InterMat Staff

The 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were scheduled to be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis The NCAA Wrestling Championships in all three divisions -- along with all the remaining winter and spring championships -- have been canceled due to the spread of coronavirus. The NCAA released a statement late Thursday afternoon. "Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men's and women's 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships. This decision is based on the evolving COVID-19 public health threat, our ability to ensure the events do not contribute to spread of the pandemic, and the impracticality of hosting such events at any time during this academic year given ongoing decisions by other entities." The news came after several professional sports leagues, including the NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS -- along with conference tournaments and schools -- suspended competition. The NCAA Division II and Division III Wrestling Championships were scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday, with Division I set for March 19-21 in Minneapolis. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced that the championship events would take place without fans before making the move to cancel the events on Thursday. Earlier in the day, it was announced that other wrestling events like the NAIA Women's Wrestling Invitational and Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic were canceled. The decision to cancel the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships is not totally unprecedented. Since the very first NCAAs in 1928, the Nationals were cancelled in 1942 through 1945 during World War II when most male college athletes were serving in the U.S. military or at factories producing aircraft, tanks and other equipment, as well as weaponry and munitions. The NCAAs returned to the college wrestling schedule in March 1946, and were held at Gallagher Hall at Oklahoma State University at the invitation of then head wrestling coach Art Griffin. The Cowboys won the 1946 NCAA team title by just one team point, edging out what was then called Iowa State Teachers College, now University of Northern Iowa, 25-24.

T.J. Miller (Photo/Loras College Athletics) CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- On Thursday, prior to the NCAA Division III Championships, the National Wrestling Coaches Association honored the six finalists for the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year and announced the winner as selected by his peers. This award is presented to the coach that has demonstrated outstanding effort throughout the season in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community. The awards are presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA. "In continuing our mission, Defense Soap is proud to partner with the NWCA, to keep wrestlers on the mat with our products and education in hygiene." Guy Sako, Founder and CEO of Defense Soap. The recipient of this year's NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year is TJ Miller of Loras College. Coach Miller is in his fourth year as head coach his team is coming off the school's best season in history having captured the NCAA Division III National-Runner up Trophy in 2019. This year saw the Duhawks knock off perennial power Wartburg and end their 27-year streak of conference titles and in doing so secured Loras' first conference title in school history. "Coach Miller has done a great job at Loras College and has continued in his father's footsteps as a championship program builder." Said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. "It's no surprise that in his short time at the helm he has been able compete at the national level." 2020 NCAA DIVISION III COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALISTS Central Region Charles Mason - College of Mt. St. Josephs Northeast Region Mike Sugermeyer - Western New England University Southeast Region Joe Favia - Stevens Institute of Technology Mideast Region Joe Galante - The College of New Jersey Lower Midwest Region - TJ Miller - Loras College Upper Midwest Region Dave Malecek - University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

The 2020 NAIA Women's Wrestling Invitational was scheduled to be held at Harold Newman Arena The NAIA Women's Wrestling Invitational has been canceled. The NAIA announced Thursday that it will cancel the remainder of its winter championship events due to the spread of coronavirus, including the NAIA Women's Wrestling Invitational, which was scheduled to take place Friday and Saturday in Jamestown, N.D. The NAIA released the following statement: "Effective immediately, all remaining NAIA winter championship events will be canceled, including those that are currently underway. "The health and safety of our student-athletes, as well as all involved in our championship events, is the NAIA's highest priority. We will continue to monitor COVID-19 developments and NAIA leadership will work closely with our member institutions to determine the best path forward for future NAIA events, including all spring 2020 championships."

The Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic -- formerly known as the Dapper Dan -- has been canceled due to the spread of coronavirus. The event was scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 14. Directors Kraig Nellis and Phillip Mary issued the following statement: The Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic has been canceled for this weekend. The Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic local organizing committee thanks the wrestlers, parents and coaches for your patience and understanding. For the fans who purchased tickets we ask for time enabling us to determine our next course of action because we will make every effort to reschedule the event. A special THANK YOU to all our sponsors for their support. Kraig Nellis and Philip Mary Co-Directors

At USA Wrestling, our number one priority is always the safety of our athletes and their families, all our members, our national staff and the entire U.S. wrestling community. With that in mind, USA Wrestling's Executive Committee, its newly-created Coronavirus Advisory Committee, and members of the national staff met on Wednesday, March 11 to discuss the rapidly evolving situation concerning Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Coronavirus Advisory Committee includes Dr. Tom Price, past U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services; Dr. Bernard Feldman, UWW Medical Commission member and Hall of Fame wrestling physician; and John Bardis, past U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services and longtime USA Wrestling leader. As part of the national effort to contain the further spread of the virus, based on the information that is available from the experts in the medical community and our government agencies, as well as our partner members in the sports community, USA Wrestling has made the following decisions concerning its events and activities as an organization: • USA Wrestling will evaluate its events and activities based on those that are essential to our mission and responsibilities, and those that are non-essential. • Events and activities deemed essential will be conducted in a way that puts the health and safety of those involved as the primary focus, while still meeting the responsibilities of the organization. • Events and activities deemed non-essential, while still important to our community of wrestlers and to USA Wrestling, may be canceled or postponed to a later date, based on the best available information from the experts, and consistent with the best practices that will support the national effort to manage the current health crisis. USA Wrestling considers the qualifying and final trials events which select the U.S. Olympic Team, as well as the qualifying events and final trials events for U.S. age-group World Teams, as essential competitions. Most other events and activities may be considered non-essential. Working with our host organizers, our partner organizations and local health authorities, planning for the Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier in Millersville, PA and the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling in University Park, PA will proceed as announced, with daily monitoring of the situation. All options will be considered in this process. Any adjustments to this plan will immediately be announced in order to effectively select and train the U.S. wrestling team for the 2020 Olympic Games. A similar approach will be taken concerning the U.S. age-group World qualifying events. The status of the remaining USA Wrestling National and Regional Events will be announced individually. USA Wrestling strongly recommends that organizers of its sanctioned events immediately contact their local health department for guidance on hosting activities in their communities. USA Wrestling also strongly recommends that leaders of these events consider canceling or postponing their events which are non-essential over the next 60 days until more information becomes available from the experts. Across the country, the Coronavirus situation is evolving rapidly. USA Wrestling, as a steward for the sport of wrestling in our nation and a good citizen of the world, will provide regular updates to the public as we deal with the challenges we all face together. Please regularly visit USA Wrestling's website TheMat.com and its social media platform for the most current information. Note: For inquiries concerning state and local events, practices and activities, please contact your local and state-level contacts.

