InterMat Staff

Know that feeling that it's about time to upgrade your home? The wrestling program at University of Northern Iowa must have that same feeling ... as the Panthers has launched a crowdfunding project to upgrade its wrestling room in the school's storied West Gym, built in the 1920s, and home to some legendary wrestlers over the years such as Gerry Leeman, Bill Koll, Bill Smith, Keith Young, Bill Weick ... all the way to Drew Foster, 184-pound champ at the 2019 NCAAs, the program's first individual titlewinner since 2000. The main focus of that upgrade: new wrestling mats for the practice room. "When I first got the job nine years ago, I got these mats redone," Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Doug Schwab said. "I talked with coach (Dan) Gable before I got the job and I asked, 'What's important, what should I really look for,' and he said, 'the mats.' We are on these things every day." "A lot of blood, sweat and tears have been poured on this mat, and a lot of pain and suffering, but a lot of rewards also have been built in this room on these mats," Schwab continued in a video on the fundraising page which shows a close-up of a well-worn wrestling mat. "With all that work comes wear and tear and it is time for some new ones." The current mats are nine years old and well past their expected lifetime and the team is looking to Panther fans to help cover some of the cost. Wrestling fans can do their part to replace those well-worn mats with a contribution as little as $50, with levels of giving all the way up to $5,000. The goal for the project is to raise $15,000 within 30 days. To make a contribution, click here. A rendering of UNI's new practice mats

Joe Seay (Photo/National Wrestling Hall of Fame) Joe Seay, 1998 inductee into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his decades of involvement in the sport as a wrestler as well as a high school, college and freestyle coach, passed away Thursday. He was 80. Born in Altus, Okla. in April 1939, Joe Van Seay was a Kansas state champ for Wellington High School. He then wrestled at the now-defunct mat program at Kansas State University in Manhattan, where he was a three-time NCAA championships qualifier from 1962-64. In addition, Seay competed in international-style wrestling, earning three national Greco-Roman titles and placing second twice in national freestyle competition. Joey Seay celebrates (Photo/National Wrestling Hall of Fame) Seay launched his coaching career at Bakersfield South High School in California, where he compiled a record of 177-12-2 and was named national high school Coach of the Year. After eight years at the high school level, Seay moved up to collegiate coaching while staying in the same community, taking the helm at the then-brand-new Cal State Bakersfield wrestling program. In a dozen years at CSUB, he guided the Roadrunners to seven NCAA Division II national championships with a record of 189-56-2. In 1985, Seay then headed to Oklahoma State, where his Cowboys went 114-8-2, earning back-to-back Division I team titles in 1989 and 1990. With that, Seay became the first collegiate wrestling coach to claim both Division I and II team titles. In 1991, Seay was suspended by the Oklahoma State athletic director over reported violations of NCAA rules, ultimately paving the way for John Smith to become head wrestling coach... while Seay transitioned from collegiate coaching to coaching at the international level. Already closely affiliated with the Sunkist Kids program, he became their head coach and continued the club's unbroken streak of national freestyle championships. Joe Seay and Kevin Jackson coach Sammie Henson at the 2005 World Championships (Photo/Larry Slater) Seay coached Team USA to its first-ever Senior world freestyle championship in 1993 with gold medalists Bruce Baumgartner, Terry Brands, Tom Brands and Melvin Douglas and silver medalist Dave Schultz. He led the USA to the title again in 1995 with gold medalists Kurt Angle, Bruce Baumgartner, Terry Brands and Kevin Jackson and bronze medalists Douglas and Zeke Jones while also leading a Pan American Games victory in 1995. That success continued at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Seay's wrestlers won the medal count with a total of five freestyle medals -- three gold (Angle, Tom Brands and Kendall Cross), a silver (Townsend Saunders) and a bronze (Baumgartner). After that considerable success as a coach in international competition, Seay returned to the collegiate level in the early years of the 21st century, first as an assistant coach at the University of Virginia for two years starting in 2003 ... then heading up the mat program at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga for the 2005-06 season. For all his accomplishments, Joe Seay was welcomed to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. as a Distinguished Member in 1998. "Joe Seay is one of the most successful coaches in the history of our sport, coaching numerous individuals and teams to championships at the high school, college and international levels," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "After he stepped off the mat, he turned his passion and motivation towards coaching. "He was a very positive yet very competitive coach, who created an environment that helped a wrestler maximize his mental, physical and technical capabilities to succeed. You could not find a more friendly and caring person, who would give the shirt off his back to anyone in need." John Smith, legendary wrestler who is now head coach at Oklahoma State, said, "The passing of coach Seay leaves me with a heavy heart but also a heart full of gratitude. I had the opportunity to benefit from his unique coaching style. It truly helped me accomplish all of my hopes and dreams. His influence on athletes at every level he coached is spread out across this nation." UPDATE 7/23/19 A Celebration of Life to honor Joe Seay has been set for Saturday, Oct. 5 in California. For details, visit http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/22167

HARTFORD, Conn. --Trinity College has announced the hiring of Sebastian Amato as its head wrestling coach. Amato, who guided the Bantams to unprecedented success on the mat for 19 seasons before retiring from coaching in 2005, steps back into his former position 14 years later. Trinity won the New England College Conference Wrestling Association (NECCWA) title and the NECCWA Duals Championship crown under Amato's guidance. He replaces Marques Gales who left Trinity in May to become the head wrestling coach at Sacramento City College. "We are delighted to welcome Sebby Amato back to campus," said Director of Athletics Drew Galbraith. "Coach Amato's competitiveness, grit and tireless focus on developing the young men in the program will be a great match for current and future Bantams. We fully expect he will return the wrestling program to the levels of success the team saw in his first stint at Trinity." Sebby AmatoAmato coached Trinity to over 150 wins in dual matches from 1987 to 2005 and posted a 114-68-1 mark (.626) over his last eight seasons with the Bantams. In 2000-01, Amato was the New England Coach of the Year, as the Bantams captured Trinity's only NECCWA (now NEWA) championship. Trinity posted a best-ever record of 23-3, finished second in the NECCWA Championships, and won the NECCWA Duals title in 2002-03, earning the right to represent the conference in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) Duals Championships the following winter. Amato had over 50 All-New England honorees and 10 All-Americans in his first stint at Trinity. "I want to thank Athletic Director Drew Galbraith for this opportunity to return to coaching at Trinity. I love the sport of wrestling and I grew to love Trinity College over my first 19 years there," said Amato. "I left coaching to watch my kids grow up, and I have stayed active in wrestling as a youth coach and a parent until two years ago when my son graduated from WPI as an All-American." A successful amateur wrestler, Amato brings a vast amount of knowledge and experience to the Bantam wrestling program. Amato attended Western New England College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business marketing and captained the wrestling teams in his junior and senior years. Competing in the 142-pound weight class, he won a New England Championship title and qualified for the NCAA National Championships twice. Prior to Trinity, Amato served as an assistant coach at both Wesleyan University and Central Connecticut State University. He is a member of the NECCWA Hall of Fame, the Western New England University Athletic Hall of Fame, and the City of New Britain Athletic Hall of Fame. "Coach Gales did a great job bringing the program back to relevancy, and I want to continue rebuilding an atmosphere at Trinity where the guys just love to come to practice and to meets," Amato added. "We will have a diverse coaching staff with varying styles, and the wrestlers can take what works for them from all of us. My children are grown now and my wife is 100 percent on board with this decision. When I came back to campus, it truly felt like I had never left. I am so excited to get started." In 2018-19, Trinity posted three top-ten finishes against high-level competition in tournaments at Springfield College, Waynesburg College, and Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. The Bantams also placed seventh in the Headlock for Hunger NEWA Duals Championship Tournament and closed the year with a 14th-place finish in the NCAA Division III Northeast Regional Championships.

