InterMat Staff

Willie Miklus rides Iowa's Jacob Warner (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State wrestling head coach Kevin Dresser is continuing to build in Ames and today he made another addition to his staff. He announced that Willie Miklus will be joining the Cyclone wrestling staff as a graduate assistant. "It goes without saying how excited we are to keep Willie in our program," Coach Dresser said. "He did great things here on the mat and off the mat for us this past season. He is a guy that you want in your wrestling room every day." Miklus will be an extension of the staff, working with the team and assisting in the operations of running the program. He will also continue to train for senior level competition through the Cyclone Regional Training Center. "I don't want to be anywhere but Iowa State," Miklus said. "This opportunity allows me the chance to stay near home at a place I love. I'm looking forward to being around the team and helping them achieve their individual goals." Miklus was an added piece of maturity and experience in a 2018-19 Cyclone lineup that was otherwise very youthful. He holds a number of collegiate accolades, which he most recently added to by becoming a four-time All American with a sixth-place finish at the 2019 NCAA Championships. He accumulated his 100th career victory and his 50th career dual victory during his senior campaign wrestling for the Cyclones.

Eager to see the totally renovated National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum ... but not able to make the trip to Waterloo, Iowa right now? Now you can take a look inside the facility which just reopened last week after having been closed since last September for a $1.4 million makeover ... thanks to your choice of videos available online. The long ... For an in-depth look inside the new-look Dan Gable Museum, take a look at the video on Trackwrestling.com, featuring your own personal 17-minute tour conducted by museum director Kyle Klingman and Trackwrestling's Andy Hamilton. The tour starts just inside the front door, with a new lobby mural featuring images of Dan Gable, Helen Maroulis (first U.S. woman wrestler to win Olympic gold), Dremiel Byers (described as one of the "most prolific" U.S. Greco-Roman grapplers) and Kurt Angle (1996 U.S. Olympic freestyle gold medalist who is about to conclude a 20-year pro wrestling career). "It really sets the tone for the museum," said Klingman, who then demonstrated one of the museum's new electronic kiosks which lets visitors access profiles of honorees on easy-to-use touch screens. Another high point of the Trackwrestling video tour is a visit to the Dan Gable area, with displays highlighting his stellar high school, college and Olympic wrestling careers ... as well as his success as head coach at the University of Iowa. Klingman then takes viewers into the new theater which allows visitors to watch their choice of films from NCAA wrestling championships going back to 1937 ... using a touch-screen to instantly access specific matches. The Trackwrestling video tour concludes in the Dan Gable Learning Center, the bigger-and-better wrestling practice/training room ... providing more opportunities for young wrestlers to practice and receive instruction. "We want the museum to be a symbol of excellence and a source of pride in the community," Dan Gable said in the museum's press release announcing its recent reopening. "These improvements will make the museum more modern and appealing and a place you want to go, but more importantly, they will give us the ability to impact more young lives and make a big difference in their future." ... and the short of it Short on time? Check out the three-minute news story on KWWL-TV , the ABC affiliate in Waterloo, where a local reporter serves up a quick inside look at the new-look Dan Gable Museum ... with none other than the man whose name graces the facility, the one and only Dan Gable. "Some people think it's about me, but no, it's about wrestling," said the Waterloo native who went on to win the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics. "I tell you what, it blows my mind coming in here," said Gable. "Before it seemed like a small museum. Even though we didn't add any size to it, the remodel makes it look like a big place." As with the longer video from Trackwrestling, the KWWL-TV news story takes viewers inside the Gable Museum's newly expanded and upgraded wrestling room. "This is absolutely what's going to drive us into the future because we get to develop wrestlers through this wrestling room," said museum director Kyle Klingman. The KWWL-TV story concludes with mention of a coming attraction -- a Phase 2 project that will honor high school wrestlers in the state of Iowa, male and female. Expected cost of that display: $200,000. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is located at 303 Jefferson St. in downtown Waterloo. Want to know more? Check out the official website ... email dgmstaff@nwhof.org ... or call (319) 233-0745.

Wyoming coach Mark Branch, with assistants Ethan Kyle and Teyon Ware (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Mark Branch, head coach of the University of Wyoming, joins The MatBoss Podcast and host Chad Dennis to talk about recruiting, youth sports and some of the inherent difficulties within the wrestling landscape of the state. Branch also compares and contrasts situations from Oklahoma State and Wyoming. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play Music | RSS

Could Derek White become the third UFC heavyweight champion from Oklahoma State? (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The pace of former collegiate wrestlers transitioning into MMA fighters seems to have slowed, but the pipeline certainly still exists. Following the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, InterMat likes to take a look at the graduating seniors who could potentially become the next big stars in the cage. At least one All-American from every NCAA Division I tournament from 1979 to 2016 has gone on to have an MMA fight. The following are seven graduating seniors who could be next. Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) Last year when Bresser became the first wrestler to defeat Spencer Lee (Iowa) in college, many thought that he would be the answer to a trivia question. After back-to-back All-America finishes, he has already become more than that, and he has the potential to build on his wrestling career. His athleticism is off the chart, and he has a flair for the dramatic. The tendency to put up style points is best exemplified by his flying squirrel to finish a technical fall. If he does decide to transition into MMA, he could reach out to fellow Beaver alumni Nathan Coy or Colby Covington. Derek White (Oklahoma State) Considering the state of the heavyweight division in MMA, pretty much any decent college heavyweight could go into the sport and have success. This past season, White proved that he is much more than decent with a second-place finish at the NCAA tournament. As someone who has built a heavyweight body, he certainly has the athleticism and agility to become a successful fighter and possibly the third UFC heavyweight champion to come from Oklahoma State behind Randy Couture and current champion Daniel Cormier.

Bo Nickal had 18 pins this season (Photo/Ashley De Jager) NEWTON, Iowa -- Penn State's Bo Nickal has won the 2019 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS. The Nittany Lion won his third NCAA championship on March 23, defeating Kollin Moore of Ohio State. The 5-1 finals victory at 197 pounds was Nickal's 30th of an undefeated senior campaign that included 18 pins, three tech falls and six major decisions. In a year that featured four outstanding finalists for the award, known as "wrestling's Heisman Trophy," Nickal won the honor over a senior teammate Jason Nolf, also a three-time NCAA champ who had very similar stats as Nickal. The other two Hodge finalists were Rutgers' senior Anthony Ashnault and Cornell sophomore two-time champ Yianni Diakomihalis, who won NCAA championships at 149 and 141 pounds, respectively. "It's something I've wanted since I was in high school and I first found out about the award," Nickal said. "I've tried to go out and do what the Hodge symbolizes, going for the pin and scoring as many points as I can. "It's a validation for my hard work. I tried to make the most out of every second on the mat." The Allen, Texas, native did just that this year, dominating opponents in college wrestling's second heaviest class. Nickal finished with a 68-match winning streak and a reputation as a wrestler who could pin an opponent from any position. His most memorable fall came against 2016 champ Myles Martin of Ohio State at the 2018 NCAAs. With 30 seconds left in the first period of the 184-pound final, Nickal dramatically flipped Martin over and pinned him with an elevator series shortly after the Buckeye put Nickal on his back. The pin sealed the team title for the Lions over Ohio State in Cleveland last March. Of the 51 total ballots, Nickal finished with 37 first-place votes from the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee. Nolf was second in Hodge voting with 10 votes from the committee made up of each past Hodge winner, national media, retired college coaches from each region and a representative of each national wrestling organization. Four voters cast ballots for a Hodge Trophy to be awarded to both Nickal and Nolf this year. Criteria for the Hodge include a wrestler's record, number of pins, dominance, and quality of competition. Past credentials, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart are secondary criteria used when two finalists have similar stats. Nickal had the most pins of the four finalists with 18. Nolf finished with 15 falls, while Ashnault had 8 and Diakomihalis 7. Nickal put up bonus points in all but 3 of his 30 matches for a bonus-point percentage of 90 percent. Nolf's bonus-point percentage was 87 percent, while Diakomihalis and Ashnault were both at 58 percent. Two of Nickal's 37 first-place ballots came from the on-line fan vote on WIN Magazine's website. Of the nearly 28,000 unique votes cast over a four-day period during the week following the NCAAs, Nickal had 13,892, Ashnault was second with 7,828, Nolf had 5,251 and Diakomihalis ended with 933. Penn State coach Cael Sanderson is a three-time Hodge winner (2000-2002). Nickal is the third Nittany Lion under Sanderson to win wrestling's Heisman, with David Taylor (2012, 2014) and Zain Retherford (2017, 2018) each having won the award twice. "We are very happy and proud of Bo winning the 2019 Hodge Trophy," Sanderson said. "He truly had an amazing college career and he will not only go down as one of the best ever, but also one of the most entertaining and dangerous wrestlers ever. Bo had such unforgettable pins in big matches throughout his career." The Nittany Lion head man was quick to point out that both Nickal and Nolf were the leaders of a remarkable senior class. "Bo, along with the rest of his teammates that came in, in the same class, especially Jason Nolf, Nick Nevills, Anthony Cassar and Shakur Rasheed led Penn State wrestling to four straight NCAA team titles and were undefeated in dual meets in their careers." Hodge founder Mike Chapman said voting for a winner this year was extremely difficult. "Every year it seems the competition gets more intense, and this year was no exception," said Chapman. "It is very gratifying to see the number of fans that vote in addition to our esteemed panel of former coaches, media, leaders of various organizations, and past Hodge Trophy winners. "I want to offer my sincere congratulations to Bo, Jason, Anthony and Yianni for the excitement they brought to the sport this year, and for being Hodge finalists." Nickal said he wants to be remembered for both his wrestling style and for who he is as a person. "The way you carry yourself is more important than the wins and losses," he said. "I don't define myself by wins and losses. Because of that, I'm able to compete more freely. I've never been afraid to go for certain moves. I like to put on a show for the fans. And I'm not afraid to take risks and go for big moves." When asked about the legacy he hopes he's left for younger wrestlers, Nickal said he left everything on the mat each time and his approach to the sport made wrestling fun. "I wrestled freely," he said. "When you watch me, you don't know what's going to happen next. I gave 100 percent in every match, I had fun out there and loved what I did." Since Nickal moved from 184 pounds to 197, like what Sanderson did for his senior season at Iowa State before winning his third Hodge, comparisons are made between the current coach and his pupil. In regards to who would win the hypothetical match between Nickal and his coach, when Sanderson was as a senior in college, the humorous Nittany Lion said it wouldn't even be close. "We've been asked that before," Nickal said. "We definitely differ on opinions on that one. I think I would take nine out of 10 against him. And I'm not sure he'd even get the one. It might be 10 out of 10!" The Hodge Trophy is named after the great University of Oklahoma's Dan Hodge. Still the only wrestler ever to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Hodge won three straight NCAA titles between 1955-1957. He was 46-0 in his three college seasons, pinned 36 opponents and was never taken down collegiately. Nickal will be awarded the Hodge at Penn State's wrestling banquet on April 14. And as is tradition with the Hodge, Nickal will again be presented the Hodge this fall in front of the larger Penn State athletic community at a football game in Beaver Stadium which holds over 105,000 people. For more information on the Dan Hodge Trophy and a list of previous winners, go to WIN-magazine.com.

