InterMat Staff

Gary Quintana, former Fresno State wrestler who had coached wrestling in the area where he grew up for more than a decade, died from an apparent heart attack Thursday. He was 45. Prior to his passing, Quintana had been working out with his nephew and youth wrestlers at the Selma Youth Wrestling Club. "It's a big loss for the wrestling community," former longtime Fresno State coach Dennis DeLiddo -- Quintana's college coach -- told the Fresno Bee. "He probably didn't have an enemy in the world." "Nobody disliked Gary. He always had a smile on his face." The Fresno State Bulldog wrestling program -- which will return to the mats this fall for the first time in over a decade -- posted the following message on its Facebook page: "The Fresno State wrestling family lost a great man yesterday. Gary Quintana you will be missed. Thank your dedication to the Valley." Quintana made his mark on wrestling in the Fresno area over the course of two decades. As a wrestler at Selma High School, Quintana was a California state champ at 133 pounds as a senior and three-time state medalist. After graduating in 1991, Quintana continued with his mat career at Fresno State under DeLiddo, where he was a two-time NCAA championships qualifier and conference champion. Quintana then launched a coaching career in wrestling in California that lasted until his death. He coached at a trio of local high schools, first as an assistant coach at Clovis West and Bullard, then as head coach at Clovis North. Most recently he was the coach at Granite Ridge Middle School. Quintana was welcomed into the Selma (High School) Hall of Fame in 2013. "Wrestling has helped mold me into the person I am today," Quintana told his hometown paper, the Selma Enterprise, at the time of his induction into his alma mater's hall of fame. "The successes I've had are all due to the place where I'm from and the people I was around. I wouldn't take anything back for the world. I would do it all again."

Four former Chadron State College wrestlers have been arrested in connection with an alleged hazing incident last month involving their teammates. The Chadron, Neb. police announced Friday that the four -- 24-year-old Luke G. Zeiger; Cooper J. Cogdill, 22; William "Billy" Cogdill, 21; and Chance J. Helmick, 21 -- were arrested on warrants charging them with hazing, a Nebraska Class II misdemeanor, as well as third-degree assault, a Class I misdemeanor. Chadron police had been notified of an off-campus incident outside a local residence on Sept. 9. A brief video shows an unidentified male taking a drink, then taking a punch in the face by an individual identified by the Chadron student newspaper, The Eagle, as Helmick. After receiving the blow, the victim raised his arms in celebration while a crowd cheered. After an investigation that took four weeks, the Chadron police department submitted the results to a special prosecutor, Jamian J. Simmons, assigned to the case for review. On Friday, Simmons issued arrest warrants and the four men were taken into custody, the Scottsbluff (Neb.) Star-Herald reported Friday. The former CSC student/athletes were transported to the Dawes County jail, where bond was set at 10 percent of $10,000. Each posted bond by late Friday and was released. The four wrestlers had been dismissed from the CSC Eagles wrestling team about two weeks after the alleged incident. Two of the former CSC wrestlers -- Chance Helmick, and Cooper Cogdill -- won RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) titles at 174 pounds and heavyweight, respectively. By placing third at the conference championships, Helmick qualified to participate at the 2017 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Helmick, a junior at Chadron State, had been a two-time Nebraska high school state champion wrestler for Beatrice High School. Cooper Cogdill, a junior from Chadron, had been a Nebraska state tournament finalist. Cooper's brother Willy, a sophomore who had wrestled at 184, transferred to CSC after one year at the University of Wyoming. Chadron State College is a four-year state school located in the western panhandle of Nebraska. Founded in 1911, Chadron State has an enrollment of 3,000 students. Its sports programs -- including the wrestling team -- compete in NCAA Division II. UPDATE 10/24/17 The four accused wrestlers appeared in court Friday, entering pleas of not guilty to charges of hazing and assault. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 12.

Elite Class of 2019 wrestler Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) verbally committed to Cornell University on Saturday afternoon. The No. 7 overall ranked wrestler in that class was twice a state champion in Florida prior to his transfer to Blair Academy in 2016-17, when he finished third at the National Prep tournament. In addition, Ramirez was a Cadet National freestyle runner-up in the summer of 2016, and a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American this past June. He projects to compete collegiately as a 174/184.

Three-time state champion Brody Teske (Fort Dodge, Iowa), who has yet to lose a high school match in his career to date, verbally committed to Penn State on Friday morning. The No. 35 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 also finished third at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle this spring, and was a Cadet National freestyle runner-up in the summer of 2016. He ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 3 nationally at 120 pounds, and projects to compete collegiately as a 125/133.

This week saw the first day of official practice for most college wrestling programs. Off since March, the young collegiate wrestlers are finally allowed to enter full, official practices. The day is always exciting for fans, as the talk of potential individual and team national champions kicks in to hyper drive. That is good for the sport -- a conversation about what will come and who will make it occur. My favorite part of the first week is sitting back and remembering my journey. Where I started and how I finished seem like worlds apart, but if I inspect my journey it was full of good (and bad) decision making that led to certain outcomes. That review and the nostalgia for friendships and interactions on the mat is potent. I miss the daily workouts, but I probably miss the relationships most often. Collegiate wrestling builds special bonds and I'm grateful for each lifelong friend earned during my five years competing at Virginia. I hope that other wrestlers are having that same moment, while also taking a moment to be grateful for everything the sport can offer. Yes, there are things to fix in the sport and inevitably there will be controversy, but I like to choose this first day/week of official practice as a celebration of sorts. A time to remember our friends and everything there is to love about the sport. Note: I'm in Switzerland right now finishing up a week of meetings about event coverage and documentaries for the 2018 international season. Though there are some items to still be decided, I think the next 14 months should be the best yet for the sport of wrestling. As I'm traveling, the mailbag will be a bit shorter than normal. Hope you enjoy! To your questions … Jack Mueller celebrates after beating Joey Dance in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Jack Mueller of Virginia was fun to watch last season as a true freshman at 125 pounds. How do you think he will handle the move up to 133 pounds? -- Mike C. Foley: Jack Mueller will go down as the first NCAA champion for U.Va. wrestling and I have some confidence he can pull it off more than once. He has to develop aspects of his game, but his mental toughness is obvious to anyone who watches him wrestle. He has it and won't be denied an NCAA championship. This year? I think he's better-than-average betting odds. Q: Who would you consider to be the face of USA Greco right now? -- Mike C. Foley: Kamal Bey. He's young, dynamic and out for points. He's also quickly becoming the face of where leaders within the sport want to see the sport head. He wrestles a pure style of Greco-Roman with a bit of personality and innovation. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Yui Susaki and Eri Tosaka in practice. Saori Yoshida in the back wiping sweat off the mats! Q: Organizationally and institutionally, what led to this 20-plus year U.S. resurgence? Rules, technique, coaching changes? Athlete recruitment/retention? -- @nhoughsnee Foley: Rich Bender and the increase in capital contributions from major donors. There is an organizational magic at work that is tough to deny. From creating a program that pays for winners, to monetizing events and increasing participation, USA Wrestling has done a phenomenal job of creating an environment where individuals can win Olympic and world medals. Daton Fix gets his hand raised after a victory at Beat the Streets in New York (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: You called Daton Fix over Nathan Tomasello at the U23 World Team Trials. I imagine Oklahoma State will redshirt Fix since they have a returning All-American in Nick Piccininni. I realize from a lineup standpoint it might make sense to redshirt Fix, but don't you think it's kind of pointless to sit a potential national champ and keep him in college wrestling for five or more years? -- Mike C. Also … Q: Would you redshirt Daton Fix? I think he should redshirt, bump Kaid Brock to 141 pounds next year. That would be a salty lineup for 2018-19. -- @jferg24 Foley: You don't sit a national champion. I may be proven wrong, but there are plenty of other years (2020) where Daton doesn't have to wrestle in the collegiate season. Let's see him attack the U23's and then the collegiate season. There is little reason to believe he has to take a back seat to someone that it seems he can objectively beat. You can't play for the 2018-2019 season when you have someone like Daton Fix. There is something to be said for building teams over a certain number of years, but Fix is starting to look generational and a guy like that -- when put in the spotlight -- can pull in some other big-name wrestlers to join him at Oklahoma State. Q: Of the four All-Star matchups announced so far, Darian Cruz (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State), Seth Gross (South Dakota State) vs. Stevan Micic (Michigan), Mark Hall (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) and Kollin Moore (Ohio State) vs. Jared Haught (Virginia Tech), which matchup intrigues you the most? -- Mike C. Foley: Mark Hall vs. Zahid Valencia will give us some particularly powerful insight into Hall's sophomore campaign. There doesn't seem to be any science behind the sophomore slump, but it does seem to be a real thing in college wrestling (Greg Jones). Will Hall avoid a second season letdown? Will Valencia keep showing the improvement that we've seen from him each of the last two offseasons? A very exciting matchup that I won't miss.

