InterMat Staff

Ryan LeBlanc (Photo/Applachian State Athletics) CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Ryan LeBlanc has been named the new head wrestling coach at The Citadel, it was announced by director of athletics Mike Capaccio on Thursday. "I would like to thank Mike Capaccio, Geoff Von Dollen and the rest of the search committee for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as the next head wrestling coach at The Citadel," said LeBlanc. "It is an honor and privilege to join an institution with such a rich tradition of developing cadet-athletes on and off the wrestling mat. I will always be grateful to JohnMark Bentley for preparing me for this opportunity, and I look forward to connecting with the Bulldog fans, alumni and the South Carolina wrestling community to continue to build on this tradition. My wife, Morgan, and I could not be more excited to join The Citadel family." "We are very excited to have Ryan join our Citadel family as our next head wrestling coach," said Capaccio. "Ryan has competed at the highest level, both athletically and academically. He will bring a new energy to the wrestling program and he is very familiar with The Citadel and its mission. We had a strong candidate pool and I want to thank the search committee for doing an outstanding job. In the end, Ryan separated himself from the group and we look forward to his arrival and future success at The Citadel." LeBlanc comes to the Lowcountry after spending the previous four years as the assistant wrestling coach at Appalachian State. He was promoted to co-head wrestling assistant for the final two years. In his four seasons at App State, the Mountaineers finished in the top two in the Southern Conference each year, including three regular season championships. LeBlanc helped to mentor 13 individual conference finalists, seven conference champions and 10 NCAA qualifiers. The 2019-20 season saw the Mountaineers go 9-3 overall and establish a new school record with six NCAA qualifiers. App State ranked 14th nationally in win percentage, while leading the country with four dual-meet shutouts. The Mountaineers were also just one of three Division I schools with four conference champions, and one of six teams that had all 10 starters finish the season with a winning record. Off the mat, LeBlanc led fundraising efforts that helped to renovate the wrestling practice facility and team locker room, as well as increase the scholarship endowment. LeBlanc joined the Mountaineers after spending two years working for the State University of New York at Cortland. He started as a graduate assistant before transitioning to a dual position in coaching and alumni engagement. LeBlanc helped guide the team to a seventh- and 13th-place finish in the NCAA Championships, totaling seven national qualifiers, four NWCA Scholar All-Americans, four NCAA All-Americans and two separate individual national champions. He also helped create the periodization plan for wrestling, strength and cardiovascular training throughout his seasons. Prior to SUNY-Cortland, LeBlanc amassed a career wrestling record of 103-51 at Indiana University. During his collegiate career, he was a three-time NCAA qualifier (with a finish in the round of 12 as a senior), a three-time academic all-American, a two-year captain and a Big Ten Academic all-Conference team member for four straight seasons. LeBlanc was also selected as the Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient, one of the most prestigious conference awards in college athletics. First awarded in 1915, the Medal of Honor is given to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university who attains "the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." He graduated from Indiana in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science before receiving his master's in sports management from SUNY-Cortland in 2016. For more information on The Citadel wrestling team, please visit CitadelSports.com or follow @CitadelWrestle on Twitter and Instagram, and @CitadelWrestling on Facebook. "I'm extremely happy for Ryan. He is extremely deserving of this opportunity. I believe he is well prepared and The Citadel is getting a good man. I consider Ryan a close friend, and I am thankful for all his contributions to App State wrestling." -- JohnMark Bentley, Appalachian State Head Wrestling Coach

New York state high school wrestling teams will have a leaner look for the next two seasons. The New York State Public High School Athletic Association's central committee on Wednesday approved a two-year trial run of the reduction of NYSPHSAA scholastic weight classes from 15 to 13. The 15-weight-class structure has been in use since 2012. The just-approved 13-weight-class plan, passed on a 28-13 vote, had already been given a thumbs up by the state's wrestling committee, would be implemented for the 2020-21 school year, and would be similar to one approved earlier this summer by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), reducing the number of weight classes for men from 14 down to 13.) The new NYS plan, by the numbers With the just-approved NYSPHSAA weight-class structure, "the committee lopped off the previous lowest weight class -- 99 pounds -- and reshaped a few others," the Syracuse Post-Standard reported Wednesday. "Previously, the classifications were 99, 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220, 285. "The new ones are 102, 110, 118,126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285." The previous weight-class structure had been in place for over a decade. The just-approved 13-weight-class structure will now be in effect for two seasons: 2020-21, and 2021-22. What's the thinking behind the new plan? In a nutshell, with the previous weight-class structure, some smaller schools found it challenging to be able to field an entire team of at least one wrestler per weight class… especially at the lower weights. Those squads were forced to start meets already down six points per forfeited weight class. The issue was sparked by the difficulty some smaller schools were having fielding full teams, especially at the lower weights. Those squads were forced to start meets already down six points per forfeited weight class. Here's a specific example cited in a number of newspaper articles this week as the new weight-class plan as been discussed throughout New York State. Phoenix coach Gene Mills said his team had regularly forfeited at least two weight classes per dual meet last season, putting his team in a 12-point deficit right from the start. "If there 10 weight classes, almost every single one of those schools could fill a roster," Mills said. "Now, you have to find 15 kids who have a work ethic, pride. It (stinks) for the big schools that really have those numbers, but for a lot of the other schools it's tough (to field a complete lineup)."

Sam Hazewinkel (Photo/Oklahoma City University) OKLAHOMA CITY -- After guiding Oklahoma City University to its first conference men's wrestling championship, Sam Hazewinkel has left his position as head coach to pursue other coaching opportunities. In two years under Hazewinkel, the Stars went 11-5 in duals with two top-10 national finishes, nine all-Americans, 16 NAIA Championships qualifiers, eight Sooner Athletic Conference individual champions and 20 all-conference wrestlers. A national search will be conducted to find the next OCU head coach. In 2019-20, Oklahoma City matched its program high with five all-Americans in the 2020 NAIA Championships. The Stars finished eighth in the team standings with the No. 8 slot in the postseason national ratings. Hazewinkel, a 2012 Olympian, shared SAC coach of the year honors as OCU (8-3 in duals) took its first conference championship after winning the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference-SAC Championships on Feb. 21-22 in Bartlesville, Okla.

Mark your calendars: The much-anticipated mixed-martial arts bout between UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and (former college wrestler) Justin Gaethje is now set. UFC president Dana White told CNN on Tuesday that the fight will take place Saturday, Oct. 24. The site is yet to be announced. "That fight's going to happen," White said during an appearance on CNN. "Khabib vs. Gaethje, Oct. 24." A native of Dagestan, the 31-year-old Nurmagomedow brings a 28-0 12-0 UFC record to his match with Gaethje. He previous match was Sept. 7, when he submitted Dustin Poirier in the third round. Gaethje, also 31, fights out of Colorado and sports a 22-2 , 5-2 UFC record. He earned the interim belt and title shot vs. Nurmagomedow with a fifth-round TKO of Tony Ferguson on May 9. Nurmagomedow has faced challenges in recent months which have been complicating factors in scheduling this upcoming match vs. Gaethje, as Dana White pointed out in his announcement this week of the just-announced late-October lightweight title bout. For starters, the sports world -- including MMA -- has pretty much been on shutdown for the past few months because of the coronavirus pandemic. When the UFC did return, Nurmagomedov, a Muslim, was still observing Ramadan, which meant fasting and little MMA training. Ramadan ended May 23. That same month, Nurmagomedov's father, Abdulmanap, was hospitalized in Moscow after heart surgery for a preexisting condition further complicated by COVID-19. He died July 3. "It's been very rough on him," White said of Nurmagomedov. "Everybody is close to their parents and everything, but his father was a hero to him. He loved his father. They had a very close relationship, and it was very hard on him." Gaethje's amateur wrestling background Justin Gaethje first took up wrestling at the age of 4 ... and participated in wrestling in at Safford High School where he was a four-time Arizona state finalist and twice a state champ, compiling an impressive 191-1 overall record). After high school, Gaethje enrolled at the University of Northern Colorado, a NCAA Division I program. As a freshman, he built a 18-9 overall record. As a sophomore, he qualified for the 2009 NCAA 157-pound championship, with a record of 0-2. As a junior, Gaethje went 5-2 at the 2010 NCAA Division I 157-pound championship to earn seventh place and All-American status. Just this summer -- years after concluding his collegiate mat career -- Gaethje was announced as an inductee into the University of Northern Colorado Athletics Hall of Fame for his achievements in wrestling.

