InterMat Staff

When you think of sports in Kentucky, horse racing and basketball immediately come to mind. However, college wrestling appears to be growing as fast as bluegrass in Kentucky, as Midway University -- in the heart of the Bluegrass Region that's home to some of the nation's most famous horse farms -- has announced the addition of an intercollegiate wrestling program for the 2018-19 school year. Midway University becomes the third college in Kentucky to add the oldest and greatest sport to its roster in the past year or so, joining Bellarmine University which completed its inaugural season in 2016-17, and Kentucky Wesleyan College which revealed its plans for a men's mat program just this past week. Men's wrestling is just one of the new sports at Midway slated for action next year. In addition, men's volleyball, and women's track and field were approved by the school's Board of Trustees this past week. (A dance squad will join the existing cheerleading program next fall.) "Adding wrestling here seemed like a natural with Woodford County's rich history and success in this sport," said Rusty Kennedy, Athletics Director. "Add to that the lack of opportunities for young men to wrestle regionally and at the national collegiate level, this seemed like a win-win for both Midway and young men looking for an opportunity to get their education while continuing to participate in their chosen sport." The addition of wrestling and other sports will continue a wave of changes over the past year or so at Midway University, which had been exclusively a women's school until 2016. "Going co-ed and expanding athletics last year has truly transformed our campus," said Dr. John P. Marsden, President, Midway University. "We believe a vibrant athletics program enhances our institution and provides a wonderful opportunity for students to earn their degree while playing a sport they love." "Our athletics programs are showing strong results, but also our student-athletes are performing well in the classroom," Marsden continued. "Midway student-athletes posted a 3.19 GPA in the 2017 spring semester and we had had six teams that were named NAIA Scholar-Teams for the 2016-17 academic year. Additionally, Midway Athletics just received the Gold Level Champions of Character Five-Star Institution honor from the NAIA for the first time in our institution's history, an honor that highlights our dedication to pursuing character-driven athletics." Midway University competes in the River States Conference and is a member of the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics). This year Midway University has 340 student-athletes participating in 17 sports. With wrestling and the additional sports announced for fall 2018, Midway Athletics will offer competitive opportunities in 20 sports and expand to over 400 student-athletes. Midway University is located in Midway, Ky., an historic, picturesque small town located (appropriately enough) halfway between Lexington and Louisville, the two largest cities in the state. The private, liberal arts college was founded in 1847 as a women's college, but began admitting men in fall 2016. Current enrollment is approximately 1,200 students. Midway's sports teams -- including wrestling -- are the Eagles.

Five years after launching his pro mixed martial arts career -- and 8.5 after winning the NCAA wrestling title -- Darrion Caldwell has been crowned Bellator bantamweight champion. Darrion CaldwellThe 2009 NCAA champ for North Carolina State won the belt Friday night at Bellator 184 at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. by earning a unanimous decision over defending champ Eduardo Dantas in the evening's main event. All three cageside judges scored the five-round title bout in favor of Caldwell, 48-47, 48-47 and 50-45. In describing how the former collegiate mat champ won his Bellator belt, MMAJunkie.com reported, "Caldwell, who'd most recently avenged his sole career loss by beating Joe Taimanglo at Bellator 167, wrestled his way to his career's biggest win yet." "Darrion Caldwell had a game plan and he stuck with it," the website added. Sherdog.com concurred, opening its coverage of the headline event thusly: "Darrion Caldwell fought his fight." MMAFighting.com was a bit more cautious in its assessment of the Caldwell-Dantas title fight, writing, "It wasn't the most dominant performance, but the 29-year-old Caldwell mixed in his wrestling with a steady diet of leg kicks to earn the nod, with one judge rewarding him a lopsided score of 50-45." (In its live play-by-play account of the bout, Sherdog.com had Caldwell winning three rounds -- first, second and fifth, each by the score of 10-9 -- for a final score of 48-47.) The closeness of the final scoring may be indicted by this statement from MMAJunkie.com. "While Dantas did a good job at defending relentless takedown attempts -- granted, with the occasional help from the fence -- the time spent trying to escape the challenger's grip meant less offense on his end. "The result was a five-round contest in which neither fighter gave up -- but that could have used more urgency by Dantas in the fifth." Close or not, after winning the title, the newly crowned champion Caldwell posted this message on his TheWolfMMA Twitter account : "Thanks to my family, friends, teammates and sponsors. Hard work pays off!" With the win, Caldwell not only won the Bellator bantamweight belt, but also improved his record to 11-1 overall, and 8-1 in Bellator competition… while Dantas fell to 23-3 overall, and 10-2 in Bellator. Prior to entering MMA competition in September 2012, Darrion Caldwell was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American at N.C. State, winning the 149-pound title at the 2009 NCAAs with a stunning win over defending champ Brent Metcalf of the Iowa Hawkeyes in what the late amateur wrestling historian Jay Hammond considered to be one of the three biggest upsets in NCAA finals history. Caldwell was named Outstanding Wrestler for that tournament. Caldwell launched his professional MMA career in September 2012.