Cleveland's Brian Brakeman, producer of the annual "Brakeman Report" which covered Ohio amateur wrestling for more than four decades, has been named recipient of the 2017 Bob Dellinger Award for amateur wrestling writing, the award's sponsor, Amateur Wrestling News, announced in the magazine's Oct. 15, 2017 issue. Brian BrakemanHere's how the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, which recently inducted Brakeman, described this year's Dellinger Award winner and his contribution to wrestling in the state of Ohio. "Brian Brakeman's influence on Ohio high school wrestling is legendary. A statistical wizard with the papers to prove it, Brakeman has compiled a dazzlingly accurate state tournament forecast that for 45 years has been an invaluable guide for wrestlers, coaches and college recruiters. He calls it the "Brakeman Report." Others call it the wrestling "bible." It is the premier state wrestling forecast in the country. "Since 1972, Brakeman has ranked the top 25 or so wrestlers in each weight class in every division, highlighted by projected state champions and order of team finish. In all these years his accuracy rate is 70%. One recent year he picked 13 of 14 state champs in Division I ..." Amateur Wrestling News described Brakeman as "the face of high school wrestling in Ohio." Beginning in the early 1970s, Brakeman, along with Mike Massa, anchored WVIZ-TV telecasts of the sectional, district and state wrestling tournaments in Ohio. The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) adopted many of his recommendations for enhancing the state tournament. He served as chairman of the seeding committee for the Ohio state dual-meet tournament. For all these accomplishments, Brakeman was welcomed into the Ohio Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, as well as the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year. Brakeman is uniquely qualified for making his contributions to wrestling in Ohio, as a passionate, knowledgeable fan ... and as a man with a strong background in mathematics and statistics. A native of Parma, Ohio in suburban Cleveland, Brakeman went to Parma Senior High School, then continued his education in the Cleveland area, earning a bachelor's degree at Case Tech, an M.B.A. at Western Reserve, and a Ph.D. in statistics. (The two schools later merged to become Case Western Reserve University.) Brakeman spent his entire professional career in planning and research for East Ohio Gas Company, as well as 14 years as a math teacher and tutor at North Coast Academy. The Dellinger Award, first established in 1960, is named for the late Bob Dellinger, long-time sports writer and editor for "The Daily Oklahoman" newspaper based in Oklahoma City. In addition, he collaborated with his wife Doris in writing two books on the history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program: "Ride 'Em Cowboys" and "The Cowboys Ride Again". Dellinger was also the first director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Editor's note: Among the past recipients of the Dellinger Award: Mike Finn, Jason Bryant, Andy Hamilton, Tom Elling, AWN writers Don Sayenga, Jim Kalin and Ron Good, author Jamie Moffatt, late historian and "The History of Collegiate Wrestling" book author Jay Hammond, and Mark Palmer, InterMat senior writer.

Three-time Pennsylvania state placer Francis Duggan, who will be wrestling at Iowa City (Iowa) West for his senior season, verbally committed to Iowa State on Thursday evening. The No. 70 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 placed third in freestyle at the Junior Nationals in Fargo for a second straight summer at 220 pounds. Duggan joins No. 64 Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa) and No. 75 Weston DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.) as top 100 ranked commits in Iowa State's 2018 class. He projects collegiately most likely as a 285.

Seth Gross (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) MANHEIM, Pa. -- Flashy, dynamic, exciting and tenacious are four terms that can describe the athletes announced on Thursday to compete at the 52nd annual NWCA All-Star Classic set for Princeton University's Jadwin Gym on Sunday, November 5. The NWCA All-Star Classic is hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network and sponsored by Princeton Brain and Spine and Northwestern Mutual Life. On the men's side, South Dakota State's Seth Gross will face Michigan's Stevan Micic at 133 pounds, while Megan Black of McKendree will take on Shelby Hall of Campbellsville at 130 pounds on the women's side. Gross, a junior from Apple Valley, Minnesota, became South Dakota State's first NCAA Division I finalist with his runner-up finish a year ago at 133 pounds. All-American Micic, a native of Cedar Lake, Indiana, finished fourth at 133 pounds in 2017. The two didn't meet last season and haven't met previously as Gross dropped from 141 pounds to 133 last season and Micic moved up from 125 to 133 after he started his career at Northwestern. Micic finished 29-7 a year ago and Gross was an impressive 34-2. Gross will be South Dakota State's second wrestler to appear in the event all-time. Cody Pack competed at the 2015 All-Star Classic in Atlanta, losing to Lehigh's Mitch Minotti in overtime. Micic will make Michigan's 38th appearance in the All-Star Classic. Overall, Wolverine wrestlers are 15-19-3. At 130, McKendree's Megan Black, a native of Batavia, Iowa, will become the second McKendree wrestler to compete, joining teammate Brandy Lowe (170 pounds). A three-time WCWA All-American, Black has twice been a runner-up at the national championships. She finished seventh as a freshman competing for King University. Black was the first girl in Iowa high school state wrestling history to place at the state wrestling tournament when she finished eighth in 2012 at 106 pounds. She recently won the UWW U23 World Team Trials in Rochester, Minnesota. Hall, a native of Doylestown, Ohio, is also a three-time WCWA All-American, finishing eighth, third and fourth in her three trips to the tournament. A 2016 Olympic Trials participant, Hall is looking to exact a little revenge as Black eliminated Hall from championship contention at the 2017 WCWA nationals with a 31-second fall in the semifinals. Hall's presence for Campbellsville also represents the seventh different school thus far to be represented on the women's side at the All-Star Classic. Eight different schools are represented thus far on the men's side. WHAT: 52nd NWCA All-Star Classic hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network WHEN: Sunday, November 5, 3 p.m. WHERE: Jadwin Gym, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. TICKETS: $20 (group discounts available) SOCIAL MEDIA: #ComeBackToJadwin #allstarclassic2017 #wrestleback INFO: www.goallstarclassic.com ANNOUNCED MATCHUPS Men 125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State) 133: Seth Gross, Jr. (South Dakota State) vs. Stevan Micic, So. (Michigan) 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: Mark Hall, So. (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia, So. (Arizona State) 184: 197: Kollin Moore, So. (Ohio State) vs. Jared Haught, Sr. (Virginia Tech) 285: Women 101: 109: 116: Fayth Woodward (Emmanuel) vs. Makayla Bourbon, Sr. (U. of the Cumberlands) 123: 130: Megan Black, Sr. (McKendree) vs. Shelby Hall, Sr. (Campbellsville) 136: 143: Mallory Velte, Sr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Desiree Zavala, So. (Grays Harbor) 155: 170: Jessika Rottier, Jr. (U. of the Cumberlands) vs. Brandy Lowe, Sr. (McKendree) 191: Note: Women's college wrestling competes under international freestyle rules.

Logan Storley (Photo/Bellator) Logan Storley, four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Minnesota and emerging mixed martial arts fighter, has been added to the card at Bellator 186 to be held at Bryce Jordan Arena on the campus of Penn State on Friday, Nov. 3. Storley posted this message on Facebook Wednesday: "November 3rd I add another name to the list" The 25-year-old former Golden Gopher mat star -- who is now 6-0 in his pro MMA career -- will be facing Matt Secor, 31, who brings a 9-4 record (including a 2-2 mark in Bellator) and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu background to his bout with Storley. In his most recent fight, Secor submitted T.J. Sumler in the first round at Bellator 182 in August. In fact, Secor has secured eight of his nine victories via submission. Storley was a six-time South Dakota state wrestling champ at Webster High School, alma mater to fellow University of Minnesota All-American (and former MMA champ) Brock Lesnar. Storley headed east to Minnesota, where he compiled a 119-27 overall record and became only the tenth Golden Gopher to earn All-American honors four times. While in school, Storley had three amateur MMA bouts ... then turned pro after graduation. In all but one of his six victories, Storley scored a first-round TKO. The Storley-Secor three-round welterweight (170-pound) bout joins a card which features two other former college wrestling greats, Ed Ruth and Phil Davis, both from Penn State. Ruth, Penn State's only three-time NCAA champ, will go up against Chris Dempsey in a middleweight (185-pound) bout ... while 2009 NCAA titlewinner Phil Davis will face Leonardo Leite in a light-heavyweight (205-pound) fight. Dempsey was a NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown; Leite's area of expertise is judo. Bellator 186's top-of-the-card bout will feature Ryan Bader defending his title against Linton Vassell. A second title fight will feature Ilima MacFarlane taking on Emily Ducote in a rematch for the vacant women's flyweight title. Here's the entire Bellator 186 card: Light Heavyweight World Title Main Event: Ryan Bader vs. Linton Vassell Women's Flyweight World Title Co-Main Event: Ilima-Lei Macfarlane vs. Emily Ducote Light Heavyweight Main Card Bout: Phil Davis vs. Leo Leite Middleweight Main Card Bout: Ed Ruth vs Chris Dempsey Lightweight Main Card Bout: Saad Awad vs. Zach Freeman Welterweight Preliminary Bout: Logan Storley vs. Matt Secor Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Putnam vs. Scott Clymer Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Ethan Goss vs. Andrew Salas Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Francis Healy vs. Frank Buenafuente Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mike Wilkins vs. Brett Martinez Tickets for Bellator 186 are on sale now at the Bryce Jordan Arena and website.

