InterMat Staff

Sam Stoll competing at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) University of Iowa heavyweight Sam Stoll will be suspended for the Hawkeyes' first out-of-town dual meet, head coach Tom Brands announced at the Grid Club in Davenport, Iowa Monday afternoon. Iowa will be traveling to Kent State University, a Mid-American Conference school in northeast Ohio, for a dual meet on Friday, Nov. 9 "Sam Stoll is ready to roll," Brands said. "He's moving forward... He will be suspended that first date when we go to Kent State." As InterMat reported, Stoll was involved in a gun incident in mid-June. The 2018 NCAA All-American originally told Iowa City police that he had accidently shot himself in the knee at his home on June 19. However, two weeks later, the Iowa senior redacted his original statement to police, saying he had played a prank on a friend at his friend's home. Stoll had surgery on the knee that day, and was released from the hospital the following day. He was later charged with filing a "false report to a public entity" -- namely, the Iowa City Police. At that time, head coach Tom Brands issued the following statement: "As I shared previously, Sam Stoll's health was our number one concern and he is doing well. I am disappointed in his actions related to this incident, as they do not reflect our values. Regarding discipline, we will follow all University and Athletics Department code of conduct policies."

Kyle Crutchmer, 2017 NCAA All-American wrestler for Oklahoma State, is slated to have his third professional mixed martial arts fight this Saturday, just three months after making his pro debut. Kyle CrutchmerCrutchmer will be facing Brandon Wright at XFN 352 on Sept. 29 at River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, Okla. The Crutchmer-Wright welterweight (170-pound) bout is one of four fights which will be available on UFC Fight Pass live streaming service. Here's what Crutchmer posted on his Facebook page: "September 29th I'm coming to Tulsa Oklahoma to get down for the 3rd time in 3 months ! Don't miss out! I am ready to put on another performance for you guys!! TULSA ALWAYS!! #letsgooo" Crutchmer made is pro MMA debut June 9 at XFN 348, where he dispatched Ronald Beasley with a guillotine choke at 1:03 of Round 1. Two months later, the former Cowboy defeated Rock Rosas with an arm-triangle choke in the second round. Wright launched his MMA career as an amateur in Dec. 2015, turning pro in June 2016. He is 2-3 in his professional career, having lost his most recent fight June 16 to Jared McLaughlin via second-round submission. "I'm still new to this sport, I'm not going to go out there and predicting first round knockouts and all that s---.," Crutchmer told MyMMANews.com . "I just want people to enjoy watching me fight." Despite seemingly being on a fast-track MMA career, the former Oklahoma State mat star appears to be taking things in stride... despite having definite career goals. "I think what's happened is we have a plan," said Crutchmer. "I don't know if I'll ever be in Bellator, I don't know if I'll ever be in the UFC, but right now I am aiming to try and make it to the UFC. I think that's what our plan is with my management team. "Still open option, no close doors, I'm still early in my career. It just depends on how everything plays out in the next couple months."

Just over a decade ago, a former wrestler and volunteer coach at a suburban Cincinnati high school, John Harris, was murdered. However, his memory lives on in a fundraiser next month to benefit the wrestling program at his alma mater. John HarrisThe John Harris "No Excuses" Memorial Fundraiser will take place Saturday, Oct 20 from 6-10 p.m. at the Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, Ohio in the northern suburbs of Cincinnati, just up the street from Princeton High School where Harris wrestled for the Vikings, then later returned to the school to help coach the mat program. Donation tickets are just $10 each. However, donations in any amount are welcome, with all proceeds designated to support the Princeton High wrestling program. Here's how Peggy Harris, mother of John Harris, described her son's situation to InterMat: "Becoming a member of the Princeton wrestling team had a strong impact on John's life; it became his passion. After graduating from Princeton High School, John became a plumber. After a hard day's work, John would volunteer his time by stopping in to work with the kids on the team. He hoped to coach full time one day. "John wanted to help young men see how wrestling could be used as a positive outlet for them," Peggy Harris continued. "He wanted to show how wrestling could relieve tension, aggression and pressure that so many youth undergo on a daily basis." "Before John's dream could be fully realized, his life was cut short. He was senselessly murdered while getting out of his car after work, while coming home on June 7, 2007." The idea of the John Harris "No Excuses" fundraiser is to keep his dream alive... by helping young athletes realize the benefits of participating in the Viking wrestling program at Princeton High School in Cincinnati. To learn more about the Princeton High wrestling program and its John Harris "No Excuses" fundraiser, visit the Cincinnati Princeton Wrestling Facebook page.