Four individuals who have made major contributions to the sport of wrestling in the state of Iowa will be welcomed into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame's Class of 2020, the Cresco, Iowa-based amateur wrestling hall announced Monday. This year's honorees: Tom Hogan: three-time state medalist including one state title; three-time NCAA Division 3 All-American and D3 NCAA champion; renowned high school coach. Col. Thomas L. Huff USAF DC Ret. -- Waterloo West, University of Iowa -- three-time state champion, two-time Big Ten champion, two-time NCAA All-American, multiple US Armed Services championships, two-time final Olympic Trials place winner. G. Wyatt Schultz -- Postville, Cedar Rapids -- Owner and publisher of The Predicament and sports photographer whose work has appeared in Wrestling USA, USA Wrestler, Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine, and Sports Illustrated. Chad Zaputil -- Centerville, University of Iowa -- four-time state entrant, two-time state champion, three-time Big 10 Conference champion, three-time NCAA tournament finalist. These 2020 honorees will be welcomed into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame in a special induction ceremony and banquet at the Cresco Country Club south of Cresco on Monday, April 13, 2020. The 51st Annual Awards Banquet and Induction Ceremony will begin with a social hour starting at 5:30 p.m. followed by a banquet at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and advance registration is required. Banquet tickets are available at the Cresco Chamber of Commerce at (563) 547-3434 or CIA Insurance in Cresco at (563) 547-2382. The Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame's sole purpose is the promotion of amateur wrestling in Iowa. The IWHOF has a rich history of honoring native Iowans at our annual awards banquet and induction ceremony. The inaugural banquet was held in 1970. When we conclude the 51st annual awards banquet on April 13th, 2020, our roster of inductees will include 137 outstanding individuals for their contributions to amateur wrestling.

Mike Ritchey ASHLAND -- Mike Ritchey, who shaped the culture of Southern Oregon University athletics over the course of four decades in the department, announced his retirement Tuesday after 25 seasons as the Raiders' head men's wrestling coach. A nine-time regional coach of the year and the two-time NAIA Coach of the Year, Ritchey's role in sustaining SOU's status as a national powerhouse began with his run as the team's first four-time NAIA All-American from 1984-88. After winning one NAIA team championship, one NWCA dual championship and overseeing 22 of the Raiders' 35 NAIA individual titles, he'll leave matched with his predecessor, Bob Riehm, as the longest-tenured head coach in the history of SOU athletics. "I would like to thank God for the opportunity to be a part of the SOU community for 36 years and feel he has a plan for my future in retirement," Ritchey said. "All things come to an end and this is my ending as a head coach. I feel the time is right in my life and in the program's trajectory that we find a fresh set of eyes and new philosophies to bring the program back to prominence. I am so grateful to have coached so many great young men; there are too many to mention. I feel our current wrestlers are ready to make some 'Natty' noise next year and I'm so very sorry that I can't continue in this role for many different reasons. However, I will be involved as long as possible." Ritchey, starting with his first season in 1995-96, guided the Raiders to 23 consecutive winning dual records and finished with an overall mark of 235-107. Beloved by a long line of colleagues and student-athletes for an affable, selfless approach to teaching and passion for competition, his teams captured 14 conference or regional championships and, since 2009, placed second in the team standings at the NAIA Championships five times. "In a lot of ways, Mike has been one of my mentors since I've been here," SOU Director of Athletics Matt Sayre said. "He has always embodied commitment, responsibility and respect and cultivated a family dynamic in his program and with the other coaches and staff here in our department. He could be counted on for his honest evaluation of issues affecting SOU Athletics, and as a selfless, dependable team player. He did great things for SOU as our wrestling coach, and I wish him great things in his retirement." A product of Salem, Ritchey was named the Raiders' most inspirational wrestler after their first perfect dual season in 1987-88, when he went on to notch his fourth consecutive NAIA top-six finish at 126 pounds. Before taking over as head coach, he was an assistant for five seasons under Riehm and Bob Bergen. His debut campaign would be the first of 12 in which the Raiders put forth a top-five showing at the national meet. His signature accomplishment came in 2001, when SOU entered the NAIA Championships with a No. 5 ranking but accumulated 158 points behind 11 All-America efforts to capture the program's fourth title, edging out Missouri Valley's 151.5 points. Ritchey was subsequently recognized as the NAIA's top coach. He oversaw 136 All-America performances in total. Among his star pupils were Brock Gutches, the seventh four-time national champion in NAIA history, and Mitchell Lofstedt, the first individual in NAIA history to win three 125-pound titles. In 2017, Tyler Cowger became the sixth Raider under Ritchey to unlock a feat only Ritchey had previously accomplished, reaching All-America status for the fourth time. In 2009, Ritchey led the Raiders to the NWCA dual meet title with four marquee wins in two days. Four years later, after SOU produced four individual champs and took second by a margin of six points behind powerhouse Grand View (Iowa) in the team standings, he received top national coaching honors again. "I want to thank President Linda Schott and Matt Sayre, as well as the faculty and staff at SOU for their support of wrestling," Ritchey said. "As an alum of the program, my heart will never be far from the 'Band of Warriors.' "A heartfelt thank you goes out to my family: my mom in Heaven, my dad for getting me into the sport and helping along the way, my sisters Denise Zimmerman and Vicki Bash and their families for all they do and have done with our family in allowing me to pursue my dreams for so long. To my colleagues, past and present: thank you for the inspiration, motivation, and appreciation that you have given me. And finally I want to acknowledge the amazing role my coaches - Bob Buzzard, Bob Riehm and my mentors specifically, Dan Speasl, Bob Bergen and Timmy - have played in SOU's wrestling success." The Raiders secured one last banner under Ritchey at inaugural Cascade Conference Championships in 2018. He oversaw the SOU women's wrestling program that same season, and had a brief stint as an assistant athletic director. SOU will conduct a national search for Ritchey's replacement in the coming weeks. Added Ritchey: "I'd like to sum it all up in the words of Forrest Gump, who in the middle of the desert suddenly stops running and says: 'I am pretty tired. Think I'll go home now.' God bless the Band of Warriors, and keep running forward."

The 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings The brackets have been released for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The event takes place March 19-21 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Link: Brackets

A look inside U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, site of the 2020 NCAAs (Photo/Trex Commercial Products) In an unprecedented move, the NCAA announced late Wednesday afternoon that its national sports championships -- including the 2020 NCAA championships in all three divisions -- will be closed to fans, and open only to athletes, coaches, limited families and essential staff, due to the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Mark Emmert, NCAA President, issued the following statement: "The NCAA continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with public health officials and our COVID-19 advisory panel. Based on their advice and my discussion with the NCAA Board of Governors, I have made the decision to conduct upcoming championship events with only essential staff and limited family attendance. While I understand how disappointing this is for fans of our sports, my decision is based on the current understanding of how COVID-19 is progressing in the United States. This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of the coaches, administrators, and, most importantly, our student-athletes. We recognize the opportunity to compete in an NCAA national championship is an experience of a lifetime for students and their families. Today we will move forward and conduct the championships consistent with current information and will continue to monitor and make adjustments as needed." In the years since the first NCAA Wrestling Championships took place at Iowa State in 1928, the only time the Nationals were not was during World War II. The mat championships were suspended from 1942 through 1945. The event resumed in March 1946. The World Health Organization called the coronavirus a pandemic on Wednesday. "This is the first pandemic caused by coronavirus," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared at a briefing in Geneva. On Wednesday, the Ivy League announced a decision to cancel all spring athletics practice and competition through the remainder of the academic year amid further developments.

