InterMat Staff

Macey Kilty (Photo/Martin Gabor, United World Wrestling) ZAGREB, Croatia -- Two years after having to settle for World bronze medal, Macey Kilty dominated in the 69 kg finals to claim a Cadet World title in the final bout of women's competition of the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, on Friday night. "I just really wanted to win," Kilty said. "I didn't really focus on the outcome. It was more of taking it one match at a time and scoring points." Taking on two-time Cadet European medalist Julia Fridlund of Sweden, Kilty used her go-behinds as her main weapon, scoring two of her three takedowns on a go-behind. Kilty regrouped after trailing 2-2 on criteria at the break but put up two takedowns and was awarded one on a caution from Fridlund for an eventual 7-3 win. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Eli Stickley (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Eli Stickley, University of Wisconsin wrestler with wrestling roots at the famed St. Paris Graham High School in Ohio, was killed in a single-vehicle crash in western Illinois Thursday evening. Stickley was 21. A 2004 Nissan Frontier, driven by Stickley, was headed westbound on I-74 just south of the Quad Cities Thursday at about 8:20 p.m. when it left the road near the Andover exit. Illinois State Police report that the vehicle left the roadway, travelled into the right-hand ditch, over-corrected and rolled across both westbound lanes of traffic. It came to rest on its passenger's side in the passing lane of I-74. The driver, Elijah D. Stickley of Urbana, Ohio, and his passenger were transported to Illini Hospital in the Quad Cities where Stickley was pronounced dead, according to the Rock Island Argus-Dispatch. The condition of his passenger, who has not been identified, was not available Friday afternoon. Stickley launched his collegiate wrestling career with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2015, competing unattached and taking a redshirt in his first season. Wrestling at 141 pounds in 2017-18, Stickley compiled a 21-14 record. He automatically qualified for the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships by finishing sixth at the Big Ten Conference tournament. "The world lost a really good kid," Badgers coach Chris Bono told the Wisconsin State Journal, the community newspaper serving Madison, home of the flagship University of Wisconsin campus. Bono, who took the helm of the UW mat program this past March, told the paper that, as he made his calls to inform team members of Stickley's death, he asked one wrestler if there were any teammates with whom Stickley was especially close that needed extra help in the aftermath. "He said, 'Coach, I don't think there was one guy on the team that ever had one problem with this guy,'" Bono said. "That's the kind of kid he was." Prior to coming to Wisconsin, Stickley wrestled at nationally-ranked Graham High School in tiny St. Paris in far western Ohio, where he won the 120-pound Division II state title in 2014 with a 50-3 record. Stickley's family has a long history with Badgers wrestling. His uncle, Congressman Jim Jordan, won back-to-back NCAA titles in 1985 and 1986 while at Wisconsin. Another uncle, Jeff Jordan, wrestled for UW from 1983 to 1986. Stickley's cousin, Isaac Jordan, competed for UW from 2012 to 2017. Coach Bono said the team is away from campus for the Fourth of July holiday, but will return to Madison next week. "I think that's when it'll really hit home, when everybody's together," he said. "Eli was great, man," Bono continued. "There was not one single thing you could say that was bad about this guy in the three months that I was with him. We just had camp a couple weeks ago. I got to spend 24 hours a day with him at camp, being in the dorms with him. He's a great, great, great person." Services have yet to be announced. The crash that killed Eli Stickley was not far from the location of a fatal wreck also on I-74 in western Illinois in Dec. 2017 which killed Gabe Tudor, 24, former heavyweight wrestler at St. Cloud State University, an NCAA Division II school in Minnesota. Tudor was on his way home to Peoria, Ill. from Minnesota.

Our hearts are heavy today. The entire Badger Athletics family extends its most heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of junior Eli Stickley, a student-athlete with our wrestling team, who passed away last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with Eli's family, friends, teammates and coaches.

Mike Duroe at the Freestyle World Cup (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The last time I saw Mike Duroe was in the final month of his life. I was walking briskly down a hallway while covering the Final X wrestling event last month in Lincoln, Neb., and I heard my name called out. "Sesker!" the voice boomed. "Aren't you going to even say hello to me?" I quickly turned around and there was Duroe, grinning ear-to-ear. He was weak and frail, and was walking with a cane, but that same Duroe spirit and enthusiasm was on full display. "How you been, Craig?" Duroe asked. "I miss you, man. Great to see you." "Great to see you, too," I responded. "How are you doing?" "Well, I got this brain cancer that's trying to take me down, as you know," he said. "I already made it farther than they said I would, so I might as well keep living." We both shared a laugh before Duroe said: "I need to find Gilman and tell him something before his next match." That simple exchange was a microcosm of the amazing man that was Mike Duroe. A great sense of humor, a strong wit, a caring persona and a coach who was always trying to help his athletes. Even when he knew his days on this planet were numbered. I received an early morning Facebook message today from long-time Cornell employee Dick Simmons informing me that Mike had passed away. Duroe had a huge impact on wrestling not only in the United States, but on the international level as well. I traveled all over the world with Duroe, eating breakfast with him in Russia, finding bracket sheets for him in Turkey and having a cold beverage with him after a tournament in Brazil. He has always had a huge passion and commitment for the sport of wrestling. He coached at the Division I level, he helped coach the U.S. women to their only world team title and he made significant contributions as a coach for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Duroe was in the corner coaching Tom Brands when he won an Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta. For the past 13 seasons, he served as the head coach at Cornell College and excelled at the NCAA Division III level. He's the winningest coach in Cornell's storied school history. It was shocking to hear the news late last year that Duroe was battling brain cancer. Even though he was in his early 60s, Duroe was as physically fit as someone in their 20s with a strong, chiseled physique. Mike was one of the best people I've ever met in wrestling. He was as competitive and as fiery as anybody, but he was a genuinely good, honest, decent man who was very friendly and respectful. He was an intelligent guy whose opinions were never in short supply. He was not afraid to speak his mind and fight for something he believed in. Five minutes into the seeding meeting at the 2012 Olympic Trials at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Duroe got into a shouting match with another coach about where a wrestler should be seeded. When the meeting ended, I spotted the same two coaches standing together while telling stories and laughing. As we all know, cancer is a cruel, unforgiving and awful disease. I lost my father to pancreatic cancer 11 months ago. It breaks my heart to think of what Mike and his family have endured. He has two children under the age of 10. Duroe's legacy will live on. He was a guy who never took a day for granted and had a huge zest for life. That is something I will always remember about him. Fittingly, the last night Duroe served as a coach he was successful. He was in Lincoln in early June to support Thomas Gilman, who made his second straight world team that night. Duroe also was in Paris last year when Gilman won a silver medal at the World Championships. Gilman possesses the same type of fight, heart and spirt that Duroe did. When I wrote an article back in December that broke the news of Duroe's condition, one of the first people I heard from was Mike Duroe himself. He called to thank me for the heartfelt article I had written on him. We talked for about 30 minutes and I remember him delivering a message that stuck with me: "They say that I can't beat this, but I want to make history and be the first to do it," Duroe said with a laugh. "I'm going to fight like hell to beat this. I've got too much to live for." When I saw Duroe six months later in Lincoln, he was still as positive and upbeat as ever despite his physical condition worsening significantly. As we parted ways that night, I extended my right arm to shake his hand and Duroe swatted my arm away and opened his arms. "Give me a hug, brother -- I might not see you again," he said. "You're a good friend and you make this world a better place." Those are the words I would use to describe Duroe. He was one of a kind. Even in his darkest days, he could make everyone around him feel better. Duroe was one of the most passionate, intense and driven people I've ever met. And also one of the most likeable, kind and generous. I'm among a countless number of people who he's had a positive and lasting impact on. It is an honor and a privilege to call him a friend. Mike Duroe definitely will be missed. But he certainly won't be forgotten. 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.

