InterMat Staff

In the current landscape, success in college wrestling is defined by success at the NCAA tournament, which is an individual bracket event. Almost half of this season's All-American wrestlers -- 38 of the 80 -- were ranked within the top 30 of their high school graduating class. If you further narrow that subset, it's 32 of 80 within the top 20, and 23 were within the top ten. It is also interesting to note that (only) 17 of the All-Americans were not top 100 recruits coming out of high school. The data out of last year's NCAA tournament yields similar conclusion as well: 19/80 All-Americans were top ten recruits, 40/80 were top thirty recruits, while 20 were not top 100 recruits. With that premise laid out, one can see the importance for programs to land elite talents in recruiting. It then goes without saying that recognizing which elite talents have the true goods in all aspects to perform in college, as well as developing said talent once on campus, is also vital. The importance of elite talent is made abundantly clear when looking at the lineups that Penn State and Ohio State put on the mat during this past season. The five NCAA finalists for Penn State that comprised "death row" were all top ten recruits in their respective graduating classes: Zain Retherford was third in the Class of 2013, Jason Nolf seventh in 2014, Vincenzo Joseph seventh in 2015, Mark Hall first in 2016, and Bo Nickal fifth in 2014. Other All-Americans for Penn State were two more top ten recruits in Nick Lee (fifth from the Class of 2017) and Nick Nevills (fourth from the Class of 2014), plus Shakur Rasheed who was 56th in the Class of 2014. The remaining two Nittany Lion starters in the postseason were also top 100 recruits, Carson Kuhn was 86th in the Class of 2010, while Corey Keener was 97th in the Class of 2013. (Kuhn did not qualify for the NCAAs this past season.) All ten of Ohio State's starters made the NCAA tournament, and all were ranked as top 100 recruits in their graduating class. NCAA champ Kyle Snyder was first in the Class of 2014, and runner-up Myles Martin was fourth in 2015. Four additional top ten recruits were among the All-American finishers: Luke Pletcher (eighth in 2016), Joey McKenna (eighth in 2014), Micah Jordan (sixth in 2014), and Bo Jordan (first in 2013). Nathan Tomasello (15th in 2013) and Kollin Moore (32nd in 2015) were the other Buckeyes' All-American finishers, while additional NCAA qualifiers for the Buckeyes were Ke-Shawn Hayes (13th in 2015) and Te'Shan Campbell (65th in 2015). It should come as little surprise that the top two programs of recent years are continuing to recruit at an extraordinarily elite level, as one will find out when reading the rankings and capsule profiles below (top 25 class for 2018, along with the recruits that are in those classes). Four-time state champ Seth Nevills anchors Penn State's No. 1 recruiting class (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 1. Penn State Top 100 recruits: No. 6 Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), No. 10 Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind./NLWC), No. 12 Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.), No. 14 Aaron Brooks (North Hagerstown, Md.), No. 15 Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.), No. 20 Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson-Morgan, Pa.), and No. 37 Brody Teske (Fort Dodge, Iowa) Commentary: The most notable part of this class for the three-time defending national champion Nittany Lions is the addition of three high-end prospects for the opening couple of weight classes in Bravo-Young, Teasdale, and Teske. It's an absurdly strong class for the squad that has won seven national titles over the last eight seasons -- featuring six of the top 20 recruits nationally, and a seventh within the top 40. Rounding out the class are Joe Lee, true freshman All-American Nick's younger brother, and Cadet world champion Brooks who address the middle, while Beard and Nevills cover the back couple of weight classes. 2. Ohio State Top 100 recruits: No. 9 Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.), No. 11 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.), No. 30 Rocky Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), No. 36 Quinn Kinner (Kingsway Regional, N.J.), No. 38 Jaden Mattox (Grove City Central Crossing, Ohio), No. 48 Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.), No. 73 J.D. Stickley (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), No. 75 Alex Fleix (Gilroy, Calif.), and No. 79 Kevon Freeman (Lake Catholic, Ohio) Other ranked recruit: Braeden Redlin (Allen, Texas) Additional notable: Josh Ramirez (Dubuque Wahlert, Iowa) Commentary: While the landscape of football is slightly different, one can assert within reason that Penn State wrestling is to Ohio State as Alabama football is to Urban Meyer's outfit that plays in "The 'Shoe" on Saturdays in the fall. The loss of three four-time All-Americans to graduation provides the need and open resources for what is an absolutely loaded class headed to Columbus. It features an absurd nine top 100 recruits, though just two reside in the top 20. In total this class covers every weight except for 285 and possibly 133. 3. North Carolina State Top 100 recruits: No. 19 Jakob Camacho (Danbury, Conn.), No. 22 Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.), No. 53 Jarrett Trombley (Lake Fenton, Mich.), No. 55 Josiah Rider (Grand Junction, Colo.), and No. 84 Tyler Barnes (Ballston Spa, N.Y.) Other ranked recruits: Deonte Wilson (Amityville, N.Y.) and Colin Lawler (Kinkaid School, Texas) Impact transfer: Justin Oliver (Central Michigan) Additional notables: Matt Fields (Brunswick, Ohio), Matthew Grippi (Fox Lane, N.Y.), and Tony Wuest (Smyrna, Del.) Commentary: Two years ago head coach Pat Popolizio and staff pulled in the No. 1 recruiting class. This past season two of those wrestlers - in their redshirt freshman season - were key components to the Wolfpack earning a "trophy finish" at the national tournament; Hayden Hidlay was runner-up at 157, while Tariq Wilson took third at 133. Familiarity is the theme in this class; its anchors beng Hayden's younger but bigger (in size) brother Trent, as well as the dynamite lightweight Camacho, who graduated the same high school as three-time All-American Kevin Jack. Given this program's track record with less heralded recruits, the pair of projected 197 and 285 wrestlers (Wuest and Tyler Houghton, Wilson and Lawler) could emerge to the impact level. In addition, 2016 All-American Oliver provides a one-year "solution" at 149. 4. Minnesota Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.), No. 7 Brayton Lee (Brownsburg, Ind.), No. 32 Patrick Mckee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), No. 58 Ryan Thomas (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), and No. 87 Garrett Joles (Boyceville, Wis.) Additional notables: Kasper McIntosh (Portage, Ind.) Commentary: After a stretch of relatively down recruiting seasons that followed the Gophers' top-ranked class of 2010, this marks the third time in the last four years that Minnesota has brought in a top ten class. It's also the first "true" class for head coach Brandon Eggum. He was appointed as interim coach in the fall of 2016 before getting full time job later during the 2016-17 season. Three-time world freestyle champion Steveson is being talked about as an immediate title contender at 285 pounds, a weight class where both finalists graduate; while Lee and McKee possess high-end potential after each possibly redshirts. 5. Nebraska Top 100 recruits: No. 26 Peyton Robb (Owatonna, Minn.), No. 31 Brock Hardy (Box Elder, Utah), and No. 34 Alex Thomsen (Underwood, Iowa) Other ranked recruit: Austin Emerson (Bedford, Mich.) Impact transfer: Zeke Moisey (West Virginia) Additional notable: Jake Silverstein (Hauppauge, N.Y.) Commentary: The year-to-year success of the 'Huskers across their roster is very impressive. Mark Manning manages to always put out a very competitive team in all weight classes, one that this past season finished top ten at the NCAA tournament; all six qualifiers won multiple matches, three were All-Americans, while another two missed the podium by a solitary match. Solid recruiting and development of that talent is an obviously key ingredient. This year's group is no exception, as there are three top 35 recruits (though Hardy will be a delayed enrollee to campus due to a two-year Mormon mission) plus a fourth weight class ranked wrestler who projects to compete at 285 pounds. Two-time All-American Moisey will provide a one-year solution transferring in to start at 125 pounds. 6. Michigan Top 100 recruits: No. 4 Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind.), No. 5 Joey Silva (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), and No. 23 Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.) Impact transfer: Kanen Storr (Iowa State) Additional notables: Bobby Striggow (Orono, Minn.) and Mike Mars (Westland John Glenn, Mich.) Commentary: Last year's class provided four top 100 recruits and a fifth higher end wrestler in Drew Mattin, who happened to qualify for the NCAA tournament as a true freshman at 125. The Wolverines will enter 2018-19 with a new, but familiar, head coach in Sean Bormet as Joe McFarland retired after earning an elusive trophy finish at the NCAA tournament. Two-time Super 32 champ Silva, Cadet world champ Lewan, and a potential Division I athlete in two sports in Parris anchor this class; along with the transfer in of Storr, who was nationally ranked during his redshirt freshman season at Iowa State. 7. Stanford Top 100 recruits: No. 16 Real Woods (Montini Catholic, Ill.), No. 17 Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), No. 80 Tyler Eischens (Anoka, Minn.), and No. 97 Colbey Harlan (Oakdale, Calif.) Additional notable: Gabe Dinette (Lakewood, Colo.) Commentary: Head coach Jason Borrelli now has brought in seven top 20 recruiting classes in ten years at the helm, with this one being the highest rated. However, there comes a point when the on-the-mat results have to consistently match the recruiting success. Since an 11th-place finish in 2011, the high water mark was a 16th-place finish in 2012, with finishes the last two years sliding backwards. Lightweight Woods and middleweight Griffith are potential impact wrestlers in the near-term, while Eischens and Harlan bring potential as middleweight and upperweight wrestlers respectively. 8. Missouri Top 100 recruits: No. 40 Zach Elam (Staley, Mo.), No. 47 Malik Johnson (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), No. 49 Jarrett Jacques (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.), No. 63 Brock Mauller (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.), No. 64 Peyton Mocco (West Allis Nathan Hale, Wis.), No. 69 Jeremiah Kent (Hickman, Mo.), and No. 99 Ceivon Severado (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) Other ranked recruits: Jack Flynn (Francis Howell, Mo.) and Cameron Fusco (Seckman, Mo.) Additional notable: Weston DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.) Commentary: 2017-18 was another positive season for Mizzou, as the Tigers were undefeated in dual meets before winning a seventh straight conference title and placing sixth at the national tournament with four All-Americans. Effective recruiting has been a key part of Brian Smith's success at the helm of "Tiger Style" ... with this year's group particularly notable for the significant in-state flavor. The clear high-end anchor is projected heavyweight Elam, who eschewed potential Division I football opportunities to wrestle in college; while Kent is a notable "diamond in the rough" as he only started wrestling while in high school. Why a low ranking despite this quantity of ranked kids? All seven top 100 recruits are below the last of the seven Penn State brought in; only one (Elam) is ranked in the top four in his high school weight class, while for instance Ohio State has seven ranked top four in their weight class. 9. North Carolina Top 100 recruits: No. 24 Brandon Whitman (Dundee, Mich.), No. 52 Mason Phillips (Stanwood, Wash.), No. 61 Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic, Ill.), No. 90 Ryan Karoly (Malvern Prep, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Keaton Kluever (Kaukauna, Wis.) and Joey Mazarra (Bishop Gorman, Nev.) Additional notable: Joe Heilmann (South Plainfield, N.J.) Commentary: 2017-18 was an improved season for the Tar Heels. They won an additional conference dual relative to the previous year, while also improving by two positions (fifth to third) in the conference tournament standings. An additional positive was the pair of All-Americans from an almost two decade high of eight qualifiers; while this recruiting class, which follows up last year's haul of three top 100 prospects that was rated 10th, adds further momentum in the right direction in Chapel Hill. The obvious anchor is projected 197 Whitman, Melendez is a potential impact lower-weight with Izzy Style connections (like assistant coach Tony Ramos), while Heilmann is the younger brother of All-American 149 pound wrestlers Troy. 10. Princeton Top 100 recruits: No. 13 Patrick Glory (Delbarton, N.J.), No. 57 Quincy Monday (Carrboro, N.C.), No. 72 Grant Cuomo (Brewster, N.Y.), and No. 77 Marshall Keller (Christiansburg, Va.) Other ranked recruit: Jake Marsh (Marysville, Ohio) Commentary: It's yet another ranked recruiting class for head coach Chris Ayres, who continues to do excellent work as head coach, especially in terms of bringing in talent. Last year it was two top thirty recruits, while the year before it was three in the top 100 (four weight class ranked). This year, the clear anchor is four-time New Jersey state finalist Glory, a two-time state champion; he'll join fellow Delbarton grad Agaisse in the lightweight queue. Keller and Monday are expected to help in the middle-weights, as is Marsh, while Cuomo fits in as an upper-middle. 11. Iowa State Top 100 recruits: No. 3 David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio), No. 42 Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa) Other ranked recruits: Francis Duggan (Iowa City West, Iowa) and Anthony Sherry (Glenwood, Iowa) Impact transfer: Todd Small (Iowa Central) Additional notables: Grant Stotts (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa), Hunter DeJong (Sibley-Ocheyedan, Iowa), and Tyler Buesgens (Scott West, Iowa) Commentary: Recruiting hasn't been the problem in recent years for Iowa State, it's been the parts that happen after enrolling on campus. The first year of the Kevin Dresser Era was a struggle, with some clunky dual meet losses followed by the coup de gras of only getting one wrestler to the NCAA tournament. Expectations and pressure are clear and present headed into year two, including on Carr, who could be called on as an immediate starter in the middle-weights. Small has had success at the junior college level, and should help in the lower-weight,s along with redshirt freshman Austin Gomez. Of interest is a bunch of similar recruits that project to be part of the upper third of the lineup. 12. Rutgers Top 100 recruits: No. 39 Bill Janzer (Delsea Regional, N.J.) and No. 59 Nico Aguilar (Gilroy, Calif.) Other ranked recruit: Jake Benner (Ocean Township, N.J.) Additional notables: Kyle Lightner (Delaware Valley, N.J.) and Malcolm Robinson (Blair Academy, N.J.) Commentary: The Scarlet Knights have now had five consecutive seasons with an All-American finisher. That includes this past season where they finished just outside the top ten (11th with 42-1/2 points), with multiple All-Americans and a national finalist in Nick Suriano. Scott Goodale has built an excellent program, where the on mat product is getting closer to matching the strong fan support and enthusiasm. The anchor recruits are a lower-weight in Aguilar and an upperweight in Janzer, while Lightner is a 197/285 type that missed his senior season due to injury after winning state as a junior. 13. Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 18 Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.) and No. 60 Nelson Brands (Iowa City West, Iowa) Impact transfer: Austin DeSanto (Drexel) Commentary: The Hawkeyes have already seen return from last year's number one recruiting class, as Spencer Lee dominated his true freshman NCAA tournament on the way to earning gold and promoting Pokemon to new heights among people above elementary school age; while the fourth ranked class of 2016 provided return in an All-American finish from Alex Marinelli at 165. Though Cassioppi is not Gable Steveson, he's a legit wrestling talent at the 285 class; Brands comes from a strong gene pool as the son of Associate Head Coach (Terry) and nephew of Head Coach (Tom). Incoming transfer DeSanto came on the scene after a specatular Cliff Keen in early December and reached the quarterfinals from the seventh seed at the NCAA tournament in his true freshman campaign at Drexel. 14. Oklahoma Top 100 recruits: No. 33 Antony Madrigal (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), No. 85 Tommy Hoskins (Legacy Christian Academy, Ohio), and No. 93 Jaryn Curry (Choctaw, Okla.) Other ranked recruit: Josiah Jones (Bishop McCort, Pa.) Impact transfer: Kayne MacCallum (Eastern Michigan) Commentary: The second season for Lou Rosselli saw further affirmation of the "talent gap" that exists in Norman between the Sooners and the top teams in the country. His squad qualified just four wrestlers for the NCAA tournament, and mustered one point during the competition in Cleveland two eight weeks ago. It is the hope that last year's sixth ranked class and this solid group can help reboot his program. Of note is the transfer of NCAA qualifier MacCallum from Eastern Michigan. 15. Oklahoma State Top 100 recruits: No. 2 Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, Ore.) and No. 70 Anthony Montalvo (Buchanan, Calif.) Additional notable: Jalin Harper (Manhattan, Kansas) Commentary: This is a third straight "light" class in terms of quantity for head coach John Smith and the Cowboys after significant pulls in 2014 and 2015 of 11 combined top 100 recruits. However, Wittlake and Montalvo are clear elite talents from the west coast; Wittlake a 2016 Cadet world medalist who beat eventual 2017 Cadet world champion Brooks at the trials in Akron before injury precluded him from competing. Harper was a Junior folkstyle national champion this spring despite failing to win his high school state tournament. All three wrestlers are upper-middle-weight types. 16. Wisconsin Top 100 recruits: No. 66 Tyler Dow (Stoughton, Wis.), No. 68 Jared Krattiger (Waterford, Wis.), and No. 71 Jeremy Schoenherr (Stratford, Wis.) Impact transfer: Connor Brown (South Dakota State) Additional notable: Joey Sanchez (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) Commentary: New head coach Chris Bono came into the fold after recruiting was basically done for the 2018 class by Barry Davis and the previous staff. Davis did a solid job with this group signing three of the five top 100 prospects that resided in the state of Wisconsin (Mocco went to Missouri, while Joles went across the border to Minnesota); Bono and the new staff will have to continue that trend, and possibly even improve it. The three in-state talents all have shown their mettle at national level events, while Brown qualified for the NCAA tournament as a true freshman at 125 competing for South Dakota State this past season, and Sanchez was a state champion and Ironman placer for national power St. Paris Graham this past season. 17. Northwestern Top 100 recruits: No. 46 Jack Jessen (Willowbrook, Ill.), No. 74 Lucas Davison (Chesterton, Ind.), and No. 96 Erich Byelick (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Additional notable: Jack Heyob (Cincinnati St. Xavier, Ohio) Commentary: As Matt Storniolo and staff finally come into their own in Evanston, this is a rather solid recruiting group for the Wildcats. It's a trio of top 100 recruits headed by the excellent upperweight from just outside of Chicago in Jessen, who has had major success in national level events. Davison and Byelick also have significant national-level event credentials, and will bolster the back half of the lineup; while state runner-up Heyob projects as a 285 (similar to Conan Jennings, who was also from Southwest Ohio, and finished runner-up at state as a senior). 18. Drexel Top 100 recruits: No. 45 Michael O'Malley (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) and No. 67 Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Dante Mininno (Gateway Woodbury, N.J.), Antonio Mininno (Gateway Woodbury, N.J.), and Josh Stillings (Pennridge, Pa.) Additional notable: Ty Smith (Virgin Valley, Nev.) Commentary: This is a third straight ranked recruiting class for head coach Matt Azevedo, though for a second straight year the anchor member of the previous year's class has already left campus, with DeSanto headed for Iowa. Even so there is strong momentum as this year's class features a pair of top 100 talents in projected upper-middleweight O'Malley and projected 197 Walters. The Mininno twins and Smith all fit in as potential options at 125/133, Smith an unexpected Junior National freestyle champion last summer at 113; while Super 32 Challenge and Flo Nationals runner-up Stillings fits in a similar area of the lineup as O'Malley. 19. Northern Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 95 Drew Bennett (Fort Dodge, Iowa) and No. 98 Michael Blockhus (New Hampton, Iowa) Other ranked recruits: Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa), Bryce Esmoil (West Liberty, Iowa), and John McConkey (Atlantic, Iowa) Additional notables: Tyrell Gordon (Waterloo East, Iowa) and Cayd Lara (Fort Dodge, Iowa) Commentary: Head coach Doug Schwab has made the most out of the Panthers position as a collegiate wrestling program in Iowa. The 2014 season was their high-water mark in terms of on the mat success, while recruiting has continued to be a positive with now three ranked recruiting classes in four years. The very interesting thing about this group is that even with in-state power Iowa and Iowa State, all seven core members are from the state of Iowa. Biscoglia and Bennett are lightweights; Blockhus and Lara are middleweights; while Esmoil, Gordon, and McConkey are upperweights to form a class with excellent depth and breadth. 20. Cornell Top 100 recruits: No. 28 Andrew Merola (Blair Academy, N.J.) Other ranked recruit: Jonathan Loew (Wantagh, N.Y.) Additional notables: Gerard Angelo (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) and Ryan Moore (Walton Verona, Ky.) Commentary: 2018 marked an eleventh straight top ten finish at the national tournament for the Big Red, while the quartet of All-Americans made it sixteen consecutive seasons with three-plus on the podium. With the banner recruiting class of 2017 plus a solid incumbent roster already present on campus in Ithaca, this year's class is a bit lighter in quantity of talent; however, Merola is a potential impact talent in a middle-weight with Loew showing upside potential as a 184/197 after moving up three weights to have an excellent high school senior season at 195. 21. Army West Point Top 100 recruit: No. 21 Markus Hartman (Barrington, Ill.) Other ranked recruits: Paul Robinson (Bremen, Ga.) and Max Darrah (Whitfield, Mo.) Additional notables: Ryan Chauvin (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), Mason Smith (Walton Verona, Ky.), Andrew Wert (Central Dauphin, Pa.), and Christian Hunt (Yorktown, Ind.) Commentary: It's a second consecutive ranked recruiting class for head coach Kevin Ward, and the Black Knights. This group is led by Hartman, a two-time Fargo double All-American, who beat Will Lewan for his state title this year. Between Robinson and Darrah one is bound to be a capable starter at 285, as both have national event productivity to their credit; Chauvin and Wert are solid lower-weight options, while two-time state runner-up Hunt and Smith are potential options in the middleweights. 22. Rider Top 100 recruit: No. 29 Frankie Gissendanner (Penfield, N.Y.) and No. 83 Chris Wright (Central Dauphin, Pa.) Additional notables: Bryan Martin (Williamstown, N.J.) Commentary: Gissendanner is probably the best recruit the Broncos have landed in recent program memory other than B.J. Clagon. The last time Rider landed two top 100 recruits was in 2013, when Clagon and Chad Walsh enrolled; each was an All-American at least once (Walsh twice in actuality) with an additional round of 12 appearance. Should Gissendanner and Wright replicate that success, it would be good news for head coach John Hagney and crew. Martin is a potential "diamond in the rough" as an upperweight, placing third at state for the first time as a senior. 23. SIU Edwardsville Top 100 recruit: No. 25 Justin Ruffin (Union Grove, Ga.) Other ranked recruits: Aaron Schulist (Mukwanago, Wis.) and Saul Ervin (Union County, Ky.) Additional notable: Austin Macias (Burlington Central, Ill.) Commentary: As a school that doesn't sponsor football and with basketball competing in the Ohio Valley Conference, there seem to be obstacles in front of the wrestling program for achieving success. However, head coach Jeremy Spates has things going in a positive direction (from one NCAA qualifier his first season, to two each of the following two years, and three the last two years). In addition, this excellent recruiting class is another momentum boost. Ruffin is an elite wrestler who has competed and produced in many national events, while Schulist and Macias were Junior freestyle All-Americans last summer as well. 24. Penn Top 100 recruits: No. 27 Anthony Artalona (Tampa Prep, Fla.) and No. 86 Grant Aronoff (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.) Other ranked recruit: Ben Goldin (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Additional notables: Doug Zapf (Downington West, Pa.), Carmen Ferrante (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), and Jake Hendricks (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) Commentary: Having this type of pipeline to Florida would be more notable if it was in the fall sport played with an oblong ball that generates a ton of revenue. However, in this case it's good news for head coach Roger Reina, as his Quakers add two talented middleweights and an upperweight to the stable. Complimentary pieces include two-time state finalist Zapf and three-time state placer Ferrante as lower-weights and Cadet world Greco-Roman team participant Hendricks as a middle-weight. 25. Lehigh Top 100 recruit: No. 51 Josh Humphreys (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) Other ranked recruits: Jaret Lane (Southern Columbia, Pa.) and Mitchell Polito (East Brunswick, N.J.) Impact transfer: Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) Additional notable: Brian Meyer (Phillipsburg, N.J.) Commentary: Coming off an excellent season in which the Mountain Hawks ended Cornell's eleven-year hold on the EIWA title, while qualifying all ten wrestlers to the NCAA tournament and then earning three All-Americans, they bring in a solid recruiting class. The anchors are the middle-weight Humphreys along with lower-weights Lane and Polito. Previous All-American Schram is a solid one-year solution at 125 after 2017 national champion Darian Cruz graduated. Honorable mention: Arizona State, Harvard, Pitt, South Dakota State, Virginia

