InterMat Staff

Going back a half-decade or so, right around the time before and after the 2016 Rio Olympics, the trend of high-level wrestlers making an earnest transition to the sport of mixed martial arts was an extremely common occurrence. All you'd need to do is look at Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this series to see the wealth of talent that made the transition. The vast majority of these wrestlers have since cemented themselves as legitimate forces on the MMA scene, and then we hit a bit of a lull in terms of the wrestling-to-MMA pipeline. Now, as another Olympic Games nears, things are starting to heat up again and we have at least another handful of tip-top wrestlers making the jump. We should be excited about this, since we are talking about some of the very best wrestlers in the world who are making a full commitment to a new combat sport. Richie Lewis Resume: Three-time All-State New Jersey high school, two-time NJCAA All-American (second and third place), NCAA Division I national qualifier for Rutgers, 2017 U23 freestyle world champ, 2019 Dave Schultz Memorial champ. New Jersey's Lewis has had designs on becoming a prizefighter for quite some time. Going all the way back to junior high school, Lewis enjoyed watching fellow Jersey wrestlers like Frankie Edgar and Kurt Pellegrino pick up wins inside the UFC. Now, in 2021, after initially planning a run at the Tokyo Games, "Richie Savage" has shifted his focus towards the cage. Lewis is all in with regards to his MMA endeavor. He has relocated to Florida, a state quickly becoming the mecca of top-flight MMA gyms, is building a team around himself, and plans on making the most of his entrepreneurial savvy with a keen eye towards the business side of his new sport. Lewis made his MMA debut on March 26 at Titan FC 68, earning a dominant unanimous decision victory. Expect big things from Lewis in the 155-pound division going forward. Mahmoud Sebie Fawzy Resume: 2016 African Championships gold medal (Greco-Roman), 2016 Olympian (15th place), silver medals at the Dave Schultz Memorial and African Championships in 2017. Fed up with the politics of wrestling in his home country of Egypt, Greco-Roman powerhouse Sebie has relocated to the USA (Florida) with plans to pursue a coveted spot on the UFC roster. The Olympian is starting from scratch but has made it abundantly clear that he is in it for the long haul, publicly displaying his enthusiasm for MMA at every turn. Fighting out of the same camp as fellow stud wrestler and UFC welterweight contender Colby Covington, Sebie, by way of his impressive social media presence and clever self-promotion, has created quite a buzz. On Jan. 30 at XMMA 8, Sebie showed that he brings much more to the table then a set of chiseled abs and a ton of Instagram likes. Explosive, aggressive, and impressive, he rag-dolled his opponent en route to winning a lopsided unanimous decision victory. In what was essentially an advertisement for the utility of high-level Greco-Roman wrestling in MMA, Sebie looked every bit the part of an Olympic wrestler with a nice cache of medals to his name. Sebie hit big, dynamic throws throughout the contest and outdid his foe on every front. It was a lot of fun to watch. Keep an eye on this welterweight as he continues his climb. Rustam Chsiev Resume: Successful age-group wrestler on the national level in his native Ossetia. Wrestling at 84 kilograms, Chsiev entered several Dave Schultz Memorial and New York AC International tournaments, competing against the likes of Mack Lewnes, Jon Reader, Phil Keddy and others. He defeated NCAA Division I champ Keith Gavin in the process. Chsiev also established himself amongst the very best submission grapplers in the world, winning bronze at the 2015 ADCC World Championships. "The Russian Bear" has dipped his feet into the MMA waters a few times over the years, but he finds himself on this list because he has made it known that he now plans to pursue MMA as his main focus for the foreseeable future. The Russian transplant, living and training out of New Jersey's K-Dojo for the better part of the last decade, has been working his boxing diligently as of late, something that has been painfully evident for his 185-pound contemporaries. Having said that, Chsiev makes his living on his strength and extremely high level of technical ability. The man has a very deep bag of tricks, routinely flashing a very wide array of offensive techniques. He is a ton of fun to watch, and his grappling experience coupled with his vast wrestling expertise gives him a different look than most wrestlers you'll see in the cage. Chsiev returns to the cage tomorrow night at Brave Combat 50 in Bahrain. Kazuma Kuramoto Resume: Two-time Greco-Roman senior world team member for Japan at 59-60 kilograms, silver medal at 2012 Asian Championships, two-time bronze medalist at Sunkist International, 2008 University world silver medalist. Japanese MMA, once the center of the MMA universe, has been struggling to rekindle the fire that it lost when its beloved Pride Fighting Championship fell in 2006. Despite rich tradition and a treasure trove of combat sports talent, the process has been slow. Things may be looking up though, and the last two entries on that list could play a big role. Bantamweight (135 pounds) wrecking ball Kazuma Kuramoto is precisely the kind of fighter that Japan needs if it is to draw big numbers to its MMA shows once again. Not only because his brand of wrestling is awe-inspiring inside the cage, but because he couples those big throws and slams expertly with his love of slinging heavy leather. The man the Japanese fans have affectionately dubbed "The Suplex Machine" plays the part of the rough-and-tumble brawler to perfection. And with five of his seven wins coming by KO or TKO and most of those KO's facilitated by a big takedown, Kuramoto presents a package that is formidable as it is effective. Shinobu Ota celebrates after winning a world title in 2019 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Shinobu Ota Resume: Four-time Asian Championships medalist (two gold, one silver, one bronze), 2016 Olympic silver medalist, 2019 world champion. And last but not least, we have the cream of the crop in terms of current wrestling talent coming to MMA, the reigning 59-kilogram Greco-Roman Olympic silver medalist and 2019 63-kilogram world champ Shinobu Ota. It is a long-standing tradition in Japan's MMA community to show your respect and admiration for Olympic heroes who are interested in fighting, by matching them up in their debut with established veterans with the ability to embarrass them. It's a strange phenomenon I know, but it really seems to be true. Ota made his much-hyped MMA debut at Rizin Fighting Federation's big 2020 New Year's Eve show and was welcomed to the sport and defeated by a 40-plus fight veteran of MMA. Ota's foe, a man named Hideo Tokoro, gave Ota perhaps the most valuable experience he could have hoped to gain. They engaged in a sustained fight that saw the contest organically flow through all of the positions one would find themselves in at the highest levels of MMA. Despite the loss, Ota's physical brilliance shined brightly. The man is a superb athlete, explosive as all hell, strong as an ox, and sporting the trademark slickness we see from virtually all of Japan's best combat athletes. Ota's ability to strike with authority, the speed at which he can cover distance, uncanny strength he used to get out of precarious and unfamiliar spots, and impressive composure all bode extremely well for him. Due to his ideal weight class and the level of competition currently occupying the lower weights of Japans Greco ranks, another Olympic run is unlikely for Ota. Hopefully wrestling's loss is MMA's gain and we see this incredible athlete ply his trade in another combative arena.

Another state is adding girls high school wrestling as a sanctioned sport. The North Dakota High School Activities Association Board of Directors met Tuesday and voted to approve the sanctioning of girls wrestling as a NDHSAA-sponsored sport starting in the 2021-22 school year. North Dakota becomes the 30th state high school association to sanction girls wrestling. North Dakota has held non-sanctioned girls high school state wrestling championships for the past five years. Over 50 female wrestlers competed in the most recent non-sanctioned girls high school state wrestling championships held last month at the Fargodome. Last season, North Dakota had about 80 girls participating in wrestling, which was up from about 20 in 2015-16.

Iowa State's David Carr won the NCAA title at 157 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Iowa State's David Carr was selected as the 2021 Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, as voted by the league's 12 head coaches. He is the first Cyclone to earn the distinction since the award's inception in 2016. Carr finished the 2021 campaign as the 157-pound National Champion by beating Rider's Jesse Dellavecchia by a 4-0 decision and becoming the first Cyclone to win a national crown since 2015. He repeated as Big 12 Champion at 157 and finished 8-0 against conference opponents. The Hodge Trophy finalist was the only Big 12 wrestler to finish the season undefeated, completing the year with a 20-0 record. The Canton, Ohio, native held an 11-0 mark against opponents ranked in the top-20. Carr registered a 65% bonus-rate (five majors, four techs and four pins), while recording a 60-1 takedown differential during the season. The two-time All-American did not surrender a takedown at the NCAA Championship.

Wrestlers competing in this weekend's Olympic Team Trials will not face sanctions from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee for raising their fists or kneeling during the national anthem. The USOPC release a document outlining what "racial and social demonstrations" will and will not be allowed by athletes competing for spots on Team USA. In addition to raising a first and kneeling during the anthem, other allowable forms of demonstration include wearing hats or face masks with phrases such as "Black Lives Matter" or words such as "equality" or "justice." Demonstrations not permitted include actions that would impede others from competing, such as lying down in the middle of a competition mat.

Nick Soto Director of Athletics Kris Swogger announced the hiring of Nick Soto as the new head coach of the Keiser University wrestling team. Soto said on being named the head coach, "If you're on the Flagship campus, it doesn't take long to realize that Keiser University is a special place. As a Florida native, I know first-hand how great the wrestling community is. From the start, this program has taken pride in being a home to seniors in Florida and across the country and I plan to build on the foundation that Coach Bertolone has laid alongside Coach Marcus. I want to thank President Vonk, Athletic Director Kris Swogger, and the incredible leadership team at Keiser University for trusting me with this position. The future is bright for this program and let's get to work!" Soto arrives at Keiser after spending the previous two seasons at St. Andrews University as the head coach. In his time, he coached five conference placers and had four Academic All-Conference honorees. In his second year, he started the women's program for the Knights. Off the mat, he completed the NWCA CEO Leadership Academy. Soto began his coaching career as a Graduate Assistant at NCAA Division II, Seton Hill University. Soto was a four-time NCAA Division 1 Qualifier and four-time SoCon Champion at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Soto was ranked in the top 15 every year and was undefeated in conference competitions. Soto was a three-time NHSCA All-American, two-time Florida state champion, and three-time placer for Springstead High School. Soto graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration.

