InterMat Staff

Jim Goodale, the father of Rutgers University wrestling coach Scott Goodale and Jackson Memorial girls basketball coach Rachel Goodale, died Monday morning having battled leukemia then went into cardiac arrest. He was 77 years old. Scott Goodale with father Jim GoodaleCoaching appeared to run in the veins of members of the Goodale family, starting with Jim Goodale, who had been a Little League and Pop Warner baseball coach as well as a wrestling coach. When he wasn't coaching youth baseball, Jim Goodale was umpiring baseball. Jim Goodale also became involved in wrestling, first at the recreation level and later as the Goetz Middle School head wrestling coach. Scott Goodale told NJ Advance Media on Tuesday morning about his father's passing, saying, "He's been sick for a while and I knew the end was coming. Friends have been reaching out telling stories and those have been great, but it's also been hard. "My dad was a good dude. He was an awesome dad." Funeral arrangements have yet to be made public.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). First presented in 2014, the TSHSEA is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time world champion and women's wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011. The award recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. For the third consecutive year, the Hall of Fame is recognizing a record number of state winners with 46, up from 35 winners in 2019 and 32 winners in 2018. Winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. "It brings us great joy to recognize these outstanding female wrestlers, who have excelled not only on the wrestling mat, but also in the classroom and in their communities. I want to thank our selection committee for the thorough work they have done in determining this year's winners," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. "The growth of girls wrestling is exciting and we're recognizing a record number of state winners this year. We look forward to following these young women as they chart new goals for themselves on the mat and in their lives." TSHSEA regional winners will be announced on May 19 and the national winner will be announced on May 26. State winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be announced on Thursday with the regional winners announced on May 21 and the national winner on May 28. Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports and there are more than 27,000 female high school wrestlers competing across the nation. From 1998-2015 there were six states with a sanctioned girls state wrestling championship: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Since 2015, 16 additional states have created an official girls wrestling state championships, or have started the path leading to official sanction: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. Georgia, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and New Jersey held their first official state championship in 2018-19 while Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland and New Mexico held an official state championship for 2019-20. Colorado voted for a two-year pilot program for 2018-19 with an official state championship for 2020-21. Arizona voted girls wrestling as an emerging sport for 2018-19 and will host an official state championship in 2020-21. Connecticut held a girls wrestling invitational tournament in 2019-20. Sixteen states have held unofficial girls state championships, organized and run by coaches, state wrestling associations or officials associations. The 16 states with unofficial girls state championships are: Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. There are 81 intercollegiate women's wrestling teams. The NCAA has approved "Emerging Sport Status" for women's wrestling at the Division II and Division III levels, and women's wrestling supporters are hopeful that it will approve it for Division I this summer. The NAIA also recognizes women's wrestling as an emerging sport. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. 2020 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending Alabama - Shelby Fugate, Russell County High School, Fort Mitchell, Central Methodist University Alaska - Rayana Vigil, Homer High School, Fritz Creek, Southern Oregon University Arizona - Stefana Jelacic, Chandler High School, Fountain Hills, Lourdes University Arkansas - Riley Holman, Pulaski Academy College Preparatory School, Little Rock California - Francesca LoPresti, Albany High School, Richmond Colorado - Tristan Kelly, Springs Studio for Academic Excellence, Erie, Colorado Mesa Connecticut - Lilly Schwartz, Northwestern Regional School District No. 7, Salisbury Florida - Jessica Corredor, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Missouri Baptist University Georgia - Tiyhana Askew, Collins Hill High School, Lawrenceville, Emmanuel College Hawaii - Nanea Estrella, Lahainaluna High School, Makawao, Menlo College Idaho - Payton Lanningham, Columbia High School, Nampa Illinois - Louisa Schwab, Joliet West High School, Plainfield, Menlo College Indiana - Larresha Bryant-Coleman, New Haven Jr./Sr. High School, Ft. Wayne Iowa - Tateum Park, Davenport North High School, Davenport Kansas - Elisa Robinson, Junction City High School, Junction City Kentucky - Savanna Bacon, Union County High School, Sturgis, University of the Cumberlands Louisiana - Anya Broussard, University View Academy, Baton Rouge, Wayne State University Maryland - Maggie Palmore, Northwest High School, Germantown Massachusetts - Marisol Nugent, Phillips Academy Andover, Boxford, Lehigh University Michigan - Rayana Sahagun, Sparta High School, Rockford, University of Jamestown Minnesota - Kya Rybacheck, Hibbing High School, Mountain Iron, Augsburg University Missouri - Autumn Flanigan, Troy Buchanan High School, Troy, Augsburg University Montana - Brooke Cicierski, Billings West High School, Billings, University of Providence Nebraska - Jerzie Menke, Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport Nevada - Tehani Soares, Shadow Ridge High School, Las Vegas, Indiana Tech New Hampshire - Shandria Waters, Keene High School, Surry, East Stroudsburg University New Jersey - Jewel Gonzalez, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg, Gannon University New Mexico - Selvi Gallegos, Sandia High School, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City University New York - Mia Macaluso, Minisink Valley High School, Otisville, East Stroudsburg University North Carolina - Brooklyn Hermel, Havelock High School, Havelock, Oklahoma City University North Dakota - Sierra Ramberg, West Fargo High School, Fargo Ohio - Leilah Castro, New Lexington High School, New Lexington, Campbellsville University Oklahoma - Janene Perry, Stilwell High School, Welling Oregon - Olivia Robinson, Glencoe High School, Hillsboro, Eastern Oregon University Pennsylvania - Caitlyn Walker, Wyoming Seminary Prep School, Hatboro, Columbia University Rhode Island - Amber Aguilar, Central Falls High School, Central Falls South Carolina - Elisha Thaxton, West-Oak High School, Westminster South Dakota - Alisha Van Scoy, Stevens High School, Rapid City, University of Saint Mary Tennessee - Emma Walker, Rossview High School, Clarksville, Campbellsville University Texas - Camille Fournier, Weatherford High School, Weatherford, Texas Wesleyan University Utah - Kathleen Janis, Layton High School, Layton, King University Virginia - Elizabeth Dosado, Caroline High School, Ruther Glen, University of the Cumberlands Washington - Molly Williams, Redmond High School, Redmond West Virginia - Samantha Miller, Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg, Presbyterian College Wisconsin - Marta Jasperson, Hudson Senior High School, Hudson Wyoming - Charmayne DeLong, Moorcroft High School, Weston, Indiana Tech University All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award 2019 - Emily Shilson, Mounds View High School, North Oaks, Minnesota 2018 - Alleida Martinez, Selma High School, Selma, California 2017 - Cierra Foster, Post Falls High School, Post Falls, Idaho 2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Whitwell, Tennessee 2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington 2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

Henry Cejudo uses a front headlock against Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 (Photo/Jasen Vinlove, USA Today Sports) Henry Cejudo doesn't need to say it, but he often does. He calls himself the best combat sport athlete of all-time. And it's hard to argue with him. His results and performances certainly back that up. No other Olympic gold medalist has won a title in the Ultimate Fighting Championships except Cejudo. And he has won UFC world titles in both the 125-pound and 135-pound divisions. Cejudo added another glowing achievement to his already impressive resume Saturday night when he scored a second-round stoppage over past champion Dominick Cruz to retain his UFC bantamweight title. And then in a surprising post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Cejudo announced he was retiring. Cejudo now owns wins over three outstanding UFC champions -- Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw and Cruz. He has a 16-2 record and has won his last six fights. Anybody who says Cejudo hasn't fought anybody good has no idea what they're talking about. Henry is a tremendous fighter. The guy looks to be at his peak as an MMA athlete at age 33. He's slick, strong and explosive. He's a dynamic athlete who is lightning-quick in attacking or countering an opponent. He can box and kick, and of course his wrestling ability is unmatched. Henry is superb technically in numerous facets of mixed martial arts. He's a supremely confident guy who is strong mentally and highly intelligent. He believes in his training and knows how to execute a game plan. And he has a strong work ethic he developed in wrestling. There was talk after Henry's retirement announcement Saturday night that he was frustrated he wasn't being paid more by the UFC. One of the reasons Henry retired from wrestling after the 2008 Olympics was the money. Or lack thereof. Wrestlers were being paid then, but barely enough to live on and nowhere near what they make now. Cejudo's bonuses for winning in Beijing were around $65,000. Four years later, Jordan Burroughs earned a $250,000 bonus for striking Olympic gold. It's not all about the money, but a fighter of Cejudo's caliber needs to be rewarded with a big payday. If Henry still wants to fight, the UFC needs to step up and pay him. He's definitely earned it. Maybe he comes back and moves up to 145 pounds and tries to win a UFC world title in a third different division. Cejudo is fighting at an extremely high level and it looks like he could excel in mixed martial arts for many years to come. But it's his life and his decision. And people should respect that. I'm not a huge fan of some of Henry's antics outside the ring. He definitely likes to stir the pot on social media and in interviews to create animosity with other people he is fighting. But numerous UFC athletes do that in one way or another. He takes on a certain persona and I think his behavior has turned off a number of fans, but I think they still want to watch him fight. The Henry Cejudo I worked closely with during my days at USA Wrestling, and have known since 2006, is a friendly, personable and genuinely good dude. He's someone I consider a friend and have a good relationship with. The guy you see on social media is different from the person I know. But I guess that's how the fight game is played. My advice to Henry would be to let his performances do the talking. That's what he did when he wrestled and he's still hugely popular with fans of that sport. If he does stay retired, he should be saluted as one of the best fighters in the sport before he takes his rightful place in the UFC Hall of Fame. Henry Cejudo is one of the best combat athletes of all-time. There is no disputing that. When he steps into the UFC Octagon, he's a gifted fighter who is something special to watch. And he hasn't forgotten where he has come from. He remains a huge supporter of wrestling and is still a great ambassador for the sport. Shortly after he said he was retiring from the UFC on Saturday, talk began on social media that maybe Henry would make a run at the Olympics in freestyle wrestling next year. Wouldn't that be something to see? He's obviously in peak physical condition and it's not unfathomable to think he could make a run at an Olympic spot. I certainly wouldn't count him out. Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

