InterMat Staff

Kyle Ruschell (Photo/Wisconsin Sports Information) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga head wrestling coach Heath Eslinger announced the addition of Kyle Ruschell to the Mocs wrestling staff today. Ruschell replaces David Hoffman who is leaving to become the head coach at his high school alma mater, The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa. Ruschell spent the previous eight seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin. A former member of the U.S. National Team (2014-15), he was a two-time All-American for the Badgers (2007-10). "We are extremely excited to have Kyle join our staff," stated Eslinger. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our program. He has been around college wrestling, as a coach and a competitor, for a long time. I am excited for him to use that experience to make Chattanooga wrestling better." As a member of the Wisconsin coaching staff, Ruschell specialized in leg riding, shot defense, scrambles, high level attacks and finishes. He coached five Badgers to seven All-America honors. Ruschell helped Isaac Jordan win his first Big Ten championship and earn four All-America honors. Jordan was the program's first Big Ten champion since Trevor Brandvold in 2011. Ruschell also coached Evan Wick to a third place finish at NCAAs in 2018, along with Ryan Taylor and Connor Medbery to All-America honors in 2015. In 2017, the Badgers sent nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, marking the program's highest number of qualifiers since 2007. Ruschell has twice competed in the World Team trials in Fargo, N.D., most recently in 2018. He made the U.S. National Team in 2014. He placed third in the U.S. Open and finished third in Phase II of the World Team Trials after beating two-time national champion Kellen Russell from Michigan and national team member Frank Mollinaro, who was a national champion for Penn State. In the fight to "Save Olympic Wrestling", Ruschell was asked to be a representative for the sport at the Kentucky state capital as they passed a state bylaw to keep wrestling in the Olympics. The Crittenden, Ky. native was a four-time NCAA championship qualifier for the Badgers, earning All-America honors twice at 149 lbs. The four-year letter winner served as team captain his junior and senior seasons. Ruschell is the only two-time All-American from Kentucky and the highest placer in the NCAA Division I championships. At Ryle High School, Ruschell was a two-time state champion and four-time conference champion.

Ed Piccola (right) passed away this week A GoFundMe page has been established for Ed Piccola, New Jersey wrestling coach who was found dead Sunday in Virginia after disappearing nearly three weeks ago from his home state. Donations to this fundraising page, originally set up to help with Piccola's search, will now be used to cover expenses for a memorial service to honor the 36-year-old coach. Piccola's body was spotted by kayakers along the edge of the Shenandoah River in northwestern Virginia on Sunday afternoon after having disappeared from New Jersey on May 30. A positive identification of the body was made Tuesday. Multiple news reports indicate that foul play was not suspected in Piccola's death and that the investigation into his cause of death was complete. One news source -- New Jersey Herald -- reported that an administrator of the Northern District of the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner stated cause of death was suicide. Piccola had last been spotted on surveillance camera on May 31 at a Walmart in Luray, Va. -- about five hours from his home in New Jersey -- purchasing a 10-foot kayak, a life vest and various camping items. The kayak has yet to be found. On June 3, Piccola's black Mazda was found submerged in water on a public boat ramp in Luray, located on the banks of the Shenandoah River. The area had experienced flash floods, with water levels rising more than 15 feet above normal, which hampered the search for the missing wrestling coach. Piccola, described as a former "standout wrestler" at Sparta High School in New Jersey, had coached for more than a decade coached at the Buxton Athletic Training Center in Randolph, N.J., run by Jeff Buxton, long-time head wrestling coach at the nationally-ranked Blair Academy in New Jersey. Ed Piccola's sister Holly -- who had been providing updates on her Facebook page on her brother's status the past three weeks -- had announced late Tuesday morning that his body had been found. "Ed was loved by so many and that will bring my family and I something to hold onto in the difficult time," she wrote. "We ask that you please respect our privacy in this extremely difficult time. At some point we will plan a celebration of his life in NJ but for the moment we need to grieve his loss." Individuals wishing to contribute to a fund for a memorial service to honor Ed Piccola may do so here. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. For more information, visit http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 1-800-273-8255.

Gage Hutchison (Photo/Sam Janicki) FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University head wrestling coach Roger Kish today announced the addition of volunteer assistant Gage Hutchison to the coaching staff. Hutchison will work with the upper weight divisions. "I'm honored to be able to join such a well-established staff, and be given the opportunity to be a part of something really special here in Fargo," said Hutchison. Hutchison, a native of Buchanan, Michigan, recently completed a four-year career at Eastern Michigan University that included three NCAA tournament appearances and 94 wins. He was a two-time Mid-America Conference runner-up at heavyweight for the Eagles. Hutchison compiled a 94-59 record including 28 pins at Eastern Michigan. He went 39-21 in duals including 18-13 in the MAC. One of his career highlights was placing fourth at the 2017 Midlands Championships. He reeled off six straight wins at the Midlands including four over nationally-ranked opponents and a career best 10-second pin. A two-sport athlete at Buchanan High School, Hutchison was a two-time undefeated state champion including a 56-0 record with 40 pins as a senior. He was also a four-time all-conference performer in Michigan. Hutchison graduated from Eastern Michigan in May 2018 with a bachelor's degree in sport management. North Dakota State finished the 2017-18 season with a 7-10 record overall including top 20 wins over then No. 18-ranked Central Michigan and No. 12 Cornell. NDSU was 1-7 in the Big 12 Conference. The Bison finished fifth at the Big 12 Championships.