Bo Nickal defeated Kollin Moore to claim his third straight NCAA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Bo Nickal -- Penn State senior and 2019 NCAA Division I wrestling champ at 197 pounds -- has been named the 2019 InterMat Wrestler of the Year, the amateur wrestling website announced on Monday. Presented each year since 2006 to the best collegiate wrestler in all divisions, the award is based exclusively on the balloting of writers at InterMat. Each staff member is asked to select five wrestlers and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Nickal received five of the 10 first-place ballots for a total of 80 votes. Jason Nolf -- Penn State teammate at 157 pounds and fellow three-time NCAA champ -- found himself at the top of three InterMat staffers' ballots, for a total of 72 votes. Cornell's Yianni Diakomihalis -- 141-pound champ -- was named on the two remaining first-place ballots, receiving a total of 50 votes. By winning the 197-pound title at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh, Bo Nickal put himself in rare company even among Penn State mat greats. The Texas native won his third national crown, joining fellow Penn State three-time champs Ed Ruth, Zain Retherford, and Jason Nolf. What's more, it was Nickal's fourth NCAA finals appearance (having placed second at 174 at the 2016 NCAAs before winning three consecutive titles -- the first two at 184 in 2017 and 2018 -- joining David Taylor as a four-time finalist. If that weren't enough, Nickal becomes the fourth Nittany Lion wrestler to have been named InterMat Wrestler of the Year, joining Zain Retherford (three-time honoree, 2016-18), David Taylor (2014), and Ed Ruth (2012). Bo Nickal concluded his stellar career at Penn State in outstanding fashion. He compiled a 30-0 record in 2018-19, with 18 pins, 3 technical falls, and 6 major-decision victories. Among his senior-year accomplishments: 2019 Southern Scuffle champ, and the Big Ten title. At the 2019 NCAAs in Pittsburgh, Nickal managed to score three falls and a major decision on his way to winning the 197-pound championship with a 10-3 win over Ohio State's Kollin Moore in the last match of the evening during the Saturday night finals. Nickal finished his career with the Nittany Lions with a 135-5 overall record, for a 96.43 percent winning percentage. Prior to arriving at Penn State, Nickal was a three-time Texas state champ for Allen High School in suburban Dallas. 2019 InterMat Wrestler of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th Place Votes: 9, 7, 5, 3, 1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Bo Nickal, Penn State 80 (5) 2. Jason Nolf, Penn State 72 (3) 3. Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell 50 (2) 4. Anthony Ashnault, Rutgers 17 5. Spencer Lee, Iowa 10 6. Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech 8 7. Zahid Valencia, Arizona State 6 8. Anthony Cassar, Penn State 4 9. Nick Suriano, Rutgers 3 InterMat Wrestler of the Year Past Winners 2018: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2017: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2016: Zain Retherford, Penn State 2015: Logan Stieber, Ohio State 2014: David Taylor, Penn State 2013: Kyle Dake, Cornell 2012: Ed Ruth, Penn State 2011: Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska 2010: Jayson Ness, Minnesota 2009: Jake Herbert, Northwestern 2008: Brent Metcalf, Iowa 2007: Ben Askren, Missouri 2006: Ben Askren, Missouri

One year after an alleged physical and verbal attack on eastern Pennsylvania high school wrestling coach JaMarr Billman at the 2018 state championships, the grandfather of one the school's wrestlers faces felony charges. Donald P. Miers, Sr. of Stewartsville, N.J. was charged with a felony count of ethnic intimidation and misdemeanor charges of making terroristic threats and harassment for attacking Easton Area High School coach JaMarr Billman on March 10, 2018 at the Giant Center in Derry Township, police said. Miers was at the arena - host venue for the 2018 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) wrestling championships -- when he reportedly became upset after learning his grandson -- an Easton Area senior wrestler - hadn't made weight and couldn't participate. "Miers became angry after hearing the news and confronted the coach as he sat at a table in the Giant Center's concourse," according to the Derry Township police report filed this past week. "As the coach sat at the table, Miers grabbed him, placing his left hand on the front of his neck and his right hand on the back," the report continued. "Miers told the coach, 'I'll kill you,' before also calling him the n-word, police said, adding that Miers also threatened to 'choke the life out' of the coach." Online court documents show that Miers faces a felony charge of ethnic intimidation, misdemeanor charges of making terroristic threats and harassment, and a summary offense of harassment. He was arraigned on those charges this past week, and was released on his own recognizance, the website for the Express-Times reported Friday. A trial date has not been set. NJ.com -- website for a number of New Jersey-based newspapers -- reported that Derry Township police didn't say why it took more than a year to charge Miers. As InterMat reported on March 27, 2018, Billman -- who had wrestled at Easton Area High and had served as head coach of the program for two seasons -- did not have his contract renewed -- along with the rest of his coaching staff -- by the school board on March 15, 2018 ... days after the alleged incident at the 2018 PIAA wrestling championships. Immediately after it was announced that Billman would not have his contract renewed, the local NCAAP as well as some wrestlers and other students protested the decision. However, after a meeting with the school superintendent, Billman and his coaches were reinstated by the end of the week. After wrestling for the Easton Area Red Rovers -- where he earned two PIAA state titles -- Billman was three-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Penn State and Lock Haven before being named coach at his prep alma mater three years ago.