Beat the Streets New York is hosting its annual event fundraising event next Thursday in New York City, and in keeping with past years the competition will provide some of the year's most intriguing and dramatic freestyle matchups. Headlining the event is a four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs versus defending world champion Frank Chamizo. Burroughs has the speed, experience and size while Chamizo has arguably the best hips in all of wrestling. The style matchup has the wrestling world buzzing: Who will win, and how? I've spent a lot of time watching these two compete and while it would be foolish to predict how things will suss out point for point, I think there are habits we are likely to see next week at the South Street Seaport. Burroughs tends to start slow, build momentum at the end of the first period and then erupt for points in the second period. It's not uncommon to see him go 2-1 into the break and then spend the first minute of the second period putting together a technique tape on double legs. He also doesn't tend to score a lot from top and when he does it's usually a bundle leg lace coming immediately out of a double leg that naturally ended near his opponent's ankles. Burroughs is solid from bottom par terre and rarely find himself exposed. In terms of match momentum Chamizo plays ying to Burroughs' yang. The Cuban's defense is so mind-bending that often he allows over-aggressive opponents to shoot early, often turning those attempts into two and four-point moves. However, once Chamizo accumulates a four-point lead the confidence in his defense pushes him to lead protect. There are still foot sweeps and high level single leg snatches, but for the most part he turns off the pressure. When Chamizo gets less active he finds himself standing upright, backing to the edge and giving up pushout points. Watch his 2016 Olympic semifinal and the 2018 European semifinal to see examples of just what happens when Chamizo gets too defensive. He's adequate on top and near immovable from par terre. Burroughs will have size on Chamizo -- maybe as much as 10 pounds with the day before weigh-in and three-kilogram weight allowance (as is the norm for Beat the Streets). The size, and tendency to score late against an opponent who often plays the clock, should give Burroughs an edge. The dual meet isn't just about Burroughs and Chamizo. Jordan Oliver and Toghrul Asgarov are meeting in the night's other "supermatch." The duo, who each found themselves off suspension last month, could create quite the stir for fans interested in seeing wrestling as a form of competitive, interpretive dance. Oliver is a more traditional styled wrestler albeit with low singles and creative finishes. Meanwhile Asgarov is like an abstractionist painter on mushrooms, contorting his body in ways that other wrestlers simply don't and capitalizing from overhooks unlike any wrestler we've seen. In addition to his creativity he has some of the sharpest match management skills in the sport. Neither should be in particularly great shape, but one would expect Oliver to be in better shape than Asgarov who took the entire 2013 and most of the 2014 season to eat and chill out. More clearly stated, there is a chance Asgarov comes in a little soft around the belt line. What few people have mentioned so far is the night's other incredibly interesting matchup between Helen Maroulis and Odunayo Adekuoroye of Nigeria. The two wrestled to a 6-6 matchup at the 2015 Golden Grand Prix in Baku, with Helen winning on criteria. Since then Odunayo has only lost in the world finals and in the Indian Pro League, where Helen also took a loss to the same opponent, Pooja Dhanda. Odunayo Adekuoroye celebrates after reaching the world finals in 2017 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Odunayo started wrestling late and has emerged in the past two years with more techniques than she showed in her bronze-medal performance in Paris. The outside double has been complimented by crafty short offense that uses far side ankle control to create angles and find reshots. She has a developing leg lace. Maroulis is an all-around competitor who relies more on creating offense from what's presented to her, than focusing on hitting one single move. As an example of this you can see her foot sweep Marwa Amri of Tunisia through the floor. In addition to creative offense, she loves to sucker opponents into an outside single on her right leg then whizzer hard while sliding out the ankle. This is the position she held at the end of her 2016 Olympic gold-medal performance against Saori Yoshida, and how she scored her second takedown against Amri in Paris. However good her offense and defense, what makes Maroulis most impressive is her ability to score in bunches. She connects takedowns to gut wrenches well and finds cradles during scrambles like she did in the Olympic semifinals against Sofia Mattson (a la David Taylor). The rest of the matchups are compelling, especially Kyle Snyder and Renerias Salas. While I don't think Salas will put up much of a fight in the second period, I'm very much looking forward to the first scrambles. He'll win, but the creativity will be a great test for Snyder. One last thing … If you are in the NYC area and want to attend be sure to purchase tickets. They are only $25 for standing room only and the money goes to support a great cause. If you can't make it, but want to support the cause, you can also direct yourself to their donate page through the same link. Here is the link. To your questions ... Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Why is Abdulrashid Sadulaev moving up to 97 kg after winning the European Championships at 92 kg? Is it solely to face Kyle Snyder? Or he is struggling with the weight cut? -- Mike C. Foley: I'm really not sure why he didn't just stay at 97 kilograms. The best answer might be some internal politics and that there was a need for him to maintain 92 kilograms at the Europeans, but I truthfully don't know. One other option might be that he had his taste of a two-day weigh-in and didn't want to do that again knowing full well that he was going to 97 kilograms in 2019 to qualify for the Olympic Games. We always knew he was going up. I think the bigger surprise was that he even went down to 92 kilograms at all. Oh, and no it's not solely to face Kyle Snyder, but he has been very vocal that he will beat Snyder in any and all rematches. Q: I'm hoping you may be able to shed some light on just what the heck is going on with the program at the University of Maryland. As you are probably aware, just a decade ago Pat Santoro had the Terps on a huge upswing, and they seemed poised to break into the national elite. When Kerry McCoy took over after the 2008 season, he inherited a roster featuring six future All-Americans and another half dozen NCAA qualifiers, in addition to a hefty salary and solid support. Since then, however, the Terps have regressed every year. After four Big Ten seasons, their conference record stands at 1-35, and the program is rife with injuries, academic problems, poor development, anemic recruiting, and chaotic roster management. The program looks to be on life support, and we Maryland fans are hoping something changes soon. Any thoughts? -- Chris S. Foley: Kerry McCoy is one of America's most accomplished NCAA and international wrestlers. He's also had notable success as a head wrestling coach at Stanford and Maryland. While there is a notable drop off in on-the-mat success I think that his leadership is something Maryland wants to keep in their athletic department. As one of the only minority coaches in NCAA wrestling, I also think it's important for him to have his opinion within the marketplace of ideas. Winning is winning, and if at some point the successes aren't there then I'd expect Maryland to find a better solution for their program. However, I think the sport would be shortchanged if McCoy weren't on staff or influencing policy at some Division I school. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Classic Burroughs pacing Classic Chamizo Foot sweep for days … Maroulis vs. Odunayo Q: What do you think? "If you play sports on a high school team, how likely is it that you'll play at the NCAA level? Highest: Lacrosse (>12%) Lowest: Wrestling, Basketball (3-4%)" -- @frank_smithwick Foley: There are still a relatively high number of high school wrestlers in the United States compared to a relatively low number of available roster spots at the NCAA level, especially Division I (roughly 2100 total). Q: It seems like there are more notable transfers this offseason in NCAA Division I wrestling than in recent memory. Any idea why that might be the case? -- Mike C. Foley: I think kids are more emboldened to make the decisions they feel are in their best interest. If they aren't starting -- or having trouble with the coaches -- they are learning from their peers that transferring isn't the black mark it was once considered. Also, I think that the volume of news might also be impacted by the loss of the Eastern Michigan program.