Nick Gwiazdowski (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Nick Gwiazdowski is a heavyweight, so he's used to waiting for his turn to wrestle. Gwiazdowski spent the past two weekends watching the first seven world freestyle team spots determined at Final X events in Lincoln and State College. "We've got some really great wrestlers and it was fun to watch," he said. "It definitely got my competitive juices flowing." Now it's Gwiazdowski's turn. The 2017 world bronze medalist will battle long-time rival Adam Coon when the third and final stage of the Final X is contested Saturday night at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. Gwiazdowski and Coon will meet in a best-of-three match series at 125 kilograms. The winner advances to October's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. "I'm really excited and motivated to wrestle," Gwiazdowski said. "I'm healthy and strong -- I'm ready to go. I can't wait to get out there and have my opportunity to compete." Gwiazdowski, a two-time NCAA champion, has had a strong season. He placed third at January's prestigious Ivan Yarygin event in Russia before going 2-1 for the U.S. team that won April's World Cup. He dropped a 4-3 decision to 2015 world silver medalist Jamaladdin Magomedov of Azerbaijan in the gold-medal dual at the World Cup. "I feel like I've continued to make progress and I've improved a lot over the last 10 months since the World Championships," he said. "I have tried to build on that performance from last year. A big part of what I've worked on is getting stronger and increasing my attack rate with my offense. "This is the strongest I've been in a long time. I have had some really good training and I've had really good preparation leading up to this event." The 6-foot-1, 258-pound Gwiazdowski will face a familiar foe in the massive 6-foot-5, 285-pound Coon, who is trying to make U.S. world teams in both freestyle and Greco-Roman this year. Nick Gwiazdowski defeated Adam Coon multiple times at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gwiazdowski earned one-point wins over Coon in the 2015 NCAA finals and 2016 NCAA semifinals. He also beat Coon by 12-2 technical superiority in freestyle at the 2015 U.S. World Team Trials. Coon does have a win over Gwiazdowski, a 3-1 victory in overtime in the quarterfinals of the 2013 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Coon won the U.S. Open and World Team Trials Challenge Tournament this year to earn a shot at Gwiazdowski, who earned a Final X berth by virtue of being a returning world medalist. Coon is a past Cadet world champion and Junior world bronze medalist in freestyle. "Adam has had a really solid year -- he beat a world champion," Gwiazdowski said. "He is a big, strong guy, but you expect everyone to be strong that you face at this level. I expect guys to be 275 pounds and be physical. I respect Adam and what he does. I'm looking forward to the challenge of facing him. He always brings a fight. He's in your face and he wrestles hard." Gwiazdowski is ready to match Coon's hard-charging style and approach. "I'm in great shape," he said, "and I feel really confident with my conditioning." The 25-year-old Gwiazdowski is an athletic heavyweight who has excelled with an array of lethal leg attacks. He's a tough matchup for most heavyweights who don't possess his speed and mobility. "I'm going to be fast and explosive," he said, "and ready for whatever happens out there." Gwiazdowski is looking to join an already loaded 2018 American world team that includes Olympic and world champions Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder, world champion Logan Stieber, world silver medalists Thomas Gilman and James Green, and Hodge Trophy winners Kyle Dake and David Taylor. Nick Gwiazdowski won a world bronze medal in Paris (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gwiazdowski was a member of the 2017 United States squad that won the world team title in men's freestyle wrestling last year in Paris. It was the first U.S. team title in that style since 1995. "This year's world team is really good already," he said. "I've been around this group the last couple of years and I've been able to see what they do. It's an impressive group of guys who compete and train at a very high level. I've learned a lot from being around them." Gwiazdowski and coach Pat Popolizio led a resurgence of the wrestling program at North Carolina State. The Wolfpack are coming off their best season in school history after winning a team trophy when they tied for fourth at the 2018 NCAA tournament in Cleveland. And the best may be yet to come as N.C. State continues to bring in top-level recruits. "It's really exciting to see what is going on here," said Gwiazdowski, who continues to train in Raleigh. "A lot of things have changed since I first got here. The intensity of guys and the skill level they have now is really impressive. Pat's done a great job and he's put together a great coaching staff. It's fun to see them continue to bring in talented wrestlers and see the program having so much success. It's awesome." Popolizio is impressed with what Gwiazdowski has done after a standout collegiate career where he was a three-time NCAA finalist. Nick Gwiazdowski with coaches Obe Blanc (left) and Bill Zadick (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) "Nick is an extremely motivated individual and he has been working very hard to accomplish his ultimate goal of becoming a world champion," Popolizio said. "Coach (Obe) Blanc has been leading our RTC's training and our staff feels very confident about Nick's preparation heading into this weekend. "Nick excels on the Senior level because he takes the sport and his training very seriously. He is a true professional, he does everything right and he expects the best." So what is the key for Gwiazdowski to achieve his lofty goals? "Some of it is technical, and some of it is intensity and fight," he said. "I have to stay focused and believe that I'm good enough to be a world champion. You need to develop that mindset and I feel like I can beat anybody in the world right now." 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.

MINOT, N.D. -- Chayse Jackson has been named assistant wrestling coach at Minot State announced head coach Evan Forde on Tuesday. Jackson has spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Dubuque. "We are extremely excited to welcome Chayse to our coaching staff," said Forde. "Chayse is a well-rounded coach and individual who has a great passion for the sport of wrestling. He has established himself as a well-respected coach and has had a lot of success as a recruiter. This is a very important position, and Chayse was exactly what we were looking for in our search and he is going to make an immediate impact on Minot State wrestling." Jackson was a four-year starter and two-time team captain at Grand Canyon University. Following a season-ending injury during his senior season, Jackson became a volunteer coach for the Antelopes. "I am honored and excited to be joining the staff at Minot State University," said Jackson. "I am thrilled to be working on staff with Coach Forde as we work to make the program one of the most successful in NCAA DII. With the support of the administration and the community, Minot State is in a great position to make significant gains over the next couple years, and I look forward to helping guide the team to success." During his two years at Dubuque, Jackson helped to coach the programs first NCAA Championship qualifier in five years when Quincy Kalkbrenner qualified at 157 pounds. He also was active in study hall and game management operations. Jackson helped coach three National Collegiate Open All-Americans and one national champion during his tenure at Grand Canyon. Jackson, who is from Roseburg, Oregon, was a state champion in Oregon and was also a two-time junior Greco-Roman state champion.

LITTLE ROCK -- Little Rock has reached another milestone in the process of adding wrestling as its 15th intercollegiate athletic program with Director of Athletics Chasse Conque announcing the hiring of Neil Erisman as the program's first head wrestling coach. Neil ErismanErisman brings to Little Rock an impressive career both as a competitor and coach at the Division I level, encompassing two of the nation's top programs in Oklahoma State and North Carolina. During his coaching career, Erisman has mentored 20 NCAA All-Americans and four NCAA individual champions. "Today starts a new chapter for Little Rock Trojan Athletics with the hiring of Neil Erisman as our first head wrestling coach," said Conque. "We had tremendous interest in the position and we feel coach Erisman is the right person to lead our program at Little Rock. Neil brings a deep understanding of the sport, a passion for leading young men and a commitment to doing things the right way, giving us great confidence that bright days are ahead for Little Rock wrestling." "My family and I would like to thank Chasse Conque, Chancellor Andrew Rogerson and the UA Little Rock community for welcoming us to the Trojan family," Erisman said. "I am very excited for this opportunity and I'm looking forward to getting to Little Rock to begin my work as the Trojans' first head wrestling coach." Erisman has spent the past four seasons at the University of North Carolina where he has played a key role in helping the Tar Heels improve on the national stage. In his four seasons in Chapel Hill, Erisman has helped guide UNC to an overall record of 41-28, finishing third in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2015-16 and 2017-18. During his time in Chapel Hill, Erisman has mentored four ACC individual champions and four NCAA All-Americans, highlighted by the 2017-18 season when Troy Heilmann (149) and Ethan Ramos (174) both claimed ACC titles. Heilmann then went on to place fourth in the NCAA Championships in Cleveland with Chip Ness (184) placing seventh, earning the duo All-America honors as the Tar Heels tied for 20th, their highest finish since placing eighth in 1995. The Tar Heels also produced a pair of ACC champions in 2015-16 in Evan Henderson (149) and Ethan Ramos (174) with Joey Ward finishing seventh in the NCAA championships at 141. In his first season in Chapel Hill, Erisman worked closely with Ethan Ramos, who finished second in the ACC at 165 before placing sixth at NCAAs. Additionally, Erisman earned a reputation as a top recruiter, helping North Carolina post top-10 recruiting classes in his first three seasons. "I have been privileged to spend four seasons at the University of North Carolina, working with my great friend and head coach Coleman Scott," said Erisman. "I want to give a very special thank you to coach Coleman Scott, Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, Vince Ille, the Tar Heel coaching staff and the entire support staff for their constant support during my time at UNC. Chapel Hill will always hold a special place in our hearts and is a place we were proud to call home." Prior to his time in Chapel Hill, Erisman spent one season as the assistant wrestling coach at Stillwater High School in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He helped guide the Pioneers to the 2014 Oklahoma 6A state championship while also being named the 2014 Oklahoma High School National Team Coach. Erisman's coaching career began at his alma mater, serving as a graduate assistant coach at Oklahoma State from 2011-13 under legendary coach John Smith. One of his main priorities was helping with the development of the Cowboys' freshman wrestlers while helping continue the tradition of Oklahoma State wrestling. During his two years as a graduate assistant, OSU placed sixth at the 2012 NCAA Championships, followed by a Big 12 championship in 2013 while finishing second at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Erisman put together a stellar collegiate career in Stillwater, compiling an overall record of 92-36 and was a four year letterwinner for the Cowboys from 2007-11 under coach Smith. He was the 2011 Big 12 Champion at 157 pounds after placing second in 2010 and third in 2009, being named an Academic All-Big 12 selection in 2008. A native of DeSoto, Kansas, Erisman compiled a 150-5 prep record at DeSoto High School and was both a state and cadet national champion. He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Oklahoma State in 2011. He and his wife, Kelli, have three children - Duke (6), Oakley (5) and Zane (1). Erisman is now tasked with the challenge of beginning to compile the Trojans' first recruiting class, leading up to the program's inaugural season in 2019-20. An introductory press conference to formally introduce coach Erisman will be held in the coming weeks. What they're saying about Coach Erisman "It's definitely bittersweet for me. I couldn't be happier for a better coach and person. Neil was a huge part of what we've been able to do here at UNC. Without him and his family's dedication to the program, I don't think we could be where we are today. With that said, I am super happy for Neil and his family to get a chance to run a brand new Division I program." - Coleman Scott, Head Coach - University of North Carolina "Coleman Scott assembled a young, talented and aggressive staff and Neil played a key role in all aspects of our program. Neil was instrumental in establishing the culture and building the team that we want at North Carolina. He has earned a great opportunity in Little Rock and we could not be happier for Neil and his family." - Vince Ille, Senior Associate Athletic Director - University of North Carolina "I am excited about Neil Erisman becoming the new head coach at Little Rock. As a former Big 12 champion wrestler at Oklahoma State and a coach at North Carolina, he has learned from the best how to build a competitive national program. He has the organization, energy, drive and tenacity to build Little Rock's inaugural team." - Greg Hatcher, Founder of Arkansas Wrestling Association and Program Benefactor "Neil Erisman is one of the great young coaches in our sport. It's very exciting to see that he will be spearheading the new wrestling program at Little Rock." - Pat Smith, Four-time NCAA Champion and Former Assistant Coach - Oklahoma State University About University of Arkansas at Little Rock The University of Arkansas at Little Rock is a four-year, metropolitan public research university in the state capital. Established in 1927, the school has approximately 12,000 students. The new Division I wrestling program at Arkansas at Little Rock was revealed at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Cleveland in March.