Alli Ragan throws India's Sarita (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. women's senior freestyle wrestling team won handily against a team of stars from India and Mexico at the fifth annual Beat the Streets Gala at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. Titled "Hollywood Wrestles Bollywood," the event featured bouts for all 10 of the international weight classes as well as two exhibition bouts with high school wrestlers who have come through Beat the Streets LA. Perhaps the most exciting moment of the event came at 59 kilograms, when USA's Alli Ragan took advantage of a scramble situation against Sarita of India on their feet and came out the back door to try and finish a takedown. Sarita held a tripod position, with neither of her knees touching the mat, thus preventing takedown criteria. Ragan instantly locked up Sarita around the waist and hit a picture-perfect back arch throw for four points, electrifying the crowd. Ragan would go on to win 9-1. Mallory Velte celebrates picking up a victory over Sakshi Malik of India (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Mallory Velte wrestled a back-and-forth match with 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Sakshi Malik at 62 kilograms. With 56 seconds left, the two wrestlers were tied 4-4, but Malik held criteria, having scored last. Velte increased her activity and pummeled furiously before catching Malik off-guard with a powerful foot sweep to go ahead 6-4. Malik responded by pushing the pace for the final twenty seconds trying to finish a deep shot. But Velte showed incredible balance preventing the takedown and spinning behind in the final seconds to score a takedown of her own and seal the win 8-4. Adeline Gray pinned India's Sudesh (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Several American won in dominant fashion, including four-time world champion Adeline Gray, who scored with both takedowns and turns before gaining a tech fall and a pin against Sudesh in the first period. Sarah Hildebrandt also scored a first-period technical fall at 53 kilograms, although the opponent wasn't who she had been expecting. Due to a conflict, India's Vinesh Phogat was unable to compete. Vinesh had defeated Hildebrandt last month at the Dan Kolov tournament in Bulgaria. "I was very disappointed," said Hildebrandt. "Vinesh from India is an amazing competitor. Any time I get a chance to wrestle someone of a very high caliber, I'm obviously looking forward to it. We met a month before and it didn't go in my favor so I was looking forward to sending a different message before the World Championships." USA head women's wrestling coach Terry Steiner was pleased with his team's performance. "I like the way we wrestled," said Steiner. "We knew India was going to fight hard. Every match we had to be prepared to battle. India is a team of fighters. To do what they've done in their country, where opportunities for women aren't so open. Just to be on the mat, these women are champions." Prior to the start of the senior level matches, one of the two exhibition bouts saw a slight upset at San Pedro High School's Sydney Barrios, who placed eighth in the state tournament, defeated Gianna Anaya of San Fernando, who was a state finalist. In addition to having three of the four wrestlers in the exhibition bouts, the San Fernando Girls wrestling team -- a Beat the Streets program -- was recognized during intermission for winning the 2019 California state championship, which pools from over 740 girls wrestling teams. Beat the Streets allows kids who want to wrestle an opportunity to train at San Fernando for four nights a week, for free. San Fernando assistant coach Jess Arana was very blunt about the team's success this year. "Without Beat the Streets, we wouldn't be state champions." Results: 50 kg: Whitney Conder (USA) pin Sheetal Tomar (IND), 4:16 53 kg: Sarah Hildebrandt (USA) TF Mariana Diaz Munoz (MEX), 10-0 55 kg: Jacarra Winchester (USA) dec. Pinki (IND), 7-0 57 kg: Pooja Dhanda (IND) dec. Jenna Burkert (USA), 4-2 59 kg: Alli Ragan (USA) dec. Sarita (IND), 9-1 62 kg: Mallory Velte (USA) dec. Sakshi Malik (IND), 8-4 65 kg: Forrest Molinari (USA) pin Navjot Kaur (IND), 2:53 68 kg: Tamyra Mensah-Stock (USA) TF Maria Garcia Bautista (MEX), 10-0 72 kg: Kiran (IND) dec. Rachel Watters (USA), 3-2 76 kg: Adeline Gray (USA) pin Sudesh (IND), 1:52 Youth: Samantha Larrios (San Fernando) dec. Desiree Fuentes (San Fernando), 7-0 Sydney Barrios (San Pedro) dec. Gianna Anaya (San Fernando), 10-4 More video interviews

Myles Martin after claiming third place at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Get out your handkerchiefs. A father-son moment between Ohio State All-American wrestler Myles Martin and his dad Gregory has struck a chord well beyond the Martin household. The video (below) -- posted on the NCAA Wrestling Twitter and YouTube this week -- shows Gregory Martin and his son Myles reading a letter the father wrote to the wrestler prior to the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh last weekend. As of this weekend, the four-minute video has generated approximately a quarter-million views since being posted Wednesday, March 27. In its coverage of the video featuring the two generations of Martin men reading the letter written by Gregory Martin, ElevenWarriors.com -- an Ohio State athletics website -- set the stage by discussing the bonds between athletes and their fathers in any sport. "In the case of Myles Martin and his father Greg, the sport has been the vehicle that has built an unshakable bond between them. "'Do what you do and be the best version of you," the elder Martin wrote to his son, intending for him to read it while at the 2019 NCAAs. "To say I'm proud of you sounds so generic because that goes without saying, and it's pretty much an understatement." "I have had the privilege as your dad of seeing how you have dealt with all the highs, but mainly the lows," Greg Martin continued. "Never get too high or too low on this journey, just appreciate there is a journey." Myles Martin had an incredible journey in his years wrestling for the Ohio State Buckeyes. The New Jersey native concluded his senior season with a 25-1 record, placing third in the 184-pound bracket at the 2019 NCAAs after winning the Big Ten conference crown a couple weeks earlier. Among his career highlights: winning the 174-pound crown at the 2016 NCAAs, earning NCAA All-American honors four times, serving as one of three team captains for the Buckeyes for the 2018-19 season, and being named the wrestling student-athlete of the year by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. All those accomplishments aside, Myles Martin may be remembered as the wrestler whose father shared his deepest feelings for his son in a letter that touched the hearts of tens of thousands of wrestling fans.

Zahid Valencia won his third Pac-12 title before claiming his second NCAA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference has announced the 2019 Pac-12 Wrestling awards as voted on by the Pac-12 coaches. ARIZONA STATE junior Zahid Valencia (174) earns his third Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year award, while OREGON STATE's Grant Willits (141) was voted Pac-12 Freshman of the Year. STANFORD's Jason Borrelli was selected Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year. PAC-12 WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: Zahid Valencia, Arizona State -- Valencia becomes the third Pac-12 wrestler to be named Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year three times, joining Cal State Bakersfield's Stephen Neal (1997-98-99) and Arizona State's Eric Larkin (2001-02-03). The junior successfully defended his NCAA title at 174 pounds, avenging an earlier season loss to Penn State's Mark Hall to finish the year with 31-2 record. The three-time All-American became the sixth Pac-12 wrestler to post back-to-back NCAA titles. The Bellflower, Calif., native successfully defended his Pac-12 title for the second time at 174 pounds and boasts a three-year record of 101-3. Valencia, a Interdisciplinary Studies major, posted a 11-0 mark by Major Decision, 4-0 by Technical Fall and was 11-1 in Falls. He was recipient of The Hammer award presented by Amateur Wrestling News. The award is presented to the wrestler who wins the national title at what the writers at AWN decide is the most competitive weight class. PAC-12 FRESHMAN/NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Grant Willits, Oregon State -- Willits, who hails from Pueblo, Colo., took top honors at the Pac-12 Championships at 141 pounds to qualify for the NCAA Championships. He finished the season with a 18-9 record overall and 9-3 in dual meets. Willits, a prospective mechanical engineering major, becomes just the third Beaver to be tabbed Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year, joining Jed Pennell (2001) and Mike Mangrum (2010). PAC-12 WRESTLING COACH OF THE YEAR: Jason Borrelli, Stanford -- Borrelli was tabbed by his peers as Pac-12 Wrestling Coach of the Year. Borrelli led Stanford to its first-ever Pac-12 title as the Cardinal tallied 81.5 points to edge Arizona State (79.5 points) and Oregon State (77.5 points). The Cardinal posted wins over three ranked opponents this season (Northwestern, Utah Valley and Arizona State) to finish 9-4 and were 3-1 in the Pac-12 under Borrelli's guidance. Borrelli had five wrestlers advance to the NCAA Championships - Gabe Townsell (125), Mason Pengilly (133), Requir van der Merwe (149), Nathan Traxler (197) and Haydn Maley (HWT).

Mike Mendoza coaching at the Pac-12 Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. -- Colorado Mesa University wrestling coach Chuck Pipher along with Co-Directors of Athletics Bryan Rooks and Kris Mort are excited to announce the hiring of Mike Mendoza as an assistant wrestling coach. "I am really looking forward to working with Coach Mendoza as he brings over 20 years of coaching experience, mostly at Division I, to our staff," Pipher said. "Coach Mendoza has a reputation for helping kids not only succeed on the mat, but in the classroom as well." Mendoza was most recently the head coach at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colorado and made an immediate impact on the program. He took the team from an 0-6 dual record in 2018 to an 11-3 mark this past season. He had nine NJCAA National Qualifiers in 2019 and guided the program to an 11th place finish at the National Tournament. "I am excited to be joining Colorado Mesa University and working with Coach Pipher to continue to grow the success of the wrestling program," Mendoza said. "I want to thank President Foster, Bryan Rooks and Kris Mort for this opportunity." Prior to his stint at Northeastern, Mendoza was the head coach at Division I Boise State University for one season where he led the Broncos to the highest team GPA in 16 years and made the NWCA Top 30 Academic Programs list. The wrestling program at Boise State was cut following the 2017 season. From 2002-2016, Mendoza spent time as either an assistant or the head coach at Division I CSU Bakersfield, his alma mater. There, he guided 17 NCAA Division I National Qualifiers, four Pac-12 Champions, and an all-American (Bryce Hammond, 2014) in his seven years as the head coach. He also had 23 Pac-12 All-Academic selections, two Pac-12 Scholar Athlete of the Year recipients, and a Capital One CoSIDA Scholar Athlete of the Year. Mendoza is no stranger to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference as he served as a graduate assistant at Adams State from 1999-2001. There he coached four Division II all-Americans including a National Champion (Adam Mars, 2001). As a wrestler for the CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners, Mendoza was a three-time NCAA Division I National Qualifier and a three-time Pac-10 place winner, earning second place in 1998. He helped lead the Roadrunners to a third place NCAA finish in 1996 and was a member of two Pac-10 Championship teams. Mendoza will begin his role with the Mavericks on Monday, April 1.

Grant Henderson won two NAIA national titles (Photo/Doug Wells) DES MOINES, Iowa -- Grand View men's wrestling and head coach Nick Mitchell are pleased to announce the return of two-time NAIA national champion Grant Henderson to the coaching staff starting in the spring of 2019. Henderson was a 2018 graduate for the Vikings, three-time NAIA All-American along with earning NAIA Daktronics Scholar-Athlete honors as a colligate athlete. "Des Moines is like home to me and I can't wait to get back. I am eager to be around the Grand View family again," said Henderson. "Grand View is such a unique place and I am very fortunate to have this opportunity. The tradition and the culture at Grand View are continuing to write history and I cannot wait to be a part of developing these young men on and off the mat into amazing members of society. Titles are awesome but doing it the right way and living that championship lifestyle is more important." Since graduation, Henderson has served as the director of the Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and donors, Grand View men's wrestling is able to have three coaches working in a full-time capacity. "We're really excited to have Grant back at Grand View," comment Coach Mitchell. "We will be one, if not the only, non-division 1 programs in the nation to have three coaches along with a graduate assistant working full time with our student-athletes. Grant totally embodies what Grand View wrestling and championship lifestyle are all about. He's going to have a huge impact on our program!"