A former wrestler at Eastern Michigan University has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting in southeast Michigan. Jack MarshJack Marsh, Jr., 19, was found fatally wounded at an apartment complex in Pittsfield Township immediately west of the EMU campus in Ypsilanti on April 28, but his identity was only made public this week. Marsh had been a member of the now-defunct EMU wrestling team until he left the program in January, just two months before the Eagles mat program -- and three other intercollegiate sports -- were eliminated by the Ypsilanti-based school, effective at the end of the 2017-18 school year. A school spokesperson declined to disclose the reason for Marsh leaving the wrestling program, citing student-privacy laws. Police initially were called to a robbery with shots fired and one person injured in the parking lot at the Glencoe Hills Apartments on Saturday, April 28. Marsh was found on the ground, and taken to St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, where he died from his injuries. Police continue to investigate the death and search for the suspects. No arrests had been made as of this week. As a freshman wrestling in the 174-pound weight class, Christopher John "Jack" Marsh, Jr. wrestled in six matches at Eastern Michigan, posting a 2-4 record, the Detroit News reported. Prior to enrolling at Eastern Michigan, Marsh was a 2017 graduate of St. Pius X Catholic High School in the Atlanta area where he was a member of the football and wrestling teams. Marsh won the 170-pound title as a senior at the Georgia state wrestling championships, making him the first state champ for the school in more than 25 years, and the first-ever four-time state tourney placer for St. Pius X. In addition, he held the school record for most takedowns. Marsh also served as the senior team captain, according to his bio in the 2017-18 Eastern Michigan Wrestling Media Guide. In addition, Marsh was a 2017 Prep Slam National Champion, and a 2017 FR Junior National Duals All-American. Marsh was an electronic media and film major at EMU. He had completed his winter semester but had not enrolled for fall classes at the time of his death, according to the Ann Arbor News. Jack Marsh is survived by his parents Chris and Laura of Sandy Springs, Ga. and his twin sisters Ruth and Rachel. He also leaves his maternal grandparent, Lynne Hammontree, also of Sandy Springs, and several aunts, uncles and cousins. Funeral services were held Wednesday, May 9.

There is no shortage of opportunities to see top quality freestyle wrestling this season. With USA Wrestling's new and expanded qualifying system for this year's World Championships, even more events have been added to the 2018 calendar. The next big event is the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament for men's and women's freestyle, set for May 18-20 in Rochester, Minn. Champions in the 20 weight classes -- 10 in men's freestyle and 10 in women's freestyle -- will advance to the Final X which will determine the world team. The Final X will be held at three separate locations. There are 20 wrestlers who have already qualified for one of the Final X events. Those wrestlers are either 2017 world medalists or U.S. Open champions in the weight classes without a world medalist. A total of 152 wrestlers -- 90 in men's freestyle and 62 in women's freestyle -- have earned spots in the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. The Final X champions will represent the United States at October's World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. There will be some high-level wrestling where the stakes will be very high in Minnesota. It will definitely be worth checking out. Here are 10 reasons to attend the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament: 10. The battle at 70 kilograms Returning world silver medalist James Green knows it won't be easy to make another world freestyle team. With Green already in the Final X, there will be plenty of top competitors vying for a shot to knock him off. Leading the list of challenge tournament qualifiers is U.S. Open champion Jason Chamberlain, who has excelled for years in freestyle. NCAA runner-up Hayden Hidlay placed second at the Open followed by Alec Pantaleo, Dylan Ness, Ryan Deakin and 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro. Keep an eye on the dangerous Ness, who will be competing close to home in Minnesota. Molinaro has moved up a weight class this season. Among the other qualifiers in this class are NCAA champions Kellen Russell and Jason Nolf along with veteran Kyle Ruschell. 9. These girls are good The women's wrestling program continues to grow and improve in terms of talent, skill level and participants as the "Wrestle Like A Girl" organization continues to make a huge impact on the sport. The U.S. women finished second in the team race at the 2017 World Championships and U.S. National Coach Terry Steiner has a number of top young girls coming up through the ranks. There will be some hard-fought battles in Rochester with 10 Final X spots being determined in women's freestyle. Among the top young stars to keep an eye on are 2017 world team members Victoria Francis and Mallory Velte along with Jacarra Winchester, Alex Hedrick, Rachel Watters and many others. 8. Dieringer doing damage One of the best matches of the U.S. Open came when Kyle Dake held off Alex Dieringer in a battle of potential world medalists at 79 kilograms. Now Dieringer, a past world junior silver medalist, needs to win the challenge tournament to earn another shot at Dake in the Final X. Among the qualifiers in this class are past NCAA champions Jon Reader and Zahid Valencia. It would be interesting to see a Dieringer-Valencia match. Valencia has been on a roll. He won a Junior world silver medal in 2017 before earning an NCAA title this past season. No doubt, there are some young standouts in this new weight class. Victoria will look to bounce back from a loss to Whitney Conder at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 7. Anthony's road to redemption Victoria Anthony is determined to come back strong after falling to Whitney Conder in a battle of world team members in the U.S. Open finals. Anthony, a past world fifth-place finisher, is adjusting to a new weight class of 50 kilograms that is two kilos higher than the former class of 48. Anthony is undersized at 50, but she is an explosive and powerful athlete who did make the world semifinals at 51 kilograms in 2013. Veterans Erin Golston and Amy Fearnside will be among Anthony's top challengers. The champion will face Conder in the Final X. 6. Sixty-one will be fun There was plenty of hype surrounding the competition at 61 kilograms entering the U.S. Open. The deep and loaded class lived up to its billing, capped by Joe Colon's wild, come-from-behind 20-13 win over Nahshon Garrett in the finals. While Colon will await the challenge tournament winner in the Final X, there are still plenty of studs left to battle for the other Final X spot in Rochester. In addition to Garrett, that talented group includes Seth Gross, Jon Morrison, Tyler Graff and Nico Megaludis. There will be some great battles in this weight class. Isaiah Martinez will look to follow up his U.S. Open title with a title at the World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 5. Imar's quest for gold There are plenty of wrestling fans who are looking forward to a possible Final X showdown between Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Jordan Burroughs and two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez. How much fun would it be to see those two dynamic and explosive athletes battle for the world team spot in freestyle at 74 kilograms? Plus, they would match up at least two times in a best-of-3 format. Bring it on. Before that happens, Martinez still has to take care of business in Rochester. He will have to make it past a couple of potentially strong challengers in veteran Nazar Kulchytskyy and two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph. Martinez lost to Joseph in the NCAA finals in 2017 and 2018. Martinez looked very dominant in rolling to the U.S. Open title. He has a huge upside in freestyle. 4. Olympian Augello not done yet 2016 Olympian Haley Augello bumped up a weight class last year to make her first world team on the Senior level in women's freestyle. She ran into a tough foe at the U.S. Open in young standout Sarah Hildebrandt, who downed Augello in the finals en route to being named Outstanding Wrestler. Augello now has a chance to regroup in Rochester, and with a win there would meet Hildebrandt again in the Final X at 53 kilograms. 3. Zain Train vs. Logie Bear One of the biggest surprises at the U.S. Open was that past world champion Logan Stieber was upset and finished third in freestyle. Stieber has moved up a weight class this season and likely will have to beat 2017 world team member Zain Retherford to make the Final X at 65 kilograms. Retherford just capped his college career by winning a second straight Hodge Trophy. He is a past Cadet world champion. A Stieber-Retherford finals series would be worth the price of admission. They are two outstanding wrestlers who have excelled internationally. U.S. Open runner-up Jaydin Eierman, who knocked off Stieber at the Open, also could be in the mix. Local fans can cheer on past Minnesota NCAA champion Jayson Ness, who was fifth at the Open. The champion at 65 kilograms will advance to face surprise U.S. Open winner Joey McKenna in the Final X. 2. Coon rockets into contention Adam Coon will make a Senior world team at some point. He's just too good not to. But will this be the year? Coon had a superb performance at the U.S. Open where he won the freestyle title at heavyweight a night after placing second in Greco-Roman. Coon only has to focus on freestyle in Minnesota and that may be bad news for his opponents. Coon downed 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner, who has moved up a weight class, in the U.S. Open finals. He also beat Cadet and Junior world champion Gable Steveson. This will be a fun weight class to watch in Rochester with top veterans Dom Bradley and Tony Nelson also expected to be in the mix. Nelson won two NCAA titles for Minnesota. The champion will meet returning world bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski in the Final X. Will Spencer Lee (right) crash the party at 57 kilograms? (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 1. Ramos-Fix, Part II? Or will Lee crash the party? I can't wait to see how it all unfolds at 57 kilograms in Rochester. Two-time world team member Tony Ramos edged Junior world champion Daton Fix to win the U.S. Open in men's freestyle. A Ramos-Fix finals rematch would be enjoyable to witness, but there is no guarantee that will happen. Especially if 2018 NCAA champion Spencer Lee enters this event. Lee is a Cadet and Junior world champion in freestyle, and he's had his share of battles with Fix in the past. Plus, he trains in the same room with 2017 world silver medalist Thomas Gilman. A Fix-Lee showdown would be entertaining to watch. So would a Ramos-Lee matchup in the finals. The winner in Minnesota will face Gilman in the Final X. 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. This story also appears in the May 11 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.