Less than a month after announcing its decision to bring back its men's wrestling program and launch a brand-new women's program, Big Bend Community College has hired head coaches for both squads. Jose TangumaHeading up the revitalized men's program is Jose Tanguma, while Ryan Foster will lead the new women's program, the Moses Lake, Wash. school announced Tuesday. Both Tanguma and Foster bring a strong combination of wide-ranging experience and solid connections within the region to build the only intercollegiate wrestling programs for men and women in Eastern Washington State. Tanguma, involved in wrestling locally since 2000, won state titles for Warden High School in the 103, 112 and 119-pound weight classes and continued his wrestling career at North Idaho College. He has coached wrestlers as part of the Warden middle and high school programs since 2013 and spent the last year as the assistant wrestling coach at Moses Lake High School. "I am very excited that Big Bend is bring wrestling back to the Columbia Basin as a college sport and I am honored that I have been chosen to be the men's head wrestling coach," Tanguma said. "We are located in the perfect spot for student-athletes around the area to continue furthering their education and to continue their passion for the sport of wrestling. I am looking forward to helping build a strong program for BBCC." Foster, a 2007 South Dakota high school state champion, is the owner and head trainer at Fit Ephrata and carries a certification from the U.S. Academy of Weightlifting and the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Foster has served as the strength, conditioning and wellness director at Southern Virginia University and spent the past year as the head coach of the Ephrata Middle School wrestling team. "I am grateful for this opportunity to help Big Bend incorporate women's wrestling into its athletic program and look forward to working with them to achieve success both on and off the wrestling mat," Foster said. "This area has many great wrestlers that leave high school and are not able to continue wrestling because of little opportunity -- especially in women's wrestling," Foster continued. "This addition at Big Bend will be so beneficial for these student-athletes to get the chance to have the complete college experience and further their careers, and now I get to be a part of that." Mark Poth, Big Bend Athletics Director, realizes the challenges of starting a women's wrestling program from scratch -- and in the case of the men's program, essentially from scratch, as the last time the school had interscholastic wrestling was nearly a quarter-century ago. "We believe that we have made two excellent choices to lead Big Bend's wrestling program back into existence," said Poth. "Both of these guys have solid wrestling backgrounds themselves, are former champions in their own right, and are embedded in the Columbia Basin wrestling scene. We hope to leverage their current relationships in an effort to build a successful program here at Big Bend." Both the men and women will compete collegiately in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) with the women also competing in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA). Big Bend Community College is a two-year public college located in Moses Lake, Washington. Founded in 1962, Big Bend CC has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students.

The body of Ed Piccola, former New Jersey wrestler and long-time coach who had been missing for nearly three weeks, has been discovered at a campsite in northwest Virginia. Piccola's body was found Sunday in Clarke County, Virginia, after officials launched a search for the 36-year-old by air and ground near the Shenandoah River. News of his discovery was first posted at his sister's Facebook page late Tuesday morning, and in New Jersey news media later that day. Holly Piccola, who had been updating friends on her brother's status on her Facebook page, posted this message at approximately 11 a.m. Tuesday: "My beautiful baby brother has joined our mom and older brother in Heaven. We are so thankful for all of the love and support we have received in the last 20 days. I wish the outcome had been different. I know Ed was loved by so many and that will bring my family and I something to hold onto in the difficult time. We ask that you please respect our privacy in this extremely difficult time. At some point we will plan a celebration of his life in NJ but for the moment we need to grieve his loss." Ed Piccola (Photo/Twitter)Ed Piccola, described as a "standout wrestler" in New Jersey who had been coaching for more than a decade at the Buxton Athletic Training Center in Randolph, N.J., run by Jeff Buxton, long-time head wrestling coach at the nationally-ranked Blair Academy in New Jersey, had last been seen in New Jersey at a bar-and-restaurant not far from his home on Wednesday, May 30. Family members filed a missing person's report after Piccola did not show up for work the next day. Piccola's car was later found on Sunday, June 3 near Luray, Va. in the Shenandoah River Valley west of Washington, D.C. and approximately five hours from where he was last seen in New Jersey. In recent days, a Virginia TV station had reported that Piccola was seen inside a Wal-Mart in that part of Virginia purchasing a kayak and camping supplies. Local authorities had postponed a search for Piccola for a time because of flooding in the area. Virginia authorities did not provide a cause of death nor any other details on where Piccola's body was found, according to NJ.com, website for a number of New Jersey newspapers, including the Newark Star-Ledger.

Sam Stoll competing at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) University of Iowa heavyweight Sam Stoll is recovering in the hospital after being shot in the knee in an accidental shooting at an Iowa City residence overnight Tuesday. Police were called to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics at 4:37 a.m. Tuesday to a report of 22-year-old gunshot victim who had been wounded in the knee at an Iowa City residence. The victim was identified as Stoll, and his injury is described as being "non-life-threatening." Iowa City police Sgt. Derek Frank told The Cedar Rapids Gazette the person who fired the gun was someone other than Stoll. He said officers haven't decided yet on whether to file charges, as the investigation is ongoing. The UI Athletics Department issued this statement Tuesday: "We are aware of the situation involving Sam Stoll and are currently gathering additional information at this time." 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.

