InterMat Staff

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Nicholas Gravina, a former four-year standout on the mat at Division I Rutgers University, has been named the first-ever assistant men's wrestling coach in New Jersey City University history, head coach Harry Turner announced on September 12. Gravina, a native of Allendale, N.J., was a four-time national qualifier for the Scarlet Knights from 2016-19, and the first four-time Academic All-Big Ten student-athlete in Rutgers history, graduating as a five-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient. He will be making his coaching debut at NJCU. "Nick embodies everything I'm looking for in our team members, not just as an athlete but as a person," said Turner. "His toughness, willingness to put the team ahead of himself, and commitment to community make him an ideal role model for our guys to look up to." Nick GravinaJust the sixth four-time national qualifier in program history, Gravina collected 77 career varsity victories during his collegiate career. He began his career in the 165-pound weight class before finishing at 184 pounds. Along the way, he earned an appearance in the 2017 NCAA 'Round of 12' and was a two-time Big Ten Championships placewinner, placing fourth in 2016 and sixth in 2019. Gravina was a three-time Midlands Championships placewinner (sixth-2017, sixth-2016, eighth-2015) and claimed the 2016 East Stroudsburg Open Championship. He had a final collegiate mark of 77-35. His career culminated with being honored by the Big Ten Conference as Rutgers University's Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner. Two Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winners are selected annually from each institution among student-athletes who distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. Off the mat, he was a Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative of the men's wrestling program for five years (2014-19). He completed a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 2017 with an impressive 3.73 grade point average and completed his eligibility while earning a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology. A 2013 graduate of Northern Highlands Regional High School, Gravina was a two-time NHSCA All-American during his freshman and junior seasons and chalked up an astounding career record of 148-12. He was a four-time District V, Region II and Bergen County champion for the Highlanders while wrestling at the 103, 125, 145 and 152 weight classes. Turner will continue to announce additional members of his inaugural coaching staff throughout the month of September.

It's no secret wrestlers are tough, hardworking, and resilient. Kevin AhernKevin Ahern was all of those and more as a student-athlete, wrestler, and football player at Simley High School in Inver Grove Heights in the late 1980s. After high school, Ahern went on to become an All-American wrestler at the University of St. Thomas, and for these accomplishments, and more, he is being inducted into the Simley High School Hall of Fame Friday, September 13 at halftime of the Simley football game against North Saint Paul. Ahern -- the 1988 Simley High School Male Athlete of the Year, finished in the top 10 in his class, was a three-time state qualifier, two-time state placewinner, 1988 state runner-up, and key member of Simley's 1987 and 1988 state championship wrestling teams -- the first in school history. He also earned Academic All-State honors in wrestling and finished his career with a record of 102-28-2. "It was a great experience to be a part of Simley wrestling, and on the teams that won the first state titles in school history," said Ahern. "What I remember is, we wanted to win, not just for the wrestling team, but for the school, and our families. We all rooted for each other individually, and really came together as a team." Simley wrestling: A look back The Simley wrestling program has won 12 state championships, is consistently ranked among the top high school programs in the country, and year-after-year, turns out some of the best wrestlers in the state. But back in 1987, when Ahern was a junior, he and fellow Spartan wrestlers, led by now Hall of Fame coach Jim Short, were trying to win the school's first state championship in any sport. Simley was not yet the traditional wrestling powerhouse that it is now -- but it at all came together in March of 1987 at the St. Paul Civic Center. The Spartans sent nine wrestlers to the state individual tournament that year and had two state champions -- Derek Jones at 138 and Chris Short at 185. Dan Harrison finished third at 145 and Ahern fourth at 155. In the team portion of the tournament, Simley defeated Grand Rapids 30-17 in the state finals to win the Class AA state title. Back then there were only two classes and Class AA was home to the state's bigger schools. In 1988, seven Spartans qualified for the individual state tournament, including Kevin's younger brother Michael Ahern, then a sophomore 98-pounder. Will Short (138) and Dan Harrison (155) won state titles, Kevin Ahern (145) was a runner-up, and Brady Harrison (167) placed fourth. In the team portion, the Spartans were ranked No. 1 in the state the entire season, and defeated Apple Valley 31-14 in the Class AA finals to win the school's second straight state title. In that championship match against Apple Valley, the Spartans trailed 12-6 early. But a Will Short pin at 138 tied the match at 12-12, and Ahern's 10-0 decision over Bobby Green put the Spartans up 16-12 -- and gave them a lead they would never relinquish. Simley would go on to win the state title again in 1989 to make it a three-peat. Mark Madigan has been an assistant coach with the Simley wrestling program for over 30 years. He's been a part of all 12 state championships and has fond memories of every state championship team -- including those in 1987 and 1988. "Every team is different, every kid is different, every road to a state championship is different, that's what makes each one so special," said Madigan. "There were some really good kids in that room back on those teams. I think they fed off of each other and just wanted to compete." That's what drove Ahern, said Madigan -- he would compete against anyone, he always wanted to get better, and would take on any challenge if it meant he could improve. "He was just such a hard worker," said Madigan. "He kept working and improving all the time. He was in excellent shape and would always finish matches strong. He won a lot of matches because of his conditioning and the fact he was just mentally tough." Will Short, current Simley head coach, was a two-time state champion for the Spartans (1988 and 1989) and spent countless hours drilling with Ahern in the Simley wrestling room. "Kevin was a wrestler that just wore you down over the course of a match," said Short. "He would grind out takedowns and score a bunch of points late in matches. Kevin was an extremely hard worker throughout his career. His work ethic was his strength through high school and college. Kevin was a role model to me. He was a person who made every day and every practice an opportunity to improve his skills. That made an impact on me in wrestling and in life." Ahern was also a state qualifier as a sophomore in 1986 at 138. In 1987 Ahern opened the 155-pound Class AA state tournament with a 7-1 win over Chad Propyl of Monticello. He then defeated Dan Swanson of Little Falls 9-2, before losing to eventual state champion Tom Kirpach of Saint Francis, 6-4. Ahern then defeated Dave Wroblewski of Northfield 6-4 before losing to Troy Wondrasch of Winona 6-4 in the third-place match. In a Wednesday, March 2, 1988 Star Tribune article -- where Ahern was named to the Star Tribune All-Metro wrestling team -- Simley coach Jim Short talked about Kevin. "His greatest strength is his intelligence on the mat," Jim Short said. "He knows where he is at all times and doesn't get out of position. He just doesn't make many mistakes." Ahern entered the 1988 state tournament with a record of 29-1-1. He earned a 9-1 win over Todd Musterteiger of Buffalo, and then pinned Leif Simonson of Blake/Breck. In the semi-finals, Ahern defeated Stacey Nelson of St. Francis 6-2, before losing to Jones -- who went back to Minneapolis Roosevelt after competing at Simley in 1987, 14-8 in the state finals. Ahern said defeating Nelson to make it to the state finals was one of the best moments of his wrestling career -- not because he made it to the state finals, but because his older brother Patrick Ahern, then an assistant coach with the Spartans, was in his corner during that match. "To have my brother on the mat coaching me when I made it to the state finals my senior year is something I will never forget," said Ahern. Chris Boys, a 1991 Simley graduate, was a three-time state placewinner (6th, 4th, 4th) and member of three Simley state championship teams (1987, 1988, 1989), a 4th place team (1990) and a second place team (1991). He went on to wrestle at St. John's University where he was a four-time MIAC All-Conference selection and NCAA Academic All-American. Boys vividly remembers being a wide-eyed eighth-grader when he stepped into that Simley wrestling room, looking up to guys like Kevin Ahern, Dan Harrison, Will Short, Chris Short, and the many others who are now legends in the Simley wrestling family. "I was an eighth-grader in 1987 when Simley wrestling really came to life," said Boys. "As a middle-school student at the time, I can remember having a sense that what we were doing was important and that attitude was directed by Kevin and the upperclassmen. It was clear that those guys, driven by Mr. Short, had goals, and we younger guys did not want to let them down. I truly believe that they were the foundation for the winning that Simley wrestling has experienced over the years. I can recall wanting to always practice hard and not mess around so as to not let the older wrestlers down. Whether it was at a practice midway through the season or morning runs before school as we prepared for the state tournament, I always wanted to go hard. That legacy allowed us to win two more consecutive state titles after Kevin graduated, plus a fourth place and second place finish. I was fortunate enough to go on to wrestle in college and was in the same conference as Kevin. I can recall him approaching me at tournaments and still giving me guidance and encouragement, even when our schools were competing directly against each other. He truly never stopped caring and taught me a lot about life without even maybe realizing it." The College Years: St. Thomas After high school, Ahern went on to find success at the University of St. Thomas. He originally wrestled for Coach Dan Chandler and finished his career competing for head coach Joe Gribben, becoming an All-American at 158, finishing third his senior year in 1991. Kevin Ahern had a successful career at St. Thomas"Kevin was so coachable, he understood good positioning, and he was so mentally tough in the tight matches," said Gribben. "He wouldn't panic. I would say he is the best third-period wrestler that I have ever coached. When the match came down to who could deal with the pain of being tired, I would put a lot of money on Kevin. He was just a grinder." In 1991, St. Thomas finished third at the NCAA Division III national tournament. What's remarkable about that season is the Tommies did it with only three wrestlers -- Ahern, Jason O'Brien (Waseca) and Rich Elliott (Forest Lake). One of the Tommies' key wrestlers -- and close friend to all -- Todd English, ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung the day before the NCAA qualifier. He was expected to compete for All-American honors that year, so it was a tough blow for the team. "The 1991 season, and in particular the national tournament, was by far the most rewarding thing in my career as an athlete or a coach," said Gribben. "We had three wrestlers in that tournament. Jason O'Brien was the champ at 118, Rich Elliott was 2nd at 134, and Kevin was 3rd at 158. It was an amazing run that those three had. Kevin lost his first match and then went on to beat several returning All Americans on his way to third. Of course, he just wore them out and won the matches in the third period. I think those three were 13-2 for the tournament." O'Brien said two words come to mind when looking back at Ahern on the mat: Relentless and consistent. "Kevin's MO was constant pressure," said O'Brien. "He never stopped wrestling and was always moving forward, always trying to score points. He won a lot of matches on pure will as his opponents couldn't keep up with that pace. He was also very consistent. For the most part you knew exactly what you were going to get when he went out there. He didn't have the letdowns most wrestlers suffer during the course of a long season. I was always impressed by that -- both from a physical and mental perspective." Kevin lost his first match in the 1991 NCAA tournament -- which can quickly lead to an early exit for any wrestler with just one more loss. Not Kevin. "Kevin lost his first match which would set up one of the most incredible run of wins I had ever witnessed," recalled O'Brien. "In Kevin's second wrestleback match I remember him getting caught in a funky position and going down 5-0 to a pretty tough wrestler. True to form he kept battling, putting the guy to his back in the next period and going on to win 8-6. In all, he would win five matches in a row coming from behind in at least two of them and pinning a three-time finalist and defending champ in the 3rd place match with one second left on the clock." Just like in high school, Ahern motivated his college teammates by actions, not words. "If you know him at all, you are well aware that half time speeches are not his thing," said O'Brien. "Kevin's wrestling partner on most days was Gordy Morgan (who in 1990 was a member of the USA World Team and was a 1996 Olympian). If you needed a little motivation all you had to do was look to that end of the room and see him butting heads with Gordy; his shirt soaked through in sweat, of course. There were days I felt bad for him, but he never stopped competing." While not one to speak loudly, Ahern was one many could count on to speak with, when needed. "Early on in that 1990-91 season was tough for me as I struggled with balancing school, job interviews, and wrestling," said O'Brien -- then a senior. "The team struggled early as well. I remember conversations with a lot of my teammates and coaches on how to right the ship. Kevin was always a participant in these conversations. He was as solid as they come, always in your corner in good times and in bad." The family behind it all When told he was selected to the Simley Hall of Fame, Ahern was honored, humble, but quickly thought of others and their accomplishments, including his younger brother, Michael Ahern -- Simley's 1990 Male Athlete of the Year. In addition to being a member of Simley's 1988 state championship team, Michael Ahern finished 6th in state in the Class AA 125 pound weight class in 1990, was also a standout cross country runner, competed in track and field, and went on to compete in rugby and boxing while graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Finance. "Having my brother on the team meant we had another person that was dedicated and driven," said Ahern. "And then to have another brother as a coach, that combination is about as good as it gets." Kevin also has three sisters (Shawn, Shannon, Erin) and grew up in a house that emphasized academics and faith before athletics. Parents Walter "Jay" Ahern and Patricia Ahern were supportive and encouraging when it came to athletics, but academics and doing things the right way always came first. "One of the reasons I believe I had a successful career in wrestling was because of how great my mother and father were," said Kevin. "They taught me the value of hard work and respect." Ahern was also a two-time letter winner and 1987 All-Conference honorable mention selection as a linebacker for the Spartans football team. He also earned Academic All-State Football honors (1987) and was named the 1988 Steichen's Scholarship Award winner as the Twin Cities Outstanding Male Student-Athlete. He also earned a Master's degree in Education from St. Mary's University and went on to partner with his dad in the family business and eventually take over as his own company, St. Paul Plastic. A dedicated volunteer, Ahern has also volunteered more than 1,000 hours at Feed My Starving Children in Eagan. "The same discipline and work ethic that Kevin had in wrestling, he had in other areas of life," said Gribben. "They do go hand in hand. You have to give that credit to Mr. and Mrs. Ahern. They are a close, supporting family and Kevin's work ethic was learned long before he stepped foot on campus." That's what stands out most to Gribben. "I'm just glad he was at St. Thomas when I was there because I got the honor of coaching him, to call him my friend and to get to know the Ahern family," said Gribben. O'Brien shared the same experience. "He is a true friend, as loyal as they come," said O'Brien. "He is the type of friend that is there when you need him and cares enough to tell you when you're wrong or out of line. He is generous and spends a lot of his time giving back to others. I was fortunate to have worked with Jay, Kevin, and Michael for a while when I graduated from college. The lessons I learned at the company and hanging around the Ahern family are lessons I've carried with me and passed down to my kids. Kevin is representative of them all; smart, hardworking, fair, and caring. No doubt he and the rest of the family deserve this honor." Madigan said the same. Over the years he and Kevin's brother Patrick have remained close friends. "His family was the first to take me in and welcome me when I came to Simley," said Madigan. "He comes from a great family. And more so than anything he did on the mat or football field, he's just an awesome person, and I am lucky to have the opportunity to coach him and be a part of his life." Matt Krumrie is an Inver Grove Heights-based freelance writer and contributor to The Guillotine, USA Wrestling, and MatBoss. He can be reached at mattkrum@yahoo.com.