Pat Smith lifts RaVaughn Perkins in the finals of the Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Greco-Roman wrestler Pat Smith competed at the 2017 World Championships in Paris, France, at 71 kilograms, going 1-1. Smith, who wrestled collegiately at the University of Minnesota, finished runner-up at the U.S. Open three straight years (2014-16) before winning his first U.S. Open title this year. He is also a two-time World Team Trials runner-up, Olympic Team Trials runner-up, three-time Pan American champion and University world silver medalist. InterMat recently caught up with the 26-year-old Smith. You had been knocking on the door for so many years. This year you broke through to make your first U.S. World team in Greco-Roman. Was it a sense of relief? Or what were the emotions when you earned a spot on the team? Smith: It was maybe a little bit of relief, but more validation. I set my goals really high. If you're going to put everything into something, you might as well try to be the best. Not only was I second at the U.S. Open and Trials for a few years, I also took second in the state tournament and was a backup at Minnesota for so long. I really struggled breaking through. It was a good confidence builder. Pat Smith fell to Nurgazy Asangulov of Kyrgyzstan at the World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) At the World Championships, you opened with a 5-0 shutout win over a wrestler from the Czech Republic. In your second match against a wrestler from Kyrgyzstan, you took an early lead before giving up a headlock late in the first period and eventually lost 8-2. What were your takeaways from the World Championships? Smith: Overall, it was a great experience. It was good to get out there, get on the mat and get that first win. That was pretty big. That headlock in the second match really changed a lot of things. There were like four seconds left in the first period and I got a little out of position. That was pretty much the difference in the match. What I took away is that tiny mistakes make the difference at the highest level. It made me hungry for the next time. I have heard you say you now believe now that you can wrestle with anybody in the world. What has made you believe that? Smith: I'm starting to turn a corner. I'm starting to build the skills that I need to be able to execute in the right way to win at a high level in Greco-Roman. I don't feel like I'm guessing as much anymore. When I first started competing overseas it just kind of felt like they just knew so much more. Now I'm starting to feel the position. I know what they're looking for. I'm know what I'm looking for and where I need to be. It makes a big difference. Now I'm starting to get a good feel, but it has taken a couple years. It has taken a decent amount of exposure to international competition. It doesn't happen unless you get that feel. Pat Smith (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) At the highest level, it's little things that can make a difference since the top wrestlers are not separated by much. What specifically do you need to improve upon to take that next leap from World Championships participant to world medalist or world champion? Smith: I need to clean up a lot of those mistakes, little things like hip position even, leaving my hips out and letting guys step inside and get the big throws. I need to be shutting down the best in the world a little more. I also need to constantly build my skills and attacks. Putting multiple attacks together is going to be a big thing for me. Wrestling needs to be more fluid for me. I need to create more fluid action, and that's what I'm working on right now. What has life been like since the World Championships in Paris? Did you take some time off from wrestling? Smith: I had a lot of family that came out for the World Championships. I had quite a few friends come out as well, especially guys I don't see a whole lot. It was cool to see everybody in Paris. I had both my high school coaches there. My family and I went to Normandy after the tournament, which was a very surreal experience. We also went to Norway, and made quick trip to Sweden because I wanted to have my parents meet all the people that helped me out there when I was there last winter. It was cool because it was my mom's first time ever really leaving North America. My dad hadn't been to Europe in like 40 years. My brother was celebrating his 10th wedding anniversary. I took some time off the mat when I returned. Brandon Paulson wanted to make sure that I stayed off the mat, so I listened. I get scared that if I don't listen he's not going to tell me stuff anymore, and then I get really worried. I want his advice, so I have to listen. Many of the top American Greco-Roman wrestlers have focused on Greco-Roman immediately after high school. You chose the path of Division I wrestling at the University of Minnesota. I know you have said you don't have any regrets with your decision. What was your experience like at the University of Minnesota? Smith: It was a good growing up experience for me. I made some of the best friends I'll ever have on the wrestling team. That's a really cool thing about the University of Minnesota's wrestling program. There's this brotherhood that kind of stays with everybody, from the alumni all the way down to the guys competing on the team. There's a bond that has been created and it's largely in part because of the culture created by J Robinson. That's something you can't put a price tag on or trade for anything. I attended a major university and one of the best programs in the world. I trained with tough guys every single day, guys that were unbelievably motivated all the time and always challenging you to make you better. Those are guys I still talk with. It was a good coming of age too. I didn't accomplish my goals. I came in and wanted to be an NCAA champ. I wanted to win an NCAA team title. I wanted to be the guy. It didn't happen. I felt like I was doing everything right. I think it was a big thing for me to really learn that sometimes A plus B doesn't always equal C. In life you're not guaranteed outcomes. But you work as hard as you can, do everything to the best you possibly can to give yourself the opportunity to create the outcomes that you want. You have to be OK with the fact that maybe it's not going to happen. No matter what I can walk away knowing I did everything in my power to make it happen. It's not going to change who I am as a person. I had to learn some hard lessons. It's more about being the best you can possibly be, not so much about where you're standing on the podium if you even get a chance. I was a lifer. I took a regular redshirt. I took an Olympic redshirt. I was on the team for six years. I definitely did my time and was ready to move on. I felt like I did everything I could. Pat Smith talks with coaches Mike Houck and Brandon Paulson at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) You were successful in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman growing up. When did Greco-Roman become your preferred style? Smith: I think it kind of happened when [Greco-Roman world champ] Mike Houck started coaching at my high school. He helped out a little bit my sophomore year, and we started working on some Greco stuff. Apparently, it didn't click too well because I went 0-2 in Fargo in Greco that year. It took me until my junior year to place in Fargo. I kept working with him and picked up some intricacies of pummeling and other aspects of Greco. I started to really love the battle. I've always been more of a brawler. I have heavy hands. I'm going to be in your face. I like the contact. I like the fight, the brawl. I felt like there were some strengths that I had that translated well. My junior year in high school I started noticing that I really liked Greco. I continued to wrestle Greco, and competed in my first U.S. Open my freshman year of college. The biggest thing for me personally with Greco is I had just enough success in the right spots that it kept leading me toward that path. I saw continuous improvements. I was getting opportunities to wrestle at a higher level, and it was fun. I got to be a part of Team USA. I'm grateful the Minnesota Storm provided the opportunity for me to train and compete. Wrestling has taken you all over the world. What has been your favorite place to wrestle? Smith: It's been awesome. Wrestling takes you all over the world, but a lot of times it takes you to places most people will never go or think about going. My favorite place to wrestle is Iran hands down. It's like their NFL there. It's everything. They love it. When we went over there for the World Cup in 2014, they were crazy. It was held in this dungeon-like arena. No natural light. It was real dark. Those people chanted for like 48 straight hours. The bleachers were constantly shaking because these people were chanting and yelling and they had the drums going. They just love wrestling. Pat Smith and Andy Bisek attended the same high school, Chaska (Minn.) Andy Bisek is from the same high school as you, but five years older. What role has he played in your wrestling career? Smith: I always knew Bisek when I was coming up. His senior year I was a seventh-grader on the team, and that was the first year I was really taking wrestling seriously and trying to put myself at a higher level. I was doing extra workouts and looking at the sport in a new way. He was the best guy on the team and a team captain. He took third at state that year and had a great season. He has always been somebody I've looked up to. When he went out to Northern Michigan and came back that first year, I was like, 'Holy crap, man, what happened to you?' He gained 20 bounds and was jacked all of a sudden. He kind of opened the door for me to see a higher level of wrestling and see that it was possible for someone from my school to do that. He would come back when I was in high school and coach in Fargo, and come in the room every time he was back in town. He has always been super supportive and encouraging, which I always appreciated. It's been great to see him have the success he had in the last quad because he stuck with it for so long. He is a super talented and hard-working guy. He found a way to make it happen. It was awesome to be his training partner when he won his first world medal, and then his training partner again when he won his second world medal, and just be around him throughout that whole process. I have always just tried to pick his brain. He's an awesome resource and has always been there for me. You have talked about 2020 and wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics. How often does 2020 go through your head? Smith: It's on my mind pretty much every day when I wake up directly or indirectly. Everything that I'm doing, all the decisions I'm making, center around wrestling and accomplishing my goals in wrestling because that's my top priority right now. 2020 always crosses my mind, whether I'm going to get a lift in or some kind of conditioning workout. The small, purposeful goals all lead into it. You're currently competing in a non-Olympic weight class. It's in between the Olympic weight classes. Any idea if you will go up or down in 2020? Smith: We're working through that right now. I'm kind of in an interesting spot. 71 or 72 kilograms is kind of a perfect weight class for me. For the Olympic year, I'll have the option of going 67 kilograms or 77 kilograms. Now there are different weigh-in procedures. So we're working through it. I'm going to try to figure it out. It's not a decision I have to make immediately, but it's definitely something that's on my mind. This story also appears in the October 13 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.