Hayden Zillmer defeated Deron Winn to advance to Final X (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) Hayden Zillmer, a native of Crosby, Minn., qualified for Final X at 92 kilograms by winning the World Team Trials last month in Rochester, Minn. He will now face 2016 Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox on June 23 in a best-of-three series at historic Grace Hall on the campus Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. The winner earns a spot on the U.S. World Team in freestyle and will compete at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in October. Zillmer was an All-American at North Dakota State in 2015. Last year he earned a spot on the U.S. National Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. InterMat recently caught up with him. You won the World Team Trials in Rochester (Minn.) to make Final X. How much did it help having the event in your home state? Zillmer: It was great. It helped not having to travel as much. I don't really like airplanes that much. Also, I've been wrestling in Rochester since I've been in like first grade. In the finals you faced Deron Winn, a veteran who is now competing in both wrestling and MMA. He's short, compact and explosive. You had to come from behind in both matches to beat him. What was the key to beating him? Zillmer: I've never really wrestled anybody quite like him. He's really explosive. He's short and stocky. I'm long and lanky. So we kind of matched up weird. I didn't really have a big game plan. I knew what I had to do to win. I felt like I didn't have to change much. I knew he was really explosive, so I had to be aware of those kinds of attacks. You now face Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox at Final X in Bethlehem, Pa. It's a rematch from the U.S. Open finals, which he won 2-0. When training for Final X, is a lot of focus put on preparing for Cox since you know that's who you're facing? Or is it more about focusing on what you do? Zillmer: I think it's more about focusing on what I do. I think I'm better that way when I have that kind of mindset. The training has been focusing on things I do. J'den Cox has won two world-level medals in two years. What makes Cox successful? Zillmer: He's hard to score on. He's really good at what he does. He's tough. I just think I need to score earlier on him. He's probably going to be super sweaty late in the match. I know the things he likes to do. Personally, I need to capitalize on what I'm best at. I need to get after it right away. The World Team Trials process changed this year with the creation of Final X. What are your thoughts on the new process? Zillmer: I think it's kind of cool that it's a little bit more of an event, a showcase. I kind of wish there were only two Final X events, or even one Final X event with all the weights. I think it's really cool that they do it this way. It kind of hurt me a little bit, though. I wanted to wrestle in the Greco World Trials, but it was the day before Final X., so I'm not going to be wrestling Greco. But I think it's awesome. I think there are going to be a lot of fans there. I think it's cool that we kind of get to be individualized a little bit. It's not like a full weekend of wrestling and then you have to wrestle your finals match. You get to prepare for it. There's a little bit more hype going into it. The fans get to learn about it. It's kind of a new dimension. Hayden Zillmer picked up a win against India at the World Cup (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) You were part of the USA World Cup team that won the title in Iowa City. You picked up a win against India. What was that experience like competing on that World Cup team? Zillmer: That was sweet. It was great that I got a match. I didn't know that I was going to get a match going in. Once they told me that I was going to get a match I thought it was awesome. It was a cool process being a part of it. Team USA has a lot of great wrestlers. Being around those guys for the 10 days was cool and motivating. It keeps you a fresh. What do you like about training with the Minnesota Storm? Zillmer: I love it. It's great. I have a lot of really good training partners. I feel like we have a good group of big guys to train with. We just added Trevor Brandvold. He's a good coach and training partner. I think it's just going to keep getting better. I feel like I keep improving. Minnesota has a lot to offer me. Hayden Zillmer was a Cadet Triple Crown winner at 84 pounds in 2007 (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) It's been well documented that you have grown a lot from the time you were a Cadet-age wrestler to now competing on the senior level. You won your first Fargo title at 84 pounds and now you're competing at 202 pounds. It's not typical for wrestlers to grow that much. What has that body growth done for your development as a wrestler? Zillmer: I felt like when I was growing up I was never developed yet. I couldn't catch up to my body. I kind of feel like I'm starting to catch up to my body a little bit. I think wrestling as a little guy helped me a lot. Just the way a little guy attacks. There's a lot more speed involved and athleticism. I think it really helps. I kind of still had that same attack style. I'm just attacking bigger guys. It was a crazy process. My dad is really big, so I knew it was going to happen. I just didn't realize it was going to be that big of a change. Hayden Zillmer became an All-American in 2015 (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) You're a Minnesota native who left the state to compete at North Dakota State. You had a successful college wrestling career, becoming an All-American in 2015. How did you end up at NDSU? Zillmer: I got recruited by Minnesota too. But I was recruited by Roger Kish to North Dakota State. He wrestled at Minnesota. I'm from a small town and when I went up to Fargo I kind of liked the town. It kind of has a small-town feel. I like the people there. I could kind of sense that. I knew I was going to get a little bit bigger. A lot of the other schools were recruiting me to wrestle at 125 pounds or 133 pounds. North Dakota State recruited me for 141 pounds. At the time I thought that's what I was gong to wrestle. By the time school started I wrestled 149 pounds and then I kept getting bigger. That process was kind of difficult. My whole life I grew up wanting to wrestle for the Gophers. I think Kish did a really good job of staying on me and showed that they really wanted me. You were on the U.S. National Team for both freestyle and Greco-Roman last year. This year you have chosen to focus on freestyle. What went into the decision to focus on freestyle? Zillmer: I train both. Throughout the year I was training both styles. Leading up to the U.S. Open I focused on freestyle. I decided that I was going to wrestle 92 kilograms, 202 pounds. I figured with Greco being first, I didn't want to be 213 pounds and have to cut to 202 pounds. So that's why I decided to wrestle freestyle. I would have really enjoyed wrestling both. But it's tough with the World Team Trials for Greco the day before. I want to give myself the best opportunity to win. Will you compete in Greco-Roman in the coming years? Zillmer: Yeah, for sure. I like wrestling Greco. But being a part of the best team in the world is a big deal to me too. You're competing at 92 kilograms, which is a non-Olympic weight class for freestyle. So to make a run at the Olympic team you'll have to move to a different weight class. Have you made a decision on what weight class you will go in 2020? Zillmer: I'll be up at 97 kilograms. 86 kilograms would be too much for me. You grew up in Northern Minnesota, which is not necessarily a wrestling hotbed. How did you get the coaching and training partners needed to succeed? Zillmer: My high school coach would bring in partners for me. My mom and I would hop in the vehicle and drive to the Twin Cities two or three times a week to go to practices. Gordy Morgan would run freestyle practices on Monday nights and Dan Chandler would run Greco practices on Wednesday nights. It was a lot of traveling. My mom and dad wore out three vehicles just on traveling for wrestling. We just didn't have the training partners, so we had to do something. Driving was the only option. We made it work. My parents sacrificed a lot. My coaches sacrificed a lot. It's kind of a crazy process. When I look back, it was tough. We would get home at 10:30 or 11 at night and had to be up for school early in the morning. It was stressful, but I knew it was all worth it in the end. There was a lot of out-of-state stuff too. I knew that's what I had to do. This story also appears in the June 15 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

Patrick Kennedy (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Rising junior Patrick Kennedy (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), already a two-time state champion, verbally committed to the University of Iowa on Monday night, as first reported on IAwrestle.com. The 2017 Super 32 Challenge champion is currently ranked No. 2 overall in the Class of 2020, and projects collegiately as a 184 pound wrestler. Kennedy finished the 2017-18 season ranked No. 4 nationally at 182 pounds, and is also a two-time UWW Cadet National freestyle All-American, along with placing third in the 2017 Cadet National freestyle tournament held in Fargo.

Justin Mejia celebrates after winning the Doc Buchanan Invitational title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) FRESNO, Calif. -- The Fresno State Wrestling program and head coach Troy Steiner announced the signing of four-time California state champion Justin Mejia for the 2018-19 season on Monday. "We are excited to have Justin a part of the Bulldog Wrestling program," said Steiner. "Justin is part of a short list of four-time California State Champions and it is important to keep California's best wrestlers home." A projected 125/133-pounder for the Bulldogs, Mejia returns to the Valley and arrives at Fresno State after being a four-time California High School State Champion at nearby Clovis High School. One of only three preps to ever win four individual state championships in the state of California, Mejia was ranked as the No. 22 high school wrestler in the class of 2017 by InterMat. Mejia compiled a 168-1 overall record in his four years as a Cougar winning titles at 106 pounds (2014), 113 pounds (2015), 120 pounds (2016) and 126 pounds as a senior in 2017. Mejia was a FloNationals finalist in 2016 and earned Fresno Bee Co-Wrestler of the Year honors in 2017 completing a perfect 38-0 season. The Clovis native notched bonus point wins 128 times, including recording 89 falls, as a prep. Mejia joins spring signees Adam Kemp and Hunter Cruz along with South Dakota native Nick Casperson, Turlock native Isaiah Pitman and Vacaville native Lawrence Saenz as new Bulldogs for the 2018-19 season. "Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" - The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.