Lorenzo De La Riva was a Pac-12 finalist as a freshman in 2017 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State University head wrestling coach Roger Kish announced today the addition of redshirt sophomore Lorenzo De La Riva, a transfer from Cal State University-Bakersfield, to the 2018 Bison wrestling recruiting class. De La Riva will have two years of eligibility remaining. De La Riva joins prep standouts Austin Brenner, St. Cloud, Minn. (St. Cloud Tech); Noah Cressell, Wabash, Ind. (Wabash H.S.); Dylan Droegemueller, Champlin, Minn. (Anoka H.S.); Jared Franek, West Fargo, N.D. (West Fargo H.S.), Jimmy Noel, St. Louis, Mo. (Pulaski Academy, Little Rock, Ark.), and Sam Stuhl, Elllsworth, Wis. (Ellsworth H.S.), who have already committed. Lorenzo De La Riva, 5-11, Redshirt Sophomore, 165 Pounds/Projected at 174, NDSU, Cal State Bakersfield / Folsom, Calif. / Folsom H.S. 2017-18 (SOPHOMORE at CSUB): Compiled a 12-14 record at 165 and 174 pounds including 5-6 in duals and 2-1 in the Pac 12 … Record included four tech falls, three major decisions and a pin … Finished with 1-1 record at Pac 12 Tournament … Placed second at the Roadrunner Open with a 3-1 record. 2016-17 (FRESHMAN at CSUB): Rolled up a 19-13 record at 165 pounds for the Roadrunners including 9-3 in duals and 3-2 in the Pac 12 … Record included five pins, five major decisions and a tech fall … Qualified for the NCAA Championships by placing second at the Pac-12 Tournament ... Defeated Keaton Subjeck of Stanford 4-2 in overtime in the semifinals before dropping a 16-7 major decision to nationally-ranked Anthony Valencia of Arizona State in the finals ... Went 0-2 at the NCAA tournament ... Earned a 3-2 mark at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational ... Placed eighth at the Midlands, winning first four matches to reach semifinals. 2015-16 (REDSHIRT at CSUB): Sat out as a redshirt in the CSU Bakersfield program ... Competed in six open tournaments and won his first 15 matches on his way to 24-4 record ... Won the 157-pound titles at the San Francisco State, Fresno City College, and Roadrunner Opens ... Moved to 165 pounds and placed third at the Wisconsin Open and RTOC ... Moved to 174 pounds for the California Open and won first matches before being sidelined by injury. HIGH SCHOOL: A 2015 graduate of Folsom High School ... High school coach was Mike Collier ... State runner-up at 160 pounds at 2015 tournament ... Sixth at 145 pounds at 2014 state meet ... Folsom took a pair of section dual championships. PERSONAL: Son of Seth and Nikki De La Riva ... College major is kinesiology. North Dakota State finished the season with a 7-10 record overall including 1-7 in the Big 12 Conference including top 20 wins over then No. 18-ranked Central Michigan and No. 12 Cornell. The Bison finished fifth at the Big 12 Championships led by conference runner-up performances by 157 Clay Ream and 165 Andrew Fogarty. Four NDSU wrestlers - 125 Paul Bianchi, 133 Cam Sykora, Ream and Fogarty - advanced to the NCAA tournament in Cleveland. Ream was named the Elite 90 Award winner for the third straight year.

Mason Smith defeated Minnesota's Tommy Thorn in the first round of the NCAAs (Photo/Chris Mora, Tech-Fall.com) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State head wrestling coach Zeke Jones announces that Mason Smith, the reigning 141-pound Midlands champion, will join the Sun Devil squad in 2018 as a transfer. Smith was ranked No. 13 in the final individual ranking of the 2017-18 season and ranked as high as No. 6 earlier in the year. He was the No. 10 seed at the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships and is a two-time NCAA qualifier. The 141-pounder comes from Central Michigan University where he finished his sophomore season with the Chippewas with a team-best 31-5 record, qualifying for NCAA Championships. At NCAA's in 2018, he earned a first round victory over a ranked opponent in No. 23 Thomas Thorn from Minnesota. Earlier in 2018, he also beat No. 3 Michigan's Salvatore Profaci in a dual match and earned wins over two ranked opponents, No. 8 Tyler Smith from Bucknell and No. 17 Colt Schilling from Cal Poly, en route to the 141-pound title at Midlands. During his redshirt season, he was named Central Michigan Redshirt Wrestler of the Year, leading the team with nine falls at the 149-lb weight class before moving down to 141. Smith joins five-time New York state champion and FloWrestling's No. 1 recruit in the U.S. at 152 lbs. and No. 3 wrestler overall Jacori Teemer in Arizona State's incoming class.

Travis Mercado coaching Julia Salata at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Robbert Wijtman) Travis Mercado has been hired as the head coach of the new women's wrestling program at Colorado Mesa University. Colorado Mesa had announced its plan to launch a women's intercollegiate program in early March, just one week after the Colorado High School Athletics Association had approved girls wrestling for pilot seasons. CMU's new women's program -- which joins an existing men's program -- will take to the mat in November 2018, becoming the only women's program in any college in Colorado, and one of only fourteen in the western U.S. Mercado brings a strong wrestling and coaching resume to his new position, including experience in coaching women's wrestling from the high school to collegiate level. For the past three years, Mercado has served at King University, where, as associate head coach of women's wrestling, has helped turn that Tennessee-based NCAA Division II school into a perennial power. He coached the team to three first place finishes at the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) National Duals and three first place finishes at Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) National Tournament. He also trained 10 USA Olympic Trials competitors and nine USA Junior National Team members. Prior to his time at King, Mercado was a graduate assistant at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Ky. He coached the Patriots to a fifth-place finish at the NWCA National Duals and had four WCWA All-Americans. Mercado launched his coaching career at Covina High School in California. In his two seasons there, he coached 40 boys and five girls. Mercado wrestled for the Cal State-Fullerton club program, Titan Wrestling Club, for five seasons. He earned both his bachelor's and Master's in kinesiology from the school. "We are excited to announce Coach Mercado as our inaugural head women's wrestling coach. He has a proven and impressive track record with a tremendous ability to recruit and relate to the women's wrestling community," Co-Director of Athletics Kris Mort said in a statement issued by the Colorado Mesa Tuesday. In that same statement, Travis Mercado echoed those sentiments. "First, I would like to thank President Tim Foster, Co-Athletic Directors Kris Mort and Bryan Rooks, Dave Jahnke, and the search committee on giving me this opportunity to join Colorado Mesa University athletic department as the first head coach for the women's wrestling team," Mercado said. "I am looking forward to building a strong foundation for a successful future here at Colorado Mesa," the new coach continued. "We have all the necessary resources to be successful and excel not only at the collegiate level, but also helping these young women attain goals on the international level. Along with success on the mat and in the classroom, I hope to build young women of character who will be role models within the community." "We can be successful," Mercado told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. "The location of Colorado Mesa, being able to draw girls from powerhouse states and having them buy into the culture and philosophy. We're going to put our best performance forward and challenge each other." Colorado Mesa University is a four-year public university located in Grand Junction, Colo. Originally founded as Mesa State in 1925, CMU has an enrollment of approximately 11,000 students. Its 27 sports teams -- the Mavericks -- compete in NCAA Division II; however, its women's wrestlers will be competing in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA).

Kyle Snyder wrestling against Japan at the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Kyle Snyder can add yet another honor to his already muscular resume. The 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler and three-time NCAA Division I heavyweight champ for Ohio State has been nominated to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, the White House announced Friday. Established by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1956, the President's Council of Fitness, Sports and Nutrition is a U.S. government organization that aims "to promote, encourage, and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sports." Snyder, who was nominated for a two-year term on the council, was the only amateur wrestler to be included in a larger group of nominees presented by President Trump on Friday. Among the other nominees: golfer Natalie Gulbis, actor and bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, and doctor and television personality Mehmet Oz. In addition, the President appointed three individuals as co-chairs of the council: former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera, three-time women's beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor and Heisman Trophy-winning running back Herschel Walker. Just six weeks ago at the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Snyder concluded a successful mat career for the Buckeyes. The 22-year-old Maryland native became only the fifth college wrestler to have earned three D1 heavyweight titles, joining three Oklahoma State big men -- Earl McCready (1928-30), Dick Hutton (1947-48, 1950), and Jimmy Jackson (1976-78) -- as well as Carlton Haselrig of University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown (1986-88). Just last month, Snyder was named Ohio State's male recipient of the 2018 Big Ten Medal of Honor for athletes who excel in athletics and academics, and, before that, was the recipient of the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) Sullivan Award, presented each year to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the nation. Snyder has also made a name for himself in international freestyle competition. In addition to the gold medal he earned at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Snyder is also a two-time world champion.

