InterMat Staff

FERRUM, Va. -- Director of Athletics John Sutyak has announced the resignation of Nate Yetzer as the head men's wrestling coach at Ferrum College. Yetzer is leaving to accept the same position at Roanoke College, which recently announced that it would be starting a new mat program. Nate YetzerYetzer has served as the head coach at Ferrum since the inception of the program in July of 2012. The Panthers competed as a club program during the 2012-13 season, then began varsity competition the following season. Yetzer quickly established the program on the national stage, leading the program to an NCAA regional championship in 2017, a runner-up performance in 2019, five consecutive top-5 finishes at the NCAA regionals from 2016-20 and five consecutive Southeast Wrestling Conference (SEWC) championships. Individually, one of his wrestlers, Logan Meister '17, qualified for the NCAA Div. III Tournament in March 2014. Meister would go on to qualify two more times and became the program's first All-American in 2016. Yetzer's career coaching record through seven season stands at 66-32, with 14 NCAA individual tournament qualifiers, five individual NCAA Regional champions and four All-Americans. Yetzer coached one NCAA finalist, Zack Beckner, who was runner-up at 125 pounds at the 2017 NCAA Tournament. "Certainly, the news of Coach Yetzer leaving to start the wrestling program at Roanoke College is met with mixed emotions," said Sutyak. "We are happy for him and his family with the new challenges they will embark on, but sad that he will be leaving the Ferrum men's wrestling program that he started. The work Nate did to build this program into a regional power and a national program at the Division III level was impressive. He has molded hundreds of young men here at Ferrum and we are forever grateful to him and his years of service." Yetzer by the Numbers 2013-14: 6-3 record, 1 NCAA qualifier 2014-15: 8-10 record 2015-16: 12-4 record, SEWC Champions, 2 NCAA qualifiers, 1 All-American 2016-17: 13-6 record, NCAA Southeast Regional Champions, SEWC Champions, 3 NCAA qualifiers, 1 All-American 2017-18: 10-4 record, SEWC Champions, 3 NCAA qualifiers 2018-19: 11-2 record, NCAA Southeast Regional Runner-Up, SEWC Champions, 3 NCAA qualifiers, 2 All-Americans, Ferrum hosted NCAA Tournament 2019-20: 6-3 record, SEWC Champions, 2 NCAA qualifiers During Yetzer's tenure, the Panthers have had 42 NCAA regional place-winners, 41 Academic All-Conference selections, 11 All-State selections and three Outstanding Wrestler Award winners. The Panthers have had 71 individual tournament champions and 11 team championships, including five consecutive Southeast Wrestling Conference Tournament titles. Under Yetzer's leadership, Ferrum hosted NCAA Regional Tournaments in 2015 (East Region), 2017 (Southeast Region) and 2018 (Southeast Region). The Panthers then hosted the 2019 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championship at the Berglund Center in Roanoke last March, where two of Yetzer's wrestlers earned All-America. "I am so thankful that Ferrum took a chance on me eight years ago to lead this program," said Yetzer, "The people I have met along the way are lifelong friends. Ferrum will always hold a special place in my heart and I believe that I am leaving this program in a great position. I always stress to my guys the importance of getting outside their comfort zone in order to grow as a person. I believe I need to do the same. "I want to thank everyone who supported us and all of the great men I had the privilege to coach. Thank you also to Ryan Riggs, Logan Meister, Brandon Bradley, Collin Saunders, Blake Rosenbaum and Tyrique Nolen for all their tireless work throughout the years as coaches. Thank you to Dr. David Johns, Dr. Jennifer Braatan, John Sutyak, and Abe Naff for their support of our program. A very special thank you to Harry and Natalie Norris, and Gary Holden for all the advice and support." Yetzer came to Ferrum from Blacksburg, Virginia, where he served the past six years as an assistant coach for the Virginia Tech wrestling program. He worked under head coach Kevin Dresser, who is now head coach at Iowa State University. Yetzer helped the Hokies to a 11th place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division I Tournament. The Hokies had two All-Americans, six NCAA qualifiers and three ACC champions in 2012. Prior to joining the Hokies' staff, Yetzer served as assistant coach one year at NCAA Div. I Binghamton University in Vestal, New York. Yetzer wrestled for NCAA Division I Edinboro University from 2001-05. He won Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles in 2004 and 2005, and earned the Eastern Wrestling League title in 2004. Yetzer was a four-time NCAA Division I Tournament qualifier, and capped his 2004 season with an All-American finish when he placed 8th in the 174-pound weight class. Yetzer earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Edinboro in 2005 and his Master of Arts degree in Health Promotions from Virginia Tech in 2012. Yetzer and his wife, the former Leah Scott, have four sons: twins Jack and Nick, Ethan and Brock.

Andy Vogel has been named head coach for the reinstatement of the Hiram College men's wrestling program -- as well as the Director of Wrestling Operations -- the Ohio-based college announced Monday. Vogel comes to Hiram from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pa., where he served as the head wrestling coach and assistant director of athletics for the past 13 years. Andy VogelIn his official statement, Hiram Athletic Director Todd W. Hibbs said, ""We had a strong candidate pool for this position. Still, our search committee was in agreement that his Northeast Ohio ties -- combined with his NCAA Division III experience and reputation as a passionate leader in the national wrestling community -- made Andy Vogel a clear choice." "I am thrilled to begin this journey with Hiram College Athletics," Vogel said. "I am looking forward to working with Athletic Director Todd Hibbs to restart the men's wrestling program, and to help launch a women's program in the next year. Building a men's team that will compete in the fall of 2020 is an exciting challenge, and I am eager to get started. I am thankful for the opportunity to lead the team and for the alumni, community, and administrative support that has made restarting the team possible." In his 13 years at Gettysburg, Vogel coached three NCAA All-Americans, ten NCAA qualifiers, eight Centennial Conference champions, 44 conference place winners, 18 regional place winners and 19 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans. Vogel also coached the Centennial Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2009 and 2012, and the Rookie of the Year in 2016. What's more, with Vogel as head coach, the Gettysburg Bullets finished in the NCAA Top 20 in 2013, as well as Top 25 in the NCAA in Team GPA in 2010, 2013 and 2018. Prior to coaching at Gettysburg, Vogel began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant wrestling coach at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. in suburban Chicago. He also served as the program director for Strider Wrestling in Wheaton during his two years with the Thunder, developing and conducting free youth wrestling programs for elementary students. Vogel earned his bachelor's degree in engineering from Messiah College in May 2003, and his master's degree from Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. in May 2016. A native of Northeast Ohio, Vogel was a two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association state finalist and the 1999 state champion at 145 lbs. for Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA). In 2006, Vogel was inducted to the CVCA Athletic Hall of Fame. Hiram announced its plans to reinstate its men's wrestling program, which will return to the mats this fall, as well as launch a brand-new women's program, which will launch in the fall of 2021. A search for a coach for the women's program is underway. Andy Vogel's hiring by Hiram College is something of a return of a return to the area where he grew up. Hiram College is a four-year, private college located in the town of Hiram in northeast Ohio, southwest of Cleveland and not far from his high school alma mater, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy. Founded in 1850, Hiram College has an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students. Hiram's intercollegiate sports -- including wrestling -- compete in NCAA Division III.

It's official: The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday that the 2020 Olympics, originally scheduled to take place in Tokyo starting on July 24, will be postponed until 2021, due to the worldwide coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach agreed to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by about one year. A new timetable has yet to be announced. Despite the postponement, the Summer Olympics -- when they eventually happen -- will still be called the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020. This is the first time in the 124-year history of the modern Olympics that the event has been postponed, according to USA Today. The 1916, 1940 and 1944 Olympics were canceled because of world wars. The just-announced IOC decision to postpone the 2020 Olympics came less than 48 hours after the IOC said it was giving itself four weeks to make a decision about the Olympics. Pressure from nations and athletes alike mounted in recent days. On Monday, both Canada and Australia had said they would not send athletes to the 2020 Olympics as originally scheduled. ESPN.com reported Tuesday, "The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee sent a survey over the weekend to more than 4,000 American Olympics hopefuls, and nearly seven in 10 respondents said they didn't think the Games would be fair if held in July. Germany and Poland had also called for the Games to be delayed." Official statement of the IOC and Japan regarding postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Here is the text of the official statement issued jointly by international Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach and Japanese Prime Minister Shinso Abe on Tuesday, March 24, 2020: https://www.olympic.org/news/joint-statement-from-the-international-olympic-committee-and-the-tokyo-2020-organising-committee "President Bach and Prime Minister Abe expressed their shared concern about the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, and what it is doing to people's lives and the significant impact it is having on global athletes' preparations for the Games. "In a very friendly and constructive meeting, the two leaders praised the work of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee and noted the great progress being made in Japan to fight against COVID-19. The unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak has seen the situation in the rest of the world deteriorating. Yesterday, the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that the COVID-19 pandemic is "accelerating". There are more than 375,000 cases now recorded worldwide and in nearly every country, and their number is growing by the hour. "In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community. "The leaders agreed that the Olympic Games in Tokyo could stand as a beacon of hope to the world during these troubled times and that the Olympic flame could become the light at the end of the tunnel in which the world finds itself at present. Therefore, it was agreed that the Olympic flame will stay in Japan. It was also agreed that the Games will keep the name Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020."

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Elmira College Associate Vice President of Athletics Renee Carlineo is pleased to introduce Cody Griswold as the first head coach of the new EC women's wrestling team. Griswold will be tasked with building the women's wrestling program from the ground up, as the Soaring Eagles prepare for their inaugural season in 2020-21. "I am thrilled to add Cody Griswold to our staff as the inaugural head women's wrestling coach at Elmira College," Carlineo said. "Cody has hit the ground running by recruiting the first women's wrestling student-athletes in EC history. Cody's work ethic, style, and personality will be a fantastic fit for our team." A former Division III student-athlete and Connecticut high school state champion, Griswold will join the Soaring Eagles after spending five seasons as the head wrestling coach at Williamstown High School in Williamstown, Vermont. During his tenure, Griswold transformed Williamstown from a small club into a formidable varsity program sanctioned under the auspices of the Vermont Principals' Association. "It's an incredible honor to be named the first women's head coach in Elmira College history," Griswold exclaimed. "Women's wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in the world and I can't wait to help grow it here at Elmira. "We offer a beautiful campus and I can't wait to get these student-athletes here. The opportunity to add women's wrestling to a storied college with deep traditions like Elmira is amazing." Under Griswold's tutelage, Williamstown has finished among the top 11 teams in the state on three occasions, placing as high as ninth at the 2017 state championships. In total, nine Blue Devils have placed at the state tournament, and the team has represented Vermont at the New England Championships three times. Last season, one Blue Devil finished fifth at the state tournament and two more took sixth. In addition to the success the Williamstown boys have found over the past five seasons, Griswold has spent the last two winters coaching the program's first-ever female wrestler, who recently earned a podium finish at an all-girls tournament in Vermont. Before mentoring the team at Williamstown, Griswold spent one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Norwich University, in Northfield, Vermont. Among his responsibilities with the Cadets were the implementation and coordination of their strength and conditioning program, organizing and executing practice plans, and assisting in the team's recruiting efforts. Not only did Griswold spend his undergraduate years as a member of the Norwich wrestling team, he received a military-style education while enrolled in the Norwich University Corps of Cadets and Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). A 2014 graduate, Griswold received a Bachelor's of Science in Physical Education with a concentration in Coaching from NU. During his prep career, Griswold was a dominant force on the mats in the Nutmeg State. A standout wrestler and three-time team captain at New Milford High School in New Milford, Connecticut, he posted a stellar four-year record of 144 wins with 38 losses. As a senior, he captured a Class L state title at 171 pounds. During his junior campaign, Griswold earned a runner-up finish in the 160-pound weight class, while his Green Wave team placed second in the Class LL bracket. Already busy on the recruiting trail, Griswold is working diligently to build the program's inaugural roster. Stay tuned to the latest regarding the women's wrestling program by following the Soaring Eagles on Instagram @EC_WomensWrestling.

