InterMat Staff

Jordan Burroughs at Beat the Streets in New York City (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Seems as if Jordan Burroughs has been wrestling for forever. Decades forever. This past week, Burroughs made two major announcements: He revealed his plans to continue to focus on his freestyle wrestling, moving his training facility from its present location in America's heartland at the University of Nebraska (his collegiate home) ... to head back to his old stompin' grounds back east to the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center in Philadelphia as a resident athlete in September 2021 ... just before heading across the Atlantic Ocean to prep for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Jordan Burroughs made his presentation last week at the Wrestling World Cup at the Paris Bercy Arena. It was here -- on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 -- that Burroughs reveled his plans to eager wrestling fans of the world. It was then that Burroughs shared he would leave his longtime training facility in Nebraska's heartland for Philadelphia. It was the end of an era. A time of transition. Burroughs competed as a collegian at Nebraska ... then has continued to train under coach Mark Manning of the Cornhuskers the past 14 years. Burroughs, 32, said he and his wife have always wanted to move closer to his hometown of Sicklerville, New Jersey, a short drive from Philadelphia. "Over the last three months I've had a considerable amount of time to think about my future," Burroughs said. "Is it my time? Should I walk away? Will this Olympic cycle be the last for me? Should I leave my shoes on the mat and move on to the next season of life? "The answer is simple. Not yet. My body is strong. My mind is sharp. I love this sport, and I'm not finished. I will continue. But in a new place. Back where it all started." Burroughs won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London, and he won world championships in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017. He also earned bronzes at worlds in 2014, 2018 and 2019. Jordan Burroughs has made a name for himself in wrestling for more than a couple decades, first in high school in his native New Jersey ... then as a collegiate champ at University of Nebraska in NCAA Division I (with two National titles and a trio of NCAA All-American honors) ... and, now in international freestyle competition the world over. Now arguably the face of men's U.S. wrestling for approximately a decade is making plans to wrap up his future on the mat at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. And, to prepare for those Summer Games AFTER the 2021 Tokyo Games next summer, Burroughs is planning to relocate his training facility to the Philadelphia Regional Training Facility in 2021, having spent the most recent freestyle training cycles in his college home at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. "The plan was always for Jordan to wrestle until 2020 and move on after that," Manning said. "He has the next phases of life, and he wants to open a big club in Philadelphia." But Manning said Burroughs still has his quickness, he's as good as ever technically, he has good health and, most important, still has passion. "In our sport it's hard to tell an aged veteran like that to stop wrestling or keep wrestling," Manning said. "You have to have the inner desire in a sport like wrestling to say, `Hey, I've had enough,' or `Hey, I haven't had enough. I've got years left in me.' That's what Jordan was conveying to me." And now we can call take that first step for getting prepped for the 2024 Paris Games.

PIAA wrestling is dropping weight ... all to reduce weight classes, and enhance competition among high school wrestlers within the state The PIAA board gave final approval this week to a long-discussed plan to reduce the number high school weight classes from 14 down to 13 starting in this next season, providing greater competition and reduce potential for forfeits The vote was unanimous. Here's how PIAA will restructure its weight classes to enhance competition. The PIAA will maintain weight classes 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152 and 160 pounds. However, it will modify the upper weights. Rather than 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285, the PIAA will use 172, 189, 215 and 285. The move is intended to reduce “the huge number of forfeits” in regular-season dual meets, PIAA executive director Bob Lombardi said. “I think last year, in 93% of our wrestling matches we had a forfeit,” Lombardi said. “That's ridiculous. That means you don't have kids to fill weight classes. You've got too many.” The board heard from critics in June who argued that eliminating a weight class would cost athletes opportunities and possibly pose health risks. However, once the PIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee said health risks were unfounded, the PIAA board moved ahead with the initiative. Wednesday's vote finalized a multi-year effort by the PIAA wrestling steering committee that started with an idea to eliminate two weight classes. That 12-class plan eventually stalled, but this 13-class proposal gained traction with support from the wrestling coaches association, Lombardi said. “The support of the coaches association and the sports medicine committee was huge,” Lombardi said. “They think this is the right thing to do. I agree, and the board agrees.” The PIAA had asked the National Federation of State High School Associations to consider making a weight-class reduction nationwide, but the NFHS didn't include the PIAA request when it released its updated rule book in May. Therefore, the PIAA made the change itself. “I'll be candid with you: I'm disappointed with some of the other levels where we tried to get this addressed,” Lombardi said. “Things happened and I understand that, but to wait five years to get a change that our people have been clamoring for, it's counterproductive to the young people who are wrestling.”

Kayla Miracle, Helen Maroulis, Jacarra Winchester and Sarah Hildebrandt (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Even by the lofty standards of the wrestling community, last weekend was one of the most controversial and dramatic in recent memory. In short, FloWrestling refused to add women to their upcoming Dake vs. Chamizo card, claiming there was no economic benefit, thus roiling many female wrestlers and their advocates. In the fallout, Pat Downey backed Flo's positions with some pretty aggressive tweeting, but was ultimately pulled from the card when it was rumored/revealed he'd sent inappropriate text messages. Since then a number of other smaller fires have popped up but have been so far been less dramatic than the original discussion. At its core though the weekend's discussion revolved around women's wrestling and the fight for representation and the role "for-profit" business models should play in supporting larger community aspirations. First, while FloSports airs niche content -- largely of Olympic style sports -- the industry they covered is almost entirely funded through taxation, donation, and non-profit means. It's hard to think of wrestling and not get confused, so imagine you sell livestreaming for a church service. You run a for-profit business, but that business is entirely dependent on the health and success of the non-profit. For example, USA Wrestling pays prize money to its athletes, which in part comes from the funds provided by the USOPC. The USOPC monies come from a combination of sponsorship deals derived from an agreement with the IOC, other Games revenue, and governmental support. Therefore, the events and athletes that are being elevated and promoted by Flo aren't themselves working inside a free market -- like they would be in MMA or jiu-jitsu -- they are supported by the IOC and the Olympic structure. A large part of the Olympic movement is about equality of opportunity and representation. Not having enough women on the mat was part of the reason FILA was shown the guillotine in 2013. When wrestling chose to increase the number of women and improve governance the IOC saw the change and welcomed wrestling back into the Olympics (which provides $15-20 million in direct funding of wrestling per cycle). Therefore, when women are excluded from participating in events based on their gender there is ample reason to be upset. The "we don't make money" off women's wrestling is circular logic insomuch as nobody can make money off something they don't promote. At the moment, I have 200-plus film cameras and vintage lenses I'd like to sell, but I can't because nobody has shown interest in them. No, I haven't posted them on eBay or taken the time to explain their value, but why would I take the time to do that if they haven't already sold? See the fallacy of the argument? I know that women's wrestling sells because United World Wrestling has contracts in two massive media markets (Japan and India) where the value is largely driven by the access to women's wrestling competition. India's program only found success starting in 2016, but with investment from partners in India and a culture who actively welcomes their participation, the sport is blossoming. In Japan the women wrestlers have huge marketing deals and are often so popular as to be subject to tabloid press. In short, women's wrestling is marketable in Japan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Brazil, and Canada. However, it's not in the United States? One of the ways United World Wrestling became better at identifying women's stories and delivering them to our audience was by -- wait for it -- hiring women! Of our full-time staff for the Olympic Games just about half will be women. They were hired because they are capable, talented and driven to deliver good work. They didn't need to have wrestled, and having them on staff has been wildly beneficial (and yes profitable). Take for example an ad-hoc hire of Russian translator Karina. Any interview you've seen with a Russian speaking wrestler from Europeans to Worlds has been done by Karina. I've tried to get these interviews. Other wrestlers have tried. But for whatever reason -- maybe because athletes don't tend to be rude to a female reporter -- Karina gets the interview, has it translated immediately, and delivered. Same with Nazerke, who runs on Russian social media accounts. Need insight on Russian memes -- ask Nazerke.. When it comes to understanding emotional moments or being in the right place at the right time the media team tends to select Helena as the lead videographer. She can feel a moment, gets the best shot, and is respectful of distance and the need to have space. Sometimes male shooters (myself included) can leave too quickly or take a shooting posture that could impact the wrestler and the moment. Certainly, that's not always the case, but having a diversity of experience means we can choose from different individuals to meet a variety of moments and expectations. USA Wrestling also enjoys the benefit of diversity, which we access, too. Taylor Gregorio brings a fresh perspective to the view of wrestling in North America. She also speaks fluent Spanish and has helped the United World Wrestling team reach into new markets with well-asked questions and even helping produce documentaries with Spanish-speaking athletes. Yes, we could have had a male who spoke Spanish do the same, but we didn't. We had Taylor and she's a bad ass. Sachiko's photography, Ana's video editing, and Rita's marketing. The teams we create have women because it would be incredibly short-sighted to have five people in one room who've all had the same experiences. If I hired five American men aged 30-45 with wrestling experience and Big Ten degrees I'd have one arrow in my quiver. With a diverse group of five individuals it often feels like I have 10. As for the wrestlers affected, the American women's wrestlers I know are intelligent, hardworking, tough and marketable. These women are superstars who deserve 100 times the coverage they are currently provided in the United States. I agree that the men might be more popular or cost-effective right now, but it's foolish to ignore a growing segment of the wrestling world. If Toyota sells 100,000 Camry's it doesn't mean they can't also sell some Tacomas. The two aren't related. If anything you grow your audience by tapping into the new networks and exposure that comes with women's wrestling. The COVID era is difficult. Spending is limited, but that's not an excuse for a lack of creativity. Quite the opposite, the times require more inclusive-minded solutions and community creativity. Growing wrestling means growing the size and diversity of our community. Failing to invest in something marketable might seem like the prevention of a short-term cash drain, but in fact it has devastating downstream consequences. We are the stories that we tell and the relationships we create. Ignoring the existence of a gender, or reducing them to an equation of profitability, is not something I believe this community should value. I hope that we can all work together over the coming months and create space for our female athletes that allows them the same opportunity for success as we provide the men. To your questions … Q: What are your thoughts on Jordan Burroughs' decision to leave Lincoln next year? What do you think was the main draw? I always assumed this Olympic cycle would be his last, but I guess not. -- Mike C. Foley: I hadn't given much thought to if he'd continue, but a majority of athletes tend to base their long-term plans on their last performance, say the Olympic Games or worst case, the Olympic Team Trials. Even so, Burroughs has plenty left to keep competing, its more just a matter of priority and what goals he has left to accomplish. The timing of the decision is a little odd. Why not go now? You want to be with Coach Manning, which I think is a good idea, but then why announce a change in July 2020 that won't take effect for 14 months? Seems like a lot of anticipation and could very well distract from training in the short term. I'm not a psychologist, and Burroughs is mentally tough, but I wonder if it splits focus. Who knows, maybe it makes him energized to finish off his time in Nebraska with maximum effort. Also, the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center is snatching up a lot of top talent. Could be an excellent place for wrestlers to train for the 2021 World Championships and beyond. Congrats to Coach Slay for creating a positive atmosphere that welcomes so many top-level athletes. Q: Did the NJRTC make the right decision to drop Pat Downey? -- Mike C. Foley: Yes. Downey hasn't shown to be a person of high character. Starting in college he has been given multiple opportunities to correct his behavior and has chosen each time to revert to bad habits. Downey's playing the bad boy because he feels he can monetize the wrestling audience who he believes wants that type of personal drama. Add on the accusations of illegal behavior, constant disrespect for opponents, coaches, teammates, and a variety of other people invested in his success and you can conclusively say he should not have been receiving the time, money, and coaching investment of the NJRTC. Q: Conferences like the Ivy League and PSAC announced they will not be competing in any sports in the fall season. What does this mean for wrestling programs in those conferences if there is competition? Does it exclude them from competing in events like the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and open tournaments? -- Mike C. Foley: The college wrestling season won't begin in the fall semester, save the introduction of a vaccine or a treatment that can immediately combat the deadliness of the disease. The best solution would be for 100-percent of the nation to wear a mask every time they were in public, wash hands, socially distance, and comply with a nationwide contact tracing protocol that could immediately reduce the number of infections. If, for the sake of college athletics (or human lives, whichever is more important to you) the country could get on board then we would likely see football in the fall, wrestling in the spring, and something resembling normalcy come the 2021-2022 school year. Right now, we are a country without a plan and thousands of people are dying for no reason. MULTIMEDIA SHOWCASE OF WOMEN'S WRESTLING The Rise of Indian women's wrestling Signature Move: Grace Bullen Battsetseg documentary Most watched match in UWW history Belarus vs. Ukraine 76-kilogram quarterfinal (27K views) Signature Move: Vicky Anthony Dope comeback by Adeline Domination by Helen