There was a fair amount of coaching changes during the recent off season. Several high-profile Division I wrestling programs will feature new head coaches for the 2018-2019 season. The following is what fans can expect from new men leading their squads. Binghamton: Kyle Borshoff 2018 Dual Record: 12-5 2018 NCAA Team Points: 0.5 Former head coach Matt Dernlan resigned last December, and Borshoff took over in the middle of the season. As acting head coach, he directed the fighting Billy Baldwins down the stretch. The squad won eight of their last nine dual matches and advanced two wrestlers, Frankie Garcia and Steven Schneider, to the NCAA tournament. This season, Garcia is back for his senior year, and former blue chip recruit Louie DePrez will come out of redshirt. DePrez went 28-4 during his redshirt season. He will represent the U.S. in freestyle at the Junior World Championships this weekend. The Bearcats have established themselves as a strong mid-tier team in recent years. Under their new coach, fans should expect a solid dual record and a handful of NCAA qualifiers. Chattanooga: Kyle Ruschell 2018 Dual Record: 8-7 2018 NCAA Team Points: 2.5 The Mocs will turn to Kyle Ruschell after former coach Heath Eslinger moved on this past July. Last season, Chattanooga went 6-1 in conference and finished second in the SoCon tournament behind Appalachian State. They advanced three to the NCAA tournament where the now-graduated Bryce Carr fell in the blood round and finished one match away from becoming an All-American. Ruschell spent the last eight seasons at Wisconsin. There he helped coach five All-Americans, including four-time All-American Isaac Jordan. Alonzo Allen (125) is the only returning NCAA qualifier for the Mocs. However, they will receive a boost in the form of Tanner Smith who will take over at 149 after transferring. Last year, during his redshirt year, he went 20-0 while competing for the now defunct Eastern Michigan team. Appalachian State lost their best wrestler to graduation, but they should still be the class of the SoCon. If Ruschell can get results from a few unheralded guys, they might be able to make a run at the conference title. It will also be interesting to see what he does in terms of recruiting. Chattanooga may not have the history of bigger programs, but they host the annual Southern Scuffle, which brings a lot of eyes to the program. Cleveland State: Josh Moore 2018 Dual Record: 3-10 2018 NCAA Team Points: 0 Ben Stehura walked away from the Cleveland State program last March. Two months later, the athletic department decided to promote from within and elevated Josh Moore. Moore had been the primary assistant for the last three seasons for the Vikings. Last season was a tough one for Cleveland State. They won only three dual matches and one of those came against a Division III opponent. The squad finished sixth out of seven at the EWL tournament and advanced a single wrestler to the NCAA tournament. Expectations are not very high for Moore's first season at the helm. However, there are reasons for optimism in The Rock and Roll Capital of the World. Ohio remains one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in wrestling. Plus, Moore's twin brother Scott has shown the levels an EWL program can reach while coaching at Lock Haven. Edinboro: Matt Hill 2018 Dual Record: 8-5 2018 NCAA Team Points: 7 Of all the coaches on this list, Hill might face the steepest uphill battle. Tim Flynn resigned last April. Athletic director Bruce Baumgartner also moved into a new position with Edinboro. The offseason of change continued with several high- profile transfers out of the program. Sean Russell, Korbin Myers, Andrew Shomers, Dakota Greer and Billy Miller all left the school since last season. Hill wrestled under Flynn at Edinboro from 2002-2007. Following his competitive career, he entered coaching. Most of Hill's collegiate experience came at Kent State where he served as an assistant. At Kent State, he coached Dustin Kilgore to an NCAA title. Edinboro will feature an almost entirely new lineup this season. They might take their lumps, but the schedule is not as tough as it has been in the past. Outside of the EWL, they will face Wyoming and Oklahoma in marquee duals. Indiana: Angel Escobedo 2018 Dual Record: 6-10 2018 NCAA Team Points: 1.5 During his 26 years as the head coach at Indiana, Duane Goldman coached two wrestlers to NCAA titles, Joe Dubuque (twice) and the man who will replace him, Angel Escobedo. Prior to this assignment, Escobedo only had four years of coaching experience. After graduating, he spent three years as an assistant under Kevin Jackson at Iowa State. Last season, he returned to Bloomington and acted as chief second. Last year, Indiana finished 13th at the Big Ten tournament and failed to win a dual in conference. Their second winningest wrestler from last season, Devin Skatzka, left the squad and transferred to conference rival Minnesota. This year, the Hoosiers will lean heavily on seniors Elijah Oliver, Cole Weaver, Jake Danishek and Bryce Martin, but they will likely remain in the bottom half of the Big Ten. Escobedo should bring some new energy to the program, but he will need to pick up some wins on the recruiting trail. He is off to a good start as he has scored a commit from InterMat's 74th ranked recruit Luke Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio). Little Rock: Neil Erisman Presbyterian: Mark Cody When the 2019-2020 season kicks off there will be two new Division I programs. Erisman man will lead the new program at Little Rock after spending the last four seasons as an assistant at North Carolina. He previously served as an assistant as his alma mater, Oklahoma State. Erisman will get the chance to literally build from the ground up as the athletic department announced the construction of a new facility, and he will need to recruit an entire team from scratch. After coaching American to a fifth-place finish at the NCAA tournament, Cody eventually moved to Oklahoma. He never really broke through there, but he coached Kendric Maple and Cody Brewer to titles. Cody left the Sooners in 2016 and was linked to multiple positions before landing at Presbyterian. His ability to rebuild the program at American should make Presbyterian an attractive destination for fans and recruits in the near future. Sean Bormet coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Michigan: Sean Bormet 2018 Dual Record: 11-3 2018 NCAA Team Points: 80 Of all the new head coaches on this list, Bormet certainly walks into the best position. Michigan finished tied for fourth at the NCAA tournament last season and returns significant portions of their roster. Joe McFarland retired following the season after 19 years on the job. Bormet had been the top assistant. The squad this year returns six starters and adds two new starters, former Iowa State wrestler Kanen Storr and blue-chip recruit Jelani Embree. Michigan will certainly have a strong season and might be headed towards another trophy performance at the NCAA tournament in Bormet's first year. Damion Hahn (left) coaching with Gabe Dean (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) South Dakota State: Damion Hahn 2018 Dual Record: 14-2 2018 NCAA Team Points: 42 Former coach Chris Bono moved on to Wisconsin this past offseason. Hahn, who has been one of the hottest names in coaching for years, did not have to wait long for a call. He signed on to coach the Jackrabbits this past April. Prior to this posting, Hahn served as an assistant at Cornell for 12 seasons. During his time there, the Big Red finished in the top ten at the NCAA tournament 11 times. This past season, Seth Gross became the first Division I champion in South Dakota State, and the school's first champion at any level since Paul Konechne won a Division II title in 2001. Gross will be back for Hahn's first season, but they will need to replace four seniors from last year. Also, Connor Brown, last year's start at 125 pounds, followed Coach Bono to Wisconsin. Hahn has the coaching chops to be successful at South Dakota State. Their move into the Big 12 has upped their recruiting profile, and they should be in good shape even after losing their head coach. Wisconsin: Chris Bono 2018 Dual Record: 7-5 2018 NCAA Team Points: 27.5 Bono's move from South Dakota State to Wisconsin is probably the most intriguing coaching change of the offseason. At SDSU, Bono built a program that has been able to compete with some of the best teams in the country. At Wisconsin, the mission is to contend for titles. Barry Davis announced that he would resign prior to the NCAA tournament last season. During his time with the program, he coached 26 All-Americans and three NCAA champions. Bono is coming off a season where he was named Big 12 Coach of the Year and led SDSU to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA tournament. He has already made an impact on the Wisconsin lineup as Connor Brown followed him from SDSU to Madison. Also, former Oklahoma State Tristan Moran recently transferred to the program. Wisconsin also returned multiple NCAA qualifiers and former top recruits including Cole Martin, Zander Wick, Evan Wick, Ryan Christensen and Trent Hillger. Bono has always been a strong recruiter, and it will be interesting to see if he takes a step forward in that regard now that he is at a Big Ten school. VMI: Jim Gibson 2018 Dual Record: 2-11 2018 NCAA Team Points: N/A The Keydets needed a reboot, and Gibson will certainly get his chance to turn things around. VMI went 2-11 last season with their only two wins coming against conference foes The Citadel and Davidson. They finished ahead of only Davidson at the SoCon tournament and were led by a pair of sophomores, Cade Kiely and Chris Beck, who finished fourth at the tournament. Gibson comes to VMI after spending his last six years at Bucknell. There, he helped the team set the record for most dual wins in a season, 15, in the 2014-2015 season. He has already assembled his staff, which will feature former Edinboro wrestler Ty Schoffstall and recent Bucknell graduate Tyler Smith. Next year should be another tough season for the Keydets. In addition to their conference schedule, they also face off against Bucknell, Buffalo, Lock Haven and Virginia in duals. West Virginia: Tim Flynn 2018 Dual Record: 6-7 2018 NCAA Team Points: 11.5 The West Virginia athletic department seems determined to have a strong wrestling team. They made a significant investment in their facilities and made a big-splash hire of Sammie Henson four years ago. Unfortunately for the Mountaineers, things never really clicked with Henson, and he was removed from duty last March. The following month, WVU announced that Flynn would become the ninth coach in school history. During his 21 years at Edinboro, he coached 150 national qualifiers and 38 All-Americans. His teams finished in the top-25 at the NCAA tournament 18 times. It may take a few seasons for Flynn to get some new blood in the program. Most of the lineup returns for this season highlighted by NCAA qualifier Matthew Schmitt. A lot of the teams in the Big 12 are ascending at this point, so West Virginia will likely have some tough duals. However, Flynn has proven himself as a program builder, and he will likely have success in Morgantown.

The 2019 World Championships will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital city CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- United World Wrestling has announced the city of Astana will host the 2019 Senior Wrestling World Championships September 14-22 at the Daulet Arena. The Kazakhstan capital city has hosted several United World Wrestling events in recent years, including the 2014 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, 2016 Asian Olympic Qualifier, and the 2018 Grappling World Championships. "We were very pleased with the presentation put on by the Organizing Committee from the city of Astana," said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. "With our success at the championships last year in Paris, and the upcoming championships in Budapest, I have every confidence that Astana will deliver an excellent event for our athletes, coaches, and fans." Competition to host the championships was intense, as the 2019 world championships will serve as the first qualification event for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The top six finishers in each Olympic weight category in Astana will secure an Olympic qualification for their nation, with the remaining qualification spots earned at continental competitions and a "Last Chance Qualifier" during the 2020 competition calendar. "The Wrestling World Championships are a major event and will help popularize wrestling in Kazakhstan and the region," said Kazakhstan Wrestling Federation president Sauat Mynbayev. "We are excited to host the championships in Astana and are confident they will be remembered to you as one of the best sporting events and will receive positive feedback from fans." Tickets for the 2019 World Championships are expected to go on sale in January.