Mike Duroe coaching Brent Metcalf at the Pan American Olympic Qualifier (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Mike Duroe, long associated with coaching wrestling at all levels -- most recently as head wrestling coach at Cornell College of Iowa -- passed away early Friday morning at his home in Marion, Iowa after a nearly year-long battle with brain cancer. He was 63. Duroe's coaching career spanned nearly four decades, and incorporated high school, collegiate, national, and world levels. He had served as an assistant to the U.S. Men's Freestyle coaching staff in six Olympics (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016) as well as head coach of Guam's freestyle wrestling team in 2008. Duroe was also a member of the U.S. coaching staff for the Pan American Games in 2003 and 2007, and was named Volunteer Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) in 2006 and 2007. For the past 13 seasons, Duroe had coached the Cornell Rams, becoming the winningest coach in the Mount Vernon, Iowa-based school's storied wrestling history. (Cornell College owns the distinction of being the smallest school to win an NCAA team title, in 1947.) He was coach during the program's top six dual-win seasons. Since arriving in 2005, Duroe and his Rams had compiled a 139-92-2 dual-meet record, with 44 NCAA Division III championships qualifiers, 19 All-Americans, five NCAA finalists, and one national champion. Duroe is a member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame. In January 2018, Duroe was presented the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Iowa Chapter for his 38 years of commitment to the sport. Prior to coming to Cornell, Duroe was head coach at Northern Michigan University, head coach at New Trier (Ill.) High School in suburban Chicago, an assistant at the University of Pennsylvania and head coach of the Northwestern University Wildcat Wrestling Club. Born in Charles City, Iowa in 1955, Duroe wrestled for the now-defunct mat program at Drake University in Des Moines, where he was a four-year letterwinner and two-time team captain for the Bulldogs. Duroe competed four years on the U.S. freestyle national team (1981-84) and was crowned National AAU Freestyle champion in 1983. Duroe had made public his diagnosis in September 2017. The past few months has been something of a long goodbye, with wrestlers, fellow coaches and others in the sports world paying tribute. "We lost a giant in the sport of wrestling today," said Cornell Athletics Director Keith Hackett in a statement issued Friday. "Mike Duroe was without question one of the finest and most dedicated men in the sport at any level. He developed love of the sport in hundreds, if not thousands, of young athletes and taught them as much about leading a good and successful life as he did about the sport of wrestling. We will all miss him very much." "Sad to hear about Mike Duroe passing," Nick Mitchell, head wrestling coach of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) national champion program at Iowa's Grand View University, told the Des Moines Register. "He was a great guy who always made time to catch up at every event we'd see each other at. I hope to make the same kind of impact on the sport that Coach Duroe has." Mike Duroe is survived by his partner Lisa Ikola and children Benson and Adyson. Cornell College has said it plans a public memorial tribute to Mike Duroe sometime this fall.

The Cadet World Championships are underway in Zagreb, Croatia, and many of the United States' top 15-17-year-old talent made the journey to represent the Stars and Stripes. The early results have been promising, with Team USA carrying home a runner-up team finish in freestyle, while women's wrestling has at least one champion with four more competing for gold on Friday. Iran, the team champions in freestyle, won their first team title in 22 years. That's not a fluke. While the United States has poured money into freestyle development, Iran had been lacking a well-organized national development approach. Then, in 2016 Rasoul Khadem left his post as the head of the freestyle team and took up the job of federation president. One of his first actions was developing a meritocracy among the youth -- the better you performed and more you performed the more opportunities you were given. Khadem's approach has ruffled more than a few feathers back in Iran (look at this year's senior World Team Trials for evidence of frustrations), but overall the system seems to be working. Investment in the youth has led to somewhat immediate returns. The same could be said for USA Wrestling and the attention paid to the early development of the men's freestyle team. Brandon Slay, Bill Zadick and now Kevin Jackson have been instrumental in developing the young talent in the United States and getting them ready for the world stage. The job is much more than showing techniques, and typically requires a mind for scheduling and partnering up Cadet and Junior-level wrestlers with the right training opportunities and overall career development. While the women's program is performing well, there is still work to be done. The interaction between USA Wrestling and the women's college programs needs further development. The youth wrestlers will need more direction and career orientation to make sure they are capitalizing on every available opportunity. To be sure, there is already the mechanisms in place, but additional or new staff would help motivate some of the college-level programs to buy in to the national system and get Terry Steiner more quality athletes competing at all levels. If the United States women's team's goal is to surpass Japan on the mats, then it's necessary to have leadership to provide end-to-end developmental protocol for the program. With Japan sure to keep improving, there may not be a more challenging, or rewarding, job in all of wrestling than being the grassroots architect of that effort. To your questions … Jim Jordan was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014 (Photo/Larry Slater) Q: You won't want to answer this, but explain to me the situation with Jim Jordan at Ohio State. Who are the former wrestlers accusing him? Why him and not the head coach? -- @german663 Foley: The story is still unfolding, but for an overview of the incident and recent accusation readers can lean on here and this for context. The congressman is not being accused of sexual misconduct, but of falling short in not reporting the abuse of athletes by Dr. Strauss, or worse, covering up the matter. What makes the story compelling is two-fold. First, the recent scandal at USA Gymnastics and the known predatory behavior of Dr. Strauss lends at least situational credibility to the idea that a coach at a major university may have known something about abuse and not reported it to the proper authorities. Generally, the idea of an institutional coverup is not a foreign concept, nor as we've recently learned, is it unlikely in these types of cases. The second is that Rep. Jordan is seeking to become the House Speaker for the remainder of the 2018-2019 congress. That campaign (a painful game of DC-insider baseball) was never given much promise of success, but these accusations make it much less likely that rank-and-file would want to attach themselves to the congressman's campaign when there is little to gain outside of the power-brokering in DC. There is enough for anyone to report, but where the story gets into twists and turns is in the accusations themselves, which as of now have been mostly anonymous. Unlike the Nassar case where hundreds of young women stepped forward with detailed accusations, the Strauss cases have not been as detailed or robust. Many of the victims are reported to be male and are now in their 40's and 50's -- assuming the accusations are true there is much lower rate of reporting by men of this category. The main wild card is that the accusations are being led by Michael DiSabato, who has a long and at times confrontational relationship with the wrestling community and the Jordan family. I don't wish to adjudicate the validity of the claims from my office desk, because I don't have all the facts and I think there is context which makes this case dangerous for anyone picking sides. The case of Denny Hastert -- fairly or unfairly -- looms over this case. The former Speaker was found to have molested young boys while a wrestling coach in Illinois in the 1970's and then paid off families of the accusers well into the aughties. The payoffs are what got him but were it not for that fraud investigation (pulling $9,900 out of the bank every two weeks is suspicious) there is almost no chance anyone would have believed the accusers. That includes me. I interned for the Speaker for two years while in college and though I had limited interactions with him from my front office position, there was a sense that he was one of the good guys in DC. He was well-respected for candor and honesty, all the while holding on to his secret past as pedophile and rapist. As for why not Russ Hellickson, I can only guess the motives, but certainly as I already covered, Rep. Jordan is a high-profile individual looking to become the third-most powerful person in the United States, making his involvement more relevant to the larger audience. Still, I can't speak to the individual motivations of those making the accusations. Let's see how this plays out, but for certain these claims have seemed to sink Jordan's hopes for attaining the Speakership in 2018. Q: I heard Chael Sonnen on a recent podcast mention that USA Wrestling implemented a rule in 1993 that wrestlers cannot compete on the U.S. World Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He wasn't sure if the rule had changed. Do you know? Had Adam Coon beaten Nick Gwiazdowski, could he have wrestled both freestyle and Greco in Budapest? -- Mike C. Foley: Chael Sonnen is entertaining, but the man almost never has his facts straight. Yes, Coon could have competed in both styles. No, that was never a hard-and-fast rule. Q: What do you think about Lander University naming R.C. LaHaye as head wrestling coach? Exciting times in South Carolina. -- @hillcrestwrst Foley: Expansion at the smaller divisions has been a boon to programs in the South, including South Carolina. Hiring a successful coach that meets the needs of your program is always the goal and from what I'm reading the state's wrestling population, and other stakeholders, seem to feel they've found the best fit for their program. Very exciting indeed! GEOGRAPHICAL POINT OF CONTENTION By Jim F. I enjoyed reading your reflections on Chinese cities Taiyung and Xhinzhou, and how wrestling is part of the culture. Having wrestled in the Lehigh Valley many moons ago, I can really appreciate that (although the LV comes up short on the statue front). A minor but-personal point of contention: You note that Xhinzhou is the epicenter of Chinese wrestling, kind of like Easton, Pennsylvania, being the epicenter of U.S. wrestling. Although Easton historically has had a very powerful high school wrestling team, the epicenter of wrestling is just west on Rt 22: Bethlehem. In addition to very good high school teams (at least back in the day), Bethlehem has Lehigh University, with its renowned program, training center and summer camps. And for added fun, Bethlehem and Lehigh host the National Prep Wrestling Championships every single year. Enjoy your China trip, and safe travels! SPECIAL SHOUT OUT InterMat owner/editor Andrew Hipps is getting wedded this weekend! There are a lot of platitudes thrown out about kindness, but Andrew is the nicest guy I've ever met in the sport. He's Minnesota nice. Andrew works hard, loves wrestling and is dedicated to improving both InterMat and those who work on the site. He's a great friend and will make for a caring and present husband. Congrats, Andrew!