Helen Maroulis with the Olympic gold medal in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) University of Maryland head wrestling coach and director of the newly named DMV RTC, Alex Clemsen announced the addition of Jon Morrison to be the head coach of the DMV RTC on Monday. He also will be adding Olympic gold medalist Helen Maroulis as an assistant coach and athlete. The Olympic Regional Training Center -- formerly known as the Terrapin Wrestling Club -- will now be named the DMV RTC to better align with the region and the athletes who associate themselves closely with the area. "I couldn't be more excited to be making three big announcements today," Clemsen said. "First, by renaming our Olympic Regional Training Center the DMV RTC, we better align ourselves with one of the best areas in the world to live and we want to emulate the spirit of the region in our efforts to grow and support the greatest sport in the world." Morrison will head the DMV RTC after successful stints leading the Cowboy Wrestling Club (Stillwater, Okla.) from 2014-16 and the Capital Wrestling Club (Rockville, Md.) starting in 2019. Morrison's stellar wrestling career at Oklahoma State was highlighted by championships at the Southern Scuffle (twice), Big 12 Championships twice) and a NCAA All-American finish in 2013. Most recently, Morrison was named a Bill Farrell Memorial International Champion. "By bringing Jon on to be the head coach of the DMV RTC," Clemsen said, "I know that the current athletes, the region, and the future athletes will be able to reach their greatest potential as both wrestlers and citizens. Jon is one of the best people I have ever encountered in our sport and I couldn't be happier to get to work alongside him within the DMV RTC." "I couldn't be more thrilled to join the DMV RTC," Morrison said. "Recent history has shown that wrestlers from the state of Maryland are capable of succeeding at the very highest level with Helen and Kyle Snyder winning gold medals at Rio in 2016. Our vision is to build on that legacy by creating one of the very best training situations in the world; allowing our elite cadet and junior athletes alongside our college athletes to reach a world-class level. "Recent history has also shown that a strong RTC and in-state recruiting are critical to a college's success at the NCAA tournament. After coaching at the club level here in the DMV for the past 18 months, I see everything needed for Maryland to be the top wrestling program in the country. From the talent, the coaches, the fan base, and the school... it's all there. As I've gotten to know Alex, Nick, and Devin over the last several years, I know they believe the same thing and are working tirelessly to get there. I'm very grateful for the opportunity and I can't wait to join them!" Maroulis will join the DMV RTC as a coach and athlete. Maroulis - one of the most storied female wrestlers in the country - became the first female wrestling Olympic gold medalist when she won at Rio in 2016. Her career has also been highlighted by four WCWA Collegiate National Championships and two World Championships (2015, 2017). "They say sometimes you save the best for last, and the last part of this trifecta is to bring Helen Maroulis home and fully support her in her quest to win a second Olympic gold medal and fourth overall world championship," Clemsen said. "When Helen became America's first and only Olympic gold medalist in women's freestyle wrestling in Rio, the world was watching, as that match garnered some of the best ratings of the entire games. To have her back in her home state of Maryland and to be able to work with her and support her next quest to put the world on notice could not make me more excited and proud." "As a Maryland native, it's such a joy to come back to my roots and be a part of the DMV RTC program as a coach and athlete," Maroulis said. "As athletes, we aspire to be the very best we can be. We also understand that it takes a village to do so - a key group of coaches, resources, and teamwork to bring the dream to fruition. In the end, everyone wins. With this new partnership. I believe we can all grow wrestling in Maryland at the grassroots, collegiate, and international level. RTC's afford the opportunity to advance at all levels in the sport. It is exciting to think about the generation that will come up out of this program and continue to put Maryland wrestling on the map. I'm grateful to the staff and coaches for creating the space for these dreams to be realized and can't wait to contribute." Morrison and Maroulis will help lead the DMV RTC, which is a Non Profit 501-C-3 organization located in College Park, Md. The goal of the DMV RTC is to promote wrestling and to help wrestlers become more competitive on a local, state, national, and international level. "I am confident these three moves will continue to help our efforts to grow wrestling in the DMV and to win championships at all levels of wrestling," Clemsen said.

If you don't live in Alabama, you might not realize just how much "the oldest and greatest sport" of wrestling is growing within the state these days. A handful of prep wrestling programs have come to life in southeastern Alabama in recent years. The latest high school wrestling program to take root in the Wiregrass of Alabama is Northside Methodist Academy in Dothan, Alabama, which has announced plans to welcome the sport this upcoming season. The Knights are entering their first year in the Alabama High School Athletic Association, the Dothan Eagle reported Wednesday. "We will start a wrestling program this year," Northside Methodist Academy athletic director Mike Mordecai said. "We will get it going. We have gotten the OK to get it going. Some of the students are excited about it." Northside Methodist becomes the fifth Wiregrass school to pick up the sport in the last five years in rapid succession. Northview (now Dothan High) was the first with wrestling in 2016-17. Enterprise, Charles Henderson and Houston Academy all added the sport in 2018-19. With the addition of Northside Methodist Academy, three of the four city of Dothan high schools in the AHSAA now have wrestling. Providence Christian is the lone program without it. "It would be great to have a Circle City wrestling championship," Mordecai said. The NMA athletic director also announced the coaches for the new sport. "Our head coach is going to be Justin Scott, who is also our strength and conditioning coach (at the school)," Mordecai said. "He will be assisted by Travis Robinson, who has helped start a couple of programs in this area and has a background in wrestling. I am happy to have this guy to help our program, but he is more than one of our coaches. He is an ambassador for wresting around here." All that means even greater opportunities for young athletes to compete with success in the sport they love.