Drew Foster became UNI's first NCAA champion since 2000 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) DES MOINES, Iowa -- UNI wrestling's Drew Foster will be honored as a national champion at the Iowa Capitol on Monday, April 1 with a resolution from the House and Senate. Drew Foster and the University of Iowa's Spencer Lee will be ushered into the House chambers by Representative Bob Kressing and Representative Brian Best. Following the House vote, the wrestlers will enter the Senate, ushered in by Senator Eric Giddens and Senator Craig Johnson. Drew Foster became UNI wrestling's first national champion at the Division I Wrestling Championships since 2000. The All-America honor was the second for Foster, as he had made the podium in 2017 with a seventh-place finish. He is among the 14 Panthers who have now combined for 22 titles at UNI. Foster was seeded sixth at 184 pounds heading into the championships. He knocked off four top-15 opponents and earned bonus points in his opening round to help UNI secure its best team finish since 2003. Foster went from a losing record as a redshirt freshman at UNI to losing just five matches all year as a senior, including a loss to the other national finalist, Max Dean. Prior to nationals, Foster had been 1-3 against Cornell's Max Dean. Foster is UNI's first wrestler to be a two-time Big 12 champion. He also earned All-Big 12 Academic honors this year. He is the son of Don and Karissa Foster and has a brother Klay. He is a native of Burlington, Iowa, and graduated from Mediapolis High School. He finishes with a 95-35 career record at UNI. He was 29-15 in duals and 10-2 in career Big 12 duals.

Cael Sanderson coaching at the NCAAs in PIttsburgh (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson has been named 2019 InterMat Coach of the Year, the amateur wrestling website announced Friday. It is the sixth time Sanderson has earned Coach of the Year honors in the award's 14-year history. What's more, it's the fourth consecutive year for the 39-year-old Utah native to have received this honor ... and it happens to be the fourth straight year Penn State has won the team title at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Presented each year since 2006 to the best collegiate wrestling coach in all divisions, the award is based exclusively on the votes of writers and executives at InterMat prior to the announcement of other college wrestling awards. Each staff member is asked to select five coaches and rank them from first to fifth based on their performance for the season just completed. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Sanderson received half of the first-place votes from the InterMat staff, for a total of 49 points, to propel him to the top of the balloting for the fourth straight year. Close behind in the balloting was Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale who guided Nick Suriano and Anthony Ashnault to titles at 133 and 149 pounds, respectively ... making them the school's first-ever champs in the nearly 90-year history of the NCAA wrestling championships. Goodale received a total of 42 points, including one first-place vote, to put him in second place in this year's balloting. Also receiving one first-place vote each: Iowa State's Kevin Dresser (who place third overall, with 41 points), Minnesota's Brandon Eggum (in fourth place, with 20 points), Tony Robie of Virginia Tech (in sixth place, tallying 15 points), and Lock Haven's Scott Moore (coming in seventh, with 12 points). Much has been made about a Penn State wrestling dynasty ... with the Nittany Lions having won eight team titles since Cael Sanderson took the reins of the program in April 2009, including four consecutive championships since 2016. (Penn State has a total of nine NCAA team championships, having won its first at the 1953 NCAAs with legendary head coach Charlie Speidel guiding his wrestlers to the crown in their home gym, Rec Hall.) The NCAAs capped off yet another incredible season for Penn State with Cael Sanderson as head coach. The team built a perfect 14-0 dual meet record for the 2018-19 season. Among the season highlights: winning the Southern Scuffle title and breaking the tournament record in the process, as well as winning the Big Ten title by over 30 points. At this year's NCAAs in Pittsburgh, Penn State had clinched the team title hours before the finals, tallying 137.5 points, approximately 40 points ahead of second-place Ohio State. The Nittany Lions had a finalist in fully half of the finals matches ... with three winning individual championships: Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal at 157 and 197 pounds, respectively (the third title for each), and Anthony Cassar winning his first national crown at 285. To put Penn State's on-the-mat performance into perspective: The program now has had 26 individuals win a total of 46 national championships, including 23 under Sanderson. 2019 InterMat Coach of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Cael Sanderson, Penn State 49 (5) 2. Scott Goodale, Rutgers 42 (1) 3. Kevin Dresser, Iowa State 41 (1) 4. Brandon Eggum, Minnesota 20 (1) 5. Chris Ayres, Princeton 19 6. Tony Robie, Virginia Tech 15 (1) 7. Scott Moore, Lock Haven 12 (1) 8. Steve Costanzo, St. Cloud State 11 9. Doug Schwab, Northern Iowa 10 10. Sean Bormet, Michigan 9 11. Brian Smith, Missouri 7 12. Jim Moulsoff, Augsburg 6 13. Keith Gavin, Pitt 3 14. Tom Brands, Iowa 2 15. Chris Bono, Wisconsin 1 15. Glen Lanham, Duke 1 15. T.J. Miller, Loras 1 15. Tom Ryan, Ohio State 1 InterMat Coach of the Year Past Winners 2018: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2017: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2016: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2015: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2014: Tim Flynn, Edinboro and J Robinson, Minnesota 2013: John Smith, Oklahoma State 2012: Cael Sanderson, Penn State 2011: Mike Denney, Nebraska-Omaha 2010: Rob Koll, Cornell 2009: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2008: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2007: Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2006: John Smith, Oklahoma State