Emily Shilson won the world title at 43 kilograms (Photo/Martin Gabor, United World Wrestling) ZAGREB, Croatia -- After going home disappointed with a Cadet world silver medal in 2017, Emily Shilson dominated her way to the top of the podium and was crowned Cadet world champion at 43 kilograms in Zagreb, Croatia, on Thursday evening. "I'm feeling great!" Shilson said. "I've been working since last year nonstop for this moment and it finally paid off. I just wanted to go out and wrestle my match and do what I know I'm capable of doing. I didn't want it to be like last year." Shilson, a two-time Cadet Pan American champion, knocked off 2017 Cadet world champion Shahana Nazarova of Azerbaijan for the title. Nazarova struck first with a takedown in the opening seconds to take a 2-0 lead into the second period. The Azeri extended her lead to 4-0, executing a double, but while Nazarova was looking for a turn, Shilson snuck on top and worked that famous Minnesota gut wrench. Shilson tacked on six turns for a 14-4 technical fall. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Jim Jordan (Photo/WP Company LLC ) Jim Jordan, Republican Congressman from Ohio and Hall of Fame wrestler for University of Wisconsin, denied reports Tuesday that he "turned a blind eye" to alleged sexual abuse perpetrated against students by an Ohio State wrestling team doctor when the lawmaker was on the coaching staff at the university more than two decades ago, according to multiple media reports. "Congressman Jordan never saw any abuse, never heard about any abuse, and never had any abuse reported to him during his time as a coach at Ohio State," Ian Fury, a spokesperson for Jordan, told Fox News. "He has not been contacted by investigators about the matter but will assist them in any way they ask, because if what is alleged is true, the victims deserve a full investigation and justice." Jordan, an NCAA wrestling champ for Wisconsin in the early 1980s, was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State from 1986 to 1994, serving under head coach Russ Hellickson, while earning a master's degree in education at Ohio State and later a law degree from Capital University in Columbus before launching his political career in 1994. As InterMat reported in April, Ohio State had launched an investigation regarding allegations that Dr. Richard Strauss, the Buckeye wrestling team doctor from the mid-1970s into the late 1990s, may have engaged in inappropriate or illegal behavior. The school had reached out to former student-athletes and others who may have suffered or witnessed abuse at the hands of Strauss. The Ohio state attorney general's office has also launched an investigation. Strauss died in 2005, reportedly of a suicide. Three former wrestlers told NBC News that it was common knowledge that Strauss showered regularly with the students and inappropriately touched them during appointments. They said it would have been impossible for Jordan to be unaware; one wrestler said he told Jordan directly about the abuse. Former Ohio State wrestler Mike DiSabato made allegations against Strauss which prompted the school to open its investigation. "Doc Strauss was a serial groper," DiSabato told USA Today. "Everyone knew, including Jim." DiSabato told NBC he reached out to Jordan this year, before going to the university, to tell the west Ohio congressman that he planned to go public with his allegations, saying he was concerned Ohio State might "sweep the allegations under the rug" and wanted Jordan to confirm his story. Jordan told him to "please leave me out of it," DiSabato said. "He asked me not to get him involved." "I considered Jim Jordan a friend," DiSabato said. "But at the end of the day, he is absolutely lying if he says he doesn't know what was going on." DiSabato, whose allegations against Strauss prompted Ohio State to open its investigation, called Jordan a "liar." Another former Buckeye wrestler described his encounters with Dr. Strauss with NBC News. "I remember I had a thumb injury and went into Strauss' office and he started pulling down my wrestling shorts," ex-wrestler Dunyasha Yetts told NBC. "I'm like, what the f--- are you doing? And I went out and told Russ and Jim what happened. I was not having it. They went in and talked to Strauss." Russ is Russ Hellickson, the head coach at the time. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday. However, according to NBC, Hellickson said in a recent video -- made by DiSabato -- that he had told Strauss that he was being too "hands on" with students. "I said, 'You make the guys nervous when you shower with them,'" Hellickson said in the video. "His response was, 'Coach, you shower with your guys all the time.' And I said, 'Not for an hour, Doc.'" Yetts, who wrestled for Ohio State in 1993 and 1994, told NBC he and his teammates talked to Jordan numerous times about Strauss. "For God's sake, Strauss's locker was right next to Jordan's and Jordan even said he'd kill him if he tried anything with him," Yetts said. As NBC pointed out, Yetts admitted he served 18 months in prison for bilking investors out of nearly $2 million. "I am not a perfect person, but ask any of the wrestlers and they will tell you everybody knew about Doc," said Yetts. As for Jordan, Yetts said, "He's a great guy. We would have all these great talks with him and he talked about how one day he'd be the president of the United States." "So it's sad for me to hear that he's denying knowing about Strauss," he said. "I don't know why he would, unless it's a cover-up. Either you're in on it, or you're a liar." DiSabato has had his own share of troubles. A small business owner who sold athletic merchandise, among DiSabato's clients was Ohio State, from graduation for years until the university cut off his contract. He sued the school, and was also part of a class action lawsuit against the university, according to Ohio State's student newspaper, The Lantern. Since Ohio State opened its investigation in early April, the investigation has expanded beyond the Buckeye wrestling program to include male student-athletes from 14 sports programs, as well as some individuals who met Strauss while they were in high school. A Los Angeles-based law firm, Perkins Coie, is conducting an independent probe of the matter on behalf of the university's attorneys. Part of the university's investigation includes determining if anyone at Ohio State knew about the allegations and should have reported them. As of last Friday, Jordan had not been questioned by the university-hired lawyers, his spokesman, told NBC. Jordan the wrestler Before entering politics, Jim Jordan crafted a highly successful wrestling career in high school and college. Born in Troy, Ohio in February 1964, James Daniel Jordan attended Graham High School in nearby St. Paris, Ohio, where he was a four-time state champ with a career record of 150-1. After graduating from St. Paris Graham in 1982, Jordan went on to wrestle at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1982-1986. He was twice a Big Ten champ (in 1985 and 1986), and a three-time NCAA All-American, placing sixth in the 134-pound weight class as a sophomore, then won back-to-back NCAA titles. At the 1985 NCAAs, Jordan defeated Oklahoma State's John Smith, 7-4, in the finals… while at the 1986 Nationals, the Badger beat Iowa's Greg Randall, 6-2, for his second title. Jordan's record at UW was 156-28-1. Life after wrestling After his time as an assistant coach at Ohio State, Jordan entered politics, first serving in Ohio State Assembly, then being sworn into the House of Representatives in 2007, serving counties in far-western Ohio roughly between Dayton and Toledo. He is a driving force in the House's Freedom Caucus, a conservative Republican group comprised of approximately three dozen members. In April, when current Speaker of the House Paul Ryan of Wisconsin announced he would not be running for re-election, Jordan was mentioned as a possible successor. Jim Jordan was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla. in 2014 as an Outstanding American, a category which honors individuals from the sport of wrestling whose accomplishments are notable beyond wrestling. In addition, he received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Ohio Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010. UPDATE Jim Jordan's Congressional office is planning to contact U.S. Capitol Police regarding emails received over the past few weeks, his office told CNN late Wednesday. "The source added that the messages were vaguely threatening in nature in part because of the amount of emails sent, and that Jordan did not respond to the emails because he felt the man was 'bullying him,'" according to CNN, which added the most recent email arrived at 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Jordan, at a Fourth of July parade in Fremont, Ohio, told CNN he "never knew of any abuse from Dr. Strauss, plain and simple." "We knew of no abuse, never heard of abuse. If we had, we would have reported it," Jordan said. "If, in fact, there's problems, we want justice for the people who were victims, obviously, and as I said, we are happy to talk with the folks who are doing the investigation. But the things they said about me just were flat-out not true." Meanwhile, a spokesperson for House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, called the accusations against Jordan "serious" and said they should be investigated. "These are serious allegations and issues," Doug Andres told CNN in a statement. "The university has rightfully initiated a full investigation into the matter. The speaker will await the findings of that inquiry."