B.J. Futrell PHILADELPHIA -- Beat the Streets Philadelphia (BTSP) is proud to announce the hiring of B.J. Futrell as the new Mentoring Director. Futrell will work closely with BTSP executive staff, and critical partners: Penn Wrestling, Drexel Wrestling, and the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center to deliver mentoring to BTSP Student-athletes. Futrell was a resident athlete at the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center from 2016-2019. During this time, he served as a coach and mentor at BTSP, working extensively with student-athletes. Futrell returns to Philadelphia after serving as an Assistant Coach at the US Naval Academy during the 2019-2020 season. Under his leadership, Navy qualified five wrestlers for the NCAA Tournament and crowned two EIWA champions. Additionally, Navy had three wrestlers become NWCA Scholar All-Americans. Collegiately, Futrell was a two-time All-American for the University of Illinois, placing sixth at the 2012 NCAA Tournament and eighth in 2011. He was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and twice achieved NWCA Scholar All-American status. Futrell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology in 2012 and a Master of Education degree in educational policy studies in 2013. On the Senior Level, Futrell was a member of the 2017 US National Team and a 2014 University Worlds silver medalist. Throughout his career, Futrell placed at over 20 different Senior-level events and won titles at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, the Bill Farrell International and the Ion Corneanu & Ladislau Simon Memorial in Bucharest, Romania. He was also a member of the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club team that brought home a title from the 2016 Club World Championships in Kharkiv, Ukraine. Futrell will begin his new position in September and is eager to make an impact within the program. "It is always worth more to invest in people than to invest in things. BTSP is a pipeline of grace, mercy, love, and truth into the students and families of this community. I believe in the mission, and I will use my skills and experience to raise consciousness and lead to effective action and social change. I want to live a life dedicated to service. I couldn't be more excited to serve the communities of Philadelphia as the Mentoring Director at BTSP," said B.J. Futrell. As part of an organizational restructuring Ben Reiter, who has been serving as the Mentoring Director since August of 2017, will transition to a newly created Senior Director of Advancement & Strategic Partnerships position. Ben expanded the impact of Mentoring through collective impact, innovative curriculum, and personal passion for the mission. "B.J.is a dynamic individual with a first-hand understanding of the vitally important work of mentoring BTSP student-athletes. Having served as a Mentor, Coach, and Partner in the past will allow B.J. to have an immediate impact on the organization as we build on past success and position for a rapidly evolving future," said Executive Director James Mangan. At BTSP, we strive to positively alter life's trajectory of the youth we serve by living the core values of Grit, Compassion, Service, and Team.

Garrett Hoffman wrestling PSU's Anthony Cassar (Photo/Marc Hagemeier) BLOOMINGTON, Ind.-- IU head coach Angel Escobedo has announced the addition of graduate transfer Garrett Hoffman. Hoffman, a native of Cogan Station, Pa., comes to Indiana after four years at Bucknell. At Bucknell he majored in Managing for Sustainability with a minor in Philosophy. Hoffman graduated Cum Laude with a 3.56 GPA. Hoffman started off his collegiate career strong, as he qualified for the NCAA Championships at 184 pounds. "We're excited to add Garrett Hoffman to our program," IU head coach Angel Escobedo said. "An NCAA qualifier as a true freshman, Garrett brings experience and leadership to the program. Garrett will wrestle 197lb this season and is ready to put in the work needed to end his career as an All-American." He earned the Bucknell Freshman of the Year Award after posting a record of 18-16 in his first collegiate season. Prior to Bucknell, Hoffman tallied a 167-19 record at Montoursville Area High School. He was a three-time state medalist, including a finalist as a senior in 2016. At Indiana Hoffman will be attending the Kelley School of Business in an executive degree program for business management. "I saw how passionate the coaches were about the program and their vision for the future of IU wrestling," Hoffman said. "It showed me that they truly cared about their athletes as more than just athletes and have a great defined plan for success. They are building something special at IU and that's something I want to be a part of and hopefully help pave the way for their future success."

Vladyslav Dombrovskiy attempts to throw Kamal Bey at the Dave Schultz Memorial (Photo/Larry Slater) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- USADA announced today that Vladyslav Dombrovskiy, of Colorado Springs, Colo. an athlete in the sport of wrestling, has accepted a four-year suspension for a violation involving his possession and use or attempted use of prohibited substances and his refusal to provide a urine sample. Dombrovskiy, 30, refused to provide a sample as requested by a USADA doping control officer during an out-of-competition test on March 12, 2020. Evading sample collection or refusing or failing to submit to sample collection without compelling justification is an anti-doping rule violation under the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policy, and the United World Wrestling Anti-Doping Rules, all of which have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. During an investigation, USADA also obtained specific and credible evidence that Dombrovskiy possessed letrozole in 2019, purchased a product containing GW1516 from an online store in January 2020, and used tamoxifen in February 2020, which he received from a friend. Letrozole and tamoxifen are Specified Substances and GW1516 is a Non-Specified Substance in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators. These substances are prohibited at all times under the above-referenced rules. Dombrovskiy's four-year period of ineligibility began on March 10, 2020, the date he admitted using prohibited substances. In addition, Dombrovskiy has been disqualified from competitive results obtained on and subsequent to July 1, 2019, the approximate date on which he first possessed a prohibited substance, including forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes. In an effort to aid athletes, as well as support team members such as parents and coaches, in understanding the rules applicable to them, USADA provides comprehensive instruction on its website on the testing process and prohibited substances, how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication, and the risks and dangers of taking supplements (www.Supplement411.org) as well as performance-enhancing and recreational drugs. In addition, USADA manages a drug reference hotline, Global Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as an easy-reference wallet card with examples of prohibited and permitted substances, a supplement guide, a nutrition guide, an athlete handbook, and periodic alerts and advisories. Along with education and testing, robust anti-doping programs enable investigations stemming from tips and whistleblowers. USADA makes available a number of ways to report the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs in sport in an effort to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. Any tip can be reported using the USADA Play Clean Tip Center, by email at playclean@usada.org, by phone at 1-877-Play Clean (1-877-752-9253) or by mail. USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for athletes in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.

Haley Augello speaks at a press conference prior to the Rio Olympics (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Haley Augello has wrestled her last competitive match. The 2016 Olympian announced her retirement from wrestling over the weekend on social media. Augello, an Illinois native, earned a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team in women's wrestling at the age of 21. She finished ninth at the Rio Games at 48 kilograms. In 2017, Augello moved up to 53 kilograms and earned a spot on the U.S. world team, finishing eighth at the World Championships. She fell just short of making the world team in both 2018 and 2019. Augello also won a Cadet world title in 2011 and three college national titles in the WCWA while attending King University. "There's not really one answer to why (I'm retiring)," the 25-year-old Augello told USA Wrestling's Mike Willis in a Moments off the Mat interview. "It's just that I don't want to train or compete anymore." Augello also reflected on her wrestling career, ups and downs, relationships, how she wants to be remembered and much more. Watch USA Wrestling's full interview with Augello below.