J'den Cox is a -420 favorite against Hayden Zillmer (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Betting odds for Final X at Lehigh have been released by BetDSI. The event takes place Saturday at 7 p.m. ET at historic Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh. To register for an online account and bet online, visit BetDSI.com. How betting works: If betting on a wrestler listed with a minus (-) sign, you must risk that number amount to profit $100 (and get your stake back). For example, risking $420 on J'den Cox (-420) would profit $100. If betting on a wrestler listed with a plus (+) sign, for every $100 you risk, you profit that amount. For example, risking $100 on Haley Augello (+190) would profit $190. When betting matches with point spreads -- like Nick Gwiazdowski (-2) vs. Adam Coon (+2), a minus (-) sign indicates the favorite, while a plus (+) sign indicates the underdog. Note: Betting odds are subject to change.

Jason Renteria competing at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/Richard Immel) Jason Renteria, who originally committed to University of Iowa before actually wrestling for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for one season, will be wrestling for the Hawkeyes after all. Renteria, a two-time Illinois state champ for Oak Park-River Forest High School just outside Chicago announced on Sunday on social media -- and mainstream media -- his plans to head east on I-80 from Lincoln to Iowa City. Here's what the newest Hawkeye posted on Twitter on Sunday: "Happy Father's Day to the old man that's made everything possible for me today. His surprise gift was seeing his son will be continuing his career at the University of Iowa. Without him and also my family this would of never happened. We did it Dad, love ya. #FightforIowa 🐤🐥 -- J-Rent (@JasonJayzilla) June 17, 2018 Renteria also shared his news with the Des Moines Register. "I fell in love again with the school," Renteria told the paper's Cody Goodwin Sunday. "Coming back and being on an official visit, I thought it was something special." Renteria completed his true freshman year at Nebraska -- compiling an 8-5 record -- before being granted release at the end of the 2017-18 season. He will have three seasons of eligibility remaining. The Chicago native is expected to wrestle at 133 pounds for Iowa.

David Taylor after beating Nick Reenan at Final X in State College (Photo/Richard Immel) STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- On Saturday night, David Taylor delivered in front of his home crowd at Rec Hall, just like he has done so many times. The 27-year-old Taylor made his first U.S. World Team at 86 kilograms with two straight victories over Nick Reenan at Final X in State College, Pa. In the first match, Taylor gave up the match's first takedown, but dominated the rest of the way, claiming a 13-2 technical victory. He closed out the best-of-three series with a 10-0 first-period technical fall shutout. "This is not the end goal," Taylor said. "My goal is to be a world and Olympic champion. This is the first step, and unfortunately I haven't been here yet. But to do it here at home in front of these fans, it's pretty special." Taylor acknowledged his home crowd after the victory and spoke about bringing Final X back to State College. "Every single year we need an event here," Taylor said. "These fans love wrestling. They will support any single person that steps on that mat, with love and excitement and energy, and that's what we need." Taylor now has his sights set on competing at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, in October. "In Budapest, I'm bringing my A game," said Taylor. "They're going to bring their A game, and we're going to battle. So I'm excited. I'm really excited for the opportunity to wrestle these guys on the world stage where it really matters. I'm going to be bringing everything I possibly can." Logan Stieber, a 2016 world champion, topped Ohio RTC teammate Joey McKenna in two straight matches at 65 kilograms. Stieber used four-point moves early in both matches. In the first match, McKenna battled back from a 4-0 deficit and to eventually take a 7-6 lead late in the second period. Stieber retook the lead with 30 seconds left and held on for a criteria victory after McKenna scored late with a step out. In the second match, Stieber led 4-0 at the break and added a takedown and two turns in the second to win 8-0. "I feel really good making this World Team," Stieber said. "I've had an up-and-down year. I always believed in myself, but I feel really good about it right now." It's Stieber's third U.S. World Team and first at 65 kilograms. In previous years he competed at 61 kilograms. "I feel great," Stieber said of competing at 65 kilograms. "I don't have to cut any weight. I feel great out there. My energy level is awesome. I feel really strong. I like 65. I've always liked 65. I went down to 61 and it was always a short-term thing, to try to win a world title and come back up." Kyle Dake defeated Zahid Valencia at 79 kilograms (Photo/Richard Immel) In arguably the most anticipated matchup of the night, Kyle Dake punched his ticket to the World Championships by defeating college star Zahid Valencia in two matches at 79 kilograms. Dake blanked Valencia 4-0 in the first match. Valencia came out strong in the second match, scoring an early takedown to take a 2-0 lead. He held that lead through the first period before Dake scored a two-point counter to take a 2-2 criteria lead with 1:15 remaining. Dake added a gut wrench turn to extend his lead to 4-2. Valencia kept up the pressure and scored a late point off a caution to cut the deficit to one, but Dake held on for the victory. "Zahid is a great opponent," said Dake. "He's got some serious length and athleticism, so having to go out there and compete with someone like him, his caliber, is pretty fun for me. I get to challenge myself. Hopefully he'll help me get ready for the World Championships." In the women's competition on Saturday, Adeline Gray, Mallory Velte and Erin Clodgo were victorious. Velte, a returning World Team member, came back to defeat Kayla Miracle, a three-time age-group world medalist and four-time WCWA champion, in three matches at 62 kilograms. Miracle took the opening match 4-2. Velte battled back to win the second match 4-2 to force a third and deciding match. In the third match, Velte scored an early takedown, which was challenged unsuccessfully, giving her a 3-0 lead. Miracle was finally able to get on the board with a minute remaining, scoring off the shot clock. Velte, though, poured it on late with two takedowns in the final 35 seconds to win 7-1. Adeline Gray was dominant at Final X (Photo/Richard Immel) Gray, a three-time world champion, was unchallenged in two matches at 76 kilograms, beating Korinahe Bullock 10-0 and by fall. "Terry Steiner always says that you don't get these opportunities very often," said Gray. "The fact that I've had … what is this, eight chances now … has been amazing. Not many athletes get the opportunity to go out there and be at the top of their game for this long. It just feels like a privilege to still feel healthy, still feel motivated, and I feel all those things right now. So I'm excited and ready and looking forward to Budapest." Clodgo won a hard-fought three-match battle over Rachel Watters at 72 kilograms to make her second U.S. World Team. Clodgo took the first match 4-2. Watters was dominant in the second match, winning 8-0. Clodgo edged Watters in the final match 4-4 on criteria. The last Final X is set for next Saturday, June 23, at historic Grace Hall on the campus Lehigh University. Freestyle results 65 kilograms: Logan Stieber def. Joey McKenna, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Stieber dec. McKenna, 8-8 Match 2: Stieber dec. McKenna, 8-0 79 kilograms: Kyle Dake def. Zahid Valencia, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Dake dec. Valencia, 4-0 Match 2: Dake dec. Valencia, 4-3 86 kilograms: David Taylor def. Nick Reenan, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Taylor tech. fall Reenan, 13-2 Match 2: Taylor tech. fall Reenan, 10-0 Women's wrestling results 62 kilograms: Mallory Velte def. Kayla Miracle, 2 matches to 1 Match 1: Miracle dec. Velte, 4-2 Match 2: Velte dec. Miracle, 4-2 Match 3: Velte dec. Miracle 7-1 72 kilograms: Erin Clodgo def. Rachel Watters, 2 matches to 1 Match 1: Clodgo dec. Watters, 4-2 Match 2: Watters dec. Clodgo, 8-0 Match 3: Clodgo dec. Watters, 4-4 76 kilograms: Adeline Gray def. Korinahe Bullock, 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Gray tech. fall Bullock, 10-0 Match 2: Gray pin Bullock, 1:04