Ed Scharer, 1960s NCAA All-American and EIWA champ, is one of five athletes who will be welcomed into the Rutgers Athletics Hall of Fame, the State University of New Jersey announced Wednesday. Edward Allan Scharer was a three-time NCAA championships qualifier at heavyweight for the Scarlet Knights from 1962-1964. He earned All-American honors at the 1964 NCAAs, placing sixth in the heavyweight bracket. Sharer had pinned Iowa's Roger Schilling in his opening-round match before eventual champ Joe James – Oklahoma State's first African-American wrestler – knocked him into the consolation bracket, making Scharer one of 16 All-Americans in Rutgers wrestling history. Scharer was a three-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association championships finalist, winning the conference crown in 1962, defeating Army's Dale Kuhns in the finals. He was also team captain as a senior. (Note that Rutgers competed in the EIWA before joining the Big Ten.) Scharer earned a number of honors during his Rutgers mat career, including the team's Wilfred-Conn award, given to the most inspirational Scarlet Knight wrestler, and the John Fletcher Memorial Trophy, given to the wrestler who has scored the most team points at the conference championship event. Sadly, Scharer died in May 2017 after a long battle with cancer. He was 76. In addition to Scharer, other members of the Rutgers Hall of Fame Class of 2018 include former baseball star Doug Alongi, lacrosse standout John Howland, soccer star Carli Lloyd, and swimmer Catherine Whetstone-Battoni. The inductees will be honored during Rutgers' homecoming football game against Northwestern at HighPoint.com Stadium in Piscataway on Saturday, Oct. 20. The Hall of Fame dinner will be held the night before at the East Brunswick Hilton.

Mathew Ramos with the American flag after winning a Cadet world title (Photo/Martin Gabor) ZAGREB, Croatia -- Matthew Ramos spent his Fourth of July atop the Cadet World podium, listening to the U.S. national anthem after being crowned the best in the world at 51 kg on Wednesday in Zagreb, Croatia. "I can't even explain it right now. It's amazing," Ramos said. "I wish I got to my offense more, but I don't even care right now. I'm just so excited…this is just an amazing experience. It's awesome." Ramos took on Kota Takahashi of Japan in the 51-kilogram finals. At the break, the American was up 2-2 on criteria, thanks to a takedown in the first. Takahashi scored a takedown early in the second, and shortly after Ramos was hit with a caution-and-one. In the moments following, a scramble ensued and Ramos stepped over, putting the Japanese to his back and getting the fall in 2:40 to become a World champion. In addition to Ramos, two other wrestlers claimed bronze medals to wrap up USA's men's freestyle competition. Both Alex Facundo and AJ Ferrari overcame deficits late in the match to earn spots on the podium. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Anthony Tutolo (Photo/Kent State Sports Information) EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State wrestling head coach Roger Chandler announced Monday that Anthony Tutolo will join the Spartan program for the upcoming 2018-19 season as a graduate transfer from Kent State. Tutolo's addition to the roster gives the Spartans four returners with NCAA Championships experience, joining senior Austin Eicher, redshirt-sophomore Drew Hughes and sophomore Rayvon Foley. Anthony Tutolo 133 pounds | 5-4 | Mentor, Ohio | Kent State | Lake Catholic HS AT KENT STATE: A two-time NCAA Championships qualifier ... last season earned automatic qualifying spot at the NCAA Championships by finishing third at the MAC Championships ... won opening match at last season's NCAA Championships ... in 2016-17, earned automatic berth to NCAA Championship after posting a sixth-place finish at the MAC Championships ... posted a 29-13 overall and 17-5 dual meet record in 2017-18, ranked No. 26 in the final NCAA Coaches Rankings ... finished KSU career with a 77-45 record ... posted a 4-0 mark at the Virginia Duals, along with a fifth-place finish at the Navy Classic with a 5-1 record ... in 2016-17, won the Navy Classic and the Clarion Open, going 4-0 in both competitions, on the way to ending season leading team with six major decisions ... a two-time MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete award recipient ... named to the NWCA All-Academic Team ... named MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week on Dec. 8, 2016. PREP: Won back-to-back Ohio state titles at 126 pounds at Lake Catholic HS for head coach Jim Ayers ... was a three-time Division II state finalist for the Cougars, finishing as runner-up at 113 pounds as a sophomore ... named Cleveland.com Wrestler of the Year and Lake County News Herald Wrestler of the Year after his senior season ... was a two-time team captain and a three-year letterwinner. PERSONAL: Son of Michael and Connie Tutolo ... lists Adam Koballa as one of his biggest wrestling influences for teaching him how to do things the right way, and Joe Hiles for showing him how to work hard ... hobbies include reading, hiking and playing video games ... will major in communication at MSU.

Nicholas Clark, a New York state trooper who had been a high school state wrestling champ a dozen years ago, was killed in the line of duty early Monday morning near Corning, N.Y. He was 29. Nicholas ClarkClark and others were on a domestic call at approximately 3:30 a.m. Monday. A man at the home, Steve Kiley, 43, a school principal in the area, was found dead with a gunshot wound believed to be self-inflicted. Prior to serving his community as a New York state trooper, Clark had an impressive athletic career in high school and college in both wrestling and football. Clark attended Canisteo-Greenwood High School in Canisteo, in western New York, south of Rochester. He was a two-time New York state wrestling championships finalist, placing second in 2005 before winning the title at 189 pounds in 2006. According to his college bio, Clark was a six-time letterwinner in wrestling at the high school. Clark received a wrestling scholarship to the now-defunct mat program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. According to his wrestling roster bio, the 6'1" Clark compiled a 16-15 overall record as a freshman. Among his first-season highlights: placing second at the SoCon Championships at 197 lbs. and scoring a team-best nine falls that year. Clark's UNCG bio also states that he had been recruited by a trio of universities in New York-Binghamton, Cortland, and Ithaca -- and had worked out at the Apex Wrestling Club in Rochester, N.Y. After one season, Clark transferred to Alfred University not far from his hometown, and where his mother Theresa Gunn is a professor. He was an All-American linebacker while at Alfred, and, in 2012, was invited as a free agent to participate at the spring mini-camp for the NFL Buffalo Bills. His stated goal at that time: a career in professional football. However, Clark found another career where he could use his athleticism: as a state law enforcement officer. He graduated from the New York State Police Academy in 2015. One year ago, he transferred to the Bath barracks to serve the community where he grew up. "He was very proud to serve the citizens that he called friends and neighbors," New York State Police Troop E Commander Major Richard Allen said Monday. "This is a terrible loss for the New York State Police," NYSP First Deputy Superintendent Chris Fiore said at a Monday afternoon news conference in Painted Post attended also by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. At the press conference Gov. Cuomo said, "He wanted to do one thing, to help people." Cuomo directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff in honor of Clark. "We hope that you find peace in this senseless act of violence," he said. "There is no reason, there is no point. It just hurts." Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, of New York's 22nd Congressional District, tweeted Monday afternoon her condolences to the trooper's family and colleagues. "It is at times like these that we come together and pause to extend our gratitude in all law enforcement across the nation who risk their lives every day to protect us and to keep us safe," Tenney said on Twitter. In addition to being survived by his mother Theresa Gunn, Nicholas Floyd Clark is also survived by his father Anthony Clark and younger brother Nathan Clark, and a fiancée. UPDATE JULY 4 Visitation for Nicholas Clark will take place this Saturday from 1:00-6:00 p.m. at the James A. McLane Physical Education Center, Alfred University, 99 N. Main, Alfred, N.Y. Funeral services will take place Sunday at 11:00 a.m. at the same location.