The body of Aleksandr Ivanitsky, 97 kilogram/213-pound 1964 Tokyo Olympic wrestling champ for the Soviet Union in the 1960s, was discovered out in the woods after having been out missing for a couple days near Moscow this past weekend. Aleksandr Ivanitskyvanitsky, who also won four other gold medals in freestyle world wrestling, was reported dead by the official Russian TASS news agency on Sunday, July 26. He was 82. Born in Donetsk, Oblast in 1937, Ivanitsky won gold in men's freestyle for the Soviet Union at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic, as well a gold medal for his home country at the World Championships in 1962, 1963, 1965 and 1966. Ivanitsky studied at the Russian State University of Physical Education in 1966 and earned formal journalism qualifications at the capital's Academy of Social Sciences in 1979, having been appointed chief editor of the main sports programs of the Gosteleradio broadcasting empire, according to Inside the Games. Ivanitsky also counted among his friends with fellow Tokyo 1964 Olympic wrestling champion Alexander Medved, who went on to win two more Olympic gold medals and is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. "With great regret I learned about what happened, he was a strong, powerful, healthy person who seriously observed the regime, looked after himself," Medved told Inside The Games. "I'm just surprised. "How could this happen." "Until recently, we hoped for a miracle -- but unfortunately a real tragedy has happened," Mikhail Mamiashvili, the president of the Russian Wrestling Federation, told TASS. "This is an immeasurable loss for his family, wife, son and granddaughters. Ivanitsky belonged to the heroic people who were children of war, with a heightened sense of pride and an understanding that they represent a great victorious nation. "There was a red thread running through his entire life. This feeling of colossal responsibility, understanding the country they represent, shapes people like him. "This is one of the foundations of our domestic sport - particularly wrestling. This is our great heritage and a blessed memory."

Artist rendition of Xtream Arena set up for wrestling competition USA Wrestling has finalized the schedule and posted an official event website for the Senior Nationals, which will be hosted at the new Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11. The schedule features three days of competition, which will showcase the nation's top international-style wrestlers, competing in the three Olympic disciplines: men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman. Extensive information on the Senior Nationals has been posted on an official event website at https://usawrestlingevents.com/event/2000215702. The schedule for the Senior Nationals will include the six Olympic weight classes in each discipline. There will be a one-match finals, as is traditional at the Senior Nationals. Athletes will be able to register starting August 20. However, if United World Wrestling confirms that the proposed 2020 Senior World Championships meets the conditions to be held and USA Wrestling decides to attend, the event format could change. The Sport Committee in each of the disciplines will meet to consider using this event as a 2020 World Team Trials, which could change the number of weight classes and the competition format. In an effort to answer a variety of questions about the Senior Nationals for athletes, coaches, team leaders and fans, USA Wrestling has developed a Q&A document, which can be accessed at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/July/27/Question-and-answer-about-Senior-Nationals. Fans will be able to order tickets starting at 12:00 noon on Monday, August 3 by visiting www.xtreamarena.com. Ticket prices for the Senior Nationals will be: • All Session Adult $45 • All Session Youth $25 • Single Day Adult $35 • Single Day Youth $15 • All Session Coaches $20 (must have current USAW Leader Membership) The event will be broadcast by FloWrestling. SENIOR NATIONALS At Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11 Sessions and schedule subject to change Event Schedule Monday, October 5 5:00 p.m. - Online Athlete Registration Deadline - If you miss this deadline, you can still sign up for Late Online Registration up until the day before competition. See below. 5:00 PM (Central Time) Tuesday, October 6 TBA - Virtual Seeding Meeting - Zoom Thursday, October 8 7:00 p.m. - Late Online Registration & Weight Verification Deadline (must be done the night before) Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) Friday, October 9 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. - Doors Open for Workout - Athletes and Coaches Only. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m.- Medical and Weigh-in - SCRATCH. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) 8:30 a.m. - Doors Open *All Spectators must have face covering on before entering arena. 10:00 a.m.- 2:30 p.m. - (6 mats) - Session I: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals and Consolations Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) 4:30 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.- (6 mats) - Session II: Semifinals and Consolations Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) 7:00 p.m. - Late Online Registration & Weight Verification Deadline (must be done the night before) Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) Saturday, October 10 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. - Doors Open for Workout - Athletes and Coaches Only. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m.- Medical and Weigh-in - SCRATCH. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m.- Medical and Weigh-in - SCRATCH. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) 8:30 a.m. - Doors Open. All Spectators must have face covering on before entering arena. 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - (2 mats): Session III: Consolation Semifinals, 3rd Place, 5th Place and 7th Place Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - (4 mats) - Session III: Preliminaries Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. - (6 mats): Session IV: Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Consolations Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. - (1 mat): Session V: Championship Finals Greco-Roman (60 KG, 67 KG, 77 KG, 87 KG, 97 KG, 130 KG) Women's Freestyle (50 KG, 53 KG, 57 KG) Sunday, October 11 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. - Doors Open for Workout - Athletes and Coaches Only. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. 7:30 a.m.-8:00 a.m.- Medical and Weigh-in - SCRATCH. All athletes and coaches must have face covering on before entering arena. Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) 8:30 a.m. - Doors Open. All Spectators must have face covering on before entering arena. 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. - (4 mats): Session VI: Consolation, Consolation Semifinals, 3rd Place, 5th Place and 7th Place Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) 3:00 p.m - 4:30 p.m.- (1 mat): Session VII: Championship Finals Women's Freestyle (62 KG, 68 KG, 76 KG) Men's Freestyle (57 KG, 65 KG, 74 KG, 86 KG , 97 KG, 125 KG) Sessions and schedule subject to change

Fred Davis, three-time NCAA All-American wrestler and 1955 NCAA champ for legendary Oklahoma State coach Art Griffith who then went on to coach at Brigham Young University in Utah, then, later at in high school in Tulsa, passed away last Friday at age 86. Fred DavisDavis wrestled for the Oklahoma State Cowboys in the mid-1950s during a great era in the program. At the 1955 NCAAs at Cornell University, Davis won the 157-pound title by defeating Larry TenPas of the University of Illinois in the finals. Davis' three-time All-American performance at the NCAAs three straight years helped propel Davis and his team to No. 1 standings in the championships. (Other individual champs you may recognize from the 1955 NCAAs championships: Terry McCann of Iowa, Ed Peery of Pitt, Myron Roderick of Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma's Dan Hodge). Less than a decade after graduating from Oklahoma State, Fred Davis launched his collegiate coaching career at Brigham Young University in Utah. He started there in 1964 and led the wrestling program for 20 years. Davis helped crown 15 conference titles for the Cougars and for his efforts was name NCAA Coach of the Year in 1973. In 2003, Fred Davis was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American. Just four years later -- in 2007 -- Davis was honored by Oklahoma State with their Gallagher Award winner, presented each year to "an OSU wrestling alumnus who exemplifies the spirit and leadership eminent in the tradition of champions." "There has been some fine people win the Gallagher Award," Davis said at the time he was presented with the award named for the legendary wrestling coach Ed Gallagher who is credited with building the Cowboys into the all-time great mat program at Oklahoma State. "There have been some great wrestlers from the past and I am certainly honored to receive that distinction." https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/3943/Rev-Rewind-Ed-Gallagher Davis finished out his career in Tulsa, coaching at Bishop Kelley High School until his retirement in 1999. Funeral services for Fred Davis will be private.

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- United World Wrestling, the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, has teamed up with global supplier Nike Wrestling for the "We Will Wrestle Again" campaign. The effort is focused on providing financial relief to wrestling organizations impacted by the global pandemic. 'We Will Wrestle Again' aims to maximize the reach of UWW and Nike to raise money via tee shirt sales and direct the relief to National Federations, host-cities, and other grassroots activities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The T-shirts are available for sale on the United World Wrestling online store: uwwstore.com. "We are pleased to join with Nike Wrestling for this important mission," said United World Wrestling president Nenad LALOVIC. "We are facing unprecedented times and the strength of our future will depend on our ability to come together in support of our community members around the world -- from athletes to national federations. We must remember that we will wrestle again." Money generated from the campaign will also go into a scholarship fund, managed by the Development Department, which will provide financial aid to athletes with dreams of competing at the international level. "Nike Wrestling understands the obstacles that the wrestling community faces in response to the global pandemic," said APS/Nike Wrestling president Eddie Brown. 'We Will Wrestle Again' came from the notion that we want to support those most effected and create a positive campaign that will help during these trying times." Nike Wrestling has been a global sponsor of UWW since 2017 and at the direction of the federation's development department has supplied equipment to several disadvantaged wrestling communities around the globe. To purchase T-shirts, or donate to the campaign, please visit uwwstore.com.