Last week ended with good news for a number of Ohio State student-athletes -- many of them former Buckeye wrestlers -- who had been victims of ongoing sexual abuse and assault at the hands of past university staff doctor Richard Strauss, who was employed by the Columbus-based school from 1978-1998, then took his own life in 2005. Richard StraussOn Friday, Ohio State announced details of a $40.9 million settlement reached with 162 survivors in 12 lawsuits related to sexual abuse by Dr. Strauss. Although the crimes occurred more than 30-40 years ago, initial public reporting of these incidents first took place in April 2018 when some victims shared their stories with major media outlets across the nation. On the heels of those initial victim reports, the university announced publicly an independent investigation of Strauss' abuse. After a year-long investigation by the independent law firm Perkins Coie, the university released a 180-page report in May 2019 that detailed acts of sexual abuse against at least 177 former students. The report concluded that university personnel at the time failed to adequately respond to or prevent Strauss' abuse. This past March, Ohio State revealed that it had reached initial monetary settlements with those victims who had been originally participants in a series of a dozen separate lawsuits which had been brought together, according to a statement issued by the Ohio State press office A special overseer independent of the university is expected to help allocate varying payments to the men based on their experiences and the harm done, aided by a three-person panel of experts evaluating claims. Amounts received by survivors will vary by individual as awarded by the special master. As part of the agreement, Ohio State will provide up to $500,000 to fund the costs of administering the fund; no taxpayer, tuition or restricted donor funds will be utilized, according to Friday's statement. What's more, under the agreement, all of the participating plaintiffs will dismiss their claims against the university. Ohio State also invited other victims of Dr. Strauss who had filed suit against the school to consider joining this latest settlement. Seeking a sense of closure with victims, Michael V. Drake, Ohio State president, said in a statement, "The university of decades ago failed these individuals -- our students, alumni and members of the Buckeye community. Nothing can undo the wrongs of the past, but we must do what we can today to work toward restorative justice." Rick Schulte, lead negotiator for the plaintiffs' firms, stated, "Working with Ohio State, we established an independent confidential process to evaluate each claim individually. The process will account for wide variations in abuse and provide a pathway for survivor healing. One hundred percent of 162 survivors in this settlement decided against further litigation and agreed to participate. The participation rate speaks to the quality of this settlement." Even after publicly revealing this settlement, Ohio State continues to encourage victims of Dr. Strauss' abuse to contact the university to learn more about settlement and treatment options. The school reiterated that it has covered the costs of professionally-certified counseling services and treatment. To connect with these services, or if individuals are at all uncertain about how to proceed and have questions, please contact Praesidium at 888-961-9273 or visit https://website.praesidiuminc.com/wp/osu/.

"Give me liberty ... and give me collegiate wrestling!" Patrick Henry Community College -- the school named for the Revolutionary War patriot who uttered a phrase like that more than 200 years ago -- has announced that it will be adding a men's intercollegiate wrestling program. The Virginia-based, two-year public college has also hired two coaches for the program, slated to begin this fall. Patrick Henry CC has named Justin Smith, the former head wrestling coach at Franklin County High School, has accepted the position as Head Coach of the program. Tim Nininger, the former head wrestling coach at Cave Spring High School, will be Smith's assistant. In the inaugural season, the coaches plan to build the program through local talent. Both Smith and Nininger have extensive wrestling backgrounds. Before coaching at Franklin County High School, Smith was a NCAA Division I wrestler at Liberty University. Prior to wrestling in college, Smith had a four-year letter-winning career at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia. During his junior year in high school, Smith was a district champion and a state Judo champion at 130 pounds. During his senior year, he earned both honors again despite wrestling up at 145 pounds. Tim Nininger also experienced success as a competitor and a coach. He won the state title wrestling for Christiansburg High School in Roanoke. After high school, Nininger went to Clemson University where he earned All-American honors wrestling for the Tigers. After college, he became the Head Coach for Cave Spring High School where his team earned multiple state champions and All Americans. "Together Tim and I have over 20 years of coaching experience and over 40 total years of experience with the sport of wrestling," says Smith. "We have a proven track record of building strong wrestling programs and we are excited to be given the opportunity to do the same at Patrick Henry." The Patrick Henry Community College wrestling program plans to take to the mat in fall 2020, subject to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic situation at the time. Founded in 1962, Patrick Henry CC is located in southwestern Virginia. It has a total student enrollment of approximately 2,900. The new men's wrestling program will compete in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).

Luke Broadwater Luke Broadwater '02, an Ithaca College wrestling alumnus, was surprised when he found out that the story he broke for the Baltimore Sun had earned the newspaper a Pulitzer Prize. His reporting led to a series of stories written last year in the Baltimore Sun exposing Baltimore's mayor, Catherine Pugh, as receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in deals for her "Healthy Holly" books, including a deal with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), where she served as a board member. Pugh sponsored dozens of bills affecting hospitals in Maryland, including several that would have benefited UMMS. Broadwater was a member of Ithaca's varsity wrestling program during the late-90's and early-2000's. The Bombers finished in the Top-15 in the team standings at the NCAA Championships during his time with the program, which included a sixth-place finish during his final year in 2001-02. Ithaca also captured an ECWC Title during that final year. "To see everything that happened and everything that transpired based on these stories, and then to be recognized by the Pulitzer committee as doing some of the best journalism in the country, was very rewarding." Announced on May 4, the staff of the Baltimore Sun was awarded the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Local Reporting for "illuminating, impactful reporting on a lucrative, undisclosed financial relationship between the city's mayor and the public hospital system she helped to oversee." Broadwater first broke the story in March of 2019. He said he got a tip from someone who was having a hard time getting records about contracts from the hospital system, so he started investigating. "When I contacted the medical system they refused to give me any of their records and it felt like something was off and it tickled my 'Spidey sense,'" said Broadwater. "Then I saw the mayor was sitting on the board and she was making hundreds of thousands of dollars off of children's books, and I thought there's no way these books are as big as Harry Potter." The story quickly unraveled as Pugh was found to have additional deals with companies purchasing her self-published books. "Every time we thought we found someone she had a deal with, we'd find another one," said Broadwater. "I was surprised at the quickness of the impact. You didn't have to sit around to see your story make a difference, it immediately started making a difference." Less than two months after the story first broke, Pugh resigned as mayor of Baltimore. She later pleaded guilty to federal charges of tax evasion and conspiracy. Additionally, state legislation was passed barring no-bid contracts for board members and mandating an audit of contracting practices. Broadwater said this experience has been meaningful because it has shown the impact that state- and local-level journalism can have. "I like that in this job you can really make a difference," said Broadwater. Broadwater started at IC in the exploratory program, and then chose to major in writing with a concentration in journalistic essay (now feature writing). He also was on the wrestling team. "I loved Ithaca, it's a really cool place, and it's such an interesting town and campus," said Broadwater. "We were exposed to so many great professors in subjects ranging from fiction to persuasive argument," said Broadwater. He said he thinks the class he's used the most is grammar. "It's helped me so much every day, especially in my line of work. Just having that mastery of English grammar in a sophisticated way has been super useful." Former teammate Marc Israel '05, Assistant Provost, as well as head wrestling coach Marty Nichols '90 both had fond memories of from Broadwater's days with the program. "He was an awesome teammate and great supporter of the program," Israel recalled. "He was always ready and willing to help fulfill any role necessary to contribute to the team's success." "Luke was a spot-starter for us throughout his time at IC," Nichols said. "He was a great young man to coach. He was always looking for recruits for us and was someone we could count on whenever anything was needed. He has always followed and supported the Bomber program since the time he graduated." Broadwater said the most inspiring moment for him was when the college brought author and activist Barbara Ehrenreich to campus as a Distinguished Visiting Writer and she spoke about her exposé "Nickel and Dimed." "I thought, 'That's the type of writing and reporting I want to do.' Nearly two decades later, I'm proud to bring the Pulitzer Prize back to Ithaca College."

