wyoming in 2019-20. Should he choose to use them, Buchanan could have two additional years of eligibility, as well. Oklahoma currently has #26, Keegan Moore, at 197 lbs. Moore is in his last year of eligibility. Buchanan will join a familiar face in Norman as former Wyoming assistant coach Teyon Ware returned to his alma mater in the offseason and has assumed a role on the Sooner sidelines.

Lock Haven 174 lber Tyler Stoltzfus (photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) Maybe it's fitting that one of the slowest weeks in competition for the season occurred during the week of the most gluttonous holidays. Most of it, a snoozefest. Either by the lack of usual duals and tournaments, or because of the tryptophan. Maybe both. That doesn't mean it didn't have its moments. Penn at Iowa lived up to the billing (to me at least), and some fantasy wrestlers made some strides up the leaderboards. Unless you picked up in the transfer portal correctly, chances are your Week 4 scoreboard looked something like mine: a win, 6 Fpts to 3 (take THAT, JR Hewitt!). But there were a few standout stars on the tournament circuit. 174 Tyler Stoltzfus of Lock Haven went with four straight pins to get the high weekly score of 24 Fpts. Followed by his teammate (and probably practice-partner) 165 Avery Bassett, who himself had three pins for 18 Fpts. Tied for second, with three pins of his own (and a win by MFF), was 184 James Lledo (PITT) and Cornell's 149 JJ Wilson was one point shy with 17 Fpts in five matches. In the overall Fantasy Wrestler Standings, 285 Mason Parris (MICH) added a pin to bring his season total to 41 Fpts, but slipped from #1 to #4 thanks to some tourney performances by 149 John Millner (APP) and 157 Peyten Keller (OHIO), both with 45 Fpts but Millner having the better Points-Per-Match of 4.5 to 3.5, respectively. Army's 125 Ethen “the C is Silent” Berginc had 5 matches in Week 3 (18 Fpts) which helped him keep the #3 spot, despite not wrestling in Week 4. On to Week 5 It's Vegas week, which means for another year I get to post a favorite song of mine (with the star of the show, direct from the bar - Dean Martin). Of last year's Top-20 Teams, 18 will be in competitions this week as well as 73 of the 80 D1 teams. Most teams will be at CKLV (10 of last season's Top-20 teams and 33 of the D1 teams). Cliff Keen Las Vegas has become one of the top tournaments during the regular season, even if some teams decide to Triple-S (Strategically Sit for Seeding) or because of injury or because, who the hell knows why. Outside of CKLV, a couple other tournaments to keep an eye on include the Cougar Clash and Patriot Open. Both these tournaments should have a good number of D1 schools participating to allow for a good Fantasy scoring opportunity. Other than the typical duals, The Garden State Grapple (EIWA/Big Ten Challenge) will be throwing down in Taylor Ham country, which will give those selected teams two duals on the day. See all upcoming tournaments HERE on WrestleStat. Tournament entries continue to update the closer to registration cut-off/day of the event, and we don't want to make an "ass out of u and me" with teams and entries, so be sure to check back and turn those notifications "ON" for our updates and news. A reminder of some important rules: Wrestlers entered at a weight must compete at that weight or else their results will not be counted. Wrestlers in the "Floater" spots can compete at ANY weight and accumulate Fantasy points. A wrestler will LOCK on your roster at 12pm ET on the day of their first competition for the week. (refer to the Master Team Schedule, Week 2 Visual, or SHP's Weekly Preview) Only results against D1 competition (starters, backups, and redshirts) will count towards Fantasy Points. Check your league settings to know how many add/drops are permitted per week. Have a question, concern, suggestions, or just want to chat about Fantasy Wrestling? Hit us up on Twitter or head over to the InterMat Forums where we have a Fantasy Wrestling dedicated Forum page! Be sure to listen to the #FCWpodcast as well for other hidden nuggets and detailed discussion on these wrestlers (and deeper, riskier picks) to help you win the week! Wrestlers I Like This Week Wrestler (School)- competition for the week [Proj Score] *organized by tournament name first, then by school name* 125 Richie Figueroa (ASU)- CKLV Michael DeAugustino (NW)- CKLV Brandon Kaylor (ORST)- CKLV Matt Ramos (PUR)- CKLV Anthony Noto (LHU)- Vs Davidson [+5], Patriot Open Pat Glory (PRIN)- Garden State Grapple (WISC & MSU) [+7] Dylan Shawver/Dean Perterson (RUT)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & DREX) [+7] Kysen Terukina (ISU)- @ Iowa [+5] Noah Surtin (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+5] Ethan Berginc (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Carter Bailey (LEH)- Vs Penn State [+3] 133 Michael McGee (ASU)- CKLV Vito Arujau (COR)- CKLV Roman Bravo-Young (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+9] Lucas Byrd (ILL)- Vs Pittsburgh, Vs Chattanooga [+7] Henry Porter (IND)- Garden State Grapple (BING & DREX) [+7] Rayvon Foley (MSU)- Garden State Grapple (BING & PRIN) [+7] Cole Rhone (BU)- Patriot Duals [+6] Michael Colaiocco (PENN)- Garden State Grapple (RUT & WISC) [+6] Daton Fix (OKST)- Vs Minnesota [+4] Connor Brown (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3] 141 Vince Cornella (COR)- CKLV Brock Hardy (NEB)- CKLV Ryan Jack (NCST)- CKLV Zach Price (GWU)- Patriot Duals [+7] , Patriot Open Sammy Alvarez (RUT)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & DREX) [+8] Beau Bartlett (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+7] Joseph Zargo (WISC)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & PRIN) [+6] Julian Sanchez (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Jake Bergeland (MINN)- @ Oklahoma State [+3] Cole Matthews (PITT)- @ Illinois [+3] 149 John Millner (APP)- CKLV Kyle Parco (ASU)- CKLV Sammy Sasso (OHST)- CKLV James Latona (NAVY)- Patriot Open Jarrod Verkleeren (UVA)- @ Queens , @ Campbell [+9] Austin Gomez (WISC)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & PRIN) [+7] Graham Rooks (IND)- Garden State Grapple (BING & DREX) [+6] Brock Mauller (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+4] 157 Will Lewan (MICH)- CKLV Peyton Robb (NEB)- CKLV Ed Scott (NCST)- CKLV Paddy Gallagher (OHST)- CKLV Clayton Ulrey (VT)- Patriot Open Peter Pappas (GMU)- Patriot Duals [+6] , Patriot Open Ashton Eyler (LHU)- Vs Davidson [+3], Patriot Open Quincy Monday (PRIN)- Garden State Grapple (WISC & MSU) [+7] Anthony Artalona (PENN)- Garden State Grapple (RUT & WISC) [+6] Nathan Lukez (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Josh Humphreys (LEH)- Vs Penn State [+3] Brayton Lee (MINN)- @ Oklahoma State [+3] Jarrett Jacques (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3] Dazjon Casto (PITT)- @ Illinois [+3] 165 Julian Ramirez (COR)- CKLV Carson Kharchla (OHST)- CKLV Roderick Mosley (GWU)- Patriot Duals [+7] , Patriot Open Avery Bassett (LHU)- Vs Davidson [+4], Patriot Open Justin McCoy (UVA)- @ Queens, @ Campbell [+10] Dean Hamiti (WISC)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & PRIN) [+9] Evan Barczak (DREX)- Garden State Grapple (IND & RUT) [+8] Caleb Fish (MSU)- Garden State Grapple (BING & PRIN) [+8] Dalton Harkins (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Keegan O'Toole (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3] 174 Michael Labriola (NEB)- CKLV Mekhi Lewis (VT)- CKLV Logan Messer (GMU)- Patriot Duals [+8] , Patriot Open Tyler Stoltzfus (LHU)- Vs Davidson [+4], Patriot Open Carter Starocci (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+9] Donnell Washington (IND)- Garden State Grapple (BING & DREX) [+7] Edmond Ruth (ILL)- Vs Chattanooga , Vs Pittsburgh [+6] Nick Incontrera (PENN)- Garden State Grapple (RUT & WISC) [+6] Ben Pasuik (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Peyton Mocco (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3] Dustin Plott (OKST)- Vs Minnesota [+3] 184 Trent Hidlay (NEB)- CKLV Parker Keckeisen (UNI)- CKLV Kaleb Romero (OHST)- CKLV