Kyle Dake takes a shot on Frank Chamizo (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) AUSTIN, Texas -- This was an event wrestling fans were looking forward to. And with good reason. FloWrestling's freestyle wrestling card on Saturday night in Austin, Texas, delivered with top-notch competitors and high-level matches. Anytime you have superstars like David Taylor, Kyle Dake and Frank Chamizo wrestling, you don't want to miss it. Kudos to Flo for making this night of wrestling happen after sports were shut down for several months during the pandemic. There were technical difficulties, and the stream was down for more than half an hour after the first bout, but the wrestling was entertaining once we got rolling again. Here is my breakdown from the five matches: Vito Arujau (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 140 pounds: Vito Arujau vs. Sammy Alvarez Vito came out strong with some good forward pressure, scoring an early step out. He followed with a slick leg attack into a single that resulted in a second step out. The wrestlers were involved in a wild scramble late in the first period with Alvarez countering beautifully to gain four points. Alvarez led 5-3 at the break. Great action in the opening period. It's awesome to be watching live wrestling again. Vito fired in on a pair of strong leg attacks and added a pair of turns to lead 11-5 early in the second period. Vito finished with strong before prevailing 16-5. He is an accomplished young freestyle wrestler with a huge upside. He's going to be a force on the Senior level. Roman Bravo-Young defeated Jack Mueller (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 137: Jack Mueller vs. Roman Bravo-Young RBY charged out aggressively after the long break, driving in on a quick leg attack to convert for a takedown. Bravo-Young followed with another takedown and turn to lead 6-0. He looks explosive and sharp despite being away from competition for several months. RBY stayed on the attack, striking for another takedown to build an 8-0 advantage in the second period. Bravo-Young has been impressive and is moving extremely well. He wins 8-1. Luke Pletcher notched a 9-2 victory over Darrion Caldwell (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 149: Darrion Caldwell vs. Luke Pletcher This was an interesting matchup with the 32-year-old Caldwell returning to wrestle for the first time in many years after competing in MMA. Caldwell scored first on a step out, but Pletcher came back to counter a shot and secure a takedown. Caldwell came back to score another step out early in the second period to draw within 3-2. The 23-year-old Pletcher kept the pressure on, coming back to spin behind Caldwell and lead 5-2. Caldwell tried to jump over Pletcher in the closing seconds before dropping a 9-2 decision. The powerful Pletcher wrestled aggressively, pushed the pace and controlled the center of the mat. David Taylor gets in a shot against Myles Martin (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 200: David Taylor vs. Myles Martin This looked like another intriguing bout with the Magic Man, a 2018 world champion, returning to the mat this year. He faced a quality opponent in Martin, who took the bout on short notice. Taylor came out firing, hitting a pair of early single-leg shots for a step out and takedown. Taylor kept the pressure on with an array of leg attacks to build a 9-0 edge. Taylor overpowered Martin with one last shot to win by an 11-0 first-period technical fall. Taylor looks fantastic. He's big, strong and fast. He turned in a dominant performance. Kyle Dake being interviewed after beating Frank Chamizo (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 174: Kyle Dake vs. Frank Chamizo The battle of two-time world champions was scoreless for most of the first period before Chamizo scored a point after Dake was put on the shot clock. Dake shot in late in the opening period to force a step out and tied the bout 1-1. Chamizo scored in a scramble to lead 3-1 before Dake came back with a reversal and gut wrench to grab a 4-3 edge. Chamizo nearly scored on a shot late in the match, but Dake countered effectively to hold him off. Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games, written 10 books and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

St. Cloud State University mourns the loss of former wrestling coach Steve Grimit, who passed away on Wednesday, July 22. Steve Grimit"On behalf of St. Cloud State University and Huskies Athletics, we offer our sincere condolences to the Grimit family.," St. Cloud State Director of Athletic Heather Weems said. "Steve's personality on the field was bigger than life and he made a significant impact on hundreds of student-athletes. He loved coaching and helping young men develop as people and players. He will be remembered by many for his passion and big voice on the sidelines." As SCSU's wrestling coach, Grimit led the Huskies from 1993 to 2006. He coached 14 All-America wrestlers during his tenure at SCSU and also coached SCSU NCAA Division II champion Gene Hanemann in 1995, who was the Huskies' first NCAA DII individual champion. Grimit served as the Huskies' defensive line football coach for 27 years and was also SCSU's head wrestling coach for 12 seasons. He coached numerous All-Conference and All-America players, helped the SCSU football win two conference championships, earn four NCAA playoff bids and positively impact the lives of SCSU student-athletes during his tenure with the Huskies. "I have lost a great friend and am having a difficult time thinking about what things will be like for me and all those who came in contact with Steve," said Scott Underwood, who worked at SCSU with Grimit since 2001 and went on to serve as the Huskies' head football coach from 2008 to 2019. "His passion, drive and caring for his players was unmatched. For as demanding and tough as Steve could be in pushing players to reach their best, he was also the first one to provide you the biggest hug in victory or defeat. His teachings and legacy will live on in the countless stories we share with a tear, a smile and a laugh. My heart goes out to Kim, Jimmy, Nicole & John as we all grieve with them." Prior to landing at St. Cloud State, Grimit coached at Western Illinois University and Valparaiso University. He wrestled and played football in college, qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling National Championships and was a co-captain of his Western Illinois football team in 1985. Grimit graduated from Western Illinois University in 1987 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and was a graduate of Blair High School in Blair, Neb. A longtime resident of St. Cloud, Steve is survived by his wife Kim and their two children, Nicole and James. A visitation for Coach Grimit will be held on Thursday, July 30 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Miller-Carlin Funeral Home at 3013 Roosevelt Road in St. Cloud, Minn. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 31 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church (2555 Clearwater Road in St. Cloud, Minn.).

The start of the Nevada high school wrestling season has been moved from November to January due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association announced Thursday. The official start of wrestling practice was originally scheduled for Nov. 14 and is now set for Jan. 2. Competitions can begin Jan. 15. The season will consist of six weeks of competition and no state tournament. Fall sports in Nevada will begin in March. Bart Thompson, the executive director of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, wrote: "The decision to delay the start of the athletic calendar was based, among many factors, on some the following: "That the master planner be student-centered and serve as the most optimal model for potential success in returning to play based on current COVID-19 circumstances; "That the health, safety and welfare of student-athletes, coaches, athletic department leaders, contest officials and event staff be first and foremost; "That the sport seasons be preserved by keeping traditional sports in their same groups; "That the calendar be aligned as such (winter first, followed by fall and then concluded with spring) to give the best opportunity for each sport to be conducted as effectively and efficiently as possible while considering a variety of potential outside factors; "That each season's start and end dates be created so as to overlap as minimally as possible, preserving the philosophy that student-athletes should have the opportunity to participate in multiple sports seasons."