The oldest and greatest sport has undergone significant changes since it first arrived on college campuses in the early part of the 20th century. Over the years, uniforms have changed ... rules have been revised ... and a point-scoring system has been implemented. However, for today's wrestling fans, the most startling difference may be that, prior to World War II, a number of colleges conducted their wrestling events in a roped-off ring like we associate with boxing or professional wrestling. UNI wrestling ring (Photo/NWHOF Dan Gable Museum) A couple weeks ago, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa shared on its Twitter account a 1933 photo of a wrestling ring at the University of Northern Iowa. This writer retweeted the image ... stirring up more retweets -- and questions. With all the interest and curiosity generated by that photo, it seemed appropriate for InterMat to serve up a College Wrestling Rings 101 in words and images. What do you mean by "a wrestling ring"? Photos indicate that there were basically two types of wrestling rings used at some colleges more than 75 years ago. The most common type of ring set-up appears to have been square wrestling mats placed on the gym floor, surrounded by multi-tiered wrestling ropes connected together with a ring post in each of the four corners of the mat. This describes the ring pictured in the 1930s photo from UNI posted on social media by the Hall of Fame. Coach Ed Gallagher with Oklahoma State wrestlers in a ring (Photo/Life Magazine) Then there's the wrestling ring this writer has seen in photos of the same era from Oklahoma State that look like what we would expect from a professional wrestling or boxing match, with the ring raised up off the floor approximately three-to-four feet. (Take a look at the photo -- supplied by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame -- from a 1939 Life magazine photo-shoot at the then-new Gallagher Hall (now Gallagher-Iba Arena), showing Oklahoma State wrestlers working out inside an elevated wrestling ring.) Did every college wrestling program have a ring? Iowa wrestling ringNo. In more than a decade of conducting research for InterMat Rewind historical features, I have come across photos of wrestling rings from a number of colleges, most of them in the Midwest. In addition to Northern Iowa and Oklahoma State, other schools that had wrestling rings included University of California-Berkeley, University of Oklahoma, University of Illinois, Indiana University, University of Iowa, Iowa State, University of Minnesota, and Northwestern University. As you can see, most of these schools are in the midsection of the country. What about other parts of the country? I have not seen photos of wrestling rings at Eastern colleges such as Penn State, Lehigh, or Cornell University ... nor have I seen similar images at schools in the far west (other than Cal, which no longer has wrestling), including Stanford or Oregon State. (Note: My list is incomplete; if you are aware of college programs that wrestled in rings and have visual evidence -- a photo, or a link to an article or yearbook page with a photo, or to online film/video -- please email me.) What were the rules regarding college wrestling rings? Want to know the rules governing college wrestling in the past? Take a look at the Official Wrestling Guide, published each year by the NCAA. These Guides provided explanations and photographs to illustrate wrestling rules, legal uniforms and more ... along with results from the previous college wrestling season. These compact booklets were used by wrestling officials, athletic directors, wrestling coaches and wrestlers to make sure they were in compliance with the latest rules and requirements. (PDF files of most of these guides going back to the late 1920s are available for viewing and downloading at no charge at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame website.) The 1939 Official Wrestling Guide featured nearly two full pages on nothing but college wrestling rings, starting on page 5. In addition to detailed text, there are drawings of regulation rings, complete with dimensions/measurements. Here is the entire text from the 1939 Guide regarding rings: "1. The area of the mat shall not be less than 20 feet by 20 feet and this dimension shall be considered the standard size when ropes are used. When ropes are not used, a 24-foot by 24-foot mat shall be considered standard. The 'roped in' area, when used, shall conform to the following specifications: Three 1-inch ropes shall be tightly stretched 2 feet, 3 feet and 4 feet, respectively, above the mat. These ropes shall extend in from four supporting posts which shall be placed at least 18" back from (each of) the (four) corners of the ring. Cotton ropes are recommended but if manila or sisal ropes are used, they must be wrapped in bunting or other soft material to avoid 'rope burns.' To prevent the spreading of ropes during bouts, they shall be securely fastened together by 12 vertical 3/8" ropes, there of which shall be placed equidistant on each side of the ring. Raised platforms are not recommended and should not be used without ropes. Even when used with ropes, the platform should extend at least six feet beyond the ropes on all sides of the ring. "It is recommended for competition and for practice that the wrestling mat be covered with a Canton flannel cover sufficiently large enough to fold under the mat. This cover should be stretched tight and may be held in place by horse blanket safety pins fastening the cover to the underside of the mat." To provide some perspective, let's compare today's wrestling mats to those used 80 years ago: Today's NCAA rules require a larger wrestling area for college wrestlers compared to what's used by high school wrestlers, which leads to a slightly larger mat. College wrestlers must have a minimum of a 32-foot-square wrestling area, which requires a mat that is at least 42 feet on each side. In the 1930s, the surface area college wrestlers wrestled was required by NCAA rules of the era to be 20-feet square at minimum in a roped-off ring, or 24-feet by 24-feet square without ropes ... a significantly smaller wrestling area than mandated today. Today's foam-core mats with a bonded vinyl surface (often referred by the wrestling community by one iconic brand name, Resilite) first appeared in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In other words, today's modern mats were not available to wrestlers in the era of roped-off wrestling rings eight decades ago. In other words, today's college wrestlers not only have a larger area in which to wrestle, but a safer surface than what their grandfathers used. For starters, today's foam-core mats provide better impact absorption, thanks to the foam-core construction (compared to mats of the 1920s and 1930s that were stuffed with anything from shredded cotton to straw to newsprint) ... while the non-porous vinyl surface is much easier to clean and disinfect than old-time mats with canvas or flannel surfaces that not only held germs (making infections more likely), but had a rough surface more likely to cause mat burns and skin rashes. What about rules for what wrestlers could do in the ring? The typical NCAA Wrestling Guide of the 1920s and 1930s had incredibly detailed rules about how to build a college wrestling ring ... but nothing specific about how wrestlers were supposed to behave inside the ring that would be different than wrestling on a mat on the floor without ring ropes. "The Cowboys Ride Again!" -- a history of Oklahoma State wrestling by historians Doris and Bob Dellinger, published in 1994 -- describes a couple incidents involving Cowboy wrestlers in a roped-off ring that might provide some insight as to what might have been allowed -- or forbidden. In an account of a 1932 "Bedlam Series" dual between Oklahoma State and the University of Oklahoma held at the Armory in Stillwater (home gym for the Cowboys until Gallagher Hall was dedicated in 1939), the Dellingers paint a word picture of a seesaw battle between Cowboys and Sooners ... with the winner to be determined in the last match of the evening at heavyweight. The home team was down four points, with a multi-year win streak going back more than a decade on the line. Realizing his predicament, legendary Oklahoma State coach Ed Gallagher put in defending 155-pound champ LeRoy McGuirk in against "massive Sooner heavyweight" Ellis Bashara. For Oklahoma State to win, McGuirk would have to pin Bashara. Here's how the Dellingers described this battle between cross-state rivals with at least a 100-pound weight difference: "Aggressive at once, the fiery McGuirk drove Bashara to the ropes, switched behind and took the Sooner to the mat. Bashara also knew the score and had prepared accordingly. Those who saw the historic bout say Bashara, out to hand his team a triumph that had been denied all American teams since 1921, squatted like the Rock of Gibraltar, legs spread, arms wide ..." "Bashara had only to last out the 10 minutes, his massive limbs immobile. The whistle sounded; the final score was 13 ½ to 12 ½, Oklahoma." In this account, it would appear that Bashara was thrown/forced into the ropes by McGuirk who then brought the giant Sooner down ... without the referee stopping the match or penalizing -- or disqualifying -- the undersized Cowboy. To this writer, it seems that using the ropes as a springboard was not against the rules ... though it didn't lead to a victory for the home team. (By the way, both Bashara and McGuirk became pro wrestlers after college.) The same book also tells about a bout at an AAU (American Athletic Union) championship in Birmingham, Alabama in the early 1920s (prior to the first NCAA wrestling championship, held at Iowa State in 1928). The match in question featured two top middleweights of the era: Oklahoma State superstar Guy Lookabaugh taking on Eino Leino of Finland, who eventually became a four-time Olympic medalist. "Lookabaugh began his match by throwing Leino over the ropes, climbing over after him, and pinning him to the floor. The referee ruled that was not a legal fall, and the angry Finn returned to the ring to pin Lookabaugh after a hard fight." From this write-up, a reader could deduce that throwing your opponent over the top rope -- or through the ring ropes -- was not a legal way to win a match. Any of us who've watched pro wrestling have seen the ropes used to advantage by a "heel" -- using the ropes to attempt a chokehold, or getting the "good guy" tangled up in the ropes so he can't move. However, unlike professional wrestling, it appears that the ropes in a college wrestling ring could not be used in any way during the match; a wrestler could not gain leverage from the ropes, "rebound" off them, or duck through them to take a break. Even in the 1920s and 30s, there were strict rules against using chokes or other intentional efforts to injure an opponent whether the match was held inside a roped-off ring ... or on mats on the floor without ring ropes. A model of a wrestling ring donated to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame by Clara and Rex Peery, legendary Oklahoma State wrestler of the 1930s and University of Pittsburgh coach (Photo/NWHOF) What happened to wrestling rings? According to "Cowboys Ride Again!" ropes and rings became illegal in 1942, the last full season of college wrestling before the sport took a three-year break for World War II. (All able-bodied athletes were needed as soldiers -- or as instructors to teach hand-to-hand combat to soldiers new to wrestling.) In the 1947 Official Wrestling Guide, in the rules section titled "Mats, Ropes and Costumes" it states in large, bold type: "Ropes and Raised Platforms are Illegal." Unlike previous editions of the Official Wrestling Guide, there are no drawings or explanations-in-words regarding the requirements for a college wrestling ring as featured in the 1939 Guide. This writer has not been able to find an explanation as to why the NCAA outlawed wrestling rings for college. In my years in researching and writing about U.S. amateur wrestling history, it often seems to be the case that rules are changed because of a series of injuries (for example, rules outlawing full overhead bodyslams) or a specific incident (one late 1950s/early 1960s college wrestler who told this writer that the NCAA started requiring college wrestlers to wear shirts after he witnessed a match between two bare-chested heavyweights where one of the wrestler's genitalia came out over the waistband of his trunks). In my research, I have not come across any account(s) of incident(s) where wrestlers were injured in a wrestling ring in a way that would have led the NCAA to ban roped-off rings. It's possible the reason rings went away is as simple as ... it must have been expensive to purchase the equipment to build a wrestling ring (especially one with a raised platform), and time-consuming to set up a ring and make sure everything is safely assembled. Stanley HensonSadly, to my knowledge, no one who ever wrestled in a college wrestling ring is alive to tell us his experiences. The last collegiate mat champ to step inside "the square circle" in his home gym was Stanley Henson, three-time NCAA champ at Oklahoma State in the late 1930s for coach Ed Gallagher, with only one loss in his entire collegiate career. Henson died on January 30, 2018 at age 101; at the time of his passing, he was believed to be the oldest living NCAA champion in ANY sport. There's the classic photo of a young Henson in the Oklahoma State wrestling ring, in the uniform he wore as a Cowboy matman: wool trunks, without a shirt. Arguably one of the all-time greats of the pre-World War II era, and one of the last collegiate wrestlers to do his thing in a wrestling ring. Help solve the riddle of the college wrestling ring As you can see, there's a lot we don't know about the era when some colleges wrestled in roped-off rings. Perhaps you have some photos or old-school yearbooks with images of matches conducted in a ring. Maybe you've seen vintage films of college wrestling in a ring. Or you have stories to share from your dad, granddad, uncle or family friend. If you have images, articles or memories to share, please contact the author at mark@intermatwrestle.com.

David Carr after winning the Walsh Ironman title (Photo/Sam Janicki) STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced that David Carr of Massillon, Ohio, is the 2018 national winner of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA). Carr will be presented with his award during the 42nd Annual Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 1-2 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. "It's an extreme honor for me to receive this award," said Carr. "I'm truly blessed. Dave Schultz was a legendary wrestler and it is so great that there is an award in his memory. The people who have received this award have gone on to do big things and accomplish the things I want to accomplish." He is the son of Linda and Nate Carr, a Distinguished Member inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2003, and the brother of Nate Carr, Jr., who was the DSHSEA winner for Georgia in 2006. The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The Hall of Fame also presents the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award, which recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers. Regional winners are selected from state winners, and the national winner is chosen from the regional winners. The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. "Every year our committee has a difficult task determining the national winner for our Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award because there are so many deserving candidates," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "We are so fortunate to have so many young men who are not only tremendous wrestlers, but also excellent students and good citizens. We are pleased to name David Carr as our national winner and are confident that he will represent the sport in a positive manner as he continues his career." Carr becomes the fifth national winner from Ohio, joining Logan Stieber (2010), David Taylor (2009), C.P. Schlatter (2003) and Jeff Knupp (1997). Ohio has had the most national winners, followed by Pennsylvania with three and California, Minnesota and Oklahoma with two winners each. Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin have each had one winner. Carr was a four-time Ohio High School state champion for Perry High School and he also won a Kentucky High School state title as an eighth grader. He was voted the Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament as a junior and as a senior and finished with a career record of 188-6. Carr was a Junior Nationals champion and was named Outstanding Wrestler in 2017, and he won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 2016. Carr volunteers at a homeless shelter in Dayton, Ohio, and helped produce an anti-bullying video in response to the number of suicides at his high school. He has a 3.2 GPA and has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Iowa State University. The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. National winners of the DSHSEA award have combined to win 18 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners Steven Mocco (2001), Taylor (2009) and Teyon Ware (2002). The 2016 winner of the DSHSEA Mark Hall won an NCAA title as a freshman in 2017 while 2015 winner Zahid Valencia defeated Hall in the finals to win an NCAA title in 2018. All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award 2018 - David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio 2017 - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (Junior World Champion) 2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion, 2X Junior World Champion) 2015 -Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (NCAA Champion, Junior World Silver Medalist) 2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion) 2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan 2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California 2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (4X NCAA Champion) 2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (2X NCAA Champion) 2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah 2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota 2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida 2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion) 2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist) 2003 - C.P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio 2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion) 2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian) 2000 -Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina 1999 -Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion) 1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian) 1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio 1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

North Central College is adding a women's wrestling program to join its existing men's program, the suburban Chicago school announced Tuesday. Joe Norton, a former North Central wrestler who has coached the Cardinals men's program since 2014, will serve as the head coach of the women's team as well. The new women's program will take to the mats for the first time during the 2019-2020 school year. Women's wrestling will the 29th sport at North Central College. "We're really proud of the fact that, as an institution, we've been able to be a leader in terms of providing competitive opportunities for women," said North Central athletic director Jim Miller. "We've tried to be creative and forward-thinking in how we decide where to expand our department and seeing the tremendous growth of this sport nationwide at the youth and scholastic levels, it made a lot of sense to move forward with women's wrestling. There's no question we have the capacity to provide a top-caliber competitive experience in this sport and we're excited to get started." As with all women's collegiate programs, the new North Central program will be governed by the rules of the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA), where women wrestle in freestyle competition (compared to folkstyle for men's collegiate wrestling). According to North Central, a total of 45 collegiate institutions will field varsity women's wrestling teams in 2018-2019, an increase of 29 percent over the previous year. Thanks to the growth of women's wrestling at both the high school and collegiate level, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) has applied to add women's wrestling to the NCAA's Emerging Sports for Women program. Joe Norton is eager to lead the new women's program at North Central in part because of the sport's growth. "The popularity of women's wrestling is rising at an encouraging rate across the country," Norton said. "We saw potential for North Central to be a leader in it, and we have a great opportunity to do so as the first CCIW school to add it at the varsity level. I fully expect other Division III schools in the Midwest and elsewhere to follow suit in the coming years. "I'm grateful for the leadership of Jim Miller, Marty Sauer and President (Troy) Hammond for buying into this vision and for their faith in me to build a program that can compete with the best in the country." Joe Norton has deep roots within North Central College. As a student-athlete, Norton was a four-year starter for the Cardinals wrestling program from 2006-2010, and was team captain for the 2009-2010. After serving as head coach at the now-defunct wrestling program at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, Norton returned to his alma mater, where earlier this year was named the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) and NWCA Lower Midwest Region Coach of the Year in February after leading the men's team to a 12-2 record in dual meets and the program's seventh CCIW team championship. North Central is the fourth collegiate institution in the state of Illinois to announce the addition of varsity women's wrestling, joining MacMurray College in Jacksonville, McKendree University in Lebanon, and Lindenwood University-Belleville. Located in Naperville, Ill. in west-suburban Chicago, North Central College is a private liberal arts college. Founded in 1861, the school has an enrollment of approximately 3,000 students. With the exception of the just-announced women's wrestling program, North Central's sports teams -- the Cardinals -- compete in NCAA Division III.