Trey Munoz (ORST)- CKLV Malachi Duvall (GMU)- Patriot Duals [+7] , Patriot Open Sam Fisher (VT)- Patriot Open Brian Soldano (RUT)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & DREX) [+10] Aaron Brooks (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+8] Layne Malczewski (MSU)- Garden State Grapple (BING & PRIN) [+7] Sahm AbdulRazzaq (ARMY)- @ American [+3] Sean Harman/Colton Hawks (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3] Reece Heller (PITT)- @ Illinois [+3] 197 Issac Trumble (NCST)- CKLV Tanner Sloan (SDSU)- CKLV Max Dean (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+6] Lou DePrez (BING)- Garden State Grapple (MSU & IND) [+7] Tyler Mousaw (VMI)- Vs Duke, Vs Franklin & Marshall [+7] Rocky Elam (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+4] Nino Bonaccorsi (PITT)- @ Illinois [+3] 285 Cohlton Schultz (ASU)- CKLV Mason Parris (MICH)- CKLV Yaraslau Slavilouski (HARV)- CKLV Triston Norris (APP)- Patriot Open Issac Reid (LHU)- Vs Davidson [+4], Patriot Open Greg Kerkvliet (PSU)- @ Rider, @ Lehigh [+9] Joshua Neisenbaum (DUKE)- Vs Franklin & Marshall, @ VMI [+6] Trent Hillger (WISC)- Garden State Grapple (PENN & PRIN) [+6] Taye Ghadiali (CAMP)- Vs Virginia [+4] Anthony Cassioppi (IOWA)- Vs Iowa State [+4] Zach Elam (MIZZ)- Vs West Virginia [+3]

From left: Dylan Ragusin, Vito Arujau, and Michael McGee (photos courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) One of the major landmarks of the collegiate wrestling season is the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational which is normally held during the first weekend in December. There's about a month of action underway before the tournament so we typically have a feel for who's who at each weight. Vegas is a large, individually bracketed tournament that features plenty of top teams, so it provides even more clarity once the smoke clears on Saturday evening. The 2022 CKLV is expected to include one of the top-ranked wrestlers at his respective weight and nine of the top 20 tournament teams in the nation. Below is a weight-by-weight preview of the action along with picks for the semifinals and finals at all ten weights, along with a final team race projection. 125 Ranked Wrestlers: #3 Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern), #8 Matt Ramos (Purdue), #10 Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State), #11 Malik Heinselman (Ohio State), #16 Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech), #22 Jake Ferri (Kent State), #23 Caleb Smith (Appalachian State), #27 Liam Cronin (Nebraska), #29 Jarrett Trombley (NC State), #31 Kase Mauger (Utah Valley), #33 Kurt McHenry (Michigan) Others: Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) Action gets underway with the 125 lb weight class that features a pair of returning All-Americans, three top-ten wrestlers and a third of the top 33. A 2019 third-place CKLV finisher, Michael DeAugustino will look to claim his first tournament title here and starts as the top seed. A pair of Big Ten foes should be in the mix, as well with Matt Ramos and Malik Heinselman. Both have finished eighth in this tournament at one time or another. Ramos last year at 133 lbs and Heinselman in 2019. Heinselman and DeAugustino could square off in the semifinals. This is a series that the Wildcat has dominated taking two wins from Heinselman, though the Buckeye did earn a win while DeAugustino was a redshirting freshman. The other half of the bracket features Ramos and 2021 CKLV third-place finisher Brandon Kaylor. A win over Heinselman at last year's tournament was the spark for a breakout performance from Kaylor. Going deeper into the bracket, Kurt McHenry comes in at #11 in the preseeds, but has looked well in the early going. He's getting his first extended opportunity to start for the Wolverines and is responding well. This tournament could see him make a significant jump. Don't be surprised if unseeded Richie Figueroa shakes up this entire bracket. He has been impressive filling in for 2021 NCAA finalist Brandon Courtney. Figueroa already has three wins over top-20 opponents this year. Semifinal Projection: For the full article, Subscribe to InterMat's Rokfin Page

The 2022 NCAA Championships (photos courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com) We're back!!! After the light Thanksgiving holiday weekend, we're back into a normal routine with some great duals and tournaments. Since it can be difficult to figure out where and when to watch all of these events, InterMat has put together a list of all of the live-streamed events occurring this weekend. Below are the dates/times and how to watch each match (with links). All times are eastern Wednesday, November 30: Belmont Abbey at Queens - 7:00 PM Queens Sports Network YouTube Thursday, December 1: Davidson at Lock Haven - 7:00 PM PSAC Sports Digital Network Augustana at Minnesota - 8:00 PM B1G+ Friday, December 2: Air Force, Appalachian State, Arizona State, Bucknell, Cal Poly, California Baptist, Clarion, Columbia, Cornell, CSU Bakersfield, Edinboro, Harvard, Hofstra, Kent State, LIU, Michigan, Navy, NC State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon State, Purdue, Sacred Heart, South Dakota State, The Citadel, Utah Valley, Virginia Tech, Wyoming at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational - 12:00 PM FloWrestling Bloomsburg at George Mason - 4:00 PM ESPN+ Bloomsburg vs. Gardner-Webb at George Mason - 5:30 PM West Virginia at Missouri - 6:30 PM FloWrestling Gannon at Buffalo - 7:00 PM ESPN+ Gardner-Webb at George Mason - 7:00 PM ESPN+ Virginia at Queens - 7:00 PM ESPN+ Presbyterian at Truett McConnell - 7:00 PM Penn State vs. Rider at Trenton, NJ, - 7:30 PM FloWrestling Saturday, December 3: Lindenwood at Drury Open - 10:00 AM Air Force, Appalachian State, Arizona State, Bucknell, Cal Poly, California Baptist, Clarion, Columbia, Cornell, CSU Bakersfield, Edinboro, Harvard, Hofstra, Kent State, LIU, Michigan, Navy, NC State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon State, Purdue, Sacred Heart, South Dakota State, The Citadel, Utah Valley, Virginia Tech, Wyoming at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational - 12:00 PM FloWrestling Army West Point at American - 1:00 PM ESPN+ Chattanooga at Illinois - 2:00 PM B1G+ Pittsburgh at Illinois - 4:00 PM B1G+ Sunday, December 4: Davidson, George Mason, Lock Haven at ARMS Software Patriot Open, hosted by George Mason - 10:00 AM FloWrestling Cleveland State at Storm Open, hosted by Lake Erie - 10:00 AM Lindenwood, Little Rock, Northern Colorado, Northern Illinois, SIU Edwardsville at Cougar Clash - 11:00 AM Franklin & Marshall at VMI - 11:00 AM ESPN+ Duke vs. Franklin & Marshall at VMI - 1:00 PM Penn State at Lehigh - 2:00 PM FloWrestling Iowa State at Iowa - 2:30 PM Big Ten Network (TV) Minnesota at Oklahoma State - 3:00 PM ESPN+ Duke at VMI - 3:00 PM ESPN+ Virginia at Campbell - 4:00 PM ESPN+ Mount Olive at Presbyterian - 4:00 PM ESPN+ Garden State Grapple Binghamton vs. Michigan State - 2:00 PM B1G+ Drexel vs. Indiana - 2:00 PM B1G+ Penn vs. Rutgers - 2:00 PM B1G+ Princeton vs. Wisconsin - 2:00 PM B1G+ Binghamton vs. Indiana - 4:00 PM B1G+ Drexel vs. Rutgers - 4:00 PM B1G+ Michigan State vs. Princeton - 4:00 PM B1G+ Penn vs. Wisconsin - 4:00 PM B1G+

