InterMat Staff

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- Maryland wrestling head coach Kerry McCoy announced two changes to his coaching staff for the upcoming 2018-19 season. Jimmy SheptockAssistant coach Jimmy Sheptock has been promoted to associate head coach after serving in his previous role for two seasons. "Jimmy has been a huge asset to our program since returning to Maryland," McCoy said. "We are very excited to have him in this new role and we know he is ready to do a great job." McCoy also announced the addition of Shelton Mack as an assistant coach. Mack coached at Virginia for the past three seasons after completing his collegiate career at Pittsburgh. "Shelton will have a big impact on our program," McCoy added. "He has had excellent success as both a wrestler and a coach, and his presence will help us reach our goals as a program." During his time on the Maryland bench, Sheptock has assisted in producing multiple NCAA Qualifiers and Big Ten placers. Ryan Diehl (141), Alfred Bannister (149) and Youssif Hemida (285) have all placed in the conference championships and qualified for the NCAA championships during each of Sheptock's first two seasons. Hemida was an NCAA All-American in the 2017-18 season. One of the most heralded wrestlers to ever don the Terrapin singlet, Sheptock was a three-time ACC Champion, three-time NCAA Qualifier and a two-time All-American during his collegiate career. He amassed a 129-20 overall record as a Terrapin, which included a perfect 51-0 mark in dual meets. Sheptock's 2013-14 season was one of the greatest individual runs in Maryland wrestling history, as he finished 32-1 and as the NCAA finalist, ACC Champion and Midlands Champion. He became the first-ever Maryland wrestler to obtain the No. 1 seed at the NCAA Championships and earn a No. 1 national ranking. Sheptock became just the fourth Terp to finish in the top-two in school history, and the first since Gobel Kline won the national championship in 1969. Mack's success at Virginia included developing NCAA All-Americans Jack Mueller and George DiCamillo. During his collegiate career, Mack was a three-time NCAA Qualifier at the University of Pittsburgh. He recorded 84 wins while wrestling at 133 pounds for the Panthers and qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Mack reached the round of 12 in 2012 before falling one win shy of All-American status. He earned a career-best 26 wins during his senior season and went 2-2 at the NCAA Championships, where he took eventual national champion Tony Ramos of Iowa down to the wire before narrowly falling, 3-1. In 2014, Mack finished third at 133 pounds at the ACC Championships. He previously recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at the EWL Championships in 2012 and 2013. A native of Meadville, Pa., Mack graduated from Pitt in 2015 after double majoring in sociology and history. He is currently competing with hopes of representing the United States at the World Championships and Olympics. He is also on pace to complete a Master's Degree in Sport Administration.

Mark Branch (Photo/Wyoming Sports Information) LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming wrestling coach Mark Branch has signed a contract extension that will keep him in the Brown and Gold through the 2022-23 season. "I'm excited to have the opportunity to continue what we started here," Branch said. "The commitment that the University of Wyoming has made towards the wrestling program has given us the tools to be successful, and I'm excited about what the future holds." Having just wrapped up his 10th season at the helm of the Cowboy wrestling program, Branch has amassed a 100-49 overall record and a 49-14 mark in conference action. Under his watch, Wyoming has sent 51 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships with 12 returning as All-Americans. Branch was named Big 12 Wrestling Coach of the Year in March, following a season in which the Cowboys went 13-3 overall with a 7-2 mark against Big 12 opponents. The Pokes' 13 dual wins go down as the fourth-most in a season in program history and their winning percentage of 81 percent is the sixth-best in one season. Branch's Cowboys have finished in the top five at the Big 12 Championships each of the last three years, which includes a fourth place finish in 2018. At the tournament, seniors Archie Colgan and Bryce Meredith were awarded the program's first two Big 12 individual titles. At the 2018 NCAA Championships, Meredith was able to claim national runner-up at 141 pounds for the second time in his career while redshirt freshman Montorie Bridges earned All-America honors for the first time in his career. As a team, Wyoming tallied its best finish under branch as the Cowboys placed 17th. It was the 20th top-25 finish and third in a row for the Brown and Gold. Prior to the program joining the Big 12, Branch was named Western Wrestling Conference Coach of the Year for guiding the team to stellar seasons in 2010, 2011 and 2012. From Branch's arrival in Laramie in 2009 to the program's departure to the Big 12 in 2015, he oversaw six WWC team championships and 24 Cowboys taking individual conference titles. Before coming to Wyoming, Branch was the associate head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State where as a student-athlete he was a four-time NCAA finalist and a two-time NCAA Champion. As a member of the OSU coaching staff, Branch was named the NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big 12 Championships, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships.

Austin Gomez (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) AMES, Iowa - Iowa State redshirt freshman Austin Gomez will sit out of the 2018 Junior World Championships. Gomez, who had previously held the spot at 61 kilograms, will look to mend a minor knee injury to prepare for the upcoming wrestling season. "Austin, his family and our staff have decided to pull him from the upcoming Junior World Championships in Slovakia," Iowa State head coach Kevin Dresser said. "He injured his knee earlier this summer and it continues to be a nuisance so we are going to get that cleaned up. We expect Austin back and ready to roll at the beginning of October." Earlier this summer, Gomez qualified for the Junior World Team at the Trials held in Rochester, Minn. There, Gomez defeated Cornell's Vitali Arujau in a best-of-three series for the spot at 61 kg. He qualified for the JWT Trials by taking first at the US Open UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals in April. The Carol Stream, Ill., native redshirted his initial season at Iowa State. While wrestling unattached, he compiled an 8-0 record and claimed titles at the Sioux City Dave Edmonds Open, Duhawk Open and Willie Myers Open. Gomez and the Cyclones are set to open the season on Nov. 3 in Hilton Coliseum at the annual Harold Nichols Cyclone Open.

