InterMat Staff

The InterMat Classic, a preseason wrestling tournament that takes place on Saturday, Oct. 20, in Edina, Minnesota, has added a fourth weigh-in location. Wrestle-Jitsu, a club run by nine-time national champion Jake Clark, will host a weigh-in location at its facility in Waite Park, Minnesota, located near St. Cloud. Weigh-ins will take place on Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. CT, at the address below. Wrestle-Jitsu 301 Sundial Dr. Waite Park, MN 56387 Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is a three-pound allowance. Wrestlers may change weight classes after registering by sending an email to contact@intermatwrestle.com. Wrestlers will be moved up a weight class if they do not make the weight listed on their weigh-in slip. For more information on the InterMat Classic and to register, visit www.intermatwrestle.com/intermatclassic. The four weigh-in locations are listed below. Minnesota Edina High School 6754 Valley View Road Edina, MN 55439 Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Marion Road Storehouse Office Bldg. 4020 29th SE Rochester, MN 55904 Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wrestle-Jitsu 301 Sundial Dr. Waite Park, MN 56387 Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. South Dakota Legends of Gold 47256 Highway 46 Beresford, SD 57004 Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 19, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Nahshon Garrett (Photo/Juan Garcia) Nahshon Garrett (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) has been withdrawn from the 2018 World Wrestling Championships at 61 kg/134 lbs. in men's freestyle due to an injury suffered in training. Garrett, who qualified for his first Senior World Team with his victory in Final X in Lehigh on June 23, will be replaced by Final X runner-up Joe Colon (Fresno, Calif./Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC). Colon will be competing in his first Senior World Championships. The 61 kg men's freestyle competition will be held on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21. "It is very unfortunate that Nahshon Garrett was injured and unable to compete in Budapest with our World Team. His preparation had been superb and we expected great things from him. Joe Colon has been training hard as part of our National Team, and we have confidence in his ability to compete at the highest level and challenge for a World medal at 61 kg," said National Freestyle Coach Bill Zadick. Garrett, an NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Cornell, defeated Colon in an exciting three-match series in Final X to secure his World Team berth. Colon won the first bout, 7-5, but Garrett rallied with two straight wins, 10-5 and 12-0, to win Final X. In the 2018 U.S. Open finals in April, Colon won a wild finals bout over Garrett, 20-13. A native of Chico, Calif., Garrett was a U.S. Open runner-up in 2017 and 2018, and a 2014 University Nationals champion. He currently trains with the Sunkist Kids RTC in Arizona. Colon won a gold medal at the 2018 Pan American Championships. This summer, he added a silver medal at the Alexander Medved International in Belarus and a bronze medal at the Ziolkowski Memorial in Poland. He was second in the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials and was a 2018 Dave Schultz Memorial champion. Based upon his results in the 2018 UWW Ranking Series, Colon qualified for the No. 4 seed at the World Championships and will be seeded in his weight class in Budapest. A native of Clear Lake, Iowa, Colon was third in the 2014 NCAA Championships for Northern Iowa, and was a 2010 NJCAA national champion for Iowa Central. He currently trains with the Valley RTC and is the volunteer assistant coach for Fresno State.

Long Island University will combine each of its sports programs at its two campuses -- LIU Brooklyn, and LIU Post -- into a single NCAA Division I program as part of a "One LIU" initiative announced Wednesday at the New York Athletic Club. All intercollegiate sports programs at LIU Post in Brookville, NY, which now compete in NCAA Division II -- including the wrestling program -- will now participate in NCAA Division I, effective in the 2019-20 academic year, according to Newsday. Starting next fall, the LIU wrestling program -- and all other athletic programs now in existence at either or both campuses -- will compete under the name "Long Island University", and wear uniforms with a blue and gold color scheme. Students and alumni will help decide a new nickname, the school said. LIU Post wrestling will maintain its competitive schedule already announced for this fall. Under the "One LIU" initiative, no sports will be eliminated. In fact, LIU is adding women's ice hockey and women's water polo to its roster of intercollegiate sports. "This is an exciting step forward for Long Island University," said LIU Board of Trustees Chairman Eric Krasnoff. "Athletics plays such an important role in bringing people together and promoting educational values. As we elevate the LIU brand nationally through academic excellence and world-class research, our athletics program will unite our entire community and compete at the highest levels." "Today's announcement regarding our athletic program's enhancements will allow us to focus our resources on improving opportunities for our students while continuing the tradition of excellence of our university," LIU Director of Athletics Debbie DeJong said. "This is an exciting beginning to the next chapter in LIU Athletics." "Long Island University is a nationally recognized teaching and research institution," said LIU President Kimberly R. Cline. "We understand the importance of athletics in enhancing our brand nationwide by unifying our university community and our 200,000 alumni around the world. Our student-athletes competing at the highest-level plays a major role in this. We are extremely pleased that the NCAA has embraced this vision for our university's future." Among the changes as part of the "One LIU" initiative: a new LIU Multi-Purpose Facility. According to the school's athletics website, this new, state-of-the-art multi-purpose athletic facility for the LIU athletic department will include a modern fitness center, new academic spaces, store fronts and expanded parking. http://athletics.liu.edu/ At its website LIU describes itself as "a nationally recognized teaching and research university. Since 1926, LIU has provided high-quality academic programs taught by world-class faculty. LIU offers hundreds of accredited programs to approximately 16,000 students, with a network of over 200,000 alumni, including leaders in industries across the globe."

Jordan Leen (Photo/Pitt Sports Information) PITTSBURGH -- Second-year head wrestling coach Keith Gavin announced the promotion of Jordan Leen to associate head coach Wednesday afternoon. "This is an important move," Gavin said. "Jordan's new title is more representative of his responsibilities within our program. He is a valued member of our staff and I know that he is eager to continue to build this team." Leen enters his second season with the Panthers and works primarily with the middle weights. He also brings seven additional years of ACC coaching experience to Pittsburgh, after having spent six seasons at Virginia and a year at Duke. "I'm grateful to Heather Lyke, Jen Tuscano and Keith Gavin for this promotion to associate head coach," Leen said. "I'm proud of the strong foundation that is being established in the Pitt wrestling program. I believe in the current student-athletes we have in our room, as well as those who are committed to joining us in the future. I look forward to experiencing great years ahead." Leen plays a crucial role in the Panthers' recruiting efforts. Pitt's 2018-19 roster features top local talent in Luke Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa. / Hempfield), Cole Matthews (Greenville, Pa. / Reynolds) and Louis Newell (Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley). The Panthers welcome 12 total newcomers to the roster for the upcoming season. Leen assisted with four wrestlers qualify for the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships in graduates Dom Forys (133), Nick Zanetta (141) and Ryan Solomon (285), as well as redshirt junior Taleb Rahmani (157). Prior to Pitt, Leen served as the associate head coach during his final season on the Cavaliers' staff and was an assistant for five. During his tenure at Virginia, Leen helped produce 40 NCAA qualifiers, nine ACC champions and six All-Americans. Virginia also claimed the 2015 ACC team championship when it was held in the Petersen Events Center. Leen was heavily involved in the recruitment and development of 2017 NCAA runner-up George DiCamillo at 141 pounds and 2017 true freshman All-American Jack Mueller at 125 pounds. Leen got his coaching start at Duke, spending the 2010-11 season with the Blue Devils. A 2009 graduate of Cornell, Leen was the 2008 157-pound NCAA champion, a three-time All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier. He posted a career record of 118-29 while garnering First Team All-Ivy League honors on three occasions. The Panthers' get the 2018-19 season underway Wednesday, Oct. 10 with the first practice of the season. Pitt's first dual meet of the year is slated for Saturday, Nov. 10 when CSU Bakersfield makes the trip to Pittsburgh.