3x CKLV champion Kollin Moore (photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com) It's Vegas Week! That means the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational is on the horizon and will get underway Friday. The CKLV typically has one of the strongest fields and this year is no exception. Later in the week we'll have an actual preview of the action, but before then, let's take a look back at some history at the event. We've gone back to 2010 to find out who had the most champions, placewinner, and other vital information. Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational Champions (2010-21) Ohio State (19) - Kaleb Romero (184 - 2021), Luke Pletcher (141 - 2019, 133 - 2017), Kollin Moore (197 - 2019, 197 - 2018, 197 - 2017), Joey McKenna (141 - 2018), Myles Martin (184 - 2018, 184 - 2017), Nathan Tomasello (133 - 2016, 125 - 2015), Micah Jordan (149 - 2016, 141 - 2015), Logan Stieber (141 - 2014, 141 - 2013, 133 - 2012, 133 - 2011), Johnni DiJulius (133 - 2013), Hunter Stieber (141 - 2012) Cornell (16) - Yianni Diakomihalis (149 - 2021, 141 - 2017), Chaz Tucker (133 - 2019), Gabe Dean (184 - 2016, 184 - 2015, 184 - 2013), Nahshon Garrett (133 - 2015, 125 - 2014, 125 - 2013), Brian Realbuto (174 - 2015), Chris Villalonga (149 - 2014), Kyle Dake (165 - 2012, 157 - 2011), Mack Lewnes (174 - 2010), Steve Bosak (184 - 2010), Cam Simaz (197 - 2010) Michigan (9) - Dylan Ragusin (133 - 2021), Mason Parris (285 - 2019), Myles Amine (174 - 2018), Alec Pantaleo (157 - 2017), Adam Coon (285 - 2017, 285 - 2013), Logan Massa (165 - 2016), Eric Grajales (149 - 2011), Kellen Russell (141 - 2010) Nebraska (7) - Mikey Labriola (174 - 2021), Isaiah White (165 - 2019, 165 - 2018), Robert Kokesh (174 - 2014, 174 - 2012), James Green (157 - 2013), Josh Ihnen (184 - 2012) Minnesota (6) - Brayton Lee (149 - 2019), Gable Steveson (285 - 2018), Jake Short (157 - 2016), Brett Pfarr (197 - 2016), Chris Dardanes (133 - 2014), Dylan Ness (157 - 2014) Arizona State (5) - Zahid Valencia (184 - 2019, 174 - 2017, 174 - 2016), Blake Stauffer (184 - 2014), Anthony Robles (2010 - 125) Boise State (4) - Jason Chamberlain (149 - 2012, 149 - 2010), Andrew Hochstrasser (2010 - 133), Adam Hall (2010 - 157) Missouri (4) - Lavion Mayes (149 - 2015), J'den Cox (197 - 2015), Alan Waters (125 - 2012), Dom Bradley (285 - 2012) Northwestern (4) - Ryan Deakin (157 - 2021, 157 - 2019, 157 - 2018), Sebastian Rivera (125 - 2018) Oklahoma (4) - Kendric Maple (149 - 2013), Andrew Howe (174 - 2013), Travis Rutt (197 - 2013), Nathan Fernandez (285 - 2010) Oregon State (4) - Gary Traub (285 - 2021), RJ Pena (157 - 2012), Michael Mangrum (141 - 2011), Clayton Jack (285 - 2011) Kent State (3) - Ian Miller (157 - 2015), Dustin Kilgore (197 - 2012), Nic Bedelyon (125 - 2011) Virginia (3) - Jack Mueller (125 - 2019), Nick Sulzer (165 - 2014, 165 - 2013) Virginia Tech (3) - David McFadden (165 - 2017), Joey Dance (125 - 2016), Ty Walz (285 - 2015) Wisconsin (3) - Connor Medbery (285 - 2016), Isaac Jordan (165 - 2015), Andrew Howe (165 - 2010) Wyoming (3) - Stephen Buchanan (197 - 2021), Shane Onufer (165 - 2011), Joe LeBlanc (184 - 2011) Cal Poly (2) - Evan Wick (165 - 2021), Ryan DesRoches (174 - 2011) Rutgers (2) - Nick Suriano (125 - 2018), Anthony Ashnault (149 - 2018) Central Michigan (1) - Justin Oliver (149 - 2017) Edinboro (1) - Chris Honeycutt (197 - 2011) Iowa State (1) - Kyven Gadson (197 - 2014) NC State (1) - Nick Gwiazdowski (285 - 2014) Princeton (1) - Patrick Glory (125 - 2021) Purdue (1) - Dylan Lydy (174 - 2019 South Dakota State (1) - Clay Carlson (141 - 2021) Stanford (1) - Joey McKenna (141 - 2016) Utah Valley (1) - Taylor LaMont (125 - 2017) Multiple-Time Champions (competing between 2010-21) 4x Champions: Logan Stieber - Ohio State (2011-14) 3x Champions: Ryan Deakin - Northwestern (2018-19, 2021), Kollin Moore - Ohio State (2017-2019), Zahid Valencia - Arizona State (2016-17, 2019), Gabe Dean - Cornell (2013, 2015-16), Nahshon Garrett (2013-15), Andrew Howe - Wisconsin/Oklahoma (2009-10, 2013), Mack Lewnes - Cornell (2008-10) 2x Champions: Yianni Diakomihalis - Cornell (2017, 2021), Isaiah White - Nebraska (2018-19), Luke Pletcher - Ohio State (2017, 2019), Adam Coon - Michigan (2013, 2017), Joey McKenna - Ohio State/Stanford (2016, 2018), Myles Martin - Ohio State (2017-18), Nathan Tomasello (2015-16), Micah Jordan - Ohio State (2015-16), Nick Sulzer - Virginia (2013-14), Robert Kokesh (2012, 2014), Kyle Dake - Cornell (2011-12), Jason Chamberlain - Boise State (2010, 2012) CKLV and NCAA Title in Same Season (2010 - 2021) 2021-22: Yianni Diakomihalis - Cornell (149), Ryan Deakin - Northwestern (157) 2018-19: Nick Suriano - Rutgers (133), Anthony Ashnault - Rutgers (149) 2017-18: Yianni Diakomihalis - Cornell (141), Zahid Valencia - Arizona State (174) 2015-16: Nahshon Garrett - Cornell (133), Gabe Dean - Cornell (184), J'den Cox - Missouri (197) 2014-15: Logan Stieber - Ohio State (141), Kyven Gadson - Iowa State (197), Nick Gwiazdowski - NC State (285) 2013-14: Logan Stieber - Ohio State (141) 2012-13: Logan Stieber - Ohio State (133), Kyle Dake - Cornell (165) 2011-12: Logan Stieber - Ohio State (133), Kyle Dake - Cornell (157) 2010-11: Anthony Robles - Arizona State (125), Kellen Russell - Michigan (141) Freshmen in the Top-3 2021: Haiden Drury (Utah Valley; 133/3rd); Carson Kharchla (Ohio State; 165/3rd) 2019: Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern; 125/3rd), Ridge Lovett (Nebraska; 133/3rd), Brayton Lee (Minnesota; 149/1st), Sammy Sasso (Ohio State; 149/2nd), David Carr (Iowa State; 157/3rd), Trent Hidlay (NC State; 184/2nd) 2018: Micky Phillippi (Pittsburgh; 133/2nd), Austin O'Connor (North Carolina; 149/3rd), Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech; 165/3rd), Gable Steveson (Minnesota; 285/1st), Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley; 285/2nd), Zach Elam (Missouri; 285/3rd) 2017: Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley; 125/1st), Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell; 141/1st), Evan Wick (Wisconsin; 165/2nd), Taylor Venz (Nebraska; 184/3rd) 2016: Jose Rodriguez (Ohio State; 125/2nd), Stevan Micic (Michigan; 133/2nd), Cole Martin (Wisconsin; 141/3rd), Logan Massa (Michigan; 165/1st), Zahid Valencia (Arizona State; 174/2nd), Myles Amine (Michigan; 174/3rd), Kollin Moore (Ohio State; 197/3rd) 2015: Micah Jordan (Ohio State; 141/1st), Tommy Thorn (Minnesota; 141/3rd), Daniel Lewis (Missouri; 165/3rd), Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech; 184/3rd) 2014: Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State; 125/3rd), Alec Pantaleo (Michigan; 149/2nd), Kyle Snyder (Ohio State; 197/3rd) 2013: Brian Realbuto (Cornell; 157/2nd), Gabe Dean (Cornell; 184/1st), TJ Dudley (Nebraska; 184/2nd), Adam Coon (Michigan; 285/1st) 2012: Nahshon Garrett (Cornell; 125/2nd), Josh Martinez (Air Force; 125/3rd), Devon Lotito (Cal Poly; 133/3rd), Blake Stauffer (Arizona State; 174/3rd) 2011: Logan Stieber (Ohio State; 133/1st), AJ Schopp (Edinboro; 133/2nd), Hunter Stieber (Ohio State; 141/2nd), David Habat (Edinboro; 149/3rd); James Green (Nebraska; 157/3rd), Robert Kokesh (Nebraska; 165/3rd) Finalists by School 28 - Ohio State 22 - Cornell 17 - Michigan 16 - Nebraska 12 - Virginia Tech 11 - Minnesota 9 - Arizona State 8 - Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon State 7 - Purdue, Wisconsin 6 - Wyoming 5 - Boise State, Northwestern, Virginia 4 - Edinboro 3 - American, Cal Poly, Central Michigan, Harvard, Kent State, NC State 2 - Indiana, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Princeton, Rutgers, Stanford, Utah Valley 1 - Air Force, CSU Bakersfield, Hofstra, Nebraska-Kearney, North Carolina, North Dakota State, Northern Colorado, Pittsburgh, South Dakota State (1) Placewinners by School: 67: Ohio State 50: Nebraska 49: Michigan 48: Cornell 38: Virginia Tech 31: Northern Iowa 30: Minnesota, Wyoming 29: Arizona State, Oregon State 28: Oklahoma 26: Purdue 23: Iowa State, Wisconsin 21: CSU Bakersfield 20: Navy, Virginia 19: Missouri 16: Boise State, Utah Valley 14: North Dakota State 13: Cal Poly, Pittsburgh 12: Northern Colorado, Stanford 11: Air Force, Central Michigan, Harvard, Hofstra, Kent State, Northwestern 10: American, Illinois, NC State 9: West Virginia 8: Army West Point, Binghamton 9: Edinboro 7: Drexel, North Carolina 6: Bucknell, Indiana 5: Rutgers 4: Brown, Clarion, Columbia, Princeton, The Citadel 3: California Baptist, Nebraska-Kearney, South Dakota State, UNC Greensboro 2: Duke, Eastern Michigan 1: Campbell, CSU Pueblo, Fresno State, North Idaho CC, San Francisco State Team Title History: 2021: Champion - Nebraska (125), Runner-Up - Ohio State (104) 2019: Champion - Nebraska (118), Runner-Up - Ohio State (109.5) 2018: Champion - Ohio State (148), Runner-Up - Missouri (115.5) 2017: Champion - Ohio State (155), Runner-Up - Michigan (140) 2016: Champion - Ohio State (118.5), Runner-Up - Wisconsin (113.5) 2015: Champion - Missouri (154), Runner-Up - Cornell (113) 2014: Champion - Minnesota (146), Runner-Up - Ohio State (120) 2013: Champion - Oklahoma (154.5), Runner-Up - Nebraska (130.5) 2012: Champion - Ohio State (124.5), Runner-Up - Missouri (123.5) 2011: Champion - Ohio State (129), Runner-Up - Michigan (116) 2010: Champion - Cornell (140), Runner-Up - Wisconsin (101.5)

