InterMat Staff

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."

BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Campbell head wrestling coach Cary Kolat has announced promotions for Scotti Sentes and Mike Evans, as well as the additions of Nathan Kraisser, Blaize Cabell and Josiah Hritsko to the staff. Sentes will be elevated to associate head coach and Evans will be raised to head assistant coach, while Kraisser, a former Campbell All-American, has been named recruiting coordinator. Cabell joins the Campbell coaching staff as a volunteer assistant, and Hritsko has also been named social media coordinator. Sentes enters his fourth season at Campbell, with the Camels claiming two Southern Conference tournament championships in his three years. Evans, meanwhile, will head into his third year in Buies Creek in 2019-20. In addition to the program's second SoCon tournament title in three years, the Camels also earned their first ever regular season conference championship in 2019. CU earned a share of the SoCon dual title with a 5-1 league mark to go along with a 7-1 overall dual record, both program bests. Campbell sent a school record six to the NCAA Championships in 2019. Eight total Camels earned spots on the podium at the SoCon Championships, with all 10 wrestling for medals. Kolat was also named one of eight finalists for NWCA Coach of the Year, and was named SoCon Coach of the Year following the program's tournament win in Boone, N.C. on March 10. During the season, CU earned its first ever top-25 national ranking. The Camels also fashioned a 10th place finish at the prestigious Midlands Championships, an all-time best for the program. Additionally, Campbell took National Wresting Coaches Association Division I Academic Team honors for the third-straight year. The Camels finished 13th nationally in the standings with an outstanding 3.28 team GPA, posting a top-25 academic finish for the fifth time in program history. Campbell took ninth last season after finishing No. 21 in 2016-17. Kraisser officially joins the staff after serving as an assistant academic coordinator for the team. Kraisser was a 2017 All-American at Campbell, and a four-time NCAA qualifier, including twice for the Camels, transferring from North Carolina, where he was an ACC Champion in 2014, and the 2013 ACC Freshman of the Year. Leading the Camels in both takedowns and falls as a junior and senior, taking the Southern Conference Championship in 2016 and earning a runner-up finish in 2017. Kraisser graduated from Campbell in 2017 with a degree in sport management. Cabell will be stepping in to the volunteer assistant coach role, helping develop the 197 pound and heavyweight athletes. A three-time NCAA qualifier (2014-16) at 285 during his collegiate career at Northern Iowa, Cabell won the Mid-American Conference Championship in 2016. Following graduation, Cabell competed for the Panther Wrestling Club and the Valley Regional Training Center at 97 kilograms in freestyle, placing fourth at the Senior Men's Freestyle World Team Trials in 2018. Hritsko will coordinate social media and events for the program, creating and managing content for all social media accounts for Campbell's wrestling program, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. Hritsko comes to Buies Creek from Melone Advertising, working in social media, website design, graphic design and video production. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native graduated from Penn State University with a bachelor's degree in marketing in 2017.

There is a new face in the Northwest Tech wrestling room this summer. After an extensive search for a coach with the skills and character to build on the success of the program, Athletic Director Rory Kling is pleased to announce that August Wesley will be leading the Mavericks Wrestling program. "We're excited to welcome someone with the success August has experienced, both as a coach and an athlete, to lead the program," Kling said. "His philosophy of developing students both as athletes and young men on the mat and in the classroom will serve him well as he leads our program." Wesley comes to Northwest Tech following a successful three-year stint running the Iowa State University club wrestling program. During his time at ISU, Wesley led his team to earn 23 National Qualifiers, 2 All-Americans, 3 Academic All-Americans, and recently took 5th place in the 2018 NCWA National Championships. He has had significant success both nationally and internationally as a coach and athlete and brings a considerable and extensive network to the program. "I'm honored to be named the Head Wrestling Coach at Northwest Technical College and extremely excited for the opportunity to lead a program with a tradition of success on the mat and in the classroom," said Wesley. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Rory Kling, Vice President of Operations Sherri Knitig, President Ben Schears and the entire search committee for believing in me and my vision for the future of this program." As an athlete, Wesley had top 10 finishes in the 2012 and 2015 World Championships as well as competing in the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Trials. Throughout his wrestling career, he represented the United States on multiple international teams and was a six-time medalist. Wesley has strong ties to the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, having resided at the center during several trainings and competitions. Key to the continued success of the Maverick program will be Wesley's extensive coaching career. Over his 25 years of coaching, he was able to lead 14 U.S. teams in international competitions. His coaching efforts took him to 24 different countries on five continents and twice being honored with the Outstanding Coach's Award at competitions in Australia and Austria. He was recently nominated for the 2019 Class of the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame as "the most decorated Greco Roman wrestler and coach ever to come from Sacramento." Wesley arrived on campus the first week of July and has already been busy lining up new and returning wrestlers for the upcoming season. "While he's had an incredible career, as I've gotten to know him, I have been most impressed with his character and preparation," said Northwest Tech President Ben Schears. "He brings a lot to the table, and I'm excited to see where he will take the program." Wesley expressed that his true passion and commitment is in building young men that can be successful in life after wrestling. "I am thrilled to be able to guide this team and these amazing student-athletes to the next level," said Wesley. "We have high expectations for our Mavericks, and we will motivate them to achieve their full potential. I plan on using the relationships that I have built over the past 13 years of coaching at the collegiate level to help develop this institution into a perennial National contender." When asked about coming to the college, he stated "I can say with confidence that Northwest Tech is a great destination with first-class facilities, an athletic administration that is "All In," and the community of Goodland will be a great place to call home." Keep up with the Maverick Wrestling program on our website at www.ntmavericks.com or on team social media accounts.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Huntingdon College President J. Cameron West and Director of Athletics Eric Levanda announced the hiring of Matt Oliver on Wednesday as the new head wrestling coach. Oliver comes to Huntingdon after four seasons as the head wrestling coach at Spartanburg Methodist College in South Carolina. "The addition of collegiate wrestling to our intercollegiate athletic program has brought to Huntingdon some exceptional student-athletes who have performed well in the classroom, on the wrestling mat and in leadership roles around campus," West said. "I look forward to working with Coach Oliver to continue the legacy of success of our wrestling program." A 2012 graduate of Newberry College, Oliver has spent the past seven seasons as a collegiate coach. "Matt came highly recommended to us. He's an East Coast guy who has grown to love the South and has recruited our state for a few years," Levanda said. "Our program has made gains each year of its existence and based on Matt Oliver's experience and passion for the sport, that trend will continue. I'm looking forward to the next chapter for Huntingdon wrestling." Oliver takes over a Huntingdon program entering its sixth season. During this past season, the Hawks set their program record for dual-match wins with eight. "I want to thank President West and Director of Athletics Eric Levanda for this opportunity," Oliver said. "I am also grateful for all the people at Spartanburg Methodist College who have taken a chance on me and helped me grow, not only as a coach but as a professional as well. This is an incredible opportunity and it is a chance to take the next step in my career and in my life. "Huntingdon has all of the support and tools it needs to be a successful wrestling program. We want to build on what has already been done for the program and continue to improve in all aspects." During his four seasons with Spartanburg Methodist, Oliver guided the Pioneers to their first North East District II team championship, coached four National Junior College Athletic Association All-Americans and 19 NJCAA national qualifiers. Oliver was named the 2018 North East District II Coach of the Year. Before Spartanburg Methodist, Oliver spent two seasons as an assistant wrestling coach at Neosho Community College in Kansas. The Panthers finished fifth in the NJCAA national tournament in 2014 and eighth in 2015. Fifteen Neosho wrestlers qualified for the NJCAA national tournament and nine earned All-American honors during those two seasons. Oliver began his coaching career at his alma mater as an assistant wrestling coach during the 2012-13 season. During that season, Newberry won its sixth straight Super Region championship and finished sixth in the Division II national tournament. The team produced four All-Americans and five Academic All-Americans. Prior to coaching, Oliver was a four-time Division II national qualifier for Newberry. He earned All-American honors in 2009 with a third-place finish in the national tournament. He finished with a career record of 118-21 and holds the Wolves' career record for major decisions. Oliver graduated from Newberry with a bachelor's degree in physical education with a minor in coaching. A native of Toms River, N.J., Oliver was a high school state champion and finished his career with a record of 132-12. As a senior, he set a state record for wins in a season.