Ben Askren before his Beat the Streets match against Jordan Burroughs in 2019 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Wisconsin Regional Training Center is proud to announce that they are extending the contract of Ben Askren as the Regional Training Center Coach. Askren joined the RTC staff in 2018. Sean Smalley, Executive Director of the WRTC said, "It's a no brainer. Ben brings a wealth of knowledge, not only on the mat, but also on the fundraising effort for the Wisconsin RTC. He has been very instrumental in helping us grow the RTC throughout Wisconsin. Askren's wrestling and coaching credentials show his knowledge and ability to develop wrestlers of all ages. "The RTC is so instrumental for those who have aspirations of reaching their goals. It's my goal to see individuals from Wisconsin improve and reach their goal of winning National Titles, World Titles and Olympic Gold" said Askren. ​Over the past two years, the Wisconsin Regional Training Center has seen participation numbers grow. Chris Bono said, "With Ben at the helm, we've seen our numbers at practices go from 5 to over 50. We've also seen our senior level athletes make successful strides this past year as they work towards qualifying for the Olympic team." ​During Askren's short tenure as the head coach of the WRTC, we've seen three (two males, one female) wrestlers qualify for the Olympic Trials. "This is just the beginning and I'm extremely excited to see what Ben can do in the future and can't wait to see all the Gold medals we can bring back to Wisconsin" said Smalley.

Pat Galbincea, wrestling writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper who earned numerous honors over his 45-year career, died Friday afternoon at his home in Rocky River, Ohio just outside Cleveland from a stroke. He was 72. Pat GalbinceaGalbincea started covering wrestling for the Plain Dealer (as well as non-sports assignments) in 1969, retiring from the northeast Ohio paper in 2013 (though he came out of retirement to write a tribute for iconic Maple Heights high school wrestling coach Mike Milkovich in 2018). Over the course of his career, Galbincea received a number of honors, In 2017, he was inducted into the Ohio chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame "Lifetime Service to Wrestling" Honor for his work in covering the sport of wrestling. He was to be inducted into the Ohio Prep Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame back in March, but the ceremony was postponed because of the current coronavirus pandemic. In addition, Galbincea won the respect -- and two national writing honors -- from his fellow wrestling journalists. He received the Bob Dellinger award, presented by Amateur Wrestling News magazine to its choice of amateur wrestling writer of the year, as well as the Writer of the Year Award from the National Media Wrestling Association. "His name is synonymous with the golden era of Cleveland wrestling," said Bob Preusse, the high school editor of Amateur Wrestling News, a national publication. "He was really something. He got his referee's license, but not to referee. He did it to help him better understand the sport, to be a better reporter. That's who he was." Fred Feeney -- a retired wrestling referee in Ohio -- weighed with sentiments that tie into Preusse's comments. "He was an easy guy to talk to and he always respected the job we referees had to do," Feeney told InterMat. "He and I sat one time after a St. Ed's dual and he always was in awe of how a ref could make those tough calls that he later would write about, but he never blamed a ref. For doing his job." Galbincea came into wrestling writing in a somewhat surprising, almost accidental-yet-in-a-meant-to-be way, according to an interview he did with Pruesse for Amateur Wrestling News a decade ago. He was a student-athlete at Cleveland John Marshall High School ... not as a wrestler, but as a basketball player. One season, he had an appendicitis attack and could not play. Galbincea approached the teacher who was the advisor to the school paper, seeking to cover the basketball team. The teacher said the job was taken. But the paper needed a wrestling writer. When Galbincea pled ignorance about that sport, the teacher encouraged him to talk to the school's legendary wrestling coach, Gene Gibbons. The two formed a lasting bond ... and Galbincea launched a nearly half-century career of honors and respect that extended well beyond northeast Ohio. "He was an icon," said Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs. "He set such a high standard for others to follow. Losing Pat Galbincea is a big loss to my sport and to life in general. He made such a difference to people." Greg Urbas, long-time wrestling coach at nationally ranked prep powerhouse St. Edward High in suburban Lakewood, echoed those statements, describing Galbincea as being highly regarded as a reporter and as a person. "He loved doing stories about kids who overcame adversity," Urbas said. "He loved the sport, knew the sport, enjoyed the sport and promoted the sport all over Northeast Ohio. He worked really hard. He would call at any time to get a story." Pat Galbincea's wife of more than thirty years, Barbara -- who had worked as an editor at the Plain Dealer with her husband -- shared a story with the newspaper the couple called home for decades that illustrates her late husband's impact on those involved in wrestling, and those who loved the sport. "We would be out somewhere, and people would walk up to us and say, 'Hi, Mr. Galbincea.' And nine times out of 10, Pat would know who they were, that they were state champs or talk about the moves they were known for. He really loved it." "He was really honest and kind," Barbara Galbincea told the Plain Dealer. "I got an email from someone yesterday who said, 'Pat was a quality man.' That summed him up. He really enjoyed the chance to feature these young men in the sport that they loved. In addition to Barbara, Pat Galbincea also leaves behind their daughter, Kristin Watkins, who lives north of Columbus. Funeral services for Galbincea will be private; however, the family intends to have a memorial service open to the public at a later date. Two giants in wrestling journalism depart in one week Last week was an especially tough one for the amateur wrestling community, with the deaths of two legendary, highly respected and much-honored journalists who covered the sport with knowledge, skill and passion. And they got to do it in places traditionally referred to as "wrestling hotbeds" where the quality of the coaching and competition are at their best ... and the fan base truly appreciates that level of reporting. As reported above, Pat Galbincea passed away Friday, May 8, after an incredible career writing for the major daily newspaper in northeast Ohio, a part of the nation where wrestling -- especially at the high school level -- is an obsession. Earlier that week -- Monday, May 4 -- yet another iconic wrestling writer, Dan McCool. died at age 60. He was a major figure at high school and college wrestling events in his native Iowa, a state that immediately comes to mind for wrestling fans across the nation for truly iconic names in the sport going back decades, all the way back to Frank Gotch and Farmer Burns of the early 1900s, and including other legends such as Dan Gable, Bill Koll, Terry McCann, Harold Nichols and championship programs at Cornell College, Iowa State Teachers College (University of Northern Iowa), Iowa State and University of Iowa, to name just a few. InterMat featured a detailed, heartfelt tribute to Dan McCool, penned by Craig Sesker, another highly-respected wrestling writer who with deep Iowa roots. Here's the opening to Sesker's tribute: "He was one of a kind. "And the sport of wrestling was lucky to have him. "In 30-plus years of covering wrestling, I've never met a journalist more passionate about his craft than Dan McCool. "It was a sad day in the wrestling world on Monday afternoon when the news broke that McCool had passed away. He was 60 years old. "Dan made his mark during the many years he covered wrestling for the Des Moines Register. In a state that loves wrestling, he was the perfect fit." A number of other sportswriters within the state of Iowa also paid tribute to McCool in the days after his passing. For starters, the Fort Dodge Messenger provided something of a more traditional obituary to honor McCool's memory and share his life story with the wrestling community. Born in Clarion, Iowa in August 1959, Dan McCool's prolific sports journalism career was focused on the upper Midwest. He launched his journalism career as a reporter/photographer in North Dakota, then moved on to Knoxville, Iowa, and eventually to the Cedar Falls Record. Following that, he was able to truly make a name for himself during his 30 years as a reporter for the Des Moines Register, where he covered wrestling at the high school, college and international level. He also reported on baseball, football and boxing, among other sports. McCool also wrote books that explored the rich history of the oldest and greatest sport in the state of Iowa. Those books were the focus of Justin Rust's column in the Sioux City Journal. "It was back in November when I came into the office and had a package at my desk. With the way the package felt and the size of it, I knew it had to be one thing - a book. "I was right. When I opened the package I pulled A History of Wrestling in Iowa: Growing Gold. I didn't need to even look at who the author was, I knew it immediately. It had to be written by Dan McCool. "A glance at the bottom left corner proved what I already knew, McCool had written another book about wrestling in Iowa, ranging from the high school level to the collegiate. "My face lit up. McCool was the premier Iowa wrestling historian. As K.J. Pilcher, the wrestling reporter for the Cedar Rapids Gazette, put it on Twitter, McCool forgot more about wrestling in the state of Iowa than any of us will ever know. I was excited to sit down and read the book and hopefully give McCool a call up to talk about the book at some point. "However, I took too much time getting to that task this winter. It wasn't until this past month that I was able to get a couple of chapters in, meaning I missed my time to talk to McCool about the book. "On Monday, McCool died at the age of 60 due to heart complications. On Monday, Iowa lost one of the greatest wrestling historians in the state's history." McCool was survived by his wife Diane; four brothers ... a number of books ... and an incredible reputation within the wrestling world. A memorial service was held late last week in Dan McCool's honor. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa or to the family for a scholarship fund to be established in his honor.