NCAA Division I wrestlers will now be able to transfer without the permission of their current coach or university, thanks to new rules approved by the NCAA this week, to go into effect Oct. 15. The NCAA Division I Council approved a proposal that installs a "notification of transfer" model which not only allows wrestlers and other athletes to leave one school for another more easily, but also requires the school to enter the athlete's name in a national transfer database within two business days. Once the wrestler's name is in the database, any coach can contact that wrestler. Prior to this rule change, wrestlers had to receive permission from their current school to be contacted by another school before they could receive another scholarship. One major exception to this new rule: a conference can install stricter rules that would supersede this new NCAA procedure. In its press statement issued this week, the NCAA addressed the reason why the new transfer rule has been put in place. "The previous transfer rule, which required student-athletes to get permission from their current school to contact another school before they can receive a scholarship after transfer, was intended to discourage coaches from recruiting student-athletes from other Division I schools," according to the NCAA statement. "The rule change ends the controversial practice in which some coaches or administrators would prevent students from having contact with specific schools…" "Additionally, the proposal adds tampering with a current student-athlete at another school to the list of potential Level 2 violations, considered a significant breach of conduct."

NORFOLK, Va. -- Monarch wrestling head coach Steve Martin announced the addition of Steven Rodrigues to the coaching staff on Friday afternoon. Rodrigues replaces Daryl Thomas, who was promoted to assistant head coach on the ODU staff, Rodrigues will work closely with the middle and upper weights. Steven Rodrigues“We are pleased to announce the addition of Steven Rodrigues to our staff as an assistant coach. Steven is a perfect fit for our program as he knows how to develop young men on and off the mat,” Martin said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and coaching experience to the table already having experience at the collegiate level. It will be exciting to watch his recruiting presence in the talent rich states of Illinois and New York.” Rodrigues recently coached at Stanford University as an assistant coach. In the 2016-2017 season, Rodrigues helped the Cardinal bring nine wrestlers to the NCAA Tournament, a record amount of qualifiers for the institution. Stanford's 157-pound starter, Paul Fox made All-American to become the 20th All-American for the program. “I am thrilled to join the ODU coaching staff. I would like to thank Steve Martin and the Athletic Department for the opportunity,” Rodrigues explained. “I am looking forward for the opportunity to guide and mentor outstanding young men who will earn All-American honors and individual national championships.” Prior to joining the Stanford staff in 2016, Rodrigues had a decorated career at the University of Illinois. The New York native was a four-year starter and a three-time NCAA qualifier, finishing in fifth-place at the NCAA Championships in 2016 to earn All-American status. That same season, the middleweight took a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships at 165 pounds. Rodrigues finished his career with an 88-42 record. Rodrigues earned his degree in sports management, being named to the Big Ten Academic Team four times and gaining NWCA Academic All-American honors in 2016.

Two-time NCAA wrestling champ Jeff McGinness is among the honorees to be inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2018, the University of Iowa announced Thursday. Jeff McGinnessAs an Iowa Hawkeye, McGinness was a three-time NCAA All-American, winning national titles at 126 pounds in 1995 and at 142 at the 1998 NCAAs. The Iowa City native compiled a 127-16 record as a Hawkeye. In addition, McGinness earned a number of honors at Iowa, including being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and in 1998, earned Outstanding Wrestler of the Big Ten Championships and was selected as Iowa's Big Ten Medal of Honor winner. McGinness was an inaugural member of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in 2002, and welcomed into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame -- a facility that honors wrestlers, coaches and officials from the state of Iowa -- in 2006. In addition to McGinness, other members of the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2018 include Kineke Alexander, Jared DeVries, Chris Hatcher, Sarah Lynch, Alexis Maday, Bob Sanders, and John Streif. The UI Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony is Friday, Aug. 31 at 6:30 p.m. inside the Grand Coral Ballroom at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Convention Center. A hors d'oeuvres and cocktail reception precedes the induction ceremony at 5:30 p.m. The induction ceremony and reception is open to the public. Tickets may be purchased for $20 by going online at hawkeyesports.com/HOFtickets. For more information please call the Iowa Varsity Club office at (319) 335-9438.

WORCESTER -- WPI Director of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics Dana L. Harmon announced the hiring of Matt Oney '90 as the head wrestling coach. He takes over the program from fellow alumnus Steve Hall '87, who retired following the program's best season since the Phil Grebinar era. Oney returns to Boynton Hill following a two-year stop at Kansas Wesleyan where he boasted three NAIA national qualifiers, five KCAC Champions, two KCAC Most Outstanding Wrestlers, and the program's first All-America. His debut campaign, as well as the program's first full season, yielded the school's first national qualifier and 2016-17 KCAC Coach of the Year accolades. Academically, Oney touted the program's first NAIA All-American and NWCA All-Academic honoree. Prior to leading the Coyotes, Oney served as an assistant men's and women's coach at Wayland Baptist for two years. Matt Oney"We welcome back Matt Oney '90 to the WPI Athletics Family," said Harmon. "Matt has distinguished himself at the high school, college, national and international levels of coaching and we are excited to have him lead our very successful wrestling program now and into the future. Matt brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences to the position that will help our student-athletes reach their full potential not only in competition, but also more importantly in the classroom and in the community." Before making the move to the collegiate ranks, Oney was a math and physics teacher at Punahou School, a top-tier ethnically diverse college preparatory school, in Honolulu, HI for over two decades. As head coach, he guided the boys' team to six consecutive state titles and the girls' team to three in-a-row while collecting numerous league and state accolades along the way. "I am very excited about having Matt take the helm of the WPI Wrestling program," remarked Hall. "He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge that will help lead the program to even greater heights." Off campus, the USA Wrestling GOLD Certified Coach is well traveled, having been to Turkey and Russia as part of the organization's Coaches Apprentice Program in 2009 and 2010. He was later on the women's freestyle staff for the Pan-Am Cadet Championships from 2012 to 2015 and the Pan-Am Junior Championships in 2017. The 2013 team claimed the title while the 2012, 2015 and 2017 lineups placed second, and the 2014 team earned bronze. Oney was also involved at the state level from 2003-2012. "I would like to thank Dana Harmon and the entire search committee for the time and energy they put in on behalf of the WPI Wrestling Family and it's student-athletes throughout the process," commented Oney. "As an alum, I am truly grateful to be able to give back to the program and school in this way, and am excited for the opportunity to lead these young men moving forward." The electrical engineering major posted a dual meet record of 21-10 (.667) with 12 pins - without being pinned himself - and was third in the region at 142 as a sophomore and as a senior. Both All-New England performances led to NWCA Scholar All-America honors while 1989-90 co-captain also helped the team to a second-place showing regionally and No. 15 nationally. The Oney Era begins Saturday, November 10 at Ursinus while his home debut is a week later versus Norwich and Stevens in a super quad at the Sports & Recreation Center.