John Smith, Cael Sanderson and Tom Brands (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) On Episode 7 of The MatBoss Podcast, Chad Dennis and Jason Laflin rank Division I wrestling coaches by their wrestling accomplishments. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play Music | RSS

Tony Robie coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) BLACKSBURG -- Coming off of leading the Virginia Tech wrestling program to its second consecutive ACC title and its sixth straight top-10 finish at the NCAA championships, head coach Tony Robie has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Blacksburg through 2022-23. The deal includes a one-year rollover option for 2023-24. Robie took the reins of the program on an interim basis in time for the 2017 postseason before earning the head coaching job just one week after the conclusion of the season. Since then, he has continued the ascension of the program that he helped restore back in 2006 when he first came to Blacksburg. "This commitment to Coach Robie is extremely important for the continued success of our wrestling program here at Virginia Tech," Director of Athletics Whit Babcock said. "Year after year, Coach Robie has produced successful student-athletes on and off the mat while instilling a culture within his program that is in line with our core values as a department. We are very fortunate that he will continue to call Blacksburg home." "I want to thank Whit Babcock, Chris Helms [senior associate AC], and our entire athletic administration here at Virginia Tech for having the confidence in me to lead this program into the foreseeable future," Robie said. "I truly believe that we have the pieces in place to build on our recent success and create a new standard for the program. With the people and passion currently surrounding the program, I am certain that great things will continue to be accomplished." This past season, Robie coached seven finalists and four individual champions to the 2018 ACC championship, the fourth in Tech's history. His 14 dual meet victories in his initial campaign ranks second in the ACC record book for the most wins by a first-year head coach behind Wade Schalles' 15 wins with Clemson in 1978. His .824 winning percentage ranks first among rookie head coaches in Tech history and ranks third all time in ACC history for a first-year head coach. Robie's first full season as head coach saw the Hokies place eighth at NCAAs, which featured Jared Haught's run to the finals at 197 pounds to become only the second national finalist in program history. Robie was also named a finalist for the NWCA's National Coach of the Year award. Over the last six years, with Robie serving as associate head coach and head coach, Virginia Tech is one of only five teams- Oklahoma State, Penn State, Iowa and Cornell being the others - that have produced three or more All-Americans at the NCAA tournament. The 2017 ACC Co-Coach of the Year, Robie helped recruit and coach the athletes that claimed the Hokies' first team trophy with a fourth-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Robie's emphasis on coaching his athletes both folkstyle and freestyle wrestling over the last two years has already paid dividends on the international stage. Volunteer assistant coach Ty Walz won a bronze medal at the 2017 U23 World Championships and clinched a spot on the United State senior men's freestyle National Team this past summer. He's the first Virginia Tech wrestler to earn a spot on the prestigious squad. Last month, redshirt freshman Mekhi Lewis became the Hokies' first gold medalist after winning the 74 kg title at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia. The Hokies will open the 2018-19 season at the Hokie Open, held Nov. 4 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke. Tech will also be the host of the 2019 ACC Championships at Cassell Coliseum on March 9.

Larry Quisel, two-time NCAA Division I All-American for the now-defunct Boise State University wrestling program, passed away this weekend while on a hunting trip this weekend, MontanaSports.com reported Tuesday evening. He was 41. Save Boise State Wrestling, the organization established in March 2017 when the school announced it had eliminated its intercollegiate wrestling program effective immediately, posted this message on Facebook Tuesday: "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Boise State Wrestling alum Larry Quisel who died while elk hunting this weekend... "He was active in the efforts to #SaveBSUWrestling. "R.I.P. Larry." Larry QuiselLarry Quisel earned All-American honors at back-to-back NCAA championships. At the 1999 NCAAs at Penn State, Quisel placed third in the 157-pound bracket, and earned the Gorriaran Award for the most pins in the least amount of time. The following year at the NCAAs in St. Louis, Quisel made it to the finals at 157, falling to Brett Matter of the University of Pennsylvania, 4-2, in the title match. Those same years, Quisel won consecutive Pac-10 conference crowns for the Broncos. Before enrolling at Boise State, Quisel was a four-time placer -- and two-time state champ -- for Park High School in Livingston, Mont. Quisel won back-to-back state titles at 135 pounds in 1995 and 1996. Quisel's high school coach, Greg Cervantes, shared his memories of the wrestler and the man. "He was just a solid human being," Cervantes told MontanaSports.com. "He married his high school sweetheart (Heather West Quisel) from Park High and they had three kids. Like I said, it's just a crushing blow. He was a hometown hero for Park High in Livingston. It's just really hard to comprehend (his death)." "Larry was a quiet leader," Cervantes continued. "He would lead by example on the mats. He wouldn't say a lot, but whatever he said the kids followed. I think it was the same when he was at Boise State. The kid lifted religiously every morning in high school, or maybe after school, it was like clockwork. I knew he had the mental toughness, the intelligence and especially the work ethic to compete at the Division I level. I just thought, 'This kid has it all.'" "His integrity, sportsmanship, he was just a solid guy, really unassuming and very humble. He did all of his actions, I'm saying that as a human being, too, but on the wrestling mat he was just a ferocious competitor, just a great competitor. But off the mat he was soft-spoken, humble," Cervantes said. "He would never talk about himself, just really soft-spoken and a quiet leader. He was that way in life, too. I know he was a great father, husband, friend and son. He was truly an all-American guy off the mat. I guess that's what it boils down to. He was your typical, epitome of an all-American off the mat. He was a great student, an engineering major at Boise State. It's a big loss. He was one of the best." Quisel's college teammate and training partner at Boise State, Kirk White, wrote the following on Facebook: "Larry Quisel, the best teammate, friend, and workout partner that I could ever want. I had the time of my life climbing to the top with you. You always brought out the best in me. Nobody imagined the success we would achieve together. You always challenge and inspire me to be a better person and competitor." UPDATE 10/3/18 Larry Quisel's widow Heather posted the following message on her husband's Facebook page: "We will be holding his services on Monday, October 8 at 2:00 pm...reception to follow. Please share far and wide. Larry would hope his buddies would send him off with a good roast🤣 at the reception. Cloverdale Funeral Home 1200 N Cloverdale Rd Boise, Idaho