Spencer Lee is seeded No. 1 at 125 pounds (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Today, starting at 4 p.m. ET, the NCAA revealed the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in each weight class. The NCAA's selection show, which will unveil the seeds and brackets, is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and can been be seen at NCAA.com. Below is a look at the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds revealed so far. Note: Refresh to see the latest updates.

Ohio State University announced Friday it has reached a monetary settlement with survivors in 11 of the 18 lawsuits pending against the school regarding sexual assault claims related to Richard Strauss, a university-employed physician from 1978 to 1998 who died by suicide in 2005. The 11 lawsuits represent nearly half of the nearly 350 individuals who have brought claims against the university. The parties participated in a confidential mediation overseen by a federal court judge in Cincinnati for nearly a year. According to a statement issued by Ohio State on Friday, the school anticipates completing the final procedural steps in the process in the coming weeks. The statement went on to say that Ohio State continues to participate in the mediation process with the survivors involved in the seven remaining lawsuits. Funds in the settlement will be allocated on an individual basis based on the harm and damages experienced by each survivor, according to the news.OSU.com website . A special master, independent of the university and trained in sex abuse trauma, will oversee the settlement process. Funds in the settlement will be allocated on an individual basis based on the harm and damages experienced by each survivor, OSU.com continued. A special master, independent of the university and trained in sex abuse trauma, will oversee the settlement process. No taxpayer, tuition or donor funds will be utilized. All funds for individual survivors of Strauss related to this settlement will draw from existing institutional discretionary funding. Further details regarding the settlement will be available as the legal process moves forward. However, attorneys for a number of plaintiffs who have yet to reach a settlement wrote a letter last week to the presiding judge in the case, U.S. District Judge Michael Watson, saying that negotiations between them and the university have broken down. They accused the university of not negotiating "in good faith," the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. Those problems persist, said Robert Allard, a San Jose, California lawyer representing about 85 victims, who characterized the claims of those individuals as being "far more severe," adding that, in his opinion, the university had appeared to abandon negotiation in favor of litigation the cases in court. The Cleveland newspaper went on to report that attorneys for another group of 83 victims said in a news release that they were excluded from the negotiations that led to the settlement and that they are "extremely concerned that this is not a full and fair settlement for survivors." At least one of Strauss' victims who is not part of the just-announced settlement openly said he intends to continue the fight. "We want the truth and we want justice," Brian Garrett told WCMH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Columbus. "And the way to get that is to take this to court, put everybody on the stand, let the truth come out so the public can hear it." "The rest of us guys that didn't settle today, we are in it to the end," Garrett said. "We want this to go to trial. We want this to go to court." However, one former Ohio State wrestler who was among the first to bring attention to Strauss' sexual assaults nearly two years ago, is among the victims to be a part of the just-announced settlement with Ohio State. "It didn't need to take two years, so I'm happy that this day has finally come," Michael DiSabato told the Columbus Dispatch Friday. "Not just for me, but the 350-plus (plaintiffs) ... we finally get to say, 'Someone listened.'" That said, the early whistleblower admitted it's still too early for him to have closure. "Our voices were heard, and that's what today means to me," Mike DiSabato said. "It's on the record, for eternity, that the Ohio State University accepts responsibility."

Rulon Gardner stunned Alexander Karelin at the 2000 Olympic Games The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday that it will host "Miracle on the Mat: Gardner Shocks Karelin" at 2:45 p.m. on March 21 on the main stage at the NCAA Wrestling Tournament Fan Fest in The Armory in Minneapolis. The event will feature the video from the 2000 Olympic Games when Rulon Gardner upset three-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion Alexander Karelin, followed by a roundtable discussion featuring Hall of Fame Distinguished Members Gardner, Dan Chandler and Mike Houck. Prior to the video and stage presentation, Chandler, Gardner and Houck will be joined by Minnesota Wrestling Greats for an autograph session at 2 p.m. Held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Fan Fest is free to the public. Fan Fest will be open from 1-6 p.m. on Friday, March 20, and from 12-5:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 21. After showing the historic video, the trio will discuss Gardner's shocking victory over the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame member who is considered the greatest Greco-Roman wrestler of all time. Gardner was quietly confident going into the 2000 Games in spite of the fact that legendary heavyweight Karelin stood in his way. Great defense kept Gardner in the match and in the second period, when they started in the clinch, Karelin briefly lost his grip to give up his first point in six years and the Olympic gold medal. "It's been 20 years since Rulon Gardner stunned Alexander Karelin to win the Olympic Greco-Roman heavyweight gold medal, and it remains one of the most incredible and inspirational events in sports history," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. "We are excited to give fans at the NCAA Wrestling Championships the opportunity to relive the excitement of the match and hear insight and stories from Rulon, his corner coach Dan Chandler and Mike Houck about the greatest upset in Olympic wrestling history." Gardner returned to the top of the podium the next year, becoming the first U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler in history to win both a World and Olympic gold medal. Two years later, after losing a toe in a snowmobiling accident, he won the 2003 World Team Trials and finished 10th in world competition. His amazing recovery was completed in 2004 when he returned to the podium, winning a bronze medal to become only the second U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to win two Olympic medals. Gardner was honored with the 2000 James E. Sullivan Award, the 2000 ESPY for Male Olympic Athlete and the 2000 U.S. Olympic Committee Sportsman of the Year. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2010 and into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum's Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions in 2011. One of the most successful Greco-Roman wrestlers and influential Greco-Roman coaches in U.S. history, Chandler was Gardner's corner coach in 2000. He has been a member of the U.S. Greco-Roman coaching staff for every Olympic Games since 1988, including being head coach in 2012, while also coaching several U.S. World teams. He was a member of U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman teams in 1976, 1980 and 1984 and competed in the world championships in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1981 and 1983. Chandler was a 12-time national Greco-Roman champion, capturing seven AAU titles and five United States Wrestling Federation/USA Wrestling titles, and a two-time Pan American gold medalist. Chandler was an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota from 1975-85 and was the head wrestling coach at St. Thomas University from 1986-88. The Minnesota native has been a leader at the state and local level, including serving as a state coach for Minnesota USA Wrestling and the Minnesota Storm. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2013. Despite odds stacked against him, including three former champions in his weight class, Houck made history in 1985 when he became the first American to win a gold medal in Greco-Roman, defeating defending world champion Igor Kanygin of Russia in the finals. He was a four-time Greco-Roman national champion, capturing three USA Wrestling titles and an AAU title, and competed in three world championships. He narrowly missed competing in the Olympic Games, finishing second at the trials in 1984 and 1988. He coached the U.S. Greco-Roman national team from 1990-95 and was instrumental in developing the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete program. During his tenure, the United States finished in the Top 10 in the world championships four out of five years and won the Pan American Games for the first time ever. U.S. wrestlers won six world or Olympic medals, including a gold in 1995 by Dennis Hall, a Distinguished Member inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. Houck was named Sportsman of the Year for 1985 by the United States Olympic Committee and was nominated for the Sullivan Award. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2008 and into the Greco-Roman Hall of Champions in the Charter Class of 2009. 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.