Daniel Cormier coaching Gilroy at the CIF State Championships (Photo/Tech-Fall.com) The honors keep piling up for Daniel Cormier. The current UFC heavyweight (265-pound) titleholder and former amateur wrestling champ was named first-ever Best MMA Fighter at the annual ESPY Awards Wednesday night at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Founded in 1993, the ESPY Awards honor the best achievements, moments and leading athletes of the previous year. This year's ESPY Awards show was the first to feature separate awards for MMA fighters and boxers. In the past, there was one award covering both sports. Cormier beat out fellow Best MMA Fighter nominees Amanda Nunes, Israel Adesanya, and Henry Cejudo, 2008 Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler who now holds both UFC flyweight (125-pound) and bantamweight (135-pound) titles. ESPY winners are determined by an online vote of fans. After being named the winner, Cormier shared his good news on Instagram: Daniel Ryan Cormier launched his pro mixed martial arts career in September 2009, compiling a 22-1-1 record. Just in the past 18 months, Cormier successfully defended his UFC light-heavyweight (205-pound) title at UFC 220, then went on to defeat Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title at UFC 226 to become a champion in two divisions at the same time, one of just four UFC fighters to ever accomplish that feat. He successfully defended his heavyweight title against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230. He would later voluntarily relinquish his light heavyweight belt after the UFC announced its plans to put that title up for grabs for the winner of the Jon Jones-Alexander Gustafsson rematch earlier this year. Prior to entering MMA a decade ago, Cormier made his presence known on the amateur wrestling mat. He was a three-time Louisiana high school state wrestling champion. After graduation, Cormier headed north to Colby Community College where he was a two-time NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) national champ at 197 pounds, in 1998 and 1999. Cormier then transferred to Oklahoma State University, where he was a two-time NCAA Division I championships qualifier, making it to the 184-pound finals at the 2000 NCAAs, losing to Iowa State's Cael Sanderson (now head wrestling coach at Penn State). After graduation, Cormier wrestled freestyle. Among his honors: bronze medalist at the 2007 World Championships, a two-time gold medalist at the Pan American Championships, and member of the U.S. men's freestyle team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Cormier remains connected to amateur wrestling, serving as coach at Gilroy High School in California. There's no rest for Cormier. Next month, the 40-year-old wrestler-turned-UFC champ will have a rematch with Stipe Miocic at UFC 241 in Anaheim, Calif. In two weeks, Cormier will be presented with the George Tragos Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. That award is presented "to an exceptionally competitive wrestler who adapted his wrestling skills and competitive nature to excel in mixed martial arts," according to the museum.

Matt Zwaschka coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Larry Radloff, D3photography.com photo) After serving for one season as interim head wrestling coach at UW-Whitewater, Matt Zwaschka has been selected to permanently fill the position starting this August, Interim Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Ryan Callahan announced. "Matt hit the ground running as interim head coach and the program didn't miss a beat, finishing among the top 10 in the nation for the second consecutive year," Callahan said. "He is committed to the athletic, academic and social wellbeing of his student-athletes. I'm excited that we've hired Matt on a permanent basis and look forward to working with him to improve the team and the experience for his student-athletes." In his first year at the helm of the program, Zwaschka helped the Warhawks finish seventh at the NCAA Championship behind six national qualifiers, the program's most since 2014. UW-Whitewater finished second at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships and third at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional. Zwaschka was selected as the Upper Midwest Region's Co-Coach of the Year. Individually, for the season, the team collected five conference championships, three regional titles and four All-America medals, including a national runner-up finish by Mike Tortorice (Wauconda, Ill./Carmel). Three Warhawks earned All-Academic accolades from the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Zwaschka previously served as an assistant coach for the Warhawks from 2005-11, working in all aspects of the program. He helped the team tie for 12th at the 2009 NCAA Championships and coached seven All-Americans, eight Academic All-Americans and six individual Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions. After leaving UW-Whitewater, Zwaschka was hired as head wrestling coach at the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2013, helping four Raiders reach the NCAA Championships during his five years at the helm. He coached one All-American and seven Academic All-Americans while overseeing all aspects of the program and serving as assistant director of recreation at MSOE. Zwaschka also worked as an assistant wrestling coach and assistant football coach at Port Washington High School during his tenure at MSOE. He was a physical education and health education teacher in the Port Washington Saukville School District from 2011-13. Zwaschka is currently the Junior Greco Roman National Team coach for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation, a position he has held since 2012. A native of Marshfield, Zwaschka wrestled at UW-La Crosse during his undergraduate career, earning four letters and claiming the WIAC championship and a spot at the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds in 2003. He earned his bachelor's in exercise and sports science (physical education) in 2003 and his master's in exercise and sports science in 2005 at UW-La Crosse.

Forrest Molinari advanced to the finals at 65 kilograms (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) ISTANBUL, Turkey -- World fifth-place finisher Forrest Molinari advanced to the gold-medal match on the opening day of the Yasar Dogu in Istanbul, Turkey. Molinari was one of two Americans competing on Thursday. The other American competing on the first day, two-time world medalist James Green, dropped his first match at 70 kilograms and was not pulled back into repechage. Molinari, who trains with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club, earned her spot in gold-medal match at 65 kilograms with a 7-3 victory over Alina Temirtassova of Kazakhstan. The 23-year-old American took a 4-0 lead into the break on the strength of an activity-clock point, step out and takedown. In the second period, Molinari earned a step out to go up 5-0. Temirtassova scored her first point off a caution to cut the deficit to 5-1. Molinari then responded with a takedown, and a short time later Temirtassova scored a takedown of her own to make the score 7-3, which how the match would end. Earlier in the day, Molinari picked up a 45-second fall over Rimma Russaeva of Kazakhstan. The finals are set for Friday at 5:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. ET). James Green dropped his first match to Haydar Yavuz of Turkey (Photo/Gabor Martin, United World Wrestling) Green, a 2017 world silver medalist and 2015 world bronze medalist, fell in his first match to Haydar Yavuz of Turkey, 4-2. Green scored first off the activity clock and led 1-0 at the break. But the Turk found a takedown early in the second period to grab the lead. Green scored a step out to inch closer with 90 seconds remaining. With Yavuz leading 2-2 on criteria, he scored another takedown in the closing seconds to seal the victory. Green was eliminated from the competition when Yavuz lost in the semifinals on criteria.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Mizzou Head Wrestling Coach Brian Smith has added one of the nation's top rising young coaches to his staff as Kendric Maple has joined the program as an assistant coach, subject to the completion of a successful background check per University policy, announced today by Mizzou Wrestling. Maple, a three-time All-American and 2013 NCAA Champion, comes to Mizzou after a successful two-year coaching stint at Nebraska where he coached five All-Americans and one NCAA Champion. Maple takes over the position that was left vacated by the departure of Joe Johnston, who took an associate head coaching job at Air Force earlier this month. Kendric Maple (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)"We're excited to welcome Kendric to Tiger Style and his success both as a coach and on the mat embody what Tiger Style is all about," head coach Brian Smith said. "Kendric is a US Freestyle champion and won an NCAA Title at Oklahoma, so he understands what it takes to win at the highest levels of our sport, and I know he can serve as a great teacher and mentor to our wrestlers. I expect him to have a profound impact on our team and I can't wait for him to get started in the room with us." "My family and I are very excited to have this opportunity to work with such a great program," Maple said. "Coach Smith has proven his ability to build student-athletes, both on and off the mat. I will greatly miss the staff and student-athletes at Nebraska, but I am looking forward to being able to work with this amazing program." Maple spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Nebraska, helping the Huskers to a ninth-place finish at the 2017-18 NCAA Championships and a 10th place finish last season. In 2017-18, he guided Chad Red Jr. to All-America honors at 141 pounds, as Red became NU's first All-American at that weight since 2004. Red again earned All-American honors at last year's NCAA Championships. Maple also helped Tyler Berger and Taylor Venz to All-America honors in 2018. At the 2019 NCAA Championships, he helped coached Berger to a second-place nod at 157 pounds as well. Prior to joining the Nebraska staff, Maple spent one year at Purdue as an assistant coach, where he helped lead three Boilermakers to the 2017 NCAA Championships. While there, he worked alongside new Mizzou Associate Head Coach Tyrel Todd, who joined Mizzou earlier this summer after a very successful career at Purdue. Maple's coaching career began at his alma mater, Oklahoma, where he was a volunteer assistant from 2014-16. During his two seasons on staff, Maple coached former teammate Cody Brewer to the 133-pound title at the 2015 NCAA Championships. In 2016, Maple helped Brewer claim his fourth All-America honor with a third-place finish at 133 pounds at the NCAA Championships. Maple also played a key role in Ryan Millhof's 2016 Big 12 title run and All-America finish at 125 pounds. Maple was one of the most successful wrestlers in OU history, as he won three All-America awards and posted a 127-25 (.836) career record from 2010-14. His 127 wins rank sixth all-time at Oklahoma. Maple concluded his 2012-13 season by claiming the 141-pound NCAA title and finishing a perfect 31-0. The following year, after moving to 149 pounds, Maple became OU's 25th three-time All-American after placing eighth at the NCAA Championships. He took fourth in 141 pounds in 2012. Off the mat, Maple was named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division I At-Large Team in 2014. Additionally, he was a three-time NWCA All-Academic Team member (2012, 2013, 2014), a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2013, 2014) and a second-team Academic All-Big 12 selection (2012). He also won the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, as well as the Big 12 Dr. Prentice Gautt Postgraduate Scholarship. Maple continued to see success in freestyle wrestling following the completion of his college career. He was a member of the United States team in 2018 that won the UWW Freestyle World Cup for the first time since 2003. Maple is a two-time U.S. Freestyle Open Men's finalist (61 kg), winning the title in April 2017. He also won the 61 kg title at the 2017 Medved International. Maple was a finalist in the 61 kg at the 2017 U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials. He was the runner-up at the 2015 U.S. Open, as he qualified for the U.S. Freestyle World Team Trials, where he earned a fourth-place finish. Originally from Wichita, Kan., Maple earned his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma in health and exercise science in May 2013. He received his master's degree in adult and higher education, with an emphasis in intercollegiate athletic administration from OU in May 2015. Maple and his wife, Jordin, have two sons, Kiner and Kyro.