Want to start an argument among amateur wrestling fans? Ask them to name the five best wrestlers of all time. Another way to get fans fired up: let them weigh in on greatest wrestling movies of all time. WIN Magazine columnist Kyle Klingman weighed in with his picks for the top five mat movies in the publication's August 15, 2018 issue. Klingman took a look at 16 films which incorporate amateur wrestling as a major aspect. (Note: For his list, Klingman makes it clear that he did not consider documentaries, nor Hollywood movies such as "Born on the Fourth of July" which have a wrestling scene but focus on other issues.) WIN's winners Kyle Klingman's five greatest wrestling movies: 1. Win-Win: This 2011 film stars Paul Giamatti as a lawyer/high school wrestling coach, and 2010 New Jersey state wrestling champ Alex Schaeffer. Klingman writes: "The film works on a variety of levels. The wrestling scenes are realistic and the storyline is plausible ... The film doesn't force a happy ending, either. Rather, it asks the viewer to face the harsh reality of the decisions we make and why we make them." 2. Dangal: A 2016 film from India about two female wrestlers who are forced into the sport when their father -- a former wrestler himself -- does not have a son. "No wrestling movie treats the sport with more respect than "Dangal" which literally means wrestling in English," said Klingman. "The wrestling scenes are fast-paced, and, for the most part, accurate." 3. Vision Quest: The 1985 film -- based on the novel by Terry Davis -- tells the story of high school wrestler Louden Swain (played by Matthew Modine) and his quest to beat undefeated state champ Shute (Frank Jasper) while pursuing "older woman" Carla (Linda Fiorentino). "The book of the same name is still the best piece of writing fiction, but the film doesn't quite live up," according to Klingman. "The iconic characters in the movie -- Louden Swain, Shute and Kuch -- are still part of the wrestling culture, which is a tribute to the staying power of the film." Klingman adds that "Vision Quest" is the most motivational of the films on his top five list. 4. Foxcatcher: There was considerable buzz surrounding this 2014 film version of goings-on at the Foxcatcher Olympic training facility outside Philadelphia, starring Channing Tatum as wrestler Mark Schultz, Mark Ruffalo as his brother Dave Schultz, Steve Carell as crazed millionaire owner John duPont, and featuring a heavyweight cast of real-life wrestlers and officials. "Foxcatcher" premiered at the prestigious Cannes film festival, where director Bennett Miller won "Best Director" honors. It earned three Golden Globe nominations as well as five Oscar nominations. Here's Klingman's take, in a nutshell: the film had "numerous historical inaccuracies ... Nevertheless, the wrestling scenes are real because of the people who execute them." 5. American Wrestler: The Wizard: IMDb -- Internet Movie Database, an independent, go-to online reference -- described this 2016 film thusly: "In 1980, a teenage boy escapes the unrest in Iran only to face more hostility in America, due to the hostage crisis. Determined to fit in, he joins the school's floundering wrestling team." Here's how Kyle Klingman described it: "Based very loosely on a true story, 'American Wrestler' wraps every single sports cliché into one movie. However, with George Kosturos as the lead, this movie more than makes up for its predictable and implausible plot. The wrestling is good and the story ... is surprisingly relevant to the happenings of today." After reading Kyle Klingman's column in WIN Magazine, we got to thinking: what have others said? FivePointMove.com offers its top five mat movies In April 2016, Timothy Hands of FivePointMove.com -- an amateur wrestling website with the focus on Greco-Roman -- shared his list of the top five amateur wrestling films of all time, opening his feature article with these thoughts: "We all love amateur wrestling movies. For one, there's just not enough of them. "Sure, football has plenty, boxing always translates to cinema very well, and even baseball and basketball show up on the big screen. But wrestling? More specifically, amateur wrestling? The well is pretty dry. "Even despite that, there are enough of them out there that deserve some mentioning. We should note that while this list is not all that serious, we do stand by any reasoning for a movie's inclusion ..." As with Klingman's list, Hands said of his compilation, "We're not focusing on documentaries, so please save your Dan Gable SportsCentury complaints. This is a different deal." (That said, Hands did include one documentary.) However, unlike Klingman, Hands presents his list in reverse order ... saving the best for last, so to speak. 5. Win-Win: "Win-Win takes an 'okay' storyline and turns it into the most surprisingly entertaining 90 or so minutes you'll encounter," according to Hands, who provides a rather detailed description of the movie's storyline ... how it incorporates wrestling ... and makes the most of the actual mat talent of Alex Shaffer, "an actual legitimate stud who took home an NJSIAA state title for Hunterdon Central THE YEAR BEFORE THE FILM CAME OUT. So director Tom McCarthy, who was a wrestler himself, nailed that s*** down. Give credit to casting, give credit to Shaffer, whomever. But he was awesome as Kyle. Shaffer perfectly played a laid-back, monotone teen who looks kind of like a burn-out and smokes cigarettes no less, but also turns into a destroyer on the mat." 4. Legendary: This 2010 film is produced by WWE and features one of its superstars, John Cena, in the role of a former amateur wrestler who seems to have messed up his life after stepping off the mat. However, his younger brother, a "nerdboy" (as Hands describes him) seeks to stop being bullied by high school classmates by going out for wrestling, and reconnects with big brother Cena for lessons. Hands has issues with various elements of the movie; however, he admits, "If we're judging this based on attributes good amateur wrestling movies should have, such as an internal conflict, desire for achievement, and decent character play, Legendary hits on all of them." 3. Reversal: In describing this 2001 small-budget film focused on a Pennsylvania high school wrestler and his contentious relationship with his coach/father, Hands states: "For this masterpiece to work, it had to deliver big on other fronts. Father/son conflict? Check. Oddball girlfriend? Check. Badass kid from another school coming to take your spot? Check." Hands goes on to write, "So why is this movie on the list? The dynamics between the characters, for one ... And most importantly, the wrestling is really, really good, thanks in large part to (actual wrestlers Danny) Mousetis and (Jeremy) Spates actually scrimmaging somewhat in the climactic scene. If you haven't seen this one, you are seriously missing out on some decent choreography and 'WTF' dialogue." 2. Takedowns and Falls: This film chronicles the 2006-07 season of the Central Dauphin Rams, a top high school team based in Harrisburg, Pa. Yes, it's a documentary. "We swore we wouldn't include documentaries, but this is an easy exception," Hands says of his decision to include "Takedowns and Falls." "This is about amateur wrestling movies, not amateur wrestling documentaries. But the thing is, 'Takedowns and Falls' was actually produced and released like a motion picture, so it meets the criteria on a technicality." Hands goes on to say, "The actual wrestling in Takedowns and Falls is obviously, all real. And since it's a high-level team with high-level kids, the action is easy to watch. You get some match highlights, practice room battles, and even glimpses of what it's like for the Pepplemans (Walter and Marshall) working out at home ... It might not be a 'fun flick', but the film is as engrossing and motivating as it gets." 1. Vision Quest: "'Vision Quest' is wrestling's version of 'It's a Wonderful Life'" according to Hands. "There is no equal. It is the king of all amateur wrestling movies. No other film has approached its status. And even if you have seen VQ 200 times, you never, EVER get sick of it ... The reason why this is the standard bearer for all amateur wrestling movies is because the arc is just untouchable. It slowly builds. Even if you have never seen Vision Quest before and have an idea how it ends, the story doesn't plod. There might be a lot going on, but it's never complicated. You might have expected Louden to wind up sleeping with Carla, but how and why it goes down is a nice surprise. You, the viewer, feel validated in your own right. VQ has that going on for you all day long. Just when you figure the goal is to make weight to wrestle Shute, it switches to having a shot at Carla. And then it switches back. It's incredible." The Wrestling Insider Facebook group poll It's a safe bet to assume there have been countless discussion threads in wrestling forums -- and "official" polls -- which have allowed wrestling fans to weigh in on their favorite movies featuring amateur wrestling. One of the most recent was set up at The Wrestling Insider group on Facebook in mid-August 2018. As of Monday evening, Aug. 20, "Vision Quest" was the top vote-getter -- and runaway favorite -- with 302 votes. In a distant second was "Foxcatcher" with 28 votes, followed by "Legendary" with 21 votes. In fourth place was "Pinned", a documentary on Lance Palmer's high school wrestling career, with 8 votes. "Spooner", a Disney film about an escaped forger who blends into society by becoming a high school wrestling coach, had 3 votes ... and "The Hardest Six" -- a 30-minute wrestling film from 2013 now available for viewing online -- with one vote. The debate will never end ... There will always be lists, polls, articles -- and discussion and debates -- about which amateur wrestling movies are "best." Each of us has our own criteria as to what makes a wrestling movie "great." For many of us, it's the authenticity of the action on the mat -- does it look like an actual wrestling match? Is the plot plausible ... and believable? If it's based on a true story ... how true is it? (In his WIN Magazine article, Kyle Klingman described a biopic with a thrilling Hollywood ending that was pure fantasy, with a championship match had had no resemblance to what really happened to the actual wrestler.) Or are there basic "issues" that would earn any movie a "thumbs down" -- bad acting, bad script, irritating soundtrack? Even though wrestling movies are rather rare, every so often a new one emerges. As of this writing, "The Last Champion" may be about to be released to eager amateur wrestling fans everywhere. Here's how this new movie is described in at its official website: "Inspired by films such as 'Hoosiers', 'Rudy', and 'Rocky', 'The Last Champion' is a story of redemption, courage, love, and forgiveness. "For years my co-writers (wife Hallie Todd and daughter Ivy Withrow) and I have wanted to do a project like 'The Last Champion'. As collaborators, we were able to bring our individual perspectives to the piece while sharing a common vision for the final product. We've always been moved by films with great underdog characters and wanted to write something that entire families could watch and enjoy together." -- Glenn Withrow, Director If you're like me, you'll be eager to see "The Last Champion" and see where it ranks among YOUR favorite amateur wrestling movies ... thus continuing the discussion and debate and ranking.

The NWCA All-Star Classic will be held at the National Western Complex MANHEIM, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association's 53rd Annual All-Star Classic is coming to Denver, Colorado on Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. This year's hosts are RMN Events, NUWAY, and the University of Northern Colorado Wrestling who will infuse over $150,000 in production and promotion that will rival any professional MMA event while TrackWrestling will livestream the entire event and help kick off the 2018-19 season in style! Featuring an elevated mat, as seen during the NCAA Division I Finals, surrounded by tables as well as up to 5000 spectators in the stands, this spectacular production promises to be a prime showcase for the best college wrestling talent. For the second year, the event will feature top-tier men's and women's collegiate wrestlers in a dual meet format. Many of these matchups could be a prelude to the national championship finals at the end of the year. The legendary National Western Complex will house "The Classic" on the eve and site of RMN Event's wildly popular Monster Match, a national event that features K-12 youth wrestlers from across the country. Together, RMN Events and NUWAY organize almost thirty large youth wrestling tournaments, each with anywhere from 1000 to 3500 participants from over forty states, in coast-to-coast sites reaching from Atlantic City, NJ to Anaheim, CA, as well as from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Lansing, MI. "The NWCA is thrilled to bring its signature All-Star Classic to Denver," states NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "This event features many of our top men's and women's collegiate wrestlers in an exciting dual meet format. There is no doubt that RMN Events and NUWAY will host a spectacular event." Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN)-Denver Chapter will serve as one of the event sponsors. Kevin Brooks proclaims: "As the Chair of the Denver Wrestlers in Business Network, we are extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of the All-Star Classic on November 2nd. We will be supporting Ed Gutierrez and Rocky Mountain National Events for what will be a superlative event for all of wrestling. The State of Colorado Wrestling Community is humbled by the NWCA putting their trust in us to coordinate a national caliber event." Rocky Mountain National Events, under the leadership of CEO Ed Gutierrez, has twenty years of experience hosting top quality and high-volume events, which are superbly entertaining as well as featuring tomorrow's stars who will one day compete as college wrestlers in this All-Star Classic. "Our goal at RMN Events is to inspire, encourage, and recognize the next leaders of our great country," says Ed. "This event will not only highlight the best college wrestlers, but also provide an opportunity for Colorado's elite youth to share some of that limelight." NUWAY's Founder Dave Dean brings his leadership in support of the Classic. "I am truly excited about the production value and knowledge that Ed and RMN Events brings in putting on high level, MMA-style experiences that have revolutionized the sport of wrestling. Through Ed's guidance, we are featuring the best wrestling in a way that most connects with our fans." University of Northern Colorado's wrestling program under the leadership of Head Coach Troy Nickerson will also serve as a host for this prestigious event. Nickerson states: "The University of Northern Colorado is extremely happy to partner with RMN Events and WIBN-Denver in bringing the 2018 NWCA All-Star Classic to the state of Colorado. Wrestling is on the upswing here in the state; by showcasing some of the best wrestling our country has to offer, it is a great opportunity to promote the sport. We look forward to hosting some excellent matches and making this a first-class event." In addition, this event will also feature the very best elementary, middle, and high school male wrestlers in the country. This unique format will pit top-rated competitors from across the nation against their counterparts from Colorado. One high school match-up pairs Dominick Serrano (2-time Colorado state champion, Fargo Cadet 2018 freestyle champ at 126 lbs.) versus Jesse Ybarra (2-time Arizona state champion, Fargo Cadet 2018 120-lb. freestyle champ). Keep your eyes and ears open as the competitors and matchups will be released throughout the Fall in the leadup to the event. Tickets, with several seating options including front row VIP table seating that offers drinks and finger food, as well as seats in the stands will soon be available for sale on the RMN Events website, www.rmnevents.com. Get yours before they run out!