In the discussion of world-class athletics, the Olympian is largely viewed as the ultimate in any given sport. The tradition, the every-four-years format, the qualification process, the availability to athletes from all over the world; all of this contributes to the prestige associated with the Olympic athlete. The professional sporting world has long been aware of this prestige and has been keen on acquiring Olympic talent for some time now. Mixed Martial Arts is no different, viewing the signing of an Olympic wrestler as a major score for any MMA promotion. It has been this way since the beginning of modern MMA (really only 25-30 years). This weekend's UFC 239: Jones vs Santos card features Ben Askren, a guy obviously very familiar to fans of combat sports. Ben wrestled for Team USA at the 2008 Beijing Games, finishing in a respectable seventh place. Shortly after the Olympics Ben made the transition to MMA and thus far has performed magnificently, going undefeated in 20 fights (1 no-contest). Finally in the biggest MMA promotion, a win this weekend will position Ben nicely to make a major run at the UFC welterweight title, and it won't be long before fans start pondering where he stacks up compared to other fighters who were once Olympic wrestlers. Here we will attempt to answer that question. Keep in mind, there have been many world-class wrestlers who inconspicuously entered MMA over the years, but to be considered on this list the wrestler must have at least five pro fights and/or been fighting for five years or more. This removes guys like Mark Schultz, Kenny Monday, and a host of other greats from consideration but remember, this is a list of Olympic wrestlers who were most successful in MMA, not wresting. This also excludes newer, up and coming, Olympic wrestling converts from consideration but do not fear, they will be covered in a future list. On to the list … Honorable Mention Heath Sims Antoine Jaoude Katsuhiko Nagata Kevin Jackson Steve Mocco Arjan Bhullar 10. Arjan Bhullar 2009 Canadian Wrestler of the Year, two-time NAIA national champion, and 2012 Olympian, heavyweight Arjan Bhullar came to MMA in 2014 after an extensive senior-level freestyle wrestling career that goes back to 2006. Leaving wrestling with a respectable medal collection that included bronze at University Worlds and Pan American Games, and gold at the Commonwealth Games, Bhullar had his eyes on a UFC contract from the beginning. The Indian-Canadian wrestler reached the UFC after winning his first 6 fights convincingly, also going on to win his UFC debut. He then suffered his first defeat before winning his next two UFC fights and is now a free agent. Considering his stellar conditioning, work ethic, and the fact that he's still learning how to fight, it wouldn't surprise me to see him re-sign with the world's top MMA promotion. 9. Alexis Vila Beginning with his defection from his native Cuba in 1997 and continuing in the USA with struggles that included a three-year prison sentence, this two-time freestyle world champ, world silver medalist, and Olympic bronze medalist had to traverse a long, difficult road before he even began his MMA career in 2007. Despite being arguably the most decorated wrestler on this entire list, Vila entered MMA a bit too late to enjoy any real prolonged success at the highest levels of this tough sport. Having said that, he did leave his mark. He hit the ground running, winning his first 10 fights against solid but unspectacular opposition, which led him to the biggest fight of his career and probably his crowning achievement. Matched up with Bellator MMA champ and fellow wrestling world champ Joe Warren in his Bellator debut, Vila knocked the Greco specialist clean out, signaling his arrival as a force in the 135-pound MMA scene. Unfortunately, after winning his next fight the wheels began to fall off a bit. Vila would still impress with flashes of physical brilliance but became wildly inconsistent, going 4 and 7 for the remainder of his career. He became the head coach of American Top Team Kendall, but was recently charged with second degree murder in an ugly murder-for-hire case. 8. Kazuyuki Miyata Japanese fans and MMA promotions have always had a reverence for the Olympic athlete. Strangely, they choose to show this reverence by matching up their Olympic heroes with their most dangerous fighters right out of the gate. This was the case with Miyata, a Japanese collegiate champ, All-Japan national champ, and 63-kilo Olympian at the 2000 Sydney Games. Miyata's first fight, although in Hawaii and not Japan, was against a member of MMA's first family, Royler Gracie. Miyata, aka Little Hercules, held his own before being choked out in the second round. Miyata's second fight would take him back home to Japan's K-1 Hero's promotion, which was at the time home to some of the world's best fighters. Facing a murder's row of top fighters for the next 3 years, he fought valiantly, going 5-6 against world-class opponents before taking a year off in 2008, switching promotions, and changing up his training. He emerged from his sabbatical a much better fighter and won 11 of his last 13 fights. He still fights in Japan, having last stepped in the ring on New Year's Eve 2018 where he defeated fellow Japanese wrestling standout Asen Yamamoto. 7. Matt Lindland The Rodney Dangerfield of MMA-Wrestling pioneers, Lindland doesn't get nearly the amount of respect he deserves. Beginning his MMA exploits long before exiting the world scene in amateur wrestling, Lindland is unique in that he simultaneously competed in both sports at the highest levels. And the most impressive part of this is, Lindland did his best wrestling after starting his MMA career. Lindland, aka the Law, enjoyed a brilliant wrestling career. His collegiate career, which was equal parts impressive, strange, and successful led him to international Greco-Roman wrestling where he won back-to-back silver medals at the 2000 Sydney Games at 76 kilos and the 2001 World Championships at 85 kilos. He continued to compete domestically but ultimately gravitated towards MMA as a fighter, coach, and gym owner. As a fighter, Lindland accomplished an absolutely stellar career that remains woefully underappreciated. He won his first seven fights against really tough guys before losing in his first and only UFC title shot. From beginning to end, Lindland fought the toughest guys out there. He beat most of them and suffered a few losses that probably could have easily been wins (see his Fedor Emelianenko fight). He became very capable striker and submission fighter all while retaining his relentless, grinding style of wrestling. He retired from MMA in 2011 to focus on coaching, currently serving as USA Wrestling's Greco-Roman national coach. 6. Mark Coleman Some may be surprised to see "The Hammer" this far down the list considering he is a pioneer and living legend. However, that is a reflection on the outstanding quality of the converted wrestlers that came after him and not a condemnation of the man's skills or accomplishments. On the contrary, Coleman accomplished all that a fighter could hope for in the MMA realm. He came to MMA just a couple of years after a wrestling career which saw him win an NCAA Division I title, world silver medal and a spot on the 1992 Olympic Team at the Barcelona Games. An imposing, intimidating figure to be locked in a cage with, Coleman's foes were intimidated by his physique at least as much as his decorated background. And they had every reason to be, as Coleman ripped through six extremely good fighters on his way to winning two UFC tournaments and becoming the UFC's first-ever heavyweight champion. Four shocking losses followed his initial success and he found his way to Japan where he totally resurrected his career in Pride Fighting Championship, winning Pride's first ever openweight grand prix. Mark fought the toughest guys out there until the very end, going 5-6 before retiring in 2010. He is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and still very much connected to the MMA scene. 5. Ben Askren Seen as a huge coup for the MMA world when he signed his first pro MMA contract just a few months after wrestling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, "Funky" Ben Askren was a huge MMA prospect. The expectations were justified, seeing as how Ben was a two-time NCAA Division I champ (four-time NCAA finalist), two-time Hodge Trophy winner, and Olympian who undoubtedly had more wrestling left in him when he stepped away from the mat. After three first-round finishes on the regional MMA scene, Askren signed with the emerging Bellator MMA, a promotion then on its way to becoming an industry leader. Though seen as the MMA B league at the time, Bellator matched Askren up with definite A level talent for the duration of his time with the promotion. After an undefeated nine-fight stretch that saw him become welterweight champ, Askren left Bellator for Asia's One Fighting Championships when a UFC offer did not materialize. Fighting seven times with One FC, Askren had a close call or two (see the Luis Santos fight) but remained undefeated before briefly retiring in 2017. Some moving and shaking occurred behind the scenes and miraculously, Askren found his way into the UFC at last. Now after an impressive but controversial debut win over the incomparable Robbie Lawler, Askren is closing in on MMA immortality. Should he succeed in capturing a UFC title (perhaps even two), he would most definitely move up a few spots on this list. Yoel Romero 4. Yoel Romero MMA's own human highlight reel, Romero sits this high up on the list despite not owning any major MMA titles mainly because of the manner in which he has dispatched several former UFC champions, but also because of the potential he still holds. While wrestling for Cuba, the "Soldier of God" experienced great success and fantastic longevity, winning a world title, two silvers, two bronzes and an Olympic silver in Sydney over a decade plus. One day, while contemplating his humble living conditions, Romero made the decision to defect from Cuba, which he did after wrestling in, and winning, a German Grand Prix event. Romero won four easy fights impressively while living in Europe before relocating to the United States and signing with the very solid Strikeforce MMA promotion. Despite losing his debut fighting as an undersized light-heavyweight against a far more experienced foe, Romero was given another chance when Strikeforce was absorbed by the UFC. What has followed in the 11 fights since has been a beautiful, violent, impressive, slightly enigmatic run in the UFC middleweight division. Winning seven post-fight bonuses, destroying three former UFC champions, and coming painfully close to snatching the title, Romero is never far from another title shot. He is scheduled to fight next on Aug. 17 at UFC 241 against the young and dangerous Paulo Costa. 3. Henry Cejudo Cejudo is another guy who walked away from wrestling with a whole lot of potential on the table. A decorated high school wrestler, the great success he experienced wrestling in the Olympic styles at the USA Wrestling Junior/Cadet Championships, aka Fargo, Henry eschewed collegiate wrestling to focus on freestyle and the Olympics. Winning the U.S. Open while still in high school, an Olympic gold medal followed shortly after in 2008. Cejudo kind of went off the grid for a while after this, emerging in 2011 to make another Olympic run. It didn't pan out, and he was fighting his first pro MMA fight less than a year after losing at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. Cejudo's somewhat erratic, slightly unfocused behavior at play during the final years of his wrestling career certainly carried over to the beginning of his MMA run. He missed weight a few times, turned down a fight with Stephen Abas, and had some dramatic ring entrances, all of which caused many to wonder if he'd ever realize his vast potential. But one or two fights into his UFC career, Cejudo's focus and immense skills were evident. He improved with every fight, and was fighting for the UFC flyweight title just three years into his MMA career. A very tough loss caused him to buckle down, re-focus, and improve. He emerged from this a much better fighter, eventually earning and winning a rematch with still-champion Demetrious Johnson. Since becoming flyweight champ Henry has looked incredible. He ran through the then-bantamweight UFC champ who came down in weight to fight him, before moving up in weight himself and fighting for his second UFC belt. A legendary fight and amazing performance saw Henry win and now stands as one of only a handful of 2-weight UFC champs. Daniel Cormier at a press conference before his fight against Stipe Miocic on July 7, 2018 2. Daniel Cormier Always a model of hard work and consistency, the man known as DC has enjoyed 2 lengthy careers excelling at both wrestling and MMA. After a stellar collegiate wrestling run that produced two NJCAA titles and an appearance in the NCAA Division I finals against Cael Sanderson, Cormier went on to secure a stranglehold on the USA's 96-kilo weight class. For six straight years he was the USA representative at his weight for the Worlds and two Olympics. Though he won a world bronze medal, a Pan American Games gold, gold at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial, and placed fourth at the Olympics, DC came away from wrestling disappointed. Missing weight and failing to compete at the 2008 games, DC came to MMA with purpose. He wanted….needed to become world champ. The man was a bit of a natural. His powerful wrestling style translated beautifully to the cage and he had a natural affinity for punching guys really hard. Debuting in Strikeforce MMA in 2009, DC faced stiffer and stiffer competition, impressing every time he entered the cage, and in 2015, he got his first crack at the undisputed world number one spot at 205 pounds. Though he came up short not once but twice in his efforts to beat Jon Jones, controversy and DC's subsequent legendary performances aid in creating the current perception that Daniel Cormier is one of the greatest fighters of all time. Capturing and defending the 205-pound belt in Jones' absence, DC moved up to heavyweight where he has won and defended that title as well. His next fight is a rematch with fellow Division I wrestler and the man he took the belt from, Stipe Miocic. Dan Henderson 1. Dan Henderson The man, the myth, the living legend, "Hendo" has had quite the combat sports career. Reaching his first Olympics in 1992 a few weeks shy of his 22nd birthday, the Greco-Roman specialist spent the majority of the 1990's as Team USA's top 82/85-kilo wrestler. Decorated as he was, a Junior world champion, two-time Olympian, two-time world team member, Pan American Championships gold medalist, Henderson was even more successful in MMA if you can believe that. One of the very few fighters to be considered a pioneer and a modern great, Henderson, along with his buddy Matt Lindland, began fighting in 1997 with the intention of earning money to fund his wrestling. Hendo impressed immediately with his wrestling, toughness and grit. He had an uncanny ability to avoid submissions and navigate larger opponents. Then, about 4-5 years into his career, Henderson came out of nowhere and began unleashing what would later become known as the "H Bomb." His vicious right hand became the stuff of legend and he scored a ton of highlight reel knockouts over the years. Starting with the Brazil Open and the UFC 17 Middleweight tournament, Hendo won titles in every MMA promotion he was ever part of, including two separate titles in Japan's Pride Fighting Championship. Henderson amassed an incredible resume and vast highlight reel over the course of his 47-fight, 20-year MMA career, and it ended the way it should have, with Hendo clobbering Michael Bisping for 25 minutes before narrowly losing a fight of the year caliber championship bout. Torch passed, legacy secure.