The OHSAA State Wrestling Championships are held at the Schottenstein Center (Photo/Craig Brown) Hours after the governor of Ohio recommended that indoor sporting events within the state take place without fans in the stands because of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced that attendance at its state tournaments -- including the 2020 OHSAA State Wrestling Championships -- will most likely be limited to immediate family members of the athletes competing at those events. This year's Ohio state mat championships are scheduled to take place this weekend -- Friday, March 13-Sunday, March 15 -- at Schottenstein Center on the campus of Ohio State University in Columbus. The OHSAA -- which governs scholastic sports within the state of Ohio -- issued the following statement Wednesday, not long after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine spoke Tuesday afternoon, urging that indoor sporting events in Ohio take place without fans in the stands because of the appearance of at least three cases of coronavirus within Cuyahoga County (home to Cleveland) in recent days. "At this time, the OHSAA is proceeding with our upcoming tournaments as scheduled," the high school sports organization stated within hours of Gov. DeWine's press conference. "We are in constant communication with state and local officials and will monitor any developments and provide updated information as needed. We encourage teams and fans to take the extra precautions that we provided to our member schools in early March and that are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Our tournament venues are taking extra measures to assist with the safety of the student-athletes, coaches, officials and fans." In addition to the state wrestling championships, other major high school sporting events scheduled to take place this week -- possibly without fans in the stands -- include the girls state basketball championships at Ohio State's St. John Arena, beginning Thursday, and the state hockey champions on Saturday and Sunday at Nationwide Arena in downtown Columbus, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported Tuesday. DeWine said it is not only the safety of the spectators but for anyone the spectators might come in contact with afterwards. "We would hope that anyone who has the responsibility for conducting these events will make the right decision," DeWine said. The governor also recommended that other indoor events with large numbers of individuals in attendance -- including concerts and classroom instruction -- consider other plans. At least two state universities -- Ohio State and Kent State University -- have announced suspension of in-person classes on their respective campuses. Information regarding tickets already sold and what type of media coverage will be permitted is still to be released "as soon as possible" according to the OHSAA.

You could win a luxurious 2020 Infiniti Q50 sedan -- and help the CSU Bakersfield wrestling program -- by purchasing a raffle ticket in this year's "Ride in Style" Roadrunner wrestling car raffle fundraiser. All proceeds will benefit the CSUB wrestling program. Each ticket is just $100. Only 1,000 raffle tickets will be sold ... but there's no limit on the amount of tickets an individual may purchase. What's more, you need not live in Bakersfield -- or California, for that matter -- to purchase a ticket. This car raffle is open to wrestling supporters anywhere. In fact, you can purchase tickets online. Don't wait! The prize drawing will take place Wednesday, April 8 between 5:30-7:30 p.m. Pacific during a celebration of CSUB Roadrunner wrestlers at Infiniti of Bakersfield. To purchase your raffle ticket(s) online, click here. WWW.Bakersfieldwrestling.com Participants need not be present to win. However, the drawing winner will be responsible for taxes and license and must be at least 18 years of age. Need a bit more persuasion? Be sure to listen to Stephen Neal -- two-time NCAA heavyweight champ for the CSUB Roadrunners who went on to win a World freestyle title, then earn three Super Bowl rings playing for the New England Patriots -- as he make makes his pitch for participating in the Cal State Bakersfield/Coyote Club Amateur Wrestling "Ride in Style" car raffle fundraiser.

The Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast today announced that it will interview J Robinson and Barry Davis during the 2020 WIN Show/NCAA Fan Fest. The interviews will take place as follows: Friday (3/20), 2p.m. J Robinson Saturday (3/21), 2:30 p.m. Barry Davis Location: Booth 19 Both interviews will feature live Q&A with fans. About the Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast Hosted by Ryan Warner, the Wrestling Changed My Life Podcast features in-depth interviews with wrestlers and coaches to learn how the sport shaped and molded their lives. By stitching together stories of sacrifice, triumph, defeat and perseverance, the Podcast takes the listener deep inside the world's oldest sport. To date, the Podcast has published 105 episodes with guests such as Dan Gable, J Robinson, Bobby Douglas, Tom Brands, and Tom Ryan. To subscribe to the podcast, listeners can visit WrestlingChangedMyLife.com or text "Wrestle" to 555-888. About the WIN Show/Fan Fest Fan Fest is a free, 2-day event taking place Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21. Fan Fest Hours are 1-6 p.m. Friday and 12-5:30 on Saturday. The event is taking place at the Armory in downtown Minneapolis, just a few blocks from U.S. Bank Stadium.

Patrick McKee received an at-large berth at 125 pounds (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA announced the 48 at-large selections for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis. Seeding and brackets for this year's event will be revealed tomorrow, March 11, during the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Selection Show on NCAA.com at 6 p.m. ET. At-large selections 125: Nic Aguilar Rutgers 24-11 Big Ten Justin Cardani Illinois 16-10 Big Ten Michael Colaiocco Penn 23-7 EIWA Fabian Gutierrez Chattanooga 18-9 SoCon Patrick McKee Minnesota 17-8 Big Ten 133: Casey Cobb Navy 17-13 EIWA Codi Russell Appalachian State 26-10 SoCon Todd Small Iowa State 18-12 Big 12 Zack Trampe Binghamton 12-3 EIWA 141: Shakur Laney Ohio 21-10 MAC DJ Lloren Fresno State 22-6 Big 12 Mitch Moore Virginia Tech 17-8 ACC Salvatore Profaci American 26-9 EIWA 149: Jimmy Hoffman Lehigh 19-7 EIWA Tanner Smith Chattanooga 25-9 SoCon Yahya Thomas Northwestern 16-8 Big Ten Max Thomsen Northern Iowa 20-8 Big 12 157: Zac Carson Ohio 22-11 MAC Jahi Jones Maryland 12-8 Big Ten Alexander Klucker Lock Haven 14-10 MAC Mike Van Brill Rutgers 19-18 Big Ten Kaleb Young Iowa 15-5 Big Ten 165: Ebed Jarrell Drexel 18-7 EIWA Peyton Mocco Missouri 27-12 MAC Kennedy Monday North Carolina 20-8 ACC Bailee O`Reilly Minnesota 22-11 Big Ten Bernie Truax Cal Poly 18-11 Pac 12 Evan Wick Wisconsin 23-4 Big Ten 174: Mason Eaglin Duke 21-13 ACC Hayden Hastings Wyoming 23-10 Big 12 Jacob Oliver Edinboro 25-6 MAC Phillip Spadafora Maryland 17-16 Big Ten Brandon Womack Cornell 14-7 EIWA 184: Trevor Allard Bloomsburg 24-4 MAC Jonathan Loew Cornell 26-13 EIWA Tate Samuelson Wyoming 19-14 Big 12 Travis Stefanik Princeton 17-7 EIWA Owen Webster Minnesota 22-12 Big Ten 197: Stephen Buchanan Wyoming 26-13 Big 12 Wyatt Koelling Missouri 20-7 MAC Jordan Pagano Rutgers 22-8 Big Ten Hunter Ritter Minnesota 20-10 Big Ten Jackson Striggow Michigan 20-10 Big Ten Cole Urbas Penn 21-13 EIWA 285: Tyler Bagoly Clarion 16-6 MAC Max Ihry Northern Illinois 20-10 MAC Zachary Knighton-Ward Hofstra 23-14 EIWA Ben Sullivan Army West Point 16-8 EIWA