Three-time state champion Justin Ruffin (Union Grove, Ga.) verbally committed to SIU-Edwardsville. The No. 42 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 finished fourth in both styles at the Junior Nationals this summer in Fargo. In addition, the projected 157 pound wrestler placed fourth at the Super 32 Challenge last fall and was a Junior Greco All-American in the summer of 2016.

Chance Marsteller after winning a University Nationals title (Photo/Sam Janicki) Tuesday was opening day for college wrestling practice across the country. It's the time where every wrestler can aim high for a successful new season and put aside whatever may have happened in the past. That day has special significance for Chance Marsteller, as he participated in his first practice session of the 2017-18 season as an official member of the wrestling program at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. The past year or so had been challenging for Marsteller, but the four-time undefeated Pennsylvania high school state wrestling champion appears to have more than risen to the challenge. Early in 2016, Marsteller transferred to Lock Haven University after being dismissed from Oklahoma State. In August 2016 he was arrested for an incident in Lock Haven where some hospital personnel and police officers had been injured. Early this year, Marsteller pled guilty to charges stemming from that incident. At the time he told the court he was now clean and sober, was doing volunteer coaching at Kennard-Dale Junior High School where he wrestled nearly a decade ago, and had re-enrolled at LHU. Now, with his participation in Lock Haven's first wrestling practice of the new season, Marsteller is not only back at the school, but also back on the mat ... as everyone on campus could plainly see Tuesday. The Bald Eagles wrestling program continued its tradition of launching its season outdoors in a positive, promotion-minded, attention-getting way with its "Midday Matness" practice session held outside on the campus. "Midday Matness is a nice way for the guys to break into the season," Lock Haven head wrestling coach Scott Moore told The Record newspaper. "It's a fun way to gain exposure not just for LHU wrestling, but for all of collegiate wrestling." In addition to participating in the LHU season-opening practice, Chance Marsteller's name is now listed on the Bald Eagle wrestling's official roster at 165 pounds. "He would be eligible to start the season," said Doug Spatafore, Lock Haven University's director of athletic communications and marketing. "As far as I know, he's our probable starter ... he's back on the team." "The coaching staff is very excited about the upcoming season and thrilled that it's finally underway," Moore continued. "We return a lot of guys who should provide great veteran leadership. I'm also looking forward to seeing how some of our talented newcomers and underclassmen adapt, and mix into the lineup. It's another strong schedule with some fun home matches and tournaments in store. It should be a good test, but our guys are putting in the work and will be ready for big things this season." Marsteller is eager to make his mark this season at 165 pounds for the Bald Eagles. "I'm excited and looking forward to it. I've been working hard and I feel good," said the Lock Haven junior. "I'm grateful for the opportunity and I want to do whatever I can to help the team this season."

Nathan Tomasello wrestling Iowa's Cory Clark in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Nathan Tomasello, 2015 NCAA champ and three-time Big Ten titlewinner for Ohio State, will be out approximately three months with what is being described as a "lower body injury." The fifth-year senior told ElevenWarriors.com on Tuesday that he will be out of the lineup "until the beginning of January" but "I'll be back and ready to go then." “Nathan Tomasello is one of the most determined young men I've ever met,” Tom Ryan, head coach, said in a statement issued by Ohio State athletics. “There is no doubt he will do everything he can to return to the mat as soon as possible.” Tomasello appears to have sustained the injury this past weekend at the U23 (Under-23) World Team Trials in Rochester, Minn., a qualifying event for the U23 World Championships later this year. Ohio State did not provide any specifics on the injury. ElevenWarriors.com reported that Tomasello was undergoing tests throughout the day Monday, and was not available during the Buckeyes' media day Tuesday, meeting with medical personnel during the event. Tomasello had been planning to drop from 133 pounds and return to 125 pounds for the 2017-18 season. The Buckeyes have four wrestlers listed on their roster in the 125-pound weight class, including freshmen Brady Koontz, Dylan Koontz and Brakan Mead, along with redshirt freshman Hunter Lucas. A native of Parma, Ohio in suburban Cleveland, Tomasello wrestled at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy before coming to Ohio State. He is a three-time Big Ten conference champion (2015-17) and three-time NCAA All-American, winning the national championship in 2015 at 125 pounds.

Henry Cejudo Henry Cejudo, 2008 Olympic champion wrestler and UFC contender, escaped the northern California wildfires with minor burns to his right foot -- but lost his gold medal and other Beijing Games treasures -- after fleeing from his burning Santa Rosa hotel early Tuesday morning. Cejudo, 30, had been in northern California wine country -- site of numerous wildfires that have killed at least 15 -- for a charity event featuring a number of star athletes Monday. Fire alarms went off in his hotel just after 2 a.m. Tuesday as other guests evacuated the hotel. However, Cejudo stayed in his room, telling Yahoo Sports, "I looked out the window and everything was OK. I was just thinking that someone had hit the alarm but it didn't seem like there was anything wrong. I just went back to sleep." A couple hours later, Cejudo awoke to find his room full of smoke. He went to the window, saw the surrounding area in flames, and decided to evacuate the hotel, climbing down from his second-floor room to the ground, using a branch of a tree that was on fire. The mixed martial arts star fled the hotel wearing only the slacks he had worn at the charity event the night before, without shoes or shirt ... or, sadly, his Olympic gold medal, Olympic ring and belt. (Cejudo managed to grab his phone on the way out.) In escaping the burning hotel, some flames landed on Cejudo's right bare foot, which he was able to extinguish, suffering some minor burns. At this point -- about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday -- much of Cejudo's hotel was already on fire. Much of the surrounding neighborhood was in flames. Cejudo was able to flag down a fire truck, which drove him ten miles to safety. "First of all, I know how fortunate I am and I'm really happy and lucky to be alive," the Olympic gold medalist told Yahoo Sports. "I feel like God watched over me and he's not done with me yet. It's crazy. It's like it was a movie except that this was real life and people were losing their homes and everything." Cejudo was a four-time high school state wrestling champion who decided to forego college to concentrate on freestyle wrestling at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. That decision paid off, as he won the gold medal at 55 kilograms/121 pounds at age 21 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the youngest U.S. wrestler at the time to be crowned an Olympic champ. (Kyle Snyder was 20 when he earned gold at the 2016 Rio Games.) After an attempt at qualifying for the 2012 Olympics, Cejudo officially retired from wrestling to launch a mixed martial arts career. He had his first pro MMA fight in March 2013; in July 2014, Cejudo signed with Ultimate Fighting Championships where he now is ranked second at flyweight (125 pounds). Cejudo now 11-2 overall in his pro career.