Iowa's Spencer Lee won the award for most dominant wrestler (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has released the winners and final standings for the 2020 NCAA wrestling awards in Divisions I, II and III. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes who have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular season, conference tournaments and NCAA super regionals. Leading the way as the Most Dominant Wrestler in each division are Spencer Lee of Iowa in Division I, Jared Campbell of Notre Dame (Ohio) in Division II and Troy Stanich of Stevens in Division III. The award for most falls went to Jacob Schwarm of the University of Northern Iowa with 16 in Division I, Hayden Bronne of Tiffin in Division II with 20 and Marvin Cunningham of Johnson & Wales University (Providence) with 24. The most tech falls award was earned by Alex Madrigal of George Mason with 14 in Division I, Ryan Vasbinder of McKendree with 10 in Division II and Stephen Maloney of Messiah with 16 in Division III. Iowa's Lee went 18-0 in Division I matches at 125 pounds for an average of 5.00 team points per match to edge out Mark Hall of Penn State (4.70) and Pat Glory of Princeton (4.54) for most dominant in Division I. The two-time NCAA champion had nine tech falls and four falls, while only having one match all season where he did not accumulate bonus points for the Hawkeyes. Heavyweight Campbell compiled Mountain East Conference and NCAA super regional III championships on his way to a 19-0 Division II record and most dominant wrestler award joining Joey Davis (2014) as the second Falcon to win the award. Campbell's season was highlighted by 10 falls among his 14 bonus-point wins to finish with an average of 4.95 team points per match. Chris Eddins Jr., of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (4.64) and McKendree's Vasbinder (4.54) rounded out the top three in the division. A close race in Division III saw Stanich edge out Bradan Birt of Millikin by 0.15 points (5.35 to 5.20) to join AJ Kowal (2016-most falls) as the second Duck to earn an NCAA wrestling award. Stanich went 23-0 in Division III matches with 20 bonus point victories, including 13 falls, as he claimed Middle Atlantic Conferences and NCAA southeast regional championships at 141 pounds. The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by dividing the total number of team points awarded through match results by the total number of matches wrestled. Wrestlers need a minimum of 17 matches to be ranked and must have qualified for and been eligible to compete in the national championships in their division. Points per match are awarded as follows: Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss) Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss) Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss) Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss) A competitive race for most falls in Division I ended with University of Northern Iowa's Schwarm's 16 falls putting him two ahead of 2019 winner Matt Stencel of Central Michigan as well as Ben Darmstadt of Cornell. The Big 12 Championships proved critical for 125-pounder Schwarm as his falls over Jace Koelzer of Northern Colorado and Joey Thomas of West Virginia proved to be the difference as Schwarm becomes the lightest-weight wrestler to win the award in Division I. Division II featured a repeat winner as Tiffin 174-pounder Bronne becomes the first winner in non-consecutive years after winning in 2018. In fact, this year is the fourth consecutive year that the Dragons have taken home the award for most falls (Garrett Gray-2017, Bronne-2018, Nicholas Mason-2019). Bronne also set a record as his 20 falls are the most in Division II history as he finished six ahead of AJ Cooper of Fort Hays State in second with 14. Like Tiffin, Johnson & Wales has started a streak of its own in Division III as Cunningham keeps the most falls award in house after Da'mani Burns took the crown in 2019. Cunningham's 24 falls at 149 pounds was just enough to edge out New England College 149-pounder Evan Fidelibus and Cunningham's teammate Michael DiNardo with 23. George Mason's Madrigal compiled 14 tech falls to win in Division I with a cushion of five over the 125-pound trio of Lee, Glory and Nicholas Piccininni of Oklahoma State. A 2019 All-American, McKendree's Vasbinder takes home his first NCAA wrestling award with 10 tech falls at 197 pounds in Division II. The Bearcat also had a comfortable lead with three more tech falls than Nebraska-Kearney 184-pounder Anthony Mancini, UIndy 157-pounder Dawson Combest, Lindenwood (Missouri) 125-pounder Carlos Jacquez and East Stroudsburg 174-pounder Michael Raccioppi. The closest race for any award came in Division III tech falls as the aggregate time tiebreaker was necessary to separate 157-pounder Maloney and 141-pounder Ahken Chu of SUNY Oneonta with 16 tech falls apiece. A margin of 53 seconds (62:23 to 63:16) was enough for Maloney to repeat as the award winner in Division III. Roger Williams 149-pound Tyler Gazaway was also in the running falling one short with 15. For falls and tech falls to be counted for the awards they must come against opponents in the same division (i.e., Division II vs. Division II). Ties in the two categories are broken based on the aggregate time.

Purdue's Dylan Lydy finished the season ranked No. 4 at 174 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) After every NCAA season, questions begin to swirl about what is next for the graduating seniors. This year ended with perhaps the most anticlimactic finish possible. It remains to be seen if the NCAA will grant extra years of eligibility due to the canceled NCAAs, but at some point many of the seniors will need to move on. Each year many collegiate wrestlers decide to pursue a career in MMA. There is a great deal of crossover in skill sets between the two sports, and many of the best fighters are former wrestlers. The following looks at the following seniors who are most likely to pursue MMA and have success. 125: Jacob Schwarm (Northern Iowa) Schwarm had a pretty unique senior season for the Panthers. He led all Division I wrestlers with 17 falls despite having only 21 wins on the year. Schwarm went 3-2 at the Big 12 Championships to qualify for the NCAAs. There is a commonly-held theory that wrestlers who are able to rack up pins on the collegiate mats transition better to the MMA ground game. If that theory holds, Schwarm would appear to be a natural fit to catch submissions in fights. MMA is likely not foreign for the Bettendorf, Iowa native. The town was once home to Miletich Fighting Systems, which was one of the original MMA super teams and key to development of the sport in the U.S. 133: Cam Sykora (North Dakota State) Sykora finished his senior season by becoming NDSU's first Big 12 champion. He went 17-4 during the year and qualified for the NCAA tournament for the fourth time. Unfortunately, he never earned a final shot at becoming an All-American. Sykora's length and ability to ride would likely translate well in the MMA cage. On top of that, he has already gotten some training in with American Top Team. 197: Jordan Pagano (Rutgers) Pagano was granted a sixth year after missing what would have been his senior season in 2018-2019. In his return season he went 22-8 and qualified for the NCAA tournament through the Big Ten. He previously qualified as a sophomore. During the year he picked up signature wins over Jake Woodley (Oklahoma), Ethan Laird (Rider) and Patrick Brucki (Princeton). There seem to be several connections between the Rutgers program and the MMA world. Pagano in particular is close with the Longo and Weidman MMA team and Phumi Nkuta who recently made his MMA debut under the Bellator banner. 285: Anthony Cassar (Penn State) Even though his season was cut short due to injury, Cassar seems intent on pursuing a career in MMA. Following his NCAA title season he spoke to ESPN. He was clearly determined to fight. "I grew up watching Fedor Emelianenko and Vitor Belfort as a kid," Cassar said.. "It's one of my goals, and I'm going to immerse myself in it someday." Despite the continual shoulder injuries, he may still be able to make it in MMA. Fellow former NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell ended his wrestling career due to a rash of shoulder injuries. He then went on to have a very successful MMA career including a run as Bellator bantamweight champion.