Jesse Mendez gets his hand raised after beating Anthony Ferrari to make the Cadet World Team (Photos/Sam Janicki) Link: Top-50 Sophomore Rankings Talented lighter-weight wrestlers Ryan Crookham (Notre Dame-Green Pond, Pa.) and Nic Bouzakis (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) continue to anchor the Class of 2022, as summer is officially here for this group of rising sophomores. While neither "struck gold" in major fashion at an event since the last rankings update, their ability level is clear. Moving up four spots to No. 3 overall is Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.), who used the 2018-19 regular season and subsequent offseason to shed the "bridesmaid" label one might say he had for the six months prior. Mendez finished one match from a top eight placement finish in the 2018 offseason at the UWW Cadet National freestyle tournament, the Cadet National freestyle tournament, and the Super 32 Challenge. Five of those six losses were by incredibly narrow margins (10-9 and 10-10 in Akron, 2-2 in the round of 12 in Fargo, and then 6-4 and 3-2 at the Super 32). He was an undefeated state champion in high school before winning a Cadet National folkstyle title, a U17 Flo Nationals freestyle title, and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors at the UWW Cadet Nationals last month. Rounding out the top five are a pair of runners-up from the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle last month, Seth Shumate (Dublin Coffman, Ohio) and Anthony Ferrari (Allen, Texas). Shumate was second at 92 kilos, while Ferrari was runner-up at 60 kilos to Mendez. Other members of the top ten include UWW Cadet runner-up Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.), who did upset Richard Figueroa in the first match of their best-of-three series at 51 kilos; UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Daniel Cardenas (Pomona, Colo.); Caleb Henson (Woodland, Ga.); Troy Spratley (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.); and Joey Cruz (Clovis North, Calif.), who upset Figueroa to win a U17 Flo Nationals title before taking third at the UWW Cadet freestyle Nationals. From a "power program" perspective, three wrestlers each that will be attending Blair Academy (N.J.) and Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) in 2019-20 are ranked in the top 50 of the rising sophomore group, with two wrestlers on each of those teams rosters not having attended that school in 2018-19. Blair Academy features No. 12 Noah Pettigrew and No. 43 Thomas Stewart as transfers in, while Wyoming Seminary has newcomers in No. 16 Andrew Donahue and No. 21 Kolby Franklin; also ranked are No. 15 Rylan Rogers for Blair Academy and No. 9 Troy Spratley. Seven wrestlers competing for high schools in Pennsylvania is the most among any state, while Ohio with six and New Jersey with five are the next most. It's four each for Georgia and California, with Woodward Academy (Ga.) and Buchanan (Calif.) the only schools other than Blair and Wyoming Seminary to feature multiple ranked Class of 2022 wrestlers; those two schools feature a pair each. Three wrestlers are ranked from Oklahoma and Iowa respectively as well.

Bo Nickal takes down Kollin Moore in the Big Ten finals (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Bo Nickal, three-time Big Ten and NCAA wrestling champ for Penn State, has been named the 2019 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year, his alma mater announced Wednesday. Nickal is the eleventh wrestler in the Big Ten conference to be presented with this award, named to honor Jesse Owens, Ohio State track star in the 1930s who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Nickal is the third Penn State male athlete to earn this honor, joining fellow Nittany Lion wrestler David Taylor in 2014, and gymnast Luis Vargas in 2005. University of Iowa women's basketball player Megan Gustafson was named the 2019 Big Ten Female Athlete of the Year. The Big Ten Conference has recognized a Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year since 1982 and first honored a Female Athlete of the Year in 1983. The Big Ten Athletes of the Year are selected by a panel of conference media members from nominations submitted by each of the fourteen schools which comprise the Big Ten. Nickal has concluded his academic and athletic career at Penn State with a year of impressive honors. Among the awards earned in 2019: InterMat Wrestler of the Year ... Hodge Trophy winner ... Penn State Male Athlete of the Year ... 2019 NCAA Division I Most Dominant Wrestler ... and Co-Big Ten Wrestler of the Year (along with teammate Jason Nolf). In addition, Nickal completed his Nittany Lion mat career with three NCAA titles, most recently, as 197-pound champ at the 2019 NCAAs. He was also a four-time NCAA finalist and NCAA All-American ... and a three-time Big Ten conference champion. The Allen, Texas native tallied a 120-3 career record (including a perfect 30-0 senior year), with 59 pins, 12 technical falls and 23 major decisions in his time as a Penn State wrestler. Bo Nickal was equally successful in the classroom, earning Academic All-Big Ten and NWCA First Team National All-Academic Honors.

Robert "Bob" Dieli Sr., an icon in central Ohio wrestling as an athlete, coach, Hall-of-Famer and host of the popular "Matside with Bob Dieli" show on Columbus cable TV for a quarter-century, passed away on Monday, June 24. He was 94. Bob Dieli"At his visitation, someone said that just about every Ohio high school champ from the 1970s into the 1990s was influenced by Bob Dieli," according to Adam DiSabato, a four-time letterwinner - and three-time NCAA All-American -- for Ohio State from 1989-1993 and nephew of Dieli. Dieli's day job was as Recreation Director for the City of Columbus allowed him to pursue his wrestling passion and share his knowledge of the sport with future champions in central Ohio. He established the Ohio Wrestling Club in 1971 at the Sunshine Center in Columbus. "Nobody was a stranger," his son Bob Jr., told InterMat. "Helping kids was a passion." Dieli shared his passion for wrestling beyond the Ohio Wrestling Club with his cable TV show "Matside with Bob Dieli" which provided coverage of high school, college and international-style wrestling events in the Columbus area, along with interviews with athletes, coaches and others in the sport. Dieli's imprint on the popular show extended for 25 years, with his last appearance on "Matside" being the 2013 Ohio high school state finals, according to his 65-year-old son Bob Jr., who was the first state champ for Columbus Bishop Ready High School. "When wrestling was not on TV, he put his show on public access," according to Adam DiSabato. "I'd like to think that a reason wrestling is so important in Ohio is because of that show." In addition, Bob Dieli Sr., wrote and published two books, each focused on his two major passions: wrestling, with "Genial Gene Mills' Mean Will to Power" in the early 1980s… and philosophy, with his "Mencken, Nietzsche, and the Chosen" published in 2007. Dieli's influence extended well beyond central Ohio in other ways. "He traveled all over the world, helping to coach U.S. wrestlers at World championships and Olympics, DiSabato told InterMat. "After the '72 Olympics, the Soviet team was touring the U.S.," said Bob Jr. "He set up a U.S. vs. USSR dual at St. John Arena at Ohio State. I videoed the event. A fun production." This man of incredible accomplishments and influence on wrestling had a rugged start in life. Robert Joseph Dieli Sr. was born in Cleveland in 1925. "His mother had serious health issues, so he was raised in an orphanage in his early years," according to his son Bob Jr. "He suffered spinal meningitis at an early age. He completely lost his hearing in his left ear and was barely able to hear out of his right ear." Despite those challenges, Dieli launched his lifelong love affair with wrestling at John Adams High School in Cleveland. After graduation, Dieli then headed south to Ohio State, where he was a teammate of 1946 NCAA heavyweight champ George Bollas, one of the all-time heftiest big men in college wrestling who later went on to a long career in pro wrestling. Wrestling for Buckeye head coach Bernard Mooney, Dieli wrestled unseeded at the 1947 NCAA championships in the 121-pound bracket, winning his first match over Rutgers' Guerino Petti before falling to No. 4 seed Harold Mott of Northern Iowa. Dieli was a three-time letterwinner, earning that distinction in 1945-47. For all the ways he contributed to the sport, Bob Dieli Sr., earned numerous honors, including being named to Wrestling USA magazine's Master of Wrestling Award in 1987, the Ohio Wrestling Coaches Association's Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1987, and, in 2012, became a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. when he received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Ohio Chapter of the Hall of Fame, which said, "Bob's devotion to the sport was in all three phases; Freestyle, Greco-Roman and Folkstyle often coaching some of the greatest wrestlers the state produced. Bob's influence on Central Ohio wrestling was a who's who of champions on the state, national and international levels." Beyond his accomplishments as a wrestler, coach and TV announcer, Bob Dieli made quite an impression on others. "He was a character. Like a little pitbull. Quick-witted, yet humble. Made everyone feel important," DiSabato said. Services for Bob Dieli Sr. took place Friday, June 28 in Columbus.