Nick Gwiazdowski is the top seed in men's freestyle at 125 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The seeds have been released in all three styles for the Olympic Team Trials, which take place Friday and Saturday at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Freestyle 57 kilograms: 1. Thomas Gilman (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) 3. Vito Arujau (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 4. Seth Gross (Wisconsin RTC/Sunkist Kids) 5. Nick Suriano (Sunkist Kids) 6. Joe Colon (Cyclone RTC/TMWC) 7. Nathan Tomasello (TMWC) 8. Sean Russell (Gopher WC RTC) 9. Zane Richards (Illinois RTC) 10. Zach Sanders (Gopher WC RTC) 65 kilograms: 1. Zain Retherford (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 3. Jordan Oliver (Tar Heel WC/Sunkist Kids) 4. James Green (SERTC/TMWC) 5. Joey McKenna (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC) 6. Nick Lee (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Frank Molinaro (Sunkist Kids WC/TMWC) 8. Anthony Ashnault (New Jersey RTC/NYAC) 9. Nahshon Garrett (SERTC/TMWC) 10. Evan Henderson (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 11. Mitch McKee (Gopher WC RTC) 74 kilograms: Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska WTC/Sunkist Kids) - sitting to best-of-three finals Kyle Dake (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) - sitting to challenge tournament semifinals 1. Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Chance Marsteller (TMWC) 3. Thomas Gantt (Wolfpack RTC/ TMWC) 4. Logan Massa (Cliff Keen WC/NYAC) 5. David Carr (Cyclone RTC/TMWC) 6. Evan Wick (Wisconsin RTC/TMWC) 7. Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 86 kilograms: 1. David Taylor (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids) 3. Pat Downey (Unattached) 4. Myles Martin (Ohio RTC/TMWC) 5. Gabe Dean (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 6. Bo Nickal (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Nate Jackson (New Jersey RTC/NYAC) 8. Sam Brooks (Hawkeye WC/NYAC) 9. Brett Pfarr (Gopher WC RTC) 10. Aaron Brooks (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 11. Carter Starocci (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) - sitting to best-of-three finals J'den Cox (USOPTC/TMWC) - sitting to challenge tournament semifinals 1. Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC/TMWC) 2. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC) 3. Mike Macchiavello (Wolfpack RTC/TMWC) 4. Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids) 5. Ty Walz (SERTC/TMWC) 6. A.J. Ferrari (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) 7. Ben Honis (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC) 8. Braxton Amos (Wisconsin RTC) 125 kilograms: 1. Nick Gwiazdowski (Wolfpack RTC/TMWC) 2. Gable Steveson (Gopher WC RTC) 3. Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC) 4. Dom Bradley (Tiger Style RTC/Sunkist Kids) 5. Tony Nelson (Gopher WC RTC) 6. Greg Kerkvliet (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Tanner Hall (Sunkist Kids) 8. Garrett Ryan (Sunkist Kids) 9. Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley RTC) Women's wrestling 50 kilograms: Sarah Hildebrandt - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Whitney Conder 2. Alyssa Lampe 3. Victoria Anthony 4. Amy Fearnside 5. Erin Golston 6. Emily Shilson 7. Alleida Martinez 8. Aleeah Gould 9. McKayla Campbell 10. Nina Pham 11. Sage Mortimer 12. Angelina Gomez 13. Esthela Trevino 14. Charlotte Fowler 53 kilograms: Jacarra Winchester - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Dominique Parrish 2. Areana Villaescusa 3. Katherine Shai 4. Alex Hedrick 5. Ronna Heaton 6. Alisha Howk 7. Felicity Taylor 8. Peyton Prussin 9. Jaslynn Gallegos 10. Melanie Mendoza 11. Marissa Gallegos 12. Jasmine Hernandez 57 kilograms: Helen Maroulis - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Jenna Burkert 2. Alli Ragan 3. Xochitl Mota-Pettis 4. Abby Nette 5. Cameron Guerin 6. Tiana Jackson 7. Shauna Kemp 8. Brenda Reyna 9. Cheyenne Sisenstein 10. Lauren Louive 11. Bridgette Duty 12. Amanda Martinez 62 kilograms: Kayla Miracle - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Maya Nelson 2. Macey Kilty 3. Mallory Velte 4. Emma Bruntil 5. Jennifer Page 6. Julia Salata 7. Desiree Zavala 8. Michaela Beck 9. Ana Luciano 10. Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp 11. Zoe Nowicki 68 kilograms: Tamyra Mensah Stock - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Forrest Molinari 2. Alex Glaude 3. Kennedy Blades 4. Ashlynn Ortega 5. Alara Boyd 6. Nahiela Magee 7. Rachel Watters 8. Sienna Ramirez 9. Felicity Bryant 10. Morgan Norris 76 kilograms: Adeline Gray - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Dymond Guilford 2. Victoria Francis 3. Precious Bell 4. Randi Beltz 5. Yelena Makoyed 6. Joye Levendusky 7. Nkechinyere Nwankwo 8. Sydnee Kimber 9. Jordan Nelson 10. Mariah Harris 11. Alexandra Castillo 12.Jackie Cataline 13. Marlynne Deede 14. Kylie Welker Greco-Roman 60 kilograms: Ildar Hafizov - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Leslie Fuenffinger 2. Ryan Mango 3. Max Nowry 4. Taylor LaMont 5. Dalton Roberts 6. Sam Jones 7. Travis Rice 8. Randon Miranda 9. Joseph Palmer 67 kilograms: Alejandro Sancho - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Ellis Coleman 2. Raymond Bunker 3. Jamel Johnson 4. Xavier Johnson 5. Calvin Germinaro 6. Lenny Merkin 7. Nolan Baker 8. Peyton Omania 9. Alston Nutter 10. Michael Hooker 11. Benjamin Peak 12. Colton Rasche 77 kilograms: 1. Jake Fisher 2. RaVaughn Perkins 3. Pat Smith 4. Ben Provisor 5. Peyton Walsh 6. Mason Manville 7. Corey Hope 8. Austin Morrow 9. Brandon Mueller 10. Jesse Porter 87 kilograms: Joe Rau - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Alan Vera 2. Jonathan Anderson 3. Pat Martinez 4. John Stefanowicz 5. Barrett Stanghill 6. Terrence Zaleski 7. Spencer Woods 8. Christian Dulaney 97 kilograms: G'Angelo Hancock - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Daniel Miller 2. Lucas Sheridan 3. Eric Twohey 4. Nick Boykin 5. Khymba Johnson 6. Braxton Amos 7. Jacob Clark 8. Diante Cooper 130 kilograms: 1. Adam Coon 2. Cohlton Schultz 3. Jacob Mitchell 4. Toby Erickson 5. West Cathcart 6. Tanner Farmer 7. Donny Longendyke 8. Thomas Helton

Forrest Molinari is the top seed at 68 kilograms (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) The women's wrestling seeds have been announced for the Olympic Team Trials. The event is set for April 2-3 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. 50 kilograms: Sarah Hildebrandt - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Whitney Conder 2. Alyssa Lampe 3. Victoria Anthony 4. Amy Fearnside 5. Erin Golston 6. Emily Shilson 7. Alleida Martinez 8. Aleeah Gould 9. McKayla Campbell 10. Nina Pham 11. Sage Mortimer 12. Angelina Gomez 13. Esthela Trevino 14. Charlotte Fowler 53 kilograms: Jacarra Winchester - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Dominique Parrish 2. Areana Villaescusa 3. Katherine Shai 4. Alex Hedrick 5. Ronna Heaton 6. Alisha Howk 7. Felicity Taylor 8. Peyton Prussin 9. Jaslynn Gallegos 10. Melanie Mendoza 11. Marissa Gallegos 12. Jasmine Hernandez 57 kilograms: Helen Maroulis - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Jenna Burkert 2. Alli Ragan 3. Xochitl Mota-Pettis 4. Abby Nette 5. Cameron Guerin 6. Tiana Jackson 7. Shauna Kemp 8. Brenda Reyna 9. Cheyenne Sisenstein 10. Lauren Louive 11. Bridgette Duty 12. Amanda Martinez 62 kilograms: Kayla Miracle - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Maya Nelson 2. Macey Kilty 3. Mallory Velte 4. Emma Bruntil 5. Jennifer Page 6. Julia Salata 7. Desiree Zavala 8. Michaela Beck 9. Ana Luciano 10. Waipuilani Estrella-Beauchamp 11. Zoe Nowicki 68 kilograms: Tamyra Mensah Stock - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Forrest Molinari 2. Alex Glaude 3. Kennedy Blades 4. Ashlynn Ortega 5. Alara Boyd 6. Nahiela Magee 7. Rachel Watters 8. Sienna Ramirez 9. Felicity Bryant 10. Morgan Norris 76 kilograms: Adeline Gray - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Dymond Guilford 2. Victoria Francis 3. Precious Bell 4. Randi Beltz 5. Yelena Makoyed 6. Joye Levendusky 7. Nkechinyere Nwankwo 8. Sydnee Kimber 9. Jordan Nelson 10. Mariah Harris 11. Alexandra Castillo 12.Jackie Cataline 13. Marlynne Deede 14. Kylie Welker