Fan voting has begun for the 2020 Dan Hodge Trophy. Links: Fan Vote | Hodge Finalists 2020 Highlight Video Despite the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships, it is once again time to select the top wrestler in the collegiate ranks as voting will soon begin for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy. Eight Division I wrestlers, who finished the season undefeated going into the NCAAs, have been named as finalists for the award, which is presented each year by ASICS and called by many the "Heisman Trophy of wrestling". This year's finalists are (alphabetically) West Virginia sophomore Noah Adams (197), Northwestern junior Ryan Deakin (157), Princeton sophomore Pat Glory (125), Stanford freshman Shane Griffith (165), Iowa junior Spencer Lee (125), Ohio State senior Kollin Moore (197), Minnesota sophomore Gable Steveson (Hwt) and Cornell senior Charles Tucker (133). Official ballots for the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee made up of past all past Hodge winners, a retired college coach from each region, and national media members will begin on Monday, March 23. The ballot will include a breakdown of each wrestler's record from this past season. In addition, the official Fan Vote for the 2020 Hodge kicked off Monday at noon. The Fan Vote winner will receive an additional two first-place votes. In past years, voting has swelled to as many as 140,000 unique votes in a given year as it is a public way to celebrate the dominant seasons of college wrestling's top individuals. The award is named after the great Dan Hodge, who was a three-time NCAA champ (1955-57) at the University of Oklahoma. Hodge was 46-0 with 36 pins and never allowed a takedown in his college career. Primary criteria for the award are a wrestler's record, number of pins, dominance and quality of competition. Past credentials, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart are used as secondary criteria in years where two finalists stats are nearly equal. The 2020 Hodge winner will be announced at 12 pm CST on Monday, March 30. For a complete list of past winners and the award stories, click here.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are expected to be postponed, most likely to 2021, with details to be worked out in the next four weeks, long-time International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told USA Today Monday afternoon. "On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided," Pound, a Canadian, told the national newspaper in a phone interview. "The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know." Pound, described as "one of the most influential members of the IOC for decades," said he believes the IOC will announce its next steps soon. "It will come in stages," he said. "We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the ramifications of moving this, which are immense." The 2020 Olympics in flux Pound's pronouncement is the latest news in a rapidly-changing situation regarding whether the 2020 Games would get underway in four months because of concerns about the spread of coronavirus COVID-19. Over the weekend, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board announced it would be considering the possibility of delaying the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, while Team Canada and the Australian Olympic Committee have revealed they won't be sending any of its athletes -- including wrestlers -- to this year's Games, which are slated to open four months from now. The IOC statement said, in part, "To safeguard the health of all involved and to contribute to the containment of COVID-19 coronavirus, the Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today announced the IOC will step up its scenario-planning for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020." Before Pound's statement, the Olympic committees of two major nations -- Canada, and Australia -- both reported they would not be participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. According to a a statement issued Sunday, March 22, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), backed by their Athletes' Commissions, National Sports Organizations and the Government of Canada, announced that they "have made the difficult decision to not send Canadian teams to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the summer of 2020." The statement goes on to say, "What's more, the COC and CPC urgently call on the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to postpone the Games for one year and we offer them our full support in helping navigate all the complexities that rescheduling the Games will bring. While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community." The Team Canada announcement meant that wrestlers from Canada would not be competing at the 2020 Tokyo Games, per an announcement issued by Wrestling Canada Lutte Monday. "Wrestling Canada Lutte supports the decision made by the Canadian Olympic Committee to not send athletes to the Olympic Games in summer 2020 due to COVID-19 risks. The safety of our athletes and wrestling community is our top priority. We have discussed the implications of this decision with our Olympic Trials winners and coaches, and our Board of Directors. Hours after Canada had revealed its plans to pull out of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Australia announced similar intentions, as the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) said it had told its athletes to prepare for a Tokyo Games taking place in 2021, CNBC reported Monday. "The AOC (Executive Board) unanimously agreed that an Australian team could not be assembled in the changing circumstances at home and abroad," read the statement. "The AOC believes our athletes now need to prioritize their own health and of those around them, and to be able to return to the families, in discussion with their national federations." Australian team chef de Mission Ian Chesterman added his voice to the discussion: "It's clear the Games can't be held in July." "Our athletes have been magnificent in their positive attitude to training and preparing but the stress and uncertainty has been extremely challenging."

The Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast has released a two-part documentary series on legendary wrestler and coach Dan Gable. The series features original interviews from Dan Gable, Barry Davis, Lincoln McIlravy, Tom Brands, Jim Gibbons, Alan Fried, Tom Ryan and many others. Part one details Gable's match with Larry Owings, 1972 Olympic run and the creation of the Iowa Wrestling Dynasty, culminating with the 1987 NCAA's. Part two covers the years 1987-1993 and focuses on Gable's rebuild of the Iowa Dynasty, featuring never before heard footage on Tom Ryan's arrival at Iowa, Tom Brands' rivalry with Alan Fried, and the infamous Steiner Shuffle. You can listen to the documentary now on the Wrestling Changed My Life website, as well as all major podcast applications (Apple, Spotify, etc). You can also text the words DanGable to 555-888 to receive the podcast. About the Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast Hosted by Ryan Warner, the Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast features in-depth interviews with wrestlers and coaches to learn how the sport shaped and molded their lives. By stitching together stories of sacrifice, triumph, defeat and perseverance, the Podcast takes the listener deep inside the world's oldest sport. To subscribe to the podcast, listeners can visit WrestlingChangedMy Life.com or text "Wrestle" to 555-888.

Spencer Lee at the 2020 Big Ten Championships (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named one of 10 finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Lee's 2019 season included a NCAA wrestling championship and a United States Senior Nationals tournament title. He was a 2019 Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a member of the NWCA Academic All-America team. Fans can vote for finalists by visiting aausports.org. The public voting portal is open from Monday, March 23 at 11 a.m. (CT) through Monday, March 30 at 11 p.m. Fans can vote once per day. During the final round, hashtag voting will also count. Tweets and RTs using #VoteForSpencer and #AAUSullivanAward will count in the final tally. The winner is determined by public vote, media vote, and committee vote. The 10 finalists include Lee, Evita Griskenas (USA Rhythmic Gymnastics, Grant Holloway (Florida track & field), Markus Howard (Marquette basketball), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon basketball), Trevor Lawrence (Clemson football), Dana Rettke (Wisconsin volleyball), Kyla Ross (UCLA gymnastics), Megan Taylor (Maryland Lacrosse), and Abby Weitzeil (Cal swimming & diving). Representatives from the AAU created the AAU James E. Sullivan Award with the intent to recognize amateur contributions and achievements from non-professional athletes across the country. The AAU Sullivan Award is presented to the athlete who has demonstrated the most athletic success, as well as leadership, character and sportsmanship in the past year. World renowned golfer Robert "Bobby" Jones received the inaugural award in 1930 and swimmer Anne Curtis became the first female to accept the award in 1944. Other notable athletes to win the award include famed Olympians Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Michael Phelps (2003) and Shawn Johnson (2008), former UCLA basketball star Bill Walton (1973) and University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997). Most recently, ESPNW Player of the Year and NCAA Volleyball National Champion Kathryn Plummer was crowned the 89th AAU James E. Sullivan Award winner for her accomplishments in 2018.

We all say, "I need to be reading more." Now you can do something about that. With the abrupt ending of the college wrestling season, picking up a good book about our favorite sport makes sense right now. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has put together a quick list of great books you'll want to read: The History of Collegiate Wrestling: A Century of Wrestling Excellence is a "must have" for every college wrestling fan that allows readers to experience and relive the glory of college wrestling through stunning photographs and timeless stories. To order, click here. Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition documents 138 families that meet an established criterion: immediate family members who were NCAA Division I All-Americans, Senior World Team members, or Olympic Team members. Each chapter provides insight into wrestling as it relates to family and some of the most familiar names in our sport are featured, including Brands, Carr, Cuestas, Peery, Peterson, Sanderson and Smith. To order, click here. The Wrestling Presidents from Pins to Patriots features 13 United States Presidents - Washington, John Adams, Jackson, Taylor, Pierce, Lincoln, Garfield, Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Coolidge, and Eisenhower - who wrestled. Learn how wrestling played a role in each of their lives, with a special focus on their great or not so great grappling exploits. To order, click here. The Wrestling Techniques Handbook by Tadaaki Hatta illustrates moves for wrestlers and coaches. To order, click here. Brisco: The Life and Times of National Collegiate and World Heavyweight Champion Jack Brisco as told to William Murdock tells the life story of Jack Brisco, three-time Oklahoma high school state wrestling champ who then continued his amateur wrestling career at Oklahoma State (becoming an NCAA champ) before making a name for himself as a professional wrestler. To order, click here.

David Taylor gets his hand raised after win at thew Pan American Olympic Qualifier (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) They call him the Magic Man. And something still magical happens whenever the dynamic 29-year-old steps onto a wrestling mat. Even after a 10-month layoff. David Taylor is back on the mat and looking every bit like an Olympic gold medal contender. The 2018 world champion turned in a dominant performance in capturing a freestyle title at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier March 15 in Ottawa, Canada. Taylor qualified Team USA in his weight class of 86 kilograms for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He also earned the No. 1 seed for the challenge tournament at the U.S. Olympic Trials. "I felt great," Taylor said. "To not be able to compete for as long as I did, it was encouraging to have those kinds of results. I felt as strong and as fast as I've ever felt. It was awesome to be back and I'm excited to be competing again." David Taylor with a Pan American Olympic Qualifier gold medal (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Taylor's wide-open, attacking style was on full display in Canada. He rolled past Pedro Ceballos of Venezuela 10-0 before downing Cuba's Yuri Torreblanca 8-0 in the semifinals. He won by injury default over Peru's Pool Ambrocio in the finals. Taylor made his first U.S. Senior World Team two years ago and cashed in by earning a gold medal at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Taylor was ranked No. 1 in the world when he suffered a major knee injury in May 2019 at the Beat the Streets event in New York City. "Last year was really challenging," Taylor said. "I was the reigning world champion, and I had every belief and intention of doing that again. To miss out on that opportunity, it was very challenging. I just had to stay focused. I had a good team of people around me to keep me on track. It was a long road back, but it's great to be back wrestling again." Taylor targeted the Pan Am Qualifier as the tournament he wanted to return for. "I met the criteria to be the guy to compete for the U.S. in that event and that was the tournament I was shooting for," he said. "I knew I could control my own destiny and qualify the weight class for the Olympics." Taylor was expected to compete in front of his home fans at the U.S. Olympic Trials next month at Penn State, but the event was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic. "We are all in the same boat," he said. "We have to control what we can. My viewpoint is to keep preparing and be ready to go. There is obviously some uncertainty involved. I just have to make the most of my opportunities and stay focused." Taylor said it was difficult seeing the cancellation of the NCAA Championships. He was a four-time finalist and two-time champion at that event. "It's obviously sad to see it not being held," he said. "The NCAA tournament is such a big event and this year it was going to be the biggest in history. I feel bad for all of the wrestlers who have worked hard to prepare for that tournament. It's unfortunate and it's tough." During his long road back after his injury, Taylor became bigger and stronger. That was evident with the physical style he wrestled with during his matches at the Pan Am event. "I have a great strength and conditioning program that I follow," he said. "I'm definitely stronger than I've ever been. I'm as prepared as I possibly can be now to compete in this weight class. I'm a solid 86 kilos. I believe in what I can bring for six minutes." David Taylor battles Drew Foster at Beat The Streets (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Taylor, a two-time Hodge Trophy winner for Penn State, doesn't have to look far to find quality competition in practice. "I have great training partners at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club," he said. "I believe I had the greatest training environment in the world before (2016 Olympic champion) Kyle Snyder came here. I am constantly challenged with a lot of different guys. It's an ideal situation for me to train in." Taylor also stays busy running a successful wrestling club for athletes in the State College area. "Our club is doing really well -- I'm excited to see it growing," he said. "It's our third year and our young guys are making great progress. The wrestlers have a great environment to train in and we have great coaches for them to work with. It's really enjoyable for me to be a part of it. I remember what it was like to be in their shoes. It's awesome to be able to help them achieve their goals." Taylor has his own goals he has been dreaming about since he was a kid. "I started thinking about the Olympics when I was 8 years old," he said. "My dad asked me to write my goals down back then and one of them was to win the Olympics. I didn't really know what that meant at the time, but I knew it was something important." Taylor competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials, but fell short of the finals both times. He placed third in 2016. This time, he enters as the favorite in his weight class at the 2020 Olympic Trials. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "The Olympics are what drives me and motivates me. I'm looking forward to fulfilling that lifelong dream and becoming an Olympic champion." 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.