Justin Oliver RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State wrestling head coach Pat Popolizio has announced the transfer of All-American Justin Oliver to the Wolfpack. A graduate transfer from Central Michigan, Oliver will have one season of eligibility remaining. Oliver was a three-time NCAA Qualifier at 149 pounds for Central Michigan, and earned All-American honors in his redshirt-freshman season in 2016. He was seeded ninth or better in the last three NCAA Championships, falling one win short of All-American honors each of the last two seasons. For his career, he is 10-6 at the NCAAs. "This is an exciting time for NC State Wrestling," said Popolizio. "Justin's experiences as a student-athlete, coupled with his already decorated wrestling resume, will have an immediate impact for Wolfpack Wrestling this upcoming season. Justin's style mirrors our mentality, and he will be fun and exciting for Wolfpack Nation to watch." A Davidson, Michigan native, Oliver went a combined 92-23 at Central Michigan the last three seasons, and finished the 2017-18 campaign ranked #11 nationally in the final FloWrestling rankings. Oliver went 28-7 this past season, and was ranked as high as #3 for six straight polls by FloWrestling. He entered the 2018 NCAA Championships as the No. 6 seed, and went 3-2. Also this past season, he won the Cliff Keen Invite and was second at the Midlands Championships.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Trevor Brandvold as officially joined the University of Minnesota wrestling coaching staff, Brandon Eggum announced today. Brandvold, who spent the last six years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, begins his role immediately. Trevor Brandvold"We are extremely excited to bring Trevor on board," Eggum said. "With his experience on the mat as a two-time Big Ten Champion along with his time as an Associate Head Coach, he will excel here at the University of Minnesota. He has great relationships in the Midwest, he a phenomenal leader and mentor that will help us each and every day in the wrestling room." With the addition of Brandvold, Dustin Schlatter will move on to a role with the Minnesota Regional Training Center team, Minnesota Storm, as their head coach. After Schlatter's legendary career with the Gophers, where he won a NCAA Championship and was a three-time All-American, he also won a gold medalist in freestyle at the 2015 Pan American Championships in the 70-kilograms weight class. "Dustin's move to the Minnesota RTC program is one that will benefit not only Dustin, but a lot of people and wrestlers in this state," Eggum said. "It really is a perfect fit for Dustin who has had a lot of international success in his life, and will be able to coach a program that has a strong senior level group that will be competing for Olympic spots." In his six years with the Badgers, Brandvold coached alongside Barry Davis who left Wisconsin this past season. He was the head recruiter for the Badgers where he primarily coached the five heaviest weight classes, helping bring nine NCAA qualifying spots, three All-Americans, a national finalist and a Big Ten Medal of Honor winner over the past two seasons. Along with his coaching accomplishments on the mat, he has also been in charge of academics, community service, high school outreach and was the Badger Regional Training Center liaison. "I am eager to get started here at the University of Minnesota," Brandvold said. "I have always admired this program, and I can't wait to contribute and build toward the same goal of winning a national championship. I look forward to shaping this program with the right people in the right way. To develop each and every one of our student athletes into great wrestlers and even better men is my biggest goal as I begin here in the Twin Cities." On the mat, along with being a two-time Big Ten Champion, Brandvold was a two-time All-American and also has experience in international wrestling. He finished second at the USA Olympic qualifier, and top six at the U.S. Open and Olympic trials in 2012. Brandvold, who graduated from Wisconsin in 2011 with a degree in life sciences communications, comes to Minnesota with his wife Ali, daughter Izraya and son Abel. He enjoys golf, meeting with Life Group and spending time up north. Follow along with Minnesota Wrestling all offseason on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so you do not miss any content this summer.

Alejandro Valdes Tobier (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NEW YORK -- The wrestling federation of Cuba has provided its lineup for the Beat the Streets Annual Benefit, dubbed the "Rumble on the River," set for May 17 at Pier 17/Seaport District in lower Manhattan. A team of talented men's freestyle wrestlers from Cuba will face top U.S. wrestlers as part of the exciting card of international competition. Cuba brings a veteran team with past Olympic, World and Pan American medalists. 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Livan Lopez Azcuy will compete at 79 kg. He boasts three other World medals, including World silver medalist in 2011 and 2013 and a World bronze medal in 2014. 2013 and 2014 World silver medalist Reineris Salas Perez, who was also fifth at the 2016 Olympics, will compete at 97 kg/213 lbs. Salas was a 2015 Pan American Games champion. 2016 Olympian Alejandro Valdes Tobier, who won a 2017 World bronze medal, will compete at 70 kg. Valdes has won three Pan American Championships. 2015 Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta is on the team at 92 kg. 2017 U23 World champion Reineri Andreeu Ortega is competing at 57 kg. Two-time Pan American Championships silver medalist Yudenny Alapajon Estevez is the Cuban entry at 125 kg/275 lbs. This is the second time a Cuban team has competed in a Beat the Streets Benefit. A team of men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers were included in the 2015 Beat the Streets Benefit "Salsa in the Square," held in Times Square. The U.S. men's freestyle roster for the Beat the Streets Benefit will be announced tomorrow. The Beat the Streets Benefit is coming together nicely, with most pieces in place. The Team USA women, whose roster includes Helen Maroulis, Alli Ragan and Tamyra Mensah-Stock, will take on a highly-regarded squad from Nigeria. In addition, two Super Matches will take place, with 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs battling Italian Frank Chamizo, and American standout Jordan Oliver challenging two-time Olympic Medalist Togrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan. In addition, a Super High School Match has been scheduled, featuring the nation's top scholastic 126-lb. star in Patrick Glory of Delbarton H.S. (N.J.) against third-ranked Gavin Teasdale of Jefferson Morgan H.S. (Pa.). This year will mark the first time that Beat the Streets has held its annual event at Pier 17/South Street District. In 2013, the event dubbed "The Rumble on the Rails," was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran. Playing an important role in the international Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, this historic wrestling event gained international media coverage and helped wrestling retain its status on the Olympic Games program. Coverage will be available live and on-demand exclusively on FloWrestling.com. To access live and on-demand coverage of the Beat the Streets New York City Annual Benefit, visit FloWrestling.com and become a PRO subscriber. A subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network, as well as the matches from the Beat the Streets program starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on May 17. Watch the event across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku or Apple TV 4. This will be the ninth straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Benefit activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. Times Square has been the venue for the 2011, 2012 and 2014-2017 events. This year, top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the NYC Benefit. For the third straight year, the Benefit will feature the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, showcasing the two top New York City girl's freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl's freestyle season. Then it's Team USA vs. an international squad at 6:00 p.m. and super matches between Burroughs and Chamizo, as well as Oliver and Asgarov, with video highlights and special guest appearances followed by the Beat the Streets Benefit Celebration. Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased by visiting www.btsny.org, calling 212-777-5702 or emailing Joe DelConte at jdelconte@btsny.org. The Benefit Celebration at Pier 17 will follow the wrestling competition. This unique and electrifying annual event helps Beat the Streets raise significant funds to further its mission. Whether it's providing a safe, constructive outlet for our urban youth, fighting childhood obesity, empowering women, or uniting entire nations, wrestling teaches persistence, dedication, and the value of working hard to achieve one's goals and creates opportunities for personal and universal growth. BTS currently serve over 3,000 student-athletes every year. 2018 Beat the Streets Benefit, "Rumble on the River" The Seaport District/Pier 17, New York City, May 17, 2018 Cuba Men's Freestyle Roster 57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Reineri Andreeu Ortega 70 kg/154 lbs - Alejandro Enrique Valdes Tobier 79 kg/174 lbs. - Livan Lopez Azcuy 92 kg/189 lbs. - Yurieski Torreblanca Queralta 97 kg/213 lbs. - Reineris Salas Perez 125 kg/275 lbs. - Yudenny Alapajon Estevez Wrestling Schedule 2:30 p.m. - Beat the Streets Youth Exhibition Matches 4:45 p.m. - New York City Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships Finals 6:00 p.m. - World Class Wrestling to include: • Team USA vs. Nigeria in women's freestyle 57 kg - Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria) 59 kg - Alli Ragan (USA) vs. Adeniyi Aminat (Nigeria) 68 kg - Tamyra Stock (USA) vs. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria) • Team USA vs. Cuba in men's freestyle • High School Super Match, Patrick Glory vs. Gavin Teasdale (time TBD) • Super Match 1 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Frank Chamizo (ITA) • Super Match 2 - Jordan Oliver (USA) vs. Togrul Asgarov (AZE) (time TBD) Followed by Annual Benefit Celebration, Pier 17 About Beat the Streets The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTS works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to bring the life changing sport of wrestling to over 3,000 New York City student-athletes to help them achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTS and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life lessons of grit, personal responsibility and teamwork, physical fitness and nutrition, and life-long learning. The goal of fostering strong, well-rounded student-athletes is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, life skills workshops, and summer camps. More information can be found at www.btsny.org. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 220,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com.

Cassy Lopez has earned a place in the history books before she ever steps onto a collegiate mat. Cassy LopezWith a stroke of a pen, Lopez became the first woman to sign a letter of intent to wrestle at an NCAA Division I school, Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. Lopez, who is just completing her senior year at Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Maryland, will compete in the brand-new women's program at Presbyterian in freestyle as one of 40 programs in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association in 2019. Unlike men's college wrestlers who wrestle folkstyle, college women in the WCWA wrestle freestyle. Why? While men's college wrestling is an official NCAA sport, women's wrestling is not ... but that may be changing, as efforts to make women's wrestling an NCAA sanctioned sport are underway. Lopez will be wrestling for Mark Cody, who was hired as Director of Wrestling at Presbyterian in December, after having served as head wrestling coach at American University and at University of Oklahoma. Presbyterian College -- also known as PC -- is a private, four-year, liberal arts school located in Clinton, S.C. between Greenville and Columbia, the state capital. Founded in 1880, Presbyterian has approximately 1,300 students. The school's sports teams compete in NCAA Division I as the Blue Hoses.

Jamill Kelly (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State head wrestling coach Zeke Jones announces the addition of Jamill Kelly to the coaching staff. Kelly will bring a wealth of experience, as a coach at the collegiate and world freestyle levels, and as a standout wrestler. Kelly, a 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist in Athens, Greece, is a two-time World Team member, and four-time US National Team member. A US Open Champion, he also is a two-time Pan Am Games silver medalist, competing for Oklahoma State from 1997-2000. Most recently, he leaves Stanford as the Associate Head Coach, also previously coaching at NC State (2012-14) where he helped guide Nick Gwiazdowski to an NCAA Championship at heavyweight. Prior to NC State, he coached at Cal Poly (2011-12) where he helped Boris Novachkov to a third-place finish at NCAA's, the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club (2008-11) where he coached and mentored Dallas area youths, and Harvard (2007) where he helped coach the team to their highest NCAA finish in program history. In freestyle coaching, Kelly is currently a member of the USA Wrestling national coaches pool and will also serve as a coach of the Sunkist Kids Regional Training Center based in Scottsdale, Arizona. He recently served as the USA Cadet World Team Coach from 2013-15 where he coached four Cadet World Champions including Aaron Pico, Spencer Lee, Mark Hall, and Mason Manville. In 2016, he was a USA Junior World Team Coach and was on the support staff for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. He also helped establish the California Regional Training Center. Kelly, who will serve in the volunteer coaching position, joins the staff of the back-to-back Pac-12 champions who earned their first top-10 finish and individual national champion (Zahid Valencia) since 2011 this season.