Adam Coon is the top seed at 130 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Greco-Roman seeds have been announced for the Olympic Team Trials. The event is set for April 2-3 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. 60 kilograms: Ildar Hafizov - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Leslie Fuenffinger 2. Ryan Mango 3. Max Nowry 4. Taylor LaMont 5. Dalton Roberts 6. Sam Jones 7. Travis Rice 8. Randon Miranda 9. Joseph Palmer 67 kilograms: Alejandro Sancho - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Ellis Coleman 2. Raymond Bunker 3. Jamel Johnson 4. Xavier Johnson 5. Calvin Germinaro 6. Lenny Merkin 7. Nolan Baker 8. Peyton Omania 9. Alston Nutter 10. Michael Hooker 11. Benjamin Peak 12. Colton Rasche 77 kilograms: 1. Jake Fisher 2. RaVaughn Perkins 3. Pat Smith 4. Ben Provisor 5. Peyton Walsh 6. Mason Manville 7. Corey Hope 8. Austin Morrow 9. Brandon Mueller 10. Jesse Porter 87 kilograms: Joe Rau - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Alan Vera 2. Jonathan Anderson 3. Pat Martinez 4. John Stefanowicz 5. Barrett Stanghill 6. Terrence Zaleski 7. Spencer Woods 8. Christian Dulaney 97 kilograms: G'Angelo Hancock - sitting to the best-of-three finals 1. Daniel Miller 2. Lucas Sheridan 3. Eric Twohey 4. Nick Boykin 5. Khymba Johnson 6. Braxton Amos 7. Jacob Clark 8. Diante Cooper 130 kilograms: 1. Adam Coon 2. Cohlton Schultz 3. Jacob Mitchell 4. Toby Erickson 5. West Cathcart 6. Tanner Farmer 7. Donny Longendyke 8. Thomas Helton

NEW YORK -- Peacock Original documentary, My Pursuit: Life, Legacy & Jordan Burroughs tells the story of American freestyle wrestler Jordan Burroughs as he attempts to make his third Olympic team. Fans will be able to stream the documentary for free on Peacock April 1 as part of NBCUniversal's Countdown to Tokyo programming on Peacock. "As one of the most storied Olympic sports, wrestling has always held a prominent place in the Olympic Games, uniting fans from around the world," said Rick Cordella, Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Peacock. "Jordan Burrough's is one of USA Wrestling's brightest talents, and his iconic story is an exciting addition to Peacock for fans who are eager to watch the Tokyo Olympics this summer." Jordan Burroughs has lived the ups and downs of the Olympic experience, returning home a hero after winning gold in London and then dealing with deep personal disappointment following a loss in Rio four years later, setting the stage for attempt to make the team for Tokyo. My Pursuit: Life, Legacy & Jordan Burroughs will examine these competitive moments, introduce viewers to the people who have made Burroughs the man he is today, and include interviews with the wrestler ahead of one of the most challenging Olympic Trials of his career. For a preview of the documentary, click here. Burroughs is scheduled to compete to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics on April 3. NBC will present coverage of every match of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for wrestling across Peacock Premium, NBCSN, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. See more here. Additional Peacock Originals available on demand include Lost Speedways, hosted by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and In Deep with Ryan Lochte. Peacock offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel which streams Peacock Original Brother from Another, as well as The Dan Patrick Show, PFT Live, and The Rich Eisen Show. Peacock Premium also currently features live sports content from Premier League, US Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Rugby, Supercross, Skiing, and Snowboarding. Highlights of Peacock's previous live sports offerings include a Sunday NFL Wild Card playoff game, U.S. Open golf, U.S. Women's Open golf, and upcoming events include Olympics and Paralympics coverage. Peacock Premium is included at no additional cost for Comcast's eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers and Cox Contour customers. Peacock is currently available on the Roku platform; Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices, including Androidâ„¢, Android TVâ„¢ devices, Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft's Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; Sony PlayStation4, PlayStation 4 Pro, and PlayStation5; and VIZIO SmartCastâ„¢ TVs and LG Smart TVs. About Peacock Peacock is NBCUniversal's streaming service. Peacock delivers a world-class slate of exclusive originals, on-demand libraries of hit TV shows, plus critically acclaimed films from the vaults of Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Hollywood's biggest studios. In addition, Peacock taps into NBCUniversal's unmatched ability to deliver a broad range of compelling topical content across news, sports, late-night, Spanish-language, and reality. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

David Taylor is the No. 1 seed at 86 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The freestyle seeds have been released for the Olympic Team Trials. The event is set for April 2-3 at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. 57 kilograms: 1. Thomas Gilman (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Daton Fix (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) 3. Vito Arujau (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 4. Seth Gross (Wisconsin RTC/Sunkist Kids) 5. Nick Suriano (Sunkist Kids) 6. Joe Colon (Cyclone RTC/TMWC) 7. Nathan Tomasello (TMWC) 8. Sean Russell (Gopher WC RTC) 9. Zane Richards (Illinois RTC) 10. Zach Sanders (Gopher WC RTC) 65 kilograms: 1. Zain Retherford (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 3. Jordan Oliver (Tar Heel WC/Sunkist Kids) 4. James Green (SERTC/TMWC) 5. Joey McKenna (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC) 6. Nick Lee (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Frank Molinaro (Sunkist Kids WC/TMWC) 8. Anthony Ashnault (New Jersey RTC/NYAC) 9. Nahshon Garrett (SERTC/TMWC) 10. Evan Henderson (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 11. Mitch McKee (Gopher WC RTC) 74 kilograms: Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska WTC/Sunkist Kids) – sitting to best-of-three finals Kyle Dake (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) – sitting to challenge tournament semifinals 1. Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Chance Marsteller (TMWC) 3. Thomas Gantt (Wolfpack RTC/ TMWC) 4. Logan Massa (Cliff Keen WC/NYAC) 5. David Carr (Cyclone RTC/TMWC) 6. Evan Wick (Wisconsin RTC/TMWC) 7. Vincenzo Joseph (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 86 kilograms: 1. David Taylor (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 2. Zahid Valencia (Sunkist Kids) 3. Pat Downey (Unattached) 4. Myles Martin (Ohio RTC/TMWC) 5. Gabe Dean (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) 6. Bo Nickal (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Nate Jackson (New Jersey RTC/NYAC) 8. Sam Brooks (Hawkeye WC/NYAC) 9. Brett Pfarr (Gopher WC RTC) 10. Aaron Brooks (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 11. Carter Starocci (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) - sitting to best-of-three finals J'den Cox (USOPTC/TMWC) - sitting to challenge tournament semifinals 1. Kollin Moore (Ohio RTC/TMWC) 2. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher WC RTC) 3. Mike Macchiavello (Wolfpack RTC/TMWC) 4. Kyven Gadson (Sunkist Kids) 5. Ty Walz (SERTC/TMWC) 6. A.J. Ferrari (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) 7. Ben Honis (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC) 8. Braxton Amos (Wisconsin RTC) 125 kilograms: 1. Nick Gwiazdowski (Wolfpack RTC/TMWC) 2. Gable Steveson (Gopher WC RTC) 3. Mason Parris (Cliff Keen WC) 4. Dom Bradley (Tiger Style RTC/Sunkist Kids) 5. Tony Nelson (Gopher WC RTC) 6. Greg Kerkvliet (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) 7. Tanner Hall (Sunkist Kids) 8. Garrett Ryan (Sunkist Kids) 9. Jordan Wood (Lehigh Valley RTC)