The FloWrestling main event will be happening this Saturday. The show is the second to feature senior-level athletes since the shutdown of most athletic events in March. The event, which has been well-documented to not include women, has a variety of star power from around the country and includes the ultra-sellable Frank Chamizo as the headlining act. If FloWrestling is hoping to sell subscriptions, there is no question this event will draw in eyeballs. However, with those eyeballs will come at an additional risk to the sport of wrestling. With big names and media coverage will come the scrutiny of health officials, political leaders, and the wrestling community. Deaths from COVID are well above 1000-a-day nationwide and Texas is in the midst of its worst-ever outbreak. Should COVID protocols not be followed there is potential for serious backlash among stakeholders and those influential in national sports. The rooftop event held in Chicago a few weeks ago did not follow strict protocols and the local press and wrestling media covered those shortcomings. This event is much larger -- it's being hosted by the largest wrestling broadcaster in the nation, advertised heavily, and will have more organic interest in the outcomes due to there being three world champions on the card. Should mistakes like those in Chicago be made in Austin there is risk of serious blowback for the sport of wrestling. I don't subscribe to the logic that wrestling is more dangerous than basketball or football in terms of transmission. In fact, the argument can be made that dual meets and controlled settings have less risk of transmission than team sports with lots of intermingling of athletes. The public won't see that comparison -- they will only see two individuals standing face-to-face, breathing on each other, and ask themselves if that exact moment is a highly transmissible situation. We have to understand that this event will do nothing to make the situation better for the perception of wrestling. The best we can hope for is that nothing goes horribly wrong. Wear a mask … Q: Who wins this weekend? -- Will D. Foley: Predictions below. Kyle Dake vs. Frank Chamizo Stylistically this is an incredible matchup of two ultra-defensive wrestlers with unique scrambling ability and sense of their positioning on the mats. The only issue I see is that neither is likely to attack early or often, and when they do it will be the ultimate shutdown mode to follow. For the fans, the most entertaining match might start with a Dake attack countered for four points by Chamizo. We know that Chamizo will shut down the action after that many points and that Dake becomes far less tactical when he is trailing in a match. With the score 4-0 I'd think another pushout or two, and maybe a takedown would move the score to 4-3 heading into the break. Chamizo reverses a sure-thing pushout and scores to go up 5-3. Dake does something miraculous with about 30 seconds left on the clock to tie it up, but trail on criteria. We then get 25 seconds of fans yelling for a penalty point as Chamizo flees and we end up with a last-second attempt from Dake to push Chamizo out of bounds that ends up deciding the match. That's best case for fans. The worst case might be something more like watching paint dry and neither is willing to attack, and we get offsetting shot clocks to decide the match. I'll take Dake. Myles Martin vs. David Taylor David Taylor is among the best overall wrestlers in the world. He's creative, punishing, attack-minded, and strong-willed. He has great coaching and doesn't seem content to rest on his 2018 world championship. Taylor's recent knee surgery has healed and his last return to the mats was to capture the Olympic qualification spot for the United States at 86 kilograms. Martin is taking the match on short notice and while he has the skills to become one of the best in the world, he won't be challenging Taylor too much on scrambles, not in leg defense. My main concern is that both men stay healthy for their runs at the Olympic Games and that Martin can make it a competitive match for Taylor who will need every opportunity to tune-up for Tokyo 2021 where a super-charged Yazdani is waiting for his opportunity to seek revenge. Jack Mueller scores with a chest wrap against Nick Piccininni at Beat the Streets in 2019 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Jack Mueller vs. Roman Bravo-Young Fun matchup. I'm biased, but I think far too many people underestimate Jack Mueller in general, but especially in freestyle. Mueller has an awesome style for international success, endless gas tank, and coaching under Kendall Cross. He's competitive with Spencer Lee and has been on a U23 world team. Give the man his props. Roman Bravo-Young is a lot for any wrestler to handle, but where he's best in scrambles is where Mueller has always found opportunities to score. RBY's attacks will need to be clean and his finishes immediate if he's to avoid a situation where Mueller wears down the pace and ties up RBY before actualizing points. Mueller by a field goal. Vito Arujau vs. Sammy Alvarez There is a compelling case to be made for Arujau to end up on the Olympic team. I don't think he will, but he's top level 57-kilogram talent for the United States and will be on a senior team before the end of his career. (I still think it'll be Spencer Lee in 2021.) The matchup with Sammy Alvarez is a nice tune-up for the recently announced Senior Nationals in October, but I don't think there will be much of a competitive back-and-forth. Mostly, I am interested to see Arjuau's gains in freestyle and if he has something special to offer at the world level. Darrion Caldwell vs. Luke Pletcher I'd really, really hope that Pletcher has zero issues with Caldwell. When is the last time Caldwell wrestled a full match? 2012? He's had an incredible MMA career, but the tactical side of the sport, conditioning, and the mentality of wrestling are very different than they were when Caldwell last wrestled. That is to say nothing of the rule set and game planning that accompanies a perfect knowledge of the current sport and interpretations. Hope to see the best of Pletcher and for Caldwell to keep it competitive enough for a flash of his former brilliance to come through for fans Q: I don't think many wrestling fans are as opposed to women's wrestling as you think but rather are frustrated that the ladies would ask for more money than DT and then accuse Flo of sexism when Flo declines. It seems like a fairly dishonest charge against Flo because there's a reasonable argument to be made that DT will draw more eyeballs for the event. This is obviously hard to measure but one metric we can use is DT has ~85K followers where Jacarra Winchester only has 2.5K. I understand your point about wrestling not operating in the free market but isn't there still a threshold where the girls are asking for too much money? Am I missing something here? -- Steven L. Foley: Fair. I think you make a valid point that the wrestling community isn't all-in against women. I also agree that David Taylor should be paid more than Jacarra based on his ability to draw eyeballs and his success on the NCAA and international level. Equal pay is the goal, but FloWrestling (or any private company) can't be compelled retroactively to adhere to a standard that is outside of their contractual responsibilities as partners. The larger goal for this event, and probably for many other independent events (non-USA Wrestling) is to have there be some representation. With the ability to compete on the undercard a number of interested men's freestyle fans might find entertainment in the women's side. It's how you promote young boxers and how the UFC limped into female-led fight cards. Complicated topic all around, but from my perspective we can all work hard on increasing representation and shifting the spotlight when there is an opportunity to expand the reach of women's wrestling at home and abroad. And this isn't really necessary to write, but women's wrestling is WILDLY entertaining. For anyone who says they aren't as good as the boys I don't see them making the same arguments for not watching high school wrestling, or college wrestling, or age group level wrestling. And lastly Jacarra has 11K Instagram followers! Q: Aaron Pico makes his MMA return on Friday. His career has not gone as planned so far, but he's still young. Do you still think he could be a champion in Bellator or UFC? -- Mike C. Foley: Of course. Pico was young when he was introduced to the MMA community and his successes and failures are more like early season wrestling tournaments than they are performances at the state championships. Getting KO'ed or choked is part of a longer learning process that can't be stifled due to setbacks. Pico seems to understand this and has been powering through the early bumps. Fighting is crazy, but Pico is building a skill set and mental outlook that will benefit him in the long term. He has the talent and the discipline to succeed at anything he does so his career will largely be dependent on how he manages his health, the skills he chooses to improve, and the impact his management has on who he chooses to fight. Anyone who knows Pico understands that he doesn't spend much time away from the mats, and if he does it's to be with his family or his horses. Pico will be a Bellator champion. After a few defenses I can see him make the transition to the UFC after a handful of title defenses. How he does there is anyone's guess, but you should never underestimate Pico.

Staff Sgt. Ladonies P. Strong, convicted of negligent homicide when driving a high-wheel truck which overturned in a June 2019 Army training exercise which killed a West Point wrestler and injured more than a dozen other cadets, has been sentenced to three years of confinement, the New York Times reported this week. InterMat had written about the incident a year ago immediately after it had happened because it had involved an Army wrestler who, prior to entering West Point, had wrestled in high school in New Jersey. Staff Sgt. Strong was behind the wheel of a truck that overturned in June 2019 on the way to a training exercise about eight miles from West Point's main campus in upstate New York. One cadet, Christopher J. Morgan who was on the Black Knight wrestling team, died at the scene of the accident. Two trainers and 19 others were injured. Sergeant Strong, who was also convicted of prevention of authorized seizure of property, was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, reckless operation of a vehicle and two counts of dereliction of duty, according to a statement from the Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield, in Georgia. Christopher Morgan, 22, who had been expected to graduate in 2020, was a member of the academy's wrestling team and had a standout wrestling career at his high school in West Orange, N.J., his hometown. "We are devastated by the news of Chris' passing. He was a talented, hardworking, and determined athlete who loved his sport," Army West Point Wrestling Coach Kevin Ward said in a statement released by the academy Friday. "Chris had an infectious personality with a smile big enough to fill any room, and a heart big enough to love everyone around him. He made everyone around him better and he will be greatly missed," Ward added. According to his bio at the official Army wrestling website, Christopher Jordan Lynn Morgan wrestled at 184 pounds, compiling a 28-22 overall record, with 13 of those wins resulting in bonus points. One of his opponents as a West Point wrestler: Gabe Dean, two-time NCAA Division I champ for Cornell University.