The Senior Pan-American and Senior European Championships are running concurrently this weekend in Lima and Kaspiysk. Both streams are available online with results, photos, stories and video content available on the United World Wrestling homepage and all social media. The weekend has me busy (I'm in Lima), but being here reminds me of the 2014 Senior Pan-American Championships in Santiago. The event was much different than what you see online today. There was little institutional branding, videos were only being uploaded within the week, and we had one photo/video person and one writer available for the event. Social media output was low. Results were difficult to check. Live streams were iffy depending on Internet … You get the point. Today the level of expectation has risen and the wrestling community has more wrestling available for free online. There are more than 50,000 international wrestling matches posted on the United World Wrestling YouTube page and hundreds more highlights and news wraps. Video is just a part of the larger ecosystem of content created for the wrestling community, and United World Wrestling is just one partner in the process; InterMat, FloWrestling, USA Wrestling and about 100 other news sites and distribution networks are helping our sport reach our diehard fans and those we hope to bring into the fold. We are able to write to each other about our thoughts, read tweets, see training footage and access our favorite athletes with a click of a button. This is the golden age of wrestling. A sport steeped in history that only needed a modern distribution network to start to reach its potential I look forward to reading reactions of fans this weekend who get to sit in their house and watch women's and men's freestyle wrestling (non-stop) from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. What a time to be a wrestling fan! To your questions … Josh Moore coaching against Kent State at the Thanksgiving Throwdown (Photo/Sam Janicki) Q: What kind of impact do you see Josh Moore making at Cleveland State? Will he make the program nationally relevant? -- Mike C. Foley: Succeeding at any program is always larger than just finding the right person to lead the program. The funding, support and ability to recruit to the institution are also major factors. All things being equal, Josh Moore is as good a hire as any made this offseason. As an assistant coach Moore was an integral part of Kent State's revival, which included the NCAA championship of Dustin Kilgore. No question he learned more than just mat coaching at Kent State. He saw how to build a program: what works, what doesn't. Moore will need to rely on those lessons in Cleveland. While the university is surrounded by arguably the best scholastic wrestling programs in the country, there has been an exodus of that talent for many years. To recover Moore will need to bring the community back into the fold, excite that base to send their children to Cleveland State and then convert them on the mat. Overall, Moore will have to earn the funding he needs to be wildly successful. Investment will come only after success on the mat and in recruiting. I think that it'll happen for Moore. The area is ready to win again, and Moore can be the leader for the job. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME BUY YOUR TICKETS or support Beat the Streets with a small donation. This is the type of media attention we all love to see in the sport! Q: Thoughts on the Jordan Oliver match with Toghrul Asgarov at Beat the Streets in New York? -- Sean M. Foley: I'm bummed for Jordan Oliver. He was only a few days from being able to compete at the U.S. Open. Alas it wasn't to be, but as one door closes … Wrestling Asgarov should allow Oliver to refocus on his mat needs earlier than he would have given the inopportune reinstatement date. Because Oliver won't be on the ladder he'll need to self-fund any trip overseas this season. Having an Olympic gold and silver medalist come to your nation for a big money opportunity is spectacular luck. The actual match might be difficult for Oliver to win. Though he'll be two weeks off of the European Championships in Kaspiysk, I think Asgarov is the type of wrestler that gives every first-time wrestler fits. He moves in ways that most opponents don't. Some of it is creativity on the fly, but most his counters, throws and exposures are well-practiced techniques that give first-time opponents a fit. But in NYC and coming off a year of absence, I like Oliver's chances to keep it close. No better reference point than his 7-6 decision loss to Frank Chamizo at last year's Beat the Streets. Oliver can roll with the best, and with emotion filling his sails he may just find a surprising result. Q: As I understand it, Daton Fix can get a special wrestle off for the Junior World Team spot (because he placed in the top three), but Gable Steveson cannot (because he placed fourth). Is that correct? -- Mike C. Foley: Correct.

Truman State University will be eliminating its wrestling program - along with men's tennis -- effective immediately, the Missouri-based school announced Wednesday. This move affects 17 returning student-athletes, one full-time and one part-time staff member. Jerry Wollmering, Truman State director of athletics, notified coaches and student-athletes of the cuts via email Wednesday. "Sport elimination is extremely difficult as it affects the lives of our students and staff," Wollmering said in a statement. "Athletics, along with every area on campus, is dealing with cost-cutting measures due to University revenue decreases and mandatory cost increases." Truman is facing a recommended $3.1 million cut in state core appropriations. This reduction is on top of a $3.8 million cut in the current year. "With reduced University revenues and mandatory cost increases across campus, every area at Truman is making tough decisions in moving forward," Wollmering wrote in an email obtained by the Kirksville (Mo.) Daily Express which was sent to coaches and student-athletes Wednesday. "With this reduction from 20 to 18 sports, Truman will still sponsor more athletics programs than every other D2 Missouri public institution." In fact, despite the elimination of wrestling and men's tennis, Truman State will still sponsor more varsity sports (18) than the other 12 four-year public institutions in Missouri with the exception of the University of Missouri-Columbia, which has 20 intercollegiate sports. The elimination of wrestling and men's tennis will not affect Truman's affiliation with the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The GLVC requires seven sports for membership: men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, softball and baseball. "This isn't just an athletics issue on campus," Wollmering told the Kirksville newspaper in a phone interview Wednesday. "It's not like we just said to cut athletics for the fun of it." The specifics of eliminating the Bulldog wrestling program David Schutter, wrestling coach at Truman State since 1990 - the longest-serving coach on campus - said, "I had no inkling of this at all. I was blindsided. I found out at 9:15 this morning." Following that phone call, Schutter said Wollmering met with him and the team at 12:30 p.m. There, Schutter said his athletes were "respectful" while pressing Wollmering to reverse the decision. Wollmering expressed the financial details on a whiteboard, claiming that the wrestling team costs $99,000 to continue. Schutter is surprised the wrestling team costs enough money to help erase any gap in Truman funding, especially considering the program raising between $15,000 and $20,000 per year in alumni donations. "I just think it's interesting you chose to go after wrestling. We aren't costing any money, we've got to be making money," Schutter said. "I'm just having trouble wrapping my head around this." Truman State University is a four-year public university in Kirksville, Missouri. It was originally called Northeast Missouri State but was later renamed after Harry Truman, president of the United States long associated with the state of Missouri. Truman State has an enrollment of approximately 6,300 students. The school's sports programs compete in NCAA Division II.

PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie College athletic department and Director of Athletics Kelley Kish has named Jeff Breese the second Head Wrestling Coach in program history. Jeff BreeseHead Coach Jeff Breese said, "I am thrilled to be only the second wrestling coach in the history of Lake Erie College Wrestling. This program is a unique and exciting opportunity on so many levels. I want to thank former Head Coach Kevin Hoogenboom for building a great foundation and tradition. The goal is now to build on that and create new history for Lake Erie College." Director of Athletics Kelley Kish stated, "After an extensive national search, we found the right fit to lead our Wrestling Program in Jeff Breese. His record of coaching an NCAA Champion, 9 All-Americans and 30 National Qualifiers is stellar and aligns with the Championship vision we have for the program. Jeff's vision for the academic and campus achievements of our student-athletes excites us all about the future of Storm Wrestling." In his four years at Buena Vista University Breese has helped produce a pair of IIAC Freshmen of the Year, as well as one national qualifier in 2014-15. BVU had its highest NCAA finish that season since 2010. During his tenure, he's also coached five Scholar All-Americans. In 2015, Breese's squad was honored with the Beaver Service Award as the most active team on campus with civic engagement. BVU Wrestling also finished just outside the Top 30 in the NWCA Scholar Team Awards with a 3.1 team GPA. Prior to coming to BVU as just the program's fourth head wrestling coach, Breese served as the director of operations at his alma mater of North Carolina State University since 2012. During his time there, he has managed the team's budget and coordinated its travel schedule. He also co-directed social media and video promotions, developed a satellite camp system and a match film system, and directed match day events and activities, among other duties. In addition to his time as a member of the Wolfpack, he was the first head wrestling coach in program history at Penn State New Kensington. He created the first varsity wrestling team in 2009 and recruited 15 student-athletes for that inaugural season. He also fundraised and facilitated the construction of the wrestling room at Penn State New Kensington. He began his career in the coaching field in 2006 at Seton Hill University where he spent two years assisting in starting up the university's wrestling program. He then became the first head coach at Penn State New Kensington in 2009 before moving to Division I Northern Illinois University as an assistant coach in 2010. Throughout his coaching career, he has coached 22 NCAA Qualifiers, including one national champion, and three All-Americans. He's also had a hand in four top-30 national recruiting classes, including one ranked in the top-5. A 2006 graduate of North Carolina State University, Breese was a three-year starter for the Wolfpack and a member of their 2004 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship Wrestling team. Coach Breese concluded, "I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity by President Posler, Athletic Director Kelley Kish and the entire search committee."

One of the more emotional moments of the 2018 NFL Draft last week was when Shaquem Griffin -- a linebacker with one hand -- was selected by the Seattle Seahawks. Paul FeiteOne day later, Paul Feite -- a one-handed wrestler who, like Griffin, was born with a rare birth defect -- made a verbal commitment to wrestle at Penn State. Feite, a senior at Northern York High School in Dillsburg, Pa., created a sensation of his own at the 2018 PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state wrestling championships at Giant Center in Hershey in March, placing fourth in the 138-pound weight class despite having been born without a left hand as the result of amniotic band syndrome, a congenital birth defect that occurs in one in every 1,200 births. Among those in the stands for the semifinals at the state tournament was Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson and other members of his coaching staff ... a fact that was noticed by Feite and his coach Josh Murray, who kidded each other that the Nittany Lions coaches must have been there to see him. Feite received a standing ovation from the capacity crowd at Giant Center ... and not because of his ability to wrestle with just one hand, but because of his tough, physical wrestling style, and, to use a phrase from the Centre Daily Times, "relentless offense." "I don't think there's anyone who can hold my pace," Feite told PennLive.com. "Once I can control my stuff in my wrestling, I think I'm going to excel. I want to slow things down a little bit in a good way and stay relentless on the attack." It appears the Nittany Lions coaching staff at the state championships was just as impressed with Feite as the crowd was. Cody Sanderson contacted Paul Fiete's father, who alerted his son that he would be hearing directly from the assistant coach. The younger Feite expressed his disbelief at the notion that a coach from Penn State would have asked his dad for his contact information. "I was like, ‘Funny. That's funny,'" Paul Feite disclosed to PennLive.com. "I thought he was messing with me." Cody Sanderson did reach Paul Feite directly and, according to PennLive.com, told him how much he liked his style, his relentlessness and the fact he was always the first wrestler back to the circle. Penn State wasn't the only school to have seen Paul Feite in action ... and expressed an interest in recruiting him. In fact, the 2018 PIAA championships was, in the words of PennLive.com, "just the start of a fast-paced, hectic recruiting push where Feite heard from a number of high-profile wrestling programs." "The whole process was just as stressful as actually wrestling," according to Feite. Feite visited Penn State the weekend of April 20-21, and, according to PennLive.com, "knew right away that's where he wanted to be." However, he had also arranged a campus visit with West Virginia University, and, true to his word, visited the Morgantown campus this past weekend ... then made the call to Cody Sanderson Sunday night. Penn State anticipates that Feite will wrestle at 141 or 149 pounds. Feite won't have a scholarship right away, but that's a possibility in the future. "It's pretty unreal," Feite said. "I didn't think I'd get most of these opportunities or any of these phone calls or emails. I only took fourth at states. I didn't really think that was good enough to get where I wanted to be, but sometimes things have a way of working out."