Max Murin (top) in sudden victory against Doug Zapf in Saturday's Dual (photo courtesy of Brian Ray/HawkeyesSports.com) The first month of the wrestling season is basically over. I always say that it flies by when you're not actually going through practices, cutting weight, and fighting off injuries. The Thanksgiving holiday led to a minuscule schedule, but even so, we still found a way to bring you "7 Big Stories from the Week in College Wrestling." Actually, this let us touch on every single dual meet (there were only three). Max Murin Shines For decades, the Iowa Hawkeyes have had some of the most iconic figures in our sport don a black singlet. As of late, Spencer Lee definitely fits the bill. Not quite on the same level, but still memorable are teammates Austin DeSanto, Jaydin Eierman, Alex Marinelli, and Michael Kemerer. Each finished their career with at least three All-American honors. Often overlooked in such a star-studded lineup has been stalwart Max Murin. Murin has put together a respectable 58-23 record and has ended his season in the Round of 12 for the last three NCAA tournaments. Even as he has been lost in the shuffle of some talented teams, Murin was front-and-center on Saturday. Anyone who broke down the Hawkeyes dual with #15 Penn probably pointed to #6 Murin's 149 lb match with #10 Doug Zapf as a toss-up that could end up deciding the entire dual. Without Lee, Brody Teske, and Real Woods, Penn had a chance to shock the Hawks. For the full article, Subscribe to InterMat's Rokfin Page

Legendary Rider head coach Gary Taylor Gary Taylor. A husband. A father. A wrestler. A coach. A friend. A true embodiment of what it means to bleed cranberry and grey at Rider University. Gary Taylor completely turned Rider's wrestling program upside down and one that was feared amongst its opponents during the 39 legendary years he spent as head coach of the program (1978-2017). Throughout those 39 years, he accomplished what many strive to, and can never quite achieve. But through Gary's persistence, determination, and love for the sport of wrestling, he left behind a legacy at Rider University that will forever hold a special place in the hearts and minds of those who knew him. Here are just some of the many accomplishments of Gary Taylor: His first All-American was Lou DiSerafino, who placed 3rd at 190lbs 17 Total All-American honors 15 Individual All-Americans (2 two-timers: John Carvalheira and Chad Walsh) In 1984, his team earned its 1st Conference Championship In 1997, his team was ranked 7th in the nation, and had 3 All-Americans 173 NCAA Qualifiers 14 Team Conference Championships 110 Individual Conference Champions And finally, Gary ended his career with 442 dual-meet victories (3rd all-time winningest Division I wrestling coach), and a powerful impact on those around him when he retired from the Broncs program in 2017. Just one year later, in 2018, Gary was awarded the Lifetime Service Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame New Jersey Chapter. Throughout his life, Gary was surrounded by people who shared an intense love of wrestling, including: Danica Taylor (daughter), Ron Taylor (brother), John Hangey (Rider University Head Coach), Lou DiSerafino (former wrestler and 1st All-American), Tim Morrison (former wrestler and 2nd All-American), Adam Derengowski (former wrestler), Rob Morrison (former wrestler), and TJ Morrison (former wrestler). From left: Danica Taylor, Rider President Greg Dell'Omo, Coach Taylor, Rider AD Don Harnum Danica Taylor What was Gary Taylor like as a father? He was truly the most incredible father anyone could have. My mom has health conditions and so she could no longer work many years ago. My Dad was the sole income. He always worked so hard to provide for our family. I remember in the evenings, he would read a story to me before bed. He would work a full day, sometimes coming home right before my bedtime, but would still make sure he read to me and with me before bed. Looking back, he was probably so exhausted, but I never knew it. He powered through to make sure he was able to provide for us while also being able to be home and spend time with his family. How did he separate "coach" from "father" at home? I feel like they were combined in the best ways and separated in the best ways. The ways they were combined were always making sure that I was working hard in school and understanding responsibility. The ways they were separate was in the way that he would shut off "work mode" at home and just be there to talk with me about my life, watch the TV show Dallas together, and read together before bed. What were some of the most important life lessons your father taught you? And how have you been able to implement them throughout your life? My father taught me that if you work hard, you will achieve your goals. The part about working hard included all the setbacks or problems that might arise while trying to achieve your goal. Instead of complaining, put that energy into finding a solution and always be relentless in the pursuit of your goals. My Dad was always a very humble person. He would never ever brag about his accomplishments. I am very much like him in that I am humble in my achievements. My achievements don't feel to me like these huge things that need fanfare. They are just what I worked hard for and so I accomplished them. To me, they are just the values he instilled in me. You work hard, you achieve. He showed me that you can have a quiet kind of pride. Your accomplishments and your heart will shine all on their own by your hard work, determination, and the good person that you are. These values he taught me are the reason I have a wonderful teaching job, own my own home, earned three masters, and started my own little fiber art business. What were the beginning years of your father's life like at Rider University? The beginning years for my Dad were difficult. When he started he told everyone that he wanted to bring both eastern and national recognition to the Rider Wrestling program and he was laughed at. It literally seemed impossible without the funding and resources needed to try to compete with the larger schools that were always in the spotlight. What made your father so successful at Rider University? While most people would have been discouraged by seemingly being up against impossible odds, that didn't stop him. He got busy finding a way to make it happen. To him, it was going to happen so that was his mindset and that is how he coached. For him, it was a realistic goal, but not for anyone else. You mentioned that your dad was more than a coach to the men in which he coached. Can you explain what he did that made him stand apart from the other Division I coaches? My Dad looked at his wrestlers as way more than athletes on his team. They were like the sons he never had. He cared so deeply about them on a personal level. If he felt that there was any way he could possibly help one of his wrestlers, whether it be building out his attic to give a wrestler a place to live off campus, helping with funds for tuition, listening and giving life advice, or giving some guitar lessons after practice, that was what he would do. My Dad was all about connections. He was such a caring person and always valued his connections and relationships with the people around him. How does your father relate to the term "underdog?" Well, my Dad would definitely have been considered an underdog when he started. He referred to the story of David and Goliath when explaining what he had done with the program. When he started out, he was David who seemed so very highly unlikely to be able to defeat Goliath. David couldn't compare in size and skill. No one would have put their money on David defeating Goliath in battle. I feel that this speaks to the values my Dad had