Iowa's Spencer Lee and Minnesota's Gable Steveson are co-winners (Photos/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) For the first time since 2001, there are co-winners of the WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS Wrestling. Last season's winner Spencer Lee of Iowa and Gable Steveson of Minnesota wound up in a virtual tie, with Lee winning the Fan Vote (25,712 to Steveson's 5,202 votes), but multiple members of the formal Hodge Trophy Voting Committee voting for co-winners with both Steveson and Lee having such similar Hodge Trophy voting criteria stats. And that was especially true for Lee, who was wrestling in the NCAA tournament with two torn ACLs. In winning the trophy for the second straight time, the Hawkeye junior posted a 12-0 record with five pins, three tech falls and four majors. Lee got bonus points in 91.7% of his matches. Only one wrestler, Brandon Courtney of Arizona State, managed to go the distance, and Lee defeated him in the NCAA finals, 7-0. "It was a tough weekend for me," he said. "I couldn't defend myself in certain positions and got taken down a couple of times. I always felt I was a good scrambler but a couple of times I just got taken down (when the opponent gripped his leg) because I couldn't move." He admitted that sometimes doubt creeps in when facing such a difficult path, but he wasn't about to be deterred. "I knew it was going to be hard but I've been through it before, and I was going to do it for my team. Even after hurting it in the Big Ten, I just thought about what was next, getting through it day by day. Just keep going." Coach Tom Brands led Iowa to its fourth team title during his 15 years at the helm, and was very proud of the manner in which his prize pupil overcame the obstacles he faced. "This is a very important honor for our program, and Spencer has embodied what it stands for since day one," said Brands. "His two Hodge Trophies reflect who he is. He's been a ferocious competitor and a man of great character. He blew his ACL out in the final match of the Big Ten tournament and said he was wrestling in the NCAA, no matter what. There was never any self-pity, just total determination and defiance. "Spencer earned his two Hodge Trophies with pure domination, character and guts," said Brands. "And he's a student of history. He knows who Dan Hodge is and it really means something for him to win it again. He's our first two-time winner at Iowa." Lee is the third Hawkeye to win the trophy, following in the footsteps of Mark Ironside (1998), and Brent Metcalf (2008). And he and Steveson have great respect for each other. "I'm absolutely proud to be sharing this award with Gable," said Spencer. "I think he's the best wrestler in the world. I think he's going to be Olympic champion and then go on to be successful in whatever he chooses to do." For his part, the Minnesota star is proud to be sharing the award with the talented Hawkeye. "It was a bit of a surprise when I got the news because Spencer Lee is such a great wrestler," said Steveson. "But winning the Hodge Trophy is something I thought about all year. Winning the NCAA was first but then I wanted to win the Hodge, too. It was a childhood dream and now it's crazy to see that it's happened." Steveson is part of a tradition of great Gopher heavyweights, dating all the way back to Leonard Levy in 1941 and Verne Gagne in 1949. Other NCAA champions at the weight include Brock Lesnar, Tony Nelson, and Cole Konrad. "This is such an amazing award and a great honor for Gable and for our program," said Brandon Eggum, now in his fifth year as head coach, and 20th year overall with the staff. "We're very excited about it. We knew it was going to be a tough race, with Spencer Lee, who is an outstanding champion too." "Gable is special," said Eggum. "He's very hard to wrestle because he is always on offense, always ready to change levels, and has a variety of moves from the feet. He does all the little things right in his training, with his nutrition and weight training and things like that." The ultra-talented heavyweight, who punctuated his finals victory over Mason Paris of Michigan with a standing back flip, was 17-0 this season with four pins, seven tech falls, and three majors, getting bonus points in 88.2 percent of his bouts. One pin came in just 13 seconds while another took 35 seconds. He gave up just one takedown all season. His pure athletic skills had television commentators and fans speculating as to whether he would return for another season or move on to other opportunities, such as MMA, pro wrestling or even the NFL. But first up are the Olympic Trials in Texas. "There are so many options but I'll take things one at a time and just wait to see what happens," he said quietly on March 27, when notified he had won the Dan Hodge Trophy. "I feel really good about things right now." Eggum said Steveson is a great team leader and has the respect of his teammates and coaches. He said the heavyweight champion has taken the time to talk to younger members of the team prior to matches to give them confidence. With an athlete as large and talented as Steveson, it can be difficult to find good workout partners, but he has several in the Gopher room, including Tony Nelson, a two-time NCAA heavyweight champion who is still working for a spot on the Olympic team, and assistant coach Trevor Brandvold, a two-time All-American at 197. The trophy is named for the late Dan Hodge, the undefeated three-time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma who was known for his aggressiveness and pinning prowess. Hodge, who graduated in 1957, never lost in college and was never taken down, pinning 36 of his 46 foes. He is also the only college wrestler to ever appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, on April 1, 1957. It is co-sponsored by WIN and Culture House, a company owned by Chapman that publishes books and posters, and is presented annually by ASICS. Others receiving first-place votes were David Carr, Iowa State, with two votes, while Austin O'Connor of North Carolina and Aaron Brooks of Penn State had one each. Carr won the NCAA title at 157, while O'Connor is the champion at 149 and Brooks at 184. The other undefeated Hodge finalist was Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, who went 14-0 at 133. Eggum is hopeful the award can create extra attention for a program that has enjoyed a strong base of support for years. "The Dan Hodge Trophy will bring more positivity to our program, and is something that will spark even more interest," he said. "It's the greatest award in wresting and will cause people outside of the sport to realize this guy is special, and we should go see him wrestle." Minnesota is building a new wrestling facility and Eggum said he plans to have a special case near the front, showcasing the two Hodge trophies. Gable is the fourth heavyweight to win the Hodge Trophy, joining Kerry McCoy of Penn State (1997), Stephen Neal of Cal State-Bakersfield (1999) and Steve Mocco of Oklahoma State (2005). The trophy is usually given at the team's wrestling banquet in the spring and again at a football game during the fall, but both events are uncertain due to the pandemic restrictions. Visit www.WIN-magazine.com for more information on the award and a list of past winners. All-Time Dan Hodge Trophy Winners Year Name School Weight 2021 Spencer Lee Iowa 125 & Gable Steveson Minnesota Hwt 2020 Spencer Lee Iowa 125 2019 Bo Nickal Penn State 197 2018 Zain Retherford Penn State 149 2017 Zain Retherford Penn State 149 2016 Alex Dieringer Oklahoma State 165 2015 Logan Stieber Ohio State 141 2014 David Taylor Penn State 165 2013 Kyle Dake Cornell 165 2012 David Taylor Penn State 165 2011 Jordan Burroughs Nebraska 165 2010 Jayson Ness Minnesota 133 2009 Jake Herbert Northwestern 184 2008 Brent Metcalf Iowa 149 2007 Ben Askren Missouri 174 2006 Ben Askren Missouri 174 2005 Steve Mocco Oklahoma State Hwt 2004 Emmett Willson Mont. State-Northern 184 2003 Eric Larkin Arizona State 149 2002 Cael Sanderson Iowa State 197 2001 Cael Sanderson Iowa State 184 & Nick Ackerman Simpson College 165 2000 Cael Sanderson Iowa State 184 1999 Stephen Neal CSU Bakersfield Hwt 1998 Mark Ironside Iowa 134 1997 Kerry McCoy Penn State Hwt 1996 Les Gutches Oregon State 177 1995 T.J. Jaworsky North Carolina 134

Minnesota's Gable Steveson after a semifinal win at the 2021 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Minnesota heavyweight Gable Steveson dominated his competition in 2021, finishing 17-0 with 14 of the 17 wins resulting in bonus points. Steveson defeated Michigan's Mason Parris 8-4 to win the NCAA title at heavyweight and extend his winning streak to 34 straight wins. On Monday, Steveson was named 2021 InterMat Wrestler of the Year. Presented each year since 2006 to the best collegiate wrestler in all divisions, the award is based exclusively on the balloting of writers at InterMat. Each writer is asked to select five wrestlers and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Steveson received seven of the 10 first-place votes from InterMat writers to garner a total of 84 points. It marks the eighth straight year the award has gone to a Big Ten wrestler. Three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee of Iowa, the 2020 InterMat Wrestler of the Year, received the other three first-place votes and came in second in the voting with 74 points. Penn State NCAA champions Roman Bravo-Young, Nick Lee and Aaaron Brooks finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in the voting. North Carolina's Austin O'Connor, Iowa State's David Carr, Stanford's Shane Griffith and Oklahoma State's A.J. Ferrari also received votes. The Gopher heavyweight finished undefeated for the second consecutive season. Of his 17 wins this season, seven came by technical fall, four by fall and three by major decision. After posting a 9-0 record during the regular season, Steveson entered the Big Ten Wrestling Championships as the top seed at heavyweight. He cruised to his second consecutive conference title, earning a 12-4 major decision over Parris in the finals. Steveson was named Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships. At the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Steveson reeled off five straight wins to earn the NCAA title at heavyweight, becoming the first Gopher to win a national title since Tony Nelson won back-to-back crowns in 2012-13. In addition, He also became the fourth Minnesota heavyweight since 2000 to capture a national title, joining Nelson, Cole Konrad (2006-07) and Brock Lesnar (2000). 2021 InterMat Wrestler of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th Place Votes: 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Gable Steveson, Minnesota 84 (7) 2. Spencer Lee, Iowa 74 (3) 3. Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State 46 4. Nick Lee, Penn State 17 5. Aaron Brooks, Penn State 10 6. Austin O'Connor, North Carolina 8 7. David Carr, Iowa State 5 8. Shane Griffith, Stanford 4 9. A.J. Ferrari, Oklahoma State 2 InterMat Wrestler of the Year Past Winners 2020: Spencer Lee, Iowa 2019: Bo Nickal, Penn State 2018: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2017: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2016: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2015: Logan Stieber, Ohio State 2014: David Taylor, Penn State 2013: Kyle Dake, Cornell 2012: Ed Ruth, Penn State 2011: Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska 2010: Jayson Ness, Minnesota 2009: Jake Herbert, Northwestern 2008: Brent Metcalf, Iowa 2007: Ben Askren, Missouri 2006: Ben Askren, Missouri

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Former Michigan State wrestling All-American Mike Potts has passed away. He was 60 (1960-2021). Mike PottsA four-year letterwinner (1981-84) under Hall of Fame Coach Grady Peninger, Potts earned All-American honors in 1982 at 190 pounds and in 1984 at heavyweight. Potts won the Big Ten Championship at heavyweight in 1984, pinning Al Jenson of Minnesota in 43 seconds, a mark that still presently stands as the fastest fall in a Big Ten Championship match. A native of Coventry, Ohio, Potts helped the Spartans to a ninth-place finish at the 1984 NCAA Championships, where Potts earned All-American accolades after finishing eighth at heavyweight. Potts was also eighth at 190 pounds at the 1982 NCAA Championships. Potts is still tied for the No. 4 spot in the MSU wrestling career wins list with 120 wins, as well as tied for the No. 17 spot on MSU wrestling's history for NCAA Tournament wins with 10 wins. He also is tied for the school record for falls in a single season, with 21 in 1983-84 season, as well as the No. 10 spot for season wins with 38 in the 1983-84 season. Up until his passing, Potts remained a huge supporter of Michigan State Wrestling and Michigan State Athletics. Service arrangements are pending.