Dylan Cottrell (Photo/Glenville State Athletics) GLENVILLE, W.Va. -- The Glenville State College Athletic Department is pleased to announce the addition of wrestling to the list of Pioneer athletic teams, as well as the hiring of Dylan Cottrell as the head coach for the new team. Cottrell comes to GSC after serving as an assistant coach at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island from 2017 - 2018. He also served as head coach of the Brown Wrestling Club. He was the first Big 12 Champion at West Virginia University in wrestling, an Academic All-Big 12 team member in 2016 - 17, a two-time Dean's List honoree, a two-time wrestling team captain, and a three-time NCAA qualifier. Cottrell graduated from WVU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Studies and is currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Healthcare Administration from Marshall University. While earning his Masters, Cottrell has served as a coach for Cabell Midland High School. The GSC wrestling program is set to begin competition during the 2020 - 2021 athletic season as a member of NCAA Division II and the Mountain East Conference. "I am excited about the opportunity to bring back wrestling to Glenville State College and build a strong team culture from the ground up! I am looking forward to getting to work on the first recruiting class for the Pioneers and bringing future national champions to Glenville," said Cottrell. "This personally is an amazing opportunity for me to get closer to my hometown of Spencer, West Virginia - and in the process build Glenville State College wrestling into a powerhouse program. Go Pioneers!" "We are extremely excited about Dylan leading our wrestling program," said GSC Athletic Director Jesse Skiles. "I truly believe we found the right coach and mentor to re-start and lead this program. Dylan has a great background in wrestling, from being the first Big 12 Champion for WVU to helping to coach at Brown University. We are happy and excited to have this Mountaineer joining our Pioneer Family." Wrestling will return to GSC for the first time since 1974. It becomes the 20th varsity sport available to student-athletes at the institution. The Mountain East Conference hosted the first-ever conference championship in wrestling during the 2019-20 athletic season. Glenville State College is a four-year, public school in Glenville in north-central West Virginia, north of Charleston and southeast of Parkersburg. Founded in 1872, GSC has an enrollment of approximately 1,800 students.

RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- Jason Schweer has been tabbed as the head coach of the University of Rio Grande's new men's wrestling program. Athletic director Jeff Lanham made the announcement Friday afternoon. Jason SchweerThe 31-year-old native of Waverly, Iowa comes to the RedStorm after spending the past season as the associate head coach at the University of the Ozarks, an NCAA Division III school in Clarksville, Arkansas. "I'm fired up. It's not every day that you get the opportunity to build something from the ground up," Schweer said. "Coming from Arkansas where, in many ways, wrestling is still pretty new to southeastern Ohio - where you're right in the heart of wrestling country - is a tremendous opportunity to grow our sport. I'm looking forward to getting started." A graduate of North Iowa Area Community College and Grand View (Iowa) University, Schweer was a two-time NJCAA Academic All-American, as well as an NAIA Scholar-Athlete and Grand View's 2012 Champion of Character honoree. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Grand View in the fall of 2013 before moving on to the University of Ozarks in the fall of 2015, where he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. Schweer also spent one season as the head coach at Kansas Wesleyan University before the school scrapped the program. He returned to the University of the Ozarks in June 2019 and spent the past season there. "There's a lot of good and bad and in between when you're the man, but I'm ready to get back in the saddle and be a head coach again," said Schweer. "Rio's location is right, the timing is right and the institution itself is a great avenue to educate kids and grow our sport. It's something I definitely want to be a part of." Schweer has coached with three national tournament qualifiers during his career, as well as a number of All-American performers - both on the mat and in the classroom. "Jason has multiple years of experience with collegiate wrestling and this is a great opportunity for him to put his stamp on the initial wrestling team here at Rio Grande," Lanham said. "We're looking forward to seeing what the future holds and we're excited to add him to our Rio athletic family." Rio Grande's wrestling program, which will get off the ground beginning with the 2020-21 school year, will compete as an affiliate member of the Mid-South Conference. Given the limited amount of time he'll have to get things up and rolling, Schweer knows the task with which he's been afforded is a daunting one. "I think the biggest challenge is going to be getting out in front of people, telling them about Rio and letting everybody know that we have wrestling. Getting us on the map within the wrestling community will be the big hurdle," he said. "I'd probably feel a lot different if it were January instead of almost April. There's no question we're going to have to hustle, that's for sure. (University of Rio Grande) President (Ryan) Smith said I needed to start yesterday." Schweer, whose resume also includes fundraising and game day administration duties, said his eventual goal is to have somewhere in the neighborhood of 40-45 athletes on the roster each season. "Can I go out and get 40 kids right away? Probably not. Realistically, I'd like to have 15-20 to start with. From there, we'll work to bring in 10-15 every year," he said. "Right now, I'm just trying to figure out when I can get up there. Then it's a matter of shaking trees, hootin' and hollerin' and trying to round up some kids." Once Schweer does make it to campus, Lanham said he's confident that the RedStorm faithful - and wrestling enthusiasts from throughout the Tri-State area - will welcome him with open arms. "Jason's very aware of the solid wrestling tradition in our local landscape and he's excited to get started with the recruiting process," said Lanham. "He's worked side-by-side with some of the most successful coaches in collegiate wrestling and he's got a vision for how to provide a great academic and athletic experience for our wrestlers. I think the community will enjoy his knowledge, ability and enthusiasm." University of Rio Grande (formerly Rio Grande College) is a private four-year university located in the town of Rio Grande in southern Ohio, near the Ohio River. Founded in 1872, Rio Grande has an enrollment of 2,300 students.

Nick LeForce comes on to The MatBoss Podcast to talk about one of the most polarizing topics in high school wrestling, transferring. LeForce went to four different high schools in four years and has a unique take on the position. LeForce tried to balance the desire to wrestle with battling a broken back on multiple occasions. Host Chad Dennis joins LeForce to discuss the situations involving transferring and his opinions on it now. LeForce is currently coaching with the Prodigy Wrestling Academy. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Podcasts | RSS

Cary Kolat coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Former national champion and Olympic team member Cary Kolat has been named head wrestling coach at Navy it was announced Friday by Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. Kolat has established himself as one of the premier coaches in the sport after building a Campbell program into a Southern Conference power and a national name. The Camels have seen unprecedented success over the last four seasons, winning three SoCon Tournament titles (2017, 2019, 2020) and two regular-season SoCon Championships (2019, 2020). Under his tutelage, he has had 19 NCAA Championship qualifiers, 12 individual SoCon Champions and 28 medalists at the SoCon Tournament. "The Navy community is very pleased to welcome one of the most accomplished competitors and finest coaches in the sport of wrestling to Annapolis," said Gladchuk. "The influence with which Coach Kolat's resume has had on so many speaks volumes to his commitment to success at every level of competition. I am extremely impressed with his professionalism, technical knowledge, ambition and confidence, along with the manner in which he exudes an enthusiastic will to win. Today is a big day for our midshipmen and our program as we turn the head coaching responsibilities over to a coach with great anticipation and widespread enthusiasm." "I am honored to accept the position of head wrestling coach at the United States Naval Academy," said Kolat. "I would like to thank Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk for the opportunity he has given me to lead this program. I did not get to where I am on my own, so I feel very fortunate that some of my staff will be joining me. We have big plans for Navy wrestling and we are looking forward to getting our feet on the ground in Annapolis and begin moving forward. Go Navy!" The Camels wrapped up the 2019-20 season by posting an 11-2 record that featured wins in each of their last nine duals. Among that nine-match winning streak, CU put together an undefeated mark (7-0) in conference action. Campbell secured its second straight and third overall SoCon Tournament Championship in four years thanks to crowning five individual champions. A program-record six wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championship for a second consecutive year. Among those qualifiers were three wrestlers seeded among the top 10, including 133-pound Noah Gonser, a three-time NCAA qualifier who was named the 2020 SoCon Wrestler of the Year. Josh Heil (141), meanwhile, is also a three-time NCAA qualifier and the school's first three-time SoCon Champion. At 184 pounds Andrew Morgan was ranked as high as No. 6 in the nation, winning the 2020 SoCon title and qualifying for his second NCAA Championship. Campbell, who ranked as high as No. 12 in the country (InterMat), completed a sweep of its regular-season conference schedule with a 35-13 win at Davidson on February 23, claiming its second straight league dual championship. The dual title is the first outright regular-season championship for the Camels in program history, while its undefeated conference record also was also a first. In 2018-19, the Camels captured their second SoCon Tournament title in three years, while also earning the school's first regular-season conference championship. CU earned a share of the SoCon dual title with a 5-1 league mark to go along with a 7-1 overall dual record. It earned the program's first top-25 national ranking, while placing a program-best 10th at the prestigious Midlands Championship. Campbell sent a school-record six to the NCAA Championships in 2019, while eight total Camels earned spots on the podium at the SoCon Championships, with all 10 wrestling for medals. Kolat was named one of eight finalists for NWCA Coach of the Year, and was named SoCon Coach of the Year following the program's tournament win. Additionally, Campbell earned National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I Academic Team honors for the third-straight year. The Camels finished 13th nationally in the standings with a 3.28 team grade-point average, posting a top-25 academic finish for the fifth time in program history. In 2017-18, the Camels boasted a top-three finish in the SoCon and ranked in the top-25 of the NWCA Division I All-Academic team standings. After winning the SoCon Championship in 2017, CU placed third in 2018, and took ninth in the NWCA All-Academic team ranks. Four Camels made the individual NWCA All-Academic team, including Jere Heino, Austin Kraisser, Andrew Morgan and Quentin Perez, while five medaled at the 2018 SoCon Championships, highlighted by Jere Heino's title at heavyweight. Following the 2017-18 season, Kolat was named 2017 USA Wrestling Women's Co-Coach of the Year, joined by John Smith for the honor, and named by USA Wrestling. Smith and Kolat were the official 2017 Women's World Team coaches, working with National Coach Terry Steiner and leading the U.S. women in Paris, France to an impressive second-place finish. The team was led by World champion Helen Maroulis, World silver medalist Alli Ragan and World bronze medalist Becka Leathers. In 2016-17, Kolat led Campbell to its first Southern Conference Championship. After posting a 6-1 record and second place in the regular season, the Camels went 16-4 in the first two rounds of the 2017 SoCon Championship, including a perfect 10-0 mark in the first round, with two Camels claiming individual titles, and six in total making the podium. The Camels sent five student-athletes to the 2017 NCAA Championships where Nathan Kraisser earned the program's first All-America citation after defeating Freddie Rodriguez of SIUE, 4-1. During the 2014-15 season, Nathan Kraisser and Ville Heino earned NCAA bids after winning SoCon titles. On June 2-3, Kolat was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a member of the 41st Annual Class. Kolat is recognized as a Distinguished Member for the Modern Era. The NWHOF recognizes distinguished members as a wrestler who has achieved extraordinary success in national and/or international competition; a coach who has demonstrated great leadership in the profession and who has compiled an outstanding record; or a contributor whose long-term activities have substantially enhanced the development and advancement of the sport. Kolat arrived at Campbell prior to the 2014-15 season after serving as associate head coach at North Carolina from 2010-14. During Kolat's tenure in Chapel Hill, he was involved in all phases of the UNC program and helped improve the team's national ranking from 57 to 22. In addition, he served as head coach at the Olympic regional training center in Chapel Hill where he trained Olympic-level athletes. Kolat has also served on wrestling staffs at Lehigh, Wisconsin, West Virginia and his alma mater, Lock Haven. A two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, Kolat was a four-time All-American who went on to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. A three-time World Cup gold medalist, he also won World silver and bronze medals. His career also includes three U.S. Open championship medals and a pair of Pan-Am Games first-place finishes. Kolat was a member of the U.S. National Team from 1991-2002. In the summer of 2011, Kolat returned to competitive wrestling, was a finalist at the U.S. Open and competed in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. Kolat won four-straight state titles and compiled a perfect 137-0 record at Jefferson-Morgan High School in Green County Pa. He was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state meet each year, an honor no other wrestler had won even twice. Kolat began his decorated collegiate career at Penn State, where he advanced to the NCAA finals as a freshman. After his sophomore year, he garnered All-America honors for the second-straight season and was named Big Ten Conference Wrestler of the Year. In two seasons at Penn State, Kolat compiled a 61-6 record, including a 39-1 mark as a sophomore. He transferred to Lock Haven, where he won his first NCAA Division I National Championship in 1996 with a 25-1 record. He finished 25-0 as senior when he won the 142-pound national title. He completed his college wrestling career with a 111-7 overall record and 53 pins. Kolat earned his Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Lock Haven in 2003. He and his wife, Erin, are the parents of two daughters - Zoe and Gracie, and a son Ryder.