Magomedkhan Magomedov was dominant at the Junior World Championships (Photo/Max Rose-Fyne, UWW) The 2018 UWW Junior World Championships wrapped up on Sept. 23. Russia won the freestyle team title, while Iran took the Greco-Roman title and Japan won the women's title. As always, there were many standout individual performances outside of the team race. The following is a look at some of those performances from a by-the-numbers perspective. The overall leader in terms of net match points, which is points scored minus points scored by opponents, was Magomedkhan Magomedov. He came into Junior Worlds off a victory at the Ali Aliev Tournament, and then he blazed through the field in Slovakia. The Russian shut out all five of his opponents and won all of his match via fall or technical superiority. On the women's side, Moldovan Anastasia Nichita led the way with 42 net match points. She cruised her way into the finals with four straight wins by technical superiority. However, in the finals, she needed to hold on for a one-point win over returning world champion Sae Nanjo (Japan) to claim the 59-kilogram championship. Kerem Kamal (Turkey) won Junior Worlds last year at a lower weight, and he was a two-time Cadet world silver medalist. However, in his last competition prior to this tournament, he lost his first match and failed to place. He got back on track in a big way in Slovakia. He allowed his opponents to score only four points against him, and he finished off the tournament with a 10-0 technical superiority victory over Vijay Vijay (India) in the finals. Harushi Shimaya did not have a very long run in the tournament, but at least he can say he holds the odd distinction of leading all wrestlers across the three styles in terms of points per minute. He wrestled only one match in Slovakia. He was leading Chlovelle Van Meier (Germany) 8-6 before getting pinned. Van Meier went on to fall in the quarterfinals and end the day for Shimaya. Per the UWW database, Yui Susaki (Japan) has won every international tournament she has entered since 2014. The run includes three Cadet world championships and now two Junior world championships. In this tournament, she won all four of her matches via 10-0 technical superiority, and she did so in very little time. Her 5.78 points per minutes was tops across all three styles outside of Shimaya's serendipitous day. Magomedov not only led the freestyle field in terms of net match points, but he also had the best points per minute rate. He scored 53 points in his five matches, which were all terminated early. (Note: Multiple match videos are missing from the UWW archive, so the match time data is partially incomplete.) For the third-straight metric, Magomedov led the way. As previously stated, all five of his matches ended early. This included four wins via technical superiority, and in the round of 16, he pinned Sajad Gholamhossein Azizi (Iran). Amin Yavar Kaviyaninejad (Iran) and Erbol Bakirov (Kyrgyzstan) both finished with four stoppage victories in the Greco-Roman tournament. In the 72-kilogram bracket, Kaviyaninejad had one close match that he won on criteria, but he also had three win by technical superiority and a fall over Nikoloz Tchikaidze (Georgia) in the finals. Bakirov made the finals of the 63-kilogram tournament with a pair of technical superiority wins and a decision. He then pinned Azamat Martinovitch Kairov (Russia) in the semifinals and Hassan Hassan Ahmed Mohamd (Egypt) in the finals. The top spot for combined wins by fall and technical superiority was a five-way tie on in the women's tournament. The only one to finish with four early termination victories and not win the tournament was Tatyana Rizhko (Ukraine). Three of the five represented Japan in the tournament. The most combined match points were scored in freestyle, while the Greco-Roman tournament featured the most shutout technical superiority wins and women's wrestling had the most matches end via fall.

MILWAUKEE -- MSOE director of athletics Brian Miller has announced the hiring of Mike Schmidt as head wrestling coach. Mike SchmidtSchmidt takes over for Matt Zwaschka, who stepped down earlier this month to become the head coach at UW-Whitewater. Schmidt had been an assistant with the Raiders since 2013. "We are excited about Mike becoming our new head wrestling coach," Miller said. "He has a familiarity with the program and our school, which is great, but he also has a clear vision for MSOE Wrestling going forward. We are excited about what he will bring in his new role." Schmidt has played a key role in MSOE's success in recent years, as four wrestlers have qualified for the NCAA Championships with one All-American award. Last season, Austin Bellile made his second-straight national meet appearance and placed seventh at 285 pounds. It was the highest-ever finish for a Red & White wrestler and was the program's third All-American "I am extremely excited for this opportunity," Schmidt said. "I would like to thank Brian Miller and the university for entrusting me with the next era of MSOE Wrestling." Schmidt is a former collegiate wrestler, beginning his career at Minnesota. There, he was a member of a team that won a Big Ten championship was finished second at the NCAA Division I National Championships. He was a University Freestyle and Greco All-American, as well as a FILA Junior Freestyle and Greco All-American. He completed his collegiate career at UW-Whitewater, serving as team captain and qualifying for the NCAA championships. He graduated from UWW in 2008 with degrees in accounting and finance. Away from his coaching duties, Schmidt is a mutual fund compliance officer with US Bancorp Fund Services. The Raiders start their season Nov. 10 at the Dan Gable Open and Luther Open.

Kevin Pine won a gold medal for USA (Photo/Robbert Wijtman) KOPJE, Macedonia -- The Veteran Freestyle World Championships came to a close this weekend with the USA Team claiming five medals in Skopje, Macedonia. The USA Team left Macedonia with five World medals, including one gold, one silver and three bronze medal. Kevin Pine, a seven-time veteran world medalist, claimed the first world gold of his career. Rudy James of St. Paul, Minn claimed a sliver medal, while Stephen Horton of Cibolo, Texas, Jordin Humphrey of Monrovia, Calif.& Daniel Lovell from North Dakota claimed bronze medals. Team USA won five medalsThe USA team was coached by former veterans world champion Chris Brown from Maryland Wrestling Club and Jon McGovern (University of Dubuque head wrestling coach). "There were several former Olympians and Olympic medalists in the competition and having USA team leader and coach Chris Brown a returning seasoned World champion leading the USA team helps the USA team stay unified, focused, and ready for the unexpected. Kevin Pine showed a lot of hear to win his first gold medal," said Coach McGovern. "Rudy James was a great team leader working hard for a sliver in a tough fought match in the finals to an Iranian who now may make the Olympic team for Great Britain. This was my first year with this US team and it was a good overall effort. We look forward to continuing to build the USA team to compete for world domination at this event in the future." There were over 38 nations represented with Russia winning the team title and Mongolia finishing second. USA team finished ninth. Complete results can be found here.

Former Oklahoma State wrestler Kyle Crutchmer won his third pro mixed martial arts fight of his young career at XFN 352 at River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Okla. Saturday night. OSU coach John Smith with Kyle Crutchmer (Photo/Jason Rader, Red Rader Photography)The Cowboy mat alum scored a TKO at 3:59 of the first round of his welterweight (170-pound) bout over Brandon Wright. The Crutchmer-Wright bout was one of four fights which was shown on UFC Fight Pass live streaming service. Here's how the Oklahoma State sports website PistolsFiring.com described Crutchmer's most recent win: "The two-time All-American was a heavy favorite and never let Wright make the fight interesting. Early on in the first round, Crutchmer took a few heavy swings at Wright, Wright then countered with an attempt at a takedown. Naturally, Crutchmer had no issue defending, took Wright down, and went to work grounding and pounding." With the win, Crutchmer sports a perfect 3-0 record in his MMA career launched in early June, with two submissions and one TKO. With the loss, Brandon Wright falls to 2-4 in his pro career. In Crutchmer's corner were his brother Brian, and Oklahoma State NCAA champ Alex Dieringer. Among those in the audience: legendary Cowboy wrestling coach John Smith.