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Fontbonne University Director of Athletics, Maria Buckel, is pleased to announce Amond Prater as the inaugural head men's and women's wrestling coach. Amond Prater"I'm excited to welcome Coach Amond Prater into a new role within our department in leading our inaugural wrestling programs," said Buckel. "Coach Prater has an extensive wrestling background and is highly regarded in the wrestling community locally and nationally. Coach Prater brings many skills to our department outside of wrestling. Therefore, I look forward not only to his leadership in building our wrestling programs but the impact he has on our department." "It's exciting because I feel Fontbonne is a hidden gem, especially in the wrestling community now as it's a chance to get more high school students an opportunity to wrestle in college," said Prater. "I'm definitely excited about the opportunity." Prater is all too familiar with Fontbonne as he's currently the strength and conditioning coach for the men's volleyball team. "I'm excited about working with a familiar staff and knowing the area will help out," Prater added. Outside of Fontbonne, Prater is the current Head Wrestling Coach at Fox High School. There, he oversees the development of all levels of the wrestling program, coordinates fundraising events to help program financially and monitors academic progress of student-athletes to ensure eligibility requirements are met. Also at Fox, Prater's been the Special Education Teacher. This year, Prater was named the Fox High School Teacher of the Year. Since July 2015, he's been a part of the Missouri National Team coaching staff where he prepares athletes across the state to compete at regional and national tournaments by facilitating practices to work on techniques and conditioning. Prior to his time with Fox, Prater spent two years as the Assistant Wrestling Coach at Seckman High School. He's certified in Social Science 9-12, Special Education, IYCA High School Strength and Conditioning Coach, along with being a USA Wrestling Bronze Level Coach. He's a 2006 graduate from the University of Missouri Columbia with a Bachelor of General Studies: Emphasis in Music, History and Education. Also, at the University of Missouri, Prater was a three year letter winner in wrestling and notched 71 career victories. He went on to earn his Masters of Educational Administration -- Secondary and Master of Arts in Teaching: Emphasis in Secondary Education Social Studies from Missouri Baptist University. Fans make sure to stay updated on fontbonnegriffins.com for more updates on the men's and women's wrestling programs.

Toghrul Asgarov wrestles Frank Molinaro at the Olympic Games in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NEW YORK-In what is shaping up to be a "Super" evening of wrestling action, American standout Jordan Oliver, a three-time World Team Trials runner-up, will compete against two-time Olympic Medalist Togrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan in one of two Super Matches scheduled on May 17 in the annual Beat the Streets Benefit at Pier 17/Seaport District in lower Manhattan. The match is part of a festive evening that also features Team USA men and women followed by a Super Match between 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Jordan Burroughs and Italian Frank Chamizo. Oliver, an Oklahoma State graduate, has twice competed in Beat the Streets action, including a matchup with Chamizo last year. The 2017 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion placed second in the U.S. World Team Trials in 2014, 2015 and 2016, highlighting a career which has also included NCAA Championships in 2011 and 2013, his sophomore and senior years at OSU. The Easton, Pa., native, who will turn 28 by the BTS event date, was also a three-time Pennsylvania High School state champion. Asgarov was the Olympic gold medalist at 60kg in 2012 and followed up with a silver medal at 65 kg in the 2016 Games. In addition, he was the 2011 World Champion and won gold at the 2012 European Championships and 2015 European Games. The 25-year-old is competing in his first Beat the Streets event. The super matches follow the Team USA women, whose roster includes Helen Maroulis, Alli Ragan and Tamyra Mensah-Stock, vs. Nigeria, and a lineup of Team USA men (TBD) vs. an opponent to be announced soon. This year will mark the first time that Beat the Streets has held its annual event at Pier 17/South Street District. In 2013, the event dubbed "The Rumble on the Rails," was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran. Playing an important role in the international Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, this historic wrestling event gained international media coverage and helped wrestling retain its status on the Olympic Games program. Coverage will be available live and on-demand exclusively on FloWrestling.com. To access live and on-demand coverage of the Beat the Streets New York City Annual Benefit, visit FloWrestling.com and become a PRO subscriber. A subscription unlocks access to premium content across the entire FloSports network, as well as the matches from the Beat the Streets program starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on May 17. Watch the event across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Roku or Apple TV 4. This will be the ninth straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Benefit activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. Times Square has been the venue for the 2011, 2012 and 2014-2017 events. This year, top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the NYC Benefit. For the third straight year, the Benefit will feature the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, showcasing the two top New York City girl's freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl's freestyle season. Then it's Team USA vs. an international squad at 6:00 p.m. and super match between Burroughs and Chamizo with video highlights and special guest appearances followed by the Beat the Streets Benefit Celebration. Tickets are required for entry and can be purchased by visiting www.btsny.org, calling 212-777-5702 or emailing Joe DelConte at jdelconte@btsny.org. The Benefit Celebration at Pier 17 will follow the wrestling competition. This unique and electrifying annual event helps Beat the Streets raise significant funds to further its mission. Whether it's providing a safe, constructive outlet for our urban youth, fighting childhood obesity, empowering women, or uniting entire nations, wrestling teaches persistence, dedication, and the value of working hard to achieve one's goals and creates opportunities for personal and universal growth. BTS currently serve over 3,000 student-athletes every year. 2018 Beat the Streets Wrestling Schedule The Seaport District/Pier 17, New York City, May 17, 2018 2:30 p.m. - Beat the Streets Youth Exhibition Matches 4:45 p.m. - New York City Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships Finals 6:00 p.m. - World Class Wrestling to include: • Team USA vs. Nigeria in women's freestyle 57 kg - Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Odunayo Adekuoroye (Nigeria) 59 kg - Alli Ragan (USA) vs. Bisola Makanjuola (Nigeria) 68 kg - Tamyra Stock (USA) vs. Blessing Oborududu (Nigeria) • Team USA vs. TBA in men's freestyle • Super Match 1 - Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Frank Chamizo (ITA) • Super Match 2 - Jordan Oliver (USA) vs. Togrul Asgarov (AZE) Followed by Annual Benefit Celebration, Pier 17 About Beat the Streets The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTS works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to bring the life changing sport of wrestling to over 3,000 New York City student-athletes to help them achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTS and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life lessons of grit, personal responsibility and teamwork, physical fitness and nutrition, and life-long learning. The goal of fostering strong, well-rounded student-athletes is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, life skills workshops, and summer camps. More information can be found at www.btsny.org. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 220,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com.

WORCESTER -- WPI head wrestling coach Steve Hall has announced that he will be retiring from his coaching responsibilities but will remain with the department to focus on alumni relations and special projects. A national search for a new wrestling head coach will begin immediately. Steve Hall"Steve has been an impactful leader for not only the WPI Wrestling Program but also for all of WPI Athletics," commented WPI Director of Athletics Dana L. Harmon. "He has been a tireless champion of the WPI educational experience helping many of his student-athletes achieve not only in competition but also more importantly academically and in the community. Our wrestling program has thrived under his leadership and he has made many great contributions to our entire athletic program. I cannot thank him enough for all that he has done to help us "Engineer Excellence" in all that we do every day." Hall, a Hall of Fame wrestler for the Engineers, returned to the program for the 2010-2011 season. He has amassed 83 victories in his eight years as head coach, including double digit win totals in each of his last five season at the helm. "WPI and WPI wrestling had an immeasurable effect on my career and my life," remarked Hall. "I have been unbelievably fortunate to have been able to spend the last eight years on the WPI campus working with the student-athletes in the wrestling program to hopefully provide them with the same type of experience that I had when I was here as a student. I am looking forward to the new chapter for the program and I am excited for our athletes to have the opportunity to achieve even higher levels of success for many years to come under new leadership." The 2017-2018 campaign was his most successful one as was named the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) and the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year. The Crimson and Gray posted an 18-4 dual meet record, the third most wins in a season in program history, and the most since the 1993-94 season. Bolstered by seven regional place winners, Hall's wrestlers collected a second place finish at the 17-team NCAA regional tournament in March and a program-best third place showing in the NEWA Dual Meet Championships in January. Sophomore Tyler Marsh represented the team this year at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, joining Zach Hartzell (2013) and Brian Amato (2015 All-American) as national tournament participants during the Hall era. During his eight seasons as head coach, WPI boasted 30 regional tournament place-winners at the national qualifying tournament. Hall's wrestlers also enjoyed success in the classroom during his tenure as his squads were consistently in the top three in NEWA and top 20 nationally in team GPA. Over the past four years, the WPI Wrestling program has earned sixty All-NEWA Academic honors and sixteen Scholar All-Americans by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Founded in 1865, Worcester Polytechnic Institution (WPI) is a private research focusing on the instruction and research of technical arts and applied sciences.[institution. Located in Worcester in central Massachusetts, WPI has an enrollment of approximately 7,000 students. The WPI wrestling program competes in NCAA Division III.

Josh Moore CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland State University Director of Athletics Mike Thomas announced the hiring of Josh Moore as head wrestling coach Tuesday afternoon. "We're very excited that Josh will be remaining in Cleveland and will be the leader of our program in the next chapter of CSU wrestling," Thomas said. "Josh has significant experience in leading programs to newfound success and a variety of team firsts, and we hope he has a similar impact on our program. He competed at the highest level collegiately at a premier program and has the knowledge and experience necessary to have success as a head coach." Moore, a two-time All-American in his collegiate days at Penn State, brings 14 years of Division I coaching experience to the top spot at CSU. "I want to thank Director of Athletics Mike Thomas, Associate Athletic Director Kathy Worthington Wilson and the entire search committee for believing in me as the next head wrestling coach at Cleveland State University," Moore said. "I feel honored and excited for the opportunity to lead this program and these amazing student-athletes into the future. I plan on using the relationships that I have built over the past 20 years to help develop Cleveland State wrestling into a nationally competitive program while preparing our student-athletes for life after college. I'm ready to get to work and rewrite the record books here at CSU." Moore served as the top assistant at Cleveland State over the past three seasons and helped multiple individuals to noteworthy performances. During this past season, Evan Cheek won Outstanding Wrestler of the Eastern Wrestling League Championships honors after dominating en route to the 141-pound title. Cheek posted a pair of pins over competitors that earned automatic NCAA qualification, including winning by fall against an undefeated, top-five opponent in the championship bout. During the 2016-17 season, Nick Corba won two matches with bonus points at the NCAA Championships, the first Viking to achieve that feat in over 20 years. A pair of Vikings, Riley Shaw and Sam Wheeler, reached the round of 16 at the 2016 NCAA Championships under Moore's guidance. Both reached 30 wins for the season while CSU tied for second in the EWL dual standings with a 4-2 mark. In his 11 years at Kent State, Moore was a key piece in helping to rebuild a program that had not had an All-American in nearly 20 years before his hiring. During Moore's tenure, the program had nine All-Americans, the program's first national champion and 54 national qualifiers. Kent State also finished the season ranked as a top 25 dual meet team eight times. In his time coaching at Kent State, Golden Flash student-athletes won 19 MAC titles, four MAC Wrestler of the Year awards and four MAC Freshman of the Year honors. Kent State had at least one All-American in each of Moore's final seven seasons. When Dustin Kilgore won the national championship in 2011, he was not only the first champion in program history, but it was also the first by any MAC grappler in over a decade. Moore has not only overseen improvement on the wrestling mat but also in the classroom. Kent State had a 2.35 team grade point average before Moore's hiring, a mark that improved to over 3.0 beginning in 2012. In the 2013-14 season, at Kent State, and in the 2015-16 season, at Cleveland State, teams Moore worked with were among the top 15 nationally in team GPA. Moore served as the recruiting coordinator for Kent State and garnered multiple top 20 ranked classes, recruiting heavily from Ohio and Pennsylvania, as his efforts in the role raised the Golden Flashes' stature in the Division I ranks. Moore was a two-time NCAA All-American, finishing as a national runner-up in 2004 and a third-place finisher in 2003. He is the Penn State record holder for all-time matches wrestled (184), single-season pins (24) and senior wins (44) and is tied for the top spot in career pins (53). Moore, a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic First Team honoree, is third in career wins at Penn State with 146. Moore's twin brother, Scott, is the current head wrestling coach at fellow EWL member Lock Haven University and was also an All-American at Penn State (2003) and the University of Virginia (2004). Moore and his wife, Shianne, reside in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, with their three sons, Joshua (10), Jacob (8) and Jason (7), and their yellow lab, Nittany. A native of Franklin, Pa., Moore graduated from Penn State in 2004 with a Bachelor of Arts in crime, law & justice. Moore earned a Master of Arts degree in sports management from Kent State in 2009.

The University of Regina has cut its men's and women's wrestling programs -- along with its men's volleyball team -- the Canadian university announced. In a statement issued Monday, the university said it made the decision to save money. According to the statement, a 2017 athletics programming and operations report issued by the university concluded that it was unsustainable for the school to financially support 16 teams, while 13 sports programs -- the new number of intercollegiate sports programs on the university's roster -- aligned with similar-sized institutions and also represented a better balance of male-to-female athlete ratio. With the decision, two full-time coaches have been released, including Leo McGee, who had coached the wrestling teams for 23 years. In that time, McGee coached a pair of national championships and mentored Dean Schmeichel, who wrestled in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In the University of Regina statement, kinesiology dean Harold Riemer said, "The decision was extremely difficult. While our elite sports teams are a source of pride for the university, reducing the number of teams on campus enables us to concentrate efforts. "We will look to meet the teaching and programming needs of a faculty where enrollments have increased by 31 per cent over the past five years and more effectively support competitive excellence within our remaining U Sports teams." The University of Regina is a public research university located in Regina, Saskatchewan in western Canada. Originally founded in 1911 as a private church-affiliated school, over the years the University of Regina evolved into an autonomous public university in 1974. The University of Regina has an enrollment of over 15,000 full and part-time students.