The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships wrapped up last Saturday night in Pittsburgh with Penn State winning their eighth title in nine seasons and a handful of new individuals finding their way to the top of the podium. Like in past years, the NCAAs attracted enough fans for a six-session sellout and provided a number of wrestling community-based storylines as well as one or two that seemed primed for national pickup. And yet, the championships once again failed to make any notable impression on the sports market in terms of real-world conversation. (The NCAAs were widely watched, followed, instagrammed and tweeted about.) Maybe that can't be controlled, but in the crowded calendar the NCAA could help the sport succeed by moving the championships away from the NCAA basketball tournament. Even the ever-so-slightest bump to a week before could create more buy-in from the mainstream media and allow for more sports fans to witness the action for themselves. However, when they do tune in, are we sure that the product that they saw in Pittsburgh is the one we want to represent the hard work and sacrifice of these young men? Is the sport today the best and most accurate representation of the sport that we remember? I'd argue that it isn't representative, and while the athletes are incredible, the rules and the management of the challenges have failed the coaches, athletes, former athletes, families, and friends. Out sport is greater than a headgear pull, awkwardly reviewed takedowns, and penalty calls so dragged down in minutia and detail that no casual fan could ever hope to understand why one wrestler's hand was raised and not the other. Fans around the sport seem to agree that major changes need to take place, and a lot of readers asked detailed questions this week about those and much more. Let's hop in. To your questions … Jack Mueller celebrates after beating top-seeded Sebastian Rivera in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Favorite moment of the NCAAs? -- Mike C. Foley: Jack Mueller winning his semifinals match over top-seeded Sebastian Rivera. Most sports are built off loyalty to a location or school and it was a special moment to see a Virginia wrestler enjoy such a wonderful moment. I'm sure he'd have preferred to win gold, but it was nevertheless fantastic to take in his accomplishment and subsequent celebration. Q: You saw Mekhi Lewis at the ACC Championships. Did you have any idea that he would do what he did two weeks later? -- Mike C. Foley: I did. There was an efficiency in his movement and certainty of choice that we rarely see out of freshman wrestlers. There are/were few positions in which he isn't confident and that translates to winning big matches. However, I didn't predict Lewis would win in any of my pools, so you'll just have to trust me that deep down I REALLY believed he could win the whole thing! Though to be fair I may have mentioned on air that I thought Lewis was a title contender. Q: What referee call (or non-call) from the NCAAs had you the most upset? -- Mike C. Foley: Upset? The no-takedown call in the Hayden Hidlay vs. Jason Nolf match left me with smoke coming out of my ears. Absolute malarkey. There was clear evidence that it was a takedown. Cael acknowledged it to Nolf DURING THE MATCH (as they went to review), and Nolf acknowledged it afterward. If this were the Russians getting the call against the Americans, more wrestling fans would be supporting the Mueller probe. There were at least a dozen calls where I thought that I might not know college wrestling rules well enough because surely what I saw was a clear takedown, or locked hands, or stalling, etc. Twitter helped me realize that it was not my failure in rule-knowing, but a larger systemic issue with how the sport is being called match-to-match, tournament-to-tournament, conference-to-conference and event-to-event. There needs to be significant and immediate change. The referees shouldn't really take the blame. In my experience the NCAA referees are judicious and fair minded. But the rules are too ambiguous and subjective leaving me also feeling Perplexed … Miffed … Flummoxed … Frustrated … Depressed … Why have we accepted this hodge-podge of interpretations for control? Wrestlers can gain control via reversal without their opponent ever putting their hand on the ground -- but from neutral there is more control to be established. There are 14 (or so) rules governing how you can safely return an athlete to the mat from a control position, but no regard given to a wrestler intentionally pulling on a toe in order to turn their opponent's knee and prevent a takedown. The entire rulebook has become so open to interpretation that the simplest motions are muddle. Without clarity the problems will only get worse and a patchwork of solutions being offered as in year's past will only work to further dampen the pace of the matches and result in an unrecognizable mish mash of high -flying action, lengthy reviews, and constant restarts. Q: Now that Spencer Lee and Yianni Diakomihalis are both 2-for-2, who do you see as the more likely four-timer? -- Mike C. Foley: Spencer Lee. I love his style and mat intelligence and believe that he is one of the best wrestlers we've seen in 30 years. Even through his tough season I stated again and again that he was the favorite to win. He is the guy. He has the x factor. He's the man. That is not to take anything away from Yianni who I think will also win four NCAA titles and become the USA Olympic freestyle team representative at 65 kilograms in 2020. Q: Who will win this year's Hodge Trophy? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Bo Nickal! I'd have thought the co-Hodge was possible, but with Jason Nolf's tight semifinal victory over Hayden Hidlay the edge goes to three-time champion and pinning specialist Nickal. Q: According to Tom Ryan, lack of independent review cost Joey McKenna an NCAA championship. Joey McKenna lost the 141-pound NCAA title on a questionable takedown late in the final period. Independent review could have corrected the call. -- Jeff N. Foley: Tom Ryan is absolutely correct. There is an immediate need for an independent review committee at the events. The international styles utilize this method to ensure that the referees are not simply covering their own tails when a bad call happens to be made. These officials can/would oversee the challenged calls and make the final assessment. The other aspect of the review is that there needs to be something disincentivizing the coaches from challenging, like losing a point for a lost challenge. However, that can't happen until the reviews become independent and the video tape that is being reviewed is shown to the audience at home and in the arena. Transparency should be the obvious standard as there should be no incentive to keep anything from the athletes and coaches who are most intensely invested in the outcome of the decision. To say nothing of the fans who would also like to see exactly what the referees are slowing down and speeding up. When reviews are visible (and the rules are clear) a lot of the tension and anger created in the situation dissipates. Sunlight is always the best disinfectant. Coach Ryan is only mistaken in that Yianni maybe should have been awarded a takedown earlier in the match, but an equally bad call and review cost him points. All the same, the review process has been proven to be faulty since the NCAA is asking the referees to admit fault, which is always less likely than an independent body's assessment of the call. Q: The TV commentary could not be worse. Every other sport has real men discussing their sport. Even my wife said, "Where did they get these wimpy dudes!?" -- Jeff N. Foley: I don't agree. I think that a professional on the mic is always welcome and I don't think I heard many poor takes during the TV version of the ESPN broadcast. I know you weren't referencing him, but in my opinion, Shawn Kenney is the best play-by-play wrestling announcer in the country and maybe the world. He's got an incredible voice, but what sets him apart is his dedication to research. Absolute legend! Q: I watched last Friday's semifinals on TV with a few friends. None of them had wrestled, but are fans of sports and competition, and were more than game. As the night went on, though, I began to hear comments like "Is the ref going to make them wrestle?" Or "Is that guy going to do anything?" And "Can they just run off the mat? These were valid complaints. Wrestlers are some of the world's best athletes, but that wasn't the product we saw on the mat. Sure, there were good matches, and as a fan already I enjoyed it. But it made me self-conscious, and think about three ways to fix it: 1. Call stalling consistently. No referee wants to decide the outcome, but there are rules in place. Reward action and make them wrestle. 2. Put wrestlers back to neutral if neither is improving their position. No points awarded. The bottom wrestler can earn a point with an escape, and the top wrestler can work for a turn, but they have to stay active and show progress. You can even keep riding time to reward the active top wrestler. But if no one is at any risk of scoring, stand them up. 3. I've come around on the pushout rule. Too much fleeing from a position you don't like (e.g., Anthony Cassar vs. Gable Steveson), or working the edge. I know a lot of people don't want to make folkstyle into freestyle, but this puts wrestlers in the center and forces the action. Lastly, the team race storyline also fell flat to my audience. With Penn State having won eight of the last nine, and essentially having this year wrapped up after the quarterfinals, there wasn't much of a story. Either you need to have more interviews and features highlighting individual wrestlers or give some thought to having a national dual tournament. What are your thoughts on any of these ever happening? And I won't get into the replay system. I figure someone else will ask about that. -- Dave B. Foley: I agree with all your insights! There is a (fast-fading) chorus of fans who hate the idea of folkstyle adapting to some freestyle rules simply because they seem to think there is a lot of tradition in the current rule set. There is a lot of tradition, but for the most part the scholastic style has adapted to norms and best ideas. There have been major rule changes every decade for the past 50 years and there is no reason to stop tinkering, especially if you're only looking to borrow proven rules and techniques from a similar style. There is far too much fear of change in the wrestling community. A pushout rule, killing riding time, and more aggressive stall warnings would make the wrestler engage with each other more often in the center of the mat and force action for seven full minutes. As a sport we should view our rules a failure every time a match is tied 1-1 with 1:45 to go in the third period. That is a wasted 5:15 where the rules should have been incentivizing the wrestlers to perform offensive actions. Instead it's become all too common of a score, with an equally troublesome habit of ending in 2OT, or on a questionable referee assessment of five seconds on the leg, stalling, headgear pulling, hands to the face, and on and on and on. Good rules give the more aggressive wrestlers an opportunity to wrestle. By incentivizing those wrestlers a number of the problems bubbling up after the national tournament would be nullified because there would be much more scoring and dynamic wrestling. Q: How do you feel about unlimited time in neutral to decide overtime matches in tournaments and/or duals? This would eliminate interpretation of rules/stalemate gifts. It would also encourage more of the best part of our sport … innovative setups and attack-style shooting. -- Mr. J Foley: Unlimited overtime would push more matches into the overtime period as wrestlers would look to score a one-point advantage via gamesmanship rather than wrestling for a takedown. Also, without a firm out of bounds fans would witness some very lengthy matches only to have the outcome decided by the aforementioned fleeing the mat or stalling call. Also, from a TV perspective the unlimited overtime rule would jeopardize their scheduling. That's vital to the growth of the sport as nobody who is new to the sport would watch two college wrestlers push each other around for 11 minutes. Total momentum killer! The most important factor is that the matches already need to be shorter. As is, there is a lot of time wasted re-centering athletes and restarting them from top and bottom. Criteria would quicken the pace of the matches, always put one wrestler in the offensive position, and create much more drama and on a more consistent basis. Q: I watched the NCAA finals from home and wasn't able to hear many of the walkout songs. I think a wrestler's song choice can say a lot about their experiences and personality. Do you know where I can find a cumulative list of this year's walkout songs? If not, did any mailbag readers that were in Pittsburgh happen to keep a running list? -- Ethan S. Foley: Hey readers, let's create a list in the comments! A fan's love for Drew Foster By Bruce D. I am a college wrestling fan. I love what Jason Nolf and Bo Nickal have done. And Spencer and Yianni may end up four-time time champs. But Drew Foster now is my 2019 favorite. Most NCAA finalists are multiple state champions. He never won a state championship in a small state with three classifications. Yet now he is a national champ. To me he epitomizes what the sport is for most everyone who wrestles. As Winston Churchill said: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." And so he did, and so do so many wrestlers. Yet they are better for it. Now we wait another year for the greatest championship in sports!

Episode 20 of The MatBoss Podcast with Chad Dennis talks with Brownsburg High School state championship head coach Darrick Snyder. Dennis talks with Snyder about the system Brownsburg has in Indiana and the two talk ideas on the dynamics of navigating the systems in Ohio and Indiana. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play Music | RSS