Greg Kerkvliet won a silver medal at the Cadet World Championships (Photo/Martin Gabor, United World Wrestling) ZAGREB, Croatia -- USA's Cadet men's freestyle team collected two silver and one bronze medals in the evening session of Tuesday action at the Cadet World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia. Daniel Greg Kerkvliet and Richard Figueroa finished their 2018 Cadet World Championships with silver medals, and Abe Assad claimed a bronze medal. 2017 world champion Kerkvliet fell short in his quest for a second-consecutive Cadet World title, falling in the 110 kg final. Kerkvliet's opponent, 2018 Cadet Asian champion Amir Zare of Iran, got out to an early lead with a shot clock point and a step out. Kerkvliet was back in it with a strong takedown, but the Iranian's power was too much. Zare scored two more step outs and a takedown to earn an eventual 7-4 win. Kerkvliet is a two-time Cadet world medalist, winning gold in 2017 and taking home silver this year. The Minnesota native will be back in action in September to wrestle for Team USA at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

GREENWOOD -- Lander has tabbed its first wrestling coach as athletics director Brian Reese announced the hiring of R.C. LaHaye on Tuesday. R.C. LaHayeLaHaye brings to Lander an impressive career both as a competitor and coach. LaHaye spent the past four seasons as the associate head coach at Newberry after serving as the first head coach for Grand Canyon's wrestling program for seven years. "Today starts a new chapter for Lander Athletics with the hiring of R.C. LaHaye as our first head wrestling coach," said Reese. "Coach LaHaye brings a deep understanding of the sport and a passion for leading young men. This hire should give Bearcat fans great confidence that bright days are ahead for Lander wrestling." "I would like the thank Brian Reese and President Consentino for the opportunity to start the wrestling program at Lander," LaHaye said. "I couldn't be more excited to hit the ground running and start recruiting the first crop of Bearcat wrestlers." LaHaye played a key role in developing Newberry into a championship contender, helping lead the Wolves to three ECAC championships and an NCAA Super Region Championship in four seasons. Newberry went 41-14 in dual matches during LaHaye's tenure. Prior to arriving at Newberry, LaHaye built the Grand Canyon wrestling program into a national powerhouse. In 2013, LaHaye had the nation's best wrestler in NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year, Tyrell Fortune, who became the Antelopes fourth national champion in three seasons. GCU finished ninth in the team standings, its third straight top-10 finish. Mike Hamel earned NCAA II All-America status. LaHaye has coached 13 NCAA All-Americans. Along with the high marks on the mat, Kyle McCrite, who won a national title in 2012, was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Academic Wrestler of the Year. In 2012, GCU had two national champions and finished third overall. Along with McCrite, Victor Carazo took the top spot at 174. Two other wrestlers, Bobby Ward and Celic Bell, earned All-America honors. The season also saw the team set a new school mark for dual meet victories with 19. In its final four seasons in Division II, GCU compiled a 62-23 dual meet record. LaHaye also excelled as a recruiter at Grand Canyon, compiling a pair of top-five classes in 2011 and 2012. The Antelopes finished seventh in the NCAA Division II championships in 2011, taking seven wrestlers to nationals that year, another program-best. The team also won the 2011 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season championship. The team finished 17-4 in duals -- second most wins in the nation -- and won the final 14 head-to-head battles. LaHaye had a decorated wrestling career at Western State College in Gunnison, Colo. At Western State, he was a 2004 NCAA Division II All-American. He was also a three-time NCAA Academic All-American, three-time NCAA National Qualifier, three-time All-Rocky Mountain Athletic selection, as well as a Colorado Collegiate Champion. He was a member of the 2004 Western State squad that finished fourth in the nation. Born and raised in Payson, Ariz., LaHaye wrestled for Payson High School under Hall of Fame coaches Dennis Pirch and Dave Lamotte. He was a three-time state champion and set a state record for career wins. LaHaye was a two-time High School All-American and team captain for three state championship teams. LaHaye received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Adminstration from Western State College in 2005 and a Masters of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University in 2010.

Mike DePalma EDINBORO, Pa. -- First-year Edinboro wrestling coach Matt Hill today began the task of putting his coaching staff together with the appointment of Mike DePalma as assistant coach. This marks DePalma's first coaching position, but he is no stranger to Edinboro wrestling fans. The native of Jeannette, Pa. wrestled for Edinboro from 2011-13 before transferring to Kent State. He would wrap up his career with the Golden Flashes, earning All-American honors as a senior. Kent State is also where DePalma began his association with Hill. A former Edinboro wrestler himself, Hill served as an assistant coach at Kent during DePalma's time with the Golden Flashes. Hill is now looking forward to watching DePalma evolve as a coach just as he did as a wrestler. "I'm very happy to have the opportunity to have Mike on my staff," related Hill. "I've known Mike since he's been in high school and I always liked his demeanor and passion towards the sport of wrestling. Mike is a former Fighting Scot and also wrestled for me at Kent State. He a true student of the sport and I can't wait to see him progress as a coach now. After graduating from Kent State, DePalma has spent the last two years as a resident athlete at The Ohio State University Ohio Regional Training Center. He trained under World Team member Tervel Dlagnev, and competed in numerous international freestyle wrestling competitions. That included in competing in both the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Opens. DePalma wrestled for Kent State for three seasons, compiling a 76-48 record while starting at 149 lbs. He capped his career with an All-American performance at the 2016 NCAA Division I National Championships. He finished fifth at 149 lbs., going 6-2 with wins over the number four, five and nine seeds. He was a three-time national qualifier for the Golden Flashes. 20838DePalma wrapped up his final season with a 29-9 record. He won the Mid-American Conference championship while leading the team with 15 bonus-point victories. As a redshirt junior in 2014-15, DePalma was 21-19, placing third at the MAC Championships. He was 26-20 in his first season with the Golden Flashes in 2013-14, again placing third at the MAC Championships. He went 2-2 at Nationals, including a win over seventh seed Gus Sako of Virginia. He totaled 11 wins over nationally-ranked opponents. As a Fighting Scot, DePalma redshirted as a true freshman in 2011-12, going 31-7 while competing at 141 and 149 lbs. The following year he served as the starter at 149 lbs., compiling a 21-12 record while competing primarily at 157 lbs. He finished third at the PSAC Championships and fifth at the EWL Championships. He was named to the 2013 Amateur Wrestling News All-Rookie Team. DePalma graduated from Kent State in May 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.

Three men arrested in the July 2017 murder of two-time European junior freestyle wrestling champion Yury Vlasko of the Russian Federation are about to go to trial, the Russian website RASPI News reported Monday. Yury Vlasko As InterMat reported nearly one year ago, the 20-year-old Vlasko was found dead on the shore of Lake Baikal in Siberia on July 29, 2017, with stab wounds in the neck and chest, one week after winning the junior title in the under 96-kilogram category in competition at Ulan-Ude. Vlasko had reportedly come to the aid of friends who said they were being attacked by locals on the beach. When the brawl ended, Vlasko's bloodied body was found lying on the beach. In August 2017, two men were arrested, charged with murder and detained. One of them admitted his involvement in the sportsman's death but claimed that he was defending himself from the wrestler, according to RAPSI. Investigators, however, doubted this version as it contradicted testimony of witnesses. A third man allegedly involved in the murder was arrested in October 2017. Now the criminal case has been forwarded to court for hearing -- the next step towards a trial -- according to the Investigative Committee's directorate for Russia's Republic of Buryatia.