Wrestling will join the sports roster at Kentucky Wesleyan College starting in the 2018-19 academic year, the NCAA Division II school announced this week. Wrestling is the third men's intercollegiate sport to be added for next season at KWC, joining bowling (which was added earlier this summer) along with the reinstatement of men's tennis also revealed this week. "We are excited to add wrestling to our athletic department here at Kentucky Wesleyan," said Director of Athletics Rob Mallory. "The high school wrestling community, both nationally and regionally, is tremendously underserved with regard to participation opportunities at the collegiate level. There is a specific void of NCAA, scholarship-granting programs in our region. When combined with the outstanding tradition of high school wrestling in Western Kentucky and neighboring states, we feel strongly that our wrestling program can bolster the growth and success of Panther athletics." Kentucky Wesleyan will become the sixth school in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to offer intercollegiate wrestling, joining Alderson Broaddus, Findlay, Ohio Valley, Lake Erie, and Tiffin. KWC joins the growing list of schools offering NCAA Division II wrestling, becoming the 61st school in the nation to add a D2 wrestling program (just weeks after Ohio's Urbana University became the 60th college with Division II wrestling)… and only the second in Kentucky to have D2 wrestling, joining Bellarmine University in Louisville, whose program first took to the mats last fall. A nationwide search for a head coach for Kentucky Wesleyan's new wrestling program will begin immediately. Founded in 1858, Kentucky Wesleyan College is a private, liberal arts college located in Owensboro in western Kentucky, between Louisville and Evansville, Indiana. KWC has an enrollment of approximately 800 students. The new Panther wrestling program - along with all other varsity sports -- compete in NCAA Division II.

The Emmys were live tonight and though the results for Historical Documentary haven't been released, it's the appropriate time to recognize Foxcatcher the documentary and its ability to connect with moviegoers of all sporting backgrounds and interests. Stories sell. Not just for cash, but in views and in cultural significance. While the day-to-day highlight reels that United World Wrestling, Track and Flo put out generate plenty of shares on social media, the media that makes an impact is typically defined by those that connect with something larger than the sport. The themes may seem to vary, but tend towards the only seven stories ever told: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy and Rebirth. When a wrestling story can tap into one of these storylines through its characters and not just the action on the mat, there is sure to be significant penetration into mainstream culture. The challenge, of course, is to find these stories and to make them into something readable or watchable. Foxcatcher has managed to do that and for that it should be celebrated whether or not it wins on Thursday night, as it was an incredible feat of storytelling that through tragedy detailed the humanity of a person and showed what it takes to be the best at the oldest and greatest sport in the world. To your questions ... Daton Fix and Nathan Tomasello could meet at the U23 World Team Trials (Photos/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Daton Fix and Nathan Tomasello are both registered at 57 kilograms for the U23 World Team Trials this weekend. If the two meet, who do you predict wins and why? -- Mike C. Foley: I DON'T KNOW AND IT'S AMAZING. Several international coaches have discussed the respect they have for Daton Fix's wrestling style and ability. Ask most and they'll tell you that they expected to see him win the starting job in the USA. Why? Probably the fluidity with which he transitions through positions, but also the incredible speed with which he converts takedowns into multiple points on the mat. Fix is a special, special wrestler and one that could be a winner for the USA at 57 kilograms (along with Thomas Gilman). NATO is more straightforward. His strength is his strength, but he also has very crisp, low-risk techniques. You won't find him making many mistakes in a six-minute match, and given a high likelihood that he's in shape there won't be any technical slipups due to conditioning. If I have to choose, I very begrudgingly go with Fix, if only because he's a touch more dynamic and might be a better match against the Georgian and Russian wrestlers at the weight class. Q: Why would JB compete for an Iranian club against Titan Mercury Wrestling Club? -- Ben