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Mizzou Wrestling head coach Brian Smith announced Monday that Mizzou alum Matt Manley has joined the program's staff as the director of operations. Manley, a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier from 2012-17 under Coach Smith, takes the role which was previously held by Cody Shoemaker, who took a job as Minnesota Softball's Director of Operations earlier this summer. Matt ManleyManley comes to Mizzou after spending the last year as the CEO of the Gladiator Academy in Dallas. "I'm extremely happy to welcome Matt and his wife Alexa back to Mizzou, because I know what our university and program mean to them," head coach Brian Smith said. "Matt was a tremendous competitor during his time with our program and he personifies what Tiger Style is all about. It was exciting to watch him serve as the CEO of Gladiator Academy in Texas and his experience doing that makes him a perfect fit for this position." "I am very excited to be a part of such a prestigious program again," Manley said. "Tiger Style has become a part of who I am, and after a year of being away from the program, I am more than ready to do everything I can to see that this program reaches its goals." As the CEO of the Gladiator Academy, Manley maintained valuable relationships with coaches and athletes along with a variety of duties that are similar to ones he will be in charge of at Mizzou. He scheduled employees, camps and practices, monitored budgets and employee salaries while also coaching. He led the Texas National Team in 2017 and mentored 12 All-Americans in the Junior Freestyle/Greco Nationals. He had one wrestler earn a state title with three more earning a spot in the 2017 state finals. As a wrestler at Mizzou, Manley posted a 68-28 overall record in four seasons, earning bonus points in 22 of 62 career wins, including 10 falls. His best year came as a redshirt junior, starting for Coach Smith at 141 pounds. He went 28-8 and qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second time in his career. He was awarded the "Iron Man" Award at end-of-the-year banquet for his courageous effort to wrestle through injuries all season. He also earned the Courage Award at the annual Mizzou Athletics ROARS Awards Ceremony. Manley was part of five MAC Championship teams and was twice named the league's Wrestler of the Week. A two-time NCAA qualifier, he ranked as high as fifth nationally during the 2015-16 season. He was also part of the 2015 Mizzou Wrestling team that took home the National Duals Championship. For all the latest on Mizzou Wrestling, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouWrestling).

Desmond Green, UFC fighter and two-time MAC (Mid-American Conference) wrestling champion for the University at Buffalo, suffered minor injuries in a multi-vehicle crash in south Florida that killed two others. Desmond GreenGreen, 28, lost control of his Dodge Durango while driving northbound on I-75 near Davie, Fla. at about 6 a.m. Saturday morning. His SUV veered into the path of a semi tractor-trailer, causing a chain reaction crash that involved three other vehicles. Two women who were passengers in a Toyota Yaris -- Emelina Morfa, 67, and Emma Suarez Hernandez, 76 -- were killed. The driver of the Toyota, 64-year-old Mily Vita-Vega, was seriously hurt in the crash and is being treated at a hospital in Hollywood, Fla. The driver of an Acura 3.2 TL, Armando Alvarez, 23, suffered minor injuries. Authorities shut down the northbound lanes of I-75 for several hours to clear the scene after the crash. All lanes had reopened by 2:45 p.m. Saturday. Prior to launching his pro MMA career in April 2012, Green had been a New York state wrestling champ at Rush-Henrietta High School. He continued his mat career at Buffalo, where he won back-to-back MAC titles at 149 pounds in 2009 and 2010, and was a three-time NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships qualifier. Green trains in Florida with Hard Knocks 365, according to ESPN. The New York native has a 21-7 overall record, having won six of his last eight bouts. Green was slated to face Mairbek Taisumov in Moscow on Sept. 15.

Less than four months after making his successful pro debut as an MMA fighter, former Oklahoma State wrestler Kyle Crutchmer has revealed that he has a third bout lined up for next month. Kyle CrutchmerThe two-time NCAA All-American and Big 12 champ posted the following message on Facebook Sunday afternoon: "BREAKING! September 29th I'm back at Tulsa, Oklahoma at the River Spirit! This fight will be live on UFC Fight Pass! One step closer to my dream! #letsgoo #oklahomaboy #TULSA #918 #MMA #FIGHTCAMP #STOKED #WHOSREADY" Crutchmer told InterMat he does not yet know who his opponent will be. However, the former Cowboy mat star isn't waiting around for more information, saying, "I will start a fight camp tomorrow that will allow me to train all aspects of MMA." Crutchmer has had two pro fights in his young MMA career, both at middleweight (185 pounds). The Tulsa native made his debut in early June, scoring a technical knockout over Ron Beasley at one minute, 23 seconds of the first round of what was scheduled to be a three-round bout at Xtreme Fight Night 348 at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla. In his second bout at Xtreme Fight Night 350 at Tulsa's River Spirit Casino Resort, Crutchmer submitted Rocky Rosas in the second round of what was only the second fight for both men.

A judge has thrown out multiple counts of a lawsuit filed by a former Bergen Catholic High School wrestler who alleged he had been sexually abused by his coach, NorthJersey.com reported Friday. However, of the 12-count lawsuit filed in April by Anthony Asatrian, the judge allowed two aspects of the case to move forward: that he suffered emotional distress as a result of what he claims to be unwanted sexual advances and texts by Bergen Catholic head wrestling coach David Bell ... and that the school allegedly thwarted the wrestler's efforts to transfer to two other area Catholic high schools. Asatrian -- a two-time district champion for the program ranked No. 2 in the nation by InterMat last season -- had alleged in his lawsuit four months ago that he was sexually abused, sexually assaulted, and sexually harassed during his nearly three years as a wrestler at Bergen Catholic. No date has been set for the next phase of the trial. However, Superior Court Judge Robert C. Wilson urged both sides in the case to try to reach a settlement, rather than go through a public trial. "Emotions run high here," Wilson said. "Both the plaintiff's reputation and the defendants' reputation have been so much placed in jeopardy. It hurts all the parties as to what happened in this situation," adding that it was in the best interests of all parties to reach an amicable solution.