Former wrestlers Justin Gaethje, Henry Cejudo and Carla Esparza were victorious at UFC 249 For better or worse, with the COVID-19 pandemic still very much in play, the Ultimate Fighting Championship resumed its business of putting on fights, with UFC 249 taking place this past Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. And while we will leave the debate as to whether or not this was a good thing for another time, the UFC did offer up a fantastic card that featured its fair share of high-level amateur wrestlers. So what did UFC 249 tell us about these former stars of the mat? Justin Gaethje What we learned: One of the most entertaining fighters ever, Gaethje is still improving. He has always had an absolute ton of offensive firepower, durability, and a certain blood-and-guts style that fans love, but now the interim lightweight champion has added tact, strategy, and efficiency to his repertoire. That should scare his contemporaries. Oh and by the way, his boxing is looking cleaner than ever. Still, the former two-time Arizona high school state champions (four-time finalist), 2004 Fargo Greco-Roman All-American, NCAA Division I All-American wrestler refuses to actually wrestle, but with that kind of diverse striking attack and his wrestling always in his back pocket, "The Highlight" is going to be tough to beat. Tony Ferguson What we learned: The man they call "El Cucuy" is hard as nails. Perhaps too tough for his own good. He absorbed a whole lot of punishment in this fight, and while his toughness, grit, resolve, and durability were staggering, a fighter can't take too many beatings like this without their career suffering significantly. Ferguson was a Michigan high school state champ wrestler who spent two years at Central Michigan University and then two years on the club team at Grand Valley State where he won the NCWA national title in 2006 at 165 pounds. It is universally accepted that wrestling at a high level instills an uncanny level of toughness in an athlete. This certainly seems to be the case with Ferguson. He showed up on Saturday night, and he did his thing early on, but aside from the fact that he was facing a revamped, revitalized, peaking Justin Gaethje, it is possible there were other factors working against him. Maybe, training non-stop since November 2019 for an elusive mega-fight against champ Khabib Nurmagomedov has burned him out some. Most likely Ferguson will continue on as one of the best 155-pounders in the world, but time will tell if this fight took something out of him for good. Henry Cejudo What we learned: Henry Cejudo has no business retiring from MMA at this time. The self-proclaimed (and likely correct) greatest combat athlete of all time, Cejudo is presently firing on all cylinders and looking phenomenal. We also learned that 135 pounds is probably the ideal weight class for the two-division champ. His speed carries over spectacularly and his explosiveness is on another level. Having grown up in the USA Wrestling system that has produced so many of the world's greatest athletes, Cejudo is on another level than most of his UFC piers. With his strength, power, conditioning, clean technique, pacing, peaking, making weight/rehydrating, Cejudo performs exactly like a guy who was molded in such an established athletic system like the one in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center. The 2008 Olympic champion with a wrestling resume too extensive to list, Cejudo can box, wrestle, scramble, kick like a mule. He's also in great shape and likely still improving. Cejudo defeated a very much on his game Dominic Cruz, something only two other men have done, and he made it look relatively easy. We can hope that Cejudo's retirement is just a ploy to get a better contract from the UFC, and I think that is likely, but history has shown he is a guy who loses interest. We will see which ends up being the case. Carla Esparza What we learned: The first-ever UFC women's strawweight champion, Esparza is not done. The wrestling powerhouse who competed successfully under legendary wrestler Lee Allen at Menlo College in California, Esparza has had a bit of an up-and-down UFC career thus far. When Esparza won the Ultimate Fighter reality show and subsequently destroyed future champ Rose Namajunas to win the title, big things were expected from the California native. Unfortunately, her next fight saw her lose in spectacular fashion to women's MMA legend Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and since then she has struggled to climb back to the top. Fortunately, Esparza still has some tricks up her sleeve. The former champ just defeated her third straight opponent at UFC 249 in the always dangerous, highly ranked Michelle Waterson. It was a tough, close fight that saw Esparza push through and finish strong. Another win should have her closing in on a title eliminator and maybe, just maybe, another shot at gold.

UFC 249 was definitely one for the history books. Saturday night's first major mixed martial arts event in months -- and the first pro sports event in this era of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic -- could also claim a couple other firsts. For starters, there were no fans in the stands at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonsville, Florida … and one contestant was forced to withdraw after being diagnosed with the virus. Not to mention that the event had been rescheduled and relocated more than once in the past month or so to find a possible site which could host a major sports event in an era of social distancing, new safety regulations and other issues brought about by the virus. On a brighter note, three UFC fighters who were once amateur wrestlers came out on top at UFC 249: In the main event -- a five-round battle of former collegiate mat stars at 155 pounds -- Justin Gaethje def. Tony Ferguson via fifth-round TKO (punches) Henry Cejudo (c) def. Dominick Cruz via second-round TKO (punches) Carla Esparza def. Michelle Waterson via split decision (30-27, 27-30, 29-28) Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje A bout billed as one involving "two of the most exciting fighters in UFC history" -- both with amateur wrestling credentials -- did not disappoint, with Gaethje -- a two-time Arizona state high school champ and an NCAA All-American at University of Northern Colorado -- coming out the winner with a TKO finish at 3 minutes, 39 seconds of the final round in the fifth-main event of UFC 249 over Ferguson, who was a Michigan high school state champ, then stepped up to wrestle at Central Michigan University, then won a 2006 National Collegiate Wrestling Association title for Grand Valley State in 2006. With the win, Gaethje left Jacksonville with the UFC interim lightweight belt. "UFC was hoping to be an entertaining respite for those starved for live sports during the global coronavirus pandemic. Consider that a mission accomplished, courtesy of Justin Gaethje and Tony Ferguson," according to ESPN.com. The battle was action-packed; both fighters hit a combined 279 significant strikes, the most ever for a UFC fight where there were no strikes on the ground or in a clinch were attempted. Another indicator of the intensity of the action: Gaethje and Ferguson each won $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses, while Gaethje won another $50,000 bonus for Performance of the Night. Then, in the fifth and final round, Gaethje landed a hard left hand in the fifth that wobbled Ferguson, and referee Herb Dean stepped in to wave it off. "I told my coaches, 'You're not gonna like it, but I'm ready to die tonight,'" Gaethje said in the cage afterward with Joe Rogan. "That's the mentality you have to come in there with." UFC President Dana White said he thought it was the right call to stop the fight. "I actually thought the fight should have been stopped sooner," White said. "Tony took a lot of damage tonight. Not only did he take a lot of damage, it was from a guy who hits like a f---ing truck, a guy who punches very hard and usually knocks people unconscious when he hits them with those shots." With the call, Gaethje scored the interim lightweight title, and now owns a 22-2 overall record -- and 5-2 in the UFC, while Ferguson ends a 12-bout win streak going back eight years, with an overall record of 25-4, and is now 15-2 in UFC competition. According to UFC's White, the next lightweight title match to make is Gaethje vs. Nurmagomedov. Henry Cejudo vs. Dominick Cruz Henry Cejudo, a Cinderella story in freestyle wrestling for winning a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics ... then adding to that golden reputation with his performance in his last mixed martial arts bout, as he has now announced his plans to retire from pro MMA. Henry CejudoIn an exchange in the second round of the Cejudo vs. Cruz fight, the two fighters collide heads. "Immediately, Cejudo is sliced open," according to MMAJunkie.com. "The doctor examines, but the cut appears to be small and on the hairline. There is a lot of blood. The doctor gives her OK and the action resumes. Moments later, Cejudo drops Cruz with a hard counter knee. Cejudo pounces and lands a series of hard follow up shots. Cruz is face down, trying to get up, but he's getting whacked. Referee Keith Peterson dives in. That's it. Cruz protests the stoppage, but there were a lot of unanswered shots. Regardless, that's the fight. Cejudo retains." The final result: Cejudo scores a win over Dominick Cruz via TKO (strikes) at 4:58 in Round 2 of their UFC 249 bout to retain his UFC bantamweight (135-pound) title. Then, immediately after the match, Cejudo announced his plans to retire. Cejudo concluded his pro MMA career with an overall record of 16-2 in MMA, and a 10-2 mark in UFC). Dominick Cruz left the Octagon in Jacksonville with an overall MMA record of 22-3, and 5-2 in UFC events. Carla Esparza vs. Michelle Waterson In a 115.5-pound strawweight match-up, Carla Esparza -- who wrestled at Redondo Union High School in California, then continued at Menlo College in the Golden State -- came out the winner in a three-round preliminary bout at UFC 249, defeating Michelle Waterson 27-30, 29-28 and 30-27 on the judges' scorecards, thus earning a split-decision. Here's how MMAJunkie.com reported on the bout: "In the first round, both fighters were tentative to engage. The shots weren't thrown often, but both still had their respective moments on the feet. In the last 30 seconds of the round, Esparza was able to secure takedown and control Waterson from top position. "The second round was much closer than the first. The fight never hit the ground and there was little action on the feet. "In the third and final round, Waterson kept control of the outside of the octagon and was able to avoid takedowns from Esparza. Waterson also landed several leg and body kicks. Esparza had a few nice right hands, and picked up the pace in the final minute, rushing and landing several flurry of punches on Waterson. "Esparza is now on a three-fight winning streak. Her last defeat came in late 2018. She now has a record of 16-6. This is the second straight loss for Waterson, who now is 17-8.