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Chris Chionuma, former Oklahoma State wrestler and Big XII Conference champion, takes over as Cal Poly's Head Assistant Wrestling Coach, announced Mustang head coach Jon Sioredas on Monday. Chris ChionumaChionuma spent the previous three years at Army West Point, helping guide the Black Knights, who qualified 12 student-athletes to the NCAA Championships in that time. He also served as head coach at Ouachita Baptist University, an NCAA Division II school, which finished fifth at the NCAA Division II National Championships under his leadership. Chionuma has been instrumental in the recent rise of Army West Point wrestling. Having assisted in signing back-to-back top-25 recruiting classes to the military institution, Chionuma is a meticulous recruiter with a keen eye on targeting student-athletes who can also handle the academic rigors. His recruiting experience will transition nicely to Cal Poly, where the average incoming GPA exceeds 4.0. From a student-athlete development standpoint, Chionuma's primary focus will be on the mid to upper weights. His experience in developing the big guys is apparent as nine of the 12 NCAA Division I national qualifiers at Army West Point over the last three years were at weights 157 and above. "Stylistically, he brings a different flavor to the table," said Sioredas. "He competed at Oklahoma State, one of the most storied programs in the history of our sport, under one of the most legendary coaches, John Smith. This excites me, my staff, and our team to have the opportunity to learn from Coach Chionuma. "However, the most important draw to him is his character. He has an infectious personality and lights up the room when he walks in. He is passionate about coaching and aspires to become a head coach. These were all the things that we were looking for when we began to target candidates," Sioredas added. "I cannot be more excited. We have our guy!" Chionuma enjoyed a successful collegiate wrestling career that included three separate NAIA All-America honors while wrestling at Lindenwood University from 2008-11. He also earned an individual national title at 174 pounds at Lindenwood in 2011. Chionuma transferred to Oklahoma State following the 2010-11 season, eventually earning a Big XII championship at 184 pounds during the 2012-13 season. He compiled a 28-10 record with four falls and was a national qualifier on the Oklahoma State team that placed second at the 2013 NCAA Championships. A graduate of Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he was a state champion during his senior season and placed third at state as a junior, Chionuma earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Oklahoma State in 2012. Chionuma replaces Todd Schavrien, who resigned recently after two seasons as Cal Poly's Head Assistant Coach to pursue other opportunities. Chris Chionuma File 2015-18 Assistant Coach at Army West Point 12 National Qualifiers at the NCAA Division I Championships 2014-15 Head Coach at Ouachita Baptist (Arkadelphia, AR) Team finished 5th at the NCAA Division II Championships 2013-14 Graduate Assistant Coach at Ouachita Baptist Team finished 4th at the NCAA Division II Championships 2011-13 Big XII Champion and National Qualifier at Oklahoma State University Team finished 2nd at the Division I NCAA Championships 2008-11 NAIA National Champion at Lindenwood University 3X NAIA All-American 2005-08 Blue Springs High School, Blue Springs, MO 2007 -- Third in state; 2008 State champion

NEW YORK -- Former All-American and Big Ten Finalist Kyle Massey joined the Columbia Wrestling coaching staff as the John Huemer Assistant Coach of Wrestling, announced today by the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Zach Tanelli. Kyle Massey"I am elated to announce the addition of Kyle to our coaching staff," said Tanelli. "His gregarious personality, relentless energy, and unwavering passion will make him an invaluable asset to our program in both the wrestling room and on the recruiting trail. Having known Kyle for 15 years, I have been eager to work alongside him since I began my coaching career. I am pleased to finally be able to do so and know that the inherent trust we have with one another will make for a seamless transition. Kyle will make an immediate impact and quickly help elevate us to another level." "I would like to thank Coach Tanelli for the opportunity to join his coaching staff," said Massey. "There are great things happening at Columbia right now and I'm excited to be a part of this amazing team and incredible support system." Since October of 2015, Massey has spent time as a coach at the Badger Regional Training Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Massey was a volunteer assistant at the University of Michigan during the 2012-13 season, most notably working with three-time All-American and two-time NCAA Finalist Adam Coon. He got his start in coaching as a Volunteer Assistant wrestling coach and strength coach at Wisconsin from 2010-12. The former Badger heavyweight was a Resident Athlete at the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club in Ann Arbor from 2013-15, where he competed internationally at 125-kg. In his post-collegiate career, Massey was a silver medalist at the 2013 Guelph Open. Back at his alma mater, Massey earned an All-American finish at the 2008 NCAA Tournament. He was selected to the NWCA All-Star Classic in the 2008-09 season. Massey completed his collegiate career with an 84-32 record. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Life Science Communications from Wisconsin.

The commonwealth of Virginia has agreed to pay $525,000 to a former Old Dominion University wrestler to settle a lawsuit alleging that coaches failed to provide medical treatment for a series of concussions he suffered in practice at the school in 2014, the Virginian-Pilot reported Friday. As InterMat reported two years ago, Jordan Marshall -- who had wrestled for the Monarchs at 157 pounds -- sued ODU head coach Steve Martin and three assistants for $4 million in May 2016. The wrestler, originally from Ohio, alleged that, as a freshman in 2014, he suffered three concussions in May and June, and that head coach Steve Martin and assistants Mike Dixon, Alex Dolly and Kyle Hutter were negligent in not referring him for diagnosis and treatment and encouraging him not to complain about his injuries or seek medical attention. Rather than let the case go to court, the individuals involved in the suit agreed to mediation and settled on the dollar amount in January 2018. However, as of last week, Marshall had not received the approximately half-million-dollar settlement, so he asked for the case to be re-opened. "It is now over 100 days since the settlement agreement was reached and approaching four months since it was reached and the settlement proceeds have not been forthcoming," the motion said. The case was dismissed with prejudice in May, meaning Marshall cannot file another case making the same claim. The office of the attorney general of Virginia represented the Old Dominion coaches, whose liability insurance is provided by the state, as ODU is a state school. The settlement is subject to administrative formalization before the money can be paid. The motion filed last month said the "premature" dismissal of the case puts Marshall at risk in the event the settlement money is not received or the formalization process "denies, revokes or reduces" the settlement. The attorney general's office, however, said in their response to the motion filed by Marshall that approval of the governor's office was one of the conditions of the settlement, which was reached "in principle." "Counsel for defendants at the office of the attorney general continue to work diligently to obtain the requisite signatures and approvals of the settlement," according to the response issued by the state attorney general. When the settlement is approved, the money will be paid, it said. Old Dominion did not have an immediate comment Friday afternoon, according to the Virginian-Pilot. Marshall, who wrestled for Troy Christian High School in western Ohio north of Dayton, alleged in his lawsuit that he did not start to get treatment for symptoms from the three concussions in spring 2014 until he later began to "convulse, vomit and spit up blood" at a wrestling camp at Virginia's Hampden-Sydney College later that year. Coaches at that camp referred Marshall to ODU's athletic trainer, according to the lawsuit filed in Norfolk Circuit Court. As a result of these concussive injuries and delay of care, Marshall and his attorneys alleged in their 2016 lawsuit that the wrestler sustained "serious and permanent injury in the form of traumatic brain injury, and concussion and brain injury syndrome and symptoms, and other physical and psychological injuries" which would have an impact on his quality of life and earning potential going forward.