Gavin Teasdale battles Patrick Glory at Beat the Streets in New York (Photo/Juan Garcia) Gavin Teasdale, who had committed to the University of Iowa before joining the roster at Penn State last season at 125 pounds, has told PA Power Wrestling that he plans to join the Hawkeyes for the upcoming season, projecting between 125 and 141 pounds. "In the end, stuff happens for a reason," the Pennsylvania native said on the PA Power Podcast posted Tuesday. "This is where I need to be." Originally, Teasdale -- a four-time PIAA state champ for Jefferson-Morgan High School with a near-perfect 162-2 record -- had verbally committed to Iowa along with friend and fellow Pennsylvania prep superstar Spencer Lee back in 2016 ... but later changed his commitment to Penn State in March 2017, while Lee has claimed back-to-back NCAA 125-pound titles for the Hawkeyes in 2018 and 2019. Back on January 22, 2019, Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson announced that Teasdale was transferring out of the program. Despite originally being on the Nittany Lions roster for the 2018-19 season, Teasdale never stepped onto the mat for the program. In November 2018 he announced he was leaving school for health reasons, and although he returned to campus a few weeks later, he did not wrestle. In the PA Power Podcast, Teasdale said, "The main reason I decided on Penn State in the first place was because it was close, it's home, it's an atmosphere you know, but the atmospheres you know can hurt you. The place where you feel the most comfortable can be your biggest enemy. "You don't really know about Penn State's style until you're up there. It just didn't work for a guy like me. I need a hands-on type of coach who's there for you through thick and thin and just has a passion about the sport. It's not just about you on the mat. It's about you as a man as well." Teasdale painted a contrasting picture of the Iowa Hawkeye wrestling program, where he said he's been working out for the past two or three months. "It's one partner after another after another," Teasdale said. "You've got (Thomas Gilman), you've got (Cory Clark), you've got Spencer. You've got Terry and Tom Brands. You've got the women wrestlers. The whole Hawkeye program is passionate about the sport. "You can see the coaches who are straight and honest. They're real with you, and they're not going behind your back and saying something else. I like it when someone tells me when I'm doing something wrong, and they tell me to my face. "The coaches that I have here, there's nobody better in the country."

Cadet world medalists Alex Facundo and Richard Figueroa are the top two juniors (Photos/Sam Janicki) Link: Top-50 Junior Rankings For the last year, two wrestlers have separated from the rest of the 2021 class and are standing at its top: Alex Facundo (Davison, Mich.) and Richard Figueroa (Selma, Calif.). Both wrestlers were Cadet world medalists in freestyle last year, and each will be seeking to repeat that medal status, and ascend to the top step on that podium in just over four weeks time. Facundo advanced to a second straight world team in the 71-kilo weight class, rallying back from a first match loss to Travis Mastrogiovanni (Blair Academy, N.J.) to win the next two bouts. Last year a bronze medalist, Facundo had to clear the No. 5 overall wrestler in the Class of 2021 to make the team. Figueroa moved up a weight class from last year, where he was a silver medalist at 45 kilos; this year, he made the world team at 51 kilos upending Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) in the second and third matches of their best-of-three finals series. Joining Mastrogiovanni in the top five for the Class of 2021 are Padriac Gallagher (St. Edward, Ohio) and Shayne Van Ness (Blair Academy, N.J.). Gallagher knocked off Connor Brady to win a state title during the past high school season; while Van Ness had an extraordinary two month period in the fall when he won titles at the Super 32, Walsh Ironman, and Beast of the East. Positions six through ten feature Kyle Haas (Maize, Kansas), a Cadet World team member in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 92 kilos; Victor Voinovich (Brecksville, Ohio), who was among the select few of still-to-be high school wrestlers to place at the UWW Junior Nationals; Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.); two-time state champion Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.); and Ryan Sokol (Simley, Minn.), a Cadet freestyle world team member at 65 kilos. Joining Van Ness and Mastrogiovanni as Blair Academy wrestlers within the top fifty of the Class of 2021 is Peyton Craft, who is ranked No. 15 overall. Four other schools feature a pair of ranked wrestlers: Clovis North (Calif.), St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Simley (Minn.), and Christian Brothers College (Mo.). The state of California features the most top 50 ranked wrestlers in the Class of 2021 with eight, all are among the top 33. Seven come from New Jersey, while it's six each from Ohio and Pennsylvania. Minnesota has the fifth most with four, while there are a trio from New York and Missouri.

Kyle Dake during U.S. Open finals match against Alex Dieringer in 2018 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) It happens just about every year in the sport of wrestling. A Special Wrestle-Off is held to determine a spot on the United States World or Olympic Team. Kyle Dake and Alex Dieringer were supposed to battle for a World Team spot at the Final X on June 8 at Rutgers. But now they won't wrestle until they meet in a Special Wrestle-Off on Aug. 17 in Austin, Texas. The 2019 World Championships kick off less than a month later in Kazakhstan. And that has set off its share of discussion and frustration with people in the wrestling world. As a returning world champion at 79 kilograms, Dake qualified for the Final X by virtue of winning a world medal in 2018. Dake requested and received a delay of his Final X series because of an injury. Dieringer had qualified for the Final X after winning May's World Team Trials Challenge tournament. I'm one-hundred percent in favor of having the best wrestlers on the American team. And rules and guidelines are in place to try and make sure the U.S. puts the best team on the mat. That's why USA Wrestling allows Special Wrestle-Offs to take place. They want the best men and women on the U.S. squad for the biggest event of the year. There have been criticisms of the system, including by Dake, that it was unfair when Jordan Burroughs would receive an automatic berth into the finals of the World Team Trials and Olympic Team Trials. Sitting out was definitely an advantage for Burroughs, but he has backed it up with an Olympic gold medal, four world titles and two world bronze medals. Burroughs, Olympic and world champion Kyle Snyder and others earned spots in the finals of the Trials by winning medals at the highest level. It's hard to argue with that criteria. Obviously, you want a system that is fair. But you also want to reward athletes for their high level of success. This isn't a criticism or an indictment at all of Kyle Dake. He's doing what is best for him. He's a proven winner and an outstanding wrestler. He demonstrated that by winning a gold medal at his first World Championships last year. It's unfortunate he didn't have an opportunity sooner, but that shows how strong and deep the U.S. has been in men's freestyle wrestling in recent years. This issue would take on even more importance and add another layer if 79 kilograms was an Olympic weight class because the 2019 World Championships serves as the first qualifier for the 2020 Olympic Games. The 79-kilogram class is a non-Olympic weight class, but they are still handing out a gold medal for the best in the world in that division this year. It's still a World Championships and it's the biggest event of the year. Trust me, I'm all for Kyle Dake having every opportunity to make the 2019 World Team. He earned that by winning a world title in 2018 and he's one of the best freestyle wrestlers on the planet. He's one of my favorite athletes to watch. He's a tremendous competitor. But I'm not a proponent of having the Special Wrestle-Off this late in the year and this close to the World Championships. Dake earned the right to ask for an extension, but it shouldn't be for two-plus months after the Final X. That's too long. Dieringer shouldn't have to wait this long to wrestle against Dake in the best-of-three series with so much on the line and with it being so close to the World Championships. A date needs to be set, around a month after the Final X, where the Special Wrestle-Off would have to happen. If the Final X continues to be held in June each year, then schedule any Special Wrestle-Off during Junior and Cadet Nationals a month later in Fargo. Put that on the schedule and adhere to that. If the Trials/Final X are held earlier, like they typically are in an Olympic year, then the Special Wrestle-Off should be held within a month after the Trials. If the injured wrestler isn't ready within a month after the Trials, he or she will not be permitted to compete in a Special Wrestle-Off at a later date. No exceptions. It has to happen by then. Set a date and stick with it. Don't allow an athlete to dictate when the Special Wrestle-Off is held. The U.S. World Team needs to be set by then, so the athlete that makes the squad can properly prepare for the World Championships. He or she should be training specifically for that event. And watching video of and developing game plans for possible opponents. Not preparing for an American opponent at a Special Wrestle-Off just a month before the World Championships. If Dake is ready to compete in another event in July, as he is expected to do, he should be able to compete in the Special Wrestle-Off at that point. No further delays should be allowed. Dieringer and his camp have every right to be frustrated and upset. The Special Wrestle-Offs typically don't take place this close to a World Championships. There was an exception last year when Olympic and World champion Helen Maroulis won a Special Wrestle-Off in early October, just a couple of weeks before the 2018 World Championships. Special Wrestle-Offs have generated their share of controversy over the years and that's understandable. There is plenty at stake and everyone is going to fight for what they believe in. And do everything in their power to make a World or Olympic team. I would imagine that USA Wrestling will take a close look at adjusting its procedures when it comes to when Special Wrestle-Offs can be held. USA Wrestling's system has been fair in that regard in the past and I'm sure steps will be taken to make sure it is as fair as possible moving forward. The Dake-Dieringer series already was going to provide an excellent battle between two incredible wrestlers. Now it takes on even more interest with the matches being delayed and the controversy that has followed. It's too bad the U.S. couldn't take Dake and Dieringer to Kazakhstan for the World Championships. They are both good enough to meet in the world finals. There is no question the U.S. will be send a strong representative to the World Championships at 79 kilograms. The spot just should have been determined sooner. 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.