Mekhi Lewis (Photo/ Kadir Caliskan) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- Mekhi Lewis is three-for-three in winning freestyle tournaments as he claimed Junior World gold on Sunday night at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. Just picking up freestyle this summer, Lewis, a wrestler at Virginia Tech, has eased into the style, cruising to the World finals and picking up a decisive 5-1 victory for gold at 74 kilograms. "I feel great. I thought I could do it, but being in the moment and accomplishing that goal feels amazing," Lewis said. "After all the hard work I put in this summer to learn freestyle and now to be a World champion is the best feeling in the world." In the championship bout, Lewis went head-to-head with 2016 Cadet world champion Abubakr Abakarov of Azerbaijan. The Azeri was on the board first with a point on passivity. However, shortly after the shot clock ran out, Lewis scored a takedown and took a 2-1 lead into the break. The second period saw Lewis pick up two points on step outs for a 4-1 advantage. One of those step outs came when Abakarov was in deep on a shot and Lewis shook him off and threw him out of bounds. That's when Lewis said he knew he had it won. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Bill Racich, head wrestling coach at Ursinus College since 1980 and one of the all-time winningest college mat coaches in the nation, died Friday, according to the Pennsylvania-based school. Bill RacichRacich ranked fourth among all-time collegiate wrestling coaches in all divisions -- and second among active coaches -- with 540 victories at the end of last season. By any measure, Racich's accomplishments as coach were impressive. The Bears won 11 Centennial Conference championships, including five in a row from 2003-07 to become the only school in league history to accomplish that feat. Racich coached 56 Centennial Conference champions and over two hundred Middle Atlantic and Centennial Conference placewinners. With Racich at the helm, Ursinus could claim 17 NCAA All-Americans and two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. In addition, five Ursinus wrestlers have won the prestigious Chris Clifford Award, while six others were named Outstanding Wrestler at the conference championships. Prior to becoming wrestling coach, Racich was a standout athlete. At West Chester University, he was a four-year varsity performer and a team captain in 1974-75. He was a four-time conference finalist and a two-time NCAA Division I qualifier. In 1974 Racich won the 118-pound Middle Atlantic Conference championship, and his West Chester team was MAC champions in 1971, 1972 and 1974. In 1975, Racich was the East Coast Conference Champion at 126 pounds and captained the team that defeated Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois, and Indiana on a Midwest tour. In 1978 he placed fourth in the USA National Open Freestyle Championships at 136.5 pounds, helping his New York Athletic Club win United States Wrestling Federation Championships. In addition to his wrestling accomplishments, Racich was a high-level rugby player since competing for Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School in 1971, and a founding member of the West Chester University Rugby Club. For all his accomplishments, Bill Racich is a member of the Conshohocken Sports Hall of Fame (1986), West Chester Wrestling Hall of Fame, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh Rugby Hall of Fame (1999), Plymouth-Whitemarsh Distinguished Graduates Hall of Fame, Ursinus College Hall of Fame for Athletes (2001), Southeast Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame (2003), Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2003), and the Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame (2003). Earlier this year, Racich was honored with the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Bill always used to talk and joke about 'living the dream' and how great it was to coach kids," said Ursinus Director of Athletics Laura Moliken. "He'd say, 'they don't' really change; you just have to adjust how you teach the sport.'" "Every time we spoke, he couldn't help but gush and show pictures of his granddaughter wearing dresses and bows and wondering if she might be a wrestler one day." In announcing his sudden passing, Ursinus' statement read, "A coach for the better part of four decades, Racich brought an incredible enthusiasm for his role as a teacher and mentor, and leaves behind a legion of student-athletes who were forever changed for the better by his presence." Respected Pennsylvania wrestling writer and historian Tom Elling told InterMat, "He was widely respected by all who knew him not only as a wrestling person but as a human being. I am so glad we inducted him (into the Pa. Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame) before this stunning and tragic death took place." Some of Bill Racich's past wrestlers shared their memories of their coach on his Facebook page. "Bill Racich was literally Superman," wrote Matt Cubbler. "He was in his mid-60's and looked like he was in his mid-40's. He could out run, out jump and out work every kid on his wrestling team at Ursinus College. His joy for life, his passion for traveling and his commitment to his wife, Julia and son, Cole was unmatched. He had that inner drive that most men can only dream of possessing - myself included. He was a long-time friend, mentor and client that I looked forward to seeing every single week. And now he is gone and it sucks." "Coach, you made such a positive impact on my life as well as so many others," wrote Mark Barber. "I can't even count the number of times that I have thought to myself, 'Man, life is hard but I've been prepared for this, I really need to thank Coach Racich for knowing how to push us through the hard times while also providing the support system when necessary.' You took care of us when we were sick, weak and in need of a friend or even father figure. You were the first one to congratulate someone on accomplishments outside of the wrestling room. You taught us about priorities and what is important in life. I will forever be thankful for the years I got to spend as one of your wrestlers. Love you Coach." Bill Racich is survived by his wife Julia (affectionately known as Jules) and son Cole. UPDATE 9/25/2018 Funeral arrangements for Coach Racich have been announced. His funeral service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. in the Fieldhouse at Ursinus College, 601 E. Main St., Collegeville, Pa. Interment will follow in Calvary Cemetery, West Conshohocken. There will be no visitation prior to the service. Following the interment, a reception will be held in the Fieldhouse . Those attending the funeral service and burial are asked to park in the West Lot at the college. The entrance to the West Lot is located off 9th Ave., Collegeville. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Wrestling Program at Ursinus College, c/o the Ursinus College Advancement Office, 601 E Main St, Collegeville, PA 19426.

Bryce Abbey Two minutes, eight seconds. That's the amount of time it took Bryce Abbey, four-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler at University of Nebraska-Kearney, to be crowned champ on the CBS reality series "TKO: Total Knock Out" Battle Royale edition Friday night. The episode featured the five fastest finishers from previous episodes of the Kevin Hart-hosted summer series where contestants tried to complete an oversized obstacle course while their opponents were actively trying to thwart their efforts. Abbey had the fastest time from the August 17 broadcast, earning $50,000... and the opportunity to compete in the season finale for a grand prize of $100,000. Abbey, who wrestled for the UNK Lopers from 2002-05, was second of the contestants to compete on the TKO Battle Royale obstacle course, which the University of Nebraska-Kearney News website described as "where other contestants toss oversize Frisbees and large spikes, fire foam balls and swing giant hammers in an attempt to slow their opponents down." Abbey completed the course in 2 minutes, 8 seconds... besting second-place finisher Brandon Beem of Iowa by just eleven seconds. Another contestant finished in 2:33... while another took 4:09 to reach the finish line. (A fifth contestant was unable to finish because of a wrist injury.) Abbey watched the broadcast with approximately 125 friends and family members, fully aware of the outcome -- the shows were recorded in Los Angeles earlier this summer -- but not wanting to ruin the surprise for everyone else. Once Kevin Hart identified Abbey as the winner of the Battle Royale -- and a total of $150,000 ($50,000 for the first episode, $100,000 as Battle Royale winner) -- friends lifted Abbey in the air as the crowd at his VIP party erupted in cheers. “Everybody was so excited. The intensity of the room was so awesome,” Abbey told UNK News. “I had trouble controlling my emotions, but I didn't want to let everybody know the outcome before the end.” “It's been so hard. I've been wanting to share it with so many people." "Being part of this is so amazing,” Abbey continued. “My kids have been awesome. My family has been awesome. To get to do, and celebrate, something like this is indescribable.” Friends lifted the four-time 125-pound All-American in the air as the crowd at his VIP party erupted in cheers. Abbey, who wrestled for the UNK Lopers from 2002-05, is one of just four wrestlers tor the D2 program to become a four-time All-American. Now an administrator at his alma mater, Abbey was welcomed into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame just last year.