Coach Vaughan Hitchcock (front row, middle) with 11 Cal Poly wrestlers SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Vaughan Hitchcock, who coached the Cal Poly wrestling program to eight NCAA Division II national championships in the late 1960s and early 1970s during a 23-year coaching career with the Mustangs, died Sunday in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Hitchcock was 84. Hitchcock compiled a 355-112-4 record from 1962 through 1985 at Cal Poly, including a streak of over 150 consecutive victories against California opponents. "Hitch was obviously an outstanding coach and was like a father to most of us during our wrestling days," said Lennis Cowell, who succeeded Hitchcock as head coach at Cal Poly. "He definitely had a tremendous influence on our lives. He will long be remembered." "Great memories with Coach and Cal Poly," added Larry Morgan, an NCAA Division II national champion in 1973 and three-time Division I qualifier, finishing fifth in 1972 for All-American honors. "He was a very positive influence on many young athletes." "I am sad, he was a giant of a man," said Ken Bos, who placed first and third in the NCAA Division II National Championships and was a two-time Division I qualifier, placing fourth in 1969. "He represented California and West Coast wrestling at a time when we were emerging as a national power. "I was pretty tight with the guy. I wrestled for him three years and worked at his camp for almost 20 years," Bos added. "He had an impact on a lot of guys. About 66 of his former wrestlers have coached in California, Nevada and Arizona. Quite profound." "Very sad. He was like a father to me when I really needed it," added John Woods, first- and second-place finisher in the Division II nationals and a two-time Division I qualifier and second-place finisher in 1969. After Cal Poly won eight NCAA Division II titles, including seven straight from 1968 through 1974, Hitchcock guided Cal Poly in its elevation of the wrestling program to Division I in time for the 1974-75 season. Seven of his teams finished among the top ten teams nationally in the NCAA I Nationals. Hitchcock's wrestlers won 18 NCAA Division II national championships and earned All-American honors 67 times. At the Division I level, two Mustangs claimed national titles and 22 earned All-American honors. Twice Hitchcock was named NCAA Division II Wrestling Coach of the Year. Born Jan. 1, 1934, Hitchcock (middle of front row, surrounded by 11 of his former wrestlers in photo at left taken at his induction into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000) was an outstanding football player and three-time Northern California wrestling champion at Hayward High School, where he posted a 101-2-0 career mark. He went on to excel in both sports at Washington State in the mid-1950s. In wrestling, he was 97-4 overall with two Pacific Coast Intercollegiate titles while, in football, the fullback, guard and linebacker was selected to play in the 1956 East-West Shrine Classic. He was named Washington State's Athlete of the Year in 1956 and the football team's Player of the Year in 1955, also earning All-Pacific Coast honors. Hitchcock coached high school wrestling at Castro Valley and Hayward high schools, posting a combined record of 72-1, winning five league championships, four CIF Section Championships, two Northern California Invitational team titles and the 1959 state championship while at Castro Valley. He also coached football to a 16-7-1 record while at Hayward. Hitchcock served the NCAA Division II and the sport of wrestling in many leadership capacities and coached Team USA in numerous international competitions. He was team leader of the 1976 USA Olympic Greco-Roman team and team leader and coach of the 1979 USA Freestyle Team. Hitchcock was inducted into the Helms Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1994, the NCAA Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1998 and the California Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2000. He received the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's "Lifetime to Service Award" in 2002. He launched the Vaughan Hitchcock Wrestling Camp in 1967 and managed the annual camp until 2001. Hitchcock is survived by his wife Patricia and four children, sons Terry and Steve and daughters Pamela and Tracy. Steve Hitchcock was a two-time NCAA Division I national qualifier in 1975 and 1976 while wrestling at Cal Poly. Services are pending.

National champion Cross Cannone will look to keep Wartburg on top this season (Photo/Wartburg College Sports Information) The Wartburg College Knights are the kings of college wrestling at the NCAA Division III level. Wartburg captured its 14th national championship in program history, and seventh in the past eight years, during the 2018 NCAA DIII tournament in Cleveland. The Knights rolled to the team title, scoring 136.5 points with Augsburg (82) and Ithaca (79) rounding out the top three. Will Wartburg's reign continue this season? Wartburg lost five senior All-Americans, including one national champion and two other finalists, from last season's winning team. The Knights do return plenty of firepower, led by returning national champions in senior Cross Cannone (149 pounds) and sophomore Brock Rathbun (133). Cannone, a two-time All-American, was named the Iowa Conference's most valuable wrestler in 2018. He has a career record of 87-10. Rathbun went 25-5 as a freshman and was named Iowa Conference freshman of the year. The Knights also bring back All-American Mike Ross at 165 pounds. He was eighth in the country last year. He was 24-3 with 10 falls last season. Traditional powerhouse Augsburg, winners of 12 national team titles, is expected to put another excellent team on the mat this winter. The Auggies are loaded with proven performers and look primed to make a strong run at returning to its familiar perch atop Division III. The last time a team other than Augsburg or Wartburg won the team title in Division III was when Ithaca College captured the 1994 championship. Augsburg's Lucas Jeske was named Outstanding Wrestler at the national tournament (Photo/Wartburg College Sports Information) Augsburg returns a pair of national champions in juniors Lucas Jeske and Ryan Epps. Jeske was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2018 national tournament. He powered to a 15-0 technical fall over Ithaca's Nick Velez in the 165-pound finals. Third in the nation in 2017, Jeske was 39-1 last season and he is 65-9 in his career. Epps captured his national title in dramatic fashion, scoring a takedown in overtime to edge Wartburg's Logan Thomsen 3-1 in the 157-pound finals. Epps finished the season with a 26-match winning streak. He was 41-1 as a sophomore. He is 76-8 in his career. "We are looking to improve on our finish from last season's national tournament," Augsburg coach Jim Moulsoff said. "We have a strong returning group from the last two seasons. We will return seven All-Americans from 2017 and 2018 with three of them being finalists and two national champions. We have a lot of competition in the room that will help. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we have a very motivated group that is looking to improve in the classroom and on the mat. It should be an exciting year." Jay Albis became Johnson & Wales' first national champion in any sport (Photo/Johnson & Wales Sports Information) Jay Albis made history for the Johnson & Wales wrestling program last season. He became the school's first national champion in any sport. Albis pulled out a wild 11-10 win over Wheaton's Carolos Fuentez in the 2018 national finals at 125 pounds. Albis scored a takedown in the final seconds to prevail. Now a senior, Albis has a chance to do it again. He won the award for having the most technical falls of any wrestler in the country last season. Ithaca's Ben Brisman also is back after winning the 141-pound national title as a sophomore. He beat top-seeded Brett Kaliner of Stevens Institute of Technology 10-7 in the championship match. He won his school's first national title since 2013. Mount Union's Jairod James is another wrestler who will look to repeat as a national champion this season. James downed Jon Goetz of Wisconsin-Platteville 4-1 in the 174-pound national finals last season. James went 22-1 as a junior last season. Waynesburg's Jake Evans also returns to defend his national title at heavyweight. Evans provided one of the more compelling stories in collegiate wrestling last season by winning an NCAA Division III crown at age 28. Evans enrolled at Waynesburg as a 26-year-old and became the school's first national champion in 2018. He was 49-3 last season. The NCAA Division III level and the entire sport of wrestling suffered a significant loss following the 2017-18 season when long-time coach Mike Duroe of Cornell College passed away after battling brain cancer. 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.