Kenny Monday and Coleman Scott coaching Tony Ramos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Two-time Olympic medal-winning wrestler. Three-time NCAA All-American for Oklahoma State. Four-time Oklahoma high school state champ. National Wrestling Hall of Fame honoree. Now Kenny Monday has added to his impressive list of honors, as his name is now gracing the gym floor of his high school alma mater in Tulsa, Okla., along with fellow Booker T. Washington alum -- and Olympic gold medalist in basketball -- Waymon Tisdale. The floor at the Nathan E. Harris Field House at Booker T. Washington High School now bears its official new name, the Monday/Tisdale Court. "Those two individuals had a great athletic impact at Booker T. and nationally," Tulsa Public Schools athletic director Gil Cloud said Wednesday. "It's amazing that it took eight years for this to happen, but we wanted to make sure we got this done." As for Cloud's reference to "eight years" ... here's how the Tulsa World described the history of the effort to name the basketball court after the two Olympic gold medalist alums from Booker T. Washington High: "The court was supposed to have been named for Monday and Tisdale when the Harris Field House officially opened in 2012. But that winter the TPS athletic department was in turmoil until Cloud became athletic director on Feb. 7 -- three days before the facility's first game. Cloud was not aware of the naming plans when he was hired." Kenneth Dale "Kenny" Monday was born in Tulsa on November 25, 1961. Monday was a 1980 graduate of Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High, where he won four Oklahoma state mat titles in four different weight classes, while complying a near-perfect 140-0-1 prep record. Monday then headed west to Stillwater to wrestle at Oklahoma State, where he wrestled at 150 pounds. He was a three-time NCAA All-American, twice as a runner-up, winning the title at the 1984 NCAAs. As a Cowboy, Monday compiled an impressive 121-12-2 overall record. He graduated from Oklahoma State in 1984. In addition to his folkstyle wrestling success, Kenny Monday made a name for himself in international freestyle competition. He won the gold medal at 163 pounds at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, becoming the first African-American wrestler to earn Olympic gold. Four years later, Monday brought home a silver at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona ... then placed sixth at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Other world-class victories included the 1988 Tblisi Tournament, the 1989 World Championships, the 1991 Pan American Games and the President's Cup in Turkey, the 1992 Roger Coulon in France and the 1996 Dan Kolov Tournament in Bulgaria. With all these mat honors, Kenny Monday is currently one of four American wrestlers who have won the Junior Nationals, NCAA Championships, World Championships, and Olympic Games. For these accomplishments, Monday was welcomed as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. in 2001. Monday now coaches at the Tar Heel Wrestling Club at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Despite the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships, it is once again time to select the top wrestler in the collegiate ranks as voting will soon begin for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy. Eight Division I wrestlers, who finished the season undefeated going into the NCAAs, have been named as finalists for the award, which is presented each year by ASICS and called by many the "Heisman Trophy of wrestling". This year's finalists are (alphabetically) West Virginia sophomore Noah Adams (197), Northwestern junior Ryan Deakin (157), Princeton sophomore Pat Glory (125), Stanford freshman Shane Griffith (165), Iowa junior Spencer Lee (125), Ohio State senior Kollin Moore (197), Minnesota sophomore Gable Steveson (Hwt) and Cornell senior Charles Tucker (133). Official ballots for the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee made up of past all past Hodge winners, a retired college coach from each region, and national media members will begin on Monday, March 23. The ballot will include a breakdown of each wrestler's record from this past season. In addition, the official Fan Vote for the 2020 Hodge will also begin at 12:00 pm CST on March 23 on www.WIN-magazine.com. The Fan Vote winner will receive an additional two first-place votes. In past years, voting has swelled to as many as 140,000 unique votes in a given year as it is a public way to celebrate the dominant seasons of college wrestling's top individuals. The award is named after the great Dan Hodge, who was a three-time NCAA champ (1955-57) at the University of Oklahoma. Hodge was 46-0 with 36 pins and never allowed a takedown in his college career. Primary criteria for the award are a wrestler's record, number of pins, dominance and quality of competition. Past credentials, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart are used as secondary criteria in years where two finalists stats are nearly equal. The 2020 Hodge winner will be announced at 12 pm CST on Monday, March 30. For a complete list of past winners and the award stories, click here.