Two months after signing with Brave Combat Federation, 2011 NCAA Division I champion wrestler Bubba Jenkins now owns the organization's featherweight (145-pound) title. The former Penn State wrestler turned Arizona State mat champ took the belt from defending champ Elias Boudegzdame in a unanimous five-round decision as a co-main event at Brave 16 in Abu Dhabi on Friday. It's Jenkins' first major title in his pro MMA career launched in December 2011. "Five rounds of wrestling domination was all Bubba Jenkins needed to wrest the Brave featherweight belt from defending champ Elias Boudegzdame," is how MMA-Today described the fight. "'Smile' went to work trying to attack with submissions, which have been an Achilles' heel for Bubba in the past, but never came close to finishing in the early rounds," MMA-Today continued. "Elias landed his hardest shots of the fight in round 2, an illegal knee at the start of the frame and an illegal upkick late; those two fouls forced ref Leon Roberts to step in and take a point. Jenkins gamely fought onward, and even toughed out a really tight-looking heel hook that Boudegzdame threatened with late in a last-gasp effort late in the 4th round." With the win, Jenkins has a 13-4 overall record... and the Brave featherweight title belt... while Boudegzdame falls to 15-5. After winning the championship, Jenkins posted this message on his Facebook page: "I still don't have the words, but here's what I will say: I heard THEM... I heard THEM murmur and whisper against me, I heard THEM say I wouldn't be able, I heard THEM say I couldn't, and wouldn't, I heard THEM say I'm too confident and mouthy, I even heard THEM say my best days are behind me..." Jenkins had signed with Brave in late July 2018... then, two weeks later, the organization announced that the former college star would be vying for their welterweight title. He had competed for Bellator from July 2013 to August 2016, then had a couple fights with ACB (Absolute Championship Berkut).

Daton Fix bounced back to win a bronze medal (Photo/Kadir Caliskan) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- The USA Junior men's freestyle team finished Saturday night's session with two silver and two bronze medals in Trnava, Slovakia. Claiming silver medals were Aaron Brooks at 79 kilograms and Zach Elam at 97 kilograms. 2017 Cadet world champion Brooks had a back-and-forth battle with Hayato Ishiguro, who was third at the Japanese Senior World Trials. The bout ended with 21 points on the board and an 11-10 win for Ishiguro. Brooks scored first with a takedown, but Ishiguro responded quickly with a takedown and gut wrench. At the break, Brooks led on criteria, 4-4. The second period saw points flying, which included three takedowns and exposure. With only 10 seconds remaining, Brooks held a 10-9 advantage. Ishiguro was in on a shot and came out the back door, standing and put Brooks down for two on exposure. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Aaron Brooks gets his hand raised (Photo/ Max Rose-Fyne, United World Wrestling) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- 2017 Cadet world champion Aaron Brooks and international newcomer Zach Elam strolled into the Junior World finals on Friday night in Trnava, Slovakia, while 2017 Junior world champion Daton Fix was upended in the 57 kg semis. After a successful morning session, Brooks kept it rolling, defeating two-time age-group World bronze medalist Orhan Abasov of Azerbaijan. Brooks led Abasov, 5-0, scoring on steps out and cautions. With less than 30 seconds left, Abasov, who had been dinged twice for head butting, was hit with his third caution of the match, ending the bout immediately and advancing Brooks to the finals at 79 kilograms. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Scottie Boykin, Hunter Gamble, Kyle Ruschell and Nick Brascetta New University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling head coach Kyle Ruschell officially announced his staff for the 2018-19 season today. These changes have been in place since he was hired on Aug. 10, and include familiar faces. Former All-American Nick Brascetta is elevated to the top assistant position, while Hunter Gamble moves from volunteer to full-time assistant coach. Former Southern Conference Champion and UTC alum Scottie Boykin joins the group as the volunteer coach. All three are currently pursuing Master's degrees at UTC. "I am very excited about this group," stated Ruschell. "They all have a passion for wrestling and you can tell they all care about our student-athletes. "We have been working hard over the last month to prepare for the upcoming season, and it is evident that they have the knowledge and skills to help continue to winning tradition of our program." Brascetta is a 2016 graduate of Virginia Tech and is entering his third year with the Mocs. He came to Chattanooga as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development and was elevated to assistant coach last season. "Nick and I hit it off from the beginning," stated Ruschell. He has a great reputation as a wrestler and is growing his resume as a coach. He has a strong attention to detail on the administrative side of things and will be a tremendous asset to me for years to come." Gamble is in his second year at Chattanooga after a standout career at Gardner-Webb. He spent last season as the volunteer assistant. Gamble was the 2013 SoCon Champion at 174 pounds and was an All-SoCon pick and two-time finalist in his other three years with the Bulldogs. "Hunter is great for our guys in the room," added Ruschell. "He was a tremendous Southern Conference wrestling and brings a championship mentality to every workout." Boykin was a two-time SoCon Champion during his UTC career (2014-18), making three appearances at the NCAA Championships. He graduated with a degree in Sport Administration in 2017 and was a Dean's List honoree throughout his career. "I am excited to have the opportunity to keep Scottie around," said Ruschell. "The guys have a tremendous amount of respect for him and he can help set the tone for success, both on and off the mat." The Mocs open the 2018-19 season with the Blue-Gold Match at the First Tennessee Pavilion prior to the Homecoming football game against VMI on Oct. 27. The first home dual is against North Carolina on Nov. 11. Season tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com through the "Tickets" tab at the top of the page.