S. Foley: Let's start with a few clarifications since the World Clubs Cup is a bit different than the nation-based World Championships. First, Jordan Burroughs is a member of the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club and the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club is the only USA club participating in the event. Second, the deal isn't done. Third, the World Clubs Cup often sees many late pickups with wrestlers from around the world being added to rosters with a predominant nationality. Vladimer Khinchegashvili was added to the TMWC roster last year. Overall, the idea is for the Iranian club to pay Burroughs some amount of money to compete for them during the World Clubs Cup. The national allegiances are loose (as they are in EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga) and are more about the club and whatever attachment they've created among fans. Titan Mercury has been exceptional in that respect, creating a nice fan base and some major success at the international stage. Keep an eye on the story and let's see if it goes through. Should it happen it would be quite the news story. Q: I see the Blue Ribbon Task Force came out with recommendations for the college Division I season. I think most of those are worthwhile. Wrestling would benefit from a Blue Ribbon Task Force seeing what realistic changes can be made to increase youth level participation. I have mentioned USA Wrestling in the past as the spearhead for many of wrestling's initiatives. They are the leaders by default in our country. What ideas do you have, Mr. Foley? I would love to see other readers chime in. I love this sport and clearly anyone reading your column does as well. You reach a large audience. Let's get the discussion going. I fear that doing nothing will mean the virtual end of the NCAA tournament, etc. in 20 years. A positive, constructive conversation and realistic recommendations could catch fire. Thank you. Grow wrestling! -- Mike S. Foley: A Blue Ribbon Task Force for youth wrestling is a fantastic idea! In short here are the 8 things I would want to discuss and see if we could implement them into sports programs around the country. 1. Coed wrestling teams. It's being tested in NYC and has so far proven to be VERY appealing. 2. Limitation on number of competitive matches before the age of 14. USA Wrestling oversees the large majority of licenses and could implement the appropriate oversight. 3. Introduction of strict no-head touching until 14. Clubbing, batting, hands in the face. 4. Creation of a recreational style of the sport that would bring back older wrestlers looking to reconnect, who would then also become technical teachers to younger generations. 5. The total and complete eradication of the singlet. 6. Move to put programs in Indian reservations. Not technically just for youth, but I think it is a powerful tool to rebuild tribalism, honor and teach youth the discipline necessary to succeed (and fight for what is rightfully theirs). 7. Adoption of technique-only training philosophy for wrestlers under the age of 10 years old. Coaching education would need to be broadened and the incentives for coaches changes from winning to something more educational. 8. Stricter academic requirements for high school wrestlers looking to compete. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Shippensburg youth wrestling coach Bill Wolfe was among those killed during this week's shooting in Las Vegas. Thoughts are with his family and friends. Link Helen Maroulis: On the Move Ty Walz's biggest fan Q: With Chris Skretkowicz resigning as VMI's head wrestling coach, it made me curious to know what the challenges might be with succeeding as a wrestling coach at VMI. Any ideas? -- Mike C. Foley: In the current Division I coaching climate the biggest separation between programs tends to present itself in funding. Whereas 15 years ago VMI could compete with a handful of All-American candidates, those opportunities are being absorbed by regional powerhouses like Appalachian State and Chattanooga. VMI also has an issue of being a military academy, which certainly limits the recruiting process to far fewer candidates. Still, there should be enough talent available for even VMI to pull out some top-level talent from the region. Coach Skretkowicz left to pursue a career in another field, and I have nothing but respect for making that transition, even as late as October. We've seen lots of top-level coaching talent move on to different professions -- guys who weren't pushed out, but rather chose to capitalize on their talents in new, more profitable ways. Good luck to coach and to the Keydets. Q: Do