NC State's Darrion Caldwell stunned Iowa's Brent Metcalf in the NCAA finals in 2009 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Normally, this is the time of year when college wrestling fans are focused on the NCAA Wrestling Championships. This year, things are different, with the NCAA canceling championship events for all winter sports, including all three divisions of wrestling championships, because of the coronavirus COVID-19. To help wrestling fans deal with the loss of the top college mat tournaments this year, InterMat thought it could help by providing links to online videos, including classic one-on-one championship matches such as Gable vs. Owings ... along with videos of old-school films that provide you with a matside seat at NCAA championships going back as far as 1937 ... and, a link to video of the finals of the 2020 Big Ten conference championships held earlier this month. All-time NCAA individual matchups: The upsets ... The late amateur wrestling historian Jay Hammond -- author of the classic "The History of Collegiate Wrestling" book -- shared with this writer his choices for the three individual finals matches that rank as the greatest upsets in NCAA championship history. Here they are, in ranked order. You can watch them online: 1. Larry Owings defeats Dan Gable, 1970 NCAAs Iowa State senior Dan Gable had not suffered a loss in his entire combined high school and college wrestling career. However, Larry Owings -- a sophomore from the University of Washington -- had set his sights on denying Gable his third NCAA title -- and perfect record -- at the 1970 NCAAs at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., dropping down to 142 pounds with the stated purpose of avenging his loss to Gable at the 1968 Olympic Trials. Watch the video and see how Owings figured out a way to make Gable's prep/collegiate mat record be 181-1. 2. Darrion Caldwell upsets Brent Metcalf, 2009 NCAAs Prior to the 149-pound finals at the 2009 NCAAs, most fans figured that Iowa's Brent Metcalf, the defending champ, would notch another victory to his 69-match win streak. However, North Carolina State's Darrion Caldwell had other plans. The Wolfpack wrestler took Metcalf down twice in the first period -- the first time that had happened to the Hawkeye -- ultimately winning the match -- and the title -- 11-6. Here's how the N.C. State sports information department reported what happened after its wrestler had his arm raised in victory: "Following the match, as Caldwell began his victory celebration, Metcalf gave Caldwell a big shove and was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing Iowa a valuable team point ..." 3. Jack Flasche tops Phil Kinyon, 1962 NCAAs Link: 1962 NCAAs on film How did this match from nearly 60 years ago earn the No. 3 spot on Hammond's list of all-time great NCAA finals upsets? In a nutshell, Flasche, an unseeded 157-pounder from University of Northern Colorado, handed Oklahoma State's Phil Kinyon -- top-seeded, undefeated defending champ who just missed making the U.S. freestyle team for the 1960 Rome Olympics -- his first collegiate defeat ever, in his home gym, Gallagher Hall. As Hammond put it, Kinyon was so feared, a number of wrestlers went up or down a weight class to avoid tangling with him. Another college wrestler of the era told InterMat that Kinyon was "hairy as a bear and built like a brick s**t house." Flasche-Kinyon is the first match on a video of the entire 1962 NCAA championships. ... and a couple undefeated all-time college mat greats 1. Pure perfection: Cael Sanderson defeats Jon Trenge, 2002 NCAAs Iowa State's Cael Sanderson made history by concluding his collegiate mat career with a perfect 159-0 at the 2002 NCAAs in Albany, N.Y., defeating Lehigh's Jon Trenge in the 197-pound finals, 12-4. With his win, Sanderson became only the second four-time NCAA Division I champ (Oklahoma State's Pat Smith did it first) ... but the future Penn State head wrestling coach became the first undefeated four-timer. (Trenge is now wrestling coach at his Pennsylvania high school alma mater.) Can't get enough Cael? Here are links to other Sanderson NCAA championship matches: • 2000 NCAA 184-pound semifinals vs. No. 4 seed Brandon Eggum of University of Minnesota, 6-1. (Eggum is now head coach at Minnesota.) • 2000 NCAA finals @ 184 vs. No. 2 seed Vertus Jones of West Virginia University, 19-6. • 2001 NCAA 184-pound title match vs. No. 3 seed Daniel Cormier, Oklahoma State, 8-4. (Cormier, UFC superstar and champ, is now a California high school wrestling coach.) (Note: Sanderson was the top seed in his weight class each year he wrestled at the NCAAs.) 2. Pure perfection: Dan Hodge pins down another NCAA crown Dan Hodge was one of the all-time great college wrestlers. Wrestling at the University of Oklahoma in the mid-1950s at 177 pounds, Hodge compiled a perfect 46-0 record as a Sooner, with 30 of those wins by pin ... earning him the nicknames "Dangerous Dan" and "Homicide Hodge." In addition to his pinning prowess, Hodge was feared for his crushing grip-strength. One of his college rivals -- who later became a Big Ten and NCAA champ -- said something to the effect of, "When you knew you were going to wrestle Dan Hodge, you didn't get too many good nights' sleep." Hodge also owns the distinction of being one of only two three-time NCAA champs to have pinned all three of his finals opponents. (The other: Oklahoma State heavyweight Earl McCready, 1928-30.) At his second title match -- at the 1957 NCAAs in Pittsburgh -- Hodge pinned Ron Flemming of Franklin & Marshall at 7:31 of what was scheduled to be a nine-minute match. The Hodge-Flemming bout is available for viewing on YouTube. One of the persons who wrote comments on the video was Flemming's wife: "Hodge had not been scored on. Hodge took Ron down, Ron escaped, reversed him, and the crowd went wild. My husband said, after that, Hodge had such a tight hold on him, he thought he was going to stop breathing. Later, Hodge told Flemming's coach, Roy Phillips of F&M, that Flemming was the strongest man he ever wrestled." Old-school NCAA championships captured on film Long before the finals of the NCAA Wrestling Championships were first shown on TV -- or available for viewing online -- a number of host schools filmed the title matches, and made copies of those films available to other colleges. This tradition appears to have begun with the 1937 NCAAs at Indiana State ... and ended a quarter-century later, with the delayed broadcast of highlights of the 1963 NCAAs at Kent State in Ohio on ABC-TV's popular sports anthology show, "Wide World of Sports." 1. 1937 NCAA finals: First on film Link: 1937 NCAAs on film The finals of the 1937 NCAA Wrestling Championships -- held at Indiana State in Terre Haute -- provide a glimpse of college wrestling as it was more than eight decades ago, in what may be the oldest surviving film of the NCAAs available for viewing online. The 1937 NCAAs -- the tenth edition of the national wrestling tournament which first took place at Iowa State in 1928 -- was notable for being the first NCAAs to have been hosted by a school which did not have an intercollegiate wrestling program at the time ... nor does it today. However, before the school cut the Sycamore mat program, it produced Bruce Baumgartner, two-time NCAA heavyweight champ in the early 1980s who went on to worldwide medal-winning acclaim in international freestyle competition. The black-and-white, silent film of the finals -- posted to YouTube by Oklahoma State -- is approximately 50 minutes long. Back then, there were only eight weight classes: 118 pounds, 126, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, and heavyweight (called unlimited, because, back then, there was no top weight limit as there is today). Matches lasted ten minutes regulation, with up to two, three-minute overtime periods. Most surprising: there was no point scoring system back then. Oklahoma State -- the national powerhouse program of that era -- won the team title, and half of the individual champs, including Stanley Henson, on his way to three NCAA titles. In second place in the team standings was University of Oklahoma, with one champ, Bill Keas. 2. 1946 NCAAs: First after the end of World War II The cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships wasn't unprecedented. From 1942 to 1945, the Nationals were canceled because of World War II, when most male college students were serving in the military, or employed in the defense industry ... and transportation was a major challenge, thanks to gasoline rationing. After the war ended in August 1945 -- just before students would normally be going back to college for fall -- the NCAA wasn't sure it would conduct a national championship the following spring. However, Oklahoma State and its head coach, Art Griffith, offered to host the 1946 NCAAs, and did, albeit with fewer competitors than in previous years (just 54 wrestlers from 17 schools), mostly from Midwest colleges. Oklahoma State won the team title with 25 points and two champs: David "Buddy" Arndt at 136, and George Dorsch at 175 pounds. University of Northern Iowa placed second with 24 points, and a trio of titlewinners: Cecil Mott at 121, Gerry Leeman at 128, and Bill Koll at 145 pounds. 3. 1956 NCAAs: Wrestling in the heart of the Fifties The 1956 NCAAs, held at Oklahoma State, welcomed 50 mat programs with a total of 177 wrestlers. The host Cowboys won the team title with 65 points, and one individual champ, Myron Roderick at 130 pounds ... with cross-state rival University of Oklahoma coming in second in the team title race, with 62 points and two champs: Dan Hodge at 177 pounds, and Gordon Roesler at heavyweight. (Sadly, the Hodge match is NOT on the film.) Among the 1956 champs with names you might already know: Iowa's Terry McCann at 115 (who went on to win gold at the 1960 Olympics) ... and Ed Peery of Pitt at 125 (a member of the legendary Peery wrestling family). 4. 1962 NCAAs: No shirts, no headgear ... Link: 1962 NCAAs on film As you watch the film of the 1962 NCAA finals, you can't help but notice that it was a time of transition. Not a singlet in sight; most wrestlers wore trunks ... without shirts. Headgear was strictly optional. And ... it was the first year of the NCAA's experiment which devalued all takedowns to one point, except for the initial one scored by each wrestler, which remained two points. (Within a couple years, the NCAA reverted back to classic two-points-for-all-takedowns scoring.) The 1962 NCAA Wrestling Championships returned to Gallagher Hall at Oklahoma State. When it was all over, the host team won the team title with 82 points and three individual champs: Masaaki Hatta at 123 pounds, Ronnie Clinton at 167, and Bob Johnson at 177. In a distant second was Oklahoma, with 45 points and three titlewinners: Mickey Martin at 130, Bill Carter at 137, and Wayne Baughman at 191. Iowa came in third with 34 points, with Hawkeye heavyweight Sherwyn Thorson winning an individual champ. 2020 Big Ten Wrestling Championships Not necessarily interested in climbing into the Wayback Machine to catch wrestling action? The finals matches from the 2020 Big Ten Conference Wrestling Championships are each available for viewing online, as telecast from the Rutgers Athletic Center by Big Ten Network on March 8, 2020. • 125: Spencer Lee (Iowa) vs. Devin Schroder (Purdue) • 133: Sebastian Rivera (Northwestern) vs. Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) • 141: Luke Pletcher (Ohio State) vs. Nick Lee (Penn State) • 149: Pat Lugo (Iowa) vs. Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) • 157: Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) vs. Kendall Coleman (Purdue) • 165: Alex Marinelli (Iowa) vs. Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) • 174: Mark Hall (Penn State) vs. Michael Kemerer (Iowa) • 184: Aaron Brooks (Penn State) vs. Cameron Caffey (Michigan State) • 197: Kollin Moore (Ohio State) vs. Eric Schultz (Nebraska) • 285: Gable Steveson (Minnesota) vs. Mason Parris (Michigan) Want to share links to other amateur wrestling videos already available online? Please let us know!

Wrestlers and coaches get ready to enter the arena at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) If today were normal, it would be the second day of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis. The arena would be quiet. Workers would be cleaning mats as the lights of the concession stand would flicker to attention. Overworked vendors would be ripping open boxes of T-shirts as agents headed to collect tickets paced by. If today were normal, the wrestlers who'd made it through the grueling first day of competition would be weighing in for their chance to punch a ticket to Saturday's finals, or make their way to the title of All-American. They'd be anxious to get on the scale, their hair askew, eyes glossy from a night of poor sleep. Some would be returning from last-minute sprints to shed a pound or two, or stripping off their weight cutting clothes -- sweat streaming out from beneath the trim of their sweatshirts forming wet, darkened circles on the cement ground. If today were normal, groups of coaches would be standing huddled in their chosen corners of the arena with small white cups of coffee in one hand, and a rolled-up bracket in the other. They'd be in their Friday best: an athletic polo with school crest emblazoned on their left pectoral, tucked evenly into their single-pleated khaki pants. They'd be breaking down the technical aspects of an upcoming matchup; who should avoid what next match, who should attack where, and how they matchup up when the next opponent is clear. If today were normal, referees would be streaming out of their hotels -- well-appointed in their black and white striped uniforms. The blue NCAA logo placed just-so, and their outfit impeccable and ready for the 1080 broadcasts. They'd find their place in the arena to sit, prepare and head off to their respective pre-tournament meetings about what to watch for, what they learned on the first day, and how to call difficult scenarios. If today were normal, parents of competitors would be in the breakfast room of a well-lit hotel lobby talking about team points, matchups, and yesterday's terrible officiating. They'd be wearing the school colors, with moms and sisters, wives and daughters wearing the logos of their team on the cheek. Maybe a weight class or two makes it on to a face. The grandparents would sit by and toss in their stories of NCAA tournaments of the past, talk of various cities and finals. They'd be laughing, carrying on, noticing the importance of the moment, but through jokes acknowledging it's temporary and fleeting relevance. If today were normal, the wrestler would soon be leaving weigh-ins and huddling over an offering of bagels, fruit, cream cheeses, and energy bars inside their respective team's locker room. (Penn State's being a well-coordinated complex of rooms scouted out days in advance; Iowa an aggregation of tables in a medical office; the remainder of the teams spread buckshot around arena offices and visitor locker rooms.) After each drink the gaunt faces of wrestlers would start to ripen with color, their eyes moistening as their blood sugar rises and they return to a physical state something more like normal. If today were normal, the journalists -- disrespected by their seat location, hungover from a late night of writing under the influence of craft brews and searching for a chew -- would be milling about their selected row of seats talking shop. Some would post an arm up on a colleague's chair and take a glance at their story, or graphic -- maybe share some gossip about the round's action, or remind each other of future results. Most would be looking for updated brackets. If today were normal, the announcers would be walking across the mats to get to the dais overseeing the action. There would be some sound checks, and off-mic consultations about proper annunciation. The individual mat announcers would be seated at their mats dressed in the suits of a salesman, with slicked back hair accompanying high shone shoes. They'd tighten up to the table, strap on the Flips-like headphones and give their first words to the mat producer on the other end of the microphone. If today were normal, fans would now have started to stream-in, row-by-row filling up the arena according to school allegiances, their color creating a pinwheel of Oklahoma State Orange, Iowa Black + Yellow, Penn State Blue + White, Ohio State Crimson + Gray. Moms and dads brothers and sisters would all be pointing out towards the mats, the grandparents sitting alongside flipping through the day's program. If today were normal, the wrestlers would be littering the mat doing a combination of light jogging, forward rolling, and drilling. They'd be wearing full grey sweat suits -- their tops tucked into the pants, the pants tucked into the socks. One setup, two, and a quick high crotch -- no finish. Setups only. Some would have hit the ground, peeling hands as they go through the motions of their explosive standups. Coaches would be lording over, their brackets clinched in a hand under one arm pit and the other hand sits posted pensively on their mouth. They are the generals reviewing their respective armies. If today were normal, music in the arena would be picking up. More wrestlers would begin to fill the mat, forcing the arena deejay to pump up the volume on DJ Khaled as the schools begin to jockey for spots on the mat. Moms and dads would be sitting in the upper decks, craning down, hands over their eyes, pointing to a "Where's Waldo" drawing trying to find their son amongst a landscape a 200-plus similar looking 18-23 year-old men. If today were normal, the last of morning sessions fans would be arriving through the front gates. Hurried. Anxious to not miss a moment of this, their favorite time of year, their favorite day of the year. If today were normal, referees would be assigned to mats, announcers would be taking one last deep breath, journalists would belly up to their seats, coaches would head into the underbelly of the arena. If today were normal, Jason Bryant would clear his throat, pause, and then bellow out those words we all love to hear, "Wrestlers! Please clear the …" If only today were normal.