The New York Times yesterday published a story about the wrestlers killed in this month's attack on a wrestling club in Kabul The club was popular, arguably the most popular and most successful in the country. The "suiciders" chose the club to try and strike a blow against the local minority community -- wrestlers are their symbol of strength and killing them would prove some sort of dominance. What the terrorists wouldn't know is that wrestling is far too malleable to be crushed by a single act, and wrestlers far too bullheaded and determined to cower. To that point the story tells of the wrestling coach who risked his life to keep out the bomber, and the volunteers already at work rebuilding the gym brick-by-brick. As the local legend goes, "a wrestler never dies." Our sport has seen all types of threats over the millennia it's been practiced, terrorism is just the most recent and most painful. My hunch -- and this bears out in the reaction of the nation to the bombing of another wrestling tournament in which the entire nation began to march in protest -- is this will be a marker for many Afghans on their ongoing struggle to protest and overcome these attacks. These men inspire their nation and attacks on them is an attack on ideals. As of now there isn't any direct way to support the club, but I'm hoping that something will come to fruition soon. When it does I hope that we can join together and show solidarity with our Afghan friends and send them shoes, mats and singlets. You know these men, because you are these men. They've done the same drills as you, their faces are mushed flat, their ears scarred, their shoulders broadened. You may not know their faces, but they are your brothers and when the time comes let's support them like we would any member of our family -- with absolute love. To your questions … Jon Jay Chavez competing at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Do you view Jon Jay Chavez of Cornell as a potential NCAA title threat? He is a returning All-American. Or do you view him more as a Greco specialist? I've been super impressed with his development over the past year. -- Mike C. Foley: I don't see Greco-Roman being any type of hindrance to Jon Jay Chavez's chance at an NCAA title. Take a look at the larger factors like institutional support, previous wrestlers' ability to win at that school, and his previous results. All three would indicate he's well able to make his way to the top of the platform before the end of his career. I think Greco is really going to be a hidden asset for Chavez. Well, maybe not so hidden given his accolades, but in a scramble the feel of Greco wrestlers can be jarring to those (like me) who are hyper fearful of being loaded up on to an opponent's hips. In a scramble-happy NCAA style of wrestling Chavez could utilize that fear to his advantage and find the takedowns that can often mean the difference in a big match. Also, most Greco-Roman guys have incredible hand fighting skills that could really help give an advantage to Chavez, especially late in matches. Like you insinuated, now that he's cracked the top eight he doesn't seem to have a ceiling in the sport. Q: Coach Andy Lausier is already doing great things at Davidson with pretty much only one year under his belt after stints at Sacred Heart and Princeton. A few items of note: He increased the scholarship fund by $500K, made a huge splash when he hired Joey Dance as his head assistant, brought in a nice group of recruits and is putting some nice teams on their schedule with duals against NC State, Pitt, and Brown. The wrestling facilities are fantastic and their duals are in the beautiful Belk Arena where Steph Curry used to drain threes. Now is your time to show them some love and look like a hero as they work their way up the ladder the next few years! What say you? -- JEZ from Wisconsin Foley: These are great notes and I'm glad you wrote in with the update. Though we bemoan that there are only 80 or so Division I teams, I assure you that even those "in the know" aren't able to keep attention on the triumph of every program. And $500K is a lot of money! I'm sure that Coach Lausier knows that his program has a long way to go, but he's the right man to see that they make that journey. He's humble, bright, and most of all hard working. He may also have the world's largest reserve of patience, given the more challenging projects he's faced in the past few years. Joey Dance on the coaching staff, and a tough schedule, will almost ensure that these wrestlers learn through their lumps. And if the facilities at Davidson are the same or better than they were in 2004 when I last visited then they are certainly sufficient enough to help Coach Lausier and his staff build something special. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Awesome behind-the-scenes VLOG of Team USA at the Junior World Championships! Bey! Q: Obviously, expectations were high for Kamal Bey at the Junior World Championships after last year's performance. He placed fifth this year after winning gold last year. While fifth place in the world is a great accomplishment, it's probably disappointing for him. What do you attribute his "disappointing" performance to? Well scouted? Moving up in weight? -- Mike C. Foley: The Junior World Championships are underway this week in Trnava, Slovakia, and Team USA has performed average over the first four days, earning three medals after a total of 15 weight classes. The Greco-Roman team looked impressive throughout, but only managed two medals after defending world champion Kamal Bey lost a pair of matches up at 77 kilograms. He wrestled well, but lost to the other two best guys in the world at his weight class. Getting to the medal stand Cohlton Schultz stared down a massive Anta Milkovic of Croatia at 130 kilograms, and wrestled his way to a 7-1 victory in the bronze-medal finals, walking away with a dominant 8-0 victory. At 82 kilograms it was Andrew Berreyesa capturing silver after falling to four-time age group champion Aleksandr Komarov of Russia, 10-0. Overall, the Greco-Roman squad finished in the top ten for the second year in a row, a positive sign that the developmental program is headed in the right direction. The women also hit the mats this week, with some scattered early results. Macey Kilty took silver, dropping a finals match to Khanum Velieva of Russia, 7-0. Before her loss in the finals Kilty looked dominant as she launched opponents in the opening rounds. However, Team USA dropped all five of its athletes out of the championships round on Thursday as Russia and Japan each put four in the finals. Alisha Howk will wrestle for bronze on Friday. The first of the freestyle wrestlers received their bid Thursday and will compete Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- a style which American fans are hoping will result in more medals. Q: My daughter likes the sport. If she wants to continue into her high school years I'm thinking about having her not join the high school team. I would rather her focus on freestyle since it's freestyle after high school. Thoughts? -- @ShogunOfSonoma Foley: I think that it depends on why she is in the sport of wrestling. If her desire is to be near a team and to represent her school, then of course it's worth investigating the environment at the program and see if it's welcoming. However, if she's laser-focused on being an Olympic champion and there is somewhere for her to train year-round, then that may be a better option. Looking down the field a bit, it's possible that women's desire for freestyle -- and men's wrestling's need for women to participate -- could nudge a school district somewhere towards freestyle rules. I'd prefer that didn't happen. The American scholastic style is unique and deserves some respect. On the other hand, I'm uncertain if local schools can handle the extra coaching costs. Again, like you I'd prefer to see the women wrestle freestyle in high school, but I'm guessing there will need to be a major sea of change for the existing power structure to accept.

Macey Kilty (Photo/ Kadir Caliskan) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- Macey Kilty collected a silver medal at the 2018 Junior World Championships, after making her second World finals appearance of the summer. "I think throughout this year, I've made a big jump in my wrestling and my training," Kilty said. "Just the pressure I put on my opponents and staying in good position has jumped levels for me, even since Croatia. I've seen a big difference. I'm just grateful for the opportunities I've had this summer and getting to compete." Kilty, who won a Cadet World title in July in Zagreb, Croatia, faced off against reining Junior World champion and two-time Cadet World champion Khanum Velieva of Russia in the 68 kg finals. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Alisha Howk (Photo/ Kadir Caliskan) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- U.S. women's freestyle representative Alisha Howk fell in the semifinals of the 2018 Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia, after a very close call that was decided after the buzzer. Howk, a 2017 Cadet World Team member, faced Aktenge Keunimyaeva of Uzbekistan, who is a two-time age-group Asian medalist and took fifth at the Senior Asian championships in February. Read complete story on TheMat.com

Ninety years after winning an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling -- and a half-century after his passing -- Allie Morrison's name will grace the new wrestling room at his high school alma mater. The new facility, now under construction at Marshalltown High School in central Iowa, will be officially named the "Allie Morrison Wrestling Training Room" after the Marshalltown School Board approved the honor Monday night, the Marshalltown Times-Republican reported Wednesday. Allie MorrisonAlvin Roy "Allie" Morrison, who was born in Marshalltown in June 1904, attended Marshalltown High from 1922-26. While at the school, Morrison won two Iowa state wrestling championships ... and, as a senior, served as de facto head wrestling coach when the man hired for the job -- Adolph Rupp, fresh from college and years before becoming legendary college basketball coach at University of Kentucky -- pretty much handed the responsibilities over to Morrison. Morrison wrestled at the University of Illinois, where he earned three AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) national titles. While at Illinois, Morrison won three Big 10 conference titles ... along with the gold medal in freestyle at the 1928 Olympics in Paris, the only American wrestler to earn gold at the Games, and becoming the first Iowan to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. A serious neck injury ended Morrison's on-the-mat career. However, he served as a high school wrestling coach in Omaha for a number of years. Morrison also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Morrison died in April 1966 at age 62. The new wrestling room named in Allie Morrison's honor is expected to be up and running in early Dec. 2018. Want to know more about Allie Morrison? Check out the 2012 InterMat Rewind historical feature on the first Iowan to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling.