OTTAWA, Canada -- The U.S. men's freestyle team won all six of its finals on Monday night at the Pan American Championships in Ottawa, Canada, and ran away with the team trophy, scoring 205 points. In second place was Canada with 120, and Cuba rounded out the top-three with 100 points. Those picking up individual titles for the USA included Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, Anthony Ashnault, Yianni Diakomihalis, Tyler Graff and Tony Nelson. 2012 Olympic champion and four-time World champ Burroughs won his fourth Pan American Championships gold medal after a tense bout with 2011 World silver medalist Franklin Gomez of Puerto Rico. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Jim Zalesky (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Corvallis -- Oregon State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Monday that there will be a change of leadership of the wrestling program at the conclusion of the season. "I want to thank Coach Jim Zalesky for his dedication to Oregon State University and his commitment to the young men in our wrestling program," Beaver Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes said. "We wish him and his family the best in their future endeavors." Zalesky started his head coaching career at OSU in 2006 after eight years leading the University of Iowa program. Two Beaver wrestlers, Devan Turner (133) and Grant Willits (141), are guaranteed to represent OSU at the NCAA Championships at the March 19-21 tournament in Minneapolis. Turner won the Pac-12 title last week and Willits was runner up at his weight. Oregon State University will embark on a national search to appoint a new head coach in the near future.