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The Hofstra University Department of Athletics and its wrestling program mourns the passing of Joel Kislin '73. Kislin, an All-American as a senior, passed away May 7 after a battle with cancer. He was 68. Joel KislinA two-time Middle Atlantic Conference champion and NCAA qualifier at Hofstra after a stellar two-year career at Luzerne Community College that saw him win a Junior College National Championship in 1971, Kislin would place third in the heavyweight class at the 1973 NCAA Championships to take home All-America accolades. He was Hofstra's second All-American in program history. "Joel was a loyal Hofstra wrestling alumni, fan and friend. He took great pride in being one of our first All-Americans as well as all his accolades in our singlet. He loved checking in, was always positive, and looked to help anyway he could. He would bring his family to events, and clearly extended his family love to our program, that he was a big part of," said head coach Dennis Papadatos. "Myself, as well with the Hofstra wrestling program, send our deepest condolences to his entire family, and mourn with them as Joel was one of our own as well. His memory will be eternal and his legacy will always be cemented in our hearts. Rest in peace, my friend." Kislin compiled a 118-8 record over his collegiate career, and participated in the NCAA East/West Wrestling Classic and wrestled on the USA select team that took on the Russian team in 1973. He would later go on to wrestle for Team USA in freestyle and Greco Roman at the 1973 Maccabiah Games in Israel and was a gold medalist in both. In 1974, he was part of the USA team that took on the Polish National Greco Roman team. A longtime special education teacher, Kislin would also have a 35-year career as a wrestling coach at several Pennsylvania high schools. He was the Pennsylvania District 2 Coach of the Year and its Sportsmanship Award recipient in 1994. He also served as a wrestling official for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association from 1974 to 1984. Kislin, a 1985 inductee into the National Junior College Wrestling Hall of Fame, is survived by his wife, Lynnette, and daughters, Aimee and Rachel. In honor of Joel, the Kislin family kindly requests donations to the Hofstra wrestling program. Donations can be made on the Hofstra Wrestling Giving Page.

Ryan Millhof after a win at the 2019 Pac-12 Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The saying is ... you can never go home again. That said, it appears that NCAA All-American wrestler Ryan Millhof has found his way home to become a head wrestling coach ... at his high school alma, Collins Hill High School, just outside Atlanta. Millhof, set to turn 25 this August, is the youngest head wrestling coach ever in Gwinnett County ... and the first coach to have earned NCAA Division I All-American mat honors, at his first college home, at Oklahoma University when he placed seventh in the 125-pound bracket at the 2016 NCAAs. Millhof later transferred to Arizona State, where he qualified for the 2018 NCAAs, and was finalist at the 2018 Pac-12 conference championships. Before heading west for college, Millhof made a name for himself in wrestling at prep powerhouse Collins Hill High. He was a four-time Georgia state championships finalist, winning three state titles, and compiling an overall record of 119-4. When asked about his new head coaching job, Millhof told Gwinnett Prep Sports, "I'm excited. I know it's going to be an enormous challenge. Obviously with my age, that's what everyone will look at first. But I've been wrestling for 18, 19 years now. I feel like I have a good grasp on wrestling. I'm just here to do my best." "I know it's a lot of responsibility and I think it's got a lot of potential," Millhof said. "I think I'll be able to relate to the guys well and with the struggles you go through being a high school kid because, frankly, I was a high school kid not long ago." Millhoff takes the helm of a Collins Hill wrestling program with a successful legacy over the years ... having tallied 12 Georgia state titles, the last taking place in 2012. However, the young head coach is optimistic that his credentials will help guide his new team to a return to past glories. "I think if I just have the same mentality I've had my whole life it will transition well into coaching," Millhof said. "Just working hard, living the right lifestyle and holding yourself to the highest expectations. I'm going to hold myself to high expectations and hold everybody else to high expectations. This community, this school has got the potential to do that. That's the exciting part."

Based upon its principle of following current advice and direction from local health and government authorities, and with a focus on developing best practices for the return to wrestling, USA Wrestling has extended its suspension of sanctioned events through May 24. The postponement of national and regional events will remain through July 1 at this time. At this time, based upon the input of USA Wrestling's COVID-19 Advisory Committee, and through careful review of the national, state and local restrictions concerning the novel coronavirus, USA Wrestling has not identified any situation that would allow competitions to resume yet. As the situation concerning the pandemic remains fluid and ever-evolving, USA Wrestling will continue to monitor this closely and pledges to regularly update the wrestling community on changes to its policies. Based upon the direction of the COVID-19 Advisory Committee, USA Wrestling does not believe there will be one national proclamation that it will be safe to return to practice and competition for wrestling. The organization understands that both the return to practice, as well as the return to competition, will begin at the local level, based upon the situation in that community. The expected progression of wrestling activity will most probably begin locally, based upon health and government regulations, then move on to state, regional and national activity. The development and mass production of a vaccine could speed up this timeline but even the most optimistic estimates don't expect a vaccine for many months. Now is a time that the entire worldwide sports community is focused on developing Return to Practice and Return to Competition protocols. All across the globe, experts in the fields of medicine and public health are working with sports leaders to make recommendations and create guidelines for the resumption of sports activity. It must be recognized that every sport is different from other sports, and that no "one-size-fits-all recommendation" will be adequate for every situation. USA Wrestling believes that specific guidelines should be developed for wrestling, based upon its unique technical situation and its specific health and safety protocols. Wrestling is well positioned to transition its internal procedures to create the safest environment possible for its participants. Wrestling has already dealt with challenges from infectious disease, due to skin conditions and other such conditions, and has paid as much or more attention to this than any other sport. Wrestling is a leader in this space, with mandatory medical checks before competition already in place at all levels, and a structure which can accommodate new procedures as developed by health and medical experts. The wrestling community is already comfortable with routine medical screening, and understands the importance of compliance with such recommendations. In addition, wrestling has already implemented thorough protocol for cleanliness, which includes providing regularly disinfected competition and training locations and personal hygiene procedures. With that said, USA Wrestling is close to developing guidelines for the Return to Practice and Return to Competition within its organization. USA Wrestling's Return to Practice and Competition Subcommittee, led by USA Wrestling's Director of National Events Pete Isais and featuring medical, public health and event operations leaders, is deep into its work. Its efforts will be reviewed and finalized by its COVID-19 Advisory Committee. This will be made available to the U.S. wrestling community as it makes its decisions on the resumption of activity. USA Wrestling looks forward to the time when the world has moved past this current pandemic and our sport can return to full operation. In the meantime, everyone in the wrestling community is encouraged to remain engaged with the sport, train at home as possible and follow the regulations of their local government and health authorities.

Landon Williams (Photo/Wartburg College Athletics) WAVERLY, Iowa -- 2014 Wartburg College graduate Landon Williams has been named the head assistant coach of the Wartburg Wrestling program, head coach Eric Keller announced May 8, 2020. Williams is promoted to the full-time assistant position following a pair of separate assistant coaching stints at Wartburg during the 2014-15 and 2019-20 seasons, in which the Knights captured National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Dual Championships. "Landon, one of our wrestling greats, has proven himself to be an outstanding young coach," Keller said. "He is extremely passionate about helping student-athletes develop and grow as men, exceeding in both the classroom and on the mat. He loves Wartburg and believes in our mission, having firsthand experience what a life changing place Wartburg is. I am fired up to begin this new era with Landon and help him live out his dream of coaching at the collegiate level." A native of Eldridge, Iowa, Williams was a three-time All-American and two-time NCAA Division III National Champion at Wartburg, compiling a career record of 135-15 while currently ranking among the top 10 leaders at Wartburg in career wins, tech. falls, and pins. He was a two-year team captain and a member of four consecutive national championship squads from 2011-14, becoming the first DIII program to do so. During his tenure, the Knights also earned four-straight Iowa Conference Championships and NWCA National Dual titles. "It's truly an honor to be accepting the position as assistant wrestling coach at Wartburg College," Williams commented. "Coaching with and learning from Coach Keller at my alma mater is a dream come true. The Waverly community and Wartburg has given me so much and has shaped me into the wrestler, coach, and person that I am today. I'm extremely excited to be representing the Wartburg wrestling program and Wartburg College." Williams began his coaching career as an assistant at Wartburg the season after his senior year in Orange & Black and started coaching high school wrestling in 2015 at Holy Cross School in New Orleans, La. He spent four years at Holy Cross and served as director of wrestling for one year. His teams had two third-place finishes, one runner-up finish, and the school's first Division 1 State Championship in 30 years; 11 Holy Cross wrestlers became state champions during his tenure. Williams also co-founded the Bayou Elite Wrestling Club, leading 50 wrestlers to USA state championships, along with 100+ state top-three place-winners and 50+ national All-Americans. In addition, he was heavily involved in overseeing the operations of The Burg Training Center in Waverly that provides training for youth, middle school, and high school wrestlers. As a high school wrestler at Davenport Assumption, Williams capped off his senior season with a 47-0 record, finishing first in the state at 160 pounds. He was also a two-time USA Folkstyle All-American for the Young Guns Wrestling Club out of Illinois.