Aaron Pico (Photo/Bellator) One week after celebrating his 22nd birthday, Aaron Pico -- who made a name for himself as a high school wrestler but bypassed college competition for mixed martial arts -- made short work of veteran Leandro "Pitbull" Higo, scoring a TKO by punches at 3:19 of Round One at Bellator 206 at SAP Center in San Jose Saturday night. MMA websites used different words to describe what Pico did to the 29-year-old Higo in their featherweight (145 pounds) fight -- "obliterates" (LowKickMMA.com) ... "rolls over" (MMAFighting.com) ... "demolishes" (MMAJunkie.com) ... and "annihilates" (BloodyElbow.com). "This fight didn't last long as Pico was aggressive early and looking to knock Higo's block off," according to LowKickMMA.com. "Higo with two knees to the face to test the prospect. Pico hurts Higo but then Higo defended the onslaught against the fence very well. Hard right hand floors Higo and eventually gets the late stoppage." MMAFighting.com wrote, "Higo used low kicks to try to stymie Pico's progress at the outset, but it didn't last long. The hard-charging Pico dropped Higo with a wicked right, and while Higo managed to get back to his feet after an initial onslaught, Pico just continued to lay the heavy hands on his opponent until the bout was waved off." In the brief bout, it wasn't all Pico, all the time. "Pico didn't deliver his damage without taking some in return," MMAJunkie.com reported. "In the early moments, Higo caught him on the counter as he aggressively pursued exchanges. None of the shots, however, were enough to slow the 21-year-old down. A straight right was the beginning of the shift, as Higo covered up and took several shots to the body. From there, Pico was in control." At the end, BloodyElbow.com described Pico as "scary good." MMAFighting.com went into a bit more detail with its summation of where the freestyle wrestling phenom in high school now is in the pro MMA career launched in June 2017 with a shocking defeat. "They've been calling Aaron Pico the sport's brightest blue-chip prospect for years now. But it's time to retire that label, because it is clear the Southern California native is the real deal and well on his way to the top." "I'll tell you one thing, three or four years from now, there will be no one who touches me in this cage," Pico said after the bout. A couple days earlier, Pico had said he had not ruled out a return to freestyle wrestling, confident that he could make the U.S. Olympic team for the 2020 or 2024 Games. With the win, Pico is now 4-1 (the one loss was in his pro debut in 24 seconds via submission in the first round to Zach Freeman at Bellator 180). Higo, who has been fighting since 2006, is now 18-5.

Ryan Mango won a U.S. Open title earlier this year (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) STANFORD, Calif. -- Former Stanford All-American Ryan Mango and North Carolina standout Danny Chaid have joined the California Regional Training Center, as announced by director Nate Engel. "We are excited to welcome Ryan Mango and Danny Chaid to the California Regional Training Center," said Engel, who just completed his duties as the head coach of the U.S. Greco World Team that competed at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia. "Having Ryan's wealth of experience both in college and on the international circuit is huge. He will be a tremendous asset to our lower weights as he chases World and Olympic medals. After a stellar collegiate career, Danny is coming back home to his roots and we are excited to have him training with our upper weights. Both Ryan and Danny will make an immediate impact at the California RTC." Mango has spent the last three years training in Colorado Springs with the Army World Class Athlete Program. He will continue to reside and primarily train in Colorado Springs, but will travel to Stanford for a number of lengthy training cycles this year. A two-time NCAA All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier for Stanford, Mango won the 2018 U.S. Open and was third at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. "I am very happy to be back on The Farm training with the wrestling team. It's a blessing anytime you are able to give back to a program that has not only given you athletic opportunities, but academic and professional opportunities as well," said Mango, who graduated from Stanford with a degree in human biology. Chaid began his collegiate career at Oklahoma before transferring to Grand Canyon and then to the University of North Carolina, where he competed from 2016-18. Chaid hails from San Jose, California, where he was five-time California freestyle state champion. He was also a FILA Junior Freestyle Pan Am champion and University Nationals Greco All-American. "As we work to take the RTC to the next level under first-year director Nate Engel, this is a big first step," explained Stanford head wrestling coach Jason Borrelli. "We have homegrown talent with Danny coming back to California, and adding Ryan to the RTC is huge. He is on the verge of making World and Olympic teams, and we have been trying to find a way to get him back to The Farm for a long time. Finally being able to make it happen will bode well for the future."

Bob Siddens with his 1955 state championship Waterloo West team (Photo/National Wrestling Hall of Fame) Bob Siddens, legendary wrestling coach at Iowa's Waterloo West High School who coached future NCAA champs Dan Gable and Dale Anderson among others, passed away in his Cedar Falls, Iowa home in his sleep Thursday after a long illness. He was 93. In 27 seasons as head coach at Waterloo West -- from 1951-1977 -- Siddens coached the Wahawks to 11 state titles while compiling a dual record of 327-26-3, including an 88-match win streak that ran from 1968 to 1975. In addition Siddens coached 51 individual state champion wrestlers, and 33 state runner-ups. Arguably Siddens' most famous pupil was Dan Gable, who Siddens referred to as Daniel. From 1964 to 1966, Gable posted a 64-0 mark for Siddens while winning three state titles before going on to win NCAA championships at Iowa State, a gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and become a coaching legend himself at the University of Iowa. Bob Siddens coached Dan Gable (Photo/National Wrestling Hall of Fame) "Sadly, my high school coach and one of the greatest influences in my life, Bob Siddens, has passed away," said Gable. "I sincerely believe that of all people I've been associated with, Bob Siddens, has been the biggest factor in building my desire and attitude in wrestling. Just one big 'thank you' to him for helping me set my lifestyle as well." Another of Sidden's great wrestlers, Dale Anderson, a two-time state champion and two-time Michigan State NCAA champ, told the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier of his immediate reaction upon learning of the death of his high school mentor. "When I found out I couldn't even talk," Anderson told his hometown newspaper. "I had to hand my phone off to Sandy (Anderson's wife.). "It's such a loss to so many people. I was the luckiest man in the world to have him as a coach, mentor and for many years now, one of my best friends. "He will be looking down on me tonight smiling and be happy for me, so I will try to be happy," said Anderson, who was about to be inducted into the Michigan State Athletics Hall of Fame. Another one of Bob Siddens' top wrestlers, Don Huff, a two-time Iowa titlewinner who later served as an assistant, then successor, to the coaching legend, said, "He was so successful because he could adapt to the wrestler. In the wrestling room, he was all business. And he got you to buy-in. He'd build you up if you were doing something he liked, he'd have you demonstrate it and by the end he had a room full of confident kids." Before Waterloo West, a life as wrestler Robert Saunders Siddens was born on April 29, 1925 in Council Bluffs, Iowa along with a twin brother Charles. The biography "Siddens!" by the aforementioned Don Huff and famous wrestling historian Mike Chapman opens with the story of when five-year-old Bobby and Chuck got a formal introduction to wrestling -- pro wrestling, that is -- at the Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb. The twins wrestled each other in the opening match at a 1930 event at the arena "for the Junior Championship of the World." The Siddens family moved to Eagle Grove, Iowa when Bob was young. At Eagle Grove High School, Bob Siddens was a multi-sport athlete, participating in football, baseball, track and wrestling. Bob was a four-time state qualifier, placing second in the Iowa state finals twice. In the fall of 1947 -- after having served his country in World War II -- Siddens enrolled at what was then called Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in Cedar Falls. He wrestled for legendary coach Dave McCuskey at 175 pounds. Among his teammates were Gerry Leeman (future Lehigh University coach) and Bill Koll (future Penn State coach, and father of Cornell University coach Rob Koll), both NCAA champion wrestlers who went on to wrestle at the 1948 London Olympics. In fact, Siddens was a college roommate of Koll. Siddens was modest about his on-the-mat career. When inducted into the Des Moines Register Hall of Fame, Siddens said, "I was better than average. When we wrestled strong teams, I often ended up wrestling the other team's weakest man so I could win." Siddens the official Bob Siddens made a name for himself as a high school wrestling coach. However, he also served as a referee for a number of years in NCAA Division I matches, officiating at 27 NCAA national champion events. In fact, Siddens was inducted into the National Referees Hall of Fame, "That is the story that gets lost sometimes," said Kyle Klingman of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, and columnist for WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine). "As big of an influence as he was on so many wrestlers, he was an influential wrestling official that got a lot of officials into the business." Bob Siddens -- along with Dan Gable -- have been welcomed into a number of halls of fame (Photo/National Wrestling Hall of Fame) Awards and honors Over the course of his long life and successful career, Bob Siddens was showered with numerous awards and honors. One of the most notable: his name graces the gymnasium at Waterloo West High. In addition, Siddens was welcomed into a number of halls of fame, including: The National Wrestling Hall of Fame, the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame, Iowa Officials Hall of Fame, United States Wrestling Federation Hall of Fame, National Referees Hall of Fame, the National High School Sports Hall of Fame and the International Wrestling Hall of Fame. Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, said this of Siddens, who was welcomed into the Hall as a Distinguished Member in 1980 (the same year as Dan Gable): "Bob Siddens is one of the greatest high school coaches of all time,. He created a culture of excellence among his student wrestlers at Waterloo West High School that created not only an Iowa high school wrestling dynasty, but also produced multiple alumni who went on to win NCAA individual titles and Olympic medals. "It is rare for someone who enjoyed so much success as a coach to crossover and become a successful referee at the highest level of our sport," Smith added. "His demeanor and values, both on and off the mat, set the standards for sportsmanship and integrity." Kyle Klingman, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum, said this of Bob Siddens: "He had so much to give and tell. He loved to visit and have conversations with people. We'd introduce him to visitors and they'd have two-hour conversations where they'd get the inside scoop on the psychology of the greatest high school wrestling coach in history. It was a great outlet for his legacy." Bob Siddens is survived by his wife Joyce, six children -- JoEllen, Scott, Todd, Beth, Erica, and Kara -- as well as thirteen grandchildren and one great-grandchild. UPDATE 9/29/18 Visitation will be held Monday, Oct. 1, from 2:00-8:00 p.m. at Locke Funeral Home, 1519 Fourth St., Waterloo, Iowa with funeral services Tuesday, Oct. 2, at 1:00 p.m. at Orchard Hill Church, 3900 Orchard Hill Dr., Cedar Falls. Burial will take place at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery with military rites by Iowa Army National Guard Honor Guard, Waterloo AMVETS Post 19 and Evansdale AMVETS Post 31. Memorials may be directed to Waterloo West High School Athletics Department, Waterloo West High School, 425 E. Ridgeway Ave., Waterloo, IA 50702. Condolences may be left at www.LockeFuneralHome.com.