A GoFundMe page has been established for Mark Kerr, a champion wrestler in high school, college and national freestyle competition who went on to find success in a mixed martial arts career where he was known as "The Smashing Machine" and "The Specimen." Kerr, 50, has been battling peripheral neuropathy for the last 3 years, according to the text at the GoFundMe page, which goes on to state that, over the last 6 months, the disease has made it almost impossible to work. The fund is intended to help pay medical expenses not covered by insurance. Born in Toledo in December 1968, Mark Kerr launched his amateur wrestling career as a freshman at Bettendorf High School in Iowa. His family returned to Ohio, where Kerr won an Ohio state wrestling title for Toledo Waite High School. Mark Kerr battles Randy CoutureKerr then headed east to Syracuse University in upstate New York, which had an intercollegiate wrestling program at the time. Kerr won the 190-pound title at the 1992 NCAA Division I Championships, defeating fellow future MMA star Randy Couture who wrestled at Oklahoma State in the finals. In 1994, Kerr was crowned USA Senior Freestyle Champion at 220 pounds. In January 1997, Kerr had his first pro MMA fight. He tallied eleven straight wins, with all but two of those ending in the first round. His last fight was a decade ago -- a first-round knockout loss at the hands of Muhammed Lawal, a former wrestler at Oklahoma State. Kerr was the subject of a 2003 HBO documentary, The Smashing Machine.

Japan has been the dominant force in women's wrestling since the sport was introduced. Last year, Japan claimed seven of the 10 gold medals in Budapest and won the team title by 37 points. This year, Japan will be without world champions Yui Susaki and Haurna Okuno, but bring a loaded lineup to Nur-Sultan that includes returning world champions Risako Kawai and Mayu Mukaida. However, there are many talented women's wrestlers outside of the Japanese team. Adeline Gray of the United States is a multiple-time world champion, while Canada's Erica Wiebe and Russia's Natalia Vorobeva are Olympic champions. Let's examine the five most likely champions in women's wrestling at this year's World Championships in Nur-Sultan. Risako Kawai after winning a gold medal at the 2018 World Championships (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) 1. Risako Kawai (Japan, 57 kilograms) Kawai was one of four gold medalists for the Japanese women's wrestling team at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Since then, Kawaii has added a pair of world titles. Last year, Kawai's world title came at 59 kilograms where she completely dominated the competition. In the finals, Kawai won 8-0 over Elif Yeşilırmak of Turkey. She moved down a weight class to 57 kilograms and earned her spot by beating out four-time Olympian champion and 10-time world champion Kaori Icho. Kawai is the biggest lock to win gold in the women's wrestling field this year. Mayu Mukaida wrestling at the 2018 World Championships (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) 2. Mayu Mukaida (Japan, 53 kilograms) Mukaida enters Nur-Sultan in search of her third world title. The 22-year-old Japanese star won her first world title in 2016. After getting upset in the finals of the 2017 World Championships in a match in which she went up 6-0, Mukaida bounced back in a big way in 2018, torching the field at 55 kilograms, outscoring her opposition 44-7. Her toughest match came in the quarterfinals, where she beat Sweden's Sofia Mattsson, 6-4. Mukaida took a surprising loss in the finals of the Asian Championships, where she gave up a takedown in the closing seconds to lose 4-3 to Pak Yongmi of North Korea. She looks to be in top form entering this year's World Championships after beating out two-time returning world champion Haruna Okuno for the spot on the Japanese team. 3. Sara Dosho (Japan, 72 kilograms) Dosho won an Olympic gold medal in 2016 and added a world title in 2017. In 2018, Dosho was recovering from a shoulder injury and missed the World Championships. She returned this year and won her fourth Asian championship in April, beating 2018 world bronze medalist Zhou Feng of China. In addition to her Olympic and world titles, Dosho has three other world medals. She has not been defeated since the 2015 World Championships in Las Vegas. Adeline Gray after getting a fall at Beat the Streets in Los Angeles (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 4. Adeline Gray (USA, 76 kilograms) Gray, a four-time world champion and the reigning world champion, enters the World Championships as the No. 2 seed behind 2017 world champion Yasemin Adar of Turkey, who won gold medals at the Dan Kolov and European Championships. Also in the weight class is 2016 Olympic champion Erica Wiebe of Canada, who will be seeded No. 4. The top four seeded wrestlers combine for six world and Olympic titles. Still, despite the talent in the weight class, Gray has to be considered a solid favorite. She beat Adar by technical superiority in last year's finals. In addition, Gray beat Wiebe 3-1 in the semifinals of last year's World Championships before getting a 10-0 technical superiority over the Canadian Olympic champ at the Pan American Championships this year. 5. Yuki Irie (Japan 50 kilograms) Irie made the Japanese team at the lightest weight class by knocking off reigning two-time world champion Yui Susaki, 6-1, in their special wrestle-off in July. She is a past Junior world champion and earned a gold medal at the Asian Championships in April. Japan has dominated this weight class, winning six straight world or Olympic gold medals. Before Susaki burst on the scene and won two straight gold medals, Eri Tosaka had a stranglehold on the weight class worldwide, winning four straight world or Olympic titles.