Erik Wince (Photo/American University Athletics) HAYS, Kan. -- Fort Hays State University Director of Athletics Curtis Hammeke announced the hiring of Erik Wince as head wrestling coach on Wednesday (July 15). Wince comes to FHSU from NCAA Division I affiliate American University in Washington D.C., where he served as assistant coach in 2019-20. Prior to that, he was head coach at Greensboro College, a Division III program in Greensboro, North Carolina, for four years. "I am extremely excited and honored to be the next head coach of the Fort Hays State wrestling program!," said Wince. "I want to thank Athletic Director Curtis Hammeke and the rest of the FHSU athletic administration for believing in me and making Hays feel like the place I needed to be to help usher the wrestling program into its next phase of success. My family and I are excited to make this move and join the rest of the Tiger Athletics Family. The FHSU wrestling program has a strong history of success and I cannot wait to get to campus and continue building FHSU Wrestling into a top tier program, year in and year out." Last year, Wince helped American University produce four national qualifiers for the NCAA Division I championships. Three of the four held national rankings entering the championships, which ultimately was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two of the wrestlers earned All-America Honorable Mention status by the NWCA following the season, while three members of the team earned NWCA Scholar All-America honors. The program was strong academically, producing a team GPA of 3.55, which was second-highest among NCAA Division I programs. At American University he assisted head coach Teague Moore, who has built a strong program athletically and academically for nearly a decade. Wince was the first head coach in the history of the Greensboro College wrestling program, which began in 2015-16. In his four years of building Greensboro's program, Wince coached one All-American, three conference champions, and multiple academic all-conference performers and individually ranked wrestlers. Wince has been an assistant coach at two NCAA Division I schools. He served two assistant coaching stints at Davidson College in North Carolina from 2005-2008 and 2012-2015. The pair of three-year stints as an assistant at Davidson bookended a four-year role as head coach of the Forsyth County Day School, a prep school in Lewisville, North Carolina. During his second stint at Davidson, Wince helped the program produce four NCAA national qualifiers. At Forsyth County Day School, he coached two national prep All-Americans, multiple individual state champions, and led the program to three consecutive team state championships. While serving at Forsyth, Wince was named the Piedmont Athletic Conference of Independent Schools (PACIS) Wrestling Coach of the Year. Wince was the USA Wrestling State Chairman for North Carolina for seven years. He also served as the national team head coach for the Junior National Duals (2006), Cadet Nationals (2007), and Junior Nationals (2008-10). Wince served as coach of the North Carolina USA Wrestling National Teams from 2004-2016. Before beginning his coaching career, Wince attended Gardner Webb University in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education in 2004. He was a four-year member of the Gardner-Webb wrestling team and finished his senior year with a 27-5 record. This earned Wince the University's Male Athlete of the Year and the University's Outstanding Wrestler Award in 2003, while becoming the program's first athlete to qualify for an NCAA Division I Tournament since the institution changed their affiliation to Division I in 2001. "We're excited about Erik's experience, knowledge, integrity and passion," FHSU Director of Athletics Curtis Hammeke said. "We look forward to watching the growth of our wrestling program and the development of our young men under his guidance." Wince is a native of Lattimore, North Carolina. He and his wife Hannah, who is a native of Wilson, Kansas, have two daughters, Kersee and Sydney. Wince becomes the 14th coach in the history of the Tiger Wrestling program.

Jordan Burroughs at the 2019 World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Olympic champion and four-time World champion Jordan Burroughs will join the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) as a resident athlete in September 2021. Jordan is one of the most decorated and accomplished wrestlers in history. He won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and world championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. He also earned bronze medals at the world championships in 2014 and 2018. Jordan is one of three American wrestlers to ever win four or more world championships. His eight World and Olympic medals are the second most medals in U.S. history. He has qualified for nine consecutive U.S. Freestyle Wrestling Teams and has an extraordinary senior freestyle record of 189-9. On the decision to join the PRTC Jordan commented, "The infrastructure that has been created at the PRTC in Philadelphia will provide my family and me the best opportunity to accomplish our goals -- both on and off the mat, in the next chapter of life. Not only does Philadelphia provide a great room of training partners and an Olympic champion coach, it is only 23 miles from my hometown. I am committed to leaving a lasting impact on the Tri-State area -- the same community where I first began this journey. I want to leave this region better than how I found it. It's time to come home." Since its inception, the PRTC has leveraged the resources of the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University as well as the wrestling community in greater Philadelphia to create a world-class wrestling ecosystem to attract elite wrestlers and give back to local schools and communities through partnerships such as Beat the Streets Philadelphia The PRTC's commitment to this mission and the support of Penn and Drexel alumni has been instrumental to its success on and off the mat. Drexel's Head Wrestling Coach and 2008 US Open Champion Matt Azevedo said, "I would like to thank our Drexel alumni and administration for their tremendous support of Olympic wrestling in the city of Philadelphia. The PRTC is vital to our program's success and I am grateful to have a community that values its growth. Jordan is not only one of the greatest American wrestlers of all time, but is also one of the greatest ambassadors of our sport. His experience and wisdom will generate a lasting impact on Philadelphia wrestling. We are so excited to welcome Jordan and his family to the PRTC!" The PRTC's executive director and head coach, Brandon Slay, is a 1998 graduate of Penn, an Olympic Champion, and a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He commented on Jordan's commitment to the PRTC, "While I served as the Assistant National Coach for USA Wrestling from 2009-2016, Jordan made six consecutive World and Olympic Teams. Jordan became a crucial catalyst to helping Team USA become a world wrestling power again. At the London Olympics in 2012 where Jordan won gold, Team USA earned the distinction of being the best team on the planet. It was such an honor to be part of Jordan's journey to the top during those years. In the Fall of 2021, I look forward to the opportunity of working with Jordan again to help him keep improving as a wrestler and leader. Jordan lives out the core values of the PRTC, and we are thankful he is coming back home to finish his wrestling career as well as establish his post-competition future. Jordan believes in better, and I look forward to seeing him live it out." Among the many supporters of the PRTC mission are Dave Pottruck and Josh Harris, both Outstanding Americans of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Dave is a PRTC Board Member, 1970 University of Pennsylvania graduate, Penn wrestling team captain, and Chairman of Hightower Advisors and Red Eagle Ventures. Josh graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and was a member of Penn's wrestling team. He is Co-Founder of Apollo Global Management and the Managing Partner of Philadelphia Sixers and New Jersey Devils. Dave and Josh offered statements related to Jordan joining the PRTC and what it means for the program and its mission. "We welcome Jordan, Lauren and their family to an incredibly exciting future in Philadelphia, to the PRTC, and to the Penn Wrestling family. We share the vision of both championship level results, alongside high-level leadership and community engagement. We couldn't be more excited about this new partnership," said Dave Pottruck. "I am thrilled to welcome Olympian Jordan Burroughs to the greater Philadelphia, PRTC and Penn Wrestling family. Under Coach Reina's leadership, Penn Wrestling has become a world-class program, attracting the best talent of our sport. This organization means a great deal to me and I am very excited to see what the future holds for both Jordan and the broader program," said Josh Harris. At the PRTC, our mission is to enrich lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling, and we do this by living out our core values of Faith over fear, Full effort, Struggle well, and Serve others.