Shane Griffith with the Stanford coaches during his NCAA finals match (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference announced today the 2021 Pac-12 wrestling honors, as voted on by the Pac-12 coaches. STANFORD swept this year's awards with redshirt sophomore Shane Griffith (165) earning Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year, redshirt freshman Jaden Abas (149) winning Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year and head coach Jason Borrelli taking home Pac-12 Coach of the Year accolades. 2021 PAC-12 WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Shane Griffith, R-So., STANFORD (Westwood, N.J.) Last year's Pac-12 Wrestler and Freshman/Newcomer of the Year earned a No. 2 seed at the Conference championship and No. 8 seed at the NCAA Championship following a strong regular season. Became the second wrestler in program history to win a national championship, winning the 165-pound title, 6-2, over Pittsburgh's Jake Wentzel. First Cardinal to win Most Outstanding Wrestler for the Tournament honors at the NCAA Championship. Owns a career record of 40-1, with his lone defeat coming to No. 1 seed Anthony Valencia at the 2021 Pac-12 Championship. First Cardinal to win multiple Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year honors. 2021 PAC-12 FRESHMAN/NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Jaden Abas, R-Fr., STANFORD (San Diego, Calif.) Completed his redshirt freshman season with an 8-2 overall record, including 6-2 in dual matches. Knocked off Cal Poly's Legend Lamer, 10-5, to claim the 149-pound class Conference title. Became the eighth freshman in program history to win a Pac-12 Championship. Defeated two ranked opponents in 2021, including then-No. 13 Legend Lamer and Oklahoma's then-No. 18 Mitch Moore. 2021 PAC-12 COACH OF THE YEAR: Jason Borrelli, STANFORD Went undefeated in Pac-12 duals (4-0) and 5-3 overall. Led STANFORD to its seventh top-20 finish (17th) at the NCAA Championship, and the fourth-best mark (35.5 points) in program history. Coached two All-Americans as Griffith placed first in the 165-weight class, and Abas finished seventh in the 149-weight class. Two-time Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year.

Brandon Reed won three NAIA natioanl titles COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Brandon Reed is set to become the newest member of the Lindsey Wilson wrestling staff serving as a graduate assistant beginning in 2021-22, head coach Corey Ruff announced on Thursday. "I am excited to become the graduate assistant for Lindsey Wilson Wrestling and I want to thank Coach Ruff, Coach Bradbury and Athletics Director Willis Pooler for the opportunity," said Reed. "Both Ruff and Bradbury have helped develop me into the man I am today and thanks to them and countless others I was able to achieve the success I could only dream of before coming to Lindsey Wilson. I am excited about the future and look forward to helping current and future LWC student-athletes achieve their dreams." Earlier this season Reed became the program's first three-time NAIA national champion, winning three straight heavyweight titles. He finished his career with an impressive 82-12 overall record. He is a four-time NAIA All-American and a four-time All Mid-South Conference First Team selection. "Brandon is the most dedicated and accomplished athlete in program history," said Ruff. "Everyone that has ever been a part of our program will be celebrating this hire, and I imagine the entire Kentucky wrestling community will be happy to learn he's going to be available for them to take advantage of his wrestling wisdom." "Coach Bradbury and I have been with Brandon for over four years. There is an extreme comfort level there, and his transition into Coach Reed will be smooth. He can already confidently run a practice from a technical/discipline aspect." Ruff continued. "He is motivating, his instruction is on point, and he's eager to learn the intricate details of what happens behind the scenes. Brandon brings such an aura with him. He wants to learn the art of recruiting, and continue placing fresh footprints wherever he goes." Reed will begin his graduate role next season for the Blue Raider wrestling progra

I wrote the first Foley's Friday Mailbag nine years ago on April 13, 2012. I had graduated from journalism school in 2009 and had spent a majority of the next two years traveling to traditional wrestling events and writing for outlets like ESPN and FIGHT! Magazine. The money was terrible, and I wasn't writing often enough to feel like I was staying sharp. The mailbag was a suggestion from a journalism professor who thought if I could find an outlet willing to host me each week I could work on the writing and grow an audience. The money still was not great, but the idea that I would have a platform to work on ideas was compelling. I needed forward momentum and the mailbag was at least a chance to create something for myself. Almost a decade later I have submitted more than 400 mailbags and written more than 600,000-plus words. Some sharp, others dull, but all committed to creating a conversation. But, as tends to happen, things need to change and so today will be my last column. The wrestling community is unique. We greet each other with underhooks, make fun of each other's weight gain, and show off our cauliflower ears as badges of honor. All communities have their quirks, but at their core they are a collection of stories we tell ourselves about ourselves, and the experiences, controversies, and key moments we choose to commemorate. In starting the mailbag I'd hoped to sharpen my skills, but quickly realized that I was given the opportunity to be the first editor on the story of our community. The weekly platform is the perfect length to both live inside a moment but be given enough time to consider its impact. A tweet about a wrestling match can feel as disposable as a book about the top champions of the sport can feel distant. But a weekly review of meaningful topics is well-positioned to strike a balance between the passion of immediacy and the benefit of hindsight. I hope the mailbag juggled those charges well. I also benefited from having a platform where I could write clearly about topics that bothered me and the community. After wrestling was unceremoniously booted from the Olympic program, I fired off a few thousand words on why the IOC had made an error in judgement. We all felt that same anger, but I had the platform, and felt it was my responsibility to share with anyone who could read the article. That article got me recognized by someone trying to improve the wrestling's visibility internationally and it was read and shared widely on the internet. To this day it is by far my most-read article or column. And there were a lot of columns, which taught me a lot of discipline as a writer. To gather questions, answer them, and to formulate an opening is always challenging. What was more difficult was doing the mailbag while holding down a full-time job that had me traveling 150-plus days a year. I have sent mailbags from an airport lounge in Tehran, from the back of a taxi in Tunis, and on vacations with family and friends. I have never not taken my computer with me on a trip. Not once. Still, for me writing and submitting the mailbag was like making weight -- you just do it. In nine years I never forgot to write a mailbag, but a few times the attachments would not send, or I'd accidently place them in my drafts folder. On those occasions, my editor Andrew Hipps and I would get early morning emails from readers asking if I was OK. That made me smile and I think it's something I'll miss. Less smile-inducing was the comments section. While I avoided reading too many of the notes, plenty of friends would screenshot the best insults from members of the community. The vitriol and conspiracy-minded outlook about the broader world remains my biggest criticism of our community. When I called out a famous club coach for being a Sandy Hook denier, I thought it would be something like a breaking news story and was stunned to find out his conspiracy posts were widely accepted. I was disappointed then, but I have seen now that our community has grown colder and more combative, with a sharp bend towards autocratic leadership, crass language, and a general tone of anger. Despite the blowback and the pleading of a few readers, I didn't avoid the political side of sport, in part because they weren't separable. The decision of a state legislature to not sanction women's wrestling is one that deserves comment. A prominent wrestling team posing with a presidential candidate known for saying dangerous things about Muslims, women, and immigrants is not something we should ignore -- this is a community. Speaking out against those negative ideas and challenging the norms probably cost me readers, but the ideas discussed in the column were always intended to be more inclusive, and to help inspire a sport that aimed to grow, rather than contract. Sometimes I came up short in explaining my thoughts in a way that would welcome more people to my side of the argument, which was a missed opportunity. With a column you can't have a favorite moment. There are too many questions and takes, and even those that felt satisfying at the time tend to stale over time. Like advocating for women's wrestling or an out-of-bounds rule for college wrestling. Both sparked furious responses from readers, but now that former seems to be a settled issue, while the latter is quickly following suit. That said, my favorite topics to write about were rule changes and the history of the sport. I always thought knowing more about those topics could really help the sport to grow and improve. Again, it's tough to know the impact but I'm hopeful my words helped. In choosing to shut down the column I know I'm giving up my platform, but it's been a long nine years. When I started this column, I was single and lived with a college teammate in small Chicago apartment. Since then, I've been to 70-plus countries, moved twice, met and married my wife, bought an apartment, and best of all met my beautiful daughter. During those changes the thing that remained unchanged was the mailbag and so it's a little nerve-wracking to give up this habit of sharing my thoughts weekly. The column is something that I really enjoy composing and I'll miss the conversations with readers (here's looking at you, Mike C.). But I also have to look at what I'm gaining. My Thursdays will now be available for me to research how to install in-wall dehumidifiers, or maybe help my daughter build a Frozen-inspired castle out of Magna-Tiles. Thursday is my oyster. Next week (April 1), my friend and colleague Willie Saylor will be taking over at InterMat, assisted by Earl Smith as its editor. They are passionate and knowledgeable about wrestling and will do a wonderful job in taking this site to the next level. My choosing to end the mailbag has nothing to do with them as people or editors. I really just think nine years is a long time and they have earned the right to make this site be whatever they desire. While I'm no longer writing this column, I am still covering of the sport. My team at United World Wrestling is busy preparing for Olympic Qualifiers, Continental Championships, and the ultimate prize -- the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. We have some cool documentaries in the works and our on-site coverage is always robust and informative. Finally, thank you. Thanks to everyone for your readership and kind words over the last decade. I'm grateful to have had this opportunity and feel humbled that so many of you were interested in this column and my ideas. I'm excited for the future of our sport and proud to be a member of our community. See you soon and stay in touch.