Kevin Gilligan, longtime high school teacher and wrestling coach in southern Maryland, died Wednesday, June 27 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. He was 40. Kevin Timothy Gilligan was born in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1978. He grew up in Bryans Road, Md.,graduating among the top 5 in his class from Lackey High School in 1996, and received his Bachelor of Arts in Education from Salisbury State University graduating Suma Cum Laude in December of 1999. Gilligan began his teaching career in Berlin, Md. at Stephen Decatur High School in 2000, spending the next dozen years as head coach of the wrestling team as well as serving as defensive coordinator for the football team, helping to build both programs into top-tier programs in Maryland. During the summer of 2011, Gilligan became a teacher and the head wrestling Coach at Huntingtown High School in Calvert County, Maryland. Over the next 7 years, Kevin built the wrestling program into one of the winningest teams in the state and the most successful athletic program in the school. Success can be measured in ways beyond won-loss records, as evidenced by the impact Kevin Gilligan had on his wrestlers and his students. Trevor Rickett had no plans of wrestling when he entered Stephen Decatur High School in 2003 ... but at his father's insistence, Rickett went out for the sport, and built a lifelong bond with coach Kevin Gilligan. "He made kids believe in themselves," Rickett said to delmarvanow.com. "He was good at taking kids who had no experience and making them believe they could take on the best (wrestlers) in the state. He would take kids who weren't doing good in school, put them in a room and change their lives completely." "For me he was everything," Tristan Ramberg, a 2015 Huntingtown graduate who had never wrestled prior to high school but finished his Hurricanes career as a state finalist and now wrestles at Missouri Valley College. "He got me into the sport that took me to college, where I'm going to graduate with a degree," Ramberg told the Calvert Recorder. He just affected everybody positively. The wrestling teams I was on at Huntingtown were more than teammates. We were brothers..." "It's real hard for me. ... He took me to hundreds of wrestling tournaments over summers just to make me better because that's the kind of guy he was. He just cared about everyone." Gino Sita told of how coach Gilligan helped transform Huntingtown's Dalonte Holland into a 2014 Maryland state champ at 285 pounds. "He was able to turn a brand-new kid who had never been in the sport into a state champ in two years, and I've seen it with Dalonte Holland," said Sita. "Gill has a coaching style to where not only would you get better if you were experienced, but the people who don't know anything will learn. It's never a bad thing to go over the basics again and make sure you perfect it. That's what he was always trying to make sure people understood. The basics win the matches. That's what we went over every day in practice, the basic moves to get the wins. By doing that all the new wrestlers were able to learn and get caught up within weeks." Rich Pauole, La Plata athletic director, described Gilligan as one of his best friends growing up. The two even roomed together at college. "Kevin devoted his adult life to students and athletes providing a family atmosphere that started at home and continued on through our high school and college days," Pauole told the Calvert Recorder. "His mentorship provided his student-athletes with the will to be the best and outwork the competition. He was a selfless man, father, son, coach, teacher and friend. I will miss him dearly and his legacy will be carried on by his family as well as his former students and athletes." Kevin Gilligan is survived by his parents Stephen and Patricia, his siblings Mary Gilligan, Travis Gilligan, Stephen Gilligan, and Molly Wilson, his children Kaela Gilligan and Michael Gilligan, his sister in-law Debi Gilligan (Travis), his brother in-law Zach Wilson (Molly), his three nieces Adrienne Gilligan, Brooklyn Wilson, and Moira Wilson, his nephew in-law Jason Smith (Adrienne), and dear friend Tracey Dolina. Visitation will be held for family and friends on Thursday, July 5 from 5-8 p.m. at Arehart-Echols Funeral Home in La Plata, Md. A funeral mass will follow on Friday, July 6 at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in La Plata. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for contributions to be made to an educational fund that will be set up to help pay for his children's college education.

Joey Davis (Bellator) Former wrestling superstars Ed Ruth, Tyrell Fortune and Joey Davis -- with a total of ten college titles among them -- came out winners at Bellator 201: MacFarlane vs. Lara at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, Calif. Friday night. One fighter with amateur mat credentials -- Ryan Couture, son of Oklahoma State wrestling great and UFC legend Randy Couture -- was on the losing end of a first-round TKO. Ruth "toys with his prey before devouring it" Ed Ruth -- three-time NCAA Division I champ for Penn State -- disposed of veteran Andy Murad with a TKO by punches at 4:59 of the second round of a preliminary bout which served as the former Nittany Lion's debut at welterweight (170 pounds), having fought until now at 185 (middleweight). "Ed Ruth toys with prey before devouring it" was the headline for the write-up at CagedInsider.com. The article described Ruth's pro mixed martial arts career to date as being "like an alpha predator strolling through a herd of unsuspecting dinner." "For nearly two full rounds Murad ate punches. On the feet, it was courtesy of Ruth's one-two combos that repeatedly knocked his head back; on the ground, it was while on all fours as Ruth hammered away.' "The ending sequence came when Ruth began to connect with his punches at will, and Murad did nothing but stumble around." The website MMA Today posed this question: "Could a shot in the upcoming Bellator welterweight Grand Prix be in store for Ruth after this strong showing?" With the win, the 27-year-old Ruth -- who signed with Bellator in May 2015 -- is now 6-0 overall and in Bellator, while Murad drops to 15-3. Good fortune smiles on Tyrell Fortune Tyrell Fortune -- a two-time junior college champ who became an NCAA Division II heavyweight champ for the now-defunct mat program at Arizona's Grand Canyon University -- "dominated an outmatched Giovanni Sarran" (to quote MMAjunkie.com) with a second-round TKO in their preliminary heavyweight bout. "Fortune was patient to start, setting up in the center and calmly walking forward and looking for opening, eventually grabbing a Thai clinch and pushing the action to the cage," MMAjunkie.com continued. "Sarran tried to create space to escape, but Fortune battered him with several big knees inside before changing levels and dragging the action to the canvas. Sarran tried to grab the neck as he fell to his back, but Fortune quickly pulled free and started to deliver massive punches to his grounded opponent." The end came at 4:35 of Round 2. With the win, Fortune now improves to 5-0 as a pro (and 5-0 in Bellator), while Sarran drops to 5-3. Davis remains perfect with unanimous decision Joey Davis, undefeated four-time NCAA Division II champ for Notre Dame College of Ohio, stayed perfect in his young MMA career with a unanimous decision over Craig Plaskett in a welterweight bout. All three judges scored it 30-26 for the former Falcon mat champ. "After proving his wrestling dominance early in round 1, Joey Davis elected to return to his feet and show off his striking skills with a number of spinning back kicks," according to MMA Today. The former ex-NCAA champ Davis sealed round 1 with a second spate of top control and ground-and-pound. The Team Bodyshop rep didn't mess around in the later rounds as he dumped Plaskett right back to the mat…" Davis improves to 4-0 in his burgeoning career, while Plaskett is now 2-3. Ryan Couture TKO victim in co-main event Ryan Couture -- son of Randy Couture, recently installed in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and himself a state placer at the high school state championships in Washington State -- suffered a TKO loss to Saad Awad in the opening round of his lightweight bout at Bellator 201. "Saad Awad had an obvious confidence in his power against Ryan Couture, and he showed why with a first-round TKO win in the Bellator 201 co-main event," according to MMAjunkie.com. "After landing his right hand multiple times in the opening round, Awad connected clean on Couture late in the frame for a resounding TKO finish." The 35-year-old Couture -- who launched his MMA career nearly a decade ago -- is now 11-6 overall, and 3-3 in Bellator, while Awad improves to 23-9 overall, and 11-6 in Bellator competition.