Jack Gause (right) and Grant Nelson St. Cloud State University mourns the recent passing of Jack Gause, who helped establish the Huskies' wresting program as the team's first head coach in 1949-50. A U.S. Navy veteran, commercial diver and a longtime wrestling coach and official, Gause was born in 1930 in Portland, Oregon. He moved to Minneapolis in 1931 and later moved to Robbinsdale in 1939. He attended St. Cloud State from 1949-50 and coached the Huskies' first wrestling team that season. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and later returned to SCSU and obtained a master's degree. Gause went on to teach math and coach wrestling at Columbia Heights High School. In addition to his teaching and coaching duties, Gause became involved with the international officiating of wrestling. In 1970, Gause was made the head of officials for the United States AAU program and from 1970 to 1976, Gause officated the Pan-American games and four World Cups. He also refereed seven World Tournaments and the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. A longtime resident of Plymouth, Minn., Gause was inducted into the SCSU Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009. The SCSU Wrestling Hall of Fame is named in the honor of Jack Gause and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Minnesota Chapter in 2015. The award presented to the wrestler with the most pins at the annual Husky Open tournament at SCSU is also named in honor in Gause. A celebtation of Gause's life will be held on Thursday, July 18 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Plymouth Creek Center (14800 34th Avenue N. Plymouth, MN . 55447).

Two years after announcing his plans to launch a career in mixed martial arts -- and 13 months after his MMA debut -- Kyle Crutchmer has signed with Bellator MMA, the Oklahoma State two-time NCAA All-American wrestler revealed on social media Wednesday afternoon. Here's what Crutchmer posted on his Facebook page: Kyle Crutchmer signs his Bellator contract"My whole life I wanted to be a professional athlete! As of today that dream has come true! I am officially signed with @bellatormma ! #letsgetthismoney #bestintheworld" Since making his MMA debut in June 2018, Crutchmer has fought within the Xtreme Fighting League in his native Oklahoma. The 26-year-old former Cowboy wrestler has compiled a 4-0-0 record, with two wins by submission, one by technical knockout, and one unanimous decision... all in the welterweight (170-pound) weight class. Crutchmer has been training with UFC heavyweight champion and former Oklahoma State All-American wrestler Daniel Cormier at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. Wrestling for Oklahoma State, Crutchmer was a two-time NCAA All-American, placing fifth at 174 pounds at the 2015 NCAAs, and seventh in this same weight class at the 2017 NCAAs. In addition, the Tulsa native was twice a Big 12 conference champ. He graduated from the Stillwater school in spring 2017. Crutchmer's debut in the Bellator MMA promotion has yet to be announced.

Two highly accomplished former University of Northern Iowa wrestlers -- Don Parker, and Dr. Justin Greenlee -- are among the former athletes who are members of the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2019, the school announced Tuesday. The 2019 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place Saturday, Sept. 21, at 10 a.m. in the McLeod Center on the UNI campus. In addition, the Hall of Fame class will also be presented at halftime of the football game as the UNI Panthers host Idaho State later that day at 4 p.m. in the UNI-Dome. Don Parker Don Parker was a two-time NCAA Division II national champion at 177 pounds for Northern Iowa, winning back-to-back titles in 1966 and 1967. In addition, Parker was a three-time NCAA All-American. He won a pair of NCC (North Central Conference) titles and was named the NCC Outstanding Wrestler for the 1966 season. Parker launched his collegiate coaching career at Upper Iowa University from 1973-1977 before moving on to University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where he coached for 32 seasons where he coached 12 All-Americans and 18 conference champions before retiring in 2007. Despite being paralyzed in a hunting accident in 1998, he continued to coach for another 10 seasons. In addition to being welcomed into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame this fall, Parker has already been inducted into the D2 Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame at the Dan Gable National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Waterloo, Iowa. Dr. Justin Greenlee Recipient of UNI's Merlin Taylor Academic Hall of Fame Award for 2019, Dr. Justin Greenlee was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American and a two-time NCAA tournament finalist in his last two years as heavyweight wrestler at the University of Northern Iowa. Greenlee also ranks third in victories in school history. In addition, Greenlee earned a gold medal at the 1993 Pan America Games. He is a member of the Glen Brand Hall of Fame and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame. Beyond wrestling, Justin Greenlee graduated Cum Laude from UNI with a B.S. in biology and a minor in chemistry. He earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1999 from Iowa State and a Ph.D. in veterinary pathology. Greenlee is a research veterinary pathologist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Virus and Prion Research Unit at the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa. In addition to Parker and Greenlee, other 2019 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame honorees include the 2009-10 men's basketball Sweet-16 team, former women's basketball coach Tony DiCecco, football great Eddie Berlin, women's basketball player and national championship coach Kris Huffman, and outstanding track athlete Diana Leftridge. What's more, longtime Panther supporter and Panther Scholarship Club Executive Committee Member Stan Lorenz will be honored with the Dr. Jitu Kothari Meritorious Service Award.