This week HBO announced that it will no longer air boxing. They are divesting from the sport after research showed that it was no longer a reason for individuals to purchase the service (or for that matter, steal a password from family members). Media is a booming business. While habits are changing, there has never been a time in history where information was being consumed at this rate, or by this many people. What HBO is realizing is that their horizontal business approach to media is no longer solvent. The future is in niche and for HBO that is storytelling, not sports. HBO's niche will be wider than most. They produce and pay for movies, documentaries and world-class television. But in recent months -- as takeover attempts have been approved, and now denied -- that niche is expanding so that the channel can carpet as much creative content as possible. Live sports, however, is outside that reach. The future will continue to be shaped by niche providers. Boxing is now being shown on DAZN (Da Zone), where a subscription costs $9.99/month -- pennies to those who enjoy the sport. Wrestling is familiar with the subscription model for streaming. FloSports and SportsEngine/Trackwrestling are providing streams to every match in the United States and the world. We see it all, but we also must pay for it all, putting us all into a decision about how we spend our entertainment money. But for now, you can watch the UFC on FightPass, boxing on DAZN, jiu-jitsu on FloGrappling, and wrestling on Flo and Track. You just might not be able to also afford Hulu, Showtime, basic cable, and of course, HBO. To your questions … Q: Which freshman in Division I will make the most impact on the mat this season? Can any make a run at four NCAA titles? -- Gregg Y. Foley: If we are including the redshirt freshmen, then Daton Fix is my No. 1 in terms of impact on the mat this season. Wrestling at 125 pounds or 133 pounds he is almost assured an All-American plaque and should be in the conversation for a national championship. Winning four championships is never a guarantee, especially given the talent level of freshmen each year, but if he's able to compete at 125 pounds each year I think has a decent chance to put himself into four finals. Gable Steveson is another top freshman, but I'm concerned he will run into some early hiccups against larger competition. His performance at Junior Worlds exposed some vulnerabilities, but there are always a number of factors for these types of performances. Is it indicative of his upcoming NCAA season? Unlikely. I think that he has a style that works well in a seven-minute grind and has proven himself apt from bottom during his collegiate wins in his high school career. Overall, I think that the next four-time champions will come at the edges of the weight classes because there is a lot more new blood (freshmen) at heavyweight and 125 than you would see at 174 pounds. The 125-pound guys typically can't hold their weight for four years, while the upper weights get injured and younger talent always seem to be supplanting established guys at programs. Ethan Lizak rides Nathan Tomasello at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Q: I love watching Ethan Lizak of Minnesota compete because he's so damn good on top. Nobody wants to go underneath him. He's moving up a weight to 133 pounds. Do you expect him to find the same/similar success at 133 pounds that he had at 125 pounds? Or will he lose some of the length/leverage advantage? -- Mike C. Foley: Case in point on vacating 125 pounds, which makes it an easier climb to established four-year guys to win four-in-a-row. I think that at Lizak's height and wrestling in the lighter weights his leverage will always be a factor, but I do think that he will have a difficult time managing the strength of those slightly bigger opponents who will have an increased chance of fighting out of Lizak's more dominant positions. Q: What can you tell me about the ability for RTC-level wrestlers to compete for nations other than the United States? -- Jason W. Foley: I recently helped another coach out with this process. Overall, it's straightforward, but it will require the buy-in of several stakeholders. First, if the athlete is a dual passport holder he/she is eligible to compete for the other nation. However, if that athlete has already competed for the United States at an international competition they will need to seek guidance from USA Wrestling on transfer (in most cases it is free and painless). As this is being determined, the wrestler needs to also contact the national federation they are interested in representing. While more of the smaller nations may be grateful for some USA talent on their roster, there is often times a process that must be followed. To be eligible for most national teams the athlete will need to compete at the national championships and be registered with a club recognized by the national federation. The national federation itself must also be recognized by United World Wrestling and be in good standing. For example, Trinidad and Tobago doesn't have a national federation infrastructure so anyone looking to compete for them would need that in place first, and for that to be recognized by the Pan Am Council and then United World Wrestling. Assuming that the national federation is eligible, the athlete is eligible, and the athlete wins his or her spot they will then need to register with United World Wrestling and receive their license. Once that is complete they can go to any tournament they want. However, they are limited in Olympic qualification. A nation can only bring to the Olympic Games qualification tournaments as many athletes as appeared at the continental-level event. Good luck to any athletes out there with world and Olympic dreams, and please let me know how I can help get you in touch with the right people. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Hakuho might be the greatest wrestler to ever live. Here he is winning his 41st basho. The previous record was 34. The size, strength, and stamina to be a successful sumo is almost unmatched. Competitions every day for 16 days four times a year. Also, he has won a total of more than 1,000 matches. Unreal achievement. Q: I know some Americans like Carson Manville and Emily Shilson are competing at the Youth Olympic Games. What's that event all about? What's the competition like? -- Mike C. Foley: The Youth Olympic Games were established in 2010 as a way for a world of Cadet-level athletes to access the Olympic experience through their competition. The main aim of the IOC was to spread positive message through sport to more regions, and to entrench their Olympic Values in the next generation of athletes. The Olympic values being good sportsmanship, fair play and the rest. Overall, I think the experiment has worked. The 2014 Games in Nanjing were top-of-the-line and while the wins and losses mattered to the athletes a lot of time and energy was spent on creating positive dialogue with the athletes about doping, role models and sport-to-life balance. The Youth Olympic Games also allow for pre-professional Olympic inspiration to take hold in a number of nations and corners of the world where that dream felt too distant. The Youth Olympic Games do this by allocating qualification spots based on region, rather than just performance. In this way the Olympic brand is spread to more nations which generates buy-in and allows the number of invested national federations to grow. One of the keys to the growth of individual sports is financial support from the government, and that happens when there are positive, media-ready moments like those presented at the Youth Olympic Games. Overall the competition is pretty good! There are some mismatches here and there and the brackets are a little smaller than we are used to seeing in wrestling, but the finals usually feature top-level competitors. In fact, Yuki Takahashi was the 2010 champion in freestyle and just won his first world championship in Paris. So, there is a lot of top talent in action, just not end-to-end like you will see at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Q: Northern Colorado coach Troy Nickerson has landed two of the nation's top 25 recruits in the Class of 2019. Can Northern Colorado eventually become a top-10 program? Or are there too many challenges? What kind of impact would that have on college wrestling? -- Mike C. Foley: I've gone over the most pressing challenges facing new and small programs: institutional funding, exposure to recruits, and alumni support. While I can't speak to the number of scholarships Coach Nickerson is able to utilize or how much he's raising from alumni or friends of the program, the fact he's landing top 25 recruits shows that he has the exposure to make strides. I've never visited the campus, but the idea of going to Northern Colorado sounds incredible. All about that clean mountain air! Q: Who were the biggest draws at the 2017 World Championships? -- @zachjanderson Vinesh Phogat Bajrang Snyder/Sadulaev Burroughs Sakshi Malik