David Taylor (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The photo on Twitter speaks volumes. It shows David Taylor and Kyle Dake standing together and smiling following a recent workout at Penn State. "Our time is now," Taylor posted with the photo. "We are ready." Nobody is more ready or more excited to wrestle in Final X than David Taylor. More than four years after wrestling his final collegiate match at Penn State, Taylor will return to State College for USA Wrestling's Final X competition on Saturday night. Taylor's club has attracted a number of top young wrestlers, including some who drive in from as far as an hour away to attend practices. Taylor works with the wrestlers along with three-time NAIA national champion Eric Thompson and past Penn State All-American Mark McKnight. Among Taylor's wrestlers are two sons of Penn State assistant coach Casey Cunningham. "Our club is really growing quickly -- we have kids who have improved a lot already," he said. "What we are trying to create is a great wrestling environment. It's really exciting to watch the progress these kids are making. We have a really good group. I have a great support team with Eric and Mark working as coaches. We just moved to a new facility and everything is going really well." The curriculum, technique and training are based on what Taylor has done in his career. It is geared toward Taylor's aggressive and entertaining style of wrestling where you push the pace and score a large number of points. "I am really enjoying doing it," he said. "It's been pretty special to be a part of it." David Taylor after dominating Alexander Gostiev of Azerbaijan at the World Cup (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Taylor said his international career is far from finished. "I plan on wrestling through the 2024 Olympic cycle," he said. "I have a lot of support that allows me to do this. The Nittany Lion Wrestling Club has been awesome. They really support me and give me an opportunity to compete at this level." Taylor doesn't have to look far to find quality workout partners. "I think we have the best training situation in the world at Penn State," he said. "We have great coaches and great workout partners. Plus, we have guys that come in and want to train with us. I'm tested in practice every day. I get challenged all the time." For Taylor, his time is definitely now. "I've been preparing for this moment for a long time," he said. "I've had a goal of being a world and Olympic champion since I was 5 years old. I know I'm in position to break through and do that." 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.

Add Massachusetts to the list of states that will have a separate girls' wrestling championship. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association announced this week the creation of a postseason girls' mat tournament to conclude the 2018-19 season. This new event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. For now, this new girls' postseason championship will be the only event during the 2018-19 season designed exclusively for females. During the regular season, girls within the Bay State will continue to be members of their existing high school teams and compete with boys. However, as the Boston Globe reported, girls will now have a choice for end-of-season competition once Sectional competition is over: to enter the new girls-only tournament or compete against boys in the "mixed gender" All-State championship which begins one day earlier, on Feb. 22. One unique aspect of the Massachusetts girls' tournament: it will use the Madison Grouping format -- a system that will create the tournament bracket based on age and weight, rather than traditional weight classes that have long been a staple of amateur wrestling tournaments. As for how many girls compete in wrestling in Massachusetts ... according to statistics compiled by the National Federation of High Schools, 102 girls were involved in wrestling within the state during the 2016-17 school year. Now those Massachusetts girl wrestlers will have new choices for post-season competition. "We are thrilled to provide an opportunity to showcase the tremendous female wrestlers that work tirelessly throughout the season," said Phil Napolitano, wrestling liaison for the MIAA. "We look forward to the continued growth of girls' wrestling in the state of Massachusetts." At least one young female wrestler is eager to participate in the new end-of-season event. "I am extremely excited about the newly approved girls state tournament," Bristol County Agricultural wrestler Allie Maitland of Dighton, Mass. told the MIAA. "When I started wrestling, I did it to step out of the standards for women and be different. Lately I've been questioning if I'm doing the right thing, but this opportunity proves to me I'm following the right path and keeping true to myself." Massachusetts joins a number of states that have sanctioned wrestling events specifically for high school girls. In recent months, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri and Oregon have announced separate competitions for girl wrestlers ... joining existing programs in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Texas and Washington State, with other states exploring the option.

The next of the Final X series lands in State College tomorrow with a headlining matchup between teammates Joey McKenna and Logan Stieber. Familiarity breeds contempt, but with these two there seems to be nothing but mutual respect. Does that mean McKenna is ceding the spot without struggle? No. That's what you'd see in India when wrestlers have to face off against Sushil Kumar. McKenna will bring it. Will he win? I'm doubtful, but anything is possible when teammates collide, including a whole hell of a lot of nothing. I'll stay out of the Kyle Dake vs. Zahid Valencia breakdown as I whiffed hard on his chances at the World Team Trials. Still, color me impressed if Valencia gets past a motivated Dake. My predictions … Freestyle: 65 kilograms: Logan Stieber over Joey McKenna, 2 matches to 1 79 kilograms: Kyle Dake over Zahid Valencia, 2 matches to 1 86 kilograms: David Taylor over Nick Reenan, 2 matches to 0 Women's wrestling: 62 kilograms: Mallory Velte over Kayla Miracle, 2 matches to 1 72 kilograms: Erin Clodgo over Rachel Watters, 2 matches to 1 76 kilograms: Adeline Gray over Korinahe Bullock, 2 matches to 0 To your questions … Q: Thoughts on the new NCAA transfer rule? And did you see the new ad from USA Wrestling about "once a wrestler, always a wrestler?" The premise is great, certainly hit home, but curious about self-mocking with headgear and singlet. Isn't that what we're fighting against from others? -- @Tony_Rotundo Foley: The NCAA is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. The entire system is broken. I don't want to applaud the NCAA for allowing its athletes free movement of unpaid athletes. That just encourages bad behavior. Is allowing these kids the ability to speak to other coaches after they make their intentions known really all that impressive? As for the promotion of wrestling via singlets and headgear? That would likely fall with staying inside the norms as much as possible when appealing to the masses. The slick two-piece getup we saw posted via Nike with Alex Dieringer and the little girl wrestler made an impact on me. I think the advertisement was a more attractive way to showcase wrestling, but for now it'll be a one-off and not the standard bearer. Kyle Dake (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Who's the most infuriating wrestler for team USA in a talent vs. what they do with it standpoint? Why is it Kyle Dake? -- @halfagain Foley: That's a fair criticism of 2017 Kyle Dake, but in watching him compete at the Ivan Yarygin and the World Cup I have to disagree. I recognize that Dake may not be a high scorer, but he has (given an exception here or there) generated a lot more offense the past six months than he did in the previous three years on the circuit. One reason might be the rules, or the aggression of his opponents. I tend to think it's because Dake is finally starting to get the international experience he'd missed due to injury. The opponents he faces are pulling out of him more offense, and creative defense, then his typical carousel of local challengers. Dake is rising to the challenge and if we know anything about him it's that as the stakes increase he is more apt to perform and deliver. Q: Do any Iranian footballers playing in Russia have a connection to the sport of wrestling? -- @ChAsedGod_ Foley: Wonderful query. I really don't know. What I can tell you is that the last time I was in Iran I had a few fun conversations about what soccer's rise in popularity would mean to the nation's traditional wrestling homes (zoorkhaneh). The opinion of my local friends tended towards support and enjoyment of the nation's success on the global stage, but some hesitation about what it might mean for their future on the mat. Wrestling, especially in the more rural communities, provides an attachment to each other and religion, as the in-house training is centered around prayer. Daton Fix (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: I heard Daton Fix is wrestling off for the Junior World Team spot. Assuming he does (and makes the team), do you expect him to win another world title? And can USA can repeat as team champions in freestyle at the Junior World Championships? -- Mike C. Foley: I think Daton Fix will win the Junior World Championships. Team USA has a shot at repeating, but Georgia and Russia are both scheduled to bring monster lineups to the Junior Worlds and U23's. Q: Are U23's picking up traction (i.e. importance) globally? @willieatflo Foley: That all depends on how we want to measure traction and weight those indicators against other indicators. It might be that the best measure of the tournament's traction is the number of national federations willing to spend money to send their athletes to the championships. A quick look shows that there is major engagement and sizable numbers: 2017 Euro U23 Championships: 370 athletes 2018 U23 World Championships: 383 athletes 2016 Junior World Championships: 506 athletes 2017 U23 World Championships: 575 participants Overall, I think that the European and World numbers show that organizers are able to host at a profit and national federations are willing to fund trips -- likely because they can convert any winnings into financial support from their National Olympic Committee (ie. USOC). Growth to other regions hasn't been successful. Africa was scheduled to host this year but found a lack of interest. That outcome wasn't a total shock but the disappointment provides some bookend to how far the U23 movement has traveled. As a note, the Americas were also toying with the idea of a U23, but was shelved it until after 2020 as they have Olympic qualification and the 2019 Pan American Games which requires the full attention (and funding) of most the smaller national federations. Q: Like wrestling, amateur MMA has a world championship. Do you ever think we will see amateur MMA in the Olympics? -- Gregg Y. Foley: No. Amateur MMA and pankration will never be in the Olympics. While the promotions are thriving, there is little to no appetite from national federations to create the organizational infrastructure to support another combat sport. Additionally, the IOC has been explicit about their preference in keeping MMA out of the Olympic Games and without their approval (nay, nudging) very few new sports get added to the Olympics. Given the brutality of the sport and difficulty in creating a healthy, competitive single tournament, I'd agree that the sport just isn't conducive to being modeled as an Olympic sport. Q: Has there ever been a run of top-level heavyweights like we are seeing right now? Between Gable Steveson, Daniel "Greg" Kerkvliet, Cohlton Schultz, Seth Nevills, and Braxton Amos to name a few. Looks like our upperweights will be stacked. Who do you think has the highest ceiling? -- @jferg24 Foley: Probably. I think the increased media attention and visibility of the physicality and athleticism of these wrestlers lends to increased hero worship. Also, because there are more national and international tournaments each year for these guys to seek out, which adds ribbons to their bedroom wall and ink to their accomplishment lists. The best heavyweights also have a chance to prove themselves at the international stage with the return of the Cadet World Championships. Prediction of the Week By Keith F. OK, here we go. I am going to call for an upset. I've been so impressed over the course of Zahid Valencia's career as he has gone from a best in the nation 106-pounder to a best in the nation 174-pounder (higher in high school). His offense is that of a smaller, more active wrestler and I think he is going to force Kyle Dake into inactivity. Dake is most effective against passive wrestlers, but less so against really high output guys … I think that's going to happen. I'm reaching, but I'm taking Zahid in 3. In the third match, I really believe Dake will tighten at the thought of coming so close, but not making the team. Zahid is a future Olympic champion at 86 kilograms. Sorry, David Taylor. We'll see how it plays out.