Tervel Dlagnev coached at Ohio State from 2016-2021 (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Two-time Olympian Tervel Dlagnev is heading home. The 35-year-old Dlagnev is leaving his position as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State to become the head freestyle coach for the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center in Lincoln, Neb. Dlagnev competed collegiately in Nebraska for the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he was a four-time All-American and a two-time NCAA Division II national champion. He went on to have a very successful international wrestling career in freestyle, winning world bronze medals in 2009 and 2014 at 120 kilograms, as well as a bronze at the 2012 London Olympics. Dlagnev placed fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Tom Brands coaching Jaydin Eierman in the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Tom Brands guided the Iowa Hawkeyes to an undefeated dual meet season, share of the Big Ten dual meet championship, Big Ten tournament championship and the program's first national championship since 2010. On Thursday, Brands was named 2021 InterMat Coach of the Year. It's the second straight year Brands has received the award. This award, presented each year since 2006 to the best college wrestling coach for his/her college wrestling coaching performance during the 2019-2020 season, is based exclusively on the balloting of writers at InterMat. Each staff member is asked to select five coaches and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestling coach listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Brands received a total of 71 points -- including four of the 10 first-place votes from the InterMat staff -- to propel him to the top of the balloting for the 2021 season. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson and Arizona State coach Zeke Jones both received three first-place votes. Sanderson and Jones finished second and third respectively in the voting. Oklahoma State coach John Smith and Oklahoma coach Lou Rosselli rounded out the top five vote getters. Other coaches receiving votes included Pat Popolizio (NC State), Tony Robie (Virginia Tech), Kevin Dresser (Iowa State), Jason Borrelli (Stanford), Omi Acosta (Life), Steve Costanzo (St. Cloud State), John Hangey (Rider) and Cary Kolat (Navy). Brands led the Hawkeyes to a perfect 5-0 dual meet record in 2021, outscoring their opposition 166-48. Iowa shared the Big Ten's dual meet championship with Penn State. The Hawkeyes went on to claim their second straight title at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships, scoring 159.5 team points and crowning four individual champions. Iowa won the team title by 35.5 points, which was the largest margin of victory by a conference champion since the 2010 Hawkeyes won by 37 points. The Hawkeyes carried that momentum to the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, winning their 24th national championship by 15.5 points and crowning seven All-Americans, highlighted by Spencer Lee winning his third NCAA title at 125 pounds. 2021 InterMat Coach of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Tom Brands, Iowa 71 (4) 2. Cael Sanderson, Penn State 66 (3) 3. Zeke Jones, Arizona State 41 (3) 4. John Smith, Oklahoma State 20 5. Lou Rosselli, Oklahoma 13 6. Pat Popolizio, NC State 11 7. Tony Robie, Virginia Tech 10 8. Kevin Dresser, Iowa State 5 9. Jason Borrelli, Stanford 4 T10. Omi Acosta, Life 3 T10. Steve Costanzo, St. Cloud State 3 12. John Hangey, Rider 2 13. Cary Kolat, Navy 1 InterMat Coach of the Year Past Winners 2020: Tom Brands, Iowa 2019: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2018: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2017: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2016: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2015: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2014: Tim Flynn, Edinboro and J Robinson, Minnesota 2013: John Smith, Oklahoma State 2012: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2011: Mike Denney, Nebraska-Omaha 2010: Rob Koll, Cornell 2009: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2008: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2007: Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2006: John Smith, Oklahoma State

UNC's Austin O'Connor his second ACC crown before winning the NCAA title two weeks later (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) The Big Ten is the best conference in college wrestling. There is no debate about it. Heading into the 2021 Division I Wrestling Championships at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, the 14 Big Ten institutions accounted for a whopping seventy-six bids in the NCAAs field by virtue of finish at the conference tournament, while 16 others received at-large bids. Additionally, the conference had nine of the ten No.1 seeds at NCAAs. By the end of the three-day event, the dominance of the conference was still on display. The Big Ten had for six national champions, 10 NCAA finalists, 35 All-Americans, and the top two placewinners in the team race. That said, the untold story of not just the 2021 NCAAs, but the entire season is the continued elevation of the Atlantic Coast Conference. In fact, 2021 was a historic year for the ACC by many metrics. The conference qualified 33 automatic qualifying bids to this year's NCAA Wrestling Championship, plus an additional six via the at-large bids. With that, the ACC's 39 qualifiers are just two short of the conference record of 41 first set in 2018 and matched in 2019. A respectable thirty-eight ACC student-athletes qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division I Championships, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of note, four ACC-affiliated grapplers reached the finals of the 2021 NCAA Wrestling Championships, including the Pitt duo of Jake Wentzel (165 pounds) and Nino Bonaccorsi (197), North Carolina's Austin O'Connor (149) and NC State's Trent Hidlay (184). The ACC is certainly a conference that is on the rise within the college wrestling sphere.

PITTSBURGH -- The University of Pittsburgh wrestling program received extremely welcome news on Wednesday when a pair of senior wrestlers -- NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel and NCAA qualifier Gregg Harvey -- announced their plans to return for the Panthers in 2022. Both Wentzel and Harvey were eligible for another year of competition after the NCAA's decision to make the 2020-21 season not count against a student-athlete's eligibility clock due to the pandemic. The decision by the pair of Pitt NCAA qualifiers was certainly welcomed by head coach Keith Gavin, who just led the Panthers to their best NCAA team finish (11th, 40.5 points) since 1970. "We're really excited that Jake and Gregg plan to return to our program for another season," Gavin said. "Since the NCAA announced the option for an extra year of eligibility, we knew that there was a good possibility that these two would be interested in coming back. It means a lot that they trust us as coaches, believe in what we are doing and want to represent this school and the city of Pittsburgh for one more year. Bringing back an NCAA finalist and a two-time NCAA qualifier for an extra year gives our team a huge boost as we look to continue building the Pitt program into a national contender." Pitt's Jake Wentzel finished his 2021 season with a 13-2 record and earned his first NCAA All-America honor at 165 pounds (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)Wentzel, who competed in the NCAA title match at 165 pounds on Saturday night in St. Louis, said the decision to return to Pitt and make another run at the national championship was an easy one for him. "I'm a local kid who loves wrestling," said Wentzel, who already earned his bachelor's degree and is studying in Pitt's Katz Graduate School of Business. "Growing up near this city, all I ever wanted to be was a Pittsburgh Panther. Why would I do anything else than compete for Coach Gavin and his staff for one more year? I have complete trust and faith in them. I'm going to stay here as long as they'll let me." Wentzel finished his 2021 season with a 13-2 record and earned his first NCAA All-America honor. Despite losing an entertaining final match to Stanford's Shane Griffith, Wentzel certainly established himself as one of the nation's best wrestlers at 165 pounds this season - and built a reputation as one of the most dangerous top wrestlers in any weight class. Harvey, who is also pursuing a graduate degree in Pitt's Katz Graduate School of Business, made his first appearance at the NCAA Championships last weekend and scored valuable team points at 184 pounds. "I definitely have unfinished business," Harvey said. "Once I heard about the NCAA allowing wrestlers to have another year of eligibility, there was no doubt in my mind. With the chance to finish my graduate degree at Pitt, along with the belief I have in this coaching staff and this team, I knew that I wanted to stay here in Pittsburgh." For Wentzel, a two-time ACC champion, and Harvey, a two-time NCAA qualifier, the focus now turns towards the 2022 NCAA Wrestling Championships, which will be held in Detroit.

A.J. Ferrari after picking up a win over Michigan's Myles Amine in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) A.J. Ferrari "talks a big game and he shows a big game." Those were the words of Oklahoma State head wrestling coach John Smith when discussing his true freshman 197-pounder after Ferrari captured the NCAA title this past Saturday night in St. Louis, becoming only the third Cowboy true freshman to win a national title, joining Richard Hutton (1947) and Pat Smith (1990) On Wednesday, Ferrari was named InterMat Freshman of the Year. This award, presented each year since 2006 to the best college freshman wrestler, is based exclusively on the balloting of writers at InterMat. Each writer is asked to select five freshman wrestlers and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Ferrari received eight first-place votes (out of 10) from the InterMat staff, for a total of 86 points to put him No. 1 in this year's InterMat Freshman of the Year voting. In second place was 174-pound NCAA champion Carter Starocci of Penn State, who was the top choice among two InterMat writers, earning a total of 74 points. No other wrestler received a first-place vote for the award. NCAA third-place finisher Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) finished third in the voting with 30 points, while All-Americans John Poznanski (Rutgers) and Keegan O'Toole (Missouri) rounded out the top five. Others receiving votes included Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State), Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State), Cameron Amine (Michigan), Lucas Byrd (Illinois) and Rocky Elam (Missouri). Ferrari stepped into the Cowboy lineup at 197 pounds immediately as a true freshman in 2021 after compiling a 96-1 record over his high school career at Allen High School (Texas), Blair Academy (N.J.) and Bergen Catholic (N.J.). After winning a Big 12 title and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors, Ferrari entered the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis as the No. 4 seed. He reached the finals with four straight wins, including a 5-1 semifinal win over Olympian and top-seeded Myles Amine of Michigan. In the finals, Ferrari claimed a 4-2 victory over Pitt's Nino Bonaccorsi. He finished his first college season with a 20-1 record and only surrendered two takedowns. In the 16-year history of InterMat Freshman of the Year balloting, A.J. Ferrari is the second Oklahoma State wrestler to have earned the honor, joining three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer, who received the award in 2013. 2021 InterMat Freshman of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. A.J. Ferrari, Oklahoma State 86 (8) 2. Carter Starocci, Penn State 74 (2) 3. Parker Keckeisen, Northern Iowa 30 4. John Poznanski, Rutgers 18 5. Keegan O'Toole, Missouri 15 6. Cohlton Schultz, Arizona State 13 7. Sam Latona, Virginia Tech 6 8. Greg Kerkvliet, Penn State 5 T9. Cameron Amine, Michigan 1 T9. Lucas Byrd, Illinois 1 T9. Rocky Elam, Missouri 1 InterMat Freshman of the Year Past Winners 2020: Sammy Sasso, Ohio State 2019: Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech 2018: Spencer Lee, Iowa 2017: Mark Hall, Penn State 2016: Jason Nolf, Penn State 2015: Isaiah Martinez, Illinois 2014: Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern 2013: Alex Dieringer, Oklahoma State 2012: Logan Stieber, Ohio State 2011: David Taylor, Penn State 2010: Kyle Dake, Cornell 2009: Andrew Howe, Wisconsin 2008: Mike Grey, Cornell 2007: Jake Varner, Iowa State 2006: Dustin Schlatter, Minnesota