Senior Nationals will be held at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa (Photo/City of Coralville) USA Wrestling has announced that it will host its Senior Nationals, featuring the nation's top international-style wrestlers, at the new Xtream Arena & GreenState Family Fieldhouse in Coralville, Iowa, October 9-11. The event will highlight competition in the three Olympic disciplines: men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman. The Iowa City/Coralville region is considered one of the world's hotbeds for wrestling, and has hosted numerous major USA Wrestling competitions in the past. Think Iowa City, the convention and visitors bureau for the Iowa City/Coralville region, is serving as the local organizing committee. "USA Wrestling is very excited to again partner with Think Iowa City on another one of our country's significant wrestling competitions. With their long history of staging some of our sport's best wrestling events, we are confident that the Senior Nationals will be another one of those awesome experiences for our sport. Obviously, we will work closely with the local organizing committee, the local public health officials and others to insure athlete safety is paramount. We are hopeful that this will be a milestone for our sport as we battle back from this worldwide pandemic," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. This will be the first major Senior-level event which will be hosted by USA Wrestling since the postponement or cancellation of much of its 2020 national event schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event will be conducted following the requirements of the state and local health authorities, as well as using the safety provisions of the USA Wrestling Return to Events Guidelines. The local organizing committee is in regular communication with its partners at Johnson County public health and University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. USA Wrestling and the local organizers will monitor data and local trends closely leading up to the event. This will be the fourth time the USA Wrestling's Senior Nationals has been held in the area, as Iowa City hosted the 1975, 1977 and 1978 U.S. Greco-Roman Senior Nationals. Other major Senior-level USA Wrestling events held in Iowa City were the record-setting 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, as well as the 1983 Freestyle World Team Trials. Along with United World Wrestling, USA Wrestling also helped bring the 2018 Freestyle World Cup to Iowa City, which was considered one of the most successful World Cups ever. Iowa City is the home of the University of Iowa's wrestling program, which annually has the highest attendance of any Div. I wrestling team. The NCAA Div. I Championships were hosted in Iowa City five times (1959, 1986, 1991, 1995, 2001). The region also hosted the largest-attended college wrestling event ever, when the Grapple on the Gridiron match between Iowa and Oklahoma State drew 42,287 fans in Kinnick Stadium on November 14, 2015. Wrestling is also very popular on the youth and high school levels all across Iowa. "We are excited to once again welcome back our friends at USA Wrestling. Our community has been recognized many times over as Wrestling City USA and we aim to keep it that way by helping USA Wrestling deliver another memorable event," said Josh Schamberger, President, Think Iowa City. "Senior Nationals will be one of the very first major events we are looking forward to hosting in Xtream Arena.," said Coralville Mayor John Lundell. "Our athletes and coaches will know this location well as it is within 100 yards of the hotel they have used during the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Team Trials and 2018 UWW Freestyle World Cup. I look forward to welcoming them all to Coralville this October." Coralville's new Xtream Arena will be officially opened in September, with seating capacity of 5,100. There will be as many as six mats used during the tournament, with the championship finals on one mat. Fans will be able to order tickets starting at 12:00 noon on August 3 by visiting www.xtreamarena.com. Ticket prices for the Senior Nationals will be: • All Session Adult $45 • All Session Youth $25 • Single Day Adult $35 • Single Day Youth $15 • All Session Coaches $20 (must have current USAW Leader Membership) The complete competition schedule is currently being finalized, and will be announced next week. An events website for the Senior Nationals will also be posted when the schedule is published. The event will be broadcast by FloWrestling.

Rick Lawinger, who was the first University of Wisconsin wrestler to win an individual NCAA championship and then became a respected high school coach in his home state, died Tuesday. He was 67. Rick LawingerLawinger won his 145-pound crown -- the first individual national mat title for the Badger wrestling program in any weight class -- at the 1973 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, defeating Steve Randall of Oklahoma State for the 1974 NCAA championship, completing a 39-1 season campaign. Lawinger recently suffered complications from heart surgery, his friend and former Badgers coach Duane Kleven told Madison.com. "He knew it from the minute he stepped in the door at Wisconsin that he was going to be their first national champion," Kleven said of Lawinger. "No doubt about it." Lawinger's 1974 NCAA championship started the Badgers on the path to seven more in the following four years, three of them by Lee Kemp, the school's first four-time All-American and only three-time NCAA champion. In addition to winning the first NCAA title for Wisconsin, Lawinger was also a Big Ten Conference champion in both his junior and senior seasons. He was also a three-time team MVP and ranks fourth in UW history with an .882 career winning percentage (130-17-1). He also won a bronze medal in freestyle at the 1973 World University Games. Born July 30, 1952, Rick Lawinger grew up on a dairy farm near Mineral Point, Wis. He didn't start wrestling until joining the powerhouse Mineral Point High School program led by head coach Al Bauman, but he finished an undefeated 1969-70 senior season by winning the state title at 145 pounds. As a coach at River Valley, Lawinger had the state's No. 1 dual meet team in 1978 and 1979. The team finished as state runner-up in 1978. Rick Lawinger was inducted into the George Martin Wrestling Hall of Fame at University of Wisconsin in 1983.

Lee Kemp, Chris Campbell and Nahshon Garrett Beat the Streets Bay Area ("BTS Bay Area"), a Bay Area youth development organization focused on improving the lives of youth through wrestling and mentorship, is pleased to announce the first in a series of conversations on racism and the importance of Black lives. We have amazing and esteemed panel members willing to share their personal stories of being Black and the impact that wrestling and mentorship had on their lives. They will also discuss the importance of the work that BTS Bay Area is undertaking. Register to attend via https://respond.orrick.com/v/cledp1qq. BTS Bay Area believes the horrors of racial injustice have greatly impacted Black lives and that indifference and inaction make us complicit in the systematic and disproportionate racism and violence against Black people. As an organization we stand for giving back and helping those in need. BTS Bay Area's mission is to be part of the solution and to combat inequality in our community to help create lasting change. We focus on the grass roots, bottom up effort of providing opportunity to help kids achieve their potential so they mature into productive, engaged citizens who know they matter and can affect society positively. We believe communication and dialogue regarding issues facing Black wrestlers is critical in this mission and, therefore, BTS Bay Area is sponsoring at least two events to begin the dialogue and conversation for everyone in our community to be better informed and take action. First Panel: Wednesday, August 5, 2020, 12 p.m. PST Reggie Lee (Panel Moderator) BTS Bay Area Board Member Harvard wrestling alum Lee Kemp (Panelist) Three-time world champion Olympic coach BTS Board Member MBA Chris Campbell (Panelist) World champion Olympic bronze medalist 1980 & 1992 Olympian Juris Doctorate Nahshon Garrett (Panelist) NCAA champion Cornell wrestling alum Second Panel: Wednesday, September 16, 2020, 12 p.m. PST BTS Bay Area will follow up with a second conversation on Black lives featuring Black women wrestlers on Sept. 16, 2020 at 12 p.m. PST (Save the date). If you cannot make the presentation and would like to donate: https://www.btsbayarea.org/take-action. Link: Press Release About Beat the Streets Bay Area In February 2019, BTS Bay Area was formed to improve the lives of youth in disadvantaged communities through the sport of wrestling and mentorship. BTS Bay Area focused its initial programs in Oakland, partnering with the Oakland Unified School District, to launch after school wrestling programs in the Spring of 2019. BTS Bay Area brings the life changing sport of wrestling to Oakland student-athletes to improve their academic, health and social and emotional well-being. BTS Bay Area partnered with the Award-Winning Summer Program Aim High to offer a program at the Oakland Westlake Middle School in 2019. This summer, BTS Bay Area is partnering with Aim High to provide enrichment opportunities through distance wrestling and fitness programs featuring many notable wrestling luminaries including BTS Bay Area Board Members Cynthia Calvillo and Lee Kemp (see: https://www.btsbayarea.org/summer2020). In the Fall, BTS Bay Area plans to expand its programming to the Oakland Housing Authority, Sunnyvale, and San Jose youth wrestling programs. To learn, more visit https://www.btsbayarea.org