Tervel Dlagnev after a victory in the finals of the Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Tervel Dlagnev, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time NCAA Division II wrestling champ who is now on the coaching staff at Ohio State, is one of four former student-athletes and a coach who will be inducted into the University of Nebraska-Kearney (UNK) Athletic Hall of Fame during the school's Homecoming weekend on Oct. 4-5, 2019. Born in Bulgaria, Dlagnev was introduced to wrestling as a high school student in Texas. As a walk-on for the UNK wrestling program, Dlagnev became arguably one of the school's all-time great wrestlers. Dlagnev was a two-time NCAA Division II heavyweight champ (winning back-to-back titles in 2007 and 2008) and four-time All-American. As a senior, Dlagnev didn't allow a single offensive point that season, helping UNK win its' first-ever team national team title. In addition to demonstrating his prowess on the mat, Dlagnev was a four-time NCAA Academic All-American. After graduating from UNK in 2008, Dlagnev took his outstanding wrestling skills to the world beyond Nebraska. Arguably at the top of his international mat accomplishments: a two-time U.S. Olympic team qualifier, earning a bronze medal at the 2012 London Games, then placing fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics ... making is UNK's only Olympic medal winner. In addition, Dlagnev qualified for eight national teams and twice earned the bronze medal at the World Wrestling Championships. Now an assistant coach at Ohio State, Dlagnev joined the Buckeye coaching staff just prior to the 2016-17 wrestling season. In addition to Dlagnev, other honorees for the Class of 2019 of the University of Nebraska at Kearney Athletics Hall of Fame include baseball player Neal Arnold, track athlete Lesley (Crutcher) Hulett, football player Roger Suelter, and women's track and cross country coach Mary Iten. The UNK Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet begins at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, in the Ponderosa Room with a social hour. A dinner follows at 6:30 p.m. with the class being inducted into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame. To purchase a ticket for the Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, visit unkalumni.org/homecoming. Tickets are $35 per person ($40 starting Sept. 27). On Saturday, Oct. 5, the class will be recognized at half time of the homecoming football game vs. Northeastern State. That contest kicks off at 2 p.m.

The 2019 World Championships get underway on Saturday in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Predicting world champions can prove to be a difficult task. Many weight classes are filled with past world and Olympic medalists, along with young, rising stars looking to break through at the Senior World Championships. There are always surprise performances that are difficult to predict. Last year in Budapest, many wrestling fans were anticipating world champions Jordan Burroughs (USA) and Frank Chamizo (Italy) to battle it out for the top spot at 74 kilograms. Russia's Zaurbek Sidakov had other ideas. Sidakov defeated both Burroughs and Chamizo en route to winning his first world title. Sidakov, Burroughs and Chamizo all return at 74 kilograms, helping to make it one of the strongest freestyle weight classes in the world. So who are the five most likely world champions in freestyle at this year's World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan? Here are my thoughts ... Note: This is merely this writer's opinion. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. Kyle Dake with the American flag after winning a world title in Budapest (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) 1. Kyle Dake (USA, 79 kilograms) Dake is the reigning world champion at the non-Olympic weight class of 79 kilograms. The 28-year-old American did not surrender a single point at last year's World Championships in Budapest, outscoring his opposition 37-0. Aside from Dake, the only returning world medalist in the weight class is Jabrayil Hasanov of Azerbaijan, a wrestler Dake has defeated three times, including in the finals of the World Championships. He defeated one of the world's top wrestlers in Alex Dieringer in two straight matches just to make the USA team. Dake is currently the heaviest favorite to win a world title according to the online sportsbook LiveBet.com, which lists him at -500 (risk $500 to win $100). 2. Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia, 97 kilograms) Sadulaev has only suffered one defeat in five world-level events. After winning world titles in 2014 and 2015, Sadulaev became the Olympic champion in 2016 at 86 kilograms. In 2017, Sadulaev moved up to 97 kilograms and reached the finals of the World Championships in Paris where he lost narrowly to fellow Olympic champion Kyle Snyder, 6-5. The Russian Tank came back to avenge the loss by earning a first-period fall in the finals of last year's World Championships. Many are anticipating a third meeting between the Rio Olympic champions in Nur-Sultan. Hassan Yazdanicharati after winning a world title in 2017 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 3. Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran, 86 kilograms) Yazdanicharati, the 2016 Olympic champion and 2017 world champion, fell in the opening round of last year's World Championships to American David Taylor, 11-6. He came back to win bronze. With Taylor not competing due to injury, Yazdanicharati is the prohibitive favorite to win gold this year at 86 kilograms. The Iranian star has competed only once since last year's Worlds, earning a gold medal at the Dan Kolov, where he outscored his opposition 69-6. While there are some very tough opponents in the weight class, like Russia's Artur Naifonov and Turkey's Fatih Erdin, Yazdanicharati is the class of the field and one of the world's best pound-for-pound freestyle wrestlers. 4. Taha Akgul (Turkey, 125 kilograms) Some would argue that the Rio Olympic champion Akgul is not even the favorite at 125 kilograms after failing to earn a medal at last year's World Championships. The two-time defending world champion and top seed is Georgia's Geno Petriashvili. While Akgul has not won a world or Olympic gold since 2016, he appears to have solidified himself as the man to beat once again at 125 kilograms. He dominated Petriashvili (7-0) en route to winning a European title in April. In July, Akgul blitzed the field at the Yasar Dogu, which included a 5-1 victory in the finals over two-time returning world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski of the United States. David Baev (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) 5. David Baev (Russia, 70 kilograms) Baev is competing at the Senior World Championships for the first time in his career. He has won gold medals at the Cadet World Championships and Junior World Championships, along with a silver at the U23 World Championships. He earned the spot for Russia at 70 kilograms after two-time world champion Magomedrasul Gazimagomedov moved up to 74 kilograms. While it might seem strange to see a wrestler competing in his first Worlds on a list of the most likely world champions, it has more to do with the composition of the 70-kilogram field. With it being a non-Olympic weight class, it lacks the talent and depth of the Olympic weight classes. Baev's toughest competition may come from two-time world medalist James Green, a wrestler he has beaten twice, with the most recent win coming at the Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix, 10-2.

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Elmira College Director of Athletics Renee Carlineo announced on Wednesday morning the addition of men's and women's wrestling as intercollegiate programs that will begin competition during the 2020-21 academic year. The teams expand Elmira's varsity sports offerings to 20 intercollegiate programs. "I am incredibly excited for the addition of two wrestling teams to our athletic department and the student-athletes to our community," said Carlineo. "Wrestlers are gritty, resilient, and will add a new dimension to our already well-rounded student body. We have a perfect geographic location for this sport and possess unique academic offerings to attract competitive wrestlers that are academically strong." As part of a larger department-wide initiative, adding men's and women's wrestling will impact current athletic facilities in a positive way. The College will begin to explore recreating existing space for locker rooms, not only for the two new athletic programs, but also for Elmira's current athletic varsity teams. "The addition of men's and women's wrestling comes at a particularly exciting time for the College," stated Elmira College President Dr. Chuck Lindsay. "We have the opportunity to provide a unique co-curricular experience for a new wave of student-athletes, while adding to our already robust athletics programs and the vibrant culture within our current student body." Wrestling has become an emerging sport in NCAA Division III for both men and women. However, Elmira will become somewhat of a pioneer in the world of women's wrestling in the region, as the Soaring Eagles will sponsor the first NCAA Division III women's wrestling program in New York. Additionally, Elmira's implementation of men's wrestling will be the 12th Division III program in the state. "The National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NWCA) would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to the extraordinary leaders at Elmira College for recognizing the educational value that men's and women's wrestling will bring to their campus," added Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA. "We are thrilled to have been able to facilitate a substantial startup grant from regional benefactors to insure the successful launching of the men's program along with the first-ever intercollegiate women's team at a four-year college in New York." The popularity of wrestling in the region, as well as across the country, will provide Elmira with a new pool of student-athletes from which to recruit. In the New York region alone, there are 11,461 high school boys wrestling programs and 584 high school programs for girls. When Pennsylvania is included, those numbers increase to 21,181 and 786 for high school boys and girls, respectively. Nationally, the high school participation rate for boys and girls wrestling has increased over the last 15 years. The popularity of scholastic girls wrestling has led to the implementation of 18 high school athletic associations that sponsor a state championship. This growth has sparked the addition of 226 new collegiate wrestling programs since 1999. On June, 2019, the NCAA put forth a press release announcing "the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics recommended that all three divisions of the NCAA governance structure add two sports -- acrobatics and tumbling and women's wrestling -- to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program." "The committee identifies sports to be added to the Emerging Sports for Women program, which is a pipeline supporting the advancement of women's sports to NCAA championship status. The program also provides athletics opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship options for colleges and universities. Schools also may use an emerging sport to help meet membership minimum sports-sponsorship requirements and financial aid requirements." Elmira College briefly sponsored men's wrestling as a collegiate sport during the 1970s, but the sport was later discontinued. With the reinstatement of the men's program, and the addition of women's wrestling, the College will implement a national search immediately for a head coach for both teams.

Joey Palmer wrestling in the semifinals of the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) AMES, Iowa -- Today, Cyclone Regional Training Center Director, Kevin Dresser, announced another addition to the C-RTC. Former three-time NCAA Qualifier Joey Palmer will join up with the C-RTC in Ames. "It is exciting to add another elite level guy to our program," Dresser said. "Joey has had a great 2019 and has already defeated top level guys this year. He is very serious about his training and his opportunities moving forward. He is a young guy with great focus and we are excited for our athletes to get a chance to train with another guy who is striving to be the best in the world. I think his best days are ahead of him. Joey will join us immediately." The program that Dresser and company are building in Ames is ultimately what lured Palmer into making the decision to come to Ames. "You look at everywhere Dresser has been, he's had success," Palmer said. "Now he's in Ames with Metcalf, St. John and all the talent they have in that room, and it's really exciting to see what those guys have done. The state of Iowa and Ames is a great place for me to train and to learn from these coaches." Palmer burst on to the Senior Level scene this past April at the US Open in Las Vegas. There, Palmer finished third place at 61 kg, defeating current World Team Member Tyler Graff and former World Team member Tony Ramos. "I've always had a dream to make the Olympics and to be a World Champ," Palmer said. "I hadn't been competing when I was teaching and going to school for my masters. When I stepped out on to the mat again (at the US Open), all of those dreams and emotions hit me. I hadn't lost sight of what my dreams and goals were, but I think I just wanted it more." Palmer has spent the last two season coaching, one year at his alma mater of Oregon State, and one at his high school in Tahoma, Washington. Earlier this summer, Dresser announced that NCAA Champion Jesse Delgado would be joining the C-RTC. With the addition of Palmer, the lighter weights are beginning to take shape, joining Kyven Gadson, who is a National Team Member at 97 kg.