that helped him build an incredible D1 program that seemed unlikely. Those values are having heart and courage, being committed to your purpose, always believing you can achieve, and being resilient when the setbacks happen. Favorite Memory: My Dad teaching me guitar on his mini Martin (because when he tried to teach me on a regular-sized guitar, I said my hands were too small for it). Those times, and that guitar, are so special to me. Funniest Memory: Whenever Paula Abdul's Straight Up song would come on, we would look at each other, and sing in a silly way to each other, the part that goes, "A ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba." Ron Taylor What was Gary Taylor like as a brother? Gary was smart, compassionate, and very down to earth. He didn't make rash decisions. He was always someone our whole family depended on. He was the rock of our family, and was extremely thoughtful in everything he did. He would call me once a week to check up on me, and I'll miss that very much. What were some of the most important life lessons that Gary taught you? And how have you been able to implement those lessons throughout your life? He was very much like my father in that he believed in treating people with respect. The saying goes, "Treat people the way you want to be treated." But, if you took that as a weakness and you tried to bully him, that would be a mistake. He would cut to the chase. Growing up, you and Gary were inseparable. Can you describe those early years, and decades following? During the summer, we had 6-8 boys in our neighborhood and we would play baseball most of the day. We had our own field down across the railroad tracks. One of the parents from the neighborhood would mow the grass so we always had a fresh field to play in. Gary and I were both pitchers, so we would practice pitching daily. He would catch me, then I would catch him. When it got cold, we would play tackle football. Many times, Gary and I would be in the backyard playing tackle against each other. When we couldn't go outside, we would be upstairs wrestling each other. When we got to high school, we were each other's biggest fans. We spent many Sundays in our bathroom alongside the gas heaters. We would put all of our sweat gear on and work out with the heat as high as we could, so we could lose a couple of pounds. Once we lost the weight, we would go downstairs and eat something. Then, as we got older, we both got into coaching and would talk on the phone weekly about wrestling. What was so special about the brotherhood you shared with Gary, and how did it influence/impact your life? If I ever had a problem, Gary was the one I would call. He always had good sound advice. He was someone that I always looked up to because he had such a level-headed nature. I was, and still am, very impulsive. I try to be more like him. Sometimes I succeed, and sometimes I don't. He definitely has made me think more about what is important in life. Family was very important to Gary, and I feel that my family is more important to me every single day. I never thought I would lose my brother, but here we are, and I'm doing the best I can. You mentioned that Gary was mentally the toughest sibling. Can you explain why you believe that to be true? Gary wasn't afraid of anyone. He would go against anyone. He didn't get nervous. When he had to wrestle someone tough, I would always get so nervous that I couldn't always do my best. That stuff didn't bother Gary. He felt as though he could beat anyone he wrestled. Mentally, he didn't let his nerves get the best of him. Even when we were coaching, Gary always conveyed confidence, while I was always nervous. When he was coaching, he made his wrestlers think that they could beat anyone. Your dad stated, "Ron, that's the best friend you'll ever have." Can you explain the story in which that quote came about? And, what does that mean to you and future generations? I think I was either in 8th or 9th grade and my dad pulled me aside when I wasn't being very nice to Gary. My dad said, "Ron, that's the best friend you'll ever have" and of course, he was right. From that point on, Gary and I have been best friends. It taught me that no matter what, family is the most important thing. I've tried to convey this to all of my kids as well. Friends will come and go, but family will always be there for you. What were the beginning years of Gary's life like at Rider University? The biggest struggle was convincing the wrestlers that they were better than what they thought. He always had great confidence in his wrestlers abilities, and he conveyed that to his wrestlers in as many ways as possible. What made Gary so successful at Rider University? Gary had all the leadership qualities for the job at Rider. He was very decisive once he made a final decision because he did his homework before a decision had to be made. He also had a knack for picking really good wrestlers. We would go to Sections and Districts. Each of us would pick who we thought would win, and 90% of the time, Gary was right and I was wrong. Favorite Memory: I always loved listening to him play guitar and singing. But the most memorable experience was watching him be inducted into the Greenville Hall of Fame. All of our siblings were together and it was a special moment for us, and especially Gary. Funniest Memory: When Gary called me while he was at college. He told my mom and dad that he missed the Mercer Exit on Interstate 80. My dad asked where he was, and he said, "Las Vegas." Gary went to Clarion University, so Interstate 80 was the easiest easy to travel from home to the University. Needless to say, my dad was not happy. I thought it was funny though, and so did Gary. Favorite Gary-ism: "It is what it is." and "If it sounds too good to be true, it is." Coach John Hangey What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Gary was the exact kind of coach that knew how to motivate his wrestlers. He always cared and looked out for your best interest. He also had very high goals and aspirations for his athletes and he got you to buy into them! Coach Taylor was a coach that you wanted to do well for because of his commitment to you as an individual! What did Gary Taylor mean to you in your personal life? Gary was like a second father to me. He helped me develop into the person I am today and took no credit for any of it. He helped me become my best version of a student-athlete, a coach, a mentor, a friend, a husband and a father. What were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? There were so many but here are a few. In 1997, we finished the dual meet season ranked 7th in the nation and to go through that season together was so impactful for a young coach and team development. In 1993, when I was an All-American, the hug we embraced was a culmination of time, effort, mutual respect and love for the process and each other. Naming our competition mat after him as a surprise was another great moment, being there for his 400th victory at home and his last-ever home match are moments I'll never forget! Do you believe that Gary has influenced your coaching style at Rider University, and if so, how? I am the coach I am today because of Coach Taylor. We have very similar personalities when it comes to coaching, so I tried to mirror my development after him. He emphasized the importance of relationships to be successful at a smaller school like Rider and that's the core of my coaching style. What does it mean to you to carry on the tradition of coaching at Rider University, given the knowledge and experience Gary has shared with you over the years? I take this responsibility very seriously. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about what would Coach Taylor do in a specific situation. We had many talks weekly after his retirement in the wrestling office and he would always give me his thoughts and encouragement. It is my goal to further cement Coach Taylor's legacy here at Rider. Favorite Memory: When Jason Bryant announced Coach Taylor's retirement on the third day of the NCAA's when we finished the tournament with two All-Americans. He was so humble, yet honored, but never liked the attention. Chad Walsh had to make sure that he stayed and was properly recognized by the fans. Funniest Memory: When Coach Taylor and Adam Derengowski were bickering at the 1991 NCAA's in Iowa (Adam's Senior year when he placed 3rd) over the rental car and each other's driving skills. The whole travel party just sat back, listened and cracked up laughing at the exchange. Coach Taylor and current Rider head coach John Hangey Lou DiSerafino What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Gary was the reason that I became an All-American. Not only because of his immense technical wrestling technique knowledge, but mostly because he got me to believe in myself and my ability to beat the best in the country. What did Gary Taylor mean to you in your personal life? Gary became a long-time personal friend. I will miss him immensely. Gary sang "The Wedding Song" along with my Sister-in-law at my wedding. I would go to see him perform at local clubs in New Hope, PA after his Rider coaching retirement. Our relationship grew over time from Coach-Athlete to personal friends. We touched base once or twice a month on topics ranging from wrestling to his music career. Gary was always the one on who I would bounce my tough issues off of. His sound, right-to-the-point guidance, always served me well. He said the things that needed to be said, that maybe you didn't necessarily want to hear, but that you knew were true, and left you to make your decision. He did this in wrestling, and in life. What did Gary Taylor mean to you in the spiritual component of your life? Although he was not overt with his faith, Gary's faith was always there behind how he lived his life, coached his teams, and everything he did. He was appreciative of the gift of salvation, and challenged his teams and individuals to use all the talents and gifts they have been given to be their best, and would accept nothing less for them. Like Bach's philosophy in his work "Music's only purpose should be the glory of God and the recreation of the human spirit," I think Gary approached his work in this way. He was kind of like a sneaky preacher, weaving his faith into life lessons that applied to his coaching. His subtle, humorous, "take it or leave it" references to common sense or advice made you think that he was kind of cool, and surprisingly deep. Throughout the decades in which you were close, what were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? Gary was such a close friend and shared some of my family's most intimate moments. My wife LeeAnn and I asked Gary to sing "The Wedding Song," along with my Brother Rob's wife Diane at our wedding ceremony. Gary has known my wife and children, and my Brother Rob's and was close to our parents too. On the wrestling side, I stayed at Rider for two years after graduation as an assistant coach, and got my MBA. That enabled me to experience the beginning of Gary's legacy at Rider with two more years of watching him work. What were some of the early years like for Gary as a coach? Gary had a vision when he came to Rider. Right during his interview, he made the bold statement that he was going to get Rider wrestling to a major power in the sport on a National level. Nobody believed that was possible for such a small school at the time. At his first conference tournament, he had three 1st seeds that year, in a conference where you had to take 1st place in your weight to get to the NCAA. Dave Doll, my Brother Rob, and I all were seeded 1st in three consecutive weight classes, and we all three lost in the finals, costing Gary his 1st trip to the NCAAs. Gary never wavered. He just doubled down on his commitment and the next year (Garry's 2nd year as Rider coach) got Rider its 1st wrestling All-American. What did/does it mean to you to become the 1st All-American for Gary Taylor? Being the 1st All-American for the Rider wrestling program is an honor that gains significance as the program grows and increases notoriety, with each new All-American added. I feel like that accomplishment was the start of something bigger than just an individual milestone, and rather marked the emergence of a program that had been developed and nurtured by our 1st coach Barry Burtnett (who started the program, and recruited me and my brother) and was now ready, with Gary, to burst onto the national NCAA wrestling scene. Quick story about being the 1st All-American. . . In 2011 the NCAA Wrestling Championships were at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rider was the host institution. I was asked to be one of the people to hand out the award medals to the All-Americans at the Championships ceremony. That year, Utah Valley had their 1st All-American, Ben Kjar at 125lbs. While handing out the medals I had a chance to speak with Ben when congratulating him. I shared with him about our common experience and told him that he had done something special, and would be forever remembered as the first at Utah Valley. How does Gary Taylor define the word "inspiration" or "leadership?" Gary was appreciative of his wrestlers who stepped up as examples, or who set a standard for their teammates, either as team captains or as individuals. Gary would support their role on the team, and the tough decisions that they sometimes made about the team standards and expectations. He allowed them to grow, make some mistakes, and develop into leadership roles. He recognized the value of leadership coming from the ranks vs. coming from the coaching staff and encouraged those willing to step into that role. Can you share your experience of leaving the sport for a short period of time, and how Gary impacted your decision in returning to the mat? Yes. I left wrestling after getting my MBA to start my career. I felt though that my wrestling career was unfinished and I still had more in me. I spoke to Gary about it and he said you have your whole career to make money, but only this time to know how far you can go in wrestling. So after two years of working I quit my job and tried out for the 1984 LA Olympics. I made it as far as the final US trials, placing fifth. Best decision I could have made. I had great experiences that year, met some lifelong friends, and got to travel representing the US team in many matches and tournaments. Also, I know that I tried for the Olympic spot and left nothing on the table in my career. I would have always wondered and regretted not trying. That would have been haunting. Gary's technical abilities were unmatched by other Division I coaches. Can you share some of the ways he expressed those technical abilities? Gary was very strong in his technical wrestling knowledge, understanding the impact of factors such as physics and leverage and angles and flexibility and strength. He also had a photographic visual memory and could recall very minute details of matches you were in, and subtle changes needed in specific positions that would change the outcome of the situation. He was like a savant for seeing a situation and knowing the exact modification required to win the situation or move. He was also super good at being able to transfer his knowledge to others who were willing to listen. Everything he advised technically worked, for a particular opponent, or for the best opponent, because his guidance was always based on physics and leverage. i.e. "If you move your hand down here, he won't be able to pull his leg back no matter what he tries. What principles did Gary instill in you and the other wrestlers which he coached, and how have they influenced your life? Accountability, not accepting less for yourself than the talents and gifts you were given will allow. I try to think about that and live up to the philosophy of doing everything worth doing "for the Glory of God." Otherwise, what's the point? Favorite Memory: When Dan and Tim Morrison (who were unknown at that time, coming from the NAIA) beat two multi-time All-Americans from Penn State and Clarion at the Penn State Tourney. Dan told the story at Gary's funeral about Gary's quick wit, from that tourney. Gary was wearing a 3-piece suit and