Pennsylvania -- arguably a hotbed for amateur wrestling -- will now have at least one high school with a dedicated girls wrestling program. McCaskey High School in Lancaster will be the first in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to have a girls mat program, thanks to a unanimous vote of the School District of Lancaster in an already-scheduled meeting to address a number of topics, conducted remotely to comply with guidelines designed to slow the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19, according to Dustin Hockensmith of PennLive.com. "With Tuesday's vote, McCaskey becomes the first school in Pennsylvania to sponsor a girls team, fulfilling the district's commitment to equity and diversity and to leadership that ensures all students have equitable opportunities," wrote Dave Byrne, sportswriter for LancasterOnline.com. "I'm hopeful that other (schools) will see this as a road map and follow suit," said McCaskey Director of Athletics Jon Mitchell. To that end, the bylaws of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state that 100 member schools must sponsor a sport (such as girls wrestling) before it will consider officially sanctioning that sport and creating its own championship. The McCaskey girls mat program will launch this fall. Current wrestling coach Isaias Rodriguez will oversee both the boys and girls teams at the school. Plans are to hire an assistant coach this summer. Girls high school wrestling has grown exponentially in the past couple years. Currently, 21 states have officially sanctioned girls wrestling, creating separate regular-season competition and state championship events. As recently as the beginning of 2018, six states had separate state wrestling championships for girls: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and Washington State. McCaskey High School is located in Lancaster, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania state capital. The public high school has a total enrollment of approximately 2,700 students.

Jacobe Smith wrestling MSU's Drew Hughes at the 2019 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Jacobe Smith, an NCAA All-American wrestler for Oklahoma State, has signed a contract with Zinkin MMA, a major mixed martial arts management organization. Smith posted the news on his Facebook page on St. Patrick's Day: As Brandon M. Cain of CowboysRideForFree.com -- an independent website covering Oklahoma State sports -- reported Tuesday, Jacobe Smith will be joining fellow former Cowboy wrestlers Daniel Cormier and Kyle Crutchmer at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif. Jacobe Smith was a 2018 NCAA All-American wrestler and two-time Big 12 champion at 174 pounds at Oklahoma State. Prior to becoming a Cowboy, Smith won back-to-back national junior college titles in 2015 and 2016 at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. Smith also earned an Oklahoma state title as a wrestler at Muskogee High School, and was a two-time Fargo All-American. In addition to wrestling, Jacobe Smith was a multi-sport athlete at Muskogee, participating in cross country, football and baseball. Seth Duckworth of PistolsFiring.com first reported last June that Jacobe Smith was considering a professional MMA career. "Smith is as explosive as it comes on his feet and his physicality and athleticism are next level. That should transition really well into MMA," according to Duckworth. As to which weight class Jacobe Smith might chose once he starts competing in MMA, Duckworth wrote, "He could possibly bulk up to middleweight (185 pounds) but could also reasonably make the cut down to welterweight (170 pounds)."

Tom Ryan just concluded his 13th season as Ohio State's head wrestling coach (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) For the past 33 years, Tom Ryan knew exactly where he would be on Thursday morning in the third week of March. On the mat at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. But Thursday, March 19, 2020, was different. For the first time since 1988, Ryan wasn't on the floor wrestling or coaching at the national tournament. Instead of waking up in Minneapolis on Thursday morning for the start of the 2020 NCAA tournament, Ryan was back home in Columbus, Ohio. A week has passed since the NCAAs were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was just after noon on Thursday when the Ohio State head coach sat down in his living room to conduct a phone interview with a reporter. "The first session would have just been starting," Ryan said. "It's hard to believe I am sitting on my couch right now instead of being in an arena packed with people and watching guys chase their dreams. It's very surreal. It's still hard to believe." Ryan woke up at 5:45 a.m. Thursday, grabbed his two dogs and headed out on a brisk 45-minute walk on a trail near his home. During that walk, Ryan's mind was racing. "I was thinking about my seniors, and thinking about the eight guys we had qualified for NCAAs," he said. "And I was thinking about the 330 athletes who earned the right to compete at the national tournament. I really feel bad for all of those people. "At the same time, I am thinking about people in the hospitals who are battling for their lives. There is a much bigger picture. You keep it all in perspective. That's the reality and we have to remember that. We don't want to put anyone's health at risk." Ryan also thought about the record crowds expected for the tournament at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. "We would've been on the floor competing in front of 40,000 people," he said. "It was the single greatest opportunity in history to showcase the sport and add new fans. Anthony Holman and the NCAA wrestling committee did a fantastic job with the vision of holding it in a football stadium. It was a huge year for our sport. Viewership is way up on the Big Ten Network. The sport was really booming. We were in the midst of this culminating event at the end of an amazing season and then it doesn't happen." Tom Ryan coaching against Penn State (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Ryan's first NCAA tournament was in 1988 as a wrestler for Syracuse. He hasn't missed a national tournament since. "Change is challenging -- plus my wife isn't used to having me around so much," Ryan said with a laugh. "I feel almost lost today. I keep saying this, but it's very surreal. It really is. Anybody in the industry, we love to work. It's hard to believe this is happening." Ryan had more thoughts during that early morning walk Thursday. "Every year, you have those amazing moments where the 10 national champions are crowned -- and now we won't have that this year," he said. "You go from that amazing high of somebody achieving something great to being isolated from everything. It's an interesting dynamic right now." Ryan also thought about the events of a week ago. "Last Thursday, we were in the middle of practice when I heard NCAAs were canceled," he said. "Someone came in the room and told us the NCAAs were shut down. That was a pretty surreal time as a coach and you could see the disappointment on everyone's faces. Watching eight guys cope with that, it was a tough time. It's not tragic, but it's very disappointing. It's just something obviously you can't plan for." And then Ryan's thoughts were back with his seniors. He said he felt especially bad for Ohio State seniors Luke Pletcher (141 pounds) and Kollin Moore (197). Both wrestlers had earned No. 1 seeds for the NCAA tournament. "Luke and Kollin possess such a high level of maturity," Ryan said. "They are men, and they've dealt with this really well under the circumstances. They did everything they could to put themselves into position to be the best wrestler in the country. They were both ranked No. 1 and wrestling their best. They should have no regrets with their preparation. They were both ready to win national titles, but it's still heartbreaking for them." Luke Pletcher was seeded No. 1 at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Pletcher had been ranked No. 1 for much of the season before falling to Penn State's Nick Lee in a dual meet. Pletcher came back to defeat Lee in the Big Ten finals. "Luke is the ultimate Buckeye," Ryan said. "He had a lot of other offers before he committed to Ohio State. He had a great career. We pulled his redshirt his first year at 141. He placed high twice at 133 before moving back up to 141 this season. We wanted it so badly for him. He lived the right lifestyle and did everything right. He didn't get the chance to win the national championship, which we all believed he was going to do. That's tough to think about." Moore had dominated the competition during an unbeaten senior campaign. "Kollin grew up about 80 minutes from Columbus," Ryan said. "The first time I saw him in the room I knew he was going to be special. His work ethic and commitment were really impressive. He placed third and second at NCAAs. He was going to win it this year, but six days before weigh-ins a virus sweeps across the world and steals his opportunity. It's so unfortunate." Ryan also has pondered the possibility of athletes being granted another year of eligibility after missing the NCAA tournament. "It's all very complex," he said. "You're talking about the seniors having another year. What about the underclassmen who lost out on the end of their season? Here is what I hope: whatever the best option is, it should be applied. There has to be some way better than where we are now. It's incomprehensible to end it this way. Give these guys another year. I think about Spencer Lee. He's trying to win four national titles. We have Sammy Sasso, who is a freshman and a guy we believed could win a national title. If you don't wrestle the national tournament, do you make the No. 1 guy the champion? There has to be closure. To move on without closure is wrong. There is going to be no perfect solution." Ryan said the Big Ten is set to meet in early April and the eligibility issue is on the agenda. "There is a lot that still needs to be discussed," Ryan said. "The NCAA just lost a billion-dollar event with men's basketball. The NCAA obviously has a lot on its plate right now. I just hope, for wrestling, we can have clarity at some point." Ryan has plenty on his own plate right now. Not only is he dealing with the NCAA tournament being canceled, the Ohio State campus is shut down, the wrestling room is closed and students are taking online classes. In addition to the athletes on the Ohio State team, there are a number of top Senior-level freestyle wrestlers at the Ohio Regional Training Center in Columbus. Among them is two-time world champion and Olympic medalist J'den Cox. Tom Ryan coaching with assistant J Jaggers at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Olympic Trials were scheduled for early April, but were postponed and may not be held until late May. "We have a number of guys training for the Olympic Trials and the Olympics," Ryan said. "God willing, we will be able to move forward and have an Olympic Games. But the health of our population is the most important thing. We need to take care of that situation before we can do anything else." Ryan's Ohio State teams have consistently battled Penn State and Iowa for Big Ten and NCAA supremacy. Ryan's alma mater, Iowa, was ranked No. 1, won the Big Ten tournament and would have been heavily favored to win NCAAs this week. "You really feel bad for a team like Iowa," Ryan said. "(Iowa coach) Tom Brands had a great team and they were in the driver's seat. And Spencer Lee was on course to win four titles -- he was probably the most likely wrestler to win a national title this week. That's tough to see them miss out on the opportunity. I can't imagine what Tom is experiencing. It's tough -- I really feel for him." Ryan envisions the NCAA bringing the national tournament back to venues like the one in Minneapolis. "The sport was going to experience something incredibly unique," he said. "It's difficult that we are going to miss out on that. It was a brilliant move to put it in a football stadium. Hopefully, they will do that again. Ryan, who has a strong faith, understands the impact this situation has had on people in wrestling. "I tell anyone who is struggling with it to make sure and talk to somebody," he said. "It's very therapeutic and helpful to let someone know how you are feeling. If you're really hurting, just talk about it and trust people. This is a really tough situation for everyone and we all need to lean on each other for support." Ryan said the magnitude of what happened hasn't fully sunk in. "It's still difficult to process," he said. "Some of these guys have worked their whole lives to achieve these goals and dreams. I've never had a season canceled until now. As much as you try to comprehend and understand what our athletes are feeling, you really can't. It's just heartbreaking -- it really is." 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.