Lonnie Morris coaching at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships MANHEIM, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to announce the Division III Hall of Fame Class of 2019 presented by Defense Soap. This year's class is comprised of two former student-athletes and four coaches. The athletes are John Gemmel (Ithaca College) and Tim Jacoutot (The College of New Jersey) while the coaches are Phil Grebinar (Worcester Polytechnic Institute), Leo Kocher (University of Chicago), Lonnie Morris (Johnson & Wales University), and Donny Wichmann (Augsburg University). NWCA 2019 Convention Details "The Hall of Fame Class of 2019 is an outstanding group who have helped advance our sport through their tireless efforts. It is our honor to help in recognizing them on this honor and we are excited to bring the Hall of Fame to the NWCA Convention and plan on a wonderful evening celebrating these former athletes and coaches." Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. ATHLETES The athletes from this year's class, Gemmel and Jacoutot combined for an impressive 7 All-American finishes, 6 Finals appearances, and 4 National Championships. John Gemmel (Ithaca College, 1994-98) had an impressive career at 126 lbs while wearing a singlet for the Bombers, capturing 3 All-American honors. Gemmel made appearances in an outstanding 3 NCAA Finals and capped his senior campaign with a National Championship in 1998. Tim Jacoutot (The College of New Jersey, 1984-88) while competing at 118 for the Lions roared his way to 4 NCAA All-American honors with a Third-Place finish to go along with his 3 National Titles. Jacoutot was twice named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA Championships and posted a career .915 winning percentage with a 130-12 record. COACHES The four coaches in the Class of 2019 have a combined 100 plus years of coaching experience. This stat means each of these men has given a very large portion of their lives in the service of wrestling and to better the lives of their athletes. Coach Phil Grebinar (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 1975-2005) had an impressive run at the helm of the Engineers' program going 414-161-7 (.717) which currently puts him #24 in All-Time Dual Wins for all divisions and #6 in Division III. His athletes excelled on the mat winning four New England Tournament Championships while 35 wrestlers captured individual titles and 195 earned All-New England honors. Grebinar coached 11 NCAA All-Americans, 19 Scholar All-Americans and was named the New England Coach of the year 3 times. Not just a coach, Grebinar also spent 45 years as an NCAA referee. Coach Leo Kocher (University of Chicago, 1978-present) continues to guide the Maroons' of the “Windy City” and during his tenure, he has guided 23 All-Americans, 4 National Finalists, 2 National Champions and 1 Most Outstanding Wrestler. Kocher's squads have also excelled within the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference winning 17 team championships while 125 of his wrestlers have brought home UAA individual titles, 9 of whom won the UAA Most Outstanding Wrestler award. Coach Lonnie Morris (Johnson & Wales, 1997-Present) has built quite the program while at the helm of the Wildcats. His squads have won 349 duals which moved Morris into the Top 50 Duals Win list for all divisions. Morris has won 7 Regional Coach of the Year Awards and twice been named the NWCA National Coach of the year (2017 & 2019). He has coached 34 regional champions, 28 All-Americans, and a 2-time National Champion. His squads have shown that they are committed to their academics with 50 Academic All-Americans and the 2011 Team Academic National Championship. Coach Donny Wichmann (Augsburg University 1990-2007, 2008-2009) was a long-time assistant of the Auggie program helping capture the program's first National Championship in 1991 before winning 9 more. In addition to the 10 National Titles during his 19 years, Augsburg also captured 13 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Tournament Titles, 14 MIAC Team Duals Titles, and amassed 134 Individual All-Americans and 34 National Champions. EVENT DETAILS The Division III Hall of Fame banquet which in the past has been held the night before the NCAA Championships will this year be at the NWCA Convention in Fort Lauderdale, FL. The Class of 2019 will be celebrated on Saturday, August 3 in the Atlantic Ballroom at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina. Doors for the event are scheduled to open at 5:30 pm with the reception/social kicking off at 6:00 pm before the program begins at 7:00 pm. Those interested in purchasing tickets can visit www.nwcaonline.com/d3banquet or can pay at the door.

Jared Frayer coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) BLACKSBURG -- Head coach Tony Robie announced Wednesday that Jared Frayer, who enters his third season with the Virginia Tech wrestling program, will be promoted to associate head coach. Since his return to coaching in 2017-18, Frayer has developed a national reputation as an ace recruiter and has played a critical role in continuing the Hokies' run of consistent success nationally and in the ACC. "I am excited to announce Jared's promotion to associate head coach. He is very deserving of the title," said Robie. "In a relatively short time with Virginia Tech wrestling, he has made a significant impact on every area of our program. The future is very bright and Coach Frayer has played a major role in creating that." This past season, Frayer played a critical role in mentoring Mekhi Lewis, who won a 2018 Junior World title in freestyle competition and a 2019 NCAA championship, the first in program history. Frayer traveled with Lewis to Slovakia for the Junior World championships where he won a gold medal at 74 kg in his first international freestyle tournament. During the college season, Frayer worked closely with Lewis again on his way to winning the national title at 165 pounds. Along with Lewis, Frayer coached two other All-Americans and ACC Champions in David McFadden and Zack Zavatsky. The Hokies finished in the top 11 at the NCAA Championships for the eighth consecutive season and placed in the top two at ACCs for the seventh straight year. This year's recruiting class that Frayer helped gather was a consensus top five ranked recruiting class in the nation. Frayer helped lead Tech to the 2018 ACC championship in his first season in Blacksburg. He coached three All-Americans and five ACC champions in a year where the Hokies finished 10th at nationals.

Teague Moore coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) WASHINGTON -- American University wrestling head coach Teague Moore has agreed to a new four-year contract, the athletic department announced today. Moore's contract will run through the 2023 season, according to director of athletics and recreation Dr. Billy Walker. He recently completed his eighth season as the Eagles' head coach, directing AU to a 7-4 dual-meet record. "I'm tremendously excited to announce that we have come to terms with AU Head Wrestling Coach Teague Moore for a new contract," said Walker. "Teague is an exceptional coach and role model to our student-athletes, both on and off the mat. Not only have his wrestlers experienced great competitive success, but they've performed superbly in the classroom. AU wrestlers have been recognized each of the last six years for a top-ten GPA nationally -- finishing second in the nation this year. "This success can be attributed to the superb mentoring of Coach Moore and his staff. He cares deeply about the character development of each of his student-athletes and ensures it's a priority in his program. I couldn't be happier to announce that Teague, Mary and their four children will remain Eagles well into the future!" While at American, Moore has coached three All-Americans, 28 NCAA qualifiers, two individual champions in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association and 41 place-winners at the EIWA Championships. "My thanks to Dr. Walker, Athena Argyropoulos, and Clint Musser for supporting our program and what we do," said Moore. "We continue to strive for excellence both on and off the mat. In the coming years, I want AU Wrestling to earn success within the EIWA and at the NCAA's while maintaining our proven success in the classroom." National-level academic success has also become a signature of Moore's program at American. His teams have finished among the top 10 in the nation at NCAA Division I programs in seven seasons, including a second-place finish this year. He has coached 23 Eagle wrestlers who have earned spots on the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team. Moore is a former NCAA national champion, having won the title for Oklahoma State in 1998. He was also an All-American in 1997 and 1999. He is a 1999 graduate of OSU in history.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Queens University of Charlotte Head Men's Wrestling Coach Rob Tate has announced the hiring of Paul Bradley as Assistant Men's Wrestling Coach for the upcoming 2019-2020 campaign, the Royals' second season in Division II and the program's third overall. Paul Bradley"Paul has competed at the highest level in everything he's done," said Tate. "He's got great passion for both the sport and for teaching kids. He will be an invaluable asset as the program continues to grow, especially in the upper-weight divisions. I'm thrilled to have Paul joining us and I can't wait to see him work." Bradley comes to Queens after spending the last 13 years in California as a professional MMA fighter and the owner of USA Ultimate Warrior Wrestling Club. As a freelance fighter, Bradley competed in several MMA promotions such as UFC, Bellator MMA, Strikeforce, Shark Fights and King of the Cage. While simultaneously juggling his work as owner of his wrestling club, Bradley oversaw practices, techniques and drills, and brought in high-level clinicians for advanced training purposes. A 2006 graduate of the University of Iowa, Bradley quickly began his coaching career as Assistant Wrestling Coach at Indiana University. He then became the Assistant Head Wrestling Coach at University of Buffalo in 2007 where he designed a variety of trainings for student-athletes and served as the head of team recruiting. "First and foremost, I would like to thank Coach Tate for bringing me on, as well as all the staff involved in my hiring process," said Bradley. "I'm excited to begin building a rich athletic tradition with our current and future student-athletes. I appreciate everyone at Queens University of Charlotte for welcoming me with open arms, and I look forward to this new opportunity." Competing in the hotbed of Division I collegiate wrestling, Bradley was a Big Ten runner-up, three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time All-American at 184 pounds while at Iowa. A four-year letterman and three-time team captain, he earned the Team Toughness and Most Improved Wrestler Awards in 2004 and then the Mike McGivern Most Courageous Wrestler Award in 2005. In 2006, he was selected as the recipient of the Coaches Appreciation Award following his senior season. Bradley also earned four separate wrestling scholarships, including the Marv and Mary Cecak Memorial Scholarship in 2001, the William and Kay Pitlik Wrestling Scholarship in 2004, the Gary Kurdelmeier Wrestling Scholarship in 2005, and finally the Iowa Style Wrestling Scholarship in 2006.