Mekhi Lewis celebrates after beating Alex Marinelli of Iowa in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Mekhi Lewis, redshirt freshman who made history by winning the 165-pound title for Virginia Tech at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh last weekend -- and was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler -- can add another honor to his collegiate mat career: being named 2019 InterMat Freshman of the Year, the amateur wrestling website announced on Thursday. This award, presented each year since 2006 to best college freshman wrestler in all divisions for his/her college wrestling performance during the 2018-2019 season, is based exclusively on the balloting of writers and executives at InterMat prior to the announcement of other national wrestling awards. Each staff member is asked to select five freshman wrestlers and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter's ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Mekhi Lewis was the unanimous choice for InterMat Freshman of the Year honors, having been listed at the top of all ten ballots submitted by InterMat staffers, for a total of 90 votes. Before arriving on the Virginia Tech campus, Mekhi Lewis was a two-time New Jersey state champ for Bound Brook High School. This past year, Lewis was crowned 2018 Junior world champ at 74 kilograms/163 pounds … then won the Atlantic Coast Conference title … then the national championship. He went 28-2 overall, with 13 bonus point victories. Lewis continued that winning performance at the NCAAs. The No. 8 seed at 165 pounds pinned his first opponent (the 25th seed) and got a 4-1 decision over the No. 24 seed. In the quarterfinals, Lewis knocked off top-seeded Alex Marinelli of Iowa, 3-1 … then earned a 5-2 victory over Wisconsin's Evan Wick in the semifinals. In the title match, Lewis knocked off two-time NCAA champ Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State, 7-1. Championships performances like Lewis' can bring to mind the phrase "Cinderella story." "It's rare that you see an athlete hit the consciousness of a fan base in one big moment, but over the span of eight minutes last Saturday night Virginia Tech wrestler Mekhi Lewis went from a curiosity to a star in Hokie athletics," wrote Will Stewart in Tech Sideline, an independent sports publication covering Virginia Tech athletics, in an article titled "A Star Is Born" after Lewis' incredible title run at the 2019 NCAAs. "… at the 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh, there was a Cinderella story that would have done Bill Murray's Carl Spackler proud: Virginia Tech's Mekhi Lewis, seeded 8th in the 165-pound weight class, stormed to the championship, the first ever for a Virginia Tech wrestler. Lewis was the lowest-seeded wrestler to win it all, and he didn't sneak in the back door, either. Along the way, he beat the No. 1, No. 4 and No. 2 seeds." Knocking off three of the top seeds at 165 wasn't the only magical aspect of Lewis' title run. He managed to defeat the two-time defending NCAA champ, Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State, by the score of 7-1 … making the redshirt freshman Virginia Tech's first NCAA champ in the nearly 90-year history of the championships. If that weren't enough, Lewis was named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler, the first time a wrestler from a school other than Penn State or Ohio State had won that honor since Cornell's Kyle Dake did it in 2013. And the first from the Atlantic Coast Conference to bring home the OW in a decade (North Carolina State's Darrion Caldwell last did it in 2009.) 2019 InterMat Freshman of the Year Voting Results 1st-5th Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Mekhi Lewis, Virginia Tech 90 (10) 2. Gable Steveson, Minnesota 54 3. Daton Fix, Oklahoma State 49 4. Vito Arujau, Cornell 27 5. Austin O'Connor, North Carolina 18 6. Roman Bravo-Young, Penn State 6 7. Dom Demas, Oklahoma 4 8. Patrick Glory, Princeton 1 8. Brock Mauller, Missouri 1 InterMat Freshman of the Year Past Winners 2018: Spencer Lee, Iowa 2017: Mark Hall, Penn State 2016: Jason Nolf, Penn State 2015: Isaiah Martinez, Illinois 2014: Jason Tsirtsis, Northwestern 2013: Alex Dieringer, Oklahoma State 2012: Logan Stieber, Ohio State 2011: David Taylor, Penn State 2010: Kyle Dake, Cornell 2009: Andrew Howe, Wisconsin 2008: Mike Grey, Cornell 2007: Jake Varner, Iowa State 2006: Dustin Schlatter, Minnesota

Cain Velasquez (Photo/Getty/Zuffa LLC) Cain Velasquez, who made the move from amateur wrestling champion to become a two-time heavyweight champ for UFC, is now set to make another career change ... this time to pro wrestling, for the Mexican promotion AAA. The former Sun Devil mat star announced Tuesday that he will be making his pro ring debut at AAA's annual TripleMania supershow on August 3. The 36-year-old Velasquez, who is still under UFC contract, is scheduled to appear in a TripleMania match against an opponent still to be determined. The Sun Devil mat alum made it clear in a press conference that he will be involved in an actual match, not just to make a brief appearance in the ring. AAA, which is one of the biggest pro wrestling promotions in Mexico, has had TripleMania supershows dating back to 1993. Triplemania XXVII will take place at the Mexico City Arena this summer for the eighth straight year. Velasquez launched his professional mixed martial arts career in December 2006. He first won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2010 by knocking out Brock Lesnar, current WWE Universal champion, and 2000 NCAA heavyweight champ for the University of Minnesota. Velasquez won the UFC title a second time in 2012 when he defeated Junior dos Santos by a unanimous decision, after losing the belt to dos Santos a year earlier. The 6'1", 241-pound Velasquez, with a 14-3 pro MMA record, lost his last UFC fight in February. Prior to that latest loss, he had last entered the Octagon two-and-a-half-years earlier because of injuries and other challenges. Prior to becoming a major figure in MMA, Velasquez made a name for himself on the wrestling mat. He was a two-time Arizona high school state wrestling champ who started his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College, where he won the 2002 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) heavyweight title. Velasquez then transferred to Arizona State where he was a 2005 Pac-10 conference champ, then went on to earn NCAA Division I All-America honors by placing fifth at the 2005 NCAAs. He was welcomed into the Arizona State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mitch Smith WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. -- West Liberty University head wrestling coach Mitch Smith has announced that he is stepping down to pursue an opportunity outside of athletics that will allow him to spend more time with his growing family. "This is one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," Smith said. "West Liberty will always have a special place in my heart. I competed here, earned my bachelor's and master's degrees here and have been honored to serve as head wrestling coach at my alma mater. I will always bleed Black and Gold. "I have been blessed to have such a supportive wife as Cortney and our beautiful 4-month-old daughter Emma is the best thing that's ever happened to me. This was an incredibly difficult decision but I know it's the best decision for me and my family." Smith has had the Hilltoppers on an upward trajectory since taking the reins prior to the 2015 season. West Liberty hadn't cracked the national rankings since 2012 but after a couple of solid recruiting classes, the Hilltoppers spent the entire 2017 season in the Top 25. Darius Bunch was the nation's No. 1-ranked 133-pounder for much of the year -- WLU's first No. 1-ranked wrestler since Smith did it in 2009 and 2010. Logan Kemp, another 2017 national qualifier, rose as high as No. 5 in the country at 197 this past fall but came up one win shy of All-America honors in Cleveland. Smith's wrestlers have also impressed in the classroom. Five Hilltoppers were honored as 2018 NWCA All-Academic Team members with graduate student Tanner Sutton one of only a dozen NCAA Division II wrestlers nationwide to post a perfect 4.00 GPA. Smith came back to WLU after three seasons as head coach at Alderson-Broaddus. A 3-time state champion and 2-time USA Wrestling national freestyle champion at Ripley (W.Va.) High School, Smith wrestled for two seasons at NCAA Division I Hofstra (N.Y.) before transferring to West Liberty. The 2-time NCAA Division II All-American posted an impressive 58-9 record on the mat in his two years on the hilltop. He remained on the WLU campus for two seasons as an assistant coach before accepting the head coaching position at Alderson-Broaddus. "On behalf of West Liberty University and the athletic department, I want to thank Mitch for his passion and commitment to our school and our wrestling program," athletic director Lynn Ullom said. "Under his leadership, we have been able to transform our wrestling facilities into some of the finest in the region and I'm confident he has put our program in position to achieve great things in the very near future. I wish Mitch and his family all the best. He will always be a part of the West Liberty wrestling family."