Carlton Haselrig Carlton Haselrig, legendary amateur wrestling great, mixed martial arts professional and NFL star, collapsed and died Wednesday morning at home in his hometown of Johnstown, Pa.. He was 54 years old. The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat reported Wednesday that Cambria County Coroner Jeffrey Lees pronounced Haselrig dead at 9:19 a.m. this morning. The coroner said Haselrig's death was initially believed to be from natural causes. An autopsy will be conducted. Born in Johnstown, Pa., in 1966, Carlton Haselrig found success in multiple sports -- as a 1984 PIAA Pennsylvania state high school state wrestling champion, a six-time NCAA college wrestling champion (three NCAA Division I heavyweight titlewinner and a like number of NCAA Div. I titles for University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (NCAA DII) -- before finding wider fame and fortune in the NFL playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, then later participating for a time in professional mixed martial arts. Haselrig's first wrestling title was a 1984 PIAA Pennsylvania state high school state championship, despite his school (Johnstown High) not having its own wrestling team. Competing as a one-man team during his senior year, he went 10-0 and won the district, regional and state titles in the unlimited weight class. In addition to his prep title, Haselrig also won two additional titles -- the 1985 Junior Greco-Roman World Championship, and 1986 Junior Freestyle World Championship. Carlton Haselrig While in college at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Haselrig made a name for himself in a number of distinctive ways in multiple sports. Despite there not being a wrestling team at Johnstown High, Haselrig wrestled his senior year on his own, compiling a 10-0 record and winning the PIAA Pennsylvania state heavyweight title with a 10-0 record in 1984. Haselrig continued his wrestling career locally at NCAA Division II University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown, compiling an overall collegiate record of 143-2-1, including an NCAA-record 122 consecutive matches without a loss. He never lost a match at the NCAA Division I meet, going 15-0 at the heavyweight class in the 1987, 1988 and 1989 tournaments. (Note: Back then, champions crowned at the NCAA Division II or NCAA III automatically qualified to wrestle at the NCAA Division I championships. Haselrig was able to tally a total of six national titles -- the most of any collegiate wrestler. The "Haselrig rule" was changed not long after Haselrig was able to tally two NCAA titles in each Division while in college ... a record that remains to this day.) After concluding his college football career at Pittsburgh-Johnstown, Haselrig turned his attention to the pros. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, becoming a becoming a Pro Bowl offensive guard in his third NFL season in 1992. After four years with the Steelers, Haselrig spent one season with the New York Jets before retiring from the NFL. Carlton Haselrig continued his sports career in professional mixed martial arts in 2008. Before retiring, Haselrig compiled an overall record of 3-2 before retiring from MMA. Carlton Haselrig was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. in 2016. Haselrig was also inducted into the Pitts-Johnstown Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. In recent years, Haselrig served as an assistant coach of the wrestling and football teams at Greater Johnstown High School. Just last year, Haselrig was the subject of a biography titled "Giant Killer: The Carlton Haselrig Story" by Kevin Emily, a long-time high school wrestling coach who was recently hired as an assistant coach at Lander College in Greenwood, South Carolina.

David Nugent, who spent a long and rewarding life in the state of Oregon -- much of it involved in multiple activities, including the sport of wrestling -- passed away peacefully on June 13, 2020 at his home with his family, five months after being diagnosed with cancer. According to his obituary in The Olympian newspaper this weekend, David Nugent moved with his family to Lebanon, Oregon at age four. As a young child, he suffered rheumatic fever and was bedridden for months. With the support of his parents, Young Dave more than made up for this early setback, which inspired him to put his all into everything he found interesting, which, in the words of his cousin Jeff Millennor, including harvesting strawberries, playing trumpet, and competing in wrestling throughout high school and college. "Something I always found deeply reassuring about Dave was his consistency. He didn't wander from his personal center of friends." Dave started his work life early, as a field worker harvesting strawberries until he transitioned to working for his uncle's meat plant in his teens. He played trumpet, competed in wrestling throughout high school and college, and dedicated time to helping his family. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1962 and took manufacturing jobs to pay for his undergraduate education at Oregon State University. He also served in the National Guard from 1964-65. Taking a break from college, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army from 1966-70, stationed primarily in Kaiserslautern, Germany. In December 1966, Dave married Linda Helen Clinton at Grace Lutheran Church in Corvallis, Oregon. During their 23-year marriage, they had two daughters and a son. In 1972, Dave graduated from OSU with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, and in 1974 he graduated with a Master of Business Administration from Portland State University. In 1977, after working several years as a financial controller in Oregon, Dave moved to Thurston County, Washington, where he was employed by various businesses in the Puget Sound area, including serving as the Vice President of Finance for Baden Sports. In 1996, Dave met his life partner, Linda Carlisle, and they blended their personal and professional lives until Dave's death. In 2000, Dave and Linda launched a private mortgage brokerage company called Mortgage Services, Inc. They also refurbished and managed or sold several investment properties. In the final years before his retirement in March 2020, Dave worked as a senior loan officer with Homestreet Bank, helping thousands of families and individuals finance their dreams. Starting in the late 1970s, Dave joined the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Olympia. There he participated as a youth group sponsor, church finance committee member, and Assistant Scoutmaster of the church's Boy Scout Troop 266. He is fondly remembered from those years as a mentor and role model by hundreds of youth in the community. In his final act of community service, Dave donated his body to the University of Washington Medical School to be used for scientific research. The family will hold a memorial service in the Olympia area at a time when pandemic response protocols allow for larger gatherings. Please email dedeewilnernugent@gmail.com if you would like to be notified when that event has been scheduled. Memorial gifts may be made to University of Washington Medical School, the Capitol Land Trust in Thurston County, or another reputable charitable organization.