ASHLAND -- Joel Gibson, a longtime Southern Oregon University assistant and former Raider All-American, has been chosen to lead the SOU women's wrestling program, Director of Athletics Matt Sayre announced Monday. Joel GibsonGibson will become the first full-time head coach for the team, which completed its fourth season in 2018-19. Since finishing his collegiate career with the Raiders in 2007, he's spent a total of eight seasons on Mike Ritchey's men's wrestling staff, including the last two as the head assistant. Between stints at SOU, he was Phoenix High School's head wrestling coach from 2014-17. "I'm extremely excited about the opportunity," Gibson said. "The program is still in its infancy stages and we've experienced some success, but I have very high expectations about where we can go from here both athletically and academically. I feel our team has a lot of potential and can't wait to see what this next year brings." A product of North Medford High, Gibson was initially a wrestling letterwinner at Oregon State University, from which he earned a bachelor's degree in liberal studies with an emphasis in history. He competed for SOU at 165 pounds during the 2006-07 season, serving as a team captain and receiving SOU's Dan Speasl Most Inspirational Award after a seventh-place finish at the NAIA Championships. Gibson collected another degree in health and physical education from SOU and in 2011 graduated magna cum laude with a master's degree from the same department. He began his coaching career under Ritchey in 2007 while continuing his schooling. With the Raiders, he's contributed to 10 individual NAIA national championships and 31 total All-American performances. While at Phoenix, he produced two girls state champions, eight boys state placers, and six freestyle and Greco-Roman state placers. A freestyle coach for the 2019 Oregon Women's Cadet and Junior National Team, Gibson has earned Copper and Bronze coaching certifications from USA Wrestling. Gibson married SOU alumna Ricci (Coultas) Gibson, a former Raider softball player, in 2013. The couple reside in Medford with their daughter, Henley, and son, Everett. "We're confident Joel will bring structure and high standards to the program, both on the mat and in the classroom," Sayre said. "He presented a coherent plan for developing the whole student-athlete, from recruitment to graduation. He will also develop the SOU women's wrestling team's potential to compete for Cascade Conference and NAIA championships." In four trips to the Women's College Wrestling Association Championships, the Raiders have placed 10th, 11th twice and 12th in the team point standings. At the inaugural NAIA Invitational in March, they took eighth with one All-American after going 9-8 in dual matches. In June, the Cascade Conference announced that it would pick up wrestling as its eighth official women's sport starting with the 2019-20 season. The circuit will initially include SOU, Eastern Oregon, Life Pacific (Calif.), Menlo (Calif.), Providence (Mont.), Simpson (Calif.) and Warner Pacific, with Corban set to launch its program in 2020-21.

Donny Wichmann, NCAA Division III All-American wrestler and long-time assistant coach for Augsburg University, will be welcomed into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame during a ceremony in August in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the Minneapolis-based school announced Monday. The induction ceremony will take place on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. Eastern at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina in Fort Lauderdale to coincide with the 2019 NWCA Annual Convention at the same hotel. In addition to the official Florida ceremony next month, there will be a closer-to-home celebration to honor Donny Wichmann this Saturday, July 13 from 4-8 p.m. Central at Finnegans Brew Co. at 817 5th Avenue South in Minneapolis. There will be a cash bar and food trucks will be on-site. Considered one of the top middleweight wrestlers in Augsburg history, Wichmann won 137 matches in his Auggie career, claiming three MIAC (Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) individual titles -- 1986 and 1987 at 142 pounds, and 1989 at 150 pounds -- while earning MIAC Tournament Most Valuable Wrestler honors in both 1987 and 1989, and the most falls award in 1987. Wichmann earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish at 150 pounds in the 1989 NCAA Division III National Championships. After completing his on-the-mat career, Wichmann served as an Augsburg men's wrestling assistant coach for 19 seasons. Teams he coached won 10 NCAA Division III national titles, while finishing second seven times, third once and fourth once. In addition, with Wichmann on the coaching staff, the Auggies could claim 134 Division III All-Americans and 34 individual national champions. Four years ago, the start of Wichmann's toughest challenge … In late summer 2015, Donny Wichmann received heartbreaking news: he had been diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. Since that diagnosis, Wichmann has undergone surgery to remove the golf-ball-sized tumor from the right size of his brain. After the successful surgery, Wichmann has undergone radiation and chemotherapy treatments to stop the growth of this aggressive brain cancer. A GoFundMe page has been established to help Donny, his wife Mindy, and their family with various expenses. Want to know more about Donny Wichmann? Check out this 2015 InterMat feature story about the Wichmanns and their battle against glioblastoma.