you see youth club wrestling in the U.S. going the way of other youth sports like baseball, soccer, AAU basketball, football, etc.? And do you see the unintended consequences mirroring the other sports where kids will eventually only have access to high-level coaching and competition if their families are willing to pay the cost? -- Marcus R. Foley: I once believed that the professionalization of youth sports would be wrestling's fate, but as I've seen the next generation of coaches move into positions of power and influence I think the future might contain a better balance. The broader sports community has seen the detriment that overtraining and hyper focus can do to the development of a child. There are real consequences seen in their ability to learn a healthy lifestyle outside of the sport, and with too much professionalization many turn away from activity and sport. Finally, wrestling is, was and always be a sport with a high percentage of low to middle income participants. The trend in the other sports you mentioned was able to grow because the athletes tended to come from middle and upper-class families -- those who can absorb the financial strain of full-time professional coaching. Though wrestling will continue to see the sport flourish in local clubs, I don't foresee the financial costs exceeding what is payable by the sport's participants. Q: Darrion Caldwell headlines the Bellator card on Friday night. Do you think he will beat Eduardo Dantas? Both fighters have been fighting well. Caldwell has one loss in his career, which he avenged. Dantas has won five straight fights, which includes a win over Joe Warren. -- Mike C. Foley: At some point everybody beats Joe Warren. Caldwell needs to stay out of scrambles and force Dantas into half guard when they end up on the mat. Strikes that lead to cage-assisted takedowns are his best option to control Dantas and score significant strikes for damage. Dantas is also lethal from a distance, so when standing Caldwell needs to stay inside or completely out of range -- any middling distance is where Dantas find head kicks, superman punches, flying knees and extended jabs. Caldwell can win, but will need to stay disciplined. Will be worth the price of admission.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for an Oklahoma high school wrestler who passed away of undisclosed causes at his home this past weekend. Alex MorganThe Oklahoman newspaper reported Wednesday on the death of Alex Morgan, 17, was a two-year starting wrestler at Putnam City West High School in metropolitan Oklahoma City. The GoFundMe page was established to help Morgan's family with funeral expenses. News of his death was posted on the Putnam City West Patriot Wrestling Facebook page on Wednesday. "It is with great sadness, that we say goodbye to one of our own. Alex Morgan a two-year starter who was about to start his junior year passed away this past weekend. He will be missed and never forgotten by his wrestling family. Our condolences go out to his wonderful family. He was loved by all who knew him. He represented Patriot wrestling well always. We will miss you." The school has not revealed a cause of death. "Out of respect to the family we don't have a cause yet," said Jeff Hock, Putnam West's athletic director. "I can tell you that we did have a young man pass away over the weekend. Other than that, I don't have any details at this time. "Everything is being held closely to the family. Even my wrestling coach doesn't have any of the details." There was no explanation provided at the Putnam West wrestling program's Facebook page, nor at the school's official website. Despite the mystery surrounding the cause of death of the junior-class wrestler, Morgan's passing has hit the school hard. "It's certainly shaken us at the core," Hock told The Oklahoman. "We lost a teacher a week into the school year, so anytime you're dealing with a loss … we consider each other family -- students, faculty, coaches, administrators. We spend in many cases more time with each other this year than our families. It's difficult. As a father of two young boys it's difficult to process." According to the GoFundMe page, Alexander Nicholas Morgan was born August 10, 2000. The son of David and Sherrie Morgan was early in his junior year at Putnam City West High. "His teammates and coaches were a second family to him," according to the GoFundMe posting. Putnam City West High School is located in the northwest portion of the metropolitan area of Oklahoma's state capital. Established in 1968, Putnam West has a total enrollment of approximately 1,500 students. The wrestling team and all other sports teams are the Patriots.