UPDATED 10/6/18 -- CAUSE OF DEATH, MEMORIAL SERVICE Chad Jones, Colorado state champion wrestler for Hayden High School who later returned to his alma mater to coach wrestling in 2012, passed away at home Monday. He was 39. Rod Ryg, coroner in Colorado's Routt County, told the Craig Daily Press on Oct. 6 that an autopsy and toxicology report showed that Jones died of an infection of the throat called tracheitis. "He had a terrible infection that went unchecked," Ryg said. "He went in and thought that he had strep throat and found out he had this tracheitis." Jones was found dead in his home on Sept. 17. A 1997 graduate of Hayden High, Jones completed his prep career by winning a state wrestling championship in the 171-pound class. Not long after graduating, Jones launched his coacing career by mentoring youth wrestling and peewee football. "He was into peewee football and wrestling since just a few years after high school," former Hayden wrestling coach and athletic director Ty Zabel told the Steamboat Pilot. "Chad was all about the kids, always. He would help them out if they were having trouble with their school work, and he always had their back." Christian Carson, one of Jones' wrestlers throughout Carson's mat career, had positive memories of his long-time coach. "Chad was always there in your ear whether he was talking to you or yelling from across wrestling floor," Carson said. "He told us that we were winners no matter what the scoreboard says and no matter what anyone says as long as you know in your heart that you gave 110 percent." "He touched a lot of people's lives in a very positive way, both young and old," said Nick Planansky, who served as an assistant coach for the Hayden High School wrestling team. "He loved his coaching. He was there night and day for the kids, and anytime anybody needed anything he was there for them." Chad Jones is survived by two children -- PiperJo and Saben -- along with his father, a sister and younger brother A memorial service for Chad Jones was held at Hayden High School on Thursday, Sept. 20. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up at Mountain Valley Bank in Hayden to benefit Jones' children PiperJo and Saben Jones. Contributions can also be made through a GoFundMe page at GoFundMe.com/chad-jones-memorial-fund.

Macey Kilty gets her hand raised after a semifinal victory (Photo/Kadir Caliskan) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- For the second time this year, Macey Kilty will wrestle for a world title. Kilty, who won a Cadet world title in July, cruised to the gold-medal match at 68 kilograms on Wednesday at the Junior World Championships, winning by technical fall, 11-0, in the semifinals over China's Yan Wang. "I'm just super jacked to try to get another belt," Kilty said following her semifinal victory. "It's just fun." Kilty has not surrendered a point in three matches. She opened with a 12-0 technical fall over Tindra Sjoeberg of Sweden and followed it up with a 50-second fall over Alina Rudnytska of Ukraine. Kilty will face Khanum Velieva of Russia in the gold-medal match on Thursday. Alleida Martinez (50 kilograms), Ronna Heaton (55 kilograms), Brenda Reyna (59 kilograms) and Dymond Guilford (76 kilograms) competed on Wednesday for Team USA but failed to advance to medal matches. Martinez won two matches to advance to the quarterfinals before losing by fall to Marina Zakshevskaya of Kazakhstan. Heaton won her opening match before losing to Russia's Ekaterina Verbina 11-4. Reyna and Guilford both lost their first match. Berreyesa finishes with a silver medal in Greco-Roman Cornell University wrestler Andrew Berreyesa faced a tall order in his gold-medal match in Greco-Roman on Wednesday. His opponent in the 82-kilogram finals, Aleksander Komarov of Russia, was going after his fourth age group world title. After a scoreless 90 seconds, Berreyesa was called for passivity, surrendering a point and giving Komarov a chance to score in par terre. The Russian took advantage, executing two gut wrenches to take a 5-0 lead. Komarov then used a four-point throw to close out the 10-0 technical fall victory in the second period.

PHILIPPI, W.Va. -- Alderson Broaddus University Athletic Director Dennis Creehan announced the addition of women's wrestling to the University's varsity athletic programs effective for the 2019-20 academic year. "Alderson Broaddus University wants to continue to be responsive to changes in the athletic landscape," said Creehan. "We want to be on the forefront of this rapidly growing sport and are excited to begin women's wrestling." Head wrestling coach Sam Gardner will begin recruiting immediately for a team to compete in an abbreviated schedule in 2019-20 and then a full schedule in 2020-21. "The plan currently is to recruit enough women to wrestle an abbreviated schedule next year, focusing on the individual development of the student-athletes and getting them competing for spots on different age group teams," said Gardner. "The second year we'll have had two recruiting classes and ideally have recruited enough depth to hit the ground running in 2020-21." There are currently 38 schools offering women's wrestling. Women's wrestling is freestyle wrestling and there are 10 weight classes. "I think that adding another women's program will help strengthen and grow wrestling as a whole," Gardner said. "The sport's growing at the small school level, and I felt the time was right to propose that we adopt women's wrestling now rather than later. We want to be early adopters of women's wrestling and be on the ground floor of this trend. I believe this will help set AB up to be one of the premier locations for wrestling in the state and hopefully nationally in years to come."

Johny Hendricks A few months after announcing his retirement from mixed martial arts competition, former MMA and amateur wrestling champ Johny Hendricks will fight Brennan Ward in a professional bare-knuckle boxing match this November. The former UFC titleholder and Oklahoma State wrestling champ will ditch the four-ounce gloves of MMA to take on Ward -- a former Bellator MMA fighter -- in the headline event at the first-ever World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation event Friday, Nov. 9 at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo. The WBKFF's "Rise of the Titans" will also feature UFC veterans Chris Leben vs. Phil Baroni, as well as football linebacker Shawne Merriman vs. Mike Bourke. All matches will be available on pay-per-view and on FITE TV. Back in June, Hendricks had announced he was retiring from MMA to become a wrestling coach at a private high school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Hendricks, who launched his pro MMA career in Sept. 2007, won the UFC welterweight title in March 2014... only to lose it to Robbie Lawler in November of that year. Hendricks had compiled an 18-8 record. Prior to launching his MMA career 11 years ago, Hendricks, 34, was a three-time Oklahoma high school wrestling champ who then made his name known beyond the Sooner State as an Oklahoma State mat star, winning two NCAA Division I championships and two Big 12 conference crowns. Brennan Ward had a similar wrestling-to-MMA career trajectory. The 30-year-old had wrestled in high school, then at Colby Community College in Kansas, and at Johnson & Wales University, where he was an NCAA Division III championships finalist at 184 pounds in 2010. He then entered MMA, where he was 14-6. Ward announced his retirement in August of 2017.