Lars Jensen was affiliated with San Francisco State for four decades (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Two years after being dropped as head wrestling coach at San Francisco State after more than three decades, Lars Jensen has received a half-million dollar settlement from the school. "Two weeks ago, we had a meeting with the judge, San Francisco State and the California university system," Jensen told InterMat Monday. "All parties agreed that a $500,000 settlement, and the judge thought it was fair." When asked for his initial reaction to the resolution, Jensen immediately said, "I'm relieved" then added, "Basically, I've spent the past two years fighting this." "My lawyer did a fantastic job. We had planned to have the case go to trial and let a jury decide. I'm glad it's now been resolved." Jensen's attorney, Robert Jaret, echoed those sentiments, saying, "We're pleased to reach a positive conclusion of his case." Jensen had been affiliated with San Francisco State for 40 years, first arriving on campus as a wrestler in 1977, then serving as an assistant coach until taking the helm of the Gators mat program beginning in the 1983-1984 season. In a June 2017 interview with InterMat, Jensen said, "The athletic director Charles Guthrie and Vice President for Advancement Robert Nava came into my office for my evaluation. They basically said, 'We're opening up the position and you're welcome to apply.'" "I handed them my resume and qualifications, and said I wanted to re-apply for the job." By then, the job opening for head wrestling coach at SFSU had been posted at an NCAA jobs website, and Jensen's bio had been deleted from the official Gators wrestling website for the 2017-18 season. "It's hard to prove age discrimination," Jensen said this week. "They didn't give me appropriate consideration." "The one thing I can say is the three people who made the decision are no longer there." Despite having his long-time job as coach pulled out from under him in 2017, Jensen said, "I'm still a Gator. In the midst of all this, I was selected as a professor emeritus in Kinesiology at San Francisco State" having served as a classroom instructor in that subject for nearly two decades. Beyond continuing as an instructor in his major at his alma mater, what's next for Lars Jensen? "I've already put in a call to Mike Moyer at the National Wrestling Coaches Association, to see about mentoring young college coaches." Lars Jensen has impressive coaching credentials worth sharing. During his time at the helm of the Gator mat program, Jensen became the only coach in any sport to bring a national title to SFSU (in 1997). In more than 33 years as head coach, Jensen could claim ten NCAA Division II individual champions and 62 NCAA All-Americans. In addition to on-the-mat success, Jensen coached 65 wrestlers to All-Academic honors. Jensen has been enshrined in at least a half-dozen halls of fame, including the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame, the California Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the San Francisco State University Athletics Hall of Fame. For all those reasons, Jensen's attorney Robert Jaret -- who once was a wrestler himself -- paid Lars Jensen the ultimate compliment, saying, "I'd love to have had a coach like Lars."

Wrestling fans: Here's your opportunity to meet Jim Miller, the new Dan Gable Museum Director in person ... and check out the newly updated facility in Waterloo, Iowa, too. Dan Gable and Jim MillerThe National Wrestling Hall of Fame Gable Museum will be hosting a special "Open House" event – featuring museum director Jim Miller -- on Wednesday, July 17 from 4-7 p.m. at 303 Jefferson Street in Waterloo. Beverages and hors d'oeuvres will be served. Miller was named director of the museum in early June, replacing long-time director Kyle Klingman, who is now working at Trackwrestling.com. As Gable Museum director, Miller is responsible for the museum's daily operations, including the preservation of artifacts, programming, planning, communications and fundraising, while also overseeing the Dan Gable Learning Center, a wrestling training facility inside the museum. Jim Miller has deep roots in wrestling in Iowa. He launched his mat career at Waterloo East High School, then continued his academic and athletic career at University of Northern Iowa in nearby Cedar Falls, where he was twice an NCAA Division II champion in 1974 and 1975, then finished second and fourth, respectively, at the Division I championships the same years. After coaching at the high school level, Miller returned to UNI as the top assistant coach from 1983-91 ... then became head coach at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, just north of Waterloo, where he built a career record of 413-37-2. He guided the Knights to 10 NCAA Division III team championships, 21 consecutive Iowa Conference championships and seven National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals championships. In addition, Miller coached 37 individual national champions, 147 All-Americans and 72 NWCA Academic All-Americans before stepping down after the 2013 season. Want to know more? Check out the official website ... email dgmstaff@nwhof.org ... or call (319) 233-0745.

Timmy McCall wrestling at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas (Photo/Sandy Slater) RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina native Timmy McCall has joined the NC State wrestling program as a volunteer assistant coach, announced by head coach Pat Popolizio. "Timmy brings really good experience that will help elevate our current student-athletes both on and off the mat," said Popolizio. "The quality of person that he is is exactly what we are looking for to help mentor our guys in every aspect of life. "Our guys are very familiar with him, both with his time at the Wolfpack Wrestling Club and through working with them in NC State's chapter of Athletes in Action. I'm confident this will be a smooth transition for our program" While competing for the Wolfpack Wrestling Club since 2015, McCall took first place at the 2017 Henri Deglane Challenge and was a 2016 Bill Farrell International runner-up. This year, he placed second at the 2019 Grand Prix of France/Henri Deglane Challenge and seventh at the 2019 U.S. Open to qualify for the World Team Trials held in Raleigh. During his time at the Wolfpack WC the past five years, McCall has not only trained full-time but works extensively with Athletes in Action on NC State's campus. McCall competed collegiately at Wisconsin, and was ranked as high as ninth nationally as a senior. He wrestled for the Badgers from 2012-15 at both 184 and 197 pounds and qualified for the NCAA Championships at 197 pounds as both a junior and senior. He graduated from South View High School in Hope Mills, N.C., where he was a state champion and two-time NHSCA All-American. He also graduated with a 3.9 GPA and was a member of Academically Gifted (AG) program.

Tyler Graff at a press conference before Final X: Lincoln (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers wrestling head coach Scott Goodale added former Wisconsin four-time All-American and current USA World Team member Tyler Graff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2019-20 campaign. Graff, who competed collegiately for the Badgers from 2008-14 at 133 pounds, will represent Team USA at the World Wrestling Championships from Sept. 14-22 in Nursultan, Kazakhstan after his 61-kilogram men's freestyle series victory at Final X: Lincoln on June 15. "We're extremely excited to add Tyler Graff to our staff," Goodale said. "By securing a spot on the World Team last month, Tyler has shown he is one of the best wrestlers at his weight in the sport right now and brings Big Ten and freestyle experience into our room. He will do a great job of making our guys better as we continue to build off of last season's success." A collegiate standout at Wisconsin, Graff was a four-time All-American and national runner-up for the Badgers. Graff earned 97 career victories in Madison, which included a 33-6 mark as a senior en route to an appearance in the 133-pound final at the national tournament in 2014. Graff, who also finished third and fifth (twice) at NCAAs, was a four-time Big Ten Championships placewinner and two-time Midlands Champion in 2009 and 2010. Graff made a statement on the national stage earlier last month, as he downed Joe Colon in the 61-kilogram men's freestyle series final at Final X: Lincoln to secure his spot on the USA World Freestyle Team. Graff won the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament this past May to qualify for Final X. Graff is also a three-time University Nationals champion and a 2017 Pan American champion. Scholastically, Graff was a four-time Colorado state champion at Loveland High School where he finished with a 162-1 career record. Graff tallied 101 career pins at Loveland and was a three-time Fargo All-American. Rutgers is coming off an historic 2018-19 campaign which was capped by the program's first individual NCAA titles from Anthony Ashnault and Nick Suriano, as well as its first top-10 finish at the national tournament. Rutgers wrestled to a 12-6 dual record, which included wins over three ranked foes - No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 19 Princeton and No. 20 Purdue. RU returns five national qualifiers next season, including Suriano, who secured a 29-3 record to go along with his Big Ten and NCAA titles.