Bruce Baumgartner will call May 8, 2020, his final day at Edinboro. Bruce BaumgartnerBaumgartner served in the athletic department for over 30 years before assuming the role of Assistant Vice President for University Advancement two years ago. A four-time Olympic medalist in wrestling who served as the captain and flag-bearer for the United States team in the 1996 Olympics, Baumgartner came to Edinboro as assistant wrestling coach in 1984 and later served seven years as head coach. He has been inducted into numerous Hall of Fame's and was the recipient of the James E. Sullivan Award in 1995. He transitioned to the position of interim athletic director in 1997, and was appointed to the role permanently in 1998. Over the next 20 years, he combined with Todd to form a potent one-two punch in the department. During his tenure, notable accomplishments included the establishment of a number of endowed scholarships to support student-athletes and a student-athlete graduation rate of 80 percent. He also oversaw several capital projects, including renovations to Sox Harrison Stadium and the McComb Fieldhoues weight room. In addition, Baumgartner spearheaded Edinboro's successful Make-a-Wish fundraising initiative, earning Edinboro one of the top five spots among NCAA Division II institutions for a number of years. He took a major role in assisting with the growth of Edinboro's Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

MANHEIM, Pa -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced today that their annual national convention will switch to a virtual event in response to concerns over social distancing and travel. Sessions will run, as usual, just online starting Wednesday, July 29, and closing Friday, July 31. Title sponsors for the NWCA National Virtual Convention include Cliff Keen, Defense Soap, and Resilite. "The past couple of months has been full of unprecedented shifts in our society and we understand that it would have been difficult for our annual convention to take place as usual," said Mike Moyer NWCA Executive Director. "It is our hope that shifting to a virtual platform and keeping the same format and schedule we could continue to serve our members and provide them with three tremendous days of high caliber coaching development and much-needed interaction." The NWCA team is hard at work finalizing the full slate of presenters and creating scheduling tracks for college coaches, scholastic coaches, officials, and retired coaches. Not only will the sessions take place online, but the exhibitor trade show will also be available virtually and attendees will be able to schedule small group or one on one sessions with the convention sponsors as well as exhibitors. VIRTUAL CONVENTION INFO: Registration: https://actionpage.causeview.com/actionpage/62910201941101558 Dates: July 29-31 Cost: $150 Schedule: Coming Soon Social: #NWCAconv ABOUT THE NWCA The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, Student-Athlete Welfare, and the Promotion of Wrestling.

There isn't a lot going on right now. Podcasts, video chats, zoom meetings and a real strong desire to run as fast as you can into an Applebee's is about the extent of most people's days. For the last ten weeks I've done my part to quarantine and follow the CDC guidelines for social distancing and the rest. Still, I sit in bed and talk with my wife about our favorite meals and the excitement we'll feel when we order that first cocktail or favorite bottle of wine to celebrate the end of this pandemic and return to something like normal. There is a future to look towards and I see it in food. I spend a lot of time thinking about what to do to with the next several months of time before those moments become a reality. There is no chance that we will continue to stay in strict quarantine for more than another month, but how we act when we go back will influence the lives of our neighbors and loved ones. It's a real social responsibility. The fight against COVID-19 isn't over and any premature celebrations will prove to be deadly for our communities and families. Moving forward we have to balance the approach to reopening, and that includes sports. I want there to be football. I want there to be soccer, and track, and wrestling. But as much as I can envision a scenario where I can enjoy a glass of wine in a half-filled restaurant, I can't yet figure out how these athletic competitions return in the next few months. So for now it's patience and more patience. We aren't done fighting the virus, but when we beat this thing (and we will) I think we will all look back fondly at our discipline and patience. We will become old men and women who patiently explain to our grandchildren that we buy so much toilet paper and hand sanitizer because … You get the point. This too shall end, and we will all be back to normal in due time. To your questions … Wrestlers train during camp at Augsburg University in Minneapolis in the summer of 2019 (Photo/David Peterson) Q: Many colleges host wrestling camps, which will be canceled this summer. While I am sure it varies considerably by school, how much revenue can these wrestling camps generate? And how do you think if will affect the programs? -- Mike C. Foley: All college wrestling camps will, or should, be canceled. There is simply no way to safely conduct a large gathering of athletes this summer, much less those on campuses where sensitivity to liability is high. If there are some still proceeding as planned, I'd love to hear what protocols they established since they would be groundbreaking in sport. Coaches earn a lot of money from camps so this is sure to make a massive impact on their personal financials. The programs won't feel significant long-term pain since this is a single-year incident and the revenue rarely goes back into the program in any large, meaningful way, but the assistant coaches tend to rely heavily on that income and its unclear what will happen if they aren't able to supplement. Q: How do you see the wrestlers Justin Gaethje and Henry Cejudo doing this weekend in UFC? -- Mike C. Foley: First, I'm happy to see there be a card. I know that it's imperfect and there are some downstream consequences and impacts that weren't added in to the actuaries numbers (e.g. training partners over the past few weeks), but overall the plan laid out by the UFC is achievable and relatively safe. This isn't going to be risk-free, but I don't think it'll spark an outbreak or kill grandma. Why? Because there is a lot of money at risk for to put on this event. The payoff for successful promotion and a successful event are huge for the company, but they are also taking precautions to ensure there aren't any additional tie-ups that pop up 14 days after the event, like a positive test. The single event, man-to-man sports, will be the first to come back alongside larger scale sports where there is zero personal contact (golf, tennis). That will be good for our psyche, but there won't be crowds and I am a little concerned about the indication we are all clear well before we are ready to move forward as a nation. As for the fights themselves, I think Cejudo makes a mockery of Dominick Cruz. The timing for Cruz is gone and his wrestling, while adequate in the past, won't do well when tied up with Cejudo. The biggest risk to Cejudo are the leg kicks and the fact he might not be in top form due to the virus and interruptions in his training schedule. Uh, good luck to Gaethje, but I don't have good feeling. Tony Ferguson is just too … I don't know? Too, Tony? Good preview here. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Top 5: Active American wrestlers UFC 249 Countdown: Ferguson vs. Gaethje UFC 249 Countdown: Cejudo vs. Cruz Q: Thoughts on sumo wrestling going forward during the pandemic? Any other forms of wrestling going on across the world? -- Mike C. Foley: Sumo is the only form of wrestling I've seen. The traditional styles all seem to have wound down and the summer tournaments in places like Mongolia aren't going to have their outcomes determined for several more weeks. In fact, with Mongolia I'm sure there will be some wrestling, though I'm not sure about the national naadam which is held the same three days each year. The Japanese are likely to keep sumo going as long as there is no negative press surrounding their events such as a transmission of coronavirus or complaints by competitors of unsafe conditions. That said, those more attune to the situation seem to be unsure which way the JSA will fall in determining if there will be a summer basho: The Japan Sumo Association operates under the country's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, so the league is likely to stay the course absent a government mandate. "Though I haven't heard it said outright, I am sure the JSA is following the government's lead on this one and waiting to hear what will be done nationally before it makes a move," the proprietor of the sumo gear seller Sumo Soul wrote in an email. "The common wisdom is that though it is waffling to do so, that the government will extend, if not strengthen the restrictions put in place and the JSA will very likely follow suit and cancel the honbasho [tournament]." For now sumo is navigating the waters well. The one critical advantage they have is the limited number of interactions per day. The athletes meet each other so briefly on the ring and since they aren't wrestling with additional people that same day there can be controls put in place to limit further transmissions. Ultimately, this is just about the perfect sport to consider going forward in that it has money to spend on the problem, thousands of years of tradition, a compliant population, brief interpersonal contact, and the momentum to keep going. Q: Cael Sanderson's only college loss (as a redshirt) came against Iowa's Paul Jenn. Have you seen the match? Has anyone? Or has the footage been destroyed for nobody to see?! You would think it would have shown up on YouTube by now if someone had it! -- Mike C. Foley: This is one for the comment section! I highly doubt there were cameras rolling at the time and if there were, I'm not sure that Cael would have been where the camera team trained their lens. At the time he wasn't Cael, but a redshirt from Iowa State who was having a decent year in smaller tournaments. Big name, but probably not getting major exposure like he would in today's climate. As you may know Paul Jenn died a few years after school. Tough loss as his story would certainly be one that we'd all likely enjoy.