Friday night from Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be another "one-off" all-star showcase, Night of Conflict. An 11-match schedule, 10 bouts featuring high school males and the other featuring a pair of females, will be wrestled starting at 7 p.m. CT. Below is a preview of the 11 matches to be contested. Luke Kemerer (Hempfield Area, Pa.) vs. Cade Devos (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa) The Pitt commit Kemerer is a two-time state medalist, including a third-place finish during his sophomore season before placing sixth at 138 this past season. He enters the 2017-18 season with excellent momentum after going undefeated at the AAU Scholastic (i.e. Disney) Duals this summer. Devos finished as a state runner-up this past scholastic season at 132 pounds, and the No. 48 overall Class of 2019 wrestler nationally added All-American finishes in both styles this summer at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo. Matthew Ramos (Lockport, Ill.) vs. Caleb Rathjen (Ankeny, Iowa) This match features a pair of Cadet National freestyle All-Americans at 106 pounds this summer, Ramos finished as runner-up while Rathjen placed seventh. It was a second straight Cadet freestyle runner-up finish for Ramos, who placed fifth at state competing at 106 as a high school sophomore last season, and is also a two-time Cadet National double All-American. Rathjen is ranked No. 19 nationally among Class of 2021 wrestlers, and also has a third place finish in Cadet folkstyle this spring on the resume. Malik Johnson (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) vs. Drew Bennett (Fort Dodge, Iowa) Three-time state champion Johnson, including this past high school season at 120 pounds, is currently ranked No. 43 overall in the Class of 2018. The Mizzou commit is also a two-time Cadet World team member in Greco-Roman. Fellow senior Bennett has placed third each of the last two years at the state tournament, including this past season at 113; he also placed third at 120 at this springs NHSCA Junior Nationals. Carly Valleroy (Mehlville, Mo.) vs. Felicity Taylor (South Winneshiek, Iowa) Valleroy is a three-time Fargo freestyle All-American, placing at the Cadet level in 2014 and at the Junior level in 2015 and 2016; while Taylor has twice placed fifth in Fargo freestyle, as a Cadet in 2015 and a Junior this summer. Jace Koelzer (Olathe South, Kansas) vs. Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa) After failing to win state this past season, taking third at 120 pounds, Koelzer had a very positive run of form in the off-season and summer period. The Northern Colorado commit was champion of the NHSCA Junior Nationals down at 113 pounds before earning double All-American honors at the Junior Nationals in Fargo, including fourth at 113 in freestyle. Two-time state champion Biscoglia was third in Junior folkstyle this spring, and ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 16 nationally at 113 pounds. Malcolm Robinson (Blair Academy, N.J.) vs. Michael Millage (New Hampton, Iowa) The Rutgers commit Robinson is a three-time placer at the National Prep Championships, finally winning the title this past season at 138 pounds. The No. 68 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 was third in Cadet freestyle back in 2016. Three-time state finalist Millage won a second state title this past season, this one coming at 126 pounds. The Northern Iowa commit would add a Junior National freestyle All-American finish this summer, finishing sixth at 138. Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) vs. Cullan Schriever (Mason City, Iowa) This match pairs together wrestlers that won state titles at 106 pounds during their freshman campaigns this past season, and were both Cadet National freestyle champions in 2016; Reno at 94 pounds, Schriever at 88. Reno has out-placed Schriever the last two years at the UWW Cadet freestyle tournament; Reno finishing second on both occasions, while Schriever finished DNP at 42 kilos and fourth at 46 kilos. In another common event, Reno was second in Cadet folkstyle at 106 this spring, while Schriever was a semifinal loser defaulting down to sixth. Reno is currently ranked No. 27 in the Class of 2020. Peyton Robb talks with his coaches in Fargo (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Peyton Robb (Owatonna, Minn.) vs. Andrew Merola (Blair Academy, N.J.) This is clearly the program's best bout in terms of overall ability level of both competitors, as each is within the top 40 of the Class of 2018 rankings. No. 26 Robb is a three-time state finalist, winning state as a freshman and sophomore; this off-season he was runner-up at the UWW Cadet freestyle tournament before finishing third in freestyle and champion in Greco at the Junior Nationals in Fargo (152 pounds). No. 38 Merola is a two-time National Prep champion and finished fifth in Junior freestyle this summer (160). Cody Phippen (Platte County, Mo.) vs. Aden Reeves (Albia, Iowa) This is a rematch of a consolation semifinal from the Junior National freestyle tournament at 113 pounds, a match that Phippen prevailed one round after Reeves fell to a narrow defeat in the championship semifinals. Two-time state champion Phippen is also a commit to the Air Force, and added a Junior folkstyle title at 113 pounds this past spring. The junior Reeves won a first state title last high school season, ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 18 nationally at 113 pounds, and is now a three-time Fargo freestyle All-American (placing at the Cadet level in both 2015 and 2016). Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.) vs. Ronald Tucker (Lockport, Ill.) It's an all-Illinois showdown between 285 pound wrestlers, Cassioppi won a state title, while Tucker finished in fifth place. The University of Iowa commit Cassioppi is ranked No. 27 overall in the Class of 2018, and was a double champion at both the Pan-Am Juniors and Junior Nationals this summer. Tucker is ranked No. 47 overall in the Class of 2019. Brandon Whitman (Dundee, Mich.) vs. Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa) This match pairs wrestlers who were both Junior freestyle All-Americans at 195 pounds this summer in Fargo, Whitman finished third splitting matches against Jake Woodley, while Shapiro was seventh including a head-on loss to Whitman in the consolation quarterfinal round. Each is also among the top Class of 2018 wrestlers nationally, three-time state champion Whitman is No. 22 while state champion and three-time state medalist Shapiro is ranked No. 64. Whitman is a verbal commit to North Carolina, with Shapiro committed to Iowa State.

Kollin Moore defeated Jared Haught for third place at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- A pair of the most imposing wrestlers at 197 pounds will square off as the second weight classes were released for the 52nd annual NWCA All-Star Classic set for Princeton University's Jadwin Gym on Sunday, November 5. A pair of athletes looking for breakthrough seasons will be highlighted in the women's bout at 116 pounds. The NWCA All-Star Classic is hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network and sponsored by Princeton Brain and Spine and Northwestern Mutual Life. On the men's side, Ohio State's Kollin Moore burst on to the college wrestling scene in a big way last season, finishing third as a redshirt freshman for the Buckeyes. The Big Ten champion and Big Ten Freshman of the Year went 33-4. The summer was also good to Moore as he competed on his second U.S. Junior World Team. He came away from Tampere, Finland with a bronze medal at 96kg/211 pounds. Moore was an Ohio high school state champion as a senior, the first for Norwayne High School. Virginia Tech's Jared Haught, a Parkersburg, West Virginia, native will stand across the mat from Moore at 197. The two-time All-American is looking to exact a little revenge on his Buckeye opponent. It was Moore who defeated Haught by fall in the third-place match at the 2017 NCAA Division I wrestling championships in St. Louis. It was the only time the pair have met in college competition. Team-wise, Ohio State is 11-11 all-time in the match with the last victory coming in 2016 when Nathan Tomasello defeated West Virginia's Zeke Moisey 7-1. Virginia Tech is 2-6 with the only two wins also coming in 2016 by Zach Epperly and Ty Walz. On the women's side, Emmanuel College's Fayth Woodward is coming off an All-American finish at the 2017 WCWA Championships last season in Oklahoma City. The first wrestler from Emmanuel's fledgling program to compete in the event, Woodward is also recently competed in the USA Wrestling U23 World Team Trials in Rochester, Minnesota where she finished with a 2-2 record. Woodward transferred to Emmanuel after starting her career at Southwestern Oregon Community College, where she competed at the 2016 National Collegiate Wrestling Association's women's championships. Makayla Bourbon went 17-11 last season as a junior for the University of the Cumberlands and is looking for her first All-American finish at the WCWA championships. A native of Santa Maria, California, Bourbon prepped at Pioneer Valley High School. Bourbon won the NAIA Invitational championship in 2017 and will join teammate Jessika Rottier as two Patriot wrestlers set to compete at Jadwin. WHAT: 52nd NWCA All-Star Classic hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network WHEN: Sunday, November 5, 3 p.m. WHERE: Jadwin Gym, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J. TICKETS: $20 (group discounts available) SOCIAL MEDIA: #ComeBackToJadwin #allstarclassic2017 #wrestleback INFO: www.goallstarclassic.com ANNOUNCED MATCHUPS Men 125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State) 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: Mark Hall, So. (Penn State) vs. Zahid Valencia, So. (Arizona State) 184: 197: Kollin Moore, So. (Ohio State) vs. Jared Haught, Sr. (Virginia Tech) 285: Women 101: 109: 116: Fayth Woodward (Emmanuel) vs. Makayla Bourbon (U. of the Cumberlands) 123: 130: 136: 143: Mallory Velte, Sr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Desiree Zavala, So. (Grays Harbor) 155: 170: Jessika Rottier, Jr. (U. of the Cumberlands) vs. Brandy Lowe, Sr. (McKendree) 191: Note: Women's college wrestling competes under international freestyle rules.