JohnMark Bentley signed a contract extension through 2022-23 season (Photo/Appalachian State Athletics) BOONE, N.C. -- Appalachian State University wrestling head coach JohnMark Bentley has signed a contract extension that runs through the 2022-23 season, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Tuesday. The extension was approved by Appalachian State Chancellor Sheri Everts and the Appalachian State Board of Trustees. "I am extremely grateful for the support and confidence that Chancellor Everts, Doug Gillin and the Board of Trustees have shown me," Bentley said. "Over the last few years, App State Wrestling has achieved some remarkable things, but I believe the best are yet to come. I am excited for the opportunity to continue leading this historic wrestling program." Named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year four times in his first 10 seasons as App State's head coach, Bentley helped lead the Mountaineers to a fourth consecutive SoCon regular-season title during the 2018-19 season. Bentley's career record stands at 97-66-1 heading into the 2019-20 season, and a 5-1 league record last season is part of a 25-2 run against SoCon competition during the last four seasons. Since the native of nearby Newland, N.C., became App State's head coach, the Mountaineers have had 32 NCAA qualifiers and three All-Americans. "We are excited to have JohnMark continue to lead our wrestling program," Senior Associate Athletics Director Jonathan Reeder said. "The sustained success App State Wrestling has had under his leadership has been exceptional. JohnMark is committed to the success of our student-athletes academically, competitively and in the community, and we are excited for the future of our wrestling program." Appalachian State achieved national top-25 rankings during the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2018-19 seasons, climbing to as high as No. 16 during a 12-3 season in 2016-17. Bentley finished third in voting for national coach of the year in 2012 and was also a finalist in 2018, when a young App State team swept both the SoCon regular-season and tournament titles. Off the mat, App State posted a team GPA of 3.03 in the spring of 2019, and its number of community service hours recorded by the Helper Helper platform in 2018-19 ranked No. 1 among all Division I wrestling programs. In the last four years, Bentley's program is 37-4 against non-Power Five Conference opponents with six victories against teams from Power Five leagues: Duke (2015-16), Indiana (2015-16), No. 15 Oregon State (2016-17), No. 25 North Carolina (2016-17), Duke (2016-17) and Duke (2018-19). While attracting some of the nation's top teams to Boone, the Mountaineers have consistently wrestled in front of standing-room-only crowds at Varsity Gym. Of the four App State wrestlers who qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2019, Randall Diabe was the only senior, leaving rising senior Cary Miller, rising senior Matt Zovistoski and rising junior Codi Russell among the potential leaders in 2019-20. Miller and Russell both won an NCAA match during their 2019 appearances in Pittsburgh. ­­

Alex Dieringer gets in on a shot against Kyle Dake in the U.S. Open finals in 2018 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) USA Wrestling announced that returning world champion Kyle Dake and World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion Alex Dieringer will wrestle for a spot on the 2019 World Team at 79 kilograms on Aug. 17 in Austin Texas. The date and city for the special wrestle-off were determined by USA Wrestling's Freestyle Sport Committee. Dake received an automatic berth in Final X as a returning world medalist. However, an injury prevented him from competing at Final X on June 8 at Rutgers. He requested a delay in his best-of-three matchup against Dieringer, which was granted because he met all the requirements for a special wrestle-off. Dieringer won the U.S. Open in April and then claimed the title at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. The 2019 World Championships are set for Sept. 14-22 in in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

A.J. Ferrari and Braxton Amos headline the InterMat top-100 senior rankings (Photos/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Link: Top-100 Senior Rankings The beginning of July used to be a very big deal in the recruitment of prospective student-athletes. However, recent changes to NCAA bylaws have shifted the recruiting process to earlier in the high school career of prospects. Instead of July 1 of the rising senior year being a big milestone date, that date is now September 1 of the junior year (i.e. ten months earlier). Even so, early July is still significant. The month of June was a big month in terms of major event opportunities for wrestlers to perform. At the beginning of the month was the UWW Cadet Nationals (aka, World Team Trials) for those that were age-eligible, while at mid-month there were both the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka, Disney Duals) along with the Junior Duals. In the month of July, the Cadet and Junior Nationals will take place in Fargo from July 12-19. Then, at the end of the month, there is a dead period in recruiting from July 29-Aug. 4 for the NWCA Convention. For a third straight year, the top ranked wrestler in the senior class is a projected upper-weight (197 and/or 285); while it marks consecutive years that the top two prospects are both upper-weights. The 2018 class was led by Gable Steveson, while last year's class featured Greg Kerkvliet and Cohlton Schultz. Leading the 2020 is A.J. Ferrari (Allen, Texas) and Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.). Ferrari has been the top-ranked wrestler for this class since November 2017. In the 2018-19 year, Ferrari was repeat champion of the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and won the Beast of the East with a championship match victory over end of season No. 1 at 195 pounds Jacob Cardenas. A.J. started the year at Blair Academy before transferring to Bergen Catholic in early January, but was ineligible for post-season competition as per NJSIAA rules. In the spring, he returned to Allen, where he won state titles in his first two years of high school. Amos has held varying top five positions in this class throughout his high school career. The 2018-19 season was a second consecutive undefeated season after missing his freshman year of high school due to injury. He won second consecutive titles at the Super 32 Challenge, Walsh Jesuit Ironman, and Powerade tournaments. Ranked third in this class is Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla.), whose 2018-19 season saw him win a Super 32 Challenge title and dominate through a 46-1 season on the way to a second straight state title. The last two seasons of high school for Plott have seen him win 88 of 89 matches, while in the pre-season advancing to a pair of Super 32 Challenge finals. He is one of five Oklahoma State commits ranked in the top 50 of this class; joining him as Cowboys verbals are No. 12 Trevor Mastrogiovanni (Blair Academy, N.J.), No. 18 Luke Surber (Tuttle, Okla.), No. 37 Jakason Burks (Omaha Burke, Neb.) and No. 48 Konner Doucet (Comanche, Okla.). The top five is rounded out by Jesse Vasquez (Excelsior Charter, Calif.), who is in position to become the ever rare four-time state champion in the Golden State; and Keegan O'Toole (Arrowhead, Wis.) who has won both the Super 32 Challenge and Junior National freestyle tournaments in the last 12 months. Joining them in the top ten are three-time National Prep champion Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.); four-star defensive line prospect Nash Hutmacher (Chamberlain, S.D.), who just committed to Nebraska for football; three-time state champions Patrick Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) and Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.); along with two-time state champion Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.). Dominating the top-100 recruits are the 19 wrestlers competing for high schools in the Keystone State, including six on the roster at Wyoming Seminary; all four top-100 recruits from WPIAL schools are rated within the top 35. Next in line are the nine top-100 seniors from Ohio and New Jersey, while it's eight from Missouri, and then seven from California and Illinois respectively. Notable among high school programs are the three top-100 recruits for Blair Academy (N.J.) and Tuttle (Okla.), while there are pairs in the top-100 from Liberty (Mo.), Bergen Catholic (N.J.), Elyria (Ohio), Montini Catholic (Ill.), Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), and Mt. St. Joseph's (Md.).

USAFA, Colo. -- Air Force Academy wrestling Head Coach Sam Barber announced the addition of Joe Johnston to the coaching staff for the upcoming 2019-20 season, Monday, July 1. Johnston, who most recently served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri, will be the Associate Head Coach for the Falcons. He replaces Bart Horton on staff, after Horton departed to become a combatives instructor at the Academy. "We are extremely excited and grateful to welcome Associate Head Coach Joe Johnston, his wife Melisa, and the three children to the United States Air Force Academy," Barber exclaimed. "Joe brings a decade of experience from two of the best programs in the country. As a competitor at the University of Iowa, he stood on the podium twice at the NCAA Championships, which is a top goal for our cadet athletes. As a coach at the University of Missouri, he is a proven leader who connects well to his athletes. He brings an outstanding work ethic and a growth mindset to our program." "I am proud and honored to accept the position of Associate Head Wrestling Coach at the Air Force Academy," Johnston added. "The Academy is a special place, attracting student athletes of the highest standards. I look forward to taking on the challenge of supporting these future leaders and helping them achieve their goals. I am grateful to Coach Barber for this opportunity and the warm welcome my family has received from the Air Force Academy community." Joe JohnstonJohnston comes to the Academy after 11 seasons as an assistant coach at Missouri under head coach Brian Smith. While on staff at Mizzou, Johnston helped to produce 36 All-Americans and six National Champions. He coached the Tiger wrestlers to eight consecutive conference titles in 2012 (Big 12), and 2013-19 (MAC), as well as five consecutive top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. He joined the Mizzou staff at the start of the 2008-09 campaign after serving two years as an assistant coach at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. While at Cornell College, Johnston coached the team to a seventh place finish at the 2008 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He produced six All-Americans in his two years as a coach for the Rams. Johnston will bring both collegiate coaching and high level wrestling experience to Air Force. He was a two-time All-American for the University of Iowa at 157 pounds, placing second as a junior in 2005, and sixth as a senior in 2006. He tallied a 113-45 career record as a Hawkeye, managing at least 26 victories in each season of competition. A two-time team captain and Most Valuable Wrestler, the Hawkeye was a top-notch student in the classroom, earning J. Donald McPike senior award for highest grade-point average. Johnston graduated from Iowa in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in art education, and went on to earn his master's degree in educational psychology from the University of Missouri in 2013. Johnston also competed internationally in freestyle wrestling from 2006-12 placing multiple times in the U.S. nationals and qualifying for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Trials. "We were looking for a coach that would compliment our staff," Barber continued. "We have two world class coaches in Chris Heilman and Dustin Kilgore, and Joe will bring the same amount of passion and knowledge to our wrestling room and training plan. We also had to have a coach that shares the values of our Academy and program, and Joe lives out our values of integrity, selfless service, and excellence in all areas of his life. "I would also like to thank and recognize the support of Mr. Nathan Pine, Mr. Jim Trego, Lt. Col. Sean Tiernan, Rich Ramsey, and Doug Wells for their leadership, vision and support in attracting such a high caliber coach to the United States Air Force Academy," Barber said. A native of Kansas City, Mo., Johnston is married to the former Melisa Katterhenry. They have two daughters, Ruby and Ruth, and a son, Joshua.