What are the greatest streaks in the history of collegiate wrestling? There certainly are plenty of compelling storylines that immediately come to mind when you ask that question. Not surprisingly, the greatest streaks in college wrestling have coincided with some of the best stories in the sport's history. Here is my list, in no particular order, of some of the most impressive streaks there have been at the collegiate level: Cowboy Up A list about college wrestling greatness wouldn't be complete without Oklahoma State, the winningest program in NCAA history. The Cowboys set the NCAA record of 76 consecutive dual meet wins from 1937-51, a mark that still stands. The Cowboys also are tied for second on the list -- OSU won 69 straight duals from 1921-32 and again from 1996-99. Iowa also won 69 straight duals before tying Oklahoma State in a 2011 meet. Iowa captured a record nine straight consecutive national championships under Dan Gable (Photo/George Tiedemann, Getty Images) Golden era in Iowa City It's crazy to think that the Iowa Hawkeyes won a record 25 straight Big Ten tournament titles. But that's exactly what Iowa did from 1974-98. Iowa's streak of Big Ten titles came during a time when the Hawkeyes captured a record nine consecutive national championships from 1978-86. Division III dominance The last time a team other than Wartburg or Augsburg won the NCAA Division III team title was when Ithaca won in 1994. It's been one of the Burgs ever since. Wartburg College has captured a record 14 DIII national tournament championships with Augsburg right behind at 13. Grand View's great run Coach Nick Mitchell has built a dynasty at Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa. Mitchell's team has dominated the NAIA ranks for the past decade, capturing nine consecutive national titles. Grand View also has a current streak of 88 consecutive dual meet victories. Cornell's Ivy League streak Cornell's run of Ivy League dominance finally came to an end when its 92-match winning streak was snapped against Princeton in 2020. The Tigers ended the Big Red's impressive run with a 19-13 win on Feb. 8 in Princeton, N.J. Cornell's streak of 92 straight league dual wins dated back to the 2001-02 season. Lee Kemp had 96 straight wins at Wisconsin Badger tough Wisconsin standout Lee Kemp was one of the best American wrestlers of all-time. And his numbers back it up. Kemp's streak of 96 straight wins for the Badgers was No. 2 on the list after he won his third NCAA title in 1978. The legend of LeVesseur Marcus LeVesseur captured four NCAA Division III titles for Augsburg College while winning all 155 career matches. He also was a member of two national championship teams. He won 296 straight bouts after winning his final 141 matches in high school. Heavy hitter Haselrig Pitt-Johnstown's Carlton Haselrig won 122 straight matches while battling foes in all college divisions. He finished third at the NCAA Division II Championships as a freshman before going on to one of the most prolific careers in college history. He won a combined six NCAA titles, capturing three DII crowns and three DI titles from 1987-89. Davis achieves perfection Notre Dame College's Joey Davis captured four NCAA DII titles while compiling a perfect 133-0 record in college. He became the first DII wrestler to finish a four-year career unbeaten and just the third collegian overall to accomplish the impressive feat. Wartburg's amazing feat Wartburg College established an amazing streak of 220 consecutive conference dual meet wins. The 26-year streak finally ended when the top-ranked Knights fell to No. 3 Loras 19-17 this past February. Wartburg saw its streak of 27 consecutive conference wrestling titles end. Gable nearly ran the table Dan Gable never lost a match in high school. And he had never lost a match in college until he stepped on the mat for the final bout of his career at Iowa State. Gable had compiled a remarkable combined record of 181-0 in high school and college, including an NCAA record 117 straight wins at ISU. That's when Gable suffered a stunning 13-11 upset loss to Washington's Larry Owings in the 1970 NCAA finals. Gable set the NCAA record for consecutive pins with 25. Cael Sanderson gets his hand raised after winning his fourth NCAA title and finishing undefeated Sanderson: Simply the best Cael Sanderson went an incredible 159-0 in four seasons as an Iowa State Cyclone from 1998-2002. No NCAA Division I wrestler has completed a four-year collegiate career unbeaten before or since Sanderson achieved history. Sanderson also has led the way for a pair of impressive runs as the head coach at Penn State. His Nittany Lion teams won four straight NCAA titles from 2011-14 and again from 2016-19. Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

Lake Highland Prep wrestling coach Mike Palazzo (left) coaching at the Doc Buchanan (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Confirmed by multiple media reports, including Brant Parsons at the Orlando Sentinel, Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) has made the decision to no longer compete as an FHSAA member school in the sport of wrestling. The Highlanders have finished ranked inside the top 12 of the InterMat Fab 50 in each of the last five seasons, including No. 4 in 2016-17 and then No. 7, No. 6, and No. 6 each of the last three years. This past season, head coach Mike Palazzo's squad competed in four events outside of Florida and the contiguous states of Georgia and Alabama; Walsh Jesuit Ironman in Ohio, Beast of the East in Delaware, Doc Buchanan in California, and Beat the Streets Duals in Illinois. The FHSAA issued a clarification to its bylaws in March, which state that schools can only compete one time outside of Florida and/or its contiguous states to remain eligible for the state tournament playoff series; in wrestling the dual team playoffs take place in January, while the individual state series starts in February and ends in March. As opposed to competing in the FHSAA state tournaments, coach Palazzo's squad will compete in the National Prep Championships; those take place at Lehigh University in late February, with qualifying tournaments taking place for member schools the week or two before. Lake Highland Prep is not alone in Florida for taking this track of being a FHSAA member school, while competing independently in certain sports. The Orlando Sentinel article cites the example of Montverde Academy, which is a boarding school in Florida that competes as a member school in certain sports but independently in other sports. At present, the FHSAA has taken a relatively "kind" approach to Lake Highland Prep's decision to go independent in wrestling. The Highlanders can remain a member school of the FHSAA in the other sports they sponsor, while still being able to compete in local events during the FHSAA regular season should they so choose. Unanswered bylaw questions in Florida relate to if Lake Highland Prep still needs to adhere to the weight management standards of the FHSAA, those related to in-season and out-of-season practices, along with scholarship and eligibility bylaws. Bylaw questions for competitions outside the state of Florida will center around the ability for schools to compete against a non-member in that given sport (i.e. in California), as well as the ability in Florida for junior high wrestlers to compete on the varsity level which is not the case in many other states.

WILLMAR and HUTCHINSON, Minn. -- Ridgewater College Warrior wrestlers will have a new head coach for the 2020-21 season. Meet Joey Brown from Washington state. Brown comes to Ridgewater College highly recommended after serving the previous five seasons as the head wrestling coach at Snohomish High School in Snohomish, WA, where following this last season, he was named District 1 Coach of the Year. Joey BrownBrown grew up in Washington and Oregon where he wrestled, played football, baseball, and threw for the track team through high school. After high school, he attended Southern Oregon University and Mayville State University, ND, where he played football and walked on to the wrestling team. During his time at Snohomish, he and his staff turned around a program that was forfeiting multiple weight positions during dual matches into a championship-caliber team. When he took over the program, Brown had 26 wrestlers and he grew it to over 60 this past season. He has produced 17 state placers, two-state finalists, and one state champion during that five-year period. In addition to his wrestlers' individual successes, Brown's team won the league title for the first time in more than a decade and also maintained a combined team grade point average of 3.2 or higher. During the past five seasons, the team had 32 wrestlers earn distinguished academic awards from the Washington State Coaches' Association. The Snohomish High School activity director described Coach Brown as a person who truly loves wrestling and as a quality individual. He said it will be very tough for the school to replace him. "We are very excited to have such a qualified and knowledgeable individual interested in leading our program," said Heidi Olson, Ridgewater College dean of students. "Coach Brown demonstrates the type of energy and commitment that we believe will do great things for our student athletes and our wrestling program." "My family and I are very grateful for this opportunity to use wrestling as a tool to have a positive impact on our athletes, our school, and our community," Brown said. "I'm excited to bring a new energy and direction to Ridgewater Wrestling." Brown and his wife, Britta, have two children with another on the way in September. They are relocating to Spicer later this month. Brown replaces Jair Toedter, who was head coach for the last four seasons.

Sergei Beloglazov coaching Logan Massa (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club and head coach Sergei Beloglazov have agreed to a contract extension in conjunction with the postponement of the Tokyo Games and the start of a new Olympic cycle, the club announced on Wednesday (May 6). Over the last two years, since his arrival in Ann Arbor, Beloglazov and the CKWC coaching staff have overseen a considerable amount of freestyle success both domestically and abroad. Stevan Micic (57 kilograms) and Myles Amine (86 kilograms) qualified for the Tokyo Olympics after placing fifth at the 2019 World Championships last September. Both are currently ranked top four in the world through two of three UWW Ranking Series events. Mason Parris captured the junior world title at 125 kilograms last summer -- just a year after competing in his first major domestic freestyle tournament -- while Alec Pantaleo (70 kilograms) similarly represented the U.S. at the 2019 U23 World Championships. Adam Coon (125 kilograms) claimed a U.S. Open freestyle title last summer and is a two-time Greco-Roman world team member, capturing world silver in 2018. Logan Massa (74 kilograms) also claimed a senior national title in December to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials. "My goal has been to do my best to share with them the knowledge I have and give them the best opportunity to have success," said Beloglazov. "We want to win world and Olympic medals here at Michigan, and we are creating an environment that makes them better and fuels their desire. It takes some time to build, but the results are starting to show. I'm very happy." "As expected, Sergei has proven to be an incredible asset to our program," said Michigan head coach Sean Bormet. "He consistently delivers world-class expertise, energy and great enthusiasm on the mat, which generates an important confidence and bond with our wrestlers. Our alumni are excited, and our donor base continues to grow; those are certainly key elements to overall success. We're excited to continue to work hard with Sergei and create something really unique and special at Michigan." Considered among the greatest freestyle wrestlers in the history of the sport, Beloglazov ruled the freestyle bantamweight for nearly a decade, capturing two Olympic gold medals (1980, '88) and five world titles (1981, '83-87) at 57 kilograms/125 pounds -- he also won world gold at featherweight (62 kilograms/136 pounds) in 1982 -- after claiming silver at the 1979 World Championships. He won five World Cup titles (1979, '80, '81, '83, '86) and was a five-time European champion. Beloglazov was inducted into the UWW International Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004. A master wrestling technician, Beloglazov has coached internationally since his retirement from competition and, among numerous positions around the world, previously served as a national team coach for Japan, Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan over the last 25 years.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Lukasz Zagowalko, a wrestling trainer with international experience, has been named as an assistant women's wrestling coach at New Jersey City University, head coach Elena Pirozhkova has announced. Zagowalko is the third member of the first-ever women's wrestling staff in NJCU history, which launches as a varsity program in Fall, 2020. Lukasz ZagowalkoA native of Poland where he lived for most of his life, he held three wrestling head coaching positions in the European nation. Most recently, Zagowalko was head coach of The West Pomeranian State Wrestling Association from 2015-18. Previously, he coached the Sports Club "Orzel" Szczecin from 2006-10 and the Student Sports Club "Orliki" Szczecin from 2004-09. Zagowalko was an assistant coach for Sports Club "Technik" Swidwin from 2013-18. Additionally, he served as an assistant for West Pomeranian State Wrestling (2005-08) and the Academy of Physical Education Academic Sports Club Gorzów Wielkopolski (2002-03). From 2003-05, Zagowalko coached Polish Olympian Monika Michalik. The most titled Polish competitor in history, she later won four European championships, two medals at the world championships and a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics Games. Zagowalko directly prepared her for the 2005 European Championship in Varna, Bulgaria, where Michalik won the gold medal. "Lukasz was the missing piece I needed to complete the coaching staff," said Pirozhkova. "His previous coaching and education in Poland is a rare find in the USA so I'm excited I got him before he got scooped up by another college. His background will help NJCU establish a high-level program in year one. His passion for the team is contagious and I can't wait to see him in action." Jan Godlewski, coach of the Polish women's national team, said: "In my opinion, Mr. Lukasz Zagowalko has a broad theoretical knowledge and practical skills to work independently with athletes presenting a high sports level. I give him my highest recommendation, without reservation." Zagowalko graduated from The Poznan University of Physical Education Branch of Institute of Physical Education in Gorzow Wielkopolski in 2003 and earned a Master's Degree in Physical Education in 2003 with a specialization as an instructor in wrestling. In 2007, he added Trainer II certification in wrestling from The Poznan University of Physical Education. He later earned an Executive MBA Master's Degree from West Pomeranian Business School in Szczecin in 2010. As an undergraduate, he wrestled for four years for coach Piotr Godlewski. In 2012, he completed the Program in American Language Studies from Rutgers. Zagowalko, who will turn 40 in May, 2020, resides in Cranford, N.J.