No. 6 Julian Ramirez has committed to Cornell (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) While today is "the eight weeks to go" mark until the start of the early signing period for Division I wrestling, many of the nation's elite Class of 2019 wrestlers have made their verbal commitments. In fact, all but ten of the top 50 ranked wrestlers in the current senior class fit that description. Furthermore, the top 100 wrestlers in the Class of 2019 have committed to 33 different schools -- not accounting for Josh McKenzie (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), who has chosen to play football in college at Yale University. Eight schools have verbal commitments from three or more top 100 wrestlers, while another ten have commitments from a pair. Below are ten top recruiting classes to date, based on verbal commitments of top 100 recruits. 1. Cornell The Big Red recruiting class of 2017 ended up second overall, a group that was anchored by eventual true freshman national champion Yianni Diakomihalis. This class is well-positioned to be in similar rarified air. It features commitments from five top 100 seniors, including four in the top 50. Anchoring the class are elite talents in No. 6 Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) and No. 12 Jacob Cardenas (Bergen Catholic, N.J.); both will be clear assets to the back third of Rob Koll's lineup in years to come. Additional commitments are from middle-weights No. 22 Mason Reiniche (Baylor School, Tenn.) and No. 44 Coltan Yapoujian (Pomona, Colo.), along with lower-weight No. 64 Phillip Moomey (Kearney, Neb.). 2. Ohio State Head coach Tom Ryan has made elite level recruiting a calling card during his tenure, and four verbal commitments from top 50 -- or darn close to it -- prospects for 2019 is a reflection of that. Especially when it piggy-backs upon a 2018 class that was ranked No. 2 overall. Commitments so far come from lightweight Jacob Decatur (CVCA, Ohio), ranked No. 52 overall; lower-weights No. 4 Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) and No. 21 Dylan D'Emilio (Genoa, Ohio); along with heavyweight No. 1 Greg Kerkvliet (Simley, Minn.). 3. Arizona State The Sun Devils had the top overall recruiting class in 2015, and a top ten class in 2017. Early indications are this class will be viewed in a similar light. It is anchored by multi-time world medalist Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.), the No. 2 overall wrestler in the Class of 2019. Other early commits are lowerweight Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.) and upperweight Zane Coleman (Choctaw, Okla.), who are ranked No. 17 and No. 62 respectively. 4. Virginia Tech Though the 2018 class was not ranked among the top 25 nationally, the change in head coach from Kevin Dresser to Tony Robie does not mean the Hokies have forgotten how to identify and attract elite level scholastic talent to Blacksburg. The 2017 class was ranked No. 4 nationally with four top 100 recruits, and so far this 2019 class features three top 100 commits. It's led by a pair of middleweight hammers from the Buckeye State in No. 10 Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty) and No. 19 Bryce Andonian (St. Edward), who was a Junior National freestyle champion this summer; also in the class is lightweight Sam Latona (Thompson, Ala.). 5. Lehigh After a strong stretch of recruiting by the Mountain Hawks, the previous two classes were not up to the standard that had been set in Bethlehem by head coach Pat Santoro and staff. However, 2019 is positioned to be a strong group, as four top 100 seniors have already verbally committed. The group features a pair of lowerweights in No. 18 Connor McGonagle (Timberlane, N.H.) and No. 66 Malyke Hines (Osceola, Fla.), while No. 47 Jake Logan (New Rochelle, N.Y.) and No. 67 Edmond Ruth (Susquehanna Township, Pa.) fit in as upper-weights. 6. Michigan The prior two classes to this one have been most excellent, with seven top 100 recruits combined (four in 2017 and three this past year). The first class that Sean Bormet is recruiting as head coach is off to a high-quality start with commitments from No. 3 Kurt McHenry (St. Paul's, Md.) and No. 32 Cameron Amine (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.). Two-time Cadet world freestyle champion McHenry is a superlative lightweight, while Amine is a Wolverine legacy and a projected middleweight 7. Northern Colorado Head coach Troy Nickerson has been in the need of a talent spark for his program, and he has found it in what is the beginning of a seemingly significant wave of strong talent from the Centennial State. Getting verbal commitments from a pair of in-state top 20 recruits represents a significant victory for the Bears program. Those commits come from No. 7 Andrew Alirez (Greeley Central) and No. 20 Theorius Robison (Pomona). 8. North Carolina State The 2018 NCAA Division I Championships saw the Wolfpack earn a trophy for finishing in joint fourth place. The No. 1 recruiting class of 2016 played a significant role in that; while head coach Pat Popolizio landed the No. 3 overall class this past year with five top 100 commits. So far, the Wolfpack have four verbal commitments from top 100 wrestlers; however, none is ranked in the upper-half. Those commits come from lightweight No. 54 Sammy Alvarez (St. Joseph Montvale, N.J.), lowerweight No. 75 Kai Orine (Seckman, Mo.), along with upperweights in No. 77 Owen Trephan (Blair Academy, N.J.) and No. 97 Christian Knop (Alexandria, Ala.). 9. Penn A seeming re-prioritization of the wrestling program with Roger Reina taking over again as head coach plus the significant donation made by Josh Harris shows itself in the strong start to 2019 recruiting for the Quakers. Three top 100 wrestlers have verbally committed, each coming from what would have to be viewed as the core recruiting footprint. No. 26 Michael Colaiocco (Blair Academy, N.J.) fits in as a lowerweight, No. 41 Lucas Revano (Camden Catholic, N.J.) is a lower-to-middleweight, while No. 78 Cole Urbas (State College, Pa.) is an upperweight 10. Wisconsin Athletic Director Barry Alvarez made a bold and very smart hire in Chris Bono as head coach after Barry Davis chose to retire at the end of the 2018 NCAA Division I wrestling tournament. So far Bono has been spot-on in promoting and branding the program, and is off to a strong start in providing a clear injection of high-end talent for the Badgers wrestling program. Two of the three top 100 verbal commitments are from in-state wrestlers in lightweight No. 33 Eric Barnett (Hortonville) and No. 72 Joshua Otto (Arrowhead); Barnett was a flip, as the Junior National freestyle champion had verbally committed to North Carolina earlier in the process. The third commitment comes from No. 61 Peter Christensen (Montini Catholic, Ill.), a projected upper-weight Other schools with a pair of top 100 verbal commitments to date: Iowa State: No. 9 Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) and No. 45 Aden Reeves (Albia, Iowa) Stanford: No. 11 Jaden Abas (Rancho Bernardo, Calif.) and No. 95 Dawson Sihavong (Bullard, Calif.) Northern Iowa: No. 14 Parker Keckeisen (Nicolet, Wis.) and No. 89 Kyle Gollhofer (Woodland, Ga.) Iowa: No. 24 Abe Assad (Glenbard North, Ill.) and No. 50 Zach Glazier (Albert Lea, Minn.) Rutgers: No. 29 Joseph Aragona (Pope John II, N.J.) and No. 63 Robert Kanniard (Wall Township, N.J.) Oklahoma: No. 31 Jake Stiles (Montini Catholic, Ill.) and No. 40 Sam Dover (St. Edward, Ohio) North Carolina: No. 34 Gabriel Tagg (Brecksville, Ohio) and No. 38 Devin Winston (Park Hill, Mo.) Old Dominion: No. 43 Alex Cramer (Grayslake Central, Ill.) and No. 69 Anthony Molton (Lockport Township, Ill.) The ten top 50 wrestlers yet to verbally commit: No. 5 Carson Kharchla (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio) No. 13 Ridge Lovett (Post Falls, Idaho) No. 15 Carter Starocci (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.) No. 16 Brevin Balmeceda (South Dade, Fla.) No. 25 Christopher Foca (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) No. 27 Julian Chlebove (Northampton, Pa.) No. 30 Ryan Reyes (Clovis West, Calif.) No. 42 Jackson Turley (St. Christopher's, Va.) No. 48 Tyler Curd (Oak Grove, Mo.) No. 49 Ronald Tucker, Jr. (Lockport Township, Ill.)

