InterMat Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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