Bo Nickal was the nation's No. 5 recruit in the Class of 2014 (Photos/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) The 2018-19 collegiate wrestling season came to its conclusion this past weekend with the completion of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Pittsburgh. The seniors competing in that tournament were mostly fifth-year seniors, so that means in most cases they graduated high school in 2014. An interesting discussion to have is one about the overall careers of the graduated wrestlers. Another perpetual question is if those that come into college as the best prospects perform the best in college. There's also the conversation about those that grow, develop, and thrive through their college careers from both highly touted prep prospects and being lesser touted entering college. Below are the top 25 NCAA Division I collegiate careers for wrestlers that graduated high school in 2014. No. 1 Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) Rank in 2014: No. 1 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA finalist (without a redshirt year), three-time NCAA champion (2016-2018); also 2015, 2017 world champion, 2016 Olympic champion, 2018 world silver medalist No. 2 Bo Nickal (Penn State) Rank in 2014: No. 5 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA finalist, three-time NCAA champion (2017-2019); also favorite for the 2019 Hodge Trophy No. 3 Jason Nolf (Penn State) Rank in 2014: No. 7 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA finalist, three-time NCAA champion (2017-2019) No. 4 Daniel Lewis (Missouri) Rank in 2014: No. 34 Accomplishments: Four-time All-American No. 5 Seth Gross (South Dakota State) Rank in 2014: No. 68 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time NCAA finalist (2017/2018), 2018 NCAA champion; injured in 2018-19 and seeking sixth year of eligibility No. 6 Bryce Meredith (North Carolina State/Wyoming) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments: Three-time All-American (without a redshirt year), 2016 and 2018 NCAA runner-up No. 7 Stevan Micic (Michigan) Rank in 2014: No. 19 Accomplishments: Olympic redshirt in 2016, three-time All-American, 2018 NCAA runner-up; has one year eligibility remaining No. 8 Joey McKenna (Stanford/Ohio State) Rank in 2014: No. 8 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, three-time All-American, 2019 NCAA runner-up; was round of 12 in 2017 No. 9 Tyler Berger (Nebraska) Rank in 2014: No. 29 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, three-time All-American, 2019 NCAA runner-up; was round of 12 in 2016 No. 10 Micah Jordan (Ohio State) Rank in 2014: No. 6 Accomplishments:Four-time NCAA qualifier, three-time All-American, 2019 NCAA runner-up; was round of 12 in 2016 No. 11 Ethan Lizak (Minnesota) Rank in 2014: No. 73 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, three-time All-American, 2017 NCAA runner-up; qualified for nationals in 2015, redshirted in 2016 No. 12 Kevin Jack (North Carolina State) Rank in 2014: Ranked in weight class Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier (without a redshirt year), three-time All-American; was round of 12 in 2016 No. 13 Alec Pantaleo (Michigan) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, three-time All-American; redshirt year was in 2017 No. 14 Drew Foster (Northern Iowa) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American, 2019 NCAA champion No. 15 Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) Rank in 2014: Ranked in weight class Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American; round of 12 in 2016 No. 16 Zeke Moisey (West Virginia/Nebraska) Rank in 2014: No. 49 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American, 2015 NCAA runner-up; redshirt year was in 2017 No. 17 Zack Zavatsky (Virginia Tech) Rank in 2014: No. 48 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American; round of 12 in 2016 No. 18 Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) Rank in 2014: No. 2 Accomplishments: Two-time All-American (fourth, third) No. 19 Solomon Chishko (Virginia Tech) Rank in 2014: No. 11 Accomplishments: Two-time All-American, placed sixth in 2016 and 2017 before injuries ended his career No. 20 Chandler Rogers (Oklahoma State) Rank in 2014: No. 20 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American; round of 12 in 2016 No. 21 Emery Parker (Illinois) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments:Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American; round of 12 in 2017 No. 22 Anthony Cassar (Penn State) Rank in 2014: Ranked in weight class Accomplishments:2019 NCAA champion in his only appearance at NCAAs No. 23 Nick Nevills (Penn State) Rank in 2014: No. 4 Accomplishments: Two-time All-American; did not qualify for NCAAs in 2016 (injury) No. 24 Scott Parker (Lehigh) Rank in 2014: No. 66 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American before injury precluded him from competing in 2018-19; qualified for NCAAs in 2015, redshirted in 2016 No. 25 Chip Ness (North Carolina) Rank in 2014: No. 65 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, two-time All-American; did not qualify for NCAAs as true freshman, redshirted in 2017 Honorable Mention Note: Wrestlers are listed alphabetically. Mitch Finesilver (Duke) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, 2019 All-American; round of 12 in 2016, redshirt year in 2017 Paul Fox (Stanford) Rank in 2014: No. 92 Accomplishments: Two-time NCAA qualifier, 2017 All-American; round of 12 in 2018 Ryan Millhof (Oklahoma/Arizona State) Rank in 2014: No. 38 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, 2016 All-American; redshirt year was 2017 Justin Oliver (Central Michigan/North Carolina State) Rank in 2014: No. 99 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, 2016 All-American; round of 12 in 2017 and 2018 Ryan Preisch (Lehigh) Rank in 2014: Not ranked Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, 2019 All-American; round of 12 in 2017 and 2018 Sean Russell (Edinboro/Minnesota) Rank in 2014: No. 54 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, 2017 All-American; round of 12 in 2019 Jonathan Schleifer (Princeton) Rank in 2014: No. 24 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier (without a redshirt year) Tyler Smith (Bucknell) Rank in 2014: No. 79 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier (without a redshirt year); round of 12 in 2017 and 2018 Sam Stoll (Iowa) Rank in 2014: No. 10 Accomplishments: Three-time NCAA qualifier, 2018 All-American; round of 12 in 2019 Tommy Thorn (Minnesota) Rank in 2014: No. 21 Accomplishments: Four-time NCAA qualifier, 2017 All-American; round of 12 in 2019 Derek White (Oklahoma State) Rank in 2014: No. 70 Accomplishments: Two-time NCAA qualifier, 2019 NCAA runner-up; round of 12 in 2018 Other notables Brian Allenhigh Rank in 2014: Ranked in weight class Accomplishments: Three-year starter at Michigan State on the offensive line, selected in the fourth round by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2018 NFL draft Jon-Jay Chavez (Cornell) Rank in 2014: No. 32 Accomplishments: Qualified for the Greco-Roman World Championships in 2018 at 78 kilograms, also a 2018 All-American Harrison Phillips Rank in 2014: No. 64 Accomplishments: Two-year starter at Stanford at defensive tackle, named as All-American in 2017, selected in the third round by the Buffalo Bills in the 2018 NFL draft Michael Pixley Rank in 2014: No. 13 Accomplishments:2016 NAIA national champion at Grand View, 2019 NCAA Division II champion at McKendree Hayden Tuma Rank in 2014: No. 30 Accomplishments: 2017 runner-up at the World Team Trials in Greco-Roman For reference purposes, below were the final top 25 Class of 2014 wrestler rankings: 1. Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md./USOTC) 2. Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.) 3. Bryce Brill (Chicago Mt. Carmel, Ill.) 4. Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) 5. Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas) 6. Micah Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) 7. Jason Nolf (Kittanning, Pa.) 8. Joey McKenna (Blair Academy, N.J.) 9. Thomas Haines (Solanco, Pa.) 10. Sam Stolll (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) 11. Solomon Chishko (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) 12. Johnny Sebastian (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) 13. Michael Pixley (Blue Springs, Mo.) 14. Dylan Milonas (Blair Academy, N.J.) 15. Zac Hall (St. Johns, Mich.) 16. Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin, Pa.) 17. Jacob Danishek (Dayton Christian, Ohio) 18. Ryan Blees (Bismarck, N.D.) 19. Stevan Micic (Clear Lake, Mich.) 20. Chandler Rogers (Stillwater, Okla.) 21. Tommy Thorn (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) 22. Dylan Artigliere (Roxbury, N.J.) 23. Roy Nash (Taylorsville, Utah) 24. Jonathan Schleifer (East Brunswick, N.J.) 25. T.C. Warner (Cumberland Valley, Pa.)

ROCHESTER, Mich. -- Rochester College is pleased to announce Wesley Maskill as the new Head Wrestling Coach. Maskill has been part of the Rochester College community since a child, attending many summer camps provided on campus. Maskill began wrestling at a young age. He prepped at Oxford High School, Oxford, MI, where he was a three-time state qualifier and a two-time all-stater. Maskill was a member of the state championship team in 2011. Maskill was also the Senior Male Athlete of the year at Oxford High School. Maskill was recruited and wrestled at Michigan State University from 2014-2017. Maskill had a very successful career at Michigan State as a starter, wrestled in the BIG Ten Championships and placed 4th at the National Colligate Open. He was awarded Student-Athlete of the month at Michigan State University in April, 2017. As a freshman, Maskill earned the Most Falls award. As a sophomore, he earned the Most Committed Spartan award. Maskill graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachlor's degree in Communications Arts and Sciences. "I couldn't be more excited for this amazing opportunity to build the wrestling program at Rochester College. I see great things happening here and I'm looking forward to what we can build as a team in the future," says Maskill. Wrestling has been a historical part of the Maskill family with his grandfather, father, brother and several cousins who have been very successful on the mats. Let's all welcome Coach Maskill to our school community! GO WARRIORS!!!

Caleb Flores One month after Vanguard University announced it was bringing back its men's varsity wrestling program after a nearly four-decade absence, the southern California school has named Caleb Flores -- a former wrestler at University of Northern Iowa -- as head coach. As a wrestler for the UNI Panthers, Flores was named the 2007 Redshirt of the Year Award Winner at the Cedar Falls-based school before going on to be a NCAA Division I National Qualifier the following year. Twice he was named All-Conference for the Western Wrestling Conference and by his senior year he was recognized as team captain. The Northern Iowa grad has spent the last eight years as the Assistant Coach at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California, as well as serving as Assistant Coach at Northview High School in Covina, his prep alma mater. In that time, Flores has guided a pair of dual Junior College State Championship Teams, coached his teams to a Top-5 finish for six consecutive seasons, instructed 11 individual state champions, and 28 All-Americans. In 2013, he was recognized as the CCCAA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year. In addition, Flores also was the USA California Wrestling Folkstyle National Team coach. "I would like to thank Vanguard University and Athletic Director Jeff Bussell for this great opportunity to be a part of the Lion family," Flores said. "I look forward to building the Vanguard wrestling program and strong relationships within the wrestling community. I am excited to see the expansion of wrestling here in California and even more specifically here in Orange County." Athletic Director Bussell returned the favor, saying, "We couldn't be more excited about Coach Flores joining the VU Athletics family as the leader to bring wrestling back to our great campus. Caleb brings outstanding experience, professionalism and faith-based principles to Vanguard wrestling. The young men representing our program will find Caleb has unlimited enthusiasm for the sport and an uncompromising commitment to their overall experience as student-athletes. Caleb will be an asset to our university, department and the community." With the return of wrestling to the Vanguard campus, the school will now be the first four-year college in Orange County to offer the sport. The school hopes to attract some of the 245,000 male high school wrestlers currently competing throughout the nation, including 22,000 male wrestlers in California. Flores is expected to start recruiting efforts in order to assemble a wrestling team ready to take to the mat during the 2019-2020 school year. Vanguard University is a private, four-year school located in Costa Mesa, Calif. in Orange County just south of Los Angeles. Founded in 1920, Vanguard has a total enrollment of approximately 2,500 students.