Mark Hall defeated Zahid Valencia in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- For many wrestling fans, Mark Hall and Zahid Valencia have some unfinished business. Those fans won't have to wait long to see the two tangle once more. Two of the best young wrestlers in the world will get another crack at one another at 174 pounds 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. Two women who have spent time in the WCWA finals will do battle at 170 pounds. The NWCA All-Star Classic is hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network and sponsored by Princeton Brain and Spine and Northwestern Mutual Life. Returning NCAA champion and two-time UWW Junior world champion Hall of Penn State will square off with returning All-American and UWW Junior world silver medalist Valencia of Arizona State in what will surely be one of the highlight bouts of the evening. Fans will remember the controversial semifinal bout between the two at the 2017 NCAA Division I Championships where Hall advanced past Valencia and into the finals after receiving a crucial penalty point late in the bout -- one that took away a Valencia takedown and instead, awarded Hall a decisive point. The loss was Valencia's only one of the season as he rebounded to take third while Hall won his first NCAA Division I championship with a win in the finals. Both competed for Team USA this past summer in Tampere, Finland where Hall won his second straight Junior world championship and Valencia finished with a silver medal. Both were key components in the U.S. winning the team championship in Finland. Penn State is 17-16-3 all-time in the All-Star Classic and Hall will be the first Nittany Lion to compete in the event since David Taylor and Matt Brown participated in 2014 in Fairfax, Virginia at George Mason University. Arizona State is 13-14-1 all-time. The only All-Star Classic meeting between the teams was a 9-5 decision by Ray Miller of Arizona State over Dave Hart of Penn State at 167 pounds in 1993 at Lehigh. Two-time All-American and 2017 WCWA champion Jessica Rottier will represent the University of the Cumberlands at 170 pounds. Rottier will face Brandy Lowe of McKendree, another two-time All-American. Rottier, a native of Little Suamico, Wisconsin, went 31-1 as a sophomore and earned 15 falls en route to her first WCWA championship. Two of Rottier's three falls in the national championship came in under a minute. Lowe bounced back from a quarterfinal loss to finish third at the same weight class. Lowe started her career at Ottawa University in Kansas, where she finished as the runner-up at 191 pounds at the 2015 WCWA championships. She was 32-8 last season and was a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier. Both are accomplished on the age-group levels, with Rottier placing six times in two different age-groups at the USA Wrestling Cadet & Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota, including two second-place finishes. 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 LIVE WEBCAST: trackwrestling.com 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: 285: Women 101: 109: 116: 123: 130: 136: 143: Mallory Velte, Sr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Desiree Zavala, So. (Grays Harbor) 155: 170: Jessica Rottier, Jr. (U. of the Cumberlands) vs. Brandy Lowe, Sr. (McKendree) 191: Note: Women's college wrestling competes under international freestyle rules.

This Kansas senior class has its work cut out for it following a state record, 11 Division I signees in 2017. There is depth and talent in our wrestling rich state, as the nation's college coaches return to our well to fill their rosters. It is once again, my pleasure to introduce the top ten and honorable mention wrestlers in the Kansas Class of 2018. Jace Koelzer after winning a Cadet Greco-Roman title in Fargo in 2016 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) 1. Jace Koelzer (Olathe South) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: In 2017, Koelzer joined the group of elite Kansas wrestlers to earn six Fargo All-American finishes. After winning a Fargo Cadet National title and a USAW Folkstyle Nationals title in 2016, he jumped to the Junior division at Fargo and placed in both styles. As a veteran on our national dual teams, his mental tenacity and non-stop motor have served as the example to follow for his teammates. He verbally committed to Northern Colorado. Words from the corner: "Jace has been a program changer. He is one of the most mentally tough wrestlers I've ever worked with. He is a top-notch student, fierce competitor, great leader, and a wonderful young man. On the mat, I would describe Jace as a technician with a gas tank. He keeps an incredible pace at all times, scores with a wide range of attacks on his feet, and is a hammer on top. Jace has over 100 wins through three seasons, has won a state title and finished third, a six-time Fargo All-American and NHSCA Junior Nationals champion. Jace is going to make a difference in college." -- Head coach Conor Fitzgerald 2. Jalin Harper (Manhattan) Projected High School Weight Class: 160/170 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Analysis: Harper has a career record of 119-11 with 78 pins. He is a three-time state placer, winning a state title in 2017. While being a relative newcomer to Olympic styles, he has made huge strides winning a freestyle state championship, a Southern Plains Greco-Roman championship and finished the season in Fargo as a Junior Freestyle All-American. Every time Harper has wrestled on my dual teams, his high character and passion make him stand out among the crowd. His length and body style has college coaches swarming all over him. Words from the corner: "Jalin has been a fierce competitor for MHS since his first challenge bout against a returning state