James Green works to take down Wyatt Sheets at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) James Green doesn't know exactly when his next wrestling match will be, but he's preparing for his return to the mat. Like most wrestlers, Green has been away from competition for several months during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 27-year-old Green is training again after spending time being quarantined at his home in Lincoln, Nebraska. It has been a summer of transition for Green, who recently announced he will be leaving Nebraska for the regional training center at Virginia Tech. "It's been a crazy time obviously with everything going on," he said. "My wife and I are both from New Jersey, and we wanted to be closer to family. Being at Virginia Tech, we will be within driving distance of our family. Our daughter is 13 months old now and we really like the idea of her being close to family. Moving out to Virginia, it was the best option for me to be able to do that." Green accomplished plenty during his time at the University of Nebraska. He was a four-time All-American for the Huskers under coaches Mark Manning and Bryan Snyder. He captured a world bronze medal for the United States in 2015 before winning a world silver medal in 2017. He made the U.S. World Team the past five years while training in Lincoln. "I've been in Nebraska for almost 10 years and it has been a really good experience for me," Green said. "Snyder and Manning are great coaches -- I have a lot of respect for them. They've done a lot for me. I hated to break the news to them that I was leaving because they have done so much for me. We did a lot together and accomplished a great deal. I appreciate them and we are still good friends." Green trained alongside Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs during his time in Lincoln. "I will probably still train some with Jordan when I can," Green said. "I still have a great relationship with him and with the guys I've trained with at Nebraska." During the pandemic, Green has been home taking care of his daughter, Glory, while being unable to compete. "It's been great to be able to spend so much time with my daughter," he said. "My wife has been working during the day and I have been at home taking care of our baby. My daughter was 9 months old when the quarantine started. I didn't have as much one-on-one time before because I was training and I was on the road. I was able to spend a lot of time with her. I saw her go from crawling to walking, which was awesome. So that definitely was one good part for us to have all of that time together. I was a stay-at-home dad for a while. It was great -- I loved it. I enjoyed spending more time with my family. It was the most time I had spent at home." Green said he is looking forward to training in the Virginia Tech wrestling room. "Virginia Tech has a good program, and they are doing really well with recruiting," he said. "I really liked the location. Ty Walz is there training. I am with Titan Mercury and there are other clubs that are within driving distance -- North Carolina State and North Carolina. There are a lot of people close to here that I can wrestle with. I also see an opportunity to coach here when I'm doing competing." Green also will be able to train with Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis, an NCAA champion and Junior world champion. Lewis still has three years of college eligibility left. "Mekhi Lewis is here and it's a good opportunity for me to be able to work with him," Green said. "He's obviously a good young wrestler. I'm sure he will be a great training partner. We can definitely help each other get better." Green said he plans to keep wrestling after the Tokyo Olympics. "I will wrestle through 2024 -- that's the plan," he said. "I am going to wrestle another cycle. As long as my body holds up and I'm having fun." James Green after winning silver at the 2017 World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Green actually won both of his world medals while not being 100 percent physically. "I had hip surgery after the World Championships in 2017," he said. "I was wrestling with the injury from 2014 to 2017. I definitely feel a lot better now. I used to wake up and my back was killing me because of my injury. But that stopped after I had surgery." Green, who competes in the non-Olympic weight class of 70 kilograms, plans to move up a weight class for the Olympic Trials next year. "74 kilos, that's the plan right now," he said. "I will go back down to 70 after that. I actually lost a little bit of weight during the quarantine, so I will see how it goes when I get back into training full-time again." Green said he plans to stay involved with the sport after he finishes competing. "Coaching is definitely in my future," he said. "I am on the fence right now as far as what I'm going to do with it. I have thought about opening my own club and working with some young kids. Or I may help coach with a college team. I do know I want to coach and give back to the sport. I enjoy working with kids and teaching them. I think I can make a positive impact as a coach." Before he does that, Green has other goals he is pursuing. "I know I still have a lot to give as a wrestler," he said. "I know I'm capable of getting it done at the World Championships. I just have to string those matches together. I need to be mentally dialed in for four or five matches. I expect a lot out of myself. I think it can all come together. I am still learning and still trying to improve." Green said he appreciates his wife, Chandell, his high school sweetheart, for everything she does when he is away from home for weeks at a time. "My wife is really supportive of what I'm doing -- you need to have that to be able to do this," he said. "It's obviously bigger than just me. I go on the road, and I'm gone for weeks at a time. She's been great and she understands the commitment it takes for me to be an athlete at this level. I appreciate everything she does for our family." James Green celebrates after beating Jason Chamberlain at Final X (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Green has been working out in Lincoln and spent time training in Blacksburg, Virginia, this week. He hasn't competed since wrestling in a tournament in Italy in January. "I don't have a timetable yet for when my next tournament is," he said. "I have been talking to (U.S. National Coach) Bill Zadick, but we are waiting to see what is going to happen with the pandemic going on. They are talking about having a World Championships in December, but I'm not sure if that's going to happen or not. If they do have the World Championships, I will definitely do my best to prepare for that. I will be ready." Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games, written 10 books and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

Pat Downey at the 2019 World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Self-anointed wrestling bad boy Pat Downey is unrepentant and firing back at the New Jersey Regional Training Center for cutting him loose. Downey was fired on Saturday after tweeting that "in general the average fan aint paying for womens wrestling" with the hashtags #SorryNotSorry" and #Feelings LieNumbersDont." He issued an apology saying in part, "I have always and will always support wrestling as a whole including women's wrestling. THAT'S ONE OF MY MAIN GOALS. With the platform I have, it's negligent of me not to think through the effects of my words." But Downey takes nothing back. When I first saw the tweets I was torn. The woman and feminist in me wanted to side with the NJRTC and give them credit for a swift and severe consequence to a sentiment that is antithetical to my love and support for women's wrestling. But the journalist and free speech advocate in me wanted to side with Downey's right to say what he did even though I don't agree. Was what he said illegal? No. Could the NJRTC simply have sent out a statement disavowing the opinion and dealt with Downey differently and internally? Yes. Downey is out of the wrestling event at the center of the controversy in which he was to wrestle world champion David Taylor. In an ironic twist, Downey told me he dropped out because of the event's lack of support for women's wrestling. But one of the first to respond to Downey's initial tweet was world silver medalist Sarah Hildebrandt. She tweeted how incredibly disappointed she was in her teammate, stating that, "He only hurts OUR sport." Other notable women joined the conversation to agree with Hildebrandt and to chastise Downey. Olympic champion Helen Maroulis and Wrestle Like a Girl's Sally Roberts to name a few. For his part, Downey is very aware that his words have meaning and the trail of drama he has left behind during his wrestling career thus far is no accident. He had a notorious Twitter spat with UFC champion and former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier. He was dismissed from Iowa State midseason for what the team called "repeated violations of team rules" with reports at the time pointing to his tweets as the culprit. Downey also did a short stint in Iowa City training at the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. None of that should have been news to the NJRTC when Downey came on board. Downey said he does not remember signing an ethics agreement or anything limiting his social media presence or agreeing to a disclaimer that his opinions are his own and not those of the NJRTC. But, he said, there was tension over his tweets. Pat Downey won a bronze medal at the Pan American Games (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) As Downey put it, "This (the firing) was the final straw that broke the camel's back." It didn't have to be. And more importantly, shouldn't be. Stifling an opinion that is unpopular is counterproductive. Without the tweet, offensive, disappointing or disrespectful as it might be, we lose the conversation and through conversation comes growth. If we don't engage in civil discourse, if we don't allow for opinions we disagree with, then we are stagnant, never moving forward and doomed to failure if the goal is to grow the sport. To be clear I'm not talking about hate speech here. Pointing out that women's wrestling is not as popular with fans as men's freestyle is not necessarily misogynistic. At this moment in time it's a fact, but one that could be changing rapidly given the explosion in participation numbers for women. As my colleague Tim Foley astutely pointed out, the most watched moment on social media for all of the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 was Helen Maroulis beating Japan's Saori Yoshida for gold. He also gave other examples of women's matches outshining the men's matches. Although those might be anomalies now, as the women keep putting on exciting, high-paced, high-level performances the fans will take notice. In fact, Downey told me he is a champion of women and women's wrestling. He said he runs camps and clinics for women and girls and he noted that he has a little sister. NJRTC coach Reece Humphrey throw Pat Downey in celebration at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Downey said he is considering a lawsuit against the NJRTC for wrongful termination. When contacted the NJRTC would only point to its tweet regarding Downey. When asked if this whole thing would make him think twice before he tweets or change what he says and does on social media Downey said he would, "Keep being me until I die." Future employers are warned. And the rest of us are reminded that free speech has a role to play ... even if it's painful.