How do you plan to spend your Independence Day? Many of us plan to go out for a picnic ... host a backyard barbeque ... or chill out by the pool. Perhaps take in a parade. Nick Suriano is grand marshal of a Fourth of July paradeNick Suriano, first Rutgers wrestler to win an NCAA title, will lead the Fourth of July parade in his hometown of Paramus, New Jersey as grand marshal. "My mom used to take me with my grandparents when I was 5 years old," Suriano told NorthJersey.com. "It's cool to be in it, and I know my family is happy. It's a really great honor." In addition to naming Suriano as parade grand marshal, Paramus is honoring the 2019 NCAA 133-pound champ for the Scarlet Knights with a sign to honor him. Initially the red sign will be hung at Borough Hall but will later be transferred to a signpost on Paramus Road, near the Paramus Golf Course. Hanging on the same post will be a sign honoring Suriano's most significant mat accomplishment prior to college, winning four New Jersey state titles as a wrestler at Bergen Catholic High School, where he compiled a perfect 159-0 record. Although Suriano was the first wrestler to win a national title in the long history of the sport at the State University of New Jersey, it was only a matter of minutes when he was joined by teammate Anthony Ashnault who was crowned champ at 149 pounds at the 2019 NCAA Division I championships in Pittsburgh in March.

Chris Williams coaching Michigan State in a dual meet against Northwestern (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State wrestling head coach Roger Chandler announced Monday that longtime assistant and Spartan alum Chris Williams has been promoted to associate head coach. An All-American during his wrestling career at MSU, Williams previously served as an assistant coach at Michigan State for eight years under Tom Minkel (2005-13) and three years under Roger Chandler (2016-2019). "I knew when Chris came back to Michigan State three years ago that he was the perfect fit to help take this program to the next level," said Chandler. "Chris embodies what it means to be a Spartan and has very high expectations and goals for every student-athlete. He brings a tireless work ethic every day and truly has a passion for coaching which is evident in the development of our team." In his three years as an assistant coach under Chandler, Williams has helped elevate the MSU program from a 5-10 dual record in 2016-17 to a 10-8 record in duals this past season. Williams briefly served as the head coach at Adrian College from 2014-2016, where he resurrected a Bulldog wrestling program that was dormant from 1984-2015. In his one season as head coach prior to returning to East Lansing, Williams led the Bulldogs to a 7-3 dual record and a 22nd place finish at the 2016 NCAA Division III Championships where Bulldog wrestler Angus Arthur took fourth-place at 197 pounds. In his return to the Spartan wrestling room, Williams has worked extensively with junior Rayvon Foley, who became Michigan State's first NCAA place winner of the Roger Chandler era following a seventh-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Foley enters the 2019-20 season with an overall career record of 64-17 which includes a 29-6 record in duals and a 35-11 record in tournaments. In his first stop as an assistant at MSU, Williams helped Spartan wrestlers earn All-America honors on eight occasions, including 2009 NCAA Champion Franklin Gomez and four-time All-American Nick Simmons. A native of Fowlerville, Michigan, Williams wrestled at MSU from 1997-2002, earning All-America honors in 2001 at 125 pounds. He recorded 102 career wins, which ranks 18th most in program history, and was named a team captain as a senior. A two-time NCAA Championships qualifier (2001, 2002), Williams took seventh at the NCAA Championships in 2001 and placed third at the Big Ten Championships in 2001 and seventh in 2002. He won a career-high 34 matches as a junior. Williams was a two-time Michigan high school state champion and four-time all-state honoree at Fowlerville High School, compiling a 195-10 record, including a 101-2 mark his last two seasons. He also had extensive success in the freestyle and Greco-Roman ranks as well. He was a Greco-Roman Junior Fila National Champion in 1998, and took Greco-Roman University national champion honors in 2001. Williams received his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Michigan State in 2002. Following his time in East Lansing, Williams earned his certificate in secondary education from Eastern Michigan in social studies and economics in 2011.

Andrew Philibeck (right) on American Ninja Warrior Once wrestlers put their shoes on the mat -- the universal indicator they are retiring from the sport -- what are the career options that let them use the skills gained from wrestling? The most obvious: become a wrestling coach or mat official. Some have found fame and fortune in the pro wrestling ring or in mixed martial arts. A select few have discovered that the NFL is the place to put their wrestling skills to work on the gridiron. (Just ask Stephen Neal, college and world mat champ who earned three Super Bowl rings playing for the New England Patriots.) In addition, InterMat has profiled former wrestlers who now put the basics that worked so well for them on the mat -- stance, strength, flexibility, endurance -- to work as a member of a NASCAR pit crew. Last summer, we told the story of Bryce Abbey, the former University of Nebraska-Kearney who was crowned champion on the CBS series Total Knock Out starring Kevin Hart, taking home a grand prize of $150,000. Others who once wrestled are finding a competitive outlet in American Ninja Warrior. You might be familiar with American Ninja Warrior from TV, having been broadcast on NBC for a number of years, with fresh episodes currently being shown on the network this summer. It's a spin-off of the wildly popular Japanese series Sasuke. Here's how NBC describes American Ninja Warrior at its website: "The action-packed series follows competitors as they tackle a series of challenging obstacle courses in both city qualifying and city finals rounds across the country. Those who successfully complete the finals course in their designated region move on to the national finals round in Las Vegas, where they face a stunning four-stage course modeled after the famed Mt. Midoriyama course in Japan. The winner will take home a grand prize of $1 million." American Ninja Warrior exists beyond the TV series. There are non-televised competitions across the country… along with Ninja gyms in some cities where individuals can work out in a setting which replicates what viewers see on TV. Heath Hertel H.L. Hertel: Author, former wrestler, Ninja believer Among the participants in American Ninja Warrior (on TV and in non-TV competitions) -- as well as those who work out in Ninja gyms -- are former wrestlers. One is Heath Hertel. You may recognize Hertel, who, as H.L. Hertel, is the author of the "To Be The Best" series of young adult novels which tell the story of brothers (and high school wrestlers) Ron and Nick Castle, along with assistant coach Sean McCallister. How did former wrestler-turned-novelist Hertel get involved in American Ninja Warrior? "My daughter would turn on American Ninja Warrior," Hertel told InterMat. "I don't watch much TV but this show captured my attention." "I made a promise to her -- 'If you stick with hockey practice, I'll start working out in a Ninja gym.'" "I started talking to Andrew Philibeck. He had applied for the scholarship fund I had established. Despite having a nasty broken elbow senior year, he ended up as a runner-up at the Wisconsin state tournament." "He was competing on the University of Wisconsin Ninja team. He said, 'My best friend works at a Ninja gym in Minneapolis.'" Hertel checked out that Ninja gym and started working out there. "There are different courses -- for example, 'Intro to Obstacles.' You use muscles you normally don't use." "I now feel comparable to when I was a wrestler in my senior year of high school." "So many of the guys on the show were high school and/or college wrestlers," Hertel continued. "All the tools that make a successful wrestler makes them good in ninja competition." "With so many wrestlers doing well at American Ninja Warrior, I thought it might be an option some might want to explore." With that, wrestler-turned-published-writer Heath Hertel provided contact information on two former wrestlers who now participate in ninja events. Andrew Philibeck's story Andrew Philibeck has serious amateur wrestling credentials. For starters, the twenty-four-year-old grew up in Freedom, Wis., the community that is also the hometown to Garrett Lowney, bronze medalist in Greco-Roman competition at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and University of Minnesota heavyweight early in the 21st century… and Cole Konrad, two-time NCAA heavyweight champ for the Minnesota Golden Gophers in 2006 and 2007 who then launched a successful pro MMA career, winning the Bellator heavyweight belt before retiring. "I started wrestling in third grade," Philibeck said in an interview with InterMat. "In sixth grade, I switched to basketball, but came back to wrestling in eighth grade." As Hertel mentioned earlier, Philibeck suffered a serious elbow injury as a senior, yet persevered to make it to the Wisconsin state championship finals. He had also wrestled for the Wisconsin national freestyle team. However, as a member of the University of Wisconsin club team, Philibeck suffered a concussion which ended his wrestling career. How did this former wrestler get involved in American Ninja Warrior? "I enjoyed the TV show. Because wrestling had been my life, I decided to try out for American Ninja Warrior," said Philibeck. "I started my training on my own just using monkey bars." "Then I saw there was a Ninja Warriors College Edition, with teams of three members each. I made it onto a team, and we were flown to Hollywood. We swept the competition and won the national title." "Our team included Zack Kemmerer, an NCAA All-American wrestler for University of Pennsylvania, and Taylor Amenn, a pole vaulter at Wisconsin," according to Philibeck. "Each team has two guys and one girl." "There are tons of college teams. We were picked." "Drew Knopp -- who had been on the NBC American Ninja Warrior show -- started a gym in Green Bay," Philibeck told InterMat. "Drew, a girl named Sara Heusen, and I were featured as the Wisco Warriors on a USA Network show called American Ninja Warrior: Ninja vs. Ninja in spring 2018. In the finals of our episode, Drew won." "Filming took place long before our episode was shown on TV," said Philibeck. "We were warned there would be a $100,000 fine if we blabbed the results ahead of time." How did wrestling help Philibeck in Ninja competition? "You're used to being in front of people. I really don't notice the cameras or the crowd." "Wrestling is such a mental sport. You have to be tough to wrestle. Wrestlers have a different mentality. No matter what happens, you keep going. You work harder than others." "You learn to tune out distractions." As Philibeck pointed out, in addition to various "flavors" of American Ninja Warrior on TV, there are non-televised competitions all over the country, featuring athletes from various Ninja gyms. Hunter Guerard Hunter Guerard, the Lizard You could say Hunter Guerard inherited his love of the oldest and greatest sport from his father, who had a military background as a Blackhawk helicopter pilot and instructor. "My dad was a wrestler," Guerard told InterMat. "He would wrestle with me and my brothers when we were stationed overseas in Germany." "We came to America when dad retired. We were enrolled in wrestling right away in Royalton, Minnesota. In describing his on-the-mat accomplishments, Guerard modestly said, "I got the standard awards -- all-conference honorable mention, went to state. Did some freestyle and Greco wrestling, too, at 119 pounds." "I did a little bit of wrestling in college at St. John's. Later transferred to St. Cloud State but didn't wrestle there. But I did some post-collegiate competition, including wrestling in the sand at Battle on the Beach." "I didn't know about American Ninja Warrior until I was 25 or 26 years old." "When I was growing up, I watched Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee." "I saw American Ninja Warriors on TV while I was on vacation. Thought it looked like fun. Looked it up online. Learned that there were guys who trained for it." "I was working in construction at the time (late 2015). Met a woman who asked if I could help her build a Ninja gym in Edina (a suburb of Minneapolis). Helped her make it a reality." "We walked into an empty warehouse. Now it's a 6,000 sq. ft. Ninja gym -- a legitimate training facility." Within a year, that Ninja gym -- Obstacle Academy -- was so popular, groups were being organized by age and ability. "We even have a "pre" program to help new people get ready for the facility," said Guerard. "We have a few hundred active participants now, and a wait list." Guerard now participates in the National Ninja League, where he placed third in the first world championship finals, adding "there are events all over the place." "Thousands of people compete nationally, but only a few make it to TV." "It's great to still be competing," said the 30-year-old Guerard, who, at 5'7" and 135 pounds, competes as "the Lizard" in Ninja competitions year around. "I have only three national competitions where I wasn't on the podium." Guerard said that his amateur wrestling background has been instrumental in his success in national Ninja competition. "Physically and mentally, Ninja is very similar to wrestling," adding that sometimes there's hand-to-hand fighting, Ninja vs. Ninja. "I compete all over the country, all year 'round," Guerard said. "The competitive stuff doesn't have to end after your wrestling career."