Luke Pletcher avenged a loss to Nick Lee to claim the Big Ten title at 141 pounds (Photo/Juan Garcia) It's no secret that the Big Ten is college wrestling's strongest conference. The strength of the conference is rewarded every year in that the Big Ten gets 79 automatic qualifiers to the NCAAs -- far more than any other conference. The Big 12 is awarded 54 qualifiers. The EIWA brings 44. The MAC has 41 spots. The ACC is allotted 35. The PAC-12 is given just 16 qualifiers. The remaining spots in the field are filled by at-large bids across all weights and conferences. The Big Ten's larger presence at NCAAs usually proves justified in the final standings too. The Big Ten has crowned the last 13 NCAA team champions in the sport and produced nine Hodge Trophy winners over that span as well. And, in 2019, 38 of the 80 individuals to earn All-America accolades came from Big Ten country. At the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, it's safe to assume wrestling fans can expect more of the same -- Big Ten dominance on the mats. That much is certain after watching the 2020 Big Ten Championships, which had seven of the nation's top 10 teams, plus a handful of others within the top 25, all competed at the RAC in Piscataway, New Jersey Saturday and Sunday. Once again, the powerhouse event did not disappoint. Here are my takeaways for the Big Ten tournament: 125: Iowa's Spencer Lee has won three PIAA state titles, three age-group freestyle world championships and two NCAA national titles for the Hawkeyes and qualified for the Olympic Trials. The lone accomplishment to elude the collegiate standout has been a Big Ten title. That changed this weekend. Lee took home not only the 125-pound crown, but also the 2020 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year award. Lee went 3-0 on the weekend, racking up bonus points in each contest. He earned a fall in his first match, a 19-4 technical fall in his second match and a 16-2 major decision in the finals over Purdue's No. 2 seed Devin Schroder, complete with over five minutes of riding time. In three matches he outscored opponents 51-5. On the season, Lee sits at 18-0 and has outscored opponents by a combined total of 234-18 overall. In Piscataway, Lee was quick with his shots, dominant in the top position, and made good use of his tilt for bonus points multiple times. While his competition for his third straight NCAA title won't come from within the Big Ten, I'd be surprised if Lee doesn't secure a three-peat in Minneapolis. But Jack Mueller (Virginia), Pat Glory (Princeton), Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State) and others will attempt to dethrone Lee. 133: As BTN's Shane Sparks said, 133 pounds would be worth the price of admission on its own. Sparks was right. New Jersey native Northwestern's No. 5 Sebastian Rivera took the title, the second of his career, with a dominant 7-2 victory against Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young. After an early takedown of Rivera -- RBY was largely subdued offensively by a strong Rivera ride. To get there, though, Rivera won a tightly contested 7-6 battle over 2018 NCAA champion and top-seeded Seth Gross of Wisconsin. On the other hand, Bravo-Young took out Austin DeSanto of Iowa 3-1 in a match that came down to the final buzzer. Rivera's signature wins over the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds earned him the 2020 Big Ten Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships award. The Wildcat made a big statement after missing much of this year's dual meet action. The 133 finals bout was the only match in which neither the No. 1 or No.2 seed made the finals. If this weekend's action proved anything, it's that this class is probably the deepest in the sport and the NCAA title is wide open. In addition to these four, freshman Sammy Alvarez (Rutgers) Ridge Lovett (Nebraska) both showed they will be a tough out in their first NCAA tournaments. 141: The 141-pound final gave everyone the rematch the wrestling world wanted in Nick Lee and Luke Pletcher. Their showdown at the Penn State vs. Ohio State dual in January was one of the most anticipated matches of the regular season. While Lee won the regular season contest, it was Pletcher who got redemption this weekend, winning a closely contested 6-5 back-and-forth battle chalk-full of scrambles and flurries. The season series stands knotted 1-1. While Pletcher got the edge, it could have gone either way. Both are putting together fantastic seasons. Pletcher is now 26-1 on the year while Lee is 20-1 after the finals defeat. It wouldn't be a surprise to see this match in the NCAA finals. Nebraska's No.7 Chad Red is a two-time All-American who went toe-to-toe with Lee in the semifinal round and finished third overall. He is capable of hanging with anybody. No. 5 Max Murin of Iowa was one of three Hawkeyes upset on the opening day of action. He fell to No. 6 seeded Mitch McKee of Minnesota in the quarterfinal round. He finished fifth overall; Murin has had a solid season despite battling injury. He will look to bounce back in a deep class for the Big Ten. 149: This class saw another dual meet rematch between top-seeded freshman Sammy Sasso of Ohio State and No. 2 seeded Pat Lugo of Iowa. Much like their first meeting, it came down to the wire. The freshman Sasso could not secure the takedown at the buzzer and fell 2-1. For Lugo the win is retribution for his only loss on his senior campaign -- a 2-1 overtime defeat at the hands of Sasso. The loss was also the first and only loss of Lugo's career in Carver-Hawkeye. Fellow freshman Brayton Lee finished in fourth for the Gophers and has proven he can make some noise and disrupt a championship bracket -- especially with the NCAAs being in Minnesota. 157: Northwestern's Ryan Deakin became a conscious No. 1 at the weight after a stellar showing at Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December. His Vegas crown was headlined by wins of then No.1 Hayden Hidlay of NC State and then No. 2 David Carr of the Iowa State Cyclones. Since then, Deakin hasn't looked back. The Wildcat is now 21-0 with five falls and eight major decisions to his credit. He breezed through the tournament with convincing wins in every bout, including a 7-2 finals victory over freshman and No. 3 seed Kendall Coleman of Purdue. Arguably the biggest surprise of the championships, No. 2 seed Kaleb Young of Iowa went 0-2 and didn't earn an automatic spot in the NCAAs despite spending the majority of the year as a consensus top-five wrestler at the weight and a returning All-American. He was the lone Hawkeye starter to not qualify for the national tournament and will rely on an at-large bid to keep his season alive. Young fell to freshman Peyton Robb of Nebraska and Coleman of Purdue both by 3-2 scores. 165: The epic Vincenzo Joseph-Alex Marinelli rivalry resurfaced again in the Big Ten finals. This now the fourth time the duo has battled one another in their careers. The latest iteration saw the Hawkeye come out on top 3-2. The match was decided not by an inside trip or lateral drop ending in back points as it has been three times prior. It was a late takedown that sealed the deal for the Iowa star over the two-time NCAA champion Joseph. With the loss, Joseph fails to capture a Big Ten crown, but will be in the race for a third NCAA title later this month in his final season with the Nittany Lions. The next biggest story coming out of this weight two-time All-American and 2020 title contender Evan Wick of Wisconsin didn't compete. The No. 3 seed medically withdrew one second into his opening-round match due to an "unforeseen medical condition.". He will rely on at-large bid to compete in Minneapolis. Former Division II champion Isiah White at Nebraska put together a strong tournament to finish third. The Husker has what it takes to finish top three at nationals. 174: Penn State senior Mark Hall has been dominant since his days as an Apple Valley prep. He is a former national champion, and now three-time Big Ten champion after the finals victory Sunday afternoon. Hall looked in control for all seven minutes of his 8-5 victory, shutting down virtually every Kemerer attack. Hall's win redeems his lone loss of the season -- an 11-6 decision where Hall was uncharacteristically taken down multiple times. While Hall and Kemerer are likely the two favorites to claim an NCAA title, the class has some serious depth that could lend itself to an upset. Dylan Lydy of Purdue, Devin Skatzka of Minnesota, Mikey Labriola of Nebraska have all spent time ranking within the top-10 this season and are capable of big wins. 184: Penn State freshman Aaron Brooks has made a name for himself since removing his redshirt mid-season. He took the victory via a 3-2 over Michigan State sophomore Cam Caffey. Brooks, now 15-1 and a Big Ten champion has been dominant in limited time on the mat He has three falls, three major decisions and a technical fall. Additionally, Brooks avenged the only loss of his collegiate career in the most dominant of fashions -- by pinning Nebraska's Taylor Venz in the semifinal round. Caffey's loss brings his double-digit win streak to a close. That said, the Spartan sits at 27-7 on what has been a breakout year for the MSU product. This year, he will surely best his 2-2 performance from NCAAs in Pittsburgh. Iowa's Abe Assad is another freshman within the class that cannot be overlooked in Minnesota. The freshman took fourth in his rookie campaign, but has shown the ability to win on the biggest stage in the biggest duals. Venz, who has had very much an up-and-down year, turned in a top-three finish and has marquee wins this season. Venz is certainly a name to keep an eye on moving forward. 197: Ohio State's senior captain Kollin Moore has been atop the 197-pound weight class since the preseason rankings were released. He will enter the NCAAs No. 1 after a 3-0 run in New Jersey -- which included two major decision victories and a 4-1 win in the finals over Eric Schultz of Nebraska. Schultz, a formidable opponent, has climbed the rankings and found his way up to No. 3 in the rankings. For Moore, a three-time All-American who took third as a freshman and was a runner-up last year, his final season as a collegian could be his best Iowa sophomore Jacob Warner was the third Iowa wrestler to get upset on Saturday, dropping a tough 3-1 decision to past All-American and No. 6 seed Shakur Rasheed of Penn State. Rasheed, who also qualified, is always a dangerous competitor if his health can cooperate. Gable Steveson topped Mason Parris in a battle of undefeated heavyweights (Photo/Juan Garcia) 285: Much like 133 pounds, the heavyweight division is wide open and on any given day, it wouldn't be surprising to see any of the top-four finishers take the title. In the No. 1 vs. No. 2 finals matchup -- the fans saw Minnesota phenom Gable Steveson narrowly defeat Michigan's Mason Parris. As for who will take the NCAA title in two weeks, it's likely Steveson, who was a 2019 third-place finisher in Pittsburgh. But don't count out Iowa freshman Tony Cassioppi or Wisconsin's Trent Hilger either. All four possess a rare blend of size, quickness and the ability to score in bunches -- a rarity for the big boys.

Spencer Lee defeated Purdue's Devin Schroder to claim the Big Ten title (Photo/Juan Garcia) IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named a semifinalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Fans can vote for semifinalists by visiting aausports.org. Voting opens Monday, March 9 and closes Friday, March 13. The award winner will be announced April 21 at a ceremony in New York City. Representatives from the AAU created the AAU James E. Sullivan Award with the intent to recognize amateur contributions and achievements from non-professional athletes across the country. The AAU Sullivan Award is presented to the athlete who has demonstrated the most athletic success, as well as leadership, character and sportsmanship in the past year. World renowned golfer Robert "Bobby" Jones received the inaugural award in 1930 and swimmer Anne Curtis became the first female to accept the award in 1944. Other notable athletes to win the award include famed Olympians Carl Lewis (1981), Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1986), Michael Phelps (2003) and Shawn Johnson (2008), former UCLA basketball star Bill Walton (1973) and University of Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning (1997). Most recently, ESPNW Player of the Year and NCAA Volleyball National Champion Kathryn Plummer was crowned the 89th AAU James E. Sullivan Award winner for her accomplishments in 2018.