runner-up. He displays strength with his team-first leadership skills and has a strong moral character. Jalin is a community leader with his volunteer skills at youth programs, and a role model with his high academic standing. Jalin is a multi-sport athlete, a three-year starter and letter winner in wrestling and football and one year in baseball. With his excellent classroom work, he would be a prize recruit for any college program." -- Head coach Robert Gonzales 3. Marcus Robinson (Arkansas City) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 Analysis: Robinson has his sights on his fourth state championship with a career 119-21 record. His high school career is filled with highlight reel scrambles with his speed and agility topping the charts. He also excels in the classroom, which has moved him up the list of notable prospects on the national level. Words from the corner: "Marcus Robinson will be trying to become Arkansas City High School's fourth four-time state wrestling champion. Marcus has put himself in this position through hard work and a willingness to do what it takes to succeed. Marcus is a true student of wrestling. He studies film not only of himself, but the world's best wrestlers. He then spends countless hours drilling, wrestling, conditioning and strength training. Marcus will be a great leader for the Arkansas City High School wrestling team this year on and off the wrestling mat. He is still undecided as to where he will continue his wrestling and academic future, but whichever college he chooses, will be getting a gem." -- Head coach Greg Buckbee 4. Jevon Parrish (Olathe North) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 Analysis: Parrish has a career record of 121-19, is a three-time state placer, winning a state title in 2017 with a 35-1 record through a very tough schedule. He splashed onto the national scene with a runner-up finish at the UWW Cadet World Team Trials in 2017. His pure athleticism makes him a crowd pleaser! Words from the corner: "Jevon exemplifies all the traits you want to see in a young man. He works hard in the classroom and earns high grades. He leads by example on the football field in the fall. In fact, he is willing to play anywhere on the field to help the team. Once winter hits Jevon kicks into another gear. His work ethic in the wrestling room is second to none. Every drill every live wrestling match is 110 percent. You cannot tell if he's ahead, behind or a good or bad day with Jevon. He has one gear … and that's all in." -- Head coach Josh Carroll 5. Jake Beeson (Arkansas City) Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Analysis: With a career record of 116-20, Beeson may be the most athletically gifted wrestlers in Kansas. He finished 42-2 last year, winning a state title while sharpening himself through one of the toughest schedules. If you spend any time with this kid, you walk away knowing he loves to compete. College coaches take notice. His upside is unlimited. Words from the corner: "Jake Beeson is one of the most naturally talented wrestlers Arkansas City High School has ever seen. Jake understands his body and wrestling and has the ability to put himself in great positions. This natural ability teamed with his willingness to work hard and learn has made Jake a privilege to coach. Jake will be vying for his fourth state medal and second high school state championship this year, to go along with many other accolades, including seven kids state championships, two Kansas Triple Crowns, and a Tulsa National title to name a few." -- Head coach Greg Buckbee 6. Michael Spangler (Kapaun Mt. Carmel) Projected High School Weight Class: 120 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: On the heels of a stellar kids career, Spangler entered high school almost 15 pounds below the lowest class. The last two years he has surpassed even some of the highest projections. He is 77-5 over that time with two state titles and is a two-time USAW Folkstyle Nationals All-American. His skills on his feet put him on the top shelf in the nation for technicians. Words from the corner: "Michael is an extremely hard worker. He epitomizes a team player as he wrestled 113 and even 120 as a 106-pounder just to help in duals. He is very explosive on his feet with a variety of offensive attacks and continues to work in the offseason to get better." -- Head coach Tim Dryden 7. Conner Ward (Mill Valley) Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Ward is a three-time state finalist with a career 113-14 record and a USAW folkstyle All-American in 2016. As a veteran of many of our national dual teams, some of my most memorable matches are his. With an endless gas tank, he can always be counted on by his teammates. Nobody likes to lose, but this kid HATES to lose. Any college coach is going to love him. Words from the corner: "Conner is a young man that has a great passion for the sport of wrestling. He seeks out the toughest training and competition opportunities to help him improve to be the best he can be. His positive attitude and strong work ethic have helped him achieve at a high level on and off the mat." -- Head coach Travis Keal 8. Garrett Lange (Goddard) Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Analysis: Lange has a career record of 114-19 while standing on the podium all three years. He won a state title in 2017 and was a USAW Cadet folkstyle All-American in 2015. He has been a great contributor to our national dual teams and has left me with many memories of his battles on the mat. Words from the corner: "Garrett has matured over the past couple years and become a great asset to our program. He wrestles very physical and has continued to work hard this summer to finish his high school career on a high note. Garrett plans on attending Cowley Community College and wrestling