Chris Weiler takes a shot on Cornell's Ben Darmstandt at the 2018 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MADISON, Wis. -- Chris Weiler, the redshirt senior from Lehigh University, is headed west to finish out his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin, head coach Chris Bono announced on Tuesday. Weiler is expected to compete at 184 pounds in the 2020-21 season for the Badgers. In 2020, Weiler finished second at 184 pounds at the EIWA championship and earned honorable mention All-America honors. The Biglerville, Pennsylvania native also qualified for the 2018 NCAA Championships, finishing just one win shy of All-America honors. He has a career record of 54-28, aiding the Mountain Hawks to three EIWA championships. "We are excited to get Chris campus," Bono said. "He is a graduate transfer who values education and wrestling. He has a wealth of experience and will be a great addition to our program."

Daryl Thomas BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Campbell head wrestling coach Scotti Sentes has announced the addition of former Old Dominion lead assistant Daryl Thomas to the Camels' coaching staff. Thomas served as assistant head coach for the last two seasons at ODU, originally joining the Monarchs' staff in 2017. He joins associate head coach Wynn Michalak, announced in April, on Sentes' staff. "As the assistant head coach at Old Dominion, Daryl was likely to be the next in line to lead the Monarchs," said Sentes. "He has all of the attributes you would expect to find in a head coach. He is well recognized and respected in the wrestling community, he has a great track record, he is someone people want to follow, and he comes highly recommended for the position. We are lucky to have someone of Daryl's caliber joining the staff and I am excited for all that he brings." In 2019-20, Thomas helped guide four ODU wrestlers towards NCAA qualification, as Killian Cardinale, Sa'Derian Perry, Larry Early and Antonio Agee all earned spots in the NCAA Wrestling Championships. Due to the CoronaVirus outbreak, the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships were canceled. Thomas helped lead the Monarchs to a 10-9 dual record in the regular season and a 6-2 record against MAC opponents. In 2018-19, Thomas helped send Michael McGee (125), Perry (141) and Early (157) to the NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh, Pa. Early garnered All-American status and an eighth place finish. During the regular season, Thomas helped lead ODU to a 9-7 dual record, which included a win over a top-25 team in Northwestern. ODU took fourth at the 2019 MAC Championship and one MAC Champion in McGee. During his first season at ODU Thomas primarily worked with the lower weights. He helped 125-pound Michael McGee earned a MAC Championship as a true freshman, also leading four Monarchs to the NCAA Championship in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to ODU, Thomas spent one year as the head coach at Lincoln College. Under his direction, the Lynx wrestling team achieved a fourth place finish in the NJCAA National Tournament. Thomas was named NJCAA Midwest District Coach of the Year after guiding his team to the NJCAA National Tournament. Thomas coached five wrestling All-Americans in DJ Millett (125, 8th), Christian Kanzler (141, 4th), Alex Gonzalez (157, 4th), Tyree Overton (174, 3rd) and Logan Hagerbaumer (184, 4th). Prior to taking the head coaching position at Lincoln College, Thomas was an assistant at Northern Illinois University for two years. Thomas was instrumental in coaching five NCAA National Tournament qualifiers in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. Prior to that, Thomas was an assistant at Edwardsville High School, where he helped the Tigers advance four wrestlers to the Illinois state tournament. In addition, EHS also won the team title at the Granite City Regional and finished the regular season with a perfect 28-0 record and a Southwestern Conference title. At Illinois, Thomas finished with a 53-47 record with six pins. The Edwardsville, Illinois native was a two-time placewinner at the Big Ten Championships - placing sixth in 2012 and 2013 - and also advanced to the NCAA Championships as a senior. Thomas was ranked as high as seventh by WIN Magazine as a senior, while finishing third at the 2012 ASICS USA Wrestling University Nationals to earn Freestyle All-American honors. Thomas earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Communications in the spring of 2013.

Dan McCool He was one of a kind. And the sport of wrestling was lucky to have him. In 30-plus years of covering wrestling, I've never met a journalist more passionate about his craft than Dan McCool. It was a sad day in the wrestling world on Monday afternoon when the news broke that McCool had passed away. He was 60 years old. Dan made his mark during the many years he covered wrestling for the Des Moines Register. In a state that loves wrestling, he was the perfect fit. He was a prolific writer who covered high school, college and international wrestling. He was just as passionate about a small-school prep dual meet on a Tuesday night as he was about a high-stakes Iowa-Iowa State college dual on a Sunday afternoon. Dan wasn't always the friendliest person to be around, especially for a sportswriter from a competing newspaper. He was often gruff and grumpy while sitting on press row with his giant bag of candy sitting next to him. But one thing I learned from being around McCool was how to build rapport with the people you cover. He was the master at developing strong relationships with coaches and athletes in the sport of wrestling. He built that level of trust with hundreds of people and that served him well while covering all levels of wrestling. He had great respect and admiration for the people he covered. He cared very deeply about sharing their stories with the thousands of people who read them. During the decade I worked in communications for USA Wrestling, I had an opportunity to work with him while helping set up interviews for him with a few athletes. I was able to sit down and chat with Dan on a few occasions. The guy was an encyclopedia of wrestling. His biggest thrills weren't being able to say he went to the Olympic Games or the NCAA Championships, it was developing the personal relationships with people involved in the sport. He took great pride in writing a feature story on a high school athlete from a small Iowa school that an entire town would be talking about. When Dan McCool walked into a high school gymnasium during a cold, snowy Iowa winter, he would immediately be recognized by a coach, athlete or fan. He was well-known not just in Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City, but all over the state in places like Lisbon, Gilbertville, Morning Sun, Underwood, Sheldon, Osage, Creston, Emmetsburg, Mediapolis, Eagle Grove and all points in between. While many sportswriters start out covering high schools and move on to covering college and pro sports, Dan loved following the high schools. The Iowa state tournament was his favorite event. McCool was a fixture while covering the Iowa state tournament and then in later years while selling his popular state tournament book at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. He went on to author more books about wrestling and he continued to be a fixture at numerous wrestling events. McCool also was well-known by wrestlers, coaches and fans all over the country, who spent the past two decades reading much of his work online. He was a national wrestling writer of the year who also was honored for his work at the Iowa state tournament. The last time I saw Dan was at the Wartburg-Augsburg dual meet in early February in Waverly, Iowa. The battle featured the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in NCAA Division III and was contested before an enthusiastic sellout crowd at Levick Arena. It was a hard-fought dual between two legendary small-college powerhouses. I remember McCool walking into the gym about an hour before the dual that night at Wartburg. He had a smile on his face as he greeted his good buddy Wyatt Schultz of The Predicament. He gave Wartburg announcer and booster Joe Breitbach a hard time and even threw out a playful jab to the match official. He knew everybody. And everybody knew him. In his post-Register days, McCool moved even closer to the mat while taking photographs at wrestling events. And his shots were top-notch. He also made a big impact covering college wrestling. He documented much of Dan Gable's remarkable run as Iowa's head coach and he was in Albany, New York, in 2002 when Iowa State's Cael Sanderson completed his unbeaten career by winning his fourth NCAA title. If there was a big wrestling event going on over the past three-plus decades, it was a safe bet that McCool was there. His coverage was compelling, informative and comprehensive. Wrestling was certainly his life's passion and he developed a huge following as one of the most respected people in the sport. That high level of respect was evident with the outpouring of support for McCool on social media Monday night. He will be missed. The sport of wrestling was lucky to have Dan McCool. He made tremendous contributions to the sport in so many ways. There will be a void next wrestling season when Dan isn't taking photos matside or selling books on the concourse at the state tournament. It won't be the same without him. Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.