Mark Hall celebrates after picking up a win against Ohio State (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has released updated standings for the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Awards that will be awarded in March at the Division I Wrestling Championships. Both all-session and single-session tickets are still available for the event at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis at ncaa.com/wrestling. The inaugural NCAA Wrestling Awards were presented at the 2012 wrestling championships. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes that have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular and postseasons. Mark Hall of Penn State will enter the NCAA Championships as the leader for the Most Dominant Wrestler award with an average of 4.70 team points per match after earning a tech fall during his run to the 174-pound championship at the Big Ten Tournament over the weekend. A pair of 125-pounders hold the next two spots with Princeton's Pat Glory and Iowa's two-time national champion Spencer Lee separated by only 0.4 points (4.54 - 4.50). The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled with a minimum of 17 matches to be ranked. Points per match are awarded as follows. Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss) Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss) Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss) Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss) Jacob Schwarm of Northern Iowa added two more falls to his resume at the Big 12 Championships and his 16 on the season tops Division I heading to Minneapolis. Ben Darmstadt won the EIWA championship at 197 pounds and moved to 14 falls with one during the tournament, while Central Michigan's Matt Stencel won the MAC championship at heavyweight and has 14 falls as he is looking to repeat as the award winner. George Mason 141-pounder Alex Madrigal had two more tech falls at the MAC Championships to push his season total to 14, which is five more than the trio of Lee, Glory and Nicholas Piccininni of Oklahoma State. For falls and tech falls to be counted for the awards they must come against opponents in the same division (i.e. Division II vs. Division II). Ties in the two categories are broken based on the aggregate time.

Two former champion wrestlers -- Yoel Romero, and Deron Winn -- both suffered defeats at UFC 248 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas Saturday night. Romero loses decision to Adesanya in middleweight main event In the main event at UFC 248, Israel Adesanya held onto his middleweight (185-pound) title with a unanimous decision over six-time World freestyle wrestling champ Yoel Romero. Judges scored the bout 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46 for Adesanya, who won the crown in October. Here's how Sherdog.com opened its account of the title fight, which used the phrase "action-starved" in its headline: Yoel Romero (Photo/Steve Marcusap)"Israel Adesanya might not have won himself any new fans at UFC 248, but he walked out of the Octagon with his undefeated record and championship reign intact. "'The Last Stylebender' utilized a risk-adverse approach to capture a unanimous decision triumph over Yoel Romero ... "Early on, Adesanya seemed mesmerized by the Romero mystique. The Nigerian-born Kiwi was hesitant to engage, and Romero authored the bout's most significant moments with brief explosive attacks in the early stanzas. As time wore on, however, Adesanya began to pick his opponent apart, with stinging leg kicks in particular taking their toll on "The Soldier of God." "Many spectators at T-Mobile Arena weren't happy with the UFC 248 main event between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Yoel Romero," MMA Junkie reported. "UFC president Dana White was no different." "I do (think it was Romero's fault)," White in a post-event press conference. "He literally went out and stood in the middle of the ... when the bell rang in the first round, just stood there with his hands up. You know what I mean? You're going in and facing the world champion. This is your last shot at a championship. You shouldn't even be here getting this title fight. It should be Paulo Costa. If he didn't get hurt, you don't even get this opportunity. You go in, and you do everything you can to win that fight. He literally did none of that." With the win, Adesanya retains the UFC middleweight title, and improves his pro MMA record to 19-0 overall, and 8-0 in UFC action ... while the 42-year-old Romero -- who earned a silver medal in men's freestyle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics -- now drops to 13-5 overall, and 9-4 in UFC. Winn choked out in third round vs. Meerschaert In another middleweight matchup earlier in the evening, two-time national junior college wrestling champ Deron Winn fell victim to a rear-naked choke at the hands of Gerald Meerschaert at 2:13 of the third and final round. "It wasn't an easy fight for Meerschaert as he was rocked early in the first round, but he eventually returned the favor and starting landing heavy punches," according to Sherdog.com. This eventually forced an injured Winn to the ground where the fight ended." In its coverage of the fight, Cageside Press wrote, "Meerschaert struck first in the second round, landing a left hook, his power hand. Winn's range was not quite there in the second round, with Meerschaert landing with more success. Another combination landed for Meerschaert, to which Winn responded with a takedown attempt. Meerschaert went to a knee then avoided a high kick. Winn ate a few jabs from Meerschaert then missed on some overhands. Meerschaert started to dig to the body and Winn felt it. He got on his horse and quickly tried moving out of danger. Meerschaert won the second round by a wide margin. "The third round started with striking exchanges with both men connecting well. Winn then landed a pair of huge overhands, but couldn't pursue a finish. Meerschaert recovered, then landed a combination that wobbled Winn. Meerschaert continued to land as Winn stumbled, then fell to his knees. Meerschaert went for a guillotine, then took the back of the wrestler. He went for a rear-naked choke, got the arm over the face of Winn and got the tap." With the win, the 32-year-old Meerschaert is now 31-12 overall -- and 6-4 in UFC -- in a pro career going back to January 2007. Deron Winn, 30, twice a National Junior College Athletic Association heavyweight champ at St. Louis Community College, Meramec who launched his pro MMA career three years ago, is now 6-2 overall, and 1-2 in UFC fights.