Mack Beggs claimed the girls Class 6A state title at 110 pounds You have not heard the last of Mack Beggs. Beggs, the transgender wrestler who made headlines by winning back-to-back Texas state titles in 2017 and 2018, has announced he plans to continue wrestling in college. Beggs, who graduated from Euless Trinity High School this spring, has enrolled at Life University in suburban Atlanta, and plans to wrestle on the Running Eagles' men's wrestling program. "Next month Beggs will enroll at NAIA Life University with plans to walk on to the men's wrestling team, with the blessing of Life University head coach Omi Acosta," the Dallas Morning News reported Friday. Life University is a private school in Marietta, Ga. with an enrollment of approximately 2,700 students. It was founded in 1974 as Life Chiropractic School. The school's official website states, "We are vitalistic visionaries relentlessly committed to disruptive social innovation. "Life University is breaking boundaries in disciplines across the health and wellness spectrum by impacting and inspiring future leaders to become life-change agents. We encourage our students to think freely and embrace reformative ideas, allowing them to maximize their innate potential ..." "Students with energetic passion in the areas of health, wellness, science and sport will thrive here by having the ability to express their creative potential within our culture of excellence …" according to the Life University home page. Life University's Running Eagles men's wrestling program competes in the Mid-South Conference as an NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) program. Earlier this year Life University announced it was building a new wrestling facilityfor both its men's and women's wrestling programs. The new facility is expected to be completed in time for the 2018-19 season. It appears Mack Beggs, as a student-athlete at Life University this fall, may be among the first athletes to use that new wrestling center. Mack Beggs, who is in the process of transitioning from female to male, was born Mackenzie Beggs. As a student at Euless Trinity High outside Dallas-Fort Worth, Beggs won back-to-back girls Class 6A state titles at 110 pounds, defeating the same opponent each year in the finals. He concluded his high school career with a perfect 92-0 record. Beggs' state championship performance was the subject of articles in publications that normally don't cover amateur wrestling … and generated arguments within the sport, and beyond. After winning his second title, Beggs said, "This year I wanted to prove a point that anyone can do anything. Even though I was put in this position, even though I didn't want to be put in this position, even though I wanted to wrestle the guys, I still had to wrestle the girls. "But what can I tell people? I can tell the state Legislature to change the policy, but I can't tell them to change it right now," Beggs continued. "All I can hope for is that they come to their [senses] and realize this is stupid and we should change the policies to conform to other people in my position." Texas is one of a handful of states with separate competitions for girls and boys. Texas' University-Interscholastic League (UIL) -- the independent body that governs collegiate and high school athletics in the Lone Star State -- had implemented a rule in 2016, requiring transgender individuals to wrestle against the gender listed on their birth certificates. As part of the transition from female to male, Mack Beggs has taken doctor-prescribed, low-dose testosterone injections (currently 36 milligrams per week) since October of his freshman year. This past week, Beggs took another significant step: he had initial gender transition "top" surgery, transforming his upper body by removing breast tissue to make him look more like a man. The UIL's 2016 birth certificate rule is in sharp contrast to other organizations which govern sports competition. For example, in 2011 the NCAA established a transgender policy as requiring a trans male athlete who is receiving testosterone treatment, such as Beggs, to compete on a men's team, while prohibiting the athlete from competing on a women's team. Prior to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, the International Olympic Committee issued updated transgender guidelines allowing athletes who transition from female to male to compete in the male category without restriction.

Six outstanding individuals from the state's wrestling community have been selected for induction into the Connecticut chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The Connecticut chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will hold an induction dinner on Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the MGM Hotel at Foxwoods to honor these men for their contribution to the sport of wrestling and our communities. The six men are: •Colonel Charles Anderson, a Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient who has served in the Connecticut Army National Guard for more than 30 years, and as the head wrestling coach at both Trumbull High and Norwalk High •John Bennett, a coach, official and four-time member of the U.S. Veterans World team •Patrick Burns, former New Milford High coach, an official and CIAC wrestling committee member •Carmen DelVecchio, one of the top officials in New England and in the nation •Jason Shaughnessy, the high school coach at Fairfield Warde and Fairfield High and founder and coach with the Police Athletic League (PAL) youth wrestling program in Fairfield •Dennis Siegmann, the former head coach at Bristol Central High for 22 years and an assistant coach at two junior colleges that won four national championships in six years Bennett, Burns, DelVecchio, Shaughnessy and Siegmann will receive a Lifetime Achievement award for coaches, officials, or contributors with at least 20 years of service. Anderson is being recognized as an Outstanding American, a former wrestler who is highly successful in his/her profession. All six men will be permanently recognized in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame (Stillwater, Oklahoma) with an embossed name plaque, and each receives a plaque and jacket to commemorate the very special occasion. These six will join 38 other inductees in the Connecticut chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Tickets for the banquet will be available online after Oct. 1.

Darrion Caldwell (Photo/Bellator) Former college wrestlers Darrion Caldwell, Logan Storley and Tywan Claxton all came out victorious in main-card bouts at Bellator 204: Caldwell vs. Lahat at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Friday night. Caldwell, a 2009 NCAA champ, knocked out Noad Lahat at 2:45 of Round 2 of their featherweight (145-pound) main event ... while four-time NCAA All-American Logan Storley scored a second-round TKO of A.J. Matthews in their welterweight (170-pound) bout. Earlier in the evening, Claxton earned a unanimous decision of Cris Lencioni, with all three judges scoring it 30-27 for the former King University/Ohio University mat star. Caldwell moves up a weight, scores second-round TKO Darrion Caldwell, who has been Bellator's bantamweight (135-pound) champ, moved up to featherweight to take on Lahat in a non-title bout. "After a night of exciting and wild fights the first round of this bout let the air out of the building," according to MMAmania.com. "Caldwell sprawled to block a shoot from Lahat, got a takedown in response, and then rode out the most of the round on top. He'd try to pass and Lahat would force the action back into his guard time and time again. Caldwell won but didn't do much damage." BloodyElbow.com weighed in on the second stanza. "It took all of 20 seconds for Caldwell to find top position in the second round. Just when it looked as if the round was going to mirror what we saw in the first frame, Caldwell suddenly exploded with a series of punches that caught Lahat slipping. The punches kept coming and the referee was forced to step in and waive off the bout." With the win, Caldwell improves to 13-1 overall and 10-1 in Bellator ... while Lahat is now 13-4, and 3-2 in Bellator. "I feel good. I'm just grateful to be able to come back to a fight," Caldwell told John McCarthy in a post-match interview. "A lot of s*** happens so to be able to get back in the cage means a lot to me ... Alliance MMA has the best fighters in the world. Expect us to come out in 2019 strong." Prior to launching his pro MMA career in 2012, Caldwell made a name for himself as a North Carolina State University wrestler by beating defending champ Brent Metcalf of the University of Iowa in the 149-pound finals, 11-6, at the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in what the late college wrestling historian Jay Hammond declared to be one of the three biggest upsets in NCAA finals history. Storley remains undefeated in first Bellator event in his home state Logan Storley, who was a six-time South Dakota high school state champ who went on to earn NCAA All-American honors for the Golden Gophers, made an impressive showing in the first-ever Bellator event in the state of his birth. "Logan Storley showed off his University of Minnesota wrestling chops in the co-main event, planting A.J. Matthews on the mat and pounding him out with ground strikes in the second," BloodyElbow.com reported. In writing about the opening round, MMAmania.com wrote, "Storley quickly closed the distance and shoved Matthews up against the fence, where he found his takedown. Punch after punch started landing for Storley, causing the referee to take a close look at the action. Matthews hung tough, forcing Storley to keep moving. From the top of side control, Storley threw an illegal knee to the head of Matthews, causing a break in the action and bringing the bout back to its feet. Upon the restart, Storley aggressively took the back and started working an RNC, but Matthews escaped before the round ended." "Storley immediately took the fight to the ground to start the second round. Matthews struggled to do much of anything from the bottom, as Storley was able to shut down any and all attempts to get up. Storley started unloading from the top, dropping repeated hammers on Matthews. The referee went in for a closer look, and when Matthews didn't improve his position, the official had no choice but to stop the fight." The bout ended with a TKO at 3:56 of the second round. "I spent the last eight weeks preparing for this moment in my home state of South Dakota. Thank you everyone," said Storley, who shares his hometown -- and U of Minnesota mat background -- with Brock Lesnar. "I have to give all the credit in the world to A.J. for coming back and continuing to fight. I messed up, I went for the shoulder and hit the head. Thank you." Storley, a relative newcomer to MMA, having signed with Bellator just one year ago, is now 9-0 overall, and 4-0 in Bellator bouts. Matthews, a veteran of the cage who has fought professionally since 2007, falls to 9-8-0 overall. Claxton remains perfect in young MMA career Tywan Claxton, who launched his pro MMA career last November, is now a flawless 3-0 having scored a unanimous decision over Cris Lencioni in their three-round featherweight (145-pound) fight. "There was bad blood between them at the weigh-ins and more bad blood between them during the fight," according to MMAmania. "Claxton openly mocked Lencioni's fight style in the first round, causing [referee] Mike Beltran to have to step between them after the bell." "In the second and third round Claxton dominated by taking Lencioni down, backing away to avoid a stand-up and upkicks, then getting back on top to maul him some more. Lencioni wasn't done after the third frame and Beltran had to get between them again." "I've got great BJJ coaches, and I am one of the best purple belts, and I watched his fights," Claxton said in the post-fight interview. "I know he likes that series where he goes for an armbar and a triangle so I was very well prepared ..." "He asked for a catch weight 30 minutes before weigh-ins even started. We're professional fighters, we're grown men. If you say you're going to make weight you make weight. That just got under my skin a little bit. At the weigh ins he started talking trash. How you gonna talk trash when you don't make weight?" Claxton, who was a NCAA Division II All-American at King University before transferring to Ohio University where he was a two-time NCAA Division I championships qualifier, is now 3-0 in his young MMA career ... while fellow prospect Lencioni is now 4-2.