Josh Clayton is hoping to take the Eagles wrestling program at Milford High School in suburban Cincinnati to new heights. Josh ClaytonThe Milford High School Department of Athletics has announced that Clayton will take the controls of the Eagles high school mat program for the 2020-21 season as interim varsity head coach, bringing a unique skill set as a retired Marine pilot, U.S. Naval Academy alum (including two years as wrestler at Annapolis) and, most recently, serving as a coach with Milford's junior high wrestling program. "I am ecstatic to announce Josh Clayton as our next leader of the Milford Eagles wrestling program," Athletic Director Aaron Zupka told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He exemplifies everything we want our student-athletes to be and how we want our program to be represented. Coach Clayton has a tremendous amount of energy, passion and enthusiasm for growing the sport of wrestling at Milford. I know he will work tirelessly to further the development of our student-athletes on and off the mat." Clayton is a graduate of Milford High School where he was a four-year member of the Eagle wrestling program, qualifying for the OHSAA State Tournament as a senior. After Milford, Coach Clayton attended the U.S. Naval Academy, spending two years as a member of the wrestling program at Annapolis. Following graduation, Clayton deployed several times to Iraq and Afghanistan, finishing his career with 16 years flying AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopters for the Marines. Coach Clayton launched his coaching career during his time in the Marines as a youth team coach. Upon returning to Milford, he started helping with the Milford youth program, before moving on to working with the junior high and high school wrestlers the following year later. In addition to the honors and accomplishments listed above, Josh Clayton was welcomed into the Milford Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. Earned four varsity letters in wrestling Career wrestling record of 95-38 Tournament record: five -- 1st place, six -- 2nd place, seven -- 3rd place, two -- 4th place Most career wins in school history at the time of his graduation Milford Wrestling Hall of Fame member (1993) Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy (1997) Awarded Naval Aviator "Wings of Gold" (1999) Greater Miami Conference (GMC) wrestling champion (1993) Four-time Milford Invitational Tournament wrestling champion (1991, 1992, 1993) Three-time District wrestling Qualifier (1991, 1992, 1993) State wrestling qualifier (1993) "I am honored to continue our tradition of hard work and discipline to help our wrestlers continue to grow," Clayton told the Enquirer. "The skills they learn on the mat will help them be better wrestlers, citizens, and leaders."

Ivan McClay, who had been 2017 NCAA Division II national 125-pound wrestling champ at Notre Dame College in the Cleveland area, is heading west to Ohio Northern University, located in Ada, Ohio between Toledo and Dayton. where he will be serving as an ONU assistant wrestling coach. Ivan McClayMcClay brings an impressive on-the-mat and academic resume to ONU. He won his first major title in high school, becoming the first Ohio state champ at Massillon High School in 2012 ... then built on that success at Notre Dame (Ohio) where he was a 2017 NCAA Division II National Champion, a three-time NCAA All-American wrestler and a four-time Academic All-American. McClay graduated with a bachelor's degree in integrated social studies from Notre Dame in 2017. Most recently, he was a graduate assistant coach at NDC in 2019-20. That year, Notre Dame wrestling won the NCAA Division II national wrestling team title. Here's how Ohio Northern University extended the welcome mat to Ivan McClay to his new position at Ohio Northern, southwest of the Cleveland, area. "Ivan comes to us from Notre Dame College where he was the graduate assistant for two years. Prior to that he wrestled for the Falcons where he was a three-time Academic All-American and three-time NCAA DII All-American including winning the 2017 National title at 125 pounds. McClay will focus his coaching efforts in the lower weight classes -- 125-through 157 pounds. In addition, McClay will be responsible for generating information for the ONU wrestling team's social media outlets, and will assist with recruiting. According to Ohio Northern's announcement welcoming Coach McClay to its Ada campus, "We are beyond excited about adding Ivan to our staff and can't wait to see how far we can push next season!" #onthhunt #topgang #winteriscoming Founded in 1871, Ohio Northern University is a four-year, private university affiliated with the United Methodist Church with a student enrollment of approximately 3,000. The ONU intercollegiate sports programs -- including wrestling -- compete under the sports team name "Polar Bears" with mascot name "Klondike."

Tony Ersland (right), with A.J. Schopp, coaching at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue wrestling head coach Tony Ersland was named president elect of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) last week, setting him up to be next in line as the head of the organization. The NWCA Board of Directors met on on June 25, voting in Ersland's position in addition to several others. "It's an honor to be put in a position where I can help lead and grow wrestling," said Ersland. "Pat Popolizio (North Carolina State head coach) has done a great job the last two years, and I'm looking forward to working alongside Kevin Ward (Army West Point head coach) the next two years." Ersland continued, "I love wrestling, I love the future of wrestling, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it at a leadership level." He plans to serve as the president elect for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before taking the chair as the NWCA president in 2022-23 and 2023-24. Ersland is going into his sixth year as the head coach at Purdue, leading the Boilermakers into some of the greatest successes in program history. Purdue crowned a single-season program-record five All-Americans in 2020, which the NWCA awarded on April 17 based on the Boilermakers' NCAA Championship seedings after the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Boilermakers were projected to finish seventh at the national tournament based on their seedings, and were only 5.5 points shy of fourth place and an NCAA team trophy. Purdue put together its best Big Ten Championship finish since 1992, taking fifth at the 2020 conference tournament at Rutgers with 83 points and eight individual placewinners. Ersland helped a pair of grapplers advance to the Big Ten Championship match, marking the first time since 2004 multiple Boilermakers competed for a conference crown. The Boilermakers finished 12-5 in dual competition in 2019-20, including a 5-4 mark in Big Ten Duals, the Boilermakers' best since 2012. Ersland is no stranger to national committees and work toward the betterment of wrestling, currently serving on a pair of efforts in addition to his new post. He's served on the NWCA's coaches' leadership group since 2018, and is a member of the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate committee, which started in February of 2020. Ersland's appointment extends a trend of national leadership among the Boilermaker athletics coaches, joining several other Purdue staff members with positions on national coaches association boards. Men's basketball head coach Matt Painter currently holds a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches Board of Directors and is the chair of the USA Basketball selection committee, while women's basketball head coach Sharon Versyp has served on multiple committees for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, including most recently on the national recruiting committee. Softball head coach Boo De Olivera is on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association board of directors, women's volleyball head coach Dave Shondell currently serves on the NCAA Regional Selection Committee, and cross country coach John Oliver spent time on the executive committee for his group and was the NCAA West Region representative.

Nenad Lalovic (Photo/Tony Rotundo WrestlersAreWarriors.com) CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- The official candidacies for the 2020 United World Wrestling Bureau elections have been received and confirmed. There are seven positions up for re-election in 2020, including six seats on the Bureau and the position of UWW President. Five incumbents have submitted their candidacy for re-election while nine new candidacies have been received for Bureau positions. Successful candidates serve a six-year term on the Bureau. Incumbent President Nenad LALOVIC (SRB) will be running unopposed for re-election. The election will be his second six-year term as President. Elections were scheduled to be held on 6 September 2020 during the Ordinary Congress planned on the eve of the 2020 Junior World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade. Due the pandemic, different options are examined for this year's congress. An announcement will be made later when the calendar is consolidated. Present incumbent: DI BUSSOLO PELLICONE, Marina (Ms) (ITA) GAMA FILHO, Pedro (BRA) MAMIASHVILI, Mikhail (RUS) MESKOUT, Fouad (MAR) RUZIEV, Akhroldjan (UZB) New candidates: CANEVA, Lucio (ITA) IGALI, Daniel (NGR) KARSNAK, Jan (SVK) KHARENKO, Dina (Ms) (UKR) KORPELA, Marko (FIN) MACHAIDZE, Edisher (GEO) RYAN, Don (CAN) SORYAN, Hamid (IRI) ZAMBRANO, Johnny (ECU) The end of the term of the late Mr. Tzenov was this year. A new candidate - with regards to his term as Continental Council President - the Bureau approved Mr Theodoros Hamakos (GRE), Vice-President of UWW-Europe to act as interim President of the European Council until next year when all Continental Councils hold their elective assemblies to renew all positions.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa wrestling program has launched an alumni advisory group to assist fundraising efforts for the Carver Circle facility campaign. The 12-member group includes head coach Tom Brands and is led by chairman Chuck Yagla, a two-time NCAA champion and 1980 Olympian. The committee's goal is to engage Iowa Wrestling alumni and strengthen the connection between Iowa's past, present, and future as the program moves forward with the new wrestling facility. "Iowa Wrestling is a brand recognized throughout the world, and it includes a number of great people who attribute their success personally and professionally to this program," said Yagla. "We take tremendous pride in our leadership role when it comes to college wrestling, and this larger network of individuals will amplify what is already an incredibly strong and motivating voice. You can count us among the many people out there who want to continue to see Iowa Wrestling at the top of the sport." Carver Circle, the Iowa Wrestling facility campaign, is raising funds to build a new facility adjacent to Carver-Hawkeye Arena that supports Iowa Wrestling's championship standards and validates Iowa City's reputation as the greatest wrestling city in the world. To date, the project has received over $10.5 million in gift commitments. More information on the campaign is available at CarverCircle.com. Carver Circle Alumni Advisory Group (graduation year) Lou Banach, 1983 Tom Brands, 1992 Paul Glynn Jr., 2020 Paul Glynn Sr., 1986 Mark Ironside, 1998 Aaron Janssen, 2010 Tom Lepic, 1975 Bill Mitchell, 1973/1975 Blake Rasing, 2012 Herm Reininga, 1965 Mark Trizzino, 1984 Chuck Yagla, 1977