ASU wrestlers participating in Mill Matness in October of 2017 (Photo/ASU Sports Information) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Continuing a long tradition nationwide of celebrating the start of basketball season with a special fan event, Sun Devil men's and women's basketball return to the corner of 7th and Mill Avenue Friday, Oct. 12 at 8:30 pm for Mill Madness. New last year and with an addition this year, Mill Matness -- featuring the two-time reigning Pac-12 Champion Sun Devil wrestling team and, this year, the Sun Devil gymnastics team -- takes place in the same location the night before, Thursday, Oct. 11 at 7:30 pm. Both events are proudly presented by Arizona Ford Dealers. The Arizona Ford Dealers are longtime supporters of ASU athletics and are delighted to celebrate the competitive excellence of ASU student-athletes on the field and in the classroom through the Mill Madness/Matness event. 2017-18 was one of the best years in recent history for Sun Devil men's hoops, the last undefeated team in the nation (12-0), advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 and recording the highest average attendance (10,603) in school history. Women's basketball tied the school records for consecutive NCAA appearances and 20-win seasons (five) a season ago. Last season, ASU wrestling had their first NCAA champion since 2011 (11th all-time) in Zahid Valencia, their first top-10 finish at NCAA's since the same year, and won the Pac-12 Championship for the second consecutive year behind six individual champions. Gymnastics, on the other hand, boasted one of the most substantial turnarounds in collegiate gymnastics history, improving 18 spots in their national finish, making their first team NCAA Regional appearance since 2014, and sending individual all-around qualifier Cairo Leonard-Baker to nationals. Head coaches of both programs that are part of Thursday night's event - Zeke Jones (wrestling) and Jay Santos (gymnastics) - earned Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors in 2018, a second consecutive for Jones. Men's and women's basketball both open their season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 6, the men hosting Cal State Fullerton and the women Incarnate Word. Wrestling and gymnastics schedules will be announced soon. Each night will feature skill challenges, drills, and opportunities to meet the teams while Friday night's event will feature three-point shooting contests and a slam-dunk contest. Both events are free to the public. Nearby parking includes the ASU Stadium (across from Sun Devil Stadium next to Mona Plummer Aquatic Center) and Fulton (300 E University Dr.) garages as well as Tempe's Centerpoint Garage (660 S Mill Ave.).

Gary Taylor (Photo/Rider Sports Information) Former Rider University Wrestling Head Coach Gary Taylor was honored with the Lifetime Service Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on Sept. 16. Taylor, who earned the third most wins all-time in NCAA Division I wrestling history, received the award during a ceremony at The Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village in Plainsboro, N.J. "It is a great honor for Gary and Rider to receive this prestigious award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame," says Rider Athletic Director Don Harnum. "Gary's career epitomizes what a school hopes for when its hires a coach -- someone who can build a sustainable program that wins, develops, educates and graduates student-athletes, and one that brings positive recognition to the institution." Taylor's illustrious career included 442 wins. He led the Broncs to 14 conference championships and was named conference Coach of the Year nine times. His teams were ranked nationally, year in and year out, and reached a high of No. 7 in the country. Under Taylor's tutelage, 173 Broncs were national qualifiers, while 17 earned All-America honors. Upon Taylor's retirement that followed the 2016-17 season, John Hangey '93, '97 become Rider's head wrestling coach -- only the third in program history. Former Rider Wrestling All-Americans Chad Walsh and Ryan Wolfe are returning this year to serve as assistant coaches. The 2018-19 team is ranked No. 22 in the country by Intermat.

CLARKSVILLE, Ark. -- Vinny Barber was named the volunteer assistant wrestling coach at the University of the Ozarks, it was announced by the athletics department this week. Vinny BarberBarber, a native of Highland, New York, wrestled two seasons at SUNY Oneonta where he led the program in pins as a sophomore. For his career, he posted over 50 wins and over 35 college falls. Barber also spent a season at Centenary College in New Jersey. In addition to his collegiate wrestling career, he has coached 11 State Champions, 36 All-State wrestlers and three Fargo All-Americans. He has coached with Team Texas and is the owner of Barber Wrestling. "Vinny has already been a great asset with his energy," said head coach LeRoy Gardner. "He gives one-hundred percent effort in everything he does. He will not be out worked, and that is definitely a positive example for our team. His experiences competing at the NCAA Division III level mean he understands our model. He knows how important wrestling is as a tool for success in academics, personally and professionally for these guys. He cares deeply for our program and wants our student-athletes to succeed. We're grateful for his dedication to our program and University." Barber starred at Highland High School earning All-State while qualifying for the state championships. "I am extremely excited for the opportunity to work with the University of the Ozarks Wrestling Team," said Barber. "I am looking forward to building off last year's success. I would like to thank Jimmy Clark, LeRoy Gardner and all the staff for this opportunity. The support here combined with the focus on academics and dedication to the University's core values made this an easy decision for me. This is a very exciting time for the wrestling team and all of the athletic department, and I am stoked to be a part of it." The Eagles had two wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championships last season in year four of the program's existence.