You've undoubtedly heard of Wayne Baughman. The former University of Oklahoma wrestler owns the distinction of having won 16 national titles during his career in four different styles of wrestling (collegiate, freestyle, Greco-Roman, and sambo). He was also a member of the 1964, 1968, and 1972 U.S. Greco-Roman Olympic teams. Beyond his career as a wrestler, Baughman coached the 1976 freestyle Olympic team to six medals ... and served as head wrestling coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy for 27 years, retiring in 2007. All that said, Baughman also has a lasting legacy that can't be matched, having served as the model for the U.S. Air Force Monument which has been on display in downtown Oklahoma City for nearly 55 years. Standing tall in OKC Located in downtown Oklahoma City, the U.S. Air Force Monument is in Kerr Park on Broadway -- a major north-south street -- about halfway between two well-known landmarks in Oklahoma's capital city: Chesapeake Energy Arena (site of past NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships) ... and the Oklahoma City National Memorial which honors the victims of the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building which killed 168 people and injured hundreds more. At the heart of the monument is a bronze statue features a 12-foot-tall nearly-naked male figure ... which is modeled after Wayne Baughman. In his right arm, he's cradling a Department of the Air Force seal; his left arm is reaching skyward, holding a sword. That sculpture sits on a granite base, with a 65-foot tall granite obelisk behind the bronze statue topped with a bronze bald eagle. In the monument's base is a time capsule, scheduled to be opened in 2089, 200 years after Oklahoma City was founded. The monument was dedicated in October 1964. After enduring four decades of weather (and, according to Baughman, damage from the Murrah Building bombing), the monument underwent a $110,000 restoration in 2002 and was rededicated in early July 2003. How did Baughman the wrestler become immortalized in bronze? "It was kind of interesting how the modeling job came about," Baughman told InterMat. "I made a world championship team straight out of college and was gone for seven weeks. When I returned I got a call from the OU (University of Oklahoma) Sports Information Director, Harold Keith. Harold said he had a gotten a call from a sculptor, Leonard McMurry, saying that he had been commissioned to do an Air Force monument for downtown Oklahoma City. He was looking for a model and wondered if OU might have a football player that would be willing to model; but he was looking for a very specific physique. Since the USAF (United States Air Force) was moving into the 'space age,' he was looking for a longer, leaner, muscular build rather than a stockier, bulky build." "Harold told him, 'I don't have a football player who comes to mind but I have a wrestler who I believe is exactly what you're looking for,'" Baughman continued. "Harold gave me Leonard's number. I called and Leonard reiterated that he was looking for a specific build and that I shouldn't get my feelings hurt if I was not what he was looking for. We made an appointment to meet the following Saturday. He took one look at me and said, 'Yup, you're what I'm looking for.'" McMurry's offer appealed to Baughman, who had graduated from Oklahoma in 1963. "He said he would pay $4.95 an hour and I would make around $500," said the Sooner mat alum, who won the 191-pound title at the 1962 NCAAs. "The minimum wage back then was a $1.25 and $4.95 was more than I was making as a Second Lieutenant. He said most of the work would be accomplished over the summer, on weekends and evenings and he could work around my schedule." The sculptor and the wrestler Leonard McMurry was born in 1913 in Memphis, Texas. According to Baughman, McMurry had fought in France in World War II ... then, after the war, stayed in Europe to study art before returning home to become a farmer. "He struggled to make it as a farmer and was doing sculpture on the side to make ends meet," Baughman continued. "He finally gave up farming and went to doing sculpture full time." Prior to being selected to create the Air Force Monument, McMurry had already created large, three-dimensional artworks in Oklahoma, including Buffalo Bill sculpture at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, and the praying hands sculpture at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa. Wayne Baughman remembers his introduction to his modeling career as if it were yesterday. "When I arrived for the first day's work, Leonard already had a 12-foot frame of 2x4s and pipe for the full- size statue," the former wrestler told InterMat. "I thought this would be easy money, just standing there while he did his thing. Wrong! He had me helping him mix water and powder into clay in big garbage cans. Then we just globbed the clay onto and the wood-and-pipe-frame until it started to form the shape of a man. Now the true shaping began. All I had to do was pose and he started the details. Posing was just standing there. No big deal, huh? Wrong. The twisted position I was in with one foot on a globe, the USAF disk seal in one hand and holding a winged sword aloft in the other was difficult to get and stay in for more the 3- 5 minutes at a time before cramping and becoming exhausted. A 1-3 hour session was like a wrestling workout." Baughman continued to share details of the posing/sculpting process. "The man at the base of the monument is 12 feet tall. That worked out well because I was a little over 6 feet tall and his working model was 3 feet. "Leonard had a caliper instrument so all he had to do was set it at 50%. If he put the small end on my arm, then the large end was what the full-size statue arm should be. If he put the large end on my arm the other end was what the working model should be." Once Leonard McMurry had finished sculpting the 12-foot man -- along with the eagle that would be mounted further up on the granite spire -- both were sent to Mexico City for bronze casting. Ready for the world Wayne Baughman next to the U.S. Air Force Monument"The unveiling of the monument took place on Oct. 19, 1964 while I was at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics so I missed the big event. My pregnant wife, two-year-old son and parents were able to attend. I have to admit that I was impressed with the size and magnitude of the work the first time I viewed it." After nearly four decades being out in the weather -- and suffering the ravages of being in the heart of a major city -- it was time to bring the monument back to its original condition. The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce headed up fundraising efforts to generate the $110,000 to complete the restoration process in 2002 ... with a rededication ceremony held in early July 2003. "This monument is symbolic of humanity's conquest of sky and space and symbolic of the cooperation between the people of Oklahoma City and the United States Air Force," said Burns Hargis, chairman of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and master of ceremonies for the rededication. "Today we're rededicating this Air Force Monument which was created as a memorial to those Oklahomans and Air Force people who died while serving their country ensuring that this great Constitution of ours and our freedom shall not perish," said Maj. Gen. Charles Johnson of Tinker Air Force Base and one of the rededication speakers. Baughman's lasting memento of the monument-making process Beyond the lasting memories of the posing process -- and being able to see the actual monument in the heart of Oklahoma City -- Wayne Baughman sought to have an actual memento of the sculpture. "I asked Leonard if I could buy his 3-foot working model," the three-time Olympic wrestler said. "It was made of 'marble dust' but looked like real bronze. He said that he never sold his working models but would have one cast for me for the casting fee only. It was $250 but that was more than I could afford at the time, even with what he'd paid me, which had already been spent of family expenses." "I stayed in touch with Leonard. Every time I got back to Oklahoma City I would visit him. Each time the casting price of the 3-foot model had gone up. Then one visit he said there was a new bronze foundry in Oklahoma City and they were 'courting' him as a client. He said he could get me an actual bronze casting for $800 with $400 down and the balance on delivery. I gave them the deposit and then the waiting started. About every three months I'd call and check and it wasn't ready. I finally told Leonard to just get my deposit back. He informed me that that was what they were hoping I would do because they got much busier, and 'under-priced' the job. Leonard told the foundry that they'd get no more business from him until I got my bronze and within about six weeks I had it." "For many years I had the statue in my office in an out of the way corner," said Baughman. "A visitor said it should be in the main 'Great Room' area of our home and my wife agreed, so that's where it is now. The 'Winged Sword' sticking up is a little dangerous so it's in a corner out of any traffic area. My wife tells me that the only thing I resemble about the statue now is the ingrown toenails. That's how much detail Leonard put into his work." Sadly, Leonard McMurry passed away in 2008, at age 94. But one of his greatest creations -- the U.S. Air Force Monument -- lives on in downtown Oklahoma City ... and in the memory of the wrestler who posed for bronze statue at the heart of it, Wayne Baughman. Thanks to Wayne Baughman for his willingness to share his memories of being part of the monument-making process ... and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for providing photos.

Colby Singletary, two-time Florida state wrestling champ -- and brother of Chase Singletary, heavyweight starter for Ohio State wrestling -- was killed in a single-vehicle crash Saturday evening. Colby Singletary (Photo/Naples Daily News)The 18-year-old rising senior at Palmetto Ridge High School was driving his 2016 Kia Sportage when he lost control and struck a tree about 5:40 p.m. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. A passenger, Alexis Renner, 17, of Naples, is hospitalized in serious condition. Singletary won the Class 2A state championship at 182 pounds as a sophomore, and then again as a junior this past year at 195 pounds, the Naples Daily News reported Sunday. Singletary won the Naples Daily News Male Athlete of the Year at the Southwest Florida Sports Awards following his sophomore season. He was again a nominee for the award this year. Colby Singletary came from a family with a strong heritage in wrestling. Older brothers Cody and Chase were also state wrestling champions -- Cody at Palmetto Ridge and Chase a two-time New Jersey champion at Blair Academy after transferring there from Palmetto Ridge after his freshman season. Their father Casey was a Florida high school state runner-up in 1990. Casey Singletary shared his thoughts on his late son in an interview with the Naples Daily News. "Boy was he stubborn. It was Colby's way or no way," said the elder Singletary. "That kid hated to practice, and me and (Palmetto Ridge wrestling coach Blaine Ison) were constantly getting after him that he wasn't taking it seriously enough. But he proved us wrong time and time again. He knew what he was doing. "He was the type of kid everyone always wanted to be around. So outgoing. He loved taking the boat out with me, very outdoorsy. He loved people and he loved helping people." In addition to his on-the-mat accomplishments, Colby Singleton also made a name for himself as a starting linebacker for Palmetto Ridge High the past two seasons. According to his Twitter account, he had received football scholarship offers from Southern Mississippi, Troy University in Alabama, and the University at Buffalo. "He was my hero," Palmetto Ridge High's athletic director Brent Brickzin wrote in a text message to the Naples Daily News. "Not because of what he accomplished but HOW he accomplished it. His dedication, commitment to success, his work ethic, his personable demeanor, that smile, all attribute to why this young man had earned the respect of myself and so many around the state." Reactions from the Florida wrestling community The Orlando Sentinel shared a number of messages of condolence from the wrestling community throughout the Sunshine State. "Great young man on and off the mat. We are all hurting," said SW Florida Wrestling @SWFL_Wrestling "It is with a heavy heart that we pass along the news about the passing of @PRHS_Wrestling State Champ Colby Singletary. Singletary was a phenomenal wrestler from the Sunshine State ... our deepest sympathies go out to the Singletary family," according to @SeWrestle Florida Gulf Coast University Wrestling posted this message on social media: "We are very sorry and saddened to hear about the sudden passing of our Naples' Colby Singletary. We will be praying for an extra measure of God's love, grace, and strength to be felt by the Singletary family, their extended families, loved ones, and friends of their family. Our sincere condolences to Colby's family, and to his Naples Palmetto Ridge High School family." UPDATE 7/9/19 A Celebration of Life for Palmetto Ridge High School star wrestler and football player Colby Singletary will be Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Collier County Fairgrounds, his father Casey told the Naples Daily News.