Lee Kemp with his new book "Winning Gold: Success Secrets of a World Champion" One of the greatest wrestlers in American history raised the bar for future generations -- and he is letting us know how he made it happen. Lee Kemp was the first American to win multiple freestyle World championships, garnering gold medals in 1978, 1979 and 1982 in the 163-pound weight class. He also made the 1980 Olympics, but was unable to compete due to a boycott by the United States. Kemp was also an NCAA champion for the University of Wisconsin in 1976, 1977 and 1978. In "Winning Gold: Success Secrets of a World Champion," Lee Kemp shares the profound insights he discovered on his path to the pinnacle of success. The book includes 75 short inspirational messages from Kemp about achieving your highest level of success. "Between the words of thoughts and faith and the unique stories, it is one of those lifelong books one needs," said 1972 Olympic gold medalist Dan Gable. Books can be ordered by visiting LeeKemp.com or on Amazon.

With the folkstyle wrestling season approaching, InterMat caught up with Jeff Pape, owner and president of WrestlingGear.com, to discuss what goes into purchasing wrestling gear, from shoes to singlets, to headgear and other wrestling accessories. Shoes ASICS, Adidas and Nike are the three major brands in the wrestling shoe market. Each brand offers models that fit all types of needs and budgets. According to Pape, there is no clear brand leader when it comes to sales on his company's website. "For us, it kind of goes back and forth, year-to-year," said Pape. "Sometimes Adidas will have the hot shoe. Sometimes Nike will have the hot shoe. And sometimes ASICS will have the hot shoe. I think a lot of it has to with college wrestlers and what wrestlers see top athletes wearing." ASICS has wrestling shoes endorsed by Jordan Burroughs, Cael Sanderson, Dan Gable and Adeline Gray, while Adidas has Jake Varner and David Taylor models. Nike has been in the wrestling shoe market for many years, but recently has been leveraging its history with its Inflict and Freak models. Nike's high-end wrestling shoe is the Hypersweep, which sells for $170 on WrestlingGear.com. ASICS' high-end wrestling shoes are the Dan Gable Evo and Omniflex Attack. Both have retail prices of $160. Adidas' high-end wrestling shoe is the Tech Fall, which sells for $200. ASICS and Adidas wrestling shoes (typically entry level shoes) are more readily available in sporting goods stores and offer a full-size run starting with 10K. (Nike wrestling shoes start at 12K.) A couple things to know when purchasing wrestling shoes … Not all shoes come in all sizes and colors Figure out what shoes are even available. For example, you can't always find shoes in navy blue or orange. Determine your budget "The wrestling shoes we sell will service any new wrestler or experienced, high-level wrestler," said Pape. "There are wrestlers competing in the Olympics with $50 to $60 entry level shoes. I wouldn't get too worried about functionality as a first-year wrestler. I would probably start with your budget." One of Pape's budget tips when it comes to purchasing wrestling shoes is to buy a model from the previous year. You can get more bang for your buck. Often times, websites will have the previous year's models available in their clearance or retired sections. Do all wrestling shoes fit true to size? Sizing for wrestling shoes can vary depending on the brand or even the model within a brand. Sites like WrestlingGear.com provide sizing information to help customers get the right fit. In general, Adidas wrestling shoes fit true to size. ASICS wrestling shoes typically run a half size small. So someone who typically wears a size 9 shoe may want to order a size 9.5 when ordering ASICS wrestling shoes. Are there shoes for wrestlers with wider feet? Some wrestlers may have wider feet. While there are no specific wide-foot wrestling shoes, there are certain models that are wider than others. "The Nike Inflict is our widest shoe," said Pape. "Any wrestler who calls and wants wider shoes, we recommend the Nike Inflict." Are there specific wrestling shoes designed for women? Currently, there are not any wrestling shoes designed for women only. Wrestling shoes are unisex, but use men's sizes. "What we recommend is trying to figure out what a woman's gym shoe size would be in a men's shoe, and ignore the sizing up rules," said Pape. "A women's foot tends to be a little narrower too." There used to be a women's line of wrestling shoes. "Maybe it was too early, but they did not sell very well," said Pape. "It was kind of an intermediate level shoe. Most of the women that were wrestling either wanted a super high-end shoe or an entry level shoe, so they kind of missed the mark with the intermediate level shoe." ASICS carries the Aggressor 3 L.E. Adeline Gray shoes, the first-ever female endorsed wrestling shoes. Though endorsed by women's wrestler Adeline Gray, the shoes use men's sizes. Are there wrestling shoes built specifically for the international styles of Greco-Roman or freestyle? Wrestling shoes are designed and built for all styles of wrestling. Pape is not aware of a shoe designed specifically for Greco-Roman or freestyle. He watches international wrestling at the highest level and takes note of the shoes the wrestlers are wearing. "To me there doesn't seem to be one shoe that is only for Greco-Roman wrestling or only for freestyle wrestling," said Pape. "It seems like there are a variety of shoes worn at the elite level. I figure if the elite level wrestlers can wear them, then the youth, high school and college wrestlers who are doing freestyle and Greco-Roman can wear those same shoes." Where can wrestling shoes be purchased? While wrestling shoes can be purchased at select sporting goods stores and shoe stores, there is a much larger selection of wrestling shoes available online at sites like WrestlingGear.com. Many stores that do carry wrestling shoes only keep them in stock during the early part of the wrestling season, and many only carry shoes in the entry level and intermediate levels. Should a wrestler have both practice shoes and competition shoes? Some wrestlers prefer to use multiple pairs of wrestling shoes. A wrestler might use a pair of wrestling shoes for practice and a different pair for competition. It comes down to personal preference and budget. "If the budget makes it work, I recommend having a practice shoe and if you have higher-end shoe, try to save those for competition only," said Pape. "But then there's also a case that can be made for using the same pair of shoes for practice and competition. You can break them in and simulate that match environment in practice." It is common for wrestling teams to have a specific team shoe? While many sites like WrestlingGear.com offer discounts for team orders on wrestling shoes, it's not very common for teams to purchase team shoes. Pape says typically wrestlers want to purchase shoes themselves. "With our customer base, we don't sell a lot of team deals," said Pape. "Kids can express themselves with their shoe selection. They can select a crazy green shoe, or some crazy color combination, and they can wear that shoe usually. Usually there aren't team rules about shoes. That's something a parent should ask a coach. Are there any restrictions on color? Do I have to have shoes that are a specific color?" Headgear Like with wrestling shoes, there are a variety of headgear options available to wrestlers. WrestlingGear.com carries headgear from Cliff Keen, Adidas, ASICS and Matmen. "Typically, what I recommend is spending the most money you can on headgear," said Pape. "The reason is because the people who buy the cheaper headgear will typically come back and buy the more expensive headgear, whether it's a month down the road or later in the season. A $50 shoe and an $80 shoe will have a lot of the same features. With a headgear, when you go from $15 or $20 up to $30 or $40, you get quite a bit more comfort. To me, comfort is probably the most important thing. If a wrestler doesn't wear his or her headgear, they are going to get cauliflower ear. I would say personally that's avoidable. Always wear your headgear." Pape says the same headgear can be worn for multiple seasons, and wrestlers will probably lose the headgear before outgrowing it. It's most common for wrestlers to purchase headgear that matches his or her team colors, but sometimes wrestlers will choose headgear that does not match the team colors. Singlets Singlets come in numerous designs and styles. WrestlingGear.com sells singlets from major brands like Nike, Adidas, ASICS, Cliff Keen, Brute, Matman and Under Armour. These brands offer stock singlets, stock singlets with silk screening, custom sewn singlets with silk screening and sublimated singlets. Pape says sublimated singlets have been taking over the market the last few years. "There is a lot of competition with singlets," said Pape. "A lot of brands are popping up selling sublimation singlets." Two-piece uniforms Earlier this year the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee approved an alternate two-piece uniform consisting of compression shorts or shorts designed for wrestling and a form-fitted compression shirt for the 2017-18 high school wrestling season. Pape said it's important to purchase a two-piece uniform from wrestling company so that all guidelines are met. "You can't go to a big box store and buy a compression short and shirt off the rack and wear it in competition," said Pape. "It has to be provided by the school or wrestling club." Pape believes two-piece uniforms in wrestling could become popular, but many coaches are taking a wait-and-see approach. "I think some coaches are a little weary of whether kids will want to wear them, and whether the uniforms are worth the cost," said Pape. "Many coaches have a lot of money already tied up in singlets. What we have seen so far is some are buying them now and some are taking a wait-and-see approach. Once the wrestling season starts and teams start seeing them on wrestlers, I think the two-piece market is going to kind of pop." Kneepads Unlike wrestling shoes, singlets and headgear, kneepads are not a requirement for wrestlers. It comes down to personal choice. "Typically, I advise parents that if your son or daughter has knee issues, then definitely purchase kneepads," said Pape. "There are many different types of kneepads. But if not, I usually say hold off on kneepads and see if the wrestler needs or wants kneepads. Kneepads are something you can come back for." Other wrestling accessories According to Pape, gear bags are an accessory many wrestlers purchase from WrestlingGear.com. "All the manufacturers have gear bags with a mash component to it," said Pape. "One thing to look for in a gear bag is a clean and dirty compartment. A lot of the bags we sell have dividers in them so you can keep your fresh stuff away from your dirty stuff. That's a real nice feature to have." Other popular wrestling accessories are wrestling T-shirts and hygiene products. Wrestling, unlike many sports, doesn't require a lot of expensive gear to get started. "What's nice and exciting about wrestling is you can join the sport and you don't have to buy a ton of gear," said Pape. "You can kind of just buy it as you go. Then you can upgrade from year-to-year. You don't have to buy the $200 shoes right away. You can start with the more entry level shoes and kind of upgrade as you go along and as you kind of grow within the sport. That's the big advice I would give to parents."