Kamaru Usman This past weekend the UFC fired up its much-anticipated Fight Island project. An ambitious, unique plan for holding MMA fights during a pandemic, I have to say, it is a pretty cool idea. The card was a bit light on accomplished wrestlers, but of the two high-level wrestlers featured, one was the reigning champion and main event of the evening, the other impressed greatly in his preliminary bout victory. I should also point out that while co-main event winner and UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski can wrestle his rear end off and actually won a national title in Australia, he did so at age 12 and left the sport for rugby shortly thereafter. As for the two aforementioned high-level wrestlers, here is what we learned about them. Kamaru Usman What we learned: The UFC's 170-pound champion earned a unanimous decision over Jorge Masvidal, but still has room for improvement in his overall mixed martial arts game. Now let me be clear, this is not a knock on Usman, but rather a reflection of the colossal athletic and combative ability that he possesses. Usman came into the sport of MMA with very high expectations. On the strength of his fantastic wrestling resume, anchored primarily by his NCAA Division II national title and his time spent as a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, many had him pegged as a potential future champ right from the start. Considering his wrestling skill, incredibly strength, great size (he competed successfully in freestyle as high as 96 kilograms), explosiveness, and relative youth, one would have to think that Usman's ceiling is indeed very high. As he has in all 12 of his UFC fights, Usman got the job done. He won convincingly on all three judges' scorecards and he's going home with the belt, but Usman still needs his signature win. He still needs one of those flawless victory-type performances to serve as his masterpiece and to cement his status as one of the best fighters in history, which is his stated goal. This was not it. Given what we have seen thus far from Usman, we know he has considerable power in his fists, a ruthless clinch game in terms of his upper body takedowns, miserable pressure, and the nasty right hands that he digs to the body when in close. He has an unshakeable resolve, fantastic cardio, and ground-and-pound that is good enough to do damage while maintaining positional advantages. With this in mind, the type of signature win we want to see from Usman could feature an advancing, stalking, aggressor pushing his foe to the fence before hurting him with a big right hand, tossing him to the mat, and finishing him off with punches and hammer-fists from on top. In other words, we want to see him fight with airtight execution and a sense of urgency that sees him aggressively playing to his strengths while deliberately shifting between the dimensions of an MMA contest. We have seen Usman knock out an overmatched opponent, we've seen him grind out fighters over the course of a full fight, and we've seen him win a war of attrition title fight against a deserving challenger, but we have not seen him execute in the manner outlined above. Despite the fact that Usman's dance partner on Saturday night was an incredibly seasoned, wily veteran, he is a pumped up 155-pounder who took the fight on a week's notice and still managed to make Kamaru look a bit stiff and a bit green. All of MMA's greats had wins that left no doubt as to who the best in the world was. Fights that show the clear gap between the champ and everyone else. Kamaru Usman can still achieve this himself, but until he does, he will be known as a champ but not an all-time great. Makwan Amirkhani What we learned: The Iranian/Kurdish fighter from Finland is one of the smoothest, slickest fighters on the UFC roster. His style is a study in efficiency and kinesiology. Amirkhani, a Finnish national champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling, with a good degree of success competing in senior-level Greco-Roman tournaments at the higher levels, is quite unique in his style. Not just in the way that he seamlessly flows with the natural energy of a fight from one position to the next, but also in the way that he incorporates each of MMA's three primary facets (striking, wrestling, submission grappling). You don't see too many fighters moving like Amirkhani. Most fighters who come from a significant wrestling background can't help but use the typical hardnosed, rugged style of a wrestler as the backbone of their fighting style. Lots of shooting and clinching, intense, sustained pressure, effective and considerable weight cutting, and a whole lot of grit are usually the main pillars of a wrestler's fighting style. Not Amirkhani. Can he change levels and get in deep on opponent's hips? Sure he can. Can he apply intense pressure up against the cage? You bet. Able to go upper body and hit big slams from the clinch? All day. Amirkhani differs from most other converted wrestlers in several ways. For one, he doesn't rely much on cutting weight. He may even be a tad undersized for the UFC's 145-pound class. Also, he has no qualms about losing position because he knows how to either get it right back, or, finish the fight from where he winds up. In fact, Amirkhani is just as comfortable attacking with submissions from his back and rolling for heel hooks as his is in the body lock or inside the guard. So often, even in 2020, you don't see many wrestlers fully take to the more nuanced aspects of submission grappling, but Amirkhani blends the best of both worlds and is racking up UFC wins because of it.

Former University of Nebraska-Kearney assistant wrestling coach. Working to rebuild the wrestling program at Alma High School in Nebraska. Independent business entrepreneur. Josh EricksonNow Josh Erickson can add "head wrestling coach at Hastings College of Nebraska" to his growing resume, having been just named the fourth head coach in the Broncos wrestling program's 13-year history since the mat program was relaunched in 2008-09. "When I got the call to offer me the job, I felt like it was a dream come true," Erickson said upon being named to join the coaching staff at Hastings College, having gained insight into the Hastings' mat program, having worked as a consultant with the program for the past eleven years by developing and operating Team Concepts during that time period at Hastings. "I felt like all the effort and energy I've put into building athletic teams and other organizations has prepared me for this one opportunity." Erickson brings many different leadership qualities to this position as he developed and subsequently operated Team Concepts for the past 11 years. His familiarity with Hastings College stems from his experience working at Team Concepts to develop leadership skills on the Hastings campus on numerous occasions, facilitating public speaking, corporate training and team building for organizations of all shapes and sizes… skills that can serve him well at the helm of a college wrestling program. "Josh Erickson undoubtedly brings the leadership qualities Hastings College is looking for in a head coach," according to Hastings' Director of Athletics B.J. Pumroy. "He has built businesses from the ground up while also helping wrestling programs reach national championship levels. His team building expertise, forward thinking mindset along with his team management skills makes him a great fit for Hastings College." Prior to his knowledge and experience gained with his Team Concepts consultancy, Erickson served as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Nebraska-Kearney from 2007-2013, where the program tallied three national NCAA Division II team titles (and placed second in the team standings in 2007). Erickson helped coach 45 All-Americans that included NCAA DII national wrestler of the year Tervel Dlagnev in 2008. "I am most excited about helping all these young men capture their full potential," Erickson continued. "We will spend a lot of time learning how to add value to other people's lives through service, commitment and honor." Since the restarting of the team the Broncos have accumulated seven All-American finishes at the NAIA Championships and 16 NWCA Scholar Athlete All-American awards. Their highest ever team placing at the NAIA national championships was in 2018 when the team finished 15th. "Josh Erickson undoubtedly brings the leadership qualities Hastings College is looking for in a head coach," said Director of Athletics B.J. Pumroy. "He has built businesses from the ground up while also helping wrestling programs reach national championship levels. His team building expertise, forward thinking mindset along with his team management skills makes him a great fit for Hastings College." Founded in 1882, Hastings College is a four-year school located in Hastings, Neb. in south-central Nebraska. Hastings has approximately 1,900 students. The school's wrestling program -- as well as other intercollegiate sports programs -- participate in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

Appalachian State University has announced the names of the five past student-athletes as members of the Class of 2021 -- which will include 1960s star wrestler George Sansone -- the North Carolina school announced. George Sansone with App State coach JohnMark BentleyBecause of the current coronavirus pandemic, there will be no Hall of Fame class or induction ceremony in calendar year 2020. Below is a brief bio on Sansone. Sansone was an NCAA All-American in 1968 and two-time national qualifier … Fifth place in the 123-pound weight class at the NAIA national championship tournament in Alamosa, Colo., in 1968 … Career record of 45-11 in college … Four-year starter at 123 pounds while helping App State post a combined team record of 37-10-2 during his time with the Mountaineers … Wrestled for coach Steve Gabriel at App State … All-America honor came during junior season in which he went 12-3 and App State had an 8-4-1 record … Went 13-3 as a sophomore (when App State was 8-1-1) and a senior (when App State was 12-5) … Had a 7-2 record as a freshman for an unbeaten App State team that went 9-0. (Will be honored posthumously.)