Nate Rotert (Photo/SDSU Sports Information) Former South Dakota State University standout Nate Rotert will continue his long association with the Jackrabbit wrestling team by joining the staff as recruiting coordinator. "Nate has been an integral part to the success of our program and exudes all that is SDSU," head coach Damion Hahn said. "He will help with our recruiting efforts immensely, and I am proud to bring him aboard." A Spearfish native, Rotert was a four-time NCAA qualifier at 197 pounds while wrestling at SDSU from 2015-18, helping spark the Jackrabbits into nationally ranked program. He compiled a 99-37 career record, including a 50-14 mark in duals. Rotert won a Big 12 Conference individual title en route to a 28-5 mark his senior season. "I am excited for the future of this program," Rotert said. "The team is surrounded by first-class leadership and, more importantly, good people. I can't wait to help continue to build this program, not as a guy on the mat, but in a different role." SDSU is scheduled to open the 2018-19 season Nov. 4 by hosting the Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open.

Jimmy Kennedy competing at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) EVANSTON, Ill. -- Jimmy Kennedy has been added to the coaching staff of the Northwestern wrestling team as a volunteer assistant coach, Head Coach Matt Storniolo announced. "I am thrilled to welcome Jimmy to our coaching staff," said Storniolo. "He was a phenomenal competitor, both in college and on the senior level, and I have no doubt that he will achieve the same success as a coach. Jimmy will make an immediate impact in the development of our student-athletes. We could not be more excited to welcome him to our Wildcat Wrestling family." A three-time All-American, Kennedy began his successful wrestling career nearby at Grant Community High School in Fox Lake, Illinois. At the University of Illinois, he qualified all four years for the NCAA Championships. Kennedy finished in the top-five in the nation in 2008, 2009, and 2011 and recorded 119 wins against only 24 losses in his career. Kennedy comes to the 'Cats after wrestling for the New York Athletic Club, where he most recently placed second at the World Team Trials in 2017. He was a U.S. World Team member in 2014 and, in 2016, was a U.S. Open Champion. "I couldn't be more excited to join the staff here at Northwestern," said Kennedy. "It is my goal to help these young men meet and exceed their current goals and expectations. I look forward to the opportunity to build relationships with each and every one of them and to hopefully be the type of coach that inspires them to be great at everything they do, not just wrestling." Coming off an 11-win season, Northwestern is set to start their 2018-19 campaign on Nov. 4 at North Dakota State. The season will include a return to the new Welsh-Ryan Arena, which is undergoing $110 million in renovations.

Barlow McGhee EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- SIUE wrestling Head Coach Jeremy Spates has added a former Mid-American Conference champion to his coaching staff. Barlow McGhee, a 2016 MAC champion for Missouri at 125 pounds, joins the SIUE coaching staff as an assistant beginning with the 2018-19 season. "Barlow is originally from the state of Illinois and wrestled right down the road at Missouri," said Spates. "We are always looking to keep local talent in the area so it was an easy hire. He has competed and won at every level and has been around big-time programs. He is going to be a great coach and more importantly is a great person. He is going to fit right into our system and be a strong addition to the staff." McGhee boasted a collegiate record of 74-46 at Missouri, winning 10 times by a major decision and twice by fall. He closed out the 2017-18 season with his third straight appearance at the NCAA Championships. "I'm extremely blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of this program," said McGhee. "I hope to bring a lot of what I've learned over the years and help the young men in this program succeed not only on the mat but also in life." The 2016-17 season featured 19 victories for McGhee. He placed fifth at the MAC Championships. He also was a champion at the Edinboro Open. His top season for victories was the 2015-16 season with 24. That included a 5-1 mark in MAC duals. His run to the NCAA Championships that season featured a 125-pound MAC title by defeating No. 5 Northern Iowa's Dylan Peters in the championship match. A prep standout in Rock Island, Illinois, McGhee was a state champion at Rock Island High School his senior season (120 pounds) in 2013 after taking second his junior year (113 pounds) and third his sophomore year (103 pounds). He also is a three-time place winner at the Fargo USA Wrestling Cadet Junior National Championships, placing sixth (2010), fourth (2011) and eighth (2012). McGhee earned a bachelor's degree in 2018 from Missouri in psychology.

Bryce Abbey A four-time NCAA Division II All-American wrestler will be competing on comedian Kevin Hart's "TKO: Total Knock Out" TV series tonight (Aug. 17). Bryce Abbey, who wrestled at University of Nebraska-Kearney from 2002-05, will be vying for a potential prize purse of $150,000. Abbey, dubbed the "Wrestling Champ" on "TKO" according to Nebraska.TV, must get through an obstacle course faster than four others, all while they try to take each other down on the CBS prime-time series. If Abbey scores the fastest time on his episode, he can win a $50,000 cash prize. If his time stacks up as one of the five fastest for the season, he competes in a "Battle Royale" for a chance at an additional $100,000. Here's how the CBS website describes the summer series: "TKO: Total Knock Out' features people from all walks of life, where one player races through daunting obstacles while four other contestants are manning battle stations along the course, firing over-the-top projectiles in an attempt to knock them off and slow them down." Abbey's mat background may serve him well in the physical challenges that are integral to "TKO." The Goodland, Kansas native -- who wrestled at 125 pounds for the Lopers -- is one of six UNK wrestlers to earn NCAA All-American honors four times, placing no lower than fifth at four national championships. What's more, Abbey ranks second on the school's all-time wins list with 134 victories, just behind two-time U.S. Olympian Tervel Dlagnev. Abbey was a member of four teams that placed in the top 10 at the Division II national championships, including a runner-up finish in 2003, and helped the Lopers win the national duals that year. For all his on-the-mat accomplishments, Abbey was inducted into the UNK Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017. Abbey is still connected to the school where he earned All-American honors as a Lopers wrestler. He currently serves as UNK's Employee Health and Wellness Director and is an assistant professor in the Kinesiology and Sport Science department. He and his family reside in Kearney.