Sean Fausz gets his hand raised after a win at the U23 World Championships (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly head wrestling coach Jon Sioredas has added a top young talent to his staff as Sean Fausz has joined the program as an assistant coach. Fausz, a third-place finisher at the 2019 Senior Freestyle World Team Trials, will begin his coaching career at Cal Poly after a successful wrestling career at North Carolina State, where he compiled a 54-22 career record with eight falls. "This move is insurmountable for our program," said fourth-year Mustang head coach Jon Sioredas. "Sean will not only bring a wealth of wrestling experience to our lightweights, but the fact that he was a four-time Academic All-American while pursuing an engineering degree is a testament to his work ethic and will carry a lot weight at Cal Poly. "Sean's mentorship will provide our guys with first-hand experience on how to accomplish extraordinary goals, both on the mat and in the classroom," Sioredas added. Fausz captured a world silver medal in the 2018 U23 World Championships, held at Bucharest, Romania. He was also a four-time Atlantic Coast Conference finalist and captured an ACC championship in 2018 while competing for the Wolfpack. Fausz also qualified for the NCAA Division I National Championships four times. At Campbell County High School in Alexandria, Kentucky, Fausz was a two-time Kentucky state champion, NHSCA Senior National runner-up, and posted a high school record of 234-24 with 115 pins. He posted a 62-0 record en route to the state title as a junior and placed third in the state finals as a sophomore and second as a freshman. Fausz also was a Fargo Junior Freestyle All-American, FILA Cadet national champion and FILA Cadet World Team member. Fausz earned his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering in May 2019 from North Carolina State with a minor in science, technology and society. He was a four-time NWCA Academic All-American, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and a three-time team captain with the Wolfpack. Sean Fausz File Third Place at 2019 World Team Trials at 61 KG Second Place at 2018 U23 World Championships at 61 KG Four-time NCAA Qualifier Four-time Academic All-American Three-Year Team Captain Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering Two-time Kentucky state champion Three-time NHSCA All-American Fargo Junior Freestyle All-American FILA Cadet National Champion FILA Cadet World Team Member

Nick Suriano gets is hand raised after winning in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Nick Suriano, 133-pound titlewinner at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships for Rutgers University, is planning to take an Olympic redshirt for the 2019-20 season, with an eye to training for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April, according to multiple media reports. A member of Suriano's family told NorthJersey.com that he was taking this action to pursue his Olympic dream. The same website reported that a second source confirmed the story Monday night. NJ.com reports that Suriano is not enrolled at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, for the Fall 2019 semester, according to the university student directory. This gives the New Jersey native some flexibility. He could opt to sit out the entire 2019-20 season as he pursues a place on Team USA for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Or the senior could choose to re-enroll after the fall semester, rejoin the Scarlet Knights wrestling team, and seek a second NCAA title in the second half of the season, which would exhaust his final year of collegiate eligibility. Rutgers has not yet commented officially on Suriano's status for the 2019-20 school year. The 2020 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials will be held April 4-5 at Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State. Wrestling at the 2020 Olympics will get underway on August 3, the second week of the Games. There are six weight classes in men's freestyle competition at the 2020 Olympics. Suriano, having wrestled in college at 125 and 133 pounds, would most likely seek to wrestle for the U.S. at 57 kilograms/125 pounds, a drop from 133, the weight class where he won his 2019 NCAA title, becoming the first Rutgers wrestler to win the national title in the program's long history. As the website OnTheBanks.com pointed out, despite taking an Olympic redshirt, Suriano would still be able to work out at the New Jersey Regional Training Center (NJRTC) which is housed at Rutgers and Princeton, and still utilize Rutgers own facilities even if he is not officially enrolled at the school. A native of Paramus, N.J., Suriano was a four-time New Jersey state wrestling champion at Bergen Catholic, with a perfect 159-0 prep record. He started his collegiate career at Penn State, compiling a 16-3 record as a freshman during the 2016-17 season, but injuries kept him from competing at the Big Ten and NCAA championships. Suriano then transferred to Rutgers, where he was a two-time NCAA All-American, winning the 133-pound title at the 2019 NCAAs in Pittsburgh, just two weeks after claiming a Big Ten conference crown.

A 47-year-old unsolved murder of a former Pennsylvania wrestler appears to be closer to being a "closed case." An Ohio prison inmate has been charged in the 1972 shooting death of a wrestler who once competed at an Allentown high school then at Lycoming College, the Allentown Morning Call reported this weekend. The inmate, Larry Joseph Via, 75, has been charged with homicide and robbery in the death of Morgan Peters whose body was found on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Sept. 1972. The charges are the result of a grand jury investigation that began two years ago. The apparent tip-off: Via had written of the crime in biker magazines, according to Ohio authorities. Via is currently an inmate at Marion Correctional Institution in north-central Ohio, on a life sentence for another murder which apparently occurred about the same time as Peters' death. Morgan PetersA 1960 graduate of what is now Allen High School, Peters was a star wrestler who won a 1960 district championship for the Allentown-based school. He then continued his athletic and academic career at Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pa., where he was a 1961 Middle Atlantic Conference champ. Fast-forward a decade, to the fall of 1972. Peters, then 29, worked for a wrestling mat manufacturer, and was on his way to an installation in Latrobe, Pa. Two motorists found Peters' body behind bushes at a pulloff near the Willow Hill exit near Chambersburg, according to the Morning Call. Peters' truck was found nearly 20 miles down the Turnpike. In 2017, a woman who claimed to have ridden with Via on the Turnpike back in 1972 told police that they pulled over pretending to have car trouble. Peters reportedly pulled in behind them, the Franklin County Free Press reported Saturday. Via got out, disappeared for a time, then came running back, telling her "We gotta go!" Via reportedly drove the vehicle he picked up behind the woman's car for a distance, then returned to her vehicle, abandoning the other vehicle. The crime which put Via in an Ohio prison took place in northeast Ohio, and bears some resemblance to what may have happened to Morgan Peters back in 1972. What's more, Via's ex-wives told police that he had written poems and short stories for Easy Rider magazine in the 1980s which resemble some of the crimes for which he is currently incarcerated.

Adam Wheeler at the 2008 Olympic Games (Photo/Larry Slater) The wrestling community loves an "overcoming adversity" story. Adam Wheeler's life is the very definition of that term, growing up in a single-parent home with serious economic struggles -- not to mention a couple major medical challenges -- to become an Olympic bronze medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at 96 kilograms/211 pounds at the 2008 Beijing Games who has since served as a police officer, then as a firefighter. Now Wheeler shares his inspirational real-life story in his new book, Believe and Achieve: Overcoming Obstacles to Excel, written along with respected wrestling writer Craig Sesker. The early years: A life of struggle on and off the mat Adam Wheeler was born and raised in Lancaster, California about an hour north of Los Angeles. "To say my childhood was tumultuous would be an understatement," the future Olympian wrote in the opening chapter of Believe and Achieve. "I overcame more than my share of challenges and obstacles while growing up in Southern California." Wheeler's father left the family when his son was three. Adam, his mom, brother and sister struggled with life, having to move frequently. In seventh grade, Wheeler recalls not having any Christmas presents. In addition to being raised by a single mom, Wheeler faced a life-threatening situation: he nearly died at eleven months from a rare blood disease, Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome. Wheeler made a full recovery, going out for baseball as a youngster. He first took up wrestling as a high school freshman. "My only exposure to the sport was Saved By The Bell," according to Wheeler. At first, Wheeler struggled in the sport; the future Olympian was 1-15 in first year of high school. Wheeler had other struggles off the mat, skipping classes and eventually getting booted from school. However, thanks to the support of his high school coach, Wheeler attended another school and was able to make up for lost time and classes ... and earn his way back onto the wrestling team at his original school. By his junior year, Wheeler was 37-7 ... and received a grant to participate in J Robinson's Intensive Camp. After graduation, he was signed up for the U.S. Coast Guard, and was able to advance his mat career to higher levels, eventually earning a place on the U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and, ultimately, a bronze medal. How the book came together "Right after the Olympics, a guy in California said, 'I think you've got a great story. We should do a screenplay,'" Wheeler told InterMat. "More recently, people -- friends, family -- have told me, 'You need to write a book.'" Later, as Wheeler got on with his life beyond wrestling -- first as a SWAT team member in Colorado Springs, then, serving as a Denver firefighter -- he was approached by yet another writer about writing a book ... but went another direction. "I thought of Craig Sesker and he thought my story was worth telling," said Wheeler. Sesker gathered info by interviewing Wheeler by phone, "starting from the beginning," as the former wrestler put it. "He'd write a chapter, send it, and I'd read it and comment on it." "Craig added so much to the telling of my story," Wheeler said. "For example, he added a lot of historical information by researching the Olympics." "I had been nervous about doing a book," Wheeler disclosed. "A friend who is a big-time MMA coach said something like, 'If you can make a positive difference to inspire them to overcome challenges, then it's definitely worth it." A compelling real-life story, well told Adam Wheeler's life story would make a great novel, only it's his actual life. Believe and Achieve is full of incredible twists and turns, and moments of great suspense on and off the wrestling mat. One of the most riveting sections is Wheeler's account of his involvement as a SWAT officer in a November 2015 mass shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado Springs which left three dead (including one police officer) and nine injured (including five officers). Another particularly strong point is Wheeler's account of the 2008 Beijing Olympics that goes beyond providing a clinical move-by-move analysis of what happened on the mat. Believe and Achieve takes readers deep inside the Games, serving up a powerful you-are-there perspective of the Games that normally only an Olympic athlete would experience. Believe and Achieve is highly readable, thanks in large part to its conversational writing style. It offers an inspirational, uplifting presentation that is appropriate for all ages ... and, in fact, would be a powerfully motivating read for an entire wrestling team. "I wanted to make a book to show how I applied what I learned from wrestling which has been so important in building mental toughness and grit necessary for jobs like being on a SWAT team or a major city fire department," Wheeler told InterMat. He succeeded spectacularly. Adam Wheeler's Believe and Achieve: Overcoming Obstacles to Excel is available for purchase from Amazon. To request a signed copy -- or to purchase multiple copies for schools and wrestling teams -- contact Adam Wheeler directly at adamwheelerfitness@gmail.com.