Stanford University announced Wednesday that they intend to eliminate 11 sports programs at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 athletic season. The list of teams included the wrestling program. The expected budget shortfalls in athletic departments is due to the lack of revenue generated by football, due to the inability to play as caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this is really only a stress test for a system that has spent decades overspending and valuing the personal gains of those in the NCAA bureaucracy more than the labor of those on the field. College sports was professionalized by career-focused athletic administrators who overleveraged football teams and infrastructure project to boost their personal brand. The C-Suite athletic directors (largely white, largely wealthy) saw riskless career advancement on the backs of a largely unpaid Black labor force. The majority of those in charge could bankrupt an ATM, but it their estimation a recyclable, unpaid labor force, who could be pushed past all modern labor laws by nostalgic friends on America's benches as a means to increase ticket sales, build larger stadiums, pump up their own notoriety and lever it all to the hilt. The athletic directors at Power 5 conferences could give two cents about anything but the way they are perceived by their peers as they oversee their programs. Academic All-Americans is a pretty column in the recruiting column, but the only paper these athletes want is the cash everyone else is using as currency to buy goods. But for the athletic directors there is only enough money to line their pockets. Greed and poor fiscal management are why Stanford announced the elimination of 11 sports. But it also accounts for the survival of the bureaucracy. As of today there weren't any additional layoffs among the 200-plus support positions at Stanford. Why? Bureaucracies like those at Stanford don't die because they are inside a self-affirming system that spirals up to the NCAA. It's interwoven and unkillable. "Of course we can't fire the associate director for academic performance!" If Stanford axed the non-contributing fat, they'd have to admit that the metrics and support systems were all a smokescreen for not having to pay individuals for the services they perform. Boise State AD Curt Apsey Curt Apsey, the much-maligned AD at Boise State, is probably the most abysmal of the bureaucratic dinosaurs who believes that shuffling personnel and setting outlandish goals is positive career juice. After working his way up the ranks at Boise State he took a short stint as an AD of a smaller school, only to be called back by Boise State in 2016. What's that first plan? Cut wrestling and add baseball. A program with little overhead and plenty of success being replaced by one that requires immense overhead and has no players. Now baseball is being cut and Apsey essentially spent the last four years of his life figuring out how to light $4 million on fire. Apsey is just one of many examples of athletic directors with no economic expertise who've convinced alumni and school officials to expand expensive offerings in order to boos the "brand identity" and reputation of the school through sports. The interesting part missing from Apsey's plan was that Boise State winning the College World Series would, at best, result in the program being self-sufficient for a year or two. However, his resume would be padded and the reputation he sells up the NCAA food chain and to other schools would be improved. Apsey has failed in spectacular fashion, but nothing will happen. He's entrenched and COVID will take the blame, because his generation is devoid of accepting responsibility for their actions. The AD's in his sphere thought the money tree would never stop delivering. But it did and now there is a baseball team off the field and a broken legacy of Broncos wrestlers. Apsey? Employed and happy. Maybe that will change, but he'll have a golden parachute to ease his return to Applebee's and nights out talking about the time he ruined a state's favorite athletic institution. It's not just the Apseys of the world that take the blame. We do too. Off campus we elected the officials who've so far created the limpest, most lethargic, self-defeating, and toothless response to the COVID pandemic in the world. Truly, leading the world in incompetence. Make no mistake that we could be back on the mats, on the field, and in restaurants were it not the intent of those in power to watch us die. If the American government had tested, contact traced, and encourage us to wear masks this column wouldn't be live. We'd be talking about the upcoming football season and we'd have wrestling at Stanford. But that didn't happen, because masks have been bastardized and weaponized by insecure milquetoast racists like Tucker Carlson and promoted by the weakest national leadership in American history. But hey, we elected these racist clowns, so we have to own some responsibility. As for Stanford wrestling? I get it and we all know the steps to this dance. The community is going to fundraise for Stanford. Their alumni, mid-stickup, will fork over $10 million to save wrestling in the process probably even add women's wrestling. That could be an awesome moment, but we aren't solving any larger issues in college athletics by capitulating to the short-sighted economic hijacking of the wrestling team. Right now, the model is free labor in support of all activities. While there is a lot of fat in the athletic programs at its core it's a system run by largely white athletic directors using the labor of Black America to generate profits for themselves and their corporate partners. COVID is bringing that much into focus so if you ask me what we should do right now? Save Stanford, sure. But it's time to drop the hose and turn off the alarms. Let it burn.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Wednesday that Chief Justice John Roberts -- who wrestled while in a private high school in Indiana decades ago -- was hospitalized for a head injury earlier this summer after suffering a fall about three weeks earlier while exercise-walking on a golf course in Maryland on Sunday, June 21, 2020. John RobertsRoberts was kept overnight for one evening, having been treated with sutures for minor cuts, then released from the hospital the next day. Roberts' doctors ruled out a seizure. They believe the fall was likely due to lightheadedness caused by dehydration. John Glover Roberts Jr. was born January 27, 1955 in northwest Indiana. He attended Notre Dame Elementary School, then La Lumiere School, a small but affluent and academically rigorous Roman Catholic boarding school in La Porte, Indiana. While at La Lumiere, he was captain of the football team and was a regional champion on the varsity wrestling team. Roberts graduated first in his class in 1973.

Ben Rosen, an accomplished coach and competitor, has been named Lakeland's new head men's wrestling coach. Ben RosenHe comes to Lakeland from Campbellsville University, an NAIA-member institution in Campbellsville, Ky., with a very successful men's wrestling program. He has served as a full-time assistant coach for the past two seasons. This past winter, the team finished 21-2 overall and was seventh at the NAIA Championship with five All-Americans. It's the 16th year in a row the program has placed at the NAIA Championship. In his first season as an assistant, he helped lead the Tigers to earn one Mid-South Conference Championship and two NAIA All-American honors. Off the mat, he was extensively involved in recruiting, event management and he managed/created the wrestling program's social media platforms. "Wrestling has been a long road and I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that it has led me to Lakeland University," Rosen said. "Lakeland is a fantastic institution and I'm excited to be a part of it. I would like to thank Athletic Director April Arvan and the rest of the search committee for this incredible opportunity. I cannot wait to mentor and develop our student-athletes." Arvan said Rosen is a great fit for a variety of reasons. "He brings us a great background in leadership, passion for wrestling and experience working for some outstanding coaches and programs," Arvan said. "We are excited for what he will do for our Muskies and our men's wrestling program." Prior to coming to Campbellsville, Rosen served as a graduate assistant coach at Doane University in Crete, Neb., where he had recruiting and coaching responsibilities. Rosen coached two All-Americans, one national runner-up and a NAIA Scholar-Athlete. In addition, he overhauled the training program and served as 2016 NAIA Regional Tournament Director. Rosen also managed the Wilber-Doane High School Wrestling Camp, the largest youth camp in Nebraska with more than 400 wrestlers and 1,000 matches wrestled. He received a Master of Arts in Management degree with an emphasis in leadership and coaching from Doane in 2019. Rosen wrestled as an undergraduate at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business in 2014. While at Cornell, he won 92 career matches and earned his fastest pin 1:19. He was 28-11 as a freshman and earned four pins, earning the Cornell Freshman of the Year. He also earned NWCA Scholar-Athlete his sophomore and senior seasons. After graduating from Cornell, Rosen was the assistant coach at Niles West High School in Skokie, Ill., for two years.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday that it would be reopening its museum on Monday, July 13. The Hall of Fame will follow guidelines and recommendations from health and safety experts to help ensure the well-being of its visitors and staff. "We are excited to reopen and welcome visitors back to the Hall of Fame, but we want to do so in a manner that ensures the safety of our visitors and our staff," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director. "We appreciate visitors understanding that the precautions that we are taking are to protect not only their health, but also the health of our community." The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. Visitors are requested to contact the museum in advance of their visit to make a reservation. Reservations can be made by telephone at (405) 377-5243 or by email at info@nwhof.org. In order to maintain social distancing, the number of visitors permitted in the museum at one time will be limited, so walkups may not be admitted for safety reasons. The Hall of Fame will implement enhanced health and safety measures for all visitors and staff. For everyone's safety, face coverings (masks) must be worn at all times inside the museum. The face covering not only provides protection for you, but also protects others near you, to prevent those who may have the illness from unknowingly spreading COVID-19 to others. Social distancing guidelines are encouraged, including maintaining a physical distance of at least six feet between individuals. The Hall of Fame will regularly clean and disinfect the museum, with enhanced frequency in high-traffic and high-touch locations, such as interactive displays and kiosks, using EPA-approved disinfectants. The Hall of Fame interactives will be available and cleaned using the high-touch protocols. Each museum guest will receive a complimentary stylus to use at the interactive digital kiosks during their visit. Handwashing supplies will be restocked regularly in restroom facilities, and hand sanitizer will be placed throughout the museum. The Hall of Fame asks that individuals who have a fever, or otherwise feel ill, do not visit the museum. Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be admitted and should not visit the museum until they have no fever and no evidence of COVID-19 symptoms. Hall of Fame Reopening Guidelines Make advance reservation at (405) 377-5243 or info@nwhof.org Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday through Friday Museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday Visitors and staff MUST wear face coverings (masks) at ALL times Social distancing guidelines - six feet between individuals - are encouraged Museum will be regularly cleaned and disinfected with enhanced frequency in high-traffic and high-touch locations Interactives will be available and cleaned using the high-touch protocols Visitors will receive a complimentary stylus to use at the interactive digital kiosks during their visit Individuals who have a fever, or otherwise feel ill, are asked to not visit the museum Anyone with a temperature above 100.4 degrees will not be admitted National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

Stanford head wrestling coach Jason Borrelli (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Stanford University announced Wednesday that it will discontinue its wrestling program, along with 10 other varsity sports, at the end of the 2020-21 academic year. According to Stanford, the discontinued programs will be able to complete their 2020-21 seasons "should the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 allow it." In addition to wrestling, Stanford eliminated men's and women's fencing, field hockey, men's volleyball, lightweight rowing, men's rowing, co-ed and women's sailing, squash and synchronized swimming. "Providing 36 varsity teams with the level of support that they deserve has become a serious and growing financial challenge," Stanford said in a statement. "We now face the reality that significant change is needed to create fiscal stability for Stanford Athletics, and to provide the support we believe is essential for our student-athletes to excel. "This is heartbreaking news to share. These 11 programs consist of more than 240 incredible student-athletes and 22 dedicated coaches. They were built by more than 4,000 alumni whose contributions led to 20 national championships, 27 Olympic medals, and an untold number of academic and professional achievements. Each of the individuals associated with these programs will forever have a place in Stanford's history." Stanford's wrestling program, under the leadership of Jason Borrelli, finished this past season with a dual meet record of 11-4 and runner-up at the Pac-12 Championships. Freshmen Real Woods (141) and Shane Griffith (165) won Pac-12 titles this year. The program has produced several All-Americans in its history, including a national champion, Matt Gentry, in 2004.