Kamal Bey scores with a big throw at the U23 World Team Trials (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) If I didn't have my usual headache and stomach ache that overtakes me every time my son wrestles in big events, the music blaring, even during the matches, at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minnesota, would have been enough to bring them on. This weekend USA Wrestling put on a first-of-its-kind event, U23 World Team Trials and thankfully the music was one of the few negatives at a mostly positive and successful tournament. Here are five takeaways from a veteran tournament goer: 1. The more the merrier It was a much scaled down event compared to the University Nationals held previously for roughly this same age group. That might have more to do with the time of year it was held and that it was not held in conjunction with UWW Cadet World Team Trials as Universities have been. The good news here is the timing of the tournament will change. According to USA Wrestling's Gary Abbott, the U23 tournament will move to the spring next year. That should bring in more collegiate wrestlers who maybe didn't want to attend this year and risk injury or take focus away right before the folkstyle season. Trackwrestling lists 293 wrestlers participated across three styles, Greco, women's wrestling and freestyle at the U23 trials. That's compared to 1,064 UWW Cadet and University Nationals wrestlers listed on Trackwrestling in freestyle alone in 2015. 2. Location, location, location Rochester, Minnesota, is a great town. Easy to navigate. Hotels are located very close to the Mayo Civic Center where the tournament was held. Plenty of reasonably priced restaurants to satisfy different tastes. The venue held four mats, all visible from the stands and there's another room that's even more intimate for a couple more mats. Nothing to complain about here. So, will USA Wrestling bring the tournament back to Rochester? No word on that yet, Abbott left open the possibility we could see U23s in Akron, Ohio. That's where University Nationals have been held. Greco-Roman coaches Matt Lindland and Gary Mayabb take in action at U23 World Team Trials (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) 3. Getting down to business The tournament ran smoothly as you would hope and expect. All sessions were on time and competition rolled from one match to the next seamlessly. The one organizational glitch came when it was time for the freestyle best-of-three finals matches. The first match was done two mats at a time in a seemingly random order. The next match was done one at a time and in a way that seemed to have nothing to do with the order of the first matches. Organizers might have saved the most-contested second matches for the end. (No weight class in freestyle went to a third match.). This is fine, but have it posted or let spectators know somehow what the order will be. In fairness, they did announce which weight classes were on deck, but better to list the full order of matches in advance. 4. The best of the best or the best of the rest This event featured plenty of marquee matchups and it delivered some incredibly exciting moments. Just watch the Greco semifinal match between Alex Meyer and Kamal Bey at 80 kilograms. But it seemed to have some holes when it comes to the mid-level guy looking for a break-out moment. What I noticed was a couple of top-tier wrestlers in each weight class and then a big drop to the rest of the field. This is something that hopefully will go away once the tournament is moved to the spring after the folkstyle season and more college athletes attend. 5. Stop the music madness This is the one big knock on the event. It might seem like a small thing. So what that there was music during the matches? It's nice to hear the sounds of the match. The effort of the wrestlers, the voices of the coaches and even the refs sometimes. The match doesn't need music. I don't want to hear "everyone was kung fu fighting" while I'm watching two athletes actually fighting for position and points. I also don't want to hear songs that use the "N" word. This might be something to get more young people to attend and watch, but it's alienating many people who are already there. What's worse, the music didn't even stop for injuries. When Nathan Tomasello went out of bounds and hit a scoring table it was a scary moment -- and the ridiculous music played on. Sam Brooks defeated Myles Martin in the finals at 86 kilograms (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Music aside, my headache and stomach ache went away when my son made the U23 World Team. Congratulations and good luck to all the wrestlers who will compete in Poland in November.

Two-time California state runner-up Nico Aguilar (Gilroy) verbally committed to Rutgers University on Monday evening. The projected 125 in college finished runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring, and was a Junior National freestyle champion in the summer of 2016. Aguilar is ranked No. 90 overall in the 2018 class, and will join No. 48 Bill Janzer (Delsea Regional, N.J.) along with No. 68 Malcolm Robinson (Blair Academy, N.J.) as top 100 commits in the 2018 Scarlet Knights recruiting class.

Bill Zadick and Tervel Dlagnev coaching Kyle Snyder at the World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Two individuals associated with success in the U.S. freestyle wrestling team -- Bill Zadick, national freestyle head coach for USA Wrestling, and Kyle Snyder, three-time world and Olympic champion -- will be the featured guests for "On the Mat" on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Both won individual NCAA titles for their respective Big Ten schools -- Zadick for University of Iowa, and Snyder for Ohio State. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa this Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

Bill Wolfe Jr. A celebration of life service for Bill Wolfe Jr., 42, Pennsylvania wrestling coach who was one of 58 killed at the mass shooting at an outdoor country music concert in Las Vegas on Sunday, Oct. 1, has been scheduled for this week. The tribute service to honor the coach of the Shippensburg elementary wrestling program will take place Friday, Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the H. Ric Luhrs Performing Arts Center at Shippensburg University. Pastor Steve DiBiase will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Bill Wolfe Children's Fund, c/o Members 1st, P. O. Box 2110, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055. Condolences may be expressed online at the funeral home's website. www.fogelsanger-brickerfuneralhome.com A GoFundMe page has been established to assist the family with expenses. William W. "Bill" Wolfe Jr., was born on October 15, 1974, in Carlisle, Pa., the son of William W. and Linda D. Hershey Wolfe, of Shippensburg. Pa. Wolfe was a 1993 graduate of the Shippensburg Area Senior High School, where he was a varsity wrestler. He was a 1998 graduate of Shippensburg University's Applied Physics/Engineering Dual 3-2 program, earning a Physics degree at Shippensburg University and completing his Engineering degree at Penn State's main campus. At the time of his death, Wolfe was employed by Dewberry Engineers, Inc., Carlisle, as a senior project manager. He was a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Highway Engineers. Wolfe attended the Newburg First Church of God. According to his funeral home obituary, Wolfe enjoyed various outdoor activities -- including hunting and fishing -- and country music. He and his wife Robyn were in Las Vegas at the Jason Aldean concert on Sunday, Oct. 1 to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary. In addition to his parents and his wife, Bill Wolfe is survived by two sons, Ethan Robert Wolfe and Trevor William Wolfe; one brother, Scott W. (Cathy) Wolfe; one sister, Tammy J. Scull; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Steve and Cherie Finkey; a brother-in-law, Joseph W. Finkey, all of Shippensburg; a sister-in-law, Stephanie (David) Parson of Chambersburg, a brother-in-law, Ken Scull of Tennessee; five nieces; and one nephew.