James Johnson had a larger-than-life presence. And a personality to match. James Johnson coaching Ben Provisor at the 2012 Olympics (Photo/John Sachs)A strong, towering man who looked more like a basketball player than a wrestler, Johnson could light up a room with his infectious laugh, outgoing demeanor and ever-present smile. Known affectionately around the world as JJ, he impacted the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling as an athlete and a coach for the past four decades. He competed in and coached in the most prestigious events on the planet. And enjoyed more than his share of success. It was shocking to hear late Sunday night that JJ had passed away. He was just 61 years old. He had reportedly undergone an emergency appendectomy at the Junior World Championships in Estonia last month and had been battling an infection after returning home to Phoenix. As you can imagine, social media was flooded with tributes to JJ on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on Sunday night and Monday morning. He was a beloved man who had a positive impact on people of all ages. JJ could talk to anybody about anything. He loved wrestling, loved his family and loved life. JJ wrestled at the University of Kentucky where he was an NCAA qualifier. He was recently inducted into the athletic hall of fame at his alma mater. He excelled in the 1980s and 1990s as a wrestler while competing at 100 kilograms (220 pounds) on the Senior level in Greco. He placed fifth at the 1993 World Championships and was named USA Wrestling's Greco-Roman Athlete of the Year. He made 12 U.S. National Teams during his career. JJ went on to a long and highly successful career as a coach with the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. He also was on numerous United States coaching staffs over the years. I know it meant a great deal to him when the U.S. won the team title at the 2007 World Championships. It remains the only world title an American team has won in Greco. JJ played a role, during training camps and events, in helping that team reach the top of the awards podium. During the next Olympic cycle, JJ served as a U.S. coach at the 2011 World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England. I spent significant time around JJ during many of those events, including the American practices prior to the Olympics at the University of East London. I wrote a daily blog chronicling my experiences at the Olympics and JJ earned frequent mention in them. He was always saying something funny or doing something interesting on that trip. If he didn't make the blog, he let me hear about it. It was never boring being around JJ. He was the life of the party. He always had something to say and had no shortage of opinions. He had a great sense of humor and he also was driven to see the American athletes excel. He always had a strong belief in the wrestlers he was coaching. We loved to joke around with JJ, but the guy knew wrestling. And he knew how to coach athletes, from beginners all the way up to the Olympic level. He was very passionate about the Greco-Roman style that often takes a backseat to freestyle in this country. JJ spent considerable time working with Olympic and world champion Rulon Gardner and also impacted guys like Olympic medalist Adam Wheeler and Junior world champion Kamal Bey. He also was a personal coach for 2019 World Team member G'Angelo Hancock. Even in his later years, JJ would jump on the mat and wrestle with guys 40 years younger than him. He was still in excellent shape as he entered his 60s. He was still having a significant impact on the sport when he passed away. JJ was a man who made friends everywhere he went. I always enjoyed hanging out with him on overseas trips with USA Wrestling. There was never a dull moment with James Johnson. He was a character. He was passionate about wrestling. And he certainly had a zest for life. He will be missed. 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.

Ryan Bader (Photo/Bellator) Ryan Bader, former Arizona State wrestler and current Bellator heavyweight champ, held onto his title when his top-of-the-card opponent Cheick Kongo received an unintentional eye poke that resulted in a first-round no-contest decision at Bellator 226 at SAP Center in San Jose, California Saturday night. "Cheick Kongo fights have a tendency to go a bit sideways, so it's not entirely surprising his bid for Ryan Bader's heavyweight title in the main event of Bellator 226 ended in unusual fashion," according to Brent Brookhouse of CBS Sports. Here's how Sherdog.comset the scene: "Ryan Bader entered the main event of Bellator 226 as one of the hottest heavyweights in the world and his torrid streak continued on Saturday night. For a few minutes, that is." "Bader rocked the Frenchman with two left hooks to the jaw and then took him down. Kongo tried like crazy to get back to his feet, but the powerful wrestler used a tremendous amount of pressure to keep his challenger down." As Bader worked over Kongo on the ground, the one-time Sun Devil landed an eye poke which put a stop to the action. The ringside doctor ruled Kongo unfit to continue, and referee Mike Beltran ruled the strike to be accidental, meaning Bellator 226's main event was ruled a no-contest at 3:25 of the first round of a scheduled five-round bout, allowing Bader to hold onto his heavyweight belt. "I was feeling strong, the match was going my way and I had him on the ground," said Bader after the match. "I didn't do it on purpose." Bader, 36, who owns Bellator titles at both heavyweight (265 pounds) and light-heavyweight (205 pounds), is now 27-5 overall (with 1 no-contest) in his pro MMA career going back to March 2007, and remains 5-0 in Bellator. The 44-year-old Kongo, who had his first pro bout in June 2001, is now 30-10-2 (with 1 no-contest) and 12-2 within the Bellator promotion. Prior to entering MMA competition 12 ½ years ago, Ryan Bader crafted an impressive amateur wrestling career. He was a two-time Nevada state mat champ who later enrolled at Arizona State, where he claimed three Pac-10 conference titles and was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American in 2004 and 2006.

Daniel Dennis (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Chad Dennis returns with Episode 36 of The MatBoss Podcast with Daniel Dennis, 2016 Olympian and coach for RTC South. Dennis talks about what brought him from Iowa City to Chattanooga after his run to Rio ended. He'll also break down what makes the Brands brothers unique and creative coaches as well as the uniqueness of the pair outside of the wrestling room. Dennis speaks on what its like to see former Hawkeyes coaching the Cyclones at Iowa State and why he's actually excited to see the rivalry get sparked. Dennis also talks about the role he plays with the regional training center and how it applies to Chattanooga. 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

Chris DeLong, a two-time NCAA Division I qualifier and an All-American in 1984 for Cal Poly, passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2019, the wrestling program at in San Luis Obispo announced Thursday. Chris DeLongDeLong, who had been diagnosed with leukemia five months ago, was 58. As a Cal Poly Mustang wrestler, DeLong had qualified for the 1982 NCAAs as a sophomore, and as a senior in 1984. At the 1984 NCAA Division I championships at The Meadowlands in New Jersey, the tenth-seeded DeLong earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish at 134 pounds. (Among the other wrestlers in that bracket: eventual champ Scott Lynch of Penn State; runner-up Greg Randall of University of Iowa; and, in sixth place, Wisconsin's Jim Jordan, now in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican serving west-central Ohio.) In his final three seasons at Cal Poly, DeLong crafted a 68-30-2 record. DeLong served one year as a volunteer assistant coach at Cal Poly during the 1984-85 season. He then earned his bachelor's degree in social sciences at the San Luis Obispo school in 1987. Prior to enrolling in what is formally known as California Polytechnic State University, DeLong had wrestled at John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma, where he earned a third-place finish in the California State High School Championships as a senior after claiming league, county and CIF-Southern Section titles to complete a 40-1 season. As a junior, he placed fourth at state. DeLong graduated from Kennedy in 1979 with a 98-12 career prep record.