Damion Hahn (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Damion Hahn, two-time NCAA and three-time Big Ten wrestling champ, is one of nine University of Minnesota athletes to be named to the 2018 Hall of Fame class for the school's M Club, one of the nation's largest and oldest varsity letterwinner clubs. Hahn wrestled at Minnesota for head coach J Robinson from 2001-2004. The Lakewood, N.J. native tallied three Big Ten individual conference titles, back-to-back NCAA championships at 197 pounds in 2003 and 2004, and was a four-time NCAA All-American. "Hahn's individual success helped fuel team success as well, a run that included three Big Ten team titles and back-to-back NCAA team championships," according to his biography in the official Minnesota M Club Class of 2018 announcement. Hahn capped off his career with the Gophers with a 118-21 overall record, and the 2004 Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year honors. Since graduating from Minnesota, Hahn has built a successful collegiate coaching career, first at Cornell University in New York serving as an assistant coach, then assistant head coach for a total of a dozen years. Then, just this spring, Hahn was named as head coach at the NCAA Division I program at South Dakota State University. Although the only Golden Gopher wrestler to be named to the M Club this year, Damion Hahn will join 17 other past Minnesota wrestling greats from various eras, including modern-era superstars such as Luke Becker, Chad Kraft, Marty Morgan and teammate Tim Hartung, as well as legends from decades ago, such as Verne Gagne, Leonard "Butch" Levy, and Alan Rice. In addition to Damion Hahn, other University of Minnesota athletes who are members of the Class of 2018 M Club Hall of Fame include Heather (Dorniden) Kampf (Women's Track and Field); Laurence Maroney (Football); Janel McCarville (Women's Basketball); James McLean (Men's Golf); Pam (Miller) Dombeck (Volleyball); Chris Paulos (Softball, Field Hockey); Jim Peterson (Men's Gymnastics) and Justin Smith (Men's Golf). These Gopher greats will be officially added to the more than 350 current members of the Hall of Fame during the M Club Hall of Fame banquet on September 13 in the DQ Club Room at TCF Bank Stadium. "It takes a special athlete to make a college team and earn a letter," said M Club Interim Director Quincy Lewis. "To reach that level, where everyone is exceptional in some way, and then to become a stand out, to break records and earn awards and win championships, that level of greatness is what the nine people entering our Hall of Fame this year represent. The M Club Hall of Fame recognizes the most exceptional individuals in our department's long history. Inclusion in the Hall of Fame is the most prestigious honor Gopher Athletics can present to an alumni athlete. I could not be more proud to present that honor to each person in this year's Hall of Fame class."

Sam Stoll gets his hand raised after a win at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Nearly two weeks ago, University of Iowa heavyweight Sam Stoll told police he had accidentally shot himself in the knee at his home. Now police say that explanation may not have not been completely truthful. On Friday, Iowa City Police charged Stoll with "false report to public entity" for not telling the truth about the June 19 shooting, a simple misdemeanor charge that can result in up to 30 days in the county jail and a fine of up to $625, according to multiple media accounts. Stoll had initially told police that he had shot himself in the knee in the garage at his Iowa City home on June 19 but later said he lied to protect the friend who had fired the shot, according to a police complaint from the Iowa City Police Department. The complaint also states that Stoll lied about where the shooting took place, redacting his original statement to tell police he was shot while playing a prank on a friend at that friend's Iowa City home. Police have not identified the friend and do not anticipate any additional charges at this time. Upon learning of Friday's charge against his senior heavyweight, Hawkeye 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." Sam Stoll just completed his junior year for the Hawkeyes, earning All-American honors at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships by placing fifth in the 285-pound bracket, and being presented with the Gorriarian Trophy for most pins in least amount of time at NCAAs (3 falls/8:50). Other 2017-18 season highlights for the 6'3", 215-pound Kasson, Minn. native: crowned champ at the Midlands Christmastime tournament, and placed fourth at Big Ten Championships, with an overall record of 25-6 this season, including 10 falls - the most for any Hawkeye this year.

Josh Koscheck (Photo/Bellator) In terms of MMA retirees, Josh Koscheck makes it three ... in just four days. In a week that saw Rashad Evans and Johny Hendricks reveal they were stepping away from their mixed martial arts career, Koscheck became the third college-wrestler-turned-MMA-star to make his retirement official. Koscheck -- an NCAA wrestling champ at Edinboro University who went on to contend for middleweight titles in a long professional mixed martial arts career -- announced his decision on "The Luke Thomas Show" on Thursday. The 40-year-old Koscheck -- who hasn't fought since February 2017 -- told Thomas that his inability to continue competing at a high level is ultimately why was announcing the official conclusion of his pro MMA career that spanned 13 years. "You never know, I might come back some day," Koscheck said in the interview. "The biggest thing about my mixed martial arts career, at the ending it didn't go the way I wanted. It's almost like you kind of just lose it, and it pains me to say that. It really, truly pains me as a fighter because I have a big ego -- everybody that steps inside that cage has a big ego -- but I truly didn't have it. I couldn't go out there and compete with these young guys. I felt great in the gym. I was in great shape. I don't think I was ever in better shape than I was at 38, 39, and 40, but I just didn't have it." Koscheck launched his pro MMA career in 2004, with two wins before first really making a name for himself in mixed martial arts as a middleweight (185-pound) contestant in the inaugural season of "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005, making it to the semifinals where he lost a split decision to eventual TUF champ Diego Sanchez. In a career that spanned 13 years and 28 bouts -- 24 of those in UFC -- Koscheck tallied an overall record of 17-11, including a 15-10 record in UFC. The former collegiate champ once fought for the welterweight (170-pound) title against champ Georges St-Pierre in December 2010 at UFC 124, coming out on the losing end of a unanimous decision. Koscheck can claim victories over such notables as UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes, Frank Trigg, Anthony Johnson, and Paul Daley. However, as MMAfighting.com described it, "The last few years have been unkind to Koscheck" having gone 0-6 since 2012, including five stoppage losses. Before climbing into the Octagon, Josh Koscheck crafted an impressive amateur wrestling resume. Wrestling for Waynesburg Central High School, he was crowned a Pennsylvania state champ. Staying in the Keystone State, Koscheck continued his mat career at Edinboro University, where he was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American. He won the 174-pound title at the 2001 NCAAs. In 2012, Koscheck was welcomed into the Edinboro Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 1766, British cartographer John Spilsbury had a unique idea to teach geography. He attached a map to a piece of wood, traced the various country borders with a saw and invented what he called "dissected maps." After receiving positive feedback from his peers, he created more of what we now know as jigsaw puzzles and launched a successful business. Over 250 years later, the fact that jigsaw puzzles are still commonplace says something about the innate human desire to make things fit together. Ed Ruth (Photo/Bellator)Ed Ruth won three NCAA titles for Penn State and represented the U.S. at the 2014 World Wrestling Championships. However, he left the sport for MMA in 2016. While many wrestlers try MMA after they are done on the mats, there was something specific that drew Ruth's attention. It was the same something that made Spilsbury's invention a success so many years ago. "I was kind of going around by myself, hanging out with other fighters and checking out gyms, and it just kind of grew on me," Ruth said. "I just liked the fact that it was truly mixed martial arts. It was a collection of sports. It just kind of allowed an individual to be who they are. Whoever was able to put all these disciplines together the best was the one who was going to win. I always thought that was cool, putting everything together, put the patterns together better. I'm also a big puzzle guy." So far in his MMA career, Ruth has seemingly had very little trouble putting the pieces together. He has won all five of his fights including four knockouts. Despite the success, the former Nittany Lion is far from content. "I've always been my worst coach, my worst critic," he said. "I always want to see more. I always want to see more knockouts. I always want to see more technique, and I have to put in a little bit extra." Last year, Ruth had the opportunity to return to his collegiate stomping grounds for a fight. He faced off against Chris Dempsey at the Bryce Jordan Center on campus at Penn State, and he won the fight via second-round knockout. "It was a great experience," Ruth said. "There is nothing like being able to bring back what you love to the people that you love. I was able to bring that back to State College where everything started. I felt like that was just a big honor. It was like when you are going home. You feel comfortable at home. It just felt like I couldn't lose. Even if I did lose, it felt like I couldn't lose. It just felt so comforting to be there." On Friday, Ruth faces his toughest MMA opponent to date. Andy Murad is a 15-year professional who holds a 16-2 record. Ruth sees the fight as much more of an opportunity than a challenge. "I feel like a win over him would be great, because people could see not only have I been putting in work and putting in time, but I am actually learning," he said. "With a guy like Andy Murad, having all those fights and that experience, it's just like his experience adds to my experience. I soak it up just by me fighting him, just by experiencing how he moves and how he reacts to me. I want to see how much stuff he's taking into this fight from his fights." Ed Ruth wrestling Deron Winn at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) When asked about his overall impression of wrestlers transitioning into MMA, Ruth sounds almost as enthusiastic as Spilsbury would have been selling his puzzles. "I always tell them, you're making a great decision, because honestly I do feel like this is a great sport," Ruth said. "I love what it teaches you. I love how it forces you to get out of your comfort zone. It will teach you more about being human than anything else will, because you have to beat someone else to be a fighter. You have to literally step in the cage with the only thing in the world that you own, which is your intellect and your body."