the Clarion coach (who Gary wrestled for when he was a student at Clarion) tried to get into Gary's head, saying Gary you look like you're going to a funeral. Gary, without missing a beat replied. "I am, we're going to bury 2 All-Americans tonight." Dan and Tim both won that night. Tim had suffered 2 broken ribs in his quarterfinals match and still won the tournament. Funniest Memory: Gary was so young when he started coaching that he looked like one of his wrestlers. After a match at Bucknell, the Bucknell wrestlers were kind enough to invite us to their fraternity party, which we snuck out of the hotel and went to. Later that year at the conference tournament at Drexel, the Bucknell team manager sat next to me and Gary after weigh-ins and asked if our coach ever found out about sneaking out of the hotel to go to the frat party. Gary just said, "he has now." She was like "Whoops, sorry guys." Favorite Gary-ism: Gary was always pushing the envelope, sometimes getting in trouble for his uncompromising commitment to excellence. I remember him saying onetime "I don't care, they can fire me if they want. . . I was looking for a job when I found this one." I always tried to live up to that philosophy. Coach Taylor with Tim Morrison and his three sons Tim Morrison What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Gary Taylor was always a thoughtful listener, there aren't that many true listeners that still exist in today's society. In addition, Gary was a straight shooter, telling you how things were in a way that you couldn't even question his message. I can't remember him ever complaining about anything going on in his personal or professional life, never wanting to burden anyone else with his challenges. He was probably the most selfless person I've ever known. This man was loyal, truly loyal, wrestling was his life and even after retirement, he bled Rider wrestling. What did Gary Taylor mean to you in your personal life? I will miss his random calls just to check in with me and my family. He truly cared even after 40 years had passed. Throughout the decades in which you were close, what were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? Well, it is pretty unique that all three of my sons were wrestlers and also all wrestled for Gary so we had 12 straight years of cheering them all on at Rider! What were some of the early years like for Gary as a coach (first 1-2 years)? Well, I didn't have issues with Gary as he knew how to inspire and get the best out of everyone. Also, it didn't hurt that I didn't lose many matches in my 3 years at Rider, just 9! Actually, I think that is my only record left that still stands, after Chad Walsh, just a few years ago, broke my pin record (of course he had 4 years to do it!!) The story of how you and Gary met is quite unique; some may even say it happened by chance. Can you please share the way in which you met? After wrestling my freshman year at Messiah College, I had transferred to Penn State, because I wanted to wrestle Division 1. Since I had already transferred to Penn State without being recruited, they weren't really interested in providing me with any scholarship or financial aid assistance. So while I was back home for Christmas 1979, I had gone up to my Reynolds High School wrestling room to workout with their upperweights. It just so happened that Gary Taylor was also at the Reynolds practice with a couple of his Rider Wrestlers getting in a workout on their way to the Wilkes Open tournament. The more we talked about my situation, Gary seemed more and more interested and told me to meet him early the next morning and fill out some paperwork and that he would call me in three days. As promised he called me and made me an offer that I couldn't refuse and I told him I would come to wrestle at Rider. Keep in mind this was 1979, with no internet, no iPhones, or MapQuest, in fact, I wasn't even sure how to spell Rider and only that it was in NJ. So I announced to my parents that I was going to go wrestle at Rider when I got off the phone. The next day I drove to PSU, withdrew from my classes and then got a map and drove to Rider and signed up for the Spring semester, the rest is history. What did/does it mean to you to become the 2nd All-American for Gary Taylor? It was definitely an honor, but not a surprise to Gary, he knew I was capable and instilled the confidence and mental preparation necessary for anyone to achieve the podium of the top 8 wrestlers in the nation. Favorite Memory: His demeanor and quirkiness, he was full of one-liners. Funniest Memory: He dropped me off at the Penn State hospital after winning in the semifinals to get my ribs x-rayed, then took the rest of the team to go eat and never came back to pick me up. So, I ended up hitchhiking a ride in the back of a Super Beetle to Rec Hall for the finals in which I wrestled with 2 broken ribs and beat an NCAA runner-up. Gary asked me how I got back to the gym, to which I replied, I have one more match to win today. Adam Derengowski What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Coach Taylor was always a sincere and authentic leader, so it was easy to build trust in him and the expectations he had for you. He was easy to laugh with the guys and I know he appreciated all the personalities we had on the team during my time. From a wrestling mindset perspective, Coach Taylor worked very hard to build my confidence over the five years I wrestled for him. It was the superpower I needed to be the best I could be, on my own, it was lacking. I appreciate that mental training investment more than any technique he shared. Throughout the decades in which you were close, what were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? I know Coach Taylor felt the excitement of big wins and the pain of tough losses for all his guys over 39 years. There were two moments of big wins and the post-match hugs that I know he was just as pumped as I was during my time. The first was the NWCA All-Star match win and the second was after the 3rd place match at the NCAA's both during my senior year. There were many more post-match tough loss moments where he had to build me up again that led to those embraces and all were worth it. You and Gary shared a love of music, can you please explain what role he played in that particular aspect of your life? Three years after I graduated and moved back to New Jersey, Gary and I would find time to play music together. During that time, he would share songs that he wrote and I admired his ability to create original music. Our little jam sessions grew into a larger group and then a band. He was an awesome lead guitarist and could always drop an attention-getting solo in the cover songs that we played. During this time, I was inspired to write my first song and Gary set me up with a friend of his to record the song in a home studio. He also sang the harmony on that recording. Since that first original song, I've been able to create a few more for my wife and family over the years. He has always provided positive feedback on the music and I know he was proud. Gary taught you to have a mantra in your life, and you've continued that tradition within your own family. Can you share the mantra your family currently lives by, and what it means to you? "Best is yet to come", my wife and 4 kids all know it well. There is plenty of coaching that goes on as a parent and I think this phrase for our family is foundationally important. My wife Debbie and I have always coached our kids to have a base of hard work, dedication and persistence as a winning formula…you won't always get the best grade, get the top award or promotion, but if you live with those guiding principles you will eventually find success. The best is yet to come is about always having hope for the future and I think all of this started with what I learned from my coaches and especially Gary Taylor. Favorite Memory: I'm so grateful for my time at Rider University and especially with the wrestling team and Gary Taylor. My favorite moment was that special embrace after my last NCAA match in my senior year. I know he was happy for me, my