The Zain Retherford-Yianni Diakomihalis saga came to an end on Labor Day as Retherford defeated Yianni 2-1 in a low-scoring defensive affair in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In the one scoring exchange, Zain stopped a Yianni single leg attack and turned it into a crotch lift, scoring two exposure points. Yianni, for his part, hooked the bottom leg during the action causing some to speculate that he may have earned a counter exposure. I'm not so sure, but what is certain is that Yianni's side didn't throw the challenge cube. Maybe the staff noticed the apparent exposure too late and dared not to disobey the ever-critical "five-second rule?" Or maybe they thought they'd lose the challenge and not have one to use later in the match? Unclear. In the post-match interview Zain expressed sincere frustration and anger at the way matters had played out over the last several weeks. The Penn State grad even alluded to a marriage proposal that needed to be changed in accommodation of the arbitration and wrestle-off for the World Team spot. As someone who slyly booked a magician for his engagement, I can attest to the frustration I'd have felt should my plans have been thwarted. Either way it was a very human moment that should serve to remind fans that Zain too was affected by this boondoggle. I get it. Wrong calls happen, bad calls happen, and we want to ensure that everything is always one-hundred percent perfect. But ask Ian Miller if everything is fair and perfect. It's not. When matches are over, they should be over. We shouldn't relitigate the past because we FEEL as though we've been wronged. This event has reminded many in the wrestling community that it's always more instructive to move forward than to drag the Resilite into the courtroom. Now it's official: Zain is on to Worlds and Yianni is back to training. No doubt Yianni will be in contention next year and possibly even make the 2020 Olympic team and win a gold medal. In looking back, let's just hope that next year's Olympic Trials don't turn into ongoing court actions and can instead be lived and celebrated on the mats. While I have feared that this situation would prompt more litigation, I'm somewhat optimistic that the negative taste from this affair will dissuade most parents and team leaders from asking for dates on the court docket. To your questions … Q: What did you think of the Zain-Yianni match? Do you think it was necessary? -- Gregg Y. Foley: The Court appointed arbitrator found it necessary, so as a law-abiding citizen my opinion is secondary to his. As for what I thought of the wrestling, I think the match went as I'd predicted (for once) with a healthy Zain able to shut down Yianni. Had Zain been injured I think we could have seen a much different game plan from both wrestlers. All-in-all I just hope that Zain has the energy to refocus for the World Championships and is able to wrestle at one-hundred percent in Nur-Sultan! Jordan Oliver gets in on a shot against Montell Marion at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Do you think Jordan Oliver's decision to leave Ithaca for Chapel Hill had anything to do with Yianni being in Ithaca? It seems like they have a close relationship and have helped each other, but it probably wouldn't have been the ideal situation to have them in the same room. On a related note, what percentage chance do you give JO to make the 2020 team? -- Mike C. Foley: Anything? Of course. I think that to be the best in the world you need a training environment that caters to your needs and that attention can't be split with your biggest national opponent. I think that UNC will be a nice home for JO and that Coleman Scott and Tony Ramos are exceptional coaches and training partners for someone looking to make the team at 65 kilograms. What percentage? Just about 30 percent. Zain and Yianni are arguably both in the top ten worldwide so to overcome both of them to make an Olympic team will be decidedly more difficult than making the national team at a non-Olympic weight. Still, JO has attributes that can make him a problem for any opponent, domestic or international. The real indication on how he'll fair in the Olympic year is what he can do in overseas competitions in 2019. There are a few coming up this winter that would be great entry points for him to work on timing, weight cuts, and match management. Happy to see JO at UNC and back in the conversation! MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Link: Entry list for the 2019 World Championships! More than Medals Camp is a worldwide development camp to help teach young athletes wrestling and life skills! Trailer for the 2019 World Championships Q: Practically no national wrestling media coverage of the charges and subsequent sexual assault and battery conviction against Wayne Boyd. Why? -- JM Foley: Eek. I can't speak for other outlets or for anyone's perception of coverage, but I think that there could be a few factors in play. First, Wayne Boyd -- despite his title as head coach of Titan Mercury -- was always seen as a small-time player in the current landscape of the sport. He really didn't make a ton of high-level decisions and certainly wasn't on the mat coaching. Second, people don't want to speak ill of Titan Mercury because of the support the club has shown to so many wrestlers over the years. (And just to nip it in the bud, this wasn't a Team Foxcatcher situation where the benefactor was the issue, this was someone in the orbit.) They'd rather focus on the positives and move forward, which I think includes a wrestling press that often does choose light-hearted or inspirational stories to those that are dark or lurid. Finally, Wayne committed terrible crimes, acted in a boorish and gross manner often, and will be sentenced for his crimes accordingly. The lesson here is the same one that was taught to the wrestling community any number of times over the past 50 years: Keep the sycophants, leeches and spaniels at arms-length. Also, don't be creepy. Q: What potential matchups (one in each style) are you most interested in seeing at the World Championships? -- Mike C. Foley: Just one?! See below. Greco-Roman: Frank Staebler (Germany) vs. Artem Surkov (Russia): World champions who go absolutely wild in their matches and gave us an epic match earlier this year in Germany. They won't often send each other for four points, but Staebler's fitness and Surkov's will make for the best matchup of two high-level Greco-Roman wrestlers in Nur-Sultan. Women's wrestling: Mayu Mukaida (Japan) vs. Vinesh Vinesh (India): The 53-kilogram weight category is stacked, but one of the most interesting wrestlers could be Vinesh. She's a star on the rise, up a weight from 2018 and very determined to become India's first Olympic gold medalist. If she can take out Mukaida that would be the first step towards her Olympic goals. Stylistically it would also be a problem since Vinesh (and many Indian wrestlers) has a handful of moves that most opponents haven't trained to defend. Just look at Sarah Hildebrandt's match against Vinesh at the Dan Kolov. Freestyle: Outside of Snyderlaev III, I'm probably most excited to see Daton Fix match up against Zaur Uguev of Russia. While I certainly respect Uguev's title run last year, I feel like Daton can give him fits for seven minutes. No question Coach John Smith has Fix ready for all the major opponents, which will be an advantage since Uguev doesn't have a preponderance of recent footage on Fix, especially not against foreign opponents. Should Fix catch his rhythm early, or even catch the matchup with Uguev early, I like the style matchup and Fix's chances. Uguev can dog it, the question will be if Fix can turn up the heat. Forrest Molinari at the Final X: Lincoln press conference (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: What American (if any) will be a breakout star at the Worlds? What non-American will be a breakout star? -- Mike C. Foley: Breakout American star will be Forrest Molinari. She's wrestling 65 kilograms as the top seed and with pretty decisive wins over many of her opponents. There is a very good chance that she makes her way into the World finals and takes home the world championship. If she does so then I'm basing the breakout star moniker on the fact she'll give one hell of an interview backstage. On the international side I'd keep a close eye on 22-year-old Artur Naifonov of Russia. He won Euros last year but is making his World Championships debut at 86 kilograms. Maybe he's the answer to fill the Olympic weight behind Sadualev? Or maybe he'll be a dud. My bet would be on the former.

Chris Gonzalez wrestling Pat Smith in the finals of the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) As the final seconds ticked down, Chris Gonzalez found himself in an unfamiliar position. He was well on his way to winning his Bellator MMA debut in only his second professional fight, but he was also trapped in a triangle choke. His surprisingly game opponent Charlie Radtke, a Midwestern bison herder, had locked in the submission hold and rolled into the top position as part of a desperate attempt to steal the fight late. It has become almost cliche at this point to say that the grating slog of wrestling prepares fighters for adversity, but Gonzalez became the latest convert to handle that challenge and survive to the final bell. In the process, the 2016 Greco-Roman World Team member also improved to 2-0 as a professional MMA fighter. "I think in a few years we are going to look back and be like, 'It was crazy that we were matched up together like that.' I think he is a good fighter, and he has a bright future ahead of him. I want to go out there and fight some tough guys," Gonzalez reflected. "I got into a tough situation towards the end of the fight. I held on there and pulled out the victory. It was a great fight." If anything, Gonzalez's roundabout wrestling history may have uniquely prepared him for the transition into a simultaneous MMA career. After getting a late start in the sport, he bounced to a few collegiate programs before finally moving to Greco-Roman at the Northern Michigan Olympic Training Site. "I actually never made it to state for wrestling. I tore my knee my junior and senior year, so I ended up walking on at Northern Illinois University, which was a folkstyle Division I school, which was awesome. Coach [Dave] Grant and everybody up there was great, but I got a little overzealous. I ended up doing everything at the university other than my homework, and I failed out pretty quick. Then I went the junior college route. I went to Harper College for a little bit. I becamde an All-American there. From there I had to option of going back to a Division I school or try to pursue something bigger than that, which was the Olympics," Gonzalez said. "I always set my goals pretty high, and I was good at Greco. I went to Fargo in high school and was a multiple time All-American. I reached out to the head coach at Northern Michigan at the time, Rob Herman, and he got back to me right away, and he was super welcoming and he offered me a scholarship. When I completed my time at the NJCAA level I made my transition over to Greco." Gonzalez has been hunting for a trip to the Olympics ever since. He came the closest in 2016. He failed to make the Olympic team, but he earned the chance to represent the U.S. for the non-Olympic weight World Championships. To make the team, Gonzalez needed to get past multiple-time World Team member Pat Smith. "I wrestled him in the semis, I believe. I remember going out there and telling myself to just relax, just go out there and have fun," Gonzalez said. "I went out there and got into an over/under position and I think I ended up with a double underhook throw and I ended up catching him and pinning him." After making the team, Gonzalez had a short turn around before heading to Budapest for the World Championships. In an Olympic year, the schedule for the extra weights was condensed and abnormal. "I ended up taking eighth at the Worlds. I think I could have done a lot better, but it was kind of weird how it worked out. UWW came out with, decided to do the World Championships so last minute that I don't think that we were really prepared as a country for it," Gonzalez remembered. "I did not really have a training camp heading into Worlds. I was by myself running on a treadmill. Most of the guys at the Olympic Training Center were on vacation at that time, the coaching staff and team were not really around. I didn't really have a full camp going into it like I would have liked to, like all these other World teams get. I made the best of it. I got my workouts in, and I went over there and ended up taking eighth. I ended up losing in the quarters by criteria to the eventual bronze medalist. I scored the first two points. He scored a pushout and a caution. The final score was 2-2, but because he got the last score he ended up advancing. That was a tough pill to swallow, but it was a good experience." Chris Gonzalez after his victory at Bellator 221 (Photo/Bellator) In his mind, Gonzalez was already thinking about making the transition into MMA. Issues with the new coaching staff may have helped give him a push in that direction. "I was a resident at the Olympic Training Center for right around a year, I want to say, and then they decided that all the residents who were over a certain age could no longer be residents," Gonzalez explained. "They wanted to do more of a youth kind of movement, which kind of forced my hand. I was already transitioning to MMA as it was, but that was obviously like a game changer as well." Despite this tension, he appears to believe that the U.S. Greco program's focus on the youth movement could pay off in the near future. "I think they are headed in the right direction," Gonzalez said. "They have got some guys on the coaching staff who I think are really good. They are able to relate to some of these younger guys, and they bring a technical aspect as well. I think they are headed in the right direction." Even after making the transition into MMA and signing with a major promotion, Gonzalez has not given up hope for the 2020 Olympic Games. He fully intends to give it a shot when the Olympic Team Trials come around next year. "My focus is definitely on MMA right now," he explains. "I am definitely still going to compete next year. I will probably take a few months off heading into Olympic Trials to refamiliarize myself and give myself the best opportunity to make the team. Right now I am focusing strictly on MMA, but heading into the Olympic year, I plan on being one of the top guys and competing for that spot." Competing in two different sports at the same time is never easy. While there are obviously similarities between wrestling and MMA, there are also key divergences. Gonzalez competed at the 2019 U.S. Open with very little preparation and less than 15 days before his Bellator debut. "I went up a weight class for Nationals hoping that I could just win it there and then I would have a bye to the World Team Trials finals. That way I would not have to wrestle the very next week after my fight as well, but in the first match I ended up actually injuring myself a little bit and I ended up losing a close first match to a tough kid," he said. "So then I defaulted out of the tournament just so I could make sure that I could get back healthy for my fight. I went into that fight not really feeling 100 percent, and I still got the job done there. I mean, it was just one of those things. In hindsight, should I have gone to that tournament? Probably not, but I did it and we still got the W in the fight and it ended up working out. But the scheduling was tough for sure." The 2020 Olympic Games are still on the horizon, and they never seem to far from Gonzalez's mind. However, he will make his return to the Bellator cage this weekend. He faces Luis Vargas who has already fought for both Bellator and Combate Americas. "My mindset is the same pretty much heading into every fight, just go in there, assert myself, see the openings, don't force anything, take what is in front of me, keep the pressure on," Gonzalez said. "My goal is always win by stoppage, I plan on having the referee pull me off of him at some point throughout the fight, whether it is submission, rear-naked choke, or I am raining down elbows, I do not plan on the fight going the distance."