"Two heads are better than one." That maxim may extend to two head coaches. At least that appears to be the thinking at Bishop Heelan High School, which has named co-head wrestling coaches who already have strong ties to the mat program. Matt Pugh and Jordan LangleyThe Sioux City, Iowa high school has announced Matt Pugh and Jordan Langley as head coaches for the season about to get started. Pugh has been Heelan's head assistant coach for the past two seasons, while Langley wrestled for Heelan as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to another high school school. Pugh and Langley replace Scot Davis, the nation's winningest high school wrestling coach, who announced in mid-August that he had accepted the head coaching job at Westwood High School in Sloan, Iowa, about a dozen miles south of Sioux City. Davis had headed up the Heelan wrestling program for one season. Prior to Davis' arrival, Pete DiPol was head coach of the Crusaders for one season. Although the Heelan mat program tallied a 29 victories in 2016-17 -- a single-season record for the school -- a primary concern was maintaining winning momentum in the face of having the third coaching change in as many seasons… a concern expressed by Heelan's athletic director. "I've had the occasion to speak with a significant number of student-athletes, parents and Heelan wrestling supporters who repeatedly emphasized the importance of stability in a program that has seen a bit too much turnover recently at the head coach level," Heelan AD Jason Pratt told the Sioux City Journal. "Matt and Jordan are both experienced coaches with a passion for the sport and a commitment to Heelan and its wrestlers. With the two of them at the helm, I am convinced that they will continue to build upon the significant progress our wrestling team has made over the last couple of seasons." Heelan's two new head coaches have deep roots within Iowa wrestling. Pugh, who is a native of Columbus Junction, Iowa, wrestled collegiately at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. After two seasons wrestling at Heelan, Langley transferred to Sergeant Bluff-Luton where he placed eighth in the state as a junior at 145 pounds. Langley went on to wrestle for Morningside College where he finished as an NAIA All-American placing seventh at 157 pounds his senior year. The past three seasons, Langley has served as the coach of the Sergeant Bluff youth wrestling program which finished last season with seven AAU state finalists and crowned three individual state champions. In addition to his duties at Heelan, Langley will also take over the Western States PRIDE youth wrestling program for young athletes in kindergarten through eighth grade. Bishop Heelan is a private, Catholic co-ed high school serving grades 9-12 in Sioux City on the Iowa-Nebraska border.

Daton Fix defeated Nathan Tomasello in the finals of the U23 World Team Trials (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) ROCHESTER, Minn. -- It was a fantastic finish as the final 12 weight classes were determined in the finals series of the USA Wrestling U23 World Team Trials at the Mayo Civic Center on Sunday. All eight men's freestyle team members were determined, as well as the final four Greco-Roman spots, in a best-of-three series in each weight. This is the qualifying event in all three Olympic disciplines for the U23 World Championships, set for Bydgoszcz, Poland, November 21-26. In a highly anticipated finals, 2017 Junior World champion Daton Fix defeated NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello, who is No. 3 on the Senior National Team, in two straight bouts in the men's freestyle finals series. Read complete story on TheMat.com ... Freestyle results 57 kilograms: 1st: Daton Fix (CRTC/TMWC) df. Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State/Ohio RTC/TMWC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Fix dec. Tomasello, 8-7 Match 2: Fix dec. Tomasello, 7-4 3rd: Joshua Rodriguez (Nittany Lion WC) tech. fall Timothy Lambert (Sunkist Kids), 10-0 61 kilograms: 1st: Mitchell McKee (Minnesota Storm) df. Isaac Jimenez (Air Force RTC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: McKee tech. fall Jimenez, 11-0 Match 2: McKee tech. fall Jimenez, 15-4 3rd: Josh Terao (DCAC) tech. fall Steven Polakowski (Minnesota Storm), 10-0 65 kilograms: 1st: Joey McKenna (LVWC/TMWC) df. Boo Lewallen (CRTC/TMWC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: McKenna dec. Lewallen, 5-1 Match 2: McKenna dec. Lewallen, 8-4 3rd: Jaydin Eierman (Missouri Wrestling RTC) dec. Brock Zacherl (Clarion WC), 5-4 70 kilograms: 1st: Richard Lewis (Scarlett Knight WC) df. Tyler Berger (Sunkist Kids), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Lewis dec. Berger, 6-2 Match 2: Lewis dec. Berger, 7-1 3rd: Grant LaMont (Utah Valley RTC) tech. fall Matthew Zovistoski (App State RTC), 10-0 74 kilograms: 1st: Isaiah Martinez (Illinois RTC) df. Chance Marsteller (Titan Mercury WC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Martinez dec. Marsteller, 8-1 Match 2: Martinez dec. Marsteller, 7-6 86 kilograms: 1st: Sam Brooks (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) df. Myles Martin (Ohio State/Ohio RTC/TMWC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Brooks dec. Martin, 9-5 Match 2: Brooks dec. Martin, 13-8 3rd: Brett Pfarr (Minnesota Storm) tech. fall over Jaron Smith (Terrapin WC), 10-0 97 kilograms: 1st: Ty Walz (VT/Southeast RTC) df. Daniel Chaid (Tarheel WC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Walz dec. Chaid, 8-1 Match 2: Walz tech. fall Chaid, 10-0 3rd: Riley Lefever (Nittany Lion WC) tech. fall Nikko Reyes (Valley RTC), 12-1 125 kilograms: 1st: Michael Kroells (Minnesota Storm) df. Youssif Hemida (Terrapin WC), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Kroells tech. fall Hemida, 10-0 Match 2: Kroells dec. Hemida, 9-4 3rd: Joey Goodhart (Drexel/PRTC) dec. Michael Kosoy (Wolfpack WC), 7-5 Greco Roman results 59 kilograms: 1st: Dalton Roberts (NYAC/NMU-OTS) df. Randon Miranda (NYAC/NMU-OTS), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Roberts dec. Miranda, 8-4 Match 2: Roberts dec. Miranda, 11-10 3rd: Dalton Young (Stanford: unattached) tech. fall Kyndall Rutz (NMU-OTS), 10-1 71 kilograms: 1st: Alex Mossing (Air Force RTC) df. Colin Schubert (NYAC/NMU-OTS), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Mossing pin Schubert, 3:39 Match 2: Mossing dec. Schubert, 8-8 3rd: Lenny Merkin (Princeton WC) tech. fall Logan Kass (NMU-OTS), 17-9 80 kilograms: 1st: Kamal Bey (Sunkist Kids) df. Thomas Brackett (unattached), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Bey tech. fall Brackett, 8-0 Match 2: Bey tech. fall Brackett, 8-0 3rd: Carter Nielsen (NMU-OTS) dec. Alex Meyer (Hawkeye WC), 7-2 130 kilograms: 1st: G'Angelo Hancock (Sunkist Kids) df. Alton Meeks (Florida Jets), 2 matches to 0 Match 1: Hancock tech. fall Meeks, 8-0 Match 2: Hancock Pin Meeks, 3:46 3rd: David Tate Orndorff (Utah Valley RTC) dec. Michael Rogers (NYAC/OTC), 6-3

LaVerne Pieper, long-time coach who led Stoughton High wrestling to seven Wisconsin state team titles -- and coached two future Olympic silver medalists -- and was a major figure in the sport in the Badger State, passed away Sunday, Oct. 1. He was 81. LaVerne Pieper as Winona State wrestlerPieper's long coaching career began in Richland Center, Wis. where, in just four years, he took the wrestling program to a third-place finish in the team standings at the Wisconsin state wrestling championships. He then headed south to Stoughton, where, in 33 years at the south-central Wisconsin school, mentored 129 individual state qualifiers, 81 who placed at state ... and 28 who earned state titles. Two of his wrestlers -- Russ Hellickson, and Andy Rein -- went on to earn Olympic silver medals, and later coached at Big Ten schools. In 1969, Pieper helped start the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation and became its first chairman. He was one of many who helped build USA Wrestling, according to the La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune. LaVerne Milton Pieper was born in Caledonia, Minn. in July 1936, the son of Milton and Lenora Pieper. He attended Winona State University in Minnesota, where he earned letters in football and wrestling, serving as co-captain of the wrestling team his junior and senior seasons. Pieper was a two-time NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) All-American at 177 pounds. A 1958 graduate of Winona State, Pieper was later was inducted into the school's hall of fame in both wrestling and football. Upon graduation from Winona State, Pieper married Beverly, his wife of 59 years ... then accepted a teacher/coaching position in Richland Center, Wis. from 1958 to 1962 before coming to Stoughton, turning the program into a powerhouse during his 33-year coaching career with the Vikings. "(Vern) and his wife Bev were both instrumental in making the Stoughton program what it is," said Dan Spilde, one of Pieper's state champs who returned to his high school alma mater as an assistant coach to his mentor. "It is not easy to be a mentor to so many different kids and have such an impact in where they would go in their lives and turning them into young men like he did. He touched a lot of lives." "It goes without saying that he was one of the pillars in bringing Wisconsin wrestling to what it is today," Spilde continued. "His coaching style and his ambition and his willingness to give all of his time and effort, I think that was just the way he was wired. He gave himself to the sport." For all his coaching successes, Pieper was welcomed into the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, and earned a National Wrestling Hall of Fame Lifetime Service Award. Pieper is survived by his wife Bev; three daughters; two sons; numerous grandchildren; and one great grandchild. Services were held Friday in Stoughton. END