WATERLOO, Iowa -- After being closed since September while undergoing a $1.4 million renovation, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa celebrate the completion of its renovation this week. The Dan Gable Museum will officially open to the public on Thursday, March 28 at 6 p.m. The opening of the museum is in conjunction with USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals held at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on March 29-31. All parents, athletes, and fans are encouraged to visit the museum while they are in town. Named for wrestling legend Dan Gable and located in a refurbished downtown section of his hometown, the museum has become a landmark in Waterloo and a world-class destination for wrestlers and fans. "We want the museum to be a symbol of excellence and a source of pride in the community," said Gable. "These improvements will make the museum more modern and appealing and a place you want to go, but more importantly, they will give us the ability to impact more young lives and make a big difference in their future." The renovation has transformed the museum into a state-of-the-art facility featuring interactive kiosks while also expanding the wrestling room, teaching center and theater to provide more opportunities for youth wrestlers. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is located at 303 Jefferson St. in Waterloo. Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students. Call (319) 233-0745 with questions.

Joey McKenna celebrates after a win in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo are less than 500 days away. And the top wrestlers in the United States are gearing up for what could be the biggest competition of their lives. With just six freestyle weight classes now in the Olympics, the competition will be as fierce as ever for those coveted spots on the American squad. The U.S. freestyle team is coming off back-to-back superb performances at the World Championships where five wrestlers combined to win gold medals in 2017 and 2018. A number of top young college stars will be ready to challenge them in 2020. Here is a list of wrestlers from the 2019 NCAA Championships with the best chance to wrestle in the 2020 Olympics: Daton Fix (Oklahoma State) Fix is a Junior world champion who had an excellent season on the Senior level in 2018. Fix reached the Final X last year before falling to 2017 world silver medalist Thomas Gilman. He is ranked No. 2 in the U.S. at 57 kilograms. Fix is a talented and confident wrestler who has excelled on the international stage. He also is big for his weight class and has continued to show improvement with his wrestling. Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) Yianni now has two NCAA titles, but he loves the international styles more than folkstyle and it shows when he steps on the mat to wrestle freestyle. He's already won a pair of Cadet world titles and he could definitely be in the mix to be an Olympian next year. Yianni is an excellent scrambler with long arms who can put big points on the board in freestyle. Look for him to contend to make the American squad at 65 kilograms in 2020. Joey McKenna (Ohio State) McKenna is another guy with excellent credentials in freestyle. Second to Diakomihalis at his final NCAA meet, McKenna has been a Junior world silver medalist and a U23 world bronze medalist in freestyle. He also is No. 2 on the U.S. Senior ladder in freestyle after falling to world champion Logan Stieber at the Final X last summer. McKenna is superb on his feet and freestyle is his best style. The battle at 65 kilograms next year will be fun to watch with McKenna among a number of top contenders trying to earn a trip to Tokyo. Zahid Valencia defeated Mark Hall in the NCAA finals for the second straight year (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) Valencia also surprised a few people by landing a spot in Final X last year before falling to eventual world champion Kyle Dake at the non-Olympic weight class of 79 kilograms. Valencia may be caught in between the Olympic weight classes of 74 kilograms and 86 kilograms, but he will competitive in whatever class he chooses. Valencia looked impressive in winning his second straight NCAA title at 174 pounds. He is a tough matchup where he is tall for his weight. Valencia is a past Junior world silver medalist at 84 kilograms. Mark Hall (Penn State) Hall won an NCAA title as a freshman before falling to Valencia the past two years in the finals at 174 pounds. Hall is a very gifted freestyle wrestler who owns two Junior world titles and a Cadet world title. He likely will be in the 74-kilogram class with four-time world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs. As a fan, I think we would all love to see a Burroughs-Hall matchup at next year's Olympic Trials. It will be interesting to see how Hall fares on the Senior level. Spencer Lee (Iowa) The two-time NCAA champion hasn't competed in freestyle the past couple of years because of an injury. Lee is very good at folkstyle, but he's been the best in the world three times in freestyle. He won a Cadet world title before collecting a pair of Junior world titles. Lee uses a similar formula in freestyle that he does in folkstyle. Score the first takedown and then go to work while piling up points from the top position. Lee trains in the same room with world silver medalist Thomas Gilman, so he doesn't have to look far to find a quality Senior-level athlete to wrestle with at 57 kilograms. Bo Nickal (Penn State) The three-time NCAA champion also is an accomplished freestyle wrestler. He is a past fifth-place finisher at the Cadet World Championships. Nickal is a dynamic, dangerous and explosive wrestler who can score from just about any position. He's going to be a handful for whoever lines up across from him. Nickal won't have to look far to find a quality freestyle wrestler to train with. Fellow Penn State alum David Taylor won a world title last year at 86 kilograms. That would be an intriguing matchup if Taylor and Nickal end up battling each other. Gable Steveson defeated Youssif Hemida in the NCAA consolation semifinals (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Gable Steveson (Minnesota) Steveson is another wrestler who has enjoyed enormous success at the age-group levels. He has captured two Cadet world titles and a Junior world title at heavyweight. Steveson is coming off a third-place finish as a freshman at the NCAA tournament. Steveson is a mobile and athletic heavyweight who wrestled well on the Senior level last year. He finished a respectable fourth at the 2018 U.S. Open. He has a huge upside on the international level. Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) Lewis came from the No. 8 seed to win the NCAA title at 165 pounds, but his run didn't come as a complete surprise to those that watched him on the freestyle circuit last summer. Lewis, despite having little experience in freestyle, captured a Junior world title for the U.S. last year at 74 kilograms. Lewis is only a freshman in college, but he's already a strong, physical wrestler who can match up with guys on the Senior level. He beat a powerful wrestler in two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State to earn his first NCAA crown. Nick Reenan (North Carolina State) Reenan turned in a surprise performance last year to reach the Final X at 86 kilograms before losing to eventual world champion David Taylor. Reenan is a gifted young wrestler in the international styles who has made Junior and Cadet world teams in Greco-Roman wrestling. He finished 1-2 and fell short of placing at the NCAA tournament for the Wolfpack at 184 pounds. Kollin Moore (Ohio State) Moore has gained extensive international experience in the last couple of years. He won a Junior world bronze medal in 2017 before capturing a U23 world silver medal in 2018 at 97 kilograms. Moore finished second to Nickal at the NCAA tournament at 197 pounds. Moore is a tough wrestler who has continued to make gains internationally. It will be interesting to see how he transitions to the Senior level. Jason Nolf (Penn State) Nolf capped an outstanding college career by capturing his third straight NCAA title for the Nittany Lions. Nolf is another wrestler who is expected to make an immediate impact on the Senior level. He hasn't competed as extensively in freestyle, but his skill set should translate well to that level. He is excellent on his feet and he's a tough, hard-nosed competitor who wrestles aggressively. He would likely be in the 74-kilogram class in freestyle. Hayden Hidlay (North Carolina State) Hidlay is coming off a fourth-place finish at the NCAA tournament after dropping a hard-fought 3-2 semifinal match to Nolf in a rematch of last year's finals. Hidlay placed second at the World Team Trials challenge tournament on the Senior level last year. He also qualified for the 2018 U23 World Championships, where he placed ninth for the U.S. He competed at 70 kilograms, so he would likely compete at 74 kilograms during the Olympic year in 2020. Jaydin Eierman puts Kyle Shoop in danger in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) Eierman is a member of the U.S. National Team in freestyle and is No. 3 on the Senior ladder at 65 kilograms. Eierman lost a tough 6-5 decision to Diakomihalis in the NCAA semifinals at 141 pounds. He bounced back the next day to win two matches and place third. He's a difficult matchup for anyone and he's a guy who will keep battling hard no matter the circumstances. He recently announced that he will be taking an Olympic redshirt in 2019-20.

Fan voting for the 2019 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy has begun. The Hodge Trophy is the top award in college wrestling and has been presented annually since 1994 to the nation's most dominant collegiate wrestler. Vote now! The award is named after Dan Hodge, the former three-time (1955-57) NCAA champion from the University of Oklahoma, who did not allow a takedown in his career and pinned 36 of 46 victims. Criteria for the award include: A wrestler's record; Number of pins; Dominance on the mat; Quality of competition; Past credentials; Sportsmanship/citizenship; and Heart The first four criteria are the primary criteria. Number of pins is an extremely important criteria. Part of the reason the award was created was to elevate the importance of the pin, and to motivate top collegians to go for the fall. The Hodge Trophy is a single-season award. However, if you have two candidates who are virtually equal, consideration can be given to past credentials, which is criteria No. 5. The last two criteria should be used to help guide voters to select a winner who also is a good representative of the sport. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, April 2nd. The winner of the fan vote will earn two first-place votes among the total ballots from a group of formal voters which includes each former Hodge Trophy winner, national media, representatives of national wrestling organizations and retired former college coaches from different regions. The deadline for your vote is this Friday, March 29, at 5:p.m. CT. Finalists The following is a statistical breakdown, in alphabetical order, of the four finalists. Anthony Ashnault 149 pounds, Rutgers, Senior, South Plainfield, N.J. Record: 32-0 Pins: 8 TF: 4 MD: 7 Bonus Point %: 59% Yianni Diakomihalis 141 pounds, Cornell, Sophomore, Rochester, New York Record: 29-0 Pins: 7 TF: 7 MD: 5 Bonus Point %: 59% Bo Nickal 197 pounds, Penn State, Senior, Allen, Texas Record: 30-0 Pins: 18 TF: 3 MD: 6 Bonus Point %: 90% Jason Nolf 157 pounds, Penn State, Senior, Yatesboro, Pennsylvania Record: 31-0 Pins: 15 TF: 5 MD: 6 Bonus Point %: 87%