The NCAA Championships have been canceled, and it is looking more and more like the event will not be rescheduled. That means that the conference weekend was actually the end of the competitive season. Since there is nothing on the horizon to look forward to, let's look back at conference weekend. The following looks at some of the statistical standout performances and the key differences between weight classes and conferences. Point differential (individual wrestler) (Match points scored per minute - match points allowed per minute) After his regular season domination, there should be no surprise that Spencer Lee (Iowa) had the best point differential of any competitor during conference weekend. Lee scored three bonus-point victories on the way to his first Big Ten title including a technical fall over Jack Medley (Michigan), who was the only competitor to escape giving up bonus points against Lee during the regular season. It might be a big surprise that Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) actually edged out Lee for most points scored per minute. Valencia somewhat benefited from the small Pac-12 tournament, as he averaged 4.02 points in two matches over Jared Hill (Stanford) and Dylan Miracle (Cal Poly) on his way to a Pac-12 title. Connor Flynn (Missouri) finished in the top five in point differential despite not winning the MAC tournament, and he has the best point differential among non-conference champions. He lost in the second round against Jared Siegrist (Lock Haven) before wrestling all the way back for third. Flynn finished with three bonus-point wins and a seven-point shutout decision victory. He allowed only 0.27 points per minute through six matches. Point differential (team) Despite finishing their conference tournament as the clear favorite to win the NCAA title, Iowa actually did not have the highest point differential of the weekend. That honor belongs to their biggest rival Oklahoma State. The Cowboys won yet another Big 12 title. Along the way, they collectively averaged 1.29 points per minute, allowed 0.62 and finished with a 0.86 differential. Iowa finished with the fourth best point differential despite one of their ranked wrestlers dropping two straight matches and failing to place. Iowa allowed the second fewest points per minute at 0.44. The only team to allow fewer points on a per minute basis was Lehigh who allowed 0.42 and won the EIWA tournament. Points per match (conference) The Pac-12 might be one of the smaller conferences in college wrestling these days, but at least per points per match, it had some of the most exciting matches. The wrestlers combined to score an average of 10.61 points per match. With that being said, it may have been due to a proliferation of blowouts. The Pac-12 also had the largest average point differential (see above). That means that even though there were high combined scores, one of the wrestlers was usually doing the majority of the scoring. Points per match (weight class) Luke Pletcher (Ohio State) and Nick Lee (Penn State) stood out at 141 pounds this season, and they also apparently led by example. Both wrestlers were known to rack up points in their matches, and it turns out the rest of weight class did the same. During conference weekend, the 141-pound wrestlers averaged 11.2 points per match, and it was the only division to average 11 or more points. Even though 141 was the highest scoring weight, there were still competitive matches. The average point differential was 0.76 on a per minute basis, which means that even though the matches were high scoring, the scores were close.

Braxton Amos has been named InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Link: Final High School Individual Rankings If one has been paying any attention to the news, the novel coronavirus has put global society at a total stalemate for the last week and will do so for the foreseeable future. Prior to this stalemate, all but one of the state championships were conducted for 2019-20. Ohio was the exception. Normally at this point, postseason national tournaments (i.e. NHSCA grade-level and USA Wrestling folkstyle) would be upcoming; however, those events have been postponed until the COVID-19 stalemate comes to an end. Since that is the case, InterMat has decided to conclude the 2019-20 scholastic wrestling season from a national rankings perspective. The below article will acknowledge the Wrestler of the Year along with the other wrestlers ranked No. 1 in the country at their respective weight classes. Wrestler of the Year: Braxton Amos, Parkersburg South (W.Va.), 220 pounds Already a Cadet (now 16U) double national champion before stepping into high school, the University of Wisconsin signee packed more than a full four years' worth of accomplishments into a three-year scholastic wrestling career. Amos missed his freshman season due to injury sustained during September 2016. However, in the next three seasons he amassed an in-season record of 132-0 with many of those matches being first-period pins. Amos is a three-time state high school champion, three-time Super 32 Challenge champion, three-time Walsh Jesuit Ironman champion, and three-time Powerade champion. He is the No. 1-ranked wrestler at 220 pounds for the second straight season. This past summer he was a Junior National finalist in both styles at 220 pounds, winning the title in freestyle and advancing to the Greco-Roman final before having to injury default. Previous Wrestlers of the Year 2019: Carson Kharchla (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio) 2018: Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) 2017: Vito Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.) 2016: Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) 2015: Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) 2014: Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.) 2013: Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.) 2012: Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Ind.) 2011: Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, Calif.) Other top-ranked wrestlers Andre Gonzales after winning a California state title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 106 pounds: Andre Gonzales (Poway, Calif.) After placing third at state in the 106-pond weight class last year as a sophomore, Gonzales would go on to win Junior National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 106 during the summer. His lone loss as a junior came up at 113 pounds in the Reno TOC final, 3-2 to national No. 3 Joey Cruz (Clovis North, Calif.). Gonzales earned state gold this season with a pair of wins over wrestlers ranked inside the top 15 nationally at the state tournament. 113 pounds: Richard Figueroa (Selma, Calif.) Through three years of high school wrestling, Figueroa remains unblemished except for single loss in the final of the 2017 Walsh Jesuit Ironman. He is a three-time state champion, this year scorching his way through the bracket with two shutout technical falls, a pin, and a pair of victories over nationally ranked opposition (including a fourth win over national No. 3 Joey Cruz in the championship match). Figueroa is also a two-time Cadet World Team member in freestyle, and has finished the season ranked No. 1 nationally in this weight class each of the last two seasons. 120 pounds: Greg Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) After his return from an offseason knee injury in early January, Diakomihalis amassed a 25-0 record on the way to his fifth state championship. The Cornell commit finished his career with a record of 219-2, including a winning streak of more than 175 straight matches going back to his eighth-grade season. 126 pounds: Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) Already a high school state champion in seventh through ninth grade at Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), Bouzakis added a National Prep title during his debut season at Wyoming Seminary as a high school sophomore. Prior to the start of the high school season, Bouzakis was a 16U National freestyle champion and a Super 32 Challenge champion (it was his third placement in the high school division of the Super 32). During 2019-20, Bouzakis was a champion at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman with his lone loss coming in the Powerade final by disqualification due to an illegal slam. 132 pounds: Shayne Van Ness (Blair Academy, N.J.) Despite missing the first month of this scholastic season, Van Ness had established his robust credential and ability level with his success last season and then a pair of wins during Who's Number One in early October against the two wrestlers that ended the season ranked directly behind him. Upon return, Van Ness dominated his way to a National Prep championship with three pins and two technical falls in five bouts, including wins over three of the other four top-five finishers. Wyoming Seminary's Beau Bartlett (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) 138 pounds: Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) The Penn State signee won a fourth National Prep title with four pins in four bouts leading up to an 11-4 victory over nationally ranked Lucas Chittum (Blair Academy, N.J.) in the championship match. During the season, he continued to be in title contention at everything under the sun, including a runner-up finish at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and earning a second title at the Powerade Tournament in two career attempts. 145 pounds: Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) The North Carolina signee arguably made the most profound leap from the end of last season to the end of this season out of any wrestler in the country. After ending last season as runner-up at National Preps in the 120-pound weight class, McNeil finished third in Junior freestyle and was Super 32 Challenge champion at 138 pounds in the offseason; then during this season he dominated his way to titles at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman, Powerade, and National Prep tournaments during an undefeated season. 152 pounds: Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) The Michigan State signee had a superlative senior season, going undefeated on the way to a state championship, including titles at the Reno TOC and Doc Buchanan Invitational; this included a 5-0 mark against four different nationally ranked opponents. Between last year's state runner-up at the start of this season, Saldate placed fourth in Junior freestyle and was champion in the Super 32 Challenge, with both coming at 152 pounds. 160 pounds: Keegan O'Toole (Arrowhead, Wis.) The Missouri signee finishes his career a four-time state champion after going 49-0 during his senior season, which means that O'Toole ends scholastic wrestling on a 100-match win streak going back to the consolation semifinal round of the January 2018 Cheesehead. He is a four-time Fargo freestyle All-American, including a Junior National champion in the summer of 2018. Most notable wins during the scholastic period were beating No. 2 Padraic Gallagher (St. Edward, Ohio) at Who's Number One and beating No. 8 Luke Odom (Edwardsville, Ill.) in the Cheesehead finals. 170 pounds: Alex Facundo (Davison, Mich.) The Penn State verbal commit ends the season ranked No. 1 for a second straight season, and is now a three-time state champion. A two-time Cadet World Team member in freestyle, Facundo won a Brecksville Holiday Tournament title during the season, and is now 109-3 in his high school career. Patrick Kennedy after winning his fourth state championship (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) 182 pounds: Patrick Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) On the way to four state titles in ninth through 12th grade, the Iowa signee amassed a record of 158-2, including 127 consecutive wins after a 5-2 defeat against Brandon Moen (Owatonna, Minn.) on February 3, 2017. If including seasons in junior high where he finished sixth then third at the varsity state tournament, his six-year career record was 223-20. In the most recent offseason, Kennedy absolutely dominated his way to a Junior National freestyle title at 170 pounds, and upended Facundo in Who's Number One preseason showcase. 195 pounds: Rocky Elam (Staley, Mo.) Even managing to mix in some international competition, the Missouri signee managed to amass a 32-0 record during his senior season of competition on the way to a repeat state title. Elam's four-year high school record finishes at 144-4. He also is a three-time Fargo freestyle All-American, including a Cadet National title in 2018; Elam also has a 2019 Junior Folkstyle national title on the resume, along with a title from the Preseason Nationals this past fall. 285 pounds: Nash Hutmacher (Chamberlain, S.D.) In one last season of wrestling before moving on to play on the interior defensive line at the University of Nebraska, Hutmacher went 42-0 with all but two matches being first-period wins by fall; those other two matches were a forfeit victory in a dual meet and a win by fall in the third period. He is now a four-time state champion with a record of 165-0 during those seasons, with his last loss coming in the consolation semifinal round of the state tournament during his eighth grade year. Ranked wrestlers by state 49: Pennsylvania (3 individuals ranked No. 1 nationally) 30: California (3) 27: New Jersey (1) 26: Ohio 21: Illinois 10: New York (1), Oklahoma 9: Florida, Minnesota (1) 8: Georgia, Michigan (1) 7: Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri (1), Nebraska 5: Texas, West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (1) 4: Kansas 3: Maryland, Oregon 2: Arizona, South Dakota (1), Virginia, Washington 1: Hawaii, Connecticut, Kentucky, Tennessee Thirty states in all had a nationally ranked wrestler (i.e. attend a high school in that state).