Jack Davis Jack Davis has decided he'd rather be a Nittany Lion than a Panther. The two-time national preps champ for Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa. had made a commitment to wrestle at the University of Pittsburgh … but has changed his mind and will be now competing at Penn State, according to multiple media reports Thursday. Davis announced his change of heart on Twitter: Davis is expected to wrestle at either 133 or 141 pounds for the program that won the 2018 NCAA Division I team title three months ago … and joins a recruitment class ranked No. 1 by InterMat. Davis is confident he could make an immediate contribution to the Nittany Lions squad that has won seven NCAA team titles in the past eight years. "Knowing how I've been in my past, I feel like anything is possible if I put my mind to it," Davis told the Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice. "If I continue to work hard and push myself... I don't doubt seeing myself in the starting lineup and pushing myself to be great." While at Wyoming Seminary, Davis won three Pennsylvania preps titles and placed fifth in the 2016 Cadet World Championships … in addition to winning his first national title at 120 pounds in 2016, then adding a second at 132 in 2018.

Willie Miklus is a three-time All-American (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Willie Miklus is coming home. The three-time All-American for the University of Missouri is returning to his home state of Iowa for his sixth year of eligibility and attending Iowa State University to wrestle for the Cyclones. Miklus missed most of the 2013-14 and 2016-17 seasons due to injuries and was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA for the 2018-19 season. He won a MAC title this past season and followed it up with an eighth-place finish at the 2018 NCAA Division I Championships competing at 197 pounds. Miklus placed sixth at the NCAAs in 2016 and seventh in 2015. A native of Altoona, Iowa, Miklus attended Southeast Polk High School and claimed two Iowa state championships.

The online sportsbook BetDSI.com posted betting odds on Saturday's Final X in State College, Pa. Let's examine the best bets based on the betting odds. Note: Betting odds are subject to change. Value plays Kayla Miracle is -175 to defeat Mallory Velte (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Kayla Miracle over Mallory Velte (62 kilograms): -175 Miracle is one of America's young, rising stars in women's wrestling. She has three age-group world medals, and earlier this year claimed her fourth WCWA national title wrestling for her father Lee at Campbellsville University. Miracle also has two U.S. Open titles and three University Nationals titles. She has competed well internationally this year. She is currently ranked No. 1 in the world at 62 kilograms based on her points earned during the new ranking series events. The 22-year-old claimed a gold medal at the Klippan Lady Open and a bronze medal at the Pan American Championships. While Velte is a returning U.S. World Team member, she has not had the same international success as Miracle. She has never won a world medal at any age level. Recently she placed eighth at the Klippan Lady Open. These two met in the U.S. Open finals, with Miracle coming out on top 3-0. While the score was close, Miracle was never seriously threatened in the match. Kayla Miracle vs. Mallory Velte (62 kilograms), 2 matches: -150 As mentioned above, Miracle is the superior, more accomplished wrestler. While there is no guarantee she wins in two matches (or at all), it seems like the most likely outcome. As we have seen so far at Final X, the wrestler who wins the first match typically takes the second match too. All seven matches at Final X in Lincoln last Saturday were decided in two matches. Logan Stieber vs. Joey McKenna (65 kilograms), Under 11.5 points in Match 1: -115 On the surface, this looks like an Over. Both like to put points on the scoreboard and have a lot of different ways to score. However, Stieber and McKenna have been training partners for the past year and know each other's styles well. Their matches on Saturday will likely be very strategic, resulting in low-scoring, defensive battles. Stieber scored 10 points in each of his two World Team Trials matches against Jaydin Eierman, but don't expect that kind of offensive output against McKenna. McKenna gave up just three points in five matches at the U.S. Open. Four of his five victories were shutouts. I would expect there to be 10 or less points scored in their first match. Logan Stieber over Joey McKenna (65 kilograms): -140 Stieber, a 2016 world champion, is still wrestling at a very high level at the age of 27. He notched a win over three-time world champion Haji Aliyev of Azerbaijan at the Freestyle World Cup in April. While he did take a surprising loss to Jaydin Eierman at the U.S. Open, he came back avenge the loss with two victories over the Missouri Tiger in the finals of the World Team Trials. McKenna, a past Junior world silver medalist, was not only a surprise champion at the U.S. Open, but dominated the competition, outscoring his opponents 50-3. McKenna is savvy and technically sound. Stieber, despite his U.S. Open setback, is still the man to beat in this weight class domestically and America's best chance for a world medal at 65 kilograms. Also, don't overlook the big-brother syndrome. Ever since McKenna arrived in Columbus last summer, Stieber has been a mentor to him. With the way McKenna has been wrestling and the familiarity between the two, I wouldn't be shocked to see the young Buck pull out a victory. I just don't see him beating Stieber twice. Zahid Valencia dominated Alex Dieringer in the finals of the World Team Trials (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) Kyle Dake vs. Zahid Valencia (79 kilograms), Under 12.5 in Match 1: -115 I don't see much value betting on the winner of the best-of-three series between Dake and Valencia. While I favor Dake, Valencia, as a massive underdog, looked phenomenal in dominating Alex Dieringer in the finals of the World Team Trials. He as aggressive and seemingly scored when he wanted to. Dake should win, which is why he is -350, but it doesn't mean he will. Valencia is very capable, and you can be sure Arizona State coaches Zeke Jones and Chris Pendleton will have a well-devised game plan against Dake. Instead, of forcing a play on the side, I like the Under 12.5. Valencia shut down Dieringer, surrendering only one point in two matches. Dake's incredible defense has been well documented. He has shut down not only some of America's top wrestlers, but also some top foreign wrestlers.