Kyle Dake and Frank Chamizo, both two-time world champions, will meet on Saturday (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Freestyle wrestling returns on Saturday. FloWrestling will host a card featuring a main event between a pair of returning world medalists. Reigning 79-kilogram world champion Kyle Dake will take on 74-kilogram world silver medalist Frank Chamizo. The bout may turn out to be an Olympic preview if Dake can get past Jordan Burroughs at the Olympic Team Trials. The event also features another world champion, several former collegiate stars and a former Bellator champion. The following is a match-by-match preview of the event. Kyle Dake vs. Frank Chamizo When the weight classes expanded following the 2017 World Championships, it was clear that the new 79-kilogram weight would benefit Dake. He had been stuck behind Jordan Burroughs at 74 kilograms for years, and he certainly made the most of the new opportunity. Dake won gold at both the 2018 and 2019 world events as clearly solidified himself as one of the best wrestlers currently representing the U.S. With the Olympics around the corner, Dake is back down at 74 kilograms and looking to break through against Burroughs. Chamizo is also fond of moving weights. He won his first world title at 65 kilograms before moving up to 70 kilograms two years later. He now finds himself in one of the deepest weights in an Olympic year. He won a silver last year's World Championships with his only defeat coming against two-time world champion Zaurbek Sidakov. Like Dake, Chamizo has gone through an extensive series with Burroughs. The two have split their four matches with Burroughs taking a 9-2 decision in their last meeting at the 2019 Dan Kolov-Nikola Petrov tournament. The path to victory is pretty clear for Dake. He needs to hold a solid stance as always and look for the big throws to avoid the scrambling on Chamizo. However, that might be easier said than done against the two-time world champion. It is entirely possible that this turns into a low scoring and defensive match. If that happens, it will favor Chamizo who has more ways to score and should be able to avoid Dake's dynamic offense. Prediction: Chamizo over Dake (VPO1) David Taylor with a Pan American Olympic Qualifier gold medal (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) David Taylor vs. Myles Martin Pat Downey seemingly tweeted himself into a match with Taylor and then tweeted himself out of the match. The 2018 world champion will take on Myles Martin in the co-main event. Taylor returned to the mats at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier this past March and scored a pair of dominant performances over veterans Pedro Ceballos (Venezuela) and Yurieski Torreblanca (Cuba). In the process, he qualified 86 kilograms for the U.S. It was Taylor's first action back since he suffered a knee injury against Drew Foster at the 2019 Beat the Streets event. Prior to the injury defeat against Foster, the former Penn State wrestler had not lost since he dropped a decision in the 2017 World Team Trials against J'den Cox. Martin took this match on short notice after the card was shuffled. He finished his Ohio State career in 2019 as a four time All-American and one-time champion. Since leaving college, he has joined the freestyle circuit. He had an impressive end to the 2019 year before the shutdown as he finished second at both the Bill Farrell Memorial and Senior Nationals. Along the way, he scored victories over Nick Heflin, Nathan Jackson, Brett Pfarr and Alex Dieringer. The only real questions about Taylor this year dealt with his recovery from injuries. In his first action back, he answered those questions in a big way. Martin is clearly one of the best wrestlers at this weight class domestically, but he will struggle to stay on the mat for the full six minutes here. Prediction: Taylor over Martin (VSU) Roman Bravo-Young wrestling Iowa's Austin DeSanto (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Jack Mueller vs. Roman Bravo-Young After finishing second at the NCAAs as a junior, Mueller was one of the favorites to reach the finals yet again this past season. He finished the season with a 13-1 record after suffering an upset at the ACC tournament. He lost only two matches during his final two years at Virginia. Mueller also experienced international success in the freestyle version of the sport. He represented the U.S. at the 2018 U23 World Championships and brought home a bronze medal. His only loss in the tournament came against eventual champion Toshihiro Hasegawa of Japan. In 2019, Mueller defeated Nick Piccininni at the Beat the Streets event and finished fourth in the World Team Trials challenge tournament. Bravo-Young finished his second year at Penn State with a 20-2 record. His only two losses came against Sebastian Rivera and Seth Gross, so he was clearly a contender to place high at the NCAA tournament. During the year, he picked up victories over the likes of Austin DeSanto and Sammy Alvarez. In freestyle, Bravo-Young has finished as the runner-up in three straight national-level tournaments. He made the finals of the 2018 U23 Nationals, 2019 Junior Nationals and the 2019 Junior World Team Trials. Bravo-Young always had the raw skills and a year in the Penn State room have allowed him to make meaningful strides. However, a lot of those improvements are specific to freestyle. On the other hand, Mueller has always been a slick freestyle practitioner. Both wrestlers will have moments of success in this match, but Mueller should be able to win the scrambles and exchanges. Prediction: Mueller over Bravo-Young (VPO1) Vito Arujau gets his hand raised after advancing to the finals of the Junior Worlds (Photo/Kadir Caliskan, United World Wrestling) Vito Arujau vs. Sammy Alvarez Arujau finished his freshman season at Cornell with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA tournament. He then sat out the 2020 season to prepare for the Olympic Team Trials. He competed in the 2019 Senior Nationals at 57 kilograms and finished third. He defeated Zach Sanders and NCAA champion Nick Suriano to reach the semifinals where he ran into Spencer Lee. Arujau lost to Lee before bouncing back to finish third at the event. Despite his folkstyle success, freestyle has always been where he shined. He won silver medals at both the 2016 Cadet World Championships and 2019 Junior World Championships. Alvarez started for Rutgers out of the gate this past season. As a true freshman, he went 26-10 and qualified for the NCAA tournament that never happened. He went 3-3 at the Big Ten tournament with a variety of exciting matches, including a 9-6 loss against NCAA champion Seth Gross. Arujau showed just how dangerous he is in freestyle at the Senior Nationals. Alvarez is certainly game, but he will be up against it here. The Rutgers wrestler will make it an exciting match, but this will be a dominant performance from Arujau. Prediction: Arujau over Alvarez (VSU1) Luke Pletcher battling PSU's Nick Lee at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/Juan Garcia) Darrion Caldwell vs. Luke Pletcher Anthony Ashnault was originally set for this match against Pletcher. However, he pulled out of the bout with an injury and opened this slot for Caldwell. The former Bellator bantamweight champion will make his return to competitive wrestling for the first time since making his MMA debut in 2012. Caldwell was a two-time All-American at NC State, and he won an NCAA title in 2009. After a rash of injuries ended his senior season, he transitioned to freestyle for the 2012 Olympic cycle. He ended up going 2-2 at the Trials with wins over Brandon Bradley and Jacob Wadley as well as losses against Jason Tsirtssis and Destin McCauley. About six months after the Olympic Team Trials, Caldwell made his MMA debut under the Legacy FC banner. After winning his first three fights, he signed with Bellator. He won seven of his first eight fights for Bellator including wins over fellow former wrestlers Joe Warren and Shawn Bunch. In his 12th fight, he won the Bellator bantamweight title over Eduardo Dantas. He has since lost the belt in a two-fight series against Kyoji Horiguchi, but he got back on track with a pair of wins in the Bellator featherweight tournament. Pletcher was clearly one of the favorites to bring home an NCAA title at 141 pounds this past year. He entered the conference tournament with only one loss, which came against Nick Lee of Penn State. Pletcher was able to reverse that defeat, and he was set to enter the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 seed before the cancellation. After a hiatus, Pletcher returned to action at the Rumble on the Rooftop event against Pat Lugo. It was a tough outing for Pletcher as Lugo was able to control the clinch situations and got to his offense. The former Ohio State wrestler ultimately dropped a decision. This is by far the hardest match on the card to predict. In a vacuum, Caldwell should probably be the favorite. He had the more impressive wins on the collegiate level and competed at a higher weight class. However, he has been out of wrestling for over eight years. On the other hand, unlike many MMA converts, Caldwell has not strayed from his wrestling roots, and it remains an essential element of his style. However, there is nothing like actually wrestling. Pletcher had a tough showing against Pat Lugo, but with a more steady training camp he should be able to defeat the former Bellator champion. Prediction: Pletcher over Caldwell (VPO1)

The InterMat Classic has been held at Edina High School in Edina, Minnesota, since 2018 MINNEAPOLIS -- The 2020 InterMat Classic has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 11th edition of the preseason high school wrestling event was scheduled to take place in October at Edina High School in Edina, Minnesota. COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, including in Minnesota. On Monday, Minnesota reported 922 new cases, bringing the state's total COVID-19 cases to 47,107. The safety of wrestlers, parents, coaches, officials, staff and spectators is our top priority.

The California high school wrestling season has been moved to the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the California Interscholastic Federation announced Monday. The CIF's fall sports, like football, have been moved to the winter, while winter sports, which includes wrestling, will have their seasons pushed back to spring, with the state championships set for June. "We are continuously monitoring the directives and guidelines released from the Governor's Office, the California Department of Education, the California Department of Public Health, and local county health departments and agencies as these directives and guidelines are followed by our member schools/school districts with student health and safety at the forefront,” the organization said in a statement. COVID-19 cases continue to rise in California. On Monday, Gavin Newsom ordered all counties in the state to close bars and the indoor operations of businesses.