It was a challenging night for former amateur wrestlers as Jon Jones earns a "razor-thin" victory in the headline bout at UFC 239 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Saturday night ... while previously undefeated MMA star Ben Askren was knocked out cold in just five seconds -- the fastest KO in UFC history. Jones still light-heavyweight champ "Jon Jones is fortunate to have escaped Las Vegas with his Light Heavyweight (205-pound) Championship on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 239," is how Forbes opened its coverage of the main event. "Jones took a razor-thin split decision over Thiago Santos as he seemed to have trouble handling the explosive Brazilian's speed, but did enough to keep his title." Jon JonesHere's how close the result was: Two judges scored the fight for Jones, 48-47, 48-47 ... while one thought Santos won, by the same score. "This marked the first time in Jones' career that an opponent has ever won a fight against him on any of the three judges' scorecards," according to Forbes' Brian Mazique. "At times, it seemed Santos was the more dangerous fighter." Mazique made clear: "Santos wasn't robbed. I did score the fight for the champion, 48-47. However, after watching Jones leave no doubt against almost every opponent he's ever faced, it appears he has some unfinished business with Santos." Sherdog.com seemed to be in agreement in just how close the title bout was, adding, "Perhaps the gap between Jon Jones and the rest of the Ultimate Fighting Championships' light heavyweight division has finally begun to narrow." "'Bones won by the closest margin of his career ..." The 31-year-old Jones, a New York high school state champion wrestler who earned an NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) national title in 2006 at Iowa Central Community College, holds onto the UFC light-heavyweight belt, and improves to 25-1-1 in a pro career going back to April 2008 ... while Santos is now 21-7 overall. First MMA loss for Askren in fastest UFC KO ever Here's how USA Today described the welterweight (170-pound) bout featuring Ben Askren, four-time NCAA finalist and two-time national champ for the University of Missouri: "The most hyped grudge match heading into UFC 239 ended in the fastest and perhaps most violent knockout in the history of the UFC." "Veteran welterweight Jorge Masvidal used a hellacious flying knee coming out of the gate to knock Ben Askren cold in the their main-card bout." "Askren shot for takedown right out of the gate and paid an unimaginably steep price," according to Sherdog.com. "Masvidal took flight, beat him to the spot and connected with full force, the impact of the concussive blow echoing through a stunned arena. Askren fell to the ground stiff and unconscious before being met with a few follow-up punches from 'Gamebred.'" Askren was even more succinct in his post-fight analysis on Twitter: It was all over in five seconds, making it the fastest knockout in the 25-year history of Ultimate Fighting Championships. There had been some considerable trash-talking between Askren and Masvidal in the days leading up to the fight ... and it continued afterwards, as the winner taunted the unconscious former Mizzou Tiger mat star immediately after the knockout. It was also the first career loss for Askren, a former Bellator and ONE welterweight titleholder. After regaining consciousness, Askren left the cage under his own power. Askren, 34, who was also a member of the U.S. men's freestyle team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is now 19-1-1 in a pro career a decade in the making ... while Masvidal, also 34, improves to 34-14 in his career launched 16 years ago.

Kaori Icho with the Japan flag after winning her fourth Olympic title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Kaori Icho will now have an even tougher time trying to earn her fifth Olympic gold medal. Icho, the legendary Japanese wrestler who is the only female athlete to have won four Olympic championships in any individual competition in any sport, failed to qualify for this fall's World Wrestling Championships on Saturday. Icho lost her 57 kilogram/125-pound qualification playoff match against Risako Kawai, Japan's gold medalist at 63 kilograms/138 pounds at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. By defeating Icho this weekend, Kawai will represent Japan at the Worlds in Kazakhstan in September. The Worlds are the main qualifying event for next year's Tokyo Olympics. If Kawai makes the podium in Kazakhstan this fall, she will clinch Japan's lone available berth for the 2020 Olympics at 62 kilograms/136 pounds. Icho, who won gold at 58 kilograms/127 pounds at the Rio Games, and Kawai, split previous matches in December and June, marking Icho's first defeat to a countrywoman in 17 years. Kawai moved down in weight for this Olympic cycle and into direct competition with Icho. "Now I wait," Icho told the Japan Times. "[Five straight Olympic golds] is a rare feat, something highly out of the ordinary. My desire going forward to attract people to wrestling -- either as a competitor or a coach -- is unchanged." The 35-year-old Icho also admitted, "Frankly, this is frustrating. Making up for that hiatus was difficult and that has played a part." Icho only returned to competition last October after bullying charges against her former coach had been resolved. She finished on top in December at the All-Japan Championships but lost in June's National Invitational Wrestling Championships to Kawai, sending the two into Saturday's qualifying playoffs. Icho is truly an icon in freestyle wrestling, having won 14 gold medals in global competition. In addition to her four Olympic gold medals from the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Games, Icho has earned gold at 10 World Championships going back to 2002.

Harry Lester Harry Lester, 2012 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler and two-time world medalist, has been charged with sexual battery involving a year-long relationship with a student at the northern Ohio high school where he had served as wrestling coach. Justin "Harry" Lester, 35, of Uniontown, Ohio, turned himself in Thursday evening at the Summit County Jail, Akron police said in a news release. Lester, who had served as wrestling coach at St. Vincent-St. Mary since April 2016, had been placed on unpaid leave from the Roman Catholic high school located in Akron back on April 10, 2019. At that time, a 19-year-old former St. V-M student had told Akron police that Lester assaulted her starting in January 2018 -- when she was 18 -- until early April 2019. Lester was charged with sexual battery, a third-degree felony, after a police investigation that lasted nearly three months, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Reports indicate the crimes allegedly happened on St. V-M school grounds, at Cosgrove Center, a facility which hosts sports events. Lester, an Akron native, had been an eight-time U.S. World Team member. In addition to being a 2012 Olympian and Pan American Games champion, among Lester's other Greco-Roman wrestling career highlights: Two-time world bronze medalist (2006, 2007), six-time U.S. Open champion, 2005 World University Games bronze medalist, and 1999 Cadet world champion. Lester has deep wrestling roots in northeast Ohio. At Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy located in Cuyahoga Falls, Lester was a four-time Ohio state wrestling champ from 1998-2001, compiling a 165-2 overall record. He first attended Iowa State University, but later transferred to Northern Michigan University, where he was a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center program and coached by Ivan Ivanov. Lester graduated from Northern Michigan with degrees in geography and history.