Dustin Myers Ohio RTC strength coach Dustin Myers joins The MatBoss Podcast for Episode 6. Host Chad Dennis talks to Myers about strength training for wrestlers, nutrition, supplements, Ohio State, Kyle Snyder and much more. Follow Dustin Myers on Instagram at @coachmyers_gutcheck. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play Music | RSS

Jim Heffernan (Photo/Illinois Sports Information) CHAMPAIGN, IL -- Illinois wrestling coach Jim Heffernan was awarded a five-year contract extension that will keep him as head coach of the Fighting Illini program through the 2023 season. "As much as perhaps anyone, Jim Heffernan embodies the values we espouse within our athletic program," said UI Athletics Director Josh Whitman. "He cares first and foremost about his students. He stresses loyalty, work ethic, and competitiveness. All of this while leading one of our most successful and tradition-rich programs. We are excited to reward Jim for his tremendous leadership and look forward to many future years of wrestling success with him at the helm." Heffernan enters his 10th season as head coach at Illinois after serving as the top assistant under Mark Johnson for 19 years. "I am extremely grateful for Josh to offer me this extension" Heffernan said. "Josh has proven to be very supportive of our program and the dedication and commitment shown by our student-athletes." During Heffernan's time in Champaign-Urbana, the Illini have finished in the top-10 at the NCAA championships on 13 occasions, and in the top-15 in 19 of the last 21 seasons. Heffernan has also mentored nine individual national champions in the last 18 seasons. With back-to-back national titles in 2015 and 2016, 157-pounder Isaiah Martinez joined Jesse Delgado (125), Matt Lackey (165), Adam Tirapelle (149, 2001), John Lockhart (heavyweight, 2001), Carl Perry (141, 2000), Eric Siebert (150, 1998), Ernest Benion, Jr. (158, 1995) and Steve Marianetti (150, 1995) in earning NCAA titles since 1995. In 2005, Heffernan assisted Illinois in bringing home its first Big Ten Championships team title in 53 years.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The NWCA is proud to announce that ARMS Software, the fastest growing technology company in the college athletics industry which currently works with over 100 university athletic departments across the country, will be a Presenting Sponsor for the 53rd NWCA All-Star Classic. This year's All-Star Classic will be held on Friday night, Nov. 2 inside Denver, Colorado's famous National Western Complex Stadium Arena. The 53rd installment of the Classic is being hosted by Rocky Mountain Nationals, NUWAY, and the University of Northern Colorado's wrestling program. NWCA Executive Director, Mike Moyer excitedly shared, "We are thrilled to have arms software, a trusted partner of so many intercollegiate wrestling programs and athletic departments, step up to be our presenting sponsor. CEO Mike Hurt is an extraordinary leader and he has been instrumental in supporting our efforts to establish new college wrestling programs." The All-Star Classic will feature nationally ranked high school and collegiate wrestlers in front of what is expected to be a sold-out and highly energetic crowd which will include mat side VIP tables. Matchups for the event will be released throughout the month of October as event promotion swings into full gear. "We are proud to be able to partner with the NWCA to bring the 53rd All-Star Classic to Denver, CO.  ARMS works with wrestling coaches and their entire athletic departments daily to provide them with the best software solutions on the market and we are always striving to bring great value to the wrestling community and all of athletics.  Being a part of this wonderful event is a great way for us to show our support to them and help them kick off what will be a great 2018-19 season," said Mike Hurt, CEO - ARMS Software Tickets are currently available at www.rmnevents.com while Trackwrestling will provide a live broadcast for $14.99. #AllStarClassic About National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments.   The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling.  The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling. About ARMS Software The ARMS team is a group of veteran proven technology entrepreneurs that have built some of the most successful software companies in North America over the past 20 years. This group has also built some of the largest and most famous software systems in the world for companies like GEICO, Apple, Nike, Bank of America, and all the major train companies in North America to name a few. Along with this technology expertise, the ARMS leadership team has been involved in college athletics as student-athletes, administrators, university board members, and major philanthropists for decades. ARMS is the culmination of these experiences and has a singular mission to change the future of college athletics administration forever. ARMS Software is the most innovative, fastest growing technology company in the college athletics industry and is currently working with over 100 university athletic departments across the country with dozens of new clients being added every quarter.

Michael Hughes (Photo/Hofstra Sports Information) Hempstead, N.Y. -- Hofstra head wrestling coach Dennis Papadatos today announced that Hofstra alumnus and 2018 NCAA All-American Michael Hughes has been appointed volunteer assistant coach for the wrestling team in 2018-19. "We are delighted to have Mike back in the wrestling room with us, now as a coach," Papadatos said. "During his five years with the program he has been an inspiration to his teammates, both on the mat and off, with his positive attitude, great work ethic and community spirit. All of his hard work paid off last March with him earning All-American honors at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland to cap off an outstanding career. I have no doubt that he will be a great addition to our coaching staff." Hughes, a native of Smithtown, New York, placed sixth in the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships by posting a 5-3 record to earn his first All-America honor. He became the first Hofstra heavyweight All-American since Joel Kislin placed third in 1973 and the 19th Pride wrestler (30 total All-Americans) to climb the All-American victory stand. While the All-American award was the icing on the cake, Hughes recorded both an amazing senior season and career. He recorded a 39-6 final record including an 8-0 mark in Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association dual matches and a 19-0 dual match slate. Hughes, who had winning streaks of 18 matches and 16 matches, posted 102 team points on his own on 19 wins by fall, 11 wins by decision, two tech falls and three major decisions. At the conclusion of the NCAA Championships, Hughes received the NCAA Division I Award for Most Pins during the 2017-18 season. Hughes' 39 victories in 2017-18 are the sixth-most in a single season in school history. In addition, Hughes finished his career with 115 victories, tying him with James Strouse (2002-07) and Tom Noto (1999-2004) for eighth-place on the all-time Pride career victory list. The two-time NCAA Championship qualifier was also selected the 2018 Hofstra Student-Athlete of the Year Hughes, who received his Hofstra bachelor's degree in physical education in May 2017 and is currently completing work on a master's degree, has served as a counselor at the Hofstra Summer Camps from 2013 through 2018 as well as the Smithtown West Booster Camp from 2016 through 2018. He was also President of the Hofstra Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as a senior and was involved with many charitable endeavors during his tenure including the Ruff House Rescue (2014-18), the Girl Scout Walkathon (2014-18), Reading with Pride (2014-18) and St. Patrick's Volunteer Softball Coach (2011-13). Hughes was a three-time (2016-18) recipient of the Hofstra Pride Community Service Award.

A GoFundMe page has been established for a Michigan high school wrestling coach who was seriously injured in a "horrific" car crash three weeks ago. Corey Dwenger, mat coach at Hemlock High School near Saginaw, was involved in a crash on US 10 on Wednesday, Sept. 5. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, including severe damage to the temporal lobe of his brain, which resulted in loss of speech and vocabulary comprehension. Dwenger, who wrestled at Hemlock before becoming coach, spent 16 days in the Neuro-Trauma ICU before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility late last week. Dwenger is expected to spend the next eight weeks at that facility. Dwenger's wife Rebecca told WNEM that her husband has started physical therapy and was walking on Monday. As the GoFundMe page states, there are many challenges facing coach Dwenger, his wife Rebecca, and their two young daughters. "The first 3 weeks after Corey's accident, his wife Becky has been unable to work as she was at the hospital helping care and comfort Corey and their two young daughters. Now as Becky learns and adjusts to her new reality there are many every day and unforeseen expenses she wasn't prepared to handle alone. Some of the unforeseen expenses are the renovations that will need to be done to make the home safe for Corey to return home. Each day the costs are adding up as we learn more and more about what we will need to care for him once he returns home. That is in addition to the everyday expenses and the travel costs to see him until he comes home." To contribute to the GoFundMe page for Coach Corey Dwenger, click here.