Fan voting is underway for the 2021 Dan Hodge Trophy. To vote, click here. Cast your vote below! (Listed alphabetically by last name) Roman Bravo-Young - Penn State Weight Class: 133 Record: 14-0 Pins: 1 Tech Falls: 2 Major Decisions: 2 For/DQ: 0 Bonus: 35.7% Aaron Brooks - Penn State Weight Class: 184 Record: 14-0 Pins: 0 Tech Falls: 2 Major Decisions: 5 For/DQ: 0 Bonus: 50.0% David Carr - Iowa State Weight Class: 157 Record: 20-0 Pins: 4 Tech Falls: 4 Major Decisions: 5 For/DQ: 0 Bonus: 65.0% Spencer Lee - Iowa Weight Class: 125 Record: 12-0 Pins: 5 Tech Falls: 3 Major Decisions: 3 For/DQ: 0 Bonus: 91.7% Austin O'Connor - North Carolina Weight Class: 149 Record: 13-0 Pins: 2 Tech Falls: 0 Major Decisions: 4 For/DQ: 0 Bonus: 46.1% Gable Steveson - Minnesota Weight Class: 285 Record: 17-0 Pins: 4 Tech Falls: 7 Major Decisions: 3 For/DQ: 1 Bonus: 88.2%

STAMFORD, Conn. -- NBC Olympics will present exclusive live coverage of every match of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3, across NBCSN, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms. 15 of the 18 winners of the Trials events will guarantee themselves the opportunity to compete for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The other three winners (men's freestyle 65kg, Greco-Roman 77kg and 130kg) will have a chance to qualify their respective weights for the Olympic Games by placing top-two at the World Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 6-9. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 3, NBCSN will present exclusive live coverage of the championship series, where 18 champions will be crowned across all weight classes in men's freestyle, women's freestyle, and Greco-Roman disciplines. NBCSN's live coverage begins with the challenge tournament finals on Friday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m. ET. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will live stream all television coverage and provide exclusive coverage of select matches on Saturday evening. Peacock will present more than 40 hours of live exclusive Trials coverage, getting underway with challenge tournament finals on Friday, April 2, at 11 a.m. ET and continuing at 7:30 p.m. ET. On Saturday, 12 hours of exclusive challenge tournament finals coverage will begin at 1 p.m. ET. For more information on Peacock, click here. Headlining the men's freestyle competition is Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs (74kg) and the youngest Olympic gold medalist in American wrestling history Kyle Snyder (97kg). In women's freestyle, 2016 Olympic gold medalist Helen Maroulis (57kg) became the first American woman to win gold in wrestling, while 2016 Olympian Adeline Gray (76kg) is the first American wrestler to ever win five world titles. NBC Sports' Jason Knapp will call the action on NBCSN from Fort Worth, alongside analyst John Smith, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion, and NBC Sports reporter Corey Robinson. Full event replays will be available on-demand for all streaming coverage on their respective platforms (Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app). Wrestling Trials coverage is part of NBC Olympics' comprehensive Tokyo Olympics U.S. Olympic Team Trials telecast coverage across NBC, NBCSN and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA. A complete programming schedule surrounding NBC Olympics' U.S. Olympic Team Trials telecast coverage for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad will be announced in the coming weeks. Peacock currently features live sports content from Premier League, US Speed Skating, Figure Skating, Rugby, Supercross, Skiing, and Snowboarding. Highlights of Peacock's previous live sports offerings include a Sunday NFL Wild Card playoff game, U.S. Open golf, U.S. Women's Open golf, and upcoming events include Olympics and Paralympics coverage. Peacock Originals available on demand include Lost Speedways, hosted by Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and In Deep with Ryan Lochte. Peacock offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel which streams Peacock Original Brother from Another, as well as The Dan Patrick Show, PFT Live, and The Rich Eisen Show. Coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Wrestling will be on Peacock Premium. Viewers can sign up for Peacock at peacocktv.com. Peacock is currently available on the Roku platform; Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices including Androidâ„¢, Android TVâ„¢ devices, Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft's Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; Sony PlayStation4 and PlayStation 4 Pro; and VIZIO SmartCastâ„¢ TVs and LG Smart TVs. Comcast's eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers, as well as eligible Cox Contour customers, enjoy Peacock Premium included with their service at no additional cost.

The NCAA hosted its annual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships this past weekend at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Even better, some 2,000-plus fans and family members were in attendance to see the biggest tournament in college wrestling unfold. Here are eight takeaways from the 2021 NCAAs. Iowa Hawkeyes back on top The drought is finally over. The long 11-year wait for Iowa's 24th team national title, and the first team title of the Spencer Lee era, has happened. Iowa finished the team race with 129 points, 15.5 in front of second-place Penn State. The team title is the first since 2010. Also, Hawkeye 125-pounder Spencer Lee became the seventh three-time national champion in program history. As great as these various accolades are for not only the Iowa program, but Lee individually, and Iowa's seven All-Americans, the achievements were marred by a variety of other issues: News that Lee has once again suffered an ACL tear, but this time to his other knee, a seemingly severe, yet undisclosed injury to Alex Marinelli, which forced the senior 165-pounder to medically forfeit out of the tournament prior to the round of 12, and more behavioral troubles off the mat for lightweight Austin DeSanto who finished third at 133 pounds. Nonetheless, congratulations to Iowa for a great season and a well-earned team title. One final note The last takeaway worth mentioning is extending a sincere thank you to all the efforts of the athletes, coaches, support staff, venue personnel, ESPN, and anyone else involved with putting on and producing this event -- an event many questioned the feasibility of not long ago. Over the entire event, not a single positive COVID-19 test was reported. Similarly, in a year in which fans missed out on the in-person experience, ESPN stepped up its coverage so fans could still see the best event in NCAA wrestling in its entirety. Just a few years ago, we were struggling for any television or streaming access. In 2021 though, fans didn't have to miss a single match.