New NCAA rules governing hair length of wrestlers, along with new state laws protecting natural hair styles just approved by one state and pending in at least two others, are expected to have an impact on some participants in the sport. New NCAA rules Late last month, the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved removing all language in the wrestling rules book regarding the length of a wrestler's hair. "Wrestlers' hair still will be required to be free of oils and/or greasy substances," according to the official NCAA announcement issued on June 26. "Hair coverings still will be allowed and considered special equipment. The rule that prohibited a wrestler's hair from extending below the level of an ordinary shirt collar and the hair on the side of the head from extending below the earlobes has been eliminated." These NCAA rule changes regarding hair are effective for the 2019-20 academic year. New state laws California has become the first U.S. state to outlaw racial discrimination based on an individual's hair. In signing Senate Bill 188 the day before the Fourth of July, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has created the nation's first law that will make it more difficult for employers and schools to penalize individuals for wearing their hair in a non-European style, which could include cornrows, Afros or dreadlocks. SB 188, also known as The CROWN Act: Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair, came about after a number of incidents across the nation, including the one last December in which New Jersey high school wrestler Andrew Johnson was forced to cut his dreadlocks matside before being allowed to compete in a dual meet ... an incident captured on video which generated 13 million views in less than a week, and garnered worldwide coverage in mainstream media which normally doesn't cover wrestling. Just before signing the bill -- which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020 -- Governor Newson referred to Johnson, the then 16-year-old wrestler who made headlines far beyond his native New Jersey, saying, "His decision whether or not to lose an athletic competition or lose his identity came into, I think, stark terms for millions of Americans. It is played out in workplaces, it's played out in schools -- not just athletic competitions and settings -- every single day all across America in ways subtle and overt." On the heels of California, lawmakers in New York and New Jersey have now also introduced versions of the CROWN Act. "New York could potentially be the second state to sign this bill into law," CBS News reported Thursday. "The bill has passed both houses of the state's legislature and is awaiting the governor's signature." A similar bill introduced in the New Jersey Legislature would ban discrimination based on hair in the workplace, housing, and public schools. Identical versions of the bill were introduced this month in the Assembly and Senate. "New Jersey lawmakers who sponsored the bill say they were inspired partly by Andrew Johnson, a South Jersey wrestler who decided to have his dreadlocks cut to avoid forfeiting his match last December," according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. "Johnson won the match in overtime and Buena Regional High School won the meet, but the debate has continued about whether the referee acted appropriately and whether his actions were racially discriminatory." Johnson's attorney, Dominic Speziali, commended the sponsors of the bill, adding that if adopted, the bill would likely require some public schools to review their hair grooming policies.

Austin Matthews after pinning Oklahoma State's Chandler Rogers (Photo/Matt Durisko) Austin Matthews, a three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time EWL champion, will finish his college wrestling career at Northern Colorado and attend graduate school. He made the announcement Friday on Twitter. Matthews qualified for the NCAAs as a true freshman at Clarion before transferring to Edinboro, where he qualified for the NCAAs in 2016 at 157 pounds and 2017 at 165 pounds. He has gone 5-6 in his three NCAA appearances. Matthews has been ranked in the top 10 in the country in his weight class during his college wrestling career, but has battled knee injuries.

Cain Velasquez Cain Velasquez, collegiate wrestling titlewinner and two-time UFC champ, now knows who he will face in his pro wrestling debut next month. The former Arizona State wrestler will be teaming up with All Elite Wrestling star Cody Rhodes and Mexico's most popular pro wrestler, Psycho Clown, in his first appearance in the squared circle at the TripleMania XXVII event in Mexico City on Saturday, Aug. 3. Velasquez's teammates are the products of pro wrestling royalty. Cody Rhodes is the son of all-time pro wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes, while Psycho Clown's father is Super Porky, also known as Brazo de Plata, Mexican superstar for decades. The three amigos will be facing off against villain trio of El Texano Jr. -- himself the son of a major Mexican star, El Texano -- along with Taurus, and a yet-to-be-announced mystery partner in a match third from the top of the card. The TripleMania show is a product of Luca Libre AAA, the most popular pro wrestling promotion in Mexico, which is affiliated with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), now the second-largest pro promotion in the U.S. Velasquez's first pro appearance will most likely be in front of a sizable audience. TripleMania usually draws between 13,000 and 19,000 fans to Arena Ciudad in Mexico City. Kevin "Killer" Kross, who is helping train Velasquez for his pro ring debut, said, "He's picking it up very quickly. He's legit. He's 100 percent legit. His entire life he's been an amateur wrestler from my understanding. His footwork is there. Everything is there. His footwork, his striking, all his transitions, ground mobility. If he gets into pro wrestling, he will 100 percent be a draw and he'll be able to carry the hype." Velasquez also spent several days last year training with WWE at its Performance Center in Orlando, Fla. All that said, Velasquez may simply be testing the waters of pro wrestling, as he remains under contract with UFC. The 36-year-old Velasquez has compiled a 14-3 record since launching his pro MMA career in December 2006, and 12-3 in UFC bouts. Prior to entering MMA, Cain Velasquez made a name for himself on the wrestling mat. He was a two-time Arizona high school state wrestling champ who started his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College, where he won the 2002 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) heavyweight title. Velasquez then transferred to Arizona State where he was a 2005 Pac-10 conference champ, then went on to earn NCAA Division I All-America honors by placing fifth at the 2005 NCAAs. He was welcomed into the Arizona State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

The wrestling hotbed of Pennsylvania just got a bit hotter, as Berks Catholic High School in Reading will be putting a brand-new wrestling program on the mat come this December. Berks Catholic -- a four-year, 800-student co-ed Roman Catholic high school -- will be the first private school wrestling program in Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania since Central Catholic ended its program in 2007. However, for the past dozen years, Berks Catholic students have been able to wrestle at Reading High as part of a co-op agreement. Berks Catholic is already in the process of putting together an independent schedule for the new wrestling program for the 2019-20 season, with the hope of being accepted into the BCIAA (Berks County Interscholastic Athletic Association) for wrestling in the 2020-21 season. The man behind the effort to bring one of Pennsylvania's most popular sports to Berks Catholic is Derek Sola, who, as the Saints' head wrestling coach, has been building the foundation for the new program over the past four years as an instructor at the school. Sola brings nearly three decades of experience as a wrestler and coach to the new Berks Catholic program. As a freshman at Conrad Weiser in 1996, Sola ended an eight-year Berks County drought in the PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state wrestling finals when he was the Class 2A runner-up at 103 pounds. After continuing his on-the-mat career at Millersville University -- where he was a qualifier for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships -- Sola has served as the head coach at Lampeter-Strasburg, Pennridge and Hamburg high schools. He guided Hamburg to the PIAA Team Tournament Class 2A semifinals in 2015, a year before leaving Hamburg to become a teacher at Berks Catholic. Experience aside, building a new high school wrestling program from scratch hasn't been easy for Sola. The wrestlers practiced at John Paul II Center for Special Learning in Shillington for two years before an old weight room was transformed into a wrestling room at Berks Catholic last fall. "It's a huge challenge," Sola told the Reading Eagle. "You're literally starting with nothing. We had to raise a lot of money. It's a lot of work. We've pretty much been going year ‘round." Sola's efforts appear to be paying off. There are now 75 wrestlers in the elementary program and 18 on the junior high team. The Saints have competed at the junior high level the last two seasons and, this past season, hosted a junior high tournament. "It's been fun," according to Sola. "It's definitely an experience to start a program from scratch. We have a lot of great people involved from the elementary level on up. When you have a lot of good people involved, good things happen."