Jake Calhoun has been named the new head men's and women's wrestling coach at Lakeland University, Director of Athletics April Arvan has announced. Calhoun joins the Muskies coaching staff after spending the last four years as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He comes to Lakeland with 11 years of NCAA Division III coaching experience, as well as experience competing at the collegiate and national levels. "It's an incredible honor to be named Lakeland's Head Men's and Women's Wrestling Coach and I am thrilled to join the tight-knit community at Lakeland," said Calhoun. "It's extremely exciting being given the opportunity to take this wrestling program to the next level and develop a new Lakeland wrestling dynasty. I am fortunate to continue my passion for coaching this great sport and build a legacy of national collegiate wrestling success as I lead the Muskie wrestling program into the future. It's a dream for me to continue my journey teaching the life-skills I've learned through wrestling to the student-athletes of an institution with such respect and integrity as Lakeland." Calhoun has coached at five different Division III schools in all, including with the Pointers the last four years, where he coached six All-Americans in his tenure at his alma mater. He also coached at Messiah (Pa.) College, Muhlenberg (Pa.) College, State University of New York-Cortland and Gettysburg (Pa.) College, including one year as head coach at Muhlenberg, where he took over a team with just four wrestlers and built up the team's roster numbers quickly and also served as strength & conditioning coach. Calhoun also was a graduate assistant at Cortland State from 2011-13, and before that was an assistant at Gettysburg for one year. He also was a volunteer assistant at UW-Stevens Point for two years after completing his collegiate eligibility, where he competed for the Pointers, qualifying for the Division III national championships in 2007 and 2008. Calhoun was a three-time all-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree and conference champion at 125 lbs. in 2007, and after competing in college he also continued his career. He reached University Level All-American status in Greco-Roman wrestling and wrestled in the World Team Trials in June 2013 for a spot on the World Team. He also qualified to compete in the 2014 World Team Trials. Calhoun received his degree from UWSP in physical education with a health education minor and an emphasis in adventure and outdoor education. He also received his master's in recreational education from Cortland State. He is a native of Stevens Point and a graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High School, where he was a WIAA state qualifier and finished with school records in wins and pins. "I'd like to thank my family and friends as they've supported me over the years throughout my wrestling and coaching careers," said Calhoun. "I'm where I am today because of the ones I love and hold dear. A special thank you to all those I've coached with and coached under in the past. You've taught me so much and I will be forever grateful. I'd also like to thank my new Athletic Director April Arvan, and Coordinator of External Wrestling Operations Ben Chapman, as well as the rest of the hiring committee. They've brought me on staff, not only to build champions on the wrestling mat, but also to build champions in life, and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

GREENWOOD -- Lander head wrestling coach RC LaHaye announced the addition of Trung Duong as a full-time assistant to the wrestling staff on Tuesday. Duong, a 2017 graduate of Newberry College, was a two-time All-American for the Wolves during LaHaye's tenure there, finishing in the top-eight of the national tournament in 2016 and 2017. Duong then served as a graduate assistant coach for Ohio Valley during the 2017-18 season. "In my 12 years as a college coach, I've never coached a harder-working student-athlete than Trung," said LaHaye. "That relentless work ethic, along with countless other qualities, will carry over into the coaching field and he will be a huge asset for our wresting program and for Lander University." Duong earned his bachelor of fine arts degree in English and graphic design.

Minnesota high school state wrestling champion. Finalist at the 1956 NCAA wrestling championships who took on the legendary Dan Hodge. Three-time NCAA All-American and NAIA champ at Mankato State. Successful high school and college wrestling coach. Honored by at least a dozen halls of fame. Roy MinterAll of these describe Roy Minter, whose involvement in wrestling as an athlete and coach spanned five decades. Minter passed away Sunday, September 1 at a hospital in Willmar, Minnesota. He was 83. Roy Armond Minter was born March 25, 1936, in Owatonna, Minn. He attended Owatonna High School, winning a Minnesota state wrestling title as a senior in 1954. Minter then headed west to Mankato, where he was a student-athlete at what was once known as Mankato State University (now Minnesota State University-Mankato). Wrestling for famed coach Rometo "Rummy" Macias, Minter made a name for himself on the mats at Mankato. Among Minter's wrestling accomplishments included being a three-time conference champ, and winning an individual title at the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) national wrestling championships in 1958. Minter was also a three-time NCAA All-American wrestler, placing fourth at 167 pounds at the 1957 and 1958 Nationals ... and making it to the 177-pound finals at the 1956 NCAAs, where he was pinned by legendary "fall guy" Dan Hodge of University of Oklahoma. He also won three AAU national wrestling tournaments. Roy MinterIn his high school and collegiate wrestling career, Minter managed to put together an incredible overall record of 214-7-4. Minter also participated in football at Mankato, earning letters for three seasons as a center. After graduating from Mankato, Minter taught and coached football and wrestling at Worthington High School in Minnesota for ten years ... then moved to Willmar in 1968 where he taught and coached wrestling, football and baseball at Willmar Community College until retirement in 1992. Mike Schultz, who competed at Willmar Community College (now Ridgewater College) for Minter, wrote the following on Facebook: "I am going to miss you Roy Minter.... you were a great Coach/Friend/Role Model! We came in as boys and left as men because of you! Thank you for your guidance and friendship..... you will never be forgotten.... you will be forever loved Roy!! So proud to be known as one of Roy's Boys!! RIP Silver Fox!" Minter has been welcomed into a number of athletic halls of fame, including the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association's Dave Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame, and as a charter member of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Mass of Christian Burial for Roy Minter will be Thursday, September 5 at 9:30 a.m. at Church of St. Mary in Willmar. Visitation will take place Wednesday, September 4 from 5-7:00 p.m. at the church and continue one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Daton Fix won a gold medal at the Pan American Games (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The United States freestyle team is loaded with superstars. And this year is no exception. The U.S. won the team title at the 2017 World Championships before finishing second to Russia last year. The United States is expected to put another very strong, hungry and experienced team on the mat for the freestyle portion of the World Championships this month in Kazakhstan. With the number of weight classes growing from 8 to 10 last year, the U.S. brought even more firepower to the 2018 World Championships. The U.S. lineup is loaded once again and expect the American squad to make a run at the team title once again. This World Championships takes on added significance as it is the main qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. The top six finishers in each of the six Olympic weight classes qualify their countries for the Olympic Games. Here is a breakdown of the medal chances of each of the 10 USA wrestlers who will compete at the 2019 World Championships. 57 kilograms: Daton Fix Gold: 20 percent Medal: 40 percent Fix has been a fixture on age-group world teams for a number of years now. He's been a Junior world champion and a Cadet world medalist and is coming off a gold-medal showing at the Pan American Games. Fix is competing at his first Senior World Championships, but his experience on the world stage at the age-group levels will help him immensely this year. Fix certainly is good enough to win a medal in Kazakhstan. He knocked off Thomas Gilman, a 2017 world silver medalist, to make the American team. Fix is a tough wrestler who has performed well on the biggest stages in freestyle. He definitely has the capability to land a spot on the medal podium. 61 kilograms: Tyler Graff Gold: 15 percent Medal: 40 percent I'm giving Graff a decent chance to win a medal at his first Senior World Championships. The reason I am doing that is simple. He beat returning world bronze medalist Joe Colon to make the American team. Colon defeated returning world champion Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez of Cuba earlier this year. Rodriguez is ranked No. 1 in the world and Colon No. 2. Graff is coming off a bronze-medal finish at the Medved International where he lost to Russia's Artyom Gebekov before storming back to win a pair of bouts. Graff is a veteran who has waited a long time for this moment. He made two Junior world teams and a University world team. He's won nine international events in his career. Graff is an offensive-minded wrestler who can put points on the board. The key for him will be finishing on his attacks. He's also improved defensively. His progress was evident when he knocked off Colon. Now can he carry that momentum over onto the world stage? Zain Retherford will compete at the World Championships for the second time (Photo/Sandy Slater) 65 kilograms: Zain Retherford Gold: 25 percent Medal: 45 percent This is a weight class the U.S. hasn't fared well in on the Senior level for more than a decade. Zain Retherford could definitely change that. The past Cadet world champion and 2017 Senior world team member has had a heck of a season. He had to overcome some adversity before knocking off an excellent wrestler in two-time Cadet world champion Yianni Diakomihalis to make the U.S. team this year. Retherford is coming off a match he trained hard for and that bodes well for him heading into the World Championships. He's in peak condition and passed a tough test heading into the event. Retherford has wrestled well against foreign opponents and he definitely has the firepower to win a medal this year. He's as tough and hard-nosed as anyone he will face. 70 kilograms: James Green Gold: 35 percent Medal: 60 percent Green is a proven performer here, winning world bronze in 2015 and world silver in 2017. Green has had mixed results over the past couple of years, but he's definitely someone who has the capability to still put points on the board and beat the best wrestlers on the planet. Green's chances may increase even more since this is a non-Olympic weight class as countries put more emphasis on the Olympic divisions with this being a qualifier for Tokyo. Green also has become a strong defensive wrestler. He's tough to score on. He just needs to keep an aggressive mentality when he does have the lead. He is a guy caught in between Olympic classes, so this could be his best shot at winning a gold medal. If he gets on a roll, like he did in 2015 and 2017, there is no doubt he can land a spot on the medal podium this year. 74 kilograms: Jordan Burroughs Gold: 60 percent Medal: 80 percent The four world titles that Burroughs has won have come in the odd-numbered years of 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. It's 2019 so this could be the year Burroughs wins his fifth world title and ties John Smith's record of six World and Olympic titles. Burroughs is 31 now, but he's still wrestling at a high level. He lost to eventual champion Zaurbek Sidakov of Russia at the 2018 World Championships before coming back to beat two-time world champion Frank Chamizo of Italy in the bronze-medal match. Burroughs has shown a penchant for bouncing back strong after losses and expect him to be ready to turn in a strong performance at the World Championships. And it is an odd-numbered year, so I like his chances. Kyle Dake celebrates after winning his first world title (Photo/Sandy Slater) 79 kilograms: Kyle Dake Gold: 65 percent Medal: 85 percent Dake is a returning world champion and he's a guy you know is going to be in every match. He's an excellent wrestler, and he's also a very smart competitor who rarely makes a mistake. Dake did an amazing job in striking gold at his first World Championships in 2018. He missed significant time with an injury this season, but he came back strong to beat a very good wrestler in Alex Dieringer to make the U.S. Team. Dake has won his share of close matches during his career. His defense is excellent, and he also can score off his own attacks. The key for him will be to avoid those tight, low-scoring bouts that can go either way. Dake has always been a winner and he's proven himself now as a world champion. Even with the time he missed, Dake looks like he will be ready to turn in another memorable performance at the 2019 World Championships. 86 kilograms: Pat Downey Gold: 15 percent Medal: 35 percent Downey will compete here after returning world champion David Taylor suffered a season-ending injury. That obviously was a costly blow to the American team, especially with this being a qualifier for the Olympic Games. There is no doubt that Downey, a past Junior world silver medalist, is a talented and capable wrestler. The key for him will be how consistently he can perform over a number of matches. The U.S. has a long history of wrestlers doing well in their first trip to the worlds. Downey is hoping he can continue that tradition. 92 kilograms: J'den Cox Gold: 60 percent Medal: 80 percent Cox has shown he can deliver on the big stage, capturing Olympic bronze, world bronze and world gold over the past three years. He's a guy who doesn't receive the respect he deserves sometimes when overshadowed by other stars on the loaded American team. This weight class looks like the perfect fit for Cox and he showed that by winning worlds last year in Budapest. Cox is a clutch performer whose style isn't overly flashy. He's a tough, hard-nosed competitor who stays composed in big matches. I wouldn't bet against him. 97 kilograms: Kyle Snyder Gold: 50 percent Medal: 85 percent Snyder lost by a stunning first-period fall in the 2018 world finals against Russian star Abdulrashid Sadulaev a year after Snyder beat him in the 2017 world finals. Snyder has come back strong this season and he continues to show the maturity and composure of someone much older than his age. Snyder is still only 23, but he already has won an Olympic gold medal, two world titles and a world silver medal. He has an incredible resume for someone his age. Like Burroughs, Snyder is a tremendous competitor who has always come back after tough losses. And expect Snyder to do exactly that as he pursues his third world title. Nick Gwiazdowski chats with Bill Zadick at the Pan American Games (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 125 kilograms: Nick Gwiazdowski Gold: 35 percent Medal: 65 percent Gwiazdowski earned back-to-back world bronze medals in 2017 and 2018. Now he's ready to land a spot in the world finals. Gwiazdowski continues to be a tough matchup at heavyweight. He moves well for his size and his athleticism creates problems for his opponents. He is another guy who consistently knows how to perform when the stakes are highest. Gwiazdowski has had another strong season and he looks primed to have another good performance at his third World Championships. 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.