In a move that surprised many in the wrestling community, Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser fired associate head coach Mike Zadick. Interviews with Dresser indicated that the two men had differing views on where to take the program. Zadick's response seemed to confirm that the two men fell out of their working, and possibly personal, relationship. "There were occasions that others made decisions that I believed were contrary to the best interests of ISU. I expressed my beliefs as was required of me in my position as the associate head coach. As I now understand, the expression of my beliefs is the genesis of the alleged conflict that led to my premature dismissal. "I elected not to resign from ISU because my actions did not warrant dismissal. Additionally, had I accepted ISU's offer to resign, I would be sending a message to the athletes that I coached contrary to the character traits that I endeavored to instill in them." Zadick appears to think that Coach Dresser was acting outside what Zadick thought was the best interest of the Iowa State wrestling program -- something that hasn't been elaborated on in the days that followed the announcement. What is interesting is Zadick's emphasis on character, which is a buzzword for the NCAA and its member institutions when considering investigations. There are plenty of universities that have come under larger investigations due to indications of even minor infractions -- Oklahoma State in the 1990's being only the most recent and consequential large-scale investigation -- wrestling need not see another. Let's hope that nothing larger is sparked, and that what might be a simple disagreement in leadership style and direction of the program simply ended in this public affair. While the firing exposes Iowa State and Coach Dresser to unwanted attention, it seems the partnership suffered from garden variety insubordination, which is (and always will be) a sufficient justification for a firing. Best of luck to Coach Zadick and Coach Dresser. The sport is better with these men in our sport and in good standing. To your questions … Aaron Pico was a runner-up at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com Q: In February, Valentin Kalika posted a photo on Instagram with Aaron Pico. He included the hashtag #2020. Obviously, Pico is focused on MMA, but do you think he will make an Olympic run in 2020? -- Mike C. Foley: I don't think that Valentin and Pico are especially close at the moment. Pico is training in California, working his way towards a Bellator belt and Valentin is in New York at the New York Regional Training Center working with Helen Maroulis and other top-level talent. Anything may have motivated the post, but I don't think that we will see Pico step away from the cage for a shot at the 2020 Olympics. If he does, I think that he'd have a chance to win some matches in qualification, but I'm less certain he would have the same tactical advantage as someone who is training and competing year-round. Specifically, I think that Logan Stieber and Zain Retherford would be tough matchups for Pico if he hadn't been training and competing in freestyle for at least nine months prior. But hey, anything can happen and Pico's return to the sport would be certain to bring increased media attention to the trials and the Olympic Games. Q: Virginia high school cancels varsity football season. How do you think it affects wrestling? Hard to then sell "wrestling helps football players." Do we sell as a sport for kids who still like contact sports? -- @Zach_Goldrosen Foley: I think that the overall loss will be small. Wrestling has recruitment opportunities with much more promise such as an expanding Beat the Streets program, women's wrestling and a growing online presence. Football, however, is screwed. This is just the first of many changes fans will see as mothers and fathers in higher socioeconomic areas ether refuse to allow their children to play (or become litigious) after a coach is unable to protect their child from a concussion. With considerable financial risks I'm guessing that the actuaries pricing out policies won't be able to get an affordable insurance cost to some districts and that those districts will simply drop the sport. Football will survive, but it will become a highly regionalized game played in Deep South, Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Others may also choose to keep it for a while longer, but in my lifetime the sport will cease to exist in most public schools and will be let in only a handful of colleges. I have no idea what will become of the NFL, but they too may buckle under the weight of future lawsuits based in the consequences of head trauma. Q: Any guesses on who Kyle Ruschell might add to his coaching staff at UTC? Heath Eslinger did a solid job. The Mocs were always a SoCon power, but struggled to break through to become a national power. Do you think the program can reach even higher levels with Ruschell? -- Mike C. Foley: The Southern Conference and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is not immune to success, but there are several geographical factors working against a meteoric rise like we saw in the ACC and specifically at NC State after the hiring of Pat Popolizio. The major difference between a mega program like Virginia Tech and the likes of Chattanooga is funding and how a lack of cash can affect a range of services available to the athletes. Top-tier programs require significant budgets for their listed coaching staffs (minimum of $400K for four coaches) and significant opportunity for their club coaches to make money from a local pool of athletes. If you live in an area without a natural draw of athletes, then that secondary income for club coaches or RTC athletes is diminished. Chattanooga has a decent pool of local athletes, but as of yet isn't a successful RTC. Competition budgets, recruiting dollars and expenses related to upkeep of your facility are also additional costs that top programs either don't eat directly, or are not a significant portion of discretionary spending. I don't know the numbers for Chattanooga, but one has to think that even with a tradition of alumni giving the program is not running on a blank check. Maybe the toughest sell right now for Chattanooga or other SoCon school is location. The Deep South just isn't synonymous with wrestling like Pennsylvania or Iowa, and that means it's easy for athletes, coaches, parents and fans to forget about their success or programmatic viability. When you're not getting the customers to look at your product on their own, it's always a tougher sell even when they are engaged in the process. All this doesn't exclude the SoCon, Chattanooga or Coach Ruschell from future success. It just means that his staff hires won't be the most important of his decisions. I think that a big-name assistant could indicate increased financial investment by the UTC, but it's already August and luring top name alumni donors and the coaching staff may take another 6-12 months. Overall, I think Chattanooga is in a stable and healthy position. Athletes go to NCAAs they win dual meets and they compete well on the road. Kudos to Coach Eslinger for a job well done and best of luck in his new career! MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME On the podcast bro culture: "This is the podcast bro ethos: Ditch your ideologically charged identity. Accept your evolutionary programming. Take responsibility for mastering it, and find a cosmic purpose. "I'm not saying it's only personal responsibility that matters, but you have to start there," Mr. Marcus told me. But wait -- how does cutting down carbs and tossing kettlebells set me up to serve the universe? Here is where the podcast bros get metaphysical." Marcelo Garcia took down Otto Olsen. The submission, a rear naked choke you see in the video, is also very cool, but not as cool as the arm drag takedown. More below on jiu-jitsu and wrestler's weird relationship to the sport. Q: As someone who (like yourself) has found and fallen in love with jiu-jitsu/submission grappling, why don't you find more Division I wrestlers entering the sport after their wrestling careers are over? There are only a handful of guys that I ever meet and/or see in this huge pool of BJJ competitors. It seems like it would be a logical transition and most gyms will offer high-level wrestlers the ability to train for free given some knowledge exchange occurs. It's great because my skillset is deemed so valuable due to the rarity, but there are plenty of high-level Division I wrestlers out there that I think would fall in love with the sport and be competitive immediately. Thoughts? -- Brandon G. Foley: I've spent a lot of column inches on my love of jiu-jitsu and agree that it's very odd that more wrestlers don't involve themselves in the sport. Though there is a subculture to jiu-jitsu that can be a little odd (same with wrestling!), I think that the quality and sustainability of the workout -- and the mental challenge of the chess match within the competition -- is absolutely without comparison for active adults. I think that we see fewer wrestlers transitioning to jiu-jitsu after graduation because our athletes are dogged by negative associations with wrestling. Too many of us love the struggle, but not the sport. There are notable examples of those who love wrestling thoroughly, but there is a larger subsection of wrestlers who learned to hate a lot about the sport: grueling practices, extreme dieting, academic sacrifice, etc. I think that the jiu-jitsu non-competitors tend to be nervous about losing out on a normal life they already lost in college. Most have been on the mats since they were 5 years old and despite the advantages you mentioned training in jiu-jitsu sounds like some special version of hell. I agree about the transferrable skill set and absolute joy found through the sport. I was 30 when I started rolling jiu-jitsu and it took me a lot of time to embrace it as an activity that could bring me happiness. Now I roll five days a week and focus my lifting and cardio on ways to help my body to be better in practice. I don't compete often, but someday soon I'll throw myself into a Master's division for some fun rolls and a test of my skill level. Still, for now, I'm happy to help my teammates with their wrestling and give them a look they don't get to see very often. Good luck in all your training and I hope that our positive experiences bring more of our friends and teammates back to the mats! Q: What did you think about the $14 million in expenses for USA Wrestling and their $15 million budget? -- Aaron V. Foley: First, I would say congrats. Anything over $3 million is considered a serious budget for any national federation in wrestling, let alone five times that amount. That USA Wrestling meets its budget is certainly something that any family or individual balancing a checkbook can appreciate. Diving a little deeper into the numbers for USA Wrestling I think there are few key points. The first is that the budget increase has to do with the United World Wrestling calendar and which World Championships fall into which budget year. For example, the 2019 budget will include both the 2018 and 2019 Junior Worlds, since the former are in September and the latter in August. That, plus the bump to 10 weights and other scheduling abnormalities means a higher budget. The good news is that USA Wrestling runs at a profit of around five percent of the total operating budget. That money is meant to be spent, but like anyone else you need some short-term savings for unexpected costs. One example of a new cost was Safe Sport which provides monitoring and clearance services for a variety of USA Wrestling coaches, staff members and media. Overall, the financial health of USA Wrestling looks to be the best its ever been. With Bruce Baumgartner re-elected to lead the organization and a slew of gold medals on the mat the future is bright for the red, white and blue. Q: Andy Hrovat announced his retirement from the sport yesterday. What kind of impact do you think he has had on the sport? -- Josh C. Foley: All retirements deserve a congratulations and Andy has been exceptional in his service to the sport of wrestling. From collegiate athlete to Olympian, and collegiate assistant to international coach, he's done plenty for the sport and made those around him better. Wishing Silent H and his family all the best in their next career, and no matter if he's no longer working in the sport he will always be one of us.

Bill Smith, Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler, two-time NCAA champ for University of Northern Iowa, respected coach and National Wrestling Hall of Fame honoree, will be welcomed posthumously into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame, the organization announced this week. Smith passed away in late March at age 89. The MVC Hall of Fame honor is just the latest for Smith, who was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1978. Prior to that, Smith was inducted into the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame on 1972, and the Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1977. Bill Smith (Photo/NWHOF)By any measure, Smith's career as a wrestler and coach was truly hall of fame-worthy. Born in Portland, Oregon in September 1928, William Thomas Smith launched his wrestling career at Thomas Jefferson High School in Council Bluffs, Iowa where he placed twice at the Iowa state wrestling championships, once as runner-up and another year in third place. He was recruited by Bill McCuskey, head wrestling coach at UNI (then called Iowa State Teachers College). While at the Cedar Falls, Iowa school, Smith won back-to-back NCAA Division I championships at 165 pounds in 1949 and 1950, compiling a near-perfect 52-0-1 collegiate career record. Smith made a name for himself in freestyle as well, as a three-time National AAU Freestyle champion at 165 pounds from 1949-51. The following year, Smith won the gold medal in freestyle at 160.5 pounds at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Four years later, Smith won the U.S. Olympic trials at 174 pounds -- pinning Oklahoma Sooner superstar Dan Hodge in the finals -- but later was declared ineligible for the Games because he already had worked as a coach, breaking the rules defining "amateur athletics" of that era. Smith's coaching career was also incredibly varied. He served as a high school coach in Illinois, Michigan and California ... at the college level in Nebraska and California ... and as a long-time coach and athletic director at the Olympic Club of San Francisco. In addition to Bill Smith, other athletes to welcomed into the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame include Kristi Cirone (Illinois State), Dolph Pulliam (Drake), Kent Williams (Southern Illinois), John McNichols (Indiana State) and Joe Stowell (Bradley). The MVC Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be Friday, March 8, 2019 at Stifel Theatre in St. Louis. Tickets are available through the MVC office at (314) 444-4300.