125: 1st: No. 4 Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 14 Alex Mackall (Iowa State), 3-1 3rd: Christian Moody (Oklahoma) pinned No. 13 Jacob Schwarm (UNI), 2:35 5th: Cody Phippen (Air Force) dec. McGwire Midkiff (NDSU), 2-0 7th: Daniel Vega (SDSU) maj. dec. Joey Thomas (West Virginia), 12-4 133: 1st: No. 12 Cameron Sykora (NDSU) dec. Mosha Schwartz (N. Colorado), 5-4 3rd: No. 11 Montorie Bridges (Wyoming) pinned No. 14 Anthony Madrigal (Oklahoma), 6:54 5th: Jack Skudlarczyk (UNI) maj. dec. Lawrence Saenz (Fresno State), 12-0 7th: Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma State) tech. fall Lucas Seibert (West Virginia), 22-7 7:00 9th: No. 10 Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) dec. Todd Small (Iowa State), 5-3 SV1 True 8th: No. 10 Taylor LaMont (Utah Valley) tech. fall Lucas Seibert (West Virginia), 17-2 5:00 141: 1st: No. 6 Ian Parker (Iowa State) dec. No. 4 Dom Demas (Oklahoma), 4-2 SV2 3rd: Dusty Hone (Oklahoma State) dec. Dylan Droegemueller (NDSU), 6-4 5th: No. 17 Michael Blockhus (UNI) dec. Clay Carlson (SDSU), 6-5 7th: Caleb Rea (West Virginia) maj. dec. Lenny Petersen (Air Force), 14-2 149: 1st: No. 6 Boo Lewallen (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 12 Henry Pohlmeyer (SDSU), 8-5 3rd: No. 10 Jarrett Degen (Iowa State) dec. No. 13 Andrew Alirez (N. Colorado), 5-3 5th: Greg Gaxiola (Fresno State) by medical forfeit over Max Thomsen (UNI) 7th: Cameron Hunsaker (Utah Valley) dec. Jaden VanMaanen (NDSU), 9-6 157: 1st: No. 3 David Carr (Iowa State) dec. No. 14 Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State), 6-4 3rd: No. 15 Jared Franek (NDSU) dec. Justin Thomas (Oklahoma), 4-2 5th: Jacob Wright (Fresno State) dec. Paden Moore (UNI), 7-1 7th: Dewey Krueger (Wyoming) dec. Alex Hornfeck (West Virginia), 7-5 165: 1st: No. 6 Travis Wittlake (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 11 Andrew Fogarty (NDSU), 8-4 3rd: Tanner Cook (SDSU) pinned Chase Straw (Iowa State), 4:58 5th: Adam Kemp (Fresno State) dec. Cole Moody (Wyoming), 9-7 7th: Austin Yant (UNI) dec. Jordan Robison (N. Colorado), 8-2 9th: Chase Straw (Iowa State) dec. Adam Kemp (Fresno State), 10-8 SV1 174: 1st: No. 5 Bryce Steiert (UNI) pinned No. 11 Anthony Mantanona (Oklahoma), 5:52 3rd: No. 15 Joseph Smith (Oklahoma State) by injury default over No. 16 Samuel Colbray (Iowa State) 5th: No. 10 Kimball Bastian (Utah Valley) dec. Hayden Hastings (Wyoming), 5-4 7th: Cody Surratt (Air Force) pinned Luke Weber (NDSU), 6:35 184: 1st: No. 3 Taylor Lujan (UNI) dec. No. 12 Zach Carlson (SDSU), 10-6 3rd: No. 11 Anthony Montalvo (Oklahoma State) dec. Alan Clothier (N. Colorado), 11-7 5th: Marcus Coleman (Iowa State) pinned Tate Samuelson (Wyoming), 5:47 7th: Darrien Roberts (Oklahoma) dec. Jacob Thompson (Air Force), 5-2 197: 1st: No. 2 Noah Adams (West Virginia) dec. No. 10 Tanner Sloan (SDSU), 5-1 3rd: No. 17 Dakota Geer (Oklahoma State) tech. fall Jacob Seely (N. Colorado), 17-0 3:47 5th: No. 16 Jake Woodley (Oklahoma) dec. Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming), 3-1 7th: Cordell Eaton (NDSU) dec. Tanner Orndorff (Utah Valley), 5-2 True 6th: Cordell Eaton (NDSU) dec. Stephen Buchanan (Wyoming), 9-5 285: 1st: Brian Andrews (Wyoming) dec. No. 13 Gannon Gremmel (Iowa State), 3-2 3rd: No. 11 Josh Hokit (Fresno State) dec. No. 14 Carter Isley (UNI), 2-0 5th: No. 7 Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley) maj. dec. Dalton Robertson (N. Colorado), 11-0 7th: Brandon Metz (NDSU) pinned Blake Wolters (SDSU), 1:44

NC State won the ACC title by four points over runner-up Pitt (Photo/NC State Athletics) PITTSBURGH, PA. -- The NC State wrestling team won back-to-back ACC Championships for the first time since 2001-02, as the Wolfpack claimed top honors at the 2020 ACC Championship Sunday at Pitt. NC State won the team race with 81 points. Host Pitt was second (77), North Carolina took third (67.5), Virginia was fourth (60.5), Virginia Tech fifth (52) and Duke was sixth (2). The ACC title was the Pack's second straight, third in the last five seasons and 17th all-time in school history. The 17 team titles are tied UNC among the current ACC schools. The Pack had nine of its 10 wrestlers in the semifinals, six into the finals and a pair won individual ACC championships - R-Fr. Jakob Camacho (125 pounds) and R-Jr. Hayden Hidlay (157) both went 2-0 on the day to win their championships. R-Jr. Tariq Wilson (141), R-Jr. Daniel Bullard (174), R-Fr. Trent Hidlay (184), and So. Deonte Wilson (285) each earned All-ACC honors with their second-place finishes. No. 10 R-Jr. Thomas Bullard scored a third-place finish at 165 pounds, and added two additional team points in his third place bout with a pin. R-Fr. Jarrett Trombley placed fourth at 133 pounds. Both Thomas Bullard and Trombley have advanced to the NCAA Championships with their automatic bids.

125: 1st: No. 18 Jakob Camacho (NC State) dec. No. 2 Jack Mueller (Virginia), 11-4 3rd: Joey Prata (Virginia Tech) dec. Louis Newell (Pittsburgh), 5-2 133: 1st: No. 6 Mickey Phillipi (Pittsburgh) dec. Jaime Hernandez (North Carolina), 8-5 3rd: Louie Hayes (Virginia) dec. Jarrett Trombley (NC State), 5-3 TB1 5th: Collin Gerardi (Virginia Tech) pinned Harrison Campbell (Duke), 4:27 141: 1st: No. 12 Zach Sherman (North Carolina) dec. No. 10 Tariq Wilson (NC State), 5-4 3rd: Cole Matthews (Pittsburgh) dec. Brian Courtney (Virginia), 3-1 SV1 149: 1st: No. 3 Austin O'Connor (North Carolina) dec. Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech), 11-7 3rd: Denton Spencer (Virginia) dec. AJ Leitten (NC State), 7-0 157: 1st: No. 2 Hayden Hidlay (NC State) maj. dec. No. 20 Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh), 13-4 3rd: No. 19 A.C. Headlee (North Carolina) dec. Justin McCoy (Virginia), 8-4 5th: B.C. LaPrade (Virginia Tech) tech. fall Eric Carter (Duke), 17-2 6:05 165: 1st: No. 14 Jake Wentzel (Pittsburgh) dec. No. 10 David McFadden (Virginia Tech), 3-1 3rd: No. 9 Thomas Bullard (NC State) pinned Cam Coy (Virginia), 3:32 174: 1st: Clay Lautt (North Carolina) dec. No. 18 Daniel Bullard (NC State), 4-3 3rd: No. 17 Gregg Harvey (Pittsburgh) dec. Cody Hughes (Virginia Tech), 7-4 184: 1st: No. 1 Hunter Bolen (Virginia Tech) dec. No. 2 Trent Hidlay (NC State), 2-1 3rd: No. 5 Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) maj. dec. Michael Battista (Virginia), 14-4 197: 1st: No. 8 Jay Aiello (Virginia) dec. Brandon Whitman (North Carolina), 10-4 3rd: Kellan Stout (Pittsburgh) dec. Tyrie Houghton (NC State), 10-8 SV1 285: 1st: No. 8 Demetrius Thomas (Pittsburgh) dec. Deonte Wilson (NC State), 5-4 3rd: John Borst (Virginia Tech) dec. Andrew Gunning (North Carolina), 3-0 5th: No. 19 Quinn Miller (Virginia) tech. fall Jonah Niesenbaum (Duke), 16-0 3:27