April 2017: A dark time for collegiate wrestling in the northwest U.S. -- and beyond -- as Boise State University announced it would eliminate its successful intercollegiate wrestling program ... effective immediately. All to focus its intercollegiate sports resources on its men's baseball program. Now, this past Fourth of July holiday weekend, Boise State got out its hatchet again ... taking its axe to its swimming, diving and baseball programs. All part of a $3 million budget cut to the Broncho athletics programs, effective immediately. "After reviewing the budget and issues based on COVID-19, the department announced the move, to set themselves up better for the long-term," according to the initial report from KMVT/KSVT of Twin Falls, Idaho. Normally, InterMat would not bother mentioning the passing of a college sports program that didn't involve wrestling mats, singlets or headgear. However, because the nation's wrestling community was actively involved in efforts of save BSU Bronchos mat program, we figured the least we could do is provide an update of some of the basics of what happened since the news back in April 2017. The basics of rebuilding Boise State's baseball program Here's how the Idaho Statesman recapped the return of the Boise State baseball program: "This spring, the Broncho baseball team took the field in regular season games for the first time since it was disbanded in 1980. In 2017, the university dropped wrestling to pursue baseball, and the Broncos went 9-5 this year before coronavirus forced the cancellation of the remainder of the season." The article went on to state, "Players on the baseball team said the decision came as a shock, and no matter how the news was delivered, it was tough to hear." "Expenses for the swim and dive team in 2019 totaled $917,283, according to documents obtained by the Statesman through a public records request." "Going off (BSU Athletic Director Curt) Apsey's $2.2 million figure, the baseball team's expenses were somewhere around $1.3 million, and those costs were likely to grow, given the sheer number of games in a season and the plans to build a stadium." What's next? Most of the athletes in the baseball, swimming and diving programs at Boise State were told the bad news in Zoom calls on Thursday, July 3. "To add insult to injury, they were also told to not bother trying to drum up funds to keep the team afloat. So, now as most of the team have reluctantly placed their names in the transfer portal (first baseman Joey Yorke has already found a new home at Cal Poly) the team is throwing a hail Mary (or the baseball equivalent) to try to save the team." "Of course, the swimming and diving team was put on the chopping block as well and have also decided they'd rather not go down without a fight. As of last night, KTVB's Jay Tust reported that they've already rallied over $120k in 24 hours to save both the beloved squads and have almost another $25k in pledges." Sounds all too familiar for too many of us. Wrestling gets the ax in April 2017 Here's the initial news report at InterMat on April 18, 2017, about Boise State dropping the hammer on its Broncho wrestling program: Boise State announced on Tuesday that it will no longer offer wrestling as an intercollegiate sport. According to the school, "The move was made to better align its programs with the Mountain West, and with the intent to add baseball in the future." "This was not an easy decision, but one that needed to be made as we consider the long-term vision for Bronco athletics," said Director of Athletics Curt Apsey. "We will continue to honor the scholarships we provide our student-athletes, and will do all we can to help those who want to continue their collegiate wrestling careers elsewhere. "Additionally, current coaching contracts will be honored." Wrestlers are free to transfer, and the school will help them with that process. Scholarships will be honored for those that wish to remain at Boise State. Boise State has a strong wrestling tradition. The Broncos have won six conference team championships. The program has had 12 top-20 NCAA team finishes and five top-10 NCAA team finishes. Boise State finished 2-9 in dual meets this past season and fifth at the Pac-12 Championships.

Mickey Martin STILLWATER, Okla. -- Mickey Martin, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, passed away on Monday, at the age of 78. "We are saddened to learn of Mickey Martin's passing and send our most sincere condolences to his family, friends, teammates and the many student-athletes he taught and coached during his career," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director. "Mickey and his father, Wayne, are both folkstyle wrestling legends and Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame. They are the only father and son duo in history to win the Outstanding Wrestler award at the NCAA Division I Championships. "Mickey is considered one of the greatest technicians the sport of wrestling has ever known," he added. "There are many champions from the state of Oklahoma and around the country, including myself and my brothers John, Pat and Mark, who were taught the art of riding, turning and pinning opponents thanks to his mastery of teaching and coaching." Watch Mickey Martin's Hall of Fame induction video When he arrived at the University of Oklahoma, Mickey Martin was known as the son of a Sooner wrestling legend. By the time he left, he had created a legacy of his own. As a high school senior, Martin won the 130-pound Oklahoma state wrestling championship in 1959, competing for legendary Tulsa Central High School. Following in his father's footsteps, he attended the University of Oklahoma. Competing in the 130-pound class for the entirety of his collegiate career, Martin turned in an impressive campaign for the Sooners as a sophomore in 1961, placing third at both the Big Eight tournament and the NCAA tournament. As a junior, he won his first Big Eight championship and his first NCAA title. In 1963, Martin wrestled his way into the history books. In December of that year, he broke his collarbone and missed most of the season, but the injury did not prevent the Sooner superstar from winning the Big Eight and NCAA championships for the second year in a row. For his feat, he was voted Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA tournament, joining his father, Wayne Martin, also a Distinguished Member, as the only father - son combination to win the Outstanding Wrestler award. Mickey finished his collegiate career with a 42-6 overall record. Martin's 1963 NCAA title was especially important as it powered Oklahoma to an NCAA team championship over runner-up Iowa State. His victory in the finals was a thrilling 12-8 win over eventual Olympian and Hall of Famer Bobby Douglas of West Liberty State. After college, Martin turned his focus toward instructing young wrestlers in the sport. He spent two seasons as head coach of then NCAA Division II South Dakota State University, finishing ninth in the 1976 NCAA tournament and eighth in 1977. In two years, he compiled a record of 21-6-1 and coached two individual national champions. As a high school coach for more than 25 years, Martin mentored athletes in high schools all over the state of Oklahoma with stints at Norman, McAlester, Lawton Eisenhower, Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City, East Central and Hale in Tulsa, and Del City. He coached three state championship teams and finished as runners-up six times. In all, he coached 31 individual high school state champions. National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

Colton McCrystal gets in on a shot against Justin Oliver at the CKLV Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Morningside College just landed an impressive candidate to join its wrestling coaching staff. Head coach Jake Stevenson announced Monday that Colton McCrystal -- a former University of Nebraska-Lincoln who was a two-time NCAA Division I national qualifier and 2019 Pan American Games gold medalist -- will be joining the Mustangs coaching staff. "This is tremendous news (for our program)," Stevenson said. "To have an individual like Colton (on staff) who is passionate for the sport and has had so much success in competition at the highest levels will help us attract even more of the young men we are wanting to become Mustangs." "I'd like to thank (Coach) Stevenson and the Morningside community for allowing this opportunity," McCrystal said. "Being a native of Sergeant Bluff, it'll be awesome to be close to family and friends and also to help guide a program which is among the best in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics." "This is tremendous news (for our program)," Stevenson said. "To have an individual like Colton (on staff) who is passionate for the sport and has had so much success in competition at the highest levels will help us attract even more of the young men we are wanting to become Mustangs." McCrystal is among the legends of Iowa High School Athletic Association wrestling. As a student-athlete member of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Warriors, he tallied a remarkable 193-8 all-time record during which he was a two-time Iowa state champion and four-time top two place-winner. McCrystal also forged impressive credentials off the mat, as he was a two-time Nebraska-Lincoln Scholar-Athlete honor roll recipient and was named to the athletic department's Tom Osborne Citizenship Team. Morningside College is a private, four-year liberal arts college located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside has approximately 2,000 students. The men's wrestling program -- the Mustangs -- is affiliated with the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).