Ernest James wrestling Adam Coon at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) EDINBORO, Pa. -- Edinboro wrestling coach Matt Hill has announced the appointment of Ernest James as an assistant wrestling coach for the upcoming season. James is no stranger to the Fighting Scot program, enjoying an outstanding career from 2009-14. The addition of James gives the Edinboro staff an additional Fighting Scot flavor. Hill, who will enter his second year as the head coach, is a former Edinboro standout, while assistant coach Mike DePalma also competed for the Fighting Scots before completing his career at Kent State. Pat Bradshaw, another assistant on the staff, was also a former Boro standout. "I'm extremely pleased to welcome Ernest James, a former Fighting Scot, to our coaching staff," related Hill. "Ernest has a great presence to himself and brings a positive energy to the wrestling room. Ernest had a stellar college career at Edinboro and after pursued a MMA career for a few years in California. He's a true competitor and also an amazing person off the mat. He will focus on training and developing our upper weights but also be a great mentor and friend to our entire team. I look forward to helping him with his new coaching career decision and learning from him as well. " James excelled as a heavyweight for Edinboro. He was a three-time NCAA Division I national qualifier who wrapped up his career with a 100-49 record with 37 falls. He won one EWL and one PSAC championship. He ranks eighth in career falls and is in the top 30 in career victories. After redshirting in 2009-10, James emerged as the starter at heavyweight in 2010-11, posting a 17-16 finish with 8 falls. He would place second at the PSAC Championships and fourth at the EWL Championships. In 2011-12, James qualified for Nationals for the first time thanks to a second place finish at the EWL Championships. He ended the year with a 30-14 record with 14 falls. He captured the PSAC title and placed second at EWL's. The 14 falls are tied for 11th in a season. James picked up his first win at Nationals as a redshirt junior, ending the 2012-13 campaign with a 24-14 ledger and seven falls while earning a trip to Nationals for the second time. He added a third place finish at the PSAC Championships and was fifth at the EWL Championships. As a redshirt senior in 2013-14, James ended the year with a 29-7 record with 8 falls. He won his first EWL Championship, then went on to go 2-2 at Nationals. He picked up career win number 100 at Nationals with a 5-3 decision over Bloomsburg's Justin Grant. He earlier beat Grant 3-1 in sudden victory in the EWL title match, and placed second at the PSAC Championships after a 2-1 loss to Grant. James got his coaching career underway last year, serving as an assistant coach for the West Virginia Regional Training Center. He previously trained with the Valley Regional Training Center, run out of Fresno State, in 2017-18. James earned his Bachelor of Science degree in HPE - Human Performance from Edinboro in December 2014. Her served internships with Saint Vincent Hospital in Cardiac Rehab and Corporate Wellness, along with a stint at Eberle's Physical Therapy. He also competed in MMA for a time, posting a 1-1 record.

Ladd Rupp is returning to Perry High School -- the place where he won four Oklahoma state wrestling titles before going off to Oklahoma State -- to become head coach of the Maroon mat program, the Stillwater News Press reported Saturday. Rupp, who most recently coached at Cushing High in central Oklahoma, replaces Ronnie Delk who announced in early June that he was leaving the helm of one of the nation's winningest prep programs to be an assistant coach at Bentonville High School in Arkansas. "I'm very, very honored and flattered to be blessed with this opportunity, that's for sure," Rupp told the Stillwater paper. "I can remember going and watching high school duals in Perry when I was in grade school, thinking back then that it would be a dream come true to be the coach. It's been a dream of mine for a very long time." Rupp will be returning to a familiar wrestling room. What's more, to help ease the transition, current Perry assistant coach Jared Minor will remain in that position. "I was very, very thankful that he (Minor) wanted to stay," Rupp said. "… He was there to bridge the gap between me and the boys. I think him being there provided that comfort level because you could see some of the guys wanting to ask me something, but they didn't want to step on my toes, so they would go to him and he'd come to me so I could then approach the kids about it. Obviously, having him stay and already knowing the boys was great, but he's also just a great coach." Rupp, who graduated from Perry in 2009, is one of just three Maroon wrestlers to have won four state championships in the long, successful history of the program, having won his titles consecutively from 2006 through 2009 under coach Scott Chenoweth, who, like Rupp, wrestled for Perry before becoming head coach. After graduating from Perry, Rupp headed over to Oklahoma State, where he wrestled for legendary coach John Smith, compiling a 15-3 overall record, with five falls. Rupp returns to head up a wrestling program that has a rich legacy going back more than 90 years. Located in the small town of Perry in north-central Oklahoma -- about halfway between Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas -- the Perry Maroon mat program has tallied remarkable accomplishments, especially for a high school that has just over 300 students, including 43 Oklahoma state championship teams ... 20 dual state champion teams ... and 112 individual state champions ... not to mention two Olympic medalists: Jack VanBebber (gold medal, 1932 Los Angeles Olympics) and Dan Hodge (silver medal, 1956 Melbourne Olympics). What's more, just this past season, the Perry Maroons won their 1,000th dual meet… an accomplishment only a handful of high school wrestling programs in the nation can match.

Obe Blanc (Photo/NC State Athletics) FARGO, N.D. -- Obenson Blanc has been named head assistant wrestling coach at North Dakota State University. NDSU head wrestling coach Roger Kish made the announcement on Friday. "I am very excited about this opportunity to help bring my skill sets to a program on the rise, its wonderful community, and student-athletes. I am lucky to have spent five years in Raleigh amongst a great staff and some of the most incredible young individuals you will encounter," said Blanc, a native of Naples, Fla. Blanc has been an assistant coach at NC State since the summer of 2014 following a successful freestyle career that included making five consecutive U.S. National Teams from 2009 to 2013. At the peak of his career, Blanc was a three-time Pan-American finalist, two-time U.S. Open and U.S. World Team Trials Champion in 2010 and 2013, and an alternate for the 2012 London Olympic Games. While at NC State, Blanc mentored a pair of NCAA champions, 10 All-Americans, and 10 ACC champions, as well as 18 NWCA Scholar All-Americans under the direction of head coach Pat Popolizio. He played a major role in the Wolfpack's rocket ascension in the wrestling landscape during his time in Raleigh. NC State placed fourth at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships and also captured ACC tournament titles in 2016 and 2019. That 2016 Wolfpack team finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 23-1 dual record. Blanc served as head coach for the Wolfpack Wrestling Club from 2017-19. He led the WWC to a runner-up finish at the 2018 U.S. Open and helped every club member to qualify for the World Team Trials Challenge. The Wolfpack Wrestling Club has produced multiple World Team Members including Nick Gwiazdowski (2018, 2019), Hayden Hidlay (2018), Sean Fausz (2018), Trent Hidlay (2019), as well as two additional Senior Freestyle Team members in Nick Reenan and Michael Macchiavello. "I look forward to helping student-athletes find success on the mats, excelling in their academic affairs, as well mentorship in their personal lives. It is important that our future leaders can effectively manage, plan, and deliver results while under pressure to perform in the classroom and on the mats," said Blanc. "As a coach I have learned to be a mentor, friend, and sometimes a temporary parent to make sure that there is a 360 approach towards the students that I serve and look forward to bringing that NDSU." Blanc wrestled collegiately at both Lock Haven and Oklahoma State. In 2007 at Lock Haven, he earned All-America honors after finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships. He finished his college career at Oklahoma State, qualifying for his fourth NCAA tournament but falling one win shy of earning All-America status at the 2009 NCAA Championships. For his collegiate career, Blanc compiled a 118-41 record with 25 pins. Blanc earned his bachelor's degree in sports administration from Lock Haven in 2008, and received his master's degree in international business from Oklahoma State in 2010. Obenson and his wife, Kristi, have two daughters, Elliana and Zoa. North Dakota State compiled a 10-6 record overall in 2018-19 including 5-4 in Big 12 Conference duals. NDSU placed eighth at the 2019 Big 12 Conference tournament. The Bison return NCAA qualifiers 133 Cam Sykora, 165 Andrew Fogarty and 174 Lorenzo De La Riva. Fogarty is a two-time Big 12 runner-up at 165 pounds.