Henry Cejudo with his UFC belt Think you had a rough weekend? Olympic gold medalist and newly crowned UFC flyweight champ Henry Cejudo lost his MMA belt during a flight to Moscow this past weekend. No, Cejudo did not lose the belt in a bout on board the airplane … but, in a much more common way that affects mere mortals as a well as champion MMA fighters and former wrestlers: the belt was inside his luggage which the airline misplaced. "Unfortunately, my belt is in my luggage," Cejudo told reporters. "So now, on top of my gold medal, now it's my belt. I don't know what it is about gold. I can't keep it." Cejudo lost his Olympic gold medal -- won in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 Bejing Games -- last fall when he had to flee his Santa Rosa, Calif. hotel in the middle of the night because of wildfires surrounding the hotel. The 31-year-old escaped with minor injuries. "Let's be honest, material comes and goes. It's the memories, it's the legacy that comes with being a champion," Cejudo said. "I'm going to get a gold medal back. I'm going to get a belt back. But it's the memories that come with that that makes it special." This morning, Cejudo posted a video on Instagram showing that he had recovered his luggage with his championship belt inside. Cejudo took possession of the UFC flyweight (125-pound) championship belt in August with a split decision over Demetrious Johnson at UFC 227, ending the five-year title reign of the fighter known as "Mighty Mouse."

Andrew Berreyesa celebrates after winning in the semifinals (Photo/Kadir Calinska) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- For the second year in a row the United States has a world finalist at the Junior World Championships in Greco-Roman, one day after two wrestlers fell in the semifinals. Andrew Berreyesa reached the gold-medal match at 82 kilograms, edging Muhutdin Saricicek of Turkey 2-2 on criteria in the semifinals on Tuesday. A year ago, USA put two wrestlers in the world finals in Greco-Roman, Kamal Bey and Cevion Severado. It marks the first time since 1999-2000 that USA has had Junior world finalists in consecutive years in Greco-Roman. "Last year as a Junior I just really told myself, 'This is your only opportunity for this Junior World Championships," Berreyesa said in his post-match interview following his semifinal victory. "You can't waste it. The last weeks I've just been building into this moment." Berreyesa, a Nevada native who attends Cornell University, opened the scoring in the semifinals by countering a throw and securing a takedown to grab a 2-0 lead. A short time later Saricicek inched closer, scoring off a passivity to cut the deficit to 2-1. In the final period, Saricicek scored another point off a passivity to make the score 2-2, but Berryesa led on criteria and held on for the narrow victory. Earlier in the day Berreyesa notched wins over Italy's Simone Fidelbo and Uzbekistan's Abubakr Alimov. Berreyesa will face three-time age group world champion Aleksandr Komarov of Russia in the finals on Wednesday. The finals are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET). "He's never wrestled me," Berreyesa said of Komarov. "It's easy to win a world championship, I guess, when I've never wrestled him. It'll be fun. I've watched film on him. I've prepared for him. I'm probably going to talk with my coaches, text back to Ahad (Javansalehi) tonight. I know what he does. It's just going out there and doing it." Berreyesa's semifinal victory was not the only highlight for Team USA in Tuesday's final session. Cohlton Schultz, a Cadet world champion in Greco-Roman last year, claimed a bronze medal at 130 kilograms, defeating Ante Milkovic of Croatia 7-1. Schultz gave up the first point of the match off a step out, but came back strong with seven unanswered points. Schultz's lone loss in the tournament came to David Ovasapyan of Armenia 2-1 in the semifinals. Kamal Bey, a 2017 Junior world champion, finished fifth at 77 kilograms, losing in the bronze-medal match to Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan 8-1. It was a rematch of last year's Junior World finals match at 74 kilograms won by Bey 16-11. At 60 kilograms, Taylor LaMont, a 2016 Junior world bronze medalist, won his opening match against Galym Kabdunassaro of Kazakhstan 5-1, but fell in his second match to Ararat Manucharyan of Armenia 7-3. He was eliminated when Manucharyan lost in the quarterinals. Peyton Omania (67 kilograms), Tyler Dow (72 kilograms) and Chad Porter (97 kilograms) all dropped their opening matches and were not pulled back into repechage.

Kamal Bey (Photo/Max Rose-Fyne, United World Wrestling) TRNAVA, Slovakia -- U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers Kamal Bey and Cohlton Schultz -- both group world champions in 2017 -- fell one match short of reaching gold-medal matches on Monday at the Junior World Championships in Trnava, Slovakia. Bey and Schultz will wrestle for bronze medals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET). Bey, a returning Junior world champion, fell 7-1 to Russia's Islam Opiev in the semifinals at 77 kilograms. The two wrestlers traded passivity points in the first period, with Bey scoring first followed by Opiev. The Russian broke the match open in the second period, scoring first off a gut wrench to go up 3-1 with 1:30 remaining. In the final 30 seconds, Opiev capitalized on Bey's aggression, scoring a takedown and a gut wrench to win by six. Opiev was a 2015 Cadet European champion and placed 26th at last year's Junior World Championships. Bey opened his competition with a 9-1 victory and followed it up with two falls to reach the semifinals. Cohlton Schultz (Photo/Max Rose-Fyne, United World Wrestling) Schultz, who claimed a Cadet world title last summer in Greco-Roman, dropped a 2-1 decision to Junior European bronze medalist David Ovasapyan of Armenia in the semifinals at 130 kilograms. Ovasapyan scored first off a passivity in the opening period and extended his lead to 2-0 after getting a step-out point early in the second period. Schultz would cut the deficit to 2-1 after a passivity point midway through the second period, but the Armenian held on for the narrow victory. Schultz, the nation's No. 2 senior recruit by InterMat, had falls in his first two matches before losing in the semifinals. Americans Brady Koontz (55 kilograms), Alston Nutter (63 kilograms) and Barret Hughes (87 kilograms) all dropped their opening matches at the Junior World Championships. Nutter was pulled back into repechage and will face Hrachya Poghosyan of Armenia, a 2016 Cadet world bronze medalist, tomorrow morning.

Bryce Abbey Bryce Abbey, four-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler, will be making his second appearance as a contestant on the CBS reality series "TKO: Total Knock Out" hosted by comedian Kevin Hart this Friday, Sept. 21. Abbey, who wrestled at the University of Nebraska-Kearney from 2002-05, earned $50,000 in his first appearance on the show back in August. Here's what Abbey -- now an administrator at his college alma mater -- posted to Facebook: "I can finally say that my chance at $100,000 in the #TKO - Battle Royale on #CBS will be next Friday September 21st! Show starts at 8pm Central (subject to change)! Watch and see if I can hit Kevin Hart with another Russian tie." Here's how CBS describes the series at its official website: "TKO: Total Knock Out features people from all walks of life, where one player races through daunting obstacles while four other contestants are manning battle stations along the course, firing over-the-top projectiles in an attempt to knock them off and slow them down. It's a physical and funny 'us versus them' scenario, with the fastest finisher winning a cash prize." On the episode aired Aug. 17, Abbey got through an obstacle course faster than the four other contestants on that episode. By scoring the fastest time on that episode, Abbey won a $50,000 cash prize. Because his time stacks up as one of the five fastest for the season, he qualified to compete in a "Battle Royale" for a chance at an additional $100,000 prize. Abbey's wrestling background served him well in the physical challenges presented in the August episode of "TKO." The Goodland, Kansas native -- who wrestled at 125 pounds for the Lopers -- is one of six UNK wrestlers to earn NCAA All-American honors four times, placing no lower than fifth at four national championships. What's more, Abbey ranks second on the school's all-time wins list with 134 victories, just behind two-time U.S. Olympian Tervel Dlagnev. Abbey was a member of four teams that placed in the top 10 at the Division II Championships, including a runner-up finish in 2003, and helped the Lopers win the national duals that year. For all his on-the-mat accomplishments, Abbey was inducted into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. Abbey currently serves as UNK's Employee Health and Wellness Director and is an assistant professor in the Kinesiology and Sport Science department. He and his family reside in Kearney.