Sean Russell battles Iowa's Spencer Lee (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Former Gophers 125-pounder Sean Russell has joined the Minnesota Storm as he pursues a future in freestyle wrestling while staying in Dinkytown. Russell, a 2017 All-American with Edinboro, joined the Gophers the summer before the 2018-19 season. After joining the Gophers Russell was dominant at 125-pounds all season long finishing third at the Big Ten Championships at Williams Arena before a Bloodround finish at the NCAA Championships. Now it's time for Russell to focus on freestyle wrestling as he works towards success on the domestic and international scene. "I had a great final season of my career at Minnesota and I can't imagine a better place to pursue my freestyle wrestling career than here with the Minnesota Storm," Russell said. "Dustin Schlatter is an incredible coach plus the resources and training partners I'll have here in Dinkytown are unmatched." Russell joins an RTC that includes Gophers such as Tony Nelson, Jayson Ness, and Dylan Ness as well as world team competitors such as Hayden Zillmer. The group is coached by 2009 World Team Member Dustin Schlatter, another former Gophers great.

Frank Lignelli, whose connections to Clarion University athletics as a wrestler, coach and athletic director spanned from the end of World War II to 1990, passed away Sunday, September 1. He was 94. "He can truly be called the person responsible for Clarion's outstanding athletic tradition, and was the catalyst for the Golden Eagles' greatest successes for more than six decades," according to the school's official announcement. How Lignelli became that major force at Clarion is something of a happy accident. Upon completing his service in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1946, Lignelli was accepted to Penn State. "As was the custom then, Penn State asked Lignelli to attend California State for a year or two and then transfer to Penn State," said the Clarion tribute to Lignelli. "His transcripts, however, were mistakenly sent to Clarion University instead, and the long-time love affair between Lignelli and Clarion began." Frank LignelliAs a Clarion student-athlete, Lignelli earned four varsity letters as a wrestler at 175 pounds ... as well as receiving letters in football and baseball. After graduating from Clarion in 1950, Lignelli taught at North Versailles and Monongahela High Schools before returning to Clarion to teach and coach in 1957. An assistant football coach for the next 13 seasons, Lignelli restarted the wrestling program in the 1959-60 season, coaching for seven seasons. As head wrestling coach, Lignelli claimed a 69-11-1 overall record which included the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference) title in 1965. In 1966, he became Clarion's third athletic director, serving in that position for two decades. After taking a one-year sabbatical leave, Lignelli returned to serve as A.D. through December 31, 1990. During Lignelli's time as athletic director, Clarion athletic teams won 11 national championships, 59 PSAC titles, 22 PSAC runner-up finishes, 40 PSAC-West crowns, and numerous NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) district titles. For these achievements, Lignelli was welcomed into the NAIA and EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) Halls of Fame, the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, the PSAC Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors (NACDA) Hall of Fame. "We were deeply saddened to learn that Frank Lignelli has passed away," said Clarion Director of Athletics Dr. Wendy Snodgrass. "He devoted his life to making Clarion University a better place for all students and our especially our student-athletes, helping to give them the college experience that they deserve. In doing so, our programs enjoyed unprecedented success, and created a legacy that we all share pride in. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Joyce, his children Joy and Lee, and all other family and friends that were touched by his life." Visitation for Frank Lignelli will be held on Thursday, September 5 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Gobles Funeral Home in Clarion. The funeral will be held on Friday, September 6 at the First United Methodist Church in Clarion.

Dr. Bill Welker has plenty to share with the amateur wrestling community. The former wrestler/coach/official has been generous in sharing his knowledge and experience about the sport over the decades. Welker produced the classic instructional DVD titled The Pancake Takedown Series ... and continues to share his insights into wrestling in ongoing ways, as co-host with his son on The Rick Welker Show radio broadcast, and in his own "Mat Talk" column which appears in every issue of Wrestling USA magazine. If that weren't enough, Welker has found time to write books about the oldest and greatest sport. authored The Wrestling Drill Book , the classic instructional which earlier this summer earned an award at the 2019 Independent Press Awards Program. Just two years ago, Welker shared his life story on and off the mat in his 2017 memoir, A Sparrow's Spirit, which was declared winner in the sports category by the Beverly Hills Book Awards judges. Now Welker shares his passion for wrestling with a brand-new novel, A Wrestler's Curse, now available from RoseDog Books. Meet Bill Welker Welker -- widely known in the wrestling community as Billy -- was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania -- coal country -- where he was introduced to wrestling in third grade. He won a PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state title in 1963, following in the footsteps of his older brother Floyd (1959 champ) and a cousin Harold who won his PIAA crown at the Keystone State's very first state championship in 1938. Welker went on to be a teacher for 40 years, as well as serve as a wrestling coach and wrestling official, and was involved in crafting the rules for the sport. For all his contributions to wrestling, Welker has been welcomed into a number of wrestling Halls of Fame, including the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame, and National Wrestling Hall of Fame, West Virginia Chapter. Meet Jacob Christian, star student-athlete A Wrestlers Curse tells the story of Jacob Christian, a high-achieving young man in the classroom and in wrestling. On top of that, Jacob was "raised right" by loving, supportive parents who have instilled in him a strong moral compass, a well-developed spiritual sense, and sincere empathy for others. Oh, and Jacob has been diagnosed with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) which the novel describes as "an emotional anomaly that causes one to fixate on personal matters, be it positive or negative." As A Wrestler's Curse lays out in its opening pages, Jacob's father -- a former wrestler himself -- signed him up for youth wrestling in fifth grade. "Jacob -- having OCD -- took the sport very seriously," according to the novel, absorbing every word of his coaches' instructions, keeping a journal, and being passionate about drilling ... all key ingredients to his success in the sport. Welker has first-hand experience with OCD. "I've had OCD all my life," Welker told InterMat. "It's not curable. I'd describe it as being both a blessing and a curse. In terms of a blessing, it helps me make sure to stick with a project until it is completed. As a curse, well ... it can sometimes lead to negative thoughts." "I was blessed to have had a great therapist who helped me through it." "Writing is like wrestling" Bill Welker has been writing about wrestling for 45 years, beginning with the "Mat Talk" column for Wrestling USA magazine. He started work on his first book -- The Wrestling Drill Book -- in 2003. Even though A Wrestler's Curse is his first novel, Welker brings a lot of writing experience -- and wrestling knowledge -- to this new book. "Writing is like wrestling," said Welker, who now lives in Wheeling, West Virginia. "John Irving (former wrestler and author of the best-selling novel The World According to Garp) said that his wrestling background helped him with his writing. It's like drill work." "I've always thought that whenever you write about something, you should have a deep knowledge of the subject," according to Welker., who said he did considerable research for A Wrestler's Curse, especially concerning the various gyms and arenas where the wrestling action takes place. "I really enjoyed writing A Wrestler's Curse. Even though I had the ending figured out before I really started writing it, ideas came to me as I was putting it together, taking the story in different directions." Take the journey with Jacob Christian… A Wrestler's Curse takes the reader along the journey of Jacob Christian's life in wrestling and in the classroom as a youngster, high school student, and in college ... taking on the "coming of age" challenges that just about anyone can relate to in their own lives. The outcomes are sometimes amusing, sometimes heartbreaking ... but always genuine, and seemingly true to the main character's strong moral character. All that makes this young adult novel appropriate for most junior high and high school-age readers. What's more, A Wrestler's Curse is especially compelling for wrestlers and other young athletes. In addition to plenty of realistic, on-the-mat action, the book takes readers inside wrestling rooms and at competitive venues at the high school and college level to deliver a strong you-are-there perspective. Rob Koll, head wrestling coach at Cornell University, described A Wrestler's Curse as "an inspirational tale on confronting the various aspects of growing up and accepting responsibility for one's actions in life. It is a battle between a boy's human nature and his spiritual beliefs." Bob Ferraro, founder and executive director of the National High School Coaches Association, weighed in with his thoughts on Welker's novel, saying, "A Wrestler's Curse takes you on a journey on how some obstacles were overcome to achieve goals in both wrestling and life. A must-read for the wrestling community and those who love the thrill of competition." A Wrestler's Curse is available for purchase via Amazon. Individuals seeking a signed copy of Welker's new novel may email him at mattalkwv@hotmail.com.