Roman Bravo-Young won Penn State's first of four NCAA titles Saturday (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Results: Brackets ST. LOUIS -- While Iowa finished on top of the team standings at the 2021 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it was Penn State that stole the show Saturday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The Nittany Lions went a perfect 4-for-4 in the finals. Winning national titles for Penn State were Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141), Carter Starocci (174) and Aaron Brooks (184). "Our guys just did a really nice job," said Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson. "I think they just believed and they found a way. I think we had three overtimes and a tight match there at 84. It's just great to see the toughness out of the guys. I think that's where that belief really kicks in." Iowa's Spencer Lee rides ASU's Brandon Courtney (Photo/Darren Miller, HawkeyeSports.com) Iowa's Spencer Lee, who was wrestling with a torn ACL, claimed his third NCAA title at 125 pounds with a 7-0 victory over Arizona State's Brandon Courtney. Courtney, the No. 3 seed, battled Lee tough early as the match was scoreless heading into the second period. Lee began to pull away in the second period, getting an escape, takedown and point off a third caution to lead 4-0 after two periods. He would add a takedown and riding time point in the final period to win by seven. Lee, a 2020 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, became Iowa's seventh three-time NCAA champion. He was the lone Hawkeye to win a national title, as his teammates Jaydin Eierman (141) and Michael Kemerer (174) fell in the finals. Iowa won the team title with 129 points, 15.5 points ahead of Penn State, and finished with seven All-American, including three NCAA finalists. "It's been 11 years since a real important trophy has been in Iowa City," said Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands. Lee talked about how it took a team effort to win the team title. "You can't win a team title with just one guy," Lee said. "Even if I pinned every single opponent the most I can score is 30 points, and I'm pretty sure the second and third place teams were above 100. You can't win it with one guy. You have to win it with a team. That's all that matters. It takes a team effort." Lee paid tribute to last year's seniors who lost an opportunity to compete for a national title in 2020 after the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were canceled due to the pandemic. "I didn't just do this for me," said Lee. "I did this for the seniors that lost out last year. I'm getting kind of emotional. I wanted them to win with us. They didn't get that opportunity. I don't even care about this trophy right now. I want to give it to my one brother who wasn't able to compete here last year." The night started with Penn State's Bravo-Young picking up a 4-2 win in sudden victory over Oklahoma State's Daton Fix at 133 pounds. After a scoreless first period, Fix chose the down position and RBY rode him out the entire period but picked up a stall warning. Fix cut Bravo-Young loose to start the third period. Fix continued to press forward and with 35 seconds remaining RBY was called for stalling, giving Fix a point … and a short time later, RBY was hit for stalling again, which eventually sent the match to sudden victory. In sudden victory, Bravo-Young countered an attack and secured a match-winning takedown. "I knew I was going to wrestle hard in every position," said Bravo-Young. "I wanted that match. A lot of pressure, but man it feels good. I'm happy right now. Grateful." Penn State's Nick Lee is overcome with emotion after winning the NCAA title at 141 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Nick Lee followed up at 141 pounds with a 4-2 win in sudden victory over Iowa's Jaydin Eierman, avenging his only loss of the season two weeks ago at the Big Ten Championships. After 0-0 first period, Eierman escaped early in the second period to go up 1-0. The score stayed that way the rest of the period. Lee chose neutral to start the third period and picked up an early takedown to grab a 2-1 lead. Eierman escaped a short time later to even the score at 2-2. Eierman nearly scored a takedown in the closing moments of regulation, but Lee fought it off, which sent it to sudden victory. In sudden victory, Lee used an inside trip to get a takedown and win the national title. Penn State's Carter Starocci celebrates after beating Iowa's Michael Kemerer (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Starocci, like his teammate Nick Lee, avenged a loss from the Big Ten finals against an Iowa wrestler, beating No. 1 Michael Kemerer 3-1 in sudden victory. The two wrestlers traded escapes in the second and third period and regulation ended 1-1. In overtime, Starocci countered with a double leg powered through for a takedown. Kemerer entered the tournament seeded No. 1 and undefeated. Aaron Brooks became Penn State's 48th national champion (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Brooks used a second-period reversal to help him earn a hard-fought 3-2 win over NC State's Trent Hidlay in the finals at 184 pounds. Hidlay nearly had a takedown with 20 seconds left in the match (call was challenged by NC State and upheld), but Brooks fought it off and earned the victory, becoming Penn State's 48th national champion. Stanford's Shane Griffith topped Pitt's Jake Wentzel to win the title at 165 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Eighth-seeded Shane Griffith brought the fans to their feet by winning a national championship for Stanford in the program's final season of competition. He topped Pitt's Jake Wentzel 7-2 in the finals at 165 pounds. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Griffith, wearing an all-black singlet with no school logo, scored a takedown in the opening period off a merkle. The third-seeded Wentzel escaped to cut the deficit to 2-1 after one. In the second period, Wentzel evened the score with another escape. With the score tied at 2-2, Griffith chose neutral to start the third period. He converted a takedown with just over a minute remaining and then picked up late nearfall points to win by five. After Griffith's win, the crowd began chanting "Bring back Stanford!" He becomes the school's second national champion ever and first since Matt Gentry won a title in 2014. "We all had goals coming into the season before this pandemic and the [school's] decision came out," said Griffith. "Its a little fuel to the tank, just try to prove them wrong." Griffith said the fight remains to keep the Stanford wrestling program. "Just keep fighting the fight," said Griffith. "Whether it's a weeklong battle, yearlong ... 10 years ... who knows ... I know we're going to keep fighting the fight. "There is nothing more that we are trying to do than to keep this program at Stanford. The way things are rolling right now I think we have a good shot." Iowa State's David Carr after winning the NCAA title at 157 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Iowa State's David Carr added to the Carr family legacy by claiming his first NCAA title at 157 pounds, 40 years after his father Nate won his first NCAA title as a Cyclone. Carr shut out Rider's Jesse Dellavecchia 4-0 in the championship match. The match was scoreless after the first period. In the second period, Carr escaped to go up 1-0 before getting a takedown off a double leg to build his led to 3-0. Dellavecchia chose the down position to start the third period and was ridden out the entire period, giving Carr an additional point for riding time. A.J. Ferrari flexes after winning the NCAA title as a true freshman (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) A.J. Ferrari became only third true freshman for Oklahoma State to win a national title and first since Pat Smith in 1990. He defeated Pitt's Nino Bonaccorsi 4-2 in the finals at 197 pounds. The ultra-confident Ferrari picked up a takedown less than a minute into the first period. Bonaccorsi escaped to make it 2-1 after the first period. Ferrari rode Bonaccorsi for most of the second period before the Pitt wrestled escaped to even the score at 2-2. Ferrari retook the lead in the third period with an escape and added a riding time point to win by two. "I thank God for allowing me to show my gifts, allow me to do it in this manner and have this platform to show it off," said Ferrari. Oklahoma State head coach John Smith had high praise for his freshman standout. "He's a young guy who has a lot of spirit about himself and he just won an NCAA championship," said Smith, who guided the Cowboys to a third-place finish in St. Louis. "He talks a big game and he shows a big game." UNC's Austin O'Connor won the NCAA title at 149 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Austin O'Connor became North Carolina's first NCAA champion since 1995. The Illinois native edged top-seeded Sammy Sasso of Ohio State 3-2 in the finals at 149 pounds. After a 0-0 opening period, Sasso rode O'Connor for over a minute to start the second period before the UNC wrestler escaped to make it 1-0. The score remained that way until early in the second period when Sasso scored an early escape while preserving his riding time. With 40 seconds left, O'Connor scored a takedown using a merkle to go up 3-1 before eliminating O'Connor's riding time point. Sasso nearly scored a takedown as time expired, but O'Connor fought it up … and the call was upheld after an unsuccessful challenge from Ohio State. "I've been waiting on this moment for a long time. It got canceled last year, so it had me waiting even longer," said O'Connor. "This was just the next step in my journey." O'Connor praised his coaches after winning the title. "Our coaching staff is amazing," said O'Connor. "That's a huge reason why I went there. I knew they were changing the program around, ever since they started recruiting me." Gable Steveson gets in on a shot against Michigan's Mason Parris (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Minnesota's Gable Steveson capped off an undefeated season with an 8-4 win over Michigan's Mason Parris at 285 pounds. Steveson scored a takedown in the first period and took a 3-1 lead into the third. He would add two more takedowns and a stalling point in the third period. The Gopher big man becomes the first Minnesota wrestler to win a national title since Tony Nelson won back-to-back titles in 2012-13. "It had been a very long time coming for me," said Steveson. "A lot of doubters. A lot of people who changed on me. I'm so happy to be here." Steveson, a three-time age-group world champion in freestyle, will now shift his focus to freestyle as he attempts to make the U.S. Olympic freestyle team in two weeks. "I expect hard matches with all the guys," said Steveson, who is among the favorites at 125 kilograms. "There's going to be great opponents in Texas at the Olympic Trials. "I'm just happy to compete in this time. I'm grateful for all the opportunities that I get." Iowa won its 24th NCAA team title (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Final Team Standings (Top 10) 1. Iowa 129 2. Penn State 113.5 3. Oklahoma State 99.5 4. Arizona State 74 5. Michigan 69 6. NC State 68 7. Minnesota 64 7. Missouri 64 9. Ohio State 46.5 10. Northwestern 45 2021 NCAA Division I individual wrestling champions (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Medal Match Results 125: 1st No. 1 Spencer Lee (Iowa) dec. No. 3 Brandon Courtney (Arizona State), 7-0 3rd: No. 15 Patrick McKee (Minnesota) dec. No. 4 Drew Hildebrandt (Central Michigan), 5-3 5th: No. 7 Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) dec. No. 2 Sam Latona (Virginia Tech), 4-1 7th: No. 17 Killian Cardinale (West Virginia) dec. No. 19 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin), 12-7 133: 1st: No. 2 Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) dec. No. 1 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State), 4-2 SV1 3rd: No. 4 Austin DeSanto (Iowa) dec. No. 3 Korbin Myers (Virginia Tech), 10-6 5th: No. 7 Lucas Byrd (Illinois) pinned No. 9 Michael McGee (Arizona State), 6:17 7th: No. 8 Chris Cannon (Northwestern) maj. dec. No. 10 Louie Hayes (Virginia), 11-3 141: 1st: No. 2 Nick Lee (Penn State) dec. No. 1 Jaydin Eierman (Iowa), 4-2 SV1 3rd: No. 4 Tariq Wilson (NC State) maj. dec. No. 3 Sebastian Rivera (Rutgers), 15-5 5th: No. 14 Dylan Duncan (Illinois) dec. No. 8 Chad Red (Nebraska), 3-0 7th: No. 10 Zachary Sherman (North Carolina) dec. No. 15 Clay Carlson (South Dakota State), 11-4 149: 1st: No. 2 Austin O'Connor (North Carolina) dec. No. 1 Sammy Sasso (Ohio State), 2-1 3rd: No. 25 Yahya Thomas (Northwestern) dec. No. 4 Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State), 5-3 5th: No. 3 Brock Mauller (Missouri) dec. No. 17 Kyle Parco (Fresno State), 8-5 7th: No. 8 Jaden Abas (Stanford) dec. No. 7 Jonathan Millner (Appalachian State), 5-3 157: 1st: No. 3 David Carr (Iowa State) dec. No. 4 Jesse Dellavecchia (Rider), 4-0 3rd: No. 1 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) dec. No. 11 Jacori Teemer (Arizona State), 1-0 5th: No. 2 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) maj. dec. No. 6 Brayton Lee (Minnesota), 11-2 7th: No. 5 Kaleb Young (Iowa) dec. No. 33 Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State), 3-2 165: 1st: No. 8 Shane Griffith (Stanford) dec. No. 3 Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh), 7-2 3rd: No. 6 Keegan O`Toole (Missouri) dec. No. 10 Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State), 4-3 5th: No. 7 Ethan Smith (Ohio State) dec. No. 5 Zach Hartman (Bucknell), 7-5 SV1 7th: No. 11 Cameron Amine (Michigan) by medical forfeit over No. 2 Anthony Valencia (Arizona State) 174: 1st: No. 3 Carter Starocci (Penn State) dec. No. 1 Michael Kemerer (Iowa), 3-1 SV1 3rd: No. 4 Mikey Labriola (Nebraska) dec. No. 12 Bernie Truax (Cal Poly), 8-3 5th: No. 5 Logan Massa (Michigan) by medical forfeit over No. 2 Demetrius Romero (Utah Valley) 7th: No. 8 Daniel Bullard (NC State) by medical forfeit over No. 26 Jackson Turley (Rutgers) 184: 1st: No. 1 Aaron Brooks (Penn State) dec. No. 2 Trent Hidlay (NC State), 3-2 3rd: No. 4 Parker Keckeisen (Northern Iowa) dec. No. 6 John Poznanski (Rutgers), 5-4 5th: No. 11 Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 7 Brit Wilson (Northern Illinois), 6-0 7th: No. 5 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 3 Lou Deprez (Binghamton), 6-3 197: 1st: No. 4 AJ Ferrari (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 6 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh), 4-2 3rd: No. 1 Myles Amine (Michigan) dec. No. 5 Jacob Warner (Iowa), 5-3 5th: No. 7 Rocky Elam (Missouri) dec. No. 26 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma), 9-3 7th: No. 15 Michael Beard (Penn State) dec. No. 8 Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming), 10-8 SV1 285: 1st: No. 1 Gable Steveson (Minnesota) dec. No. 2 Mason Parris (Michigan), 8-4 3rd: No. 5 Tony Cassioppi (Iowa) dec. No. 4 Cohlton Schultz (Arizona State), 5-0 5th: No. 6 Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State) dec. No. 14 Trent Hillger (Wisconsin), 4-0 7th: No. 9 Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) maj. dec. No. 21 Tate Orndorff (Ohio State), 13-1