Garett Kiley (Photo/Bennett Scarborough) GREELEY, Colo. -- Head Coach, Troy Nickerson announced the hiring of Garett Kiley as an assistant coach for Northern Colorado wrestling and the promotion of Michael Moreno to the primary assistant coach. Kiley joins the UNC staff after serving as an assistant coach at Campbell University for the past two seasons. In the 2017, Kiley helped to guide Campbell to its first ever Southern Conference Championship and All-American at the NCAA Championships. During Kiley's seasons, Campbell had seven wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships. Prior to his stint at Campbell, Kiley was the director of operations for Iowa State University where he worked with Nickerson and Moreno on staff. Kiley was the director of operations for both the university and the Cyclone Wrestling Club. Kiley has been moving up the ranks in college wrestling with assistant head coaching jobs at Concordia University in Nebraska and Wayland Baptist University in Texas. At Wayland Baptist, Kiley served as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's wrestling program. He graduated from Simpson College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Education and in 2013 he earned his Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University-Irvine. Moreno is starting his second season at UNC and has already made an impact in the program's growth. In the 2017-18 season, UNC had its best finish in the NCAA Championships since returning to Division 1, tying for 38th. The Bears also had their best finish at the Southern scuffle, tying for 12th. The team had success in the classroom as well, ranking 15th in cumulative GPA by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. UNC also defeated Moreno's alma mater Iowa State for the programs first win against a traditional Big 12 Conference school. To stay up to date with Northern Colorado wrestling visit UNCBears.com and follow the team on Twitter with @UNCBearsWrestle.com.

USA Wrestling held its annual Board of Directors meeting at the Colorado Springs Marriott in Colorado Springs, Colo., Saturday, August 11. The meeting was conducted by President Bruce Baumgartner of Edinboro, Pa. Elections were held for USA Wrestling officers, at-large positions on the Board of Directors, as well as openings on the Executive Committee and the Governance Committee. Bruce BaumgartnerBaumgartner was re-elected by acclamation as President. Baumgartner was a two-time Olympic champion and three-time World Champion as an athlete, a Div. I college wrestling coach and athletic director, and a long-time Board member for USA Wrestling. This is Baumgartner's second straight two-year term as president, and he previously served two terms as president from 1998-2002. Elected as First Vice President was Mark Reiland of Iowa City, Iowa. Elected Second Vice President was Greg Strobel of Bethlehem, Pa. Elected as Secretary was Kerry McCoy of University Park, Md. Elected as Treasurer was Van Stokes of Clarksville, Tenn. McCoy will be serving as an officer of USA Wrestling for the first time, while all of the other officers elected have previously held at least one term as an officer of the organization. Each of the officers will serve a two-year term. Elected to the Board of Directors as at-large members were Jordan Burroughs of Lincoln, Neb., Joan Fulp of El Granada, Calif., Don Reynolds of Frankfort, Ill., Mike Juby of Hutchinson, Kan., Eric Guerrero of Norman, Okla. and Bill Swink of Spotsylvania, Pa. All are first-time Board members except Juby. One position on USA Wrestling's Executive Committee was up for election, with Mike Juby of Hutchinson, Kan. winning that election. Three individuals were elected to open positions on the USA Wrestling Governance Committee: Duane Morgan of Hollister, Calif., Jim Considine of Carol Stream, Ill. and Bill Grant of Inverness, Fla. At the conclusion of the election, Baumgartner thanked four leaders who completed their service on the Board of Directors at the conclusion of the meeting: Duane Morgan of Hollister, Calif., Dave Black of River Falls, Wis., Jim Considine of Carol Stream, Ill. and Chris Kallai of Wadsworth, Ohio. In the President's Welcome to kick off the Board meeting, Baumgartner thanked those within USA Wrestling for their leadership during a successful year. "We have had an unbelievably good year, in the year between our Board meetings. The support of our volunteers and our staff is really what makes USA Wrestling great, as we provide our young wrestlers, both men and women, the opportunity to grow, not just as athletes but as people. It is the grass roots of our organization which provides the foundation to all levels of USA Wrestling, and allows athletes like Jordan Burroughs and Helen Maroulis to do what they do for our country. I thank you all for your hard work and dedication. I am very proud to be associated with this organization," said Baumgartner. In his Executive Director report, Rich Bender thanked Baumgartner for his leadership, and the credibility that his service brings to the organization. He also thanked the Board of Directors for their impact on USA Wrestling and the sport. "It is a pleasure to work every day in an organization that has few agendas. We might disagree on some things at times, but at the end of the day, everyone involved in our organization and our grassroots leadership wants one thing - for kids to experience the greatest sport on earth. It is inspiring for me to be a part of that, and to serve as your Executive Director. I also thank the staff at USA Wrestling and the effort they put forth each day for kids and for wrestling," said Bender. Bender commented upon the year which has concluded, and the vision for the future. "Our competitive success was historic. Our 32 medals across all age-groups and all styles is an all-time high. We have run the business with financial accountability, and, from a business perspective, we are on very solid footing. We continue to set the pace within the Olympic movement for our member services and how we provide resources and benefits for kids, coaches and adult members. As we look forward to the next year and the next Olympic quadrennium, we will continue to work hard to push the sport forward. We will discuss SafeSport here, and how vital that is for our long-term sustainability and success. Women's wrestling continues to be in the forefront of our opportunities to grow the sport. Greco-Roman wrestling is a priority for us to establish a platform and program for which the United States can achieve the same competitive success as in freestyle. I continue to challenge everyone in this room, and on our staff, to innovate and find new ways to move wrestling forward," said Bender. During his report, Bender led the Board in a moment of silence for a number of wrestling leaders who passed away in the last year, including past Board of Directors members Mike Duroe and Chuck Elvin, USA Wrestling state leaders John Carlson and Bob Siar, Olympic champion Bill Smith, plus Hall of Fame inductees Dr. Stanley Henson, Bill Nelson, Frank Bertucci, Tony Gizzoni, Bill Weick and John Harmon, among others. In his Treasurer's report, Duane Morgan reviewed the fiscal year which is now concluding, and thanked staff and the Finance Committee for their outstanding work. "USA Wrestling has had another banner year. We have had back-to-back successful years financially. Staff has done a fantastic job. They stick to budget. They control expenses at all levels. That has paid off with dividends on our bottom line. Staff has used all the internal controls and stay tight to their procedures which leads to accountability. They have worked tirelessly to find different sources of revenue. We have good oversight on our financials and investments," said Morgan. On behalf of the Finance Committee, Morgan presented the proposed Fiscal Year 2019 budget, which was approved by the Board of Directors unanimously, and included $14,682,219 in revenue and $15,276,666 in expenses. Secretary Van Stokes, who chairs USA Wrestling's Long-Range Planning Committee, presented a draft USA Wrestling 2018-2024 Strategic Plan. Stokes provided information on a meeting in Colorado Springs from June 10-11, where members of the Long-Range Planning Committee, the USA Wrestling Executive Committee, USA Wrestling staff directors and four facilitators from the U.S. Olympic Committee met to discuss strategic planning and create the new document. Stokes thanked USOC staff members Avery Wilson, Denise Parker, Michelle Hurtado and Davis Tutt for their leadership and input during the process. Stokes asked the Board of Directors for feedback on the draft document, which will be revised as needed and sent to the Long-Range Planning Committee for action this fall. He expects a final document to be prepared for review and approval by the Executive Committee during the upcoming fiscal year. "We are in a process, and this is not just a document," said Stokes. "We are all responsible for this Strategic Plan." USA Wrestling staff overseeing National Teams, Sponsorship, Fundraising, State Services, Communications and Events provided updated reports on their department's activities and their vision for future programs. Director of Safe Sport Dan Prochnow introduced USA Wrestling's new Safe Sport Handbook, and explained all of the important content in the document which includes policies and procedures for the organization to follow to keep its athletes and members safe. The Board of Directors voted to adopt the handbook, which will be made available to all levels of the organization and to the public. Chairperson Louis Rosbottom presented the 2018 Junior Olympic Wrestling Committee Board Report, which was developed during its meeting at the USA Wrestling State Leaders Conference, which was held alongside the Board of Directors meeting at the Marriott. Five recommendations which were approved by the Board of Directors, which included: • Cadet Regionals and Nationals will have all matches consisting of two 2-minute periods • Junior Regionals and Nationals will have all matches consisting of two 3-minute periods • Specifications for singlets used at Regional and National competitions were approved, including a requirement that male competitors wear a high-cut singlet and female competitors wear a girls-cut singlet. • Schoolboy/girl National Duals will move one week later in June to avoid conflicts with regional events • Reimbursements for officials at the 2019 Cadet/Junior Nationals will be made directly to officials The biggest change regarding the 2018-19 USA Wrestling membership year is that there will no longer be coach memberships nor will there be official memberships. Instead, there will be a Wrestling Leader membership, which will allow for an individual to coach and officiate with the membership. Reports to the Board of Directors were made by various constituent organizations and committees within USA Wrestling. In the National Wrestling Hall of Fame report, Lee Roy Smith announced that two legends from the United States would be inducted into the UWW International Wrestling Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Budapest, Hungary in October: Olympic and World champion freestyle wrestler Kenny Monday and long-time medical professional Dr. Bernie Feldman.