family, the program and the school. Funniest Memory: I remember being packed in a rental car in a snowy Iowa City at the NCAA's in 1991 with Coach Taylor driving, John Hangey, Mike Bartholomew, our assistant coach, our trainer and all of the bags. I was complaining and asking if we could just rent a second car as I was covered with a bag in the back seat. At the time he was slightly irritated by me. This experience became funny after the fact and we have told the story many times and it always brings about a good belly laugh when discussed. Favorite Gary-ism: "Get in, get out, or get run over"...this was such an important phrase that he repeated with me. I Googled it and it seems to be an original Gary-ism. To me, it meant that I had to work hard and get better every day or else you will see your competitors race by you. Rob Morrison What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Besides the amount of knowledge, he was very good at telling you what you wanted to hear and what you needed to hear. Too many coaches are focused on constantly trying to make people feel good and not addressing how to make them better. He could walk that line like it was like second nature to him. Division 1 wrestling is tough and very transparent, you need to be lifted up and brought down at the right times. What did Gary Taylor mean to you in your personal life? In a lot of ways, he was like a grandfather. Coincidentally, I lost a huge role model my freshman year (my Pap) and he kind of filled that void for me. Mostly, it was because he was a really good listener and was always willing to share advice when he could. He wouldn't impose or plant the idea, he would lead you to it. It's all the stuff that you don't really learn to fully appreciate until you grow up a bit, but I couldn't have been luckier. He was a great man. Throughout the decades in which you were close, what were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? I've known him for as long as I can remember. Growing up we always made it out for a couple Rider matches every year, he used to stay at our house when he was in the area, would take time to watch our matches and give feedback (which is hilarious looking back, because it'd be some random JH or Elem. matches, but he'd watch just as intently as if it was a college match), and of course, he recruited and coached our entire family. It would've been easier for him to not care and just expect to get another Morrison on the team, but he did care and it never stopped at any point (while being recruited, while a competitor, and now as a coach too). Favorite Memory: You always knew what kind of food you were getting after a competition by how well we did. If it was bad, we got Subway, if it was good, he'd take us somewhere legit (restaurant, hidden gems, etc.). It was after the Keystone Tournament and we did pretty well, so we ended up going somewhere good. I was scrambling to find my stuff to get off the bus and eat as much as I could for the next hour. I had these holey, torn jeans on and as I'm walking up to the place to go in he says "Hey Morrison, you have all them holes in your jeans. Next thing you know, you're going to lose your wallet and someone's going to have a new stereo!" Fast forward a couple months later, we're leaving Clarion and he takes us to a Steakhouse and when we get the check, he can't find his wallet (it was on the bus). So naturally, there were a lot of "Uh oh, looks like someone's getting a new stereo!" Also, there was my first college match and it was against a tough Lehigh team. The place was packed with Lehigh people, they packed the arena and were rowdy, and both TJ and I pinned our guys, which helped put the nail in the coffin for the match. It was just really cool to be able to start as a freshman, with my older brother on the same team, both of us pinning, with the coach that took a chance on our Dad over 25 years ago, and experiencing it again with us. Just a very cool moment. Funniest Memory: Basically, we didn't have a good weekend and he was wound up about it that following Monday. We're all in the room getting ready for practice and he storms in and yells "I'm taking over practice and we're doing it like the old days!"; someone replied, "Ahh, so like how the Dinosaurs did it?". The entire room erupts into laughter (including him) and then he proceeded to put us through about 2.5 hours of hell. There were some other things said that day, but it was just funny how he could laugh at the nonsense and then immediately get back to work. I'll never forget that smirk he had the whole time. Favorite Gary-ism: "What the hell is this music??" (this was frequent and valid), "You have to use your feet like another set of hands. Back in the day, they used to call me Terrible Toes!" TJ Morrison What did Gary Taylor mean to you as a coach? Gary Taylor taught me a lot about humility in how he dealt with athletes. He was very talented at seeing a wrestler from a bigger-picture situation, not reacting to mistakes or personal flaws in the moment. He handled situations with class and always gave his wrestlers an opportunity to improve their situations, whether it be personal or just going through a losing streak where they are not performing to their best. I think this was one of his top talents as a coach that allowed him to truly invest in his wrestlers. What did Gary Taylor mean to you in your personal life? This may be a little different, being from the Morrison family, but Gary Taylor was always an extension of our family. It felt like he was always personally part of our family. With that also came the responsibility to hold myself to a higher standard and deliver on the qualities and leadership that he expected from me over the 5 years I spent wrestling for him. Throughout the decades in which you were close, what were some of the most influential experiences in which you shared? I think the biggest influential experience that transcends into professional life for me is the mentality of losing is never fatal and winning is never final. He was extremely influential in making me understand to appreciate the process, when you lose - learn from it, when you win - continue getting better, there's more to accomplish. Favorite Memory: Team meetings were always the best, and you can only be a Rider Wrestler to truly know what I mean by this. You never knew what to expect when coming into those meetings. Funniest Memory: The time at VA Duals when we had one of our wrestlers who was being a little too soft in nursing an injury and he randomly fell down in the middle of a match. When he fell down, Gary was staring up into the stands. Hangey asked him what he was looking at, he simply replied: "I'm looking for the sniper, where is he?" It was a comical way to deal with a situation where a wrestler was being soft. He was always very good at having quippy one-liners and short sayings. Favorite Gary-ism: "The move works, you don't work." It's quite clear to see the immense impact, and overall legacy, that Gary Taylor left behind on those he had the opportunity to surround himself with throughout 39 incredible years at Rider University. His accomplishments and life experiences will forever be a part of the Broncs program, continuing to shape future generations of wrestlers. In remembering Gary, those he loved always recalled his quick wit and impeccable one-liners. Here are a few Gary-isms that will never be forgotten: "Get this one guy." "Spread out! If a bomb goes off, it will get all of you." "Cool, clear water." "They put a man on the moon AND they brought him back." "Train your brain for pain." "Now get on the bus! We're going to Pizza Hut." "Get in, Get out, or Get run over." "You're either getting better or you're getting worse, you do not stay the same." "My boy beat him." "Keep your head up!" "My boy will take him." "Age and experience: can't replace it." "The move works, you don't work." "I've forgotten more wrestling than you guys have ever known." Terrible toes." "If you put the cart before the horse, it doesn't go anywhere." In loving memory of Gary Taylor; a true wrestling underdog, and real-life hero.