WESTMINSTER, Md. -- Mason Goretsas has been named McDaniel College's head wrestling coach, announced by Director of Athletics Paul Moyer on Wednesday. Mason Goretsas"As we made our way through this search process, we quickly determined that elevating Mason was a strong option," Moyer said. "The knowledge he has of the program and wrestling in Carroll County is unmatched. From growing up around Green Terror wrestling to his time as a student-athlete and coach at McDaniel, we know that Mason will continue the proud tradition of our program." Goretsas, a 2015 graduate of the College, is elevated to head coach after spending the last four seasons as an assistant on staff. "I am very excited for this opportunity to continue my journey with McDaniel College and this program," Goretsas said. A local product, Goretsas was a two-time Maryland state champion for North Carroll High School before starting his collegiate career at the University of Maryland. Goretsas returned home in the fall of 2011. He wrestled for the Green Terror for three seasons, posting a 67-27 record at McDaniel. He was a two-time placefinisher at the Centennial Conference championship. He finished fourth at 141 in 2012 before also earning a fourth-place showing at 149 in 2014. Goretsas graduated with his bachelor of science degree in exercise science in 2015 and completed his masters in kinesiology this past spring. Goretsas assumes the duties of head coach immediately.

Luke Smith served on the EMU staff for seven seasons (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) When one door closes, another one opens. That's the case with Luke Smith. When Eastern Michigan announced it was eliminating its wrestling program immediately at the end of the 2017-18 season, the long-time Eagle assistant coach found a new opportunity open up at California State University, Bakersfield as an assistant coach. And now the former Eagle is now a Roadrunner. When Smith got the bad news about EMU wrestling's fate, he contacted Manny Rivera, Cal State Bakersfield head coach. "I didn't know what his next step was or what, but when he reached out to me, right away I was like, 'Hey, are you serious?'" Rivera told the Bakersfield Californian . "... I knew bringing him in would be huge for our program." "I've had a long relationship with Manny," Smith said. "We've been friends since our (collegiate) competition days when our schools were battling. … Just always stayed in touch and kind of picked each other's brains. We had similar philosophies so I knew it would be a good fit and a good opportunity." Smith partially fills the places of former assistants Sean Boyle and Jeff Silveira. Boyle was hired by the University at Buffalo. Luke Smith brings an impressive wrestling/coaching resume to CSUB. At Chippewa Falls High in Wisconsin, Smith was a two-time state champion, finishing his career with a 117-2 record. In addition, Smith finished fourth at the Greco-Roman Olympic Trials in 2004 and also captured fourth place at the Senior Freestyle World Team Trials in 2006. Smith then headed east to Central Michigan University, where he was a four-time NCAA Division I championships qualifier at 125 pounds. He was the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year for the 2004-05 season. After graduating from CMU in 2008, Smith served as a volunteer assistant coach at his college alma mater for one season before heading to Old Dominion University in Virginia as a volunteer coach for two seasons. In 2011, Smith was named as an assistant coach of the Eastern Michigan mat program, where he served for seven seasons before the program got the axe in March 2018.

Damion Hahn (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) In the second episode of The Mat Boss Podcast, Chad Dennis talks with South Dakota State head wrestling coach Damion Hahn. They discuss what attracted Hahn to SDSU, what he looks for in recruits, how top recruits deal with pressure, as well as how he views youth results, wrestlers being held back, showing emotion on the mat and more. 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 | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Play Music | RSS

Deral Brown NEWBERRY -- Newberry College head wrestling coach Cy Wainwright announced the hiring of Deral Brown as an assistant coach. Brown, a former wrestler at Newberry, joins the staff from State University of New York College at Cortland where he was an assistant coach for the past two seasons. In two seasons at SUNY Cortland, he coached nine NCAA qualifiers, three NCAA All-Americans, and one NCAA National Champion. He also assisted in leading the Dragons to a seventh-place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2017. Prior to SUNY Cortland, Brown was the head wrestling coach at Fort Dorchester High School during the 2014-15 season. At Fort Dorchester, he was named South Carolina's 4A Wrestling Coach of the Year after leading the team to a first-place finish at the South Carolina state championship. Brown was a four-year starter during his career at Newberry. Brown was a two-time NCAA qualifier and NCAA All-American after a fourth-place finish in the 149-pound bracket at the NCAA Division II Championships in 2013. Brown holds the school record for major decisions and is currently tied with Bryant Blanton for the most wins in program history with 143 overall. Brown, a native from Elgin, S.C., wrestled for Lugoff-Elgin High School in South Carolina where he was a three-time state champion.

Brady Berge defeated David Carr on his way to making the Junior World Team (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) One of the toughest tasks for a head coach is rebuilding the lineup after the departure of seniors and other changes. Very few teams return an intact starting ten from a previous season, and the 2018 trophy teams are not an exception. Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa, Michigan and NC State will all have a few questions to answer in terms of their lineup. The following looks at those questions and some possible answers. Penn State Biggest question mark: Brady Berge at 149 It is never easy to step into the lineup and replace a three-time NCAA champion, but that is the task ahead of Brady Berge. After signing with Penn State as a top-ten recruit, Berge sat out last season and redshirted. However, during his redshirt campaign, he competed in only one tournament. At the Princeton Open, he won four matches, but dropped a bout against Mike D'Angelo (Princeton). This past summer, Berge put his best foot forward and earned a spot on the U.S. Junior World Team. In the finals, he avenged a previous freestyle loss against Austin O'Connor (North Carolina). There are few questions about Berge's skill and experience on the mat. However, weight might end up being a concern. His summer freestyle success came at 70 kilograms (154.32 pounds), and he competed as high as 160 pounds in high school. In order to crack the lineup and give the Nittany Lions the best shot to win another title, Berge will need to make 149 pounds and be effective. Ohio State Biggest question mark: 165/174 Ohio State will need to replace three starters from last season, including four-time All-Americans Nathan Tomasello, Bo Jordan and Kyle Snyder. Depending on how things play out, they could end up with solid replacements at each weight. At 125, Lucas Hunter went 21-5 as a reserve and multiple-time Fargo champion Malik Heinselman could also earn the sport, although he is expected to redshirt. At heavyweight, former top-ten recruit Chase Singletary should be ready to go after putting together a 21-3 record as a redshirt freshman. Things get interesting at 165 and 174 pounds. With Jordan leaving a spot open at 174 pounds, many expected blue chip prospect Ethan Smith to step into the starting lineup at the weight. However, now it looks like last year's starter at 165 pounds, Te'Shan Campbell, might move up. This would open a hole at 165 pounds for the Buckeyes. Elijah Cleary is currently the leading candidate to go at 165 pounds if Campbell moves up. He has gone 19-10 over the last two seasons as a reserve. Iowa Biggest question mark: 157 For the past two seasons 157 pounds has been held down by All-American Michael Kemerer. However, now the word is that he will move up to 174 pounds. The opening at 157 pounds appears to be the Hawkeye's biggest question mark going into the season. The leading candidate for the role is Kaleb Young who spent the last two season competing mostly at 165 pounds with the occasional move up to 174 pounds. If he can make the weight, he should be able to hold down the starting spot Another candidate is Jaren Glosser who went 13-4 competing at 149 pounds last season Michigan Biggest question mark: Heavyweight Replacing a heavyweight like Adam Coon is not an easy task. The Wolverines think they have the guy in Mason Parris. However, they likely want to redshirt him instead of throwing into the lineup as a true freshman. This leaves a pretty sizable opening at heavyweight for Michigan. The squad had two other heavyweight than Coon wrestle last year, Zachery Nemec and Luke Ready. Nemec went 6-6 and Ready went 4-5. NC State Biggest question mark: 125 to 141 Many coaches would likely envy the Wolfpack's depth between 125 and 141. There appears to be five high-level wrestlers and only four spots available. Last season at 125, Tommy Cox spent most of the year in the starter's role for dual matches, but Sean Fausz ended up being the representative at the ACC and NCAA tournaments. It seems to be a tough cut to 125, so a move to 133 would seem like a natural choice. However, Tariq Wilson burst onto the scene last year and picked up a surprising third-place finish. It is hard to imagine that NC State would not want him in the lineup next season. The current outlook at 141 appears to be for Jamel Morris to hold down the spot. He spent some time in the starting lineup last season at 133 before giving way to Wilson. It might be tough for the Wolfpack to sort out the lineup between 125 and 141 but they will almost certainly have talented and accomplished wrestlers across the weights.