there." -- Head coach Brett Means 9. Nick Jouret (Olathe South) Projected High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: With a career record of 126-17, Jouret finished third as a freshman and again as a sophomore before winning a state title in 2017. He looks to shatter the 150-win mark and add to his 2015 folkstyle All-American finish. This kid is fun to watch and will make any college program better. Words from the corner: "Nick Jouret is a coach's dream. No matter where we go, Nick is one of the most impressive athletes in the gym. The star quarterback shines on both the gridiron and the mat for Olathe South. On the mat, I would describe Nick as explosive -- and his arsenal of attacks continues to evolve and improve. Nick's potential in college is through the roof. He's an elite level athlete with room to grow, and he's one of the most coachable kids I've ever worked with." -- Head coach Conor Fitzgerald 10. Christopher Ball (Hoisington) Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: Ball is a three-time state finalist and two-time champion with a 119-9 career record. He is also a talented track athlete, picking up three state medals this past year with his specialty in the pole vault, placing in the top four every season. He comes from a family of elite wrestlers and has that rare character that was obvious the first time I met him. Words from the corner: "Chris is a leader in the wrestling room and is an outstanding student in the classroom, having been almost a perfect 4.0 student to date. He shows exceptional class in both winning and losing and he is very active in church, serving as a counselor at some of the Christian camps during the summer. Christopher Ball is just a great kid to have in any school. I feel extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to get to coach him." -- Head coach Dan Schmidt Honorable Mention: Austin Andres (Goddard) Chris Cox (Oakley) Cordel Duhart (Blue Valley Southwest) Terrell Garraway (Olathe North) Ryan Johnson (Norton) Tate Steele (Lawrence Free State) Riley Tubbs (Wabaunsee)

Chris Skretkowicz LEXINGTON, Va. -- Following an 11-year tenure at the Institute, VMI head wrestling coach Chris Skretkowicz announced Wednesday that he is resigning his post to pursue an outside professional opportunity. VMI assistant coach Richard Lavorato has been appointed interim head coach of the program. "I would like to thank Dr. Diles as well as all of our administrators, coaches and wrestlers that I have worked with over the past 11 years," Skretkowicz said. "It has truly been an honor to work with everyone at VMI. I have chosen to pursue a career away from coaching and I look forward to supporting the Keydets at future sporting events." In the past three seasons as the program's head coach, Skretkowicz led his team to 11 victories, including five Southern Conference wins. In 2016, he coached freshman Neal Richards to the NCAA Tournament, the fourth wrestler of his tenure to qualify for the national tournament. That season, the Keydets doubled their point total at the SoCon Tournament from the previous season with 27 points. Another highlight of the year came when junior Dalton Henderson won the 125-pound title at the All-Academy Championships hosted by VMI. Named head coach of the program in April 2014, Skretkowicz led his 2014-15 squad to six dual wins, the most since the 2011-12 season. Sophomore Shabaka Johns placed second at the SoCon Tournament and senior Juan Adams won the heavyweight title at the All-Academy Championships. Prior to serving as the interim head coach during the 2013-14 season, Skretkowicz served as an assistant coach for the program from 2006 to 2013, a period in which he helped coach Corry Murray (2007) and Josh Wine (2008, 2011) to individual SoCon titles and NCAA Tournament appearances. Before his arrival at VMI, Skretkowicz had an outstanding wrestling career as a student-athlete at Hofstra University where he was a two-time All-American (2003, 2004) and three-time Colonial Athletic Association champion at 197 pounds. He went 140-24 overall during his four years as a member of the Pride wrestling team including a perfect 26-0 record versus CAA opponents. He also placed three times at the prestigious Midlands tournament and won the 197-pound title at the 2004 Cliff Keen tournament in Las Vegas. "We thank Chris for all his contributions moving VMI Wrestling forward during his 11 years of service," said VMI Athletics Director Dr. Dave Diles. "Chris informed me that he desired to move into another profession, and while I'm disappointed that he will be leaving VMI, I know that his contributions to the program will be ongoing. We wish him the best as he embarks on this new opportunity." The search for a permanent head coach will commence in the winter with the expectation that an announcement will be made shortly after the conclusion of the season.

2017 marks the fifth year for the Who's Number One all-star matches put on by FloWrestling. Like in previous years, the event will be hosted at Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University. Wrestling is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. There will be ten matches involving high school male athletes with an additional match involving female athletes. An overview of the matches is below, and they are listed in order of contest. 113: Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.) vs. Kurt McHenry (St. Paul's, Md.) This matchup places wrestlers that made world teams in freestyle this offseason, Heinselman as a Junior at 50 kilograms and McHenry as a Cadet at 46 kilos. At the world level, McHenry won a second straight world title. Heinselman, the Ohio State verbal commit ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 1 nationally at 106 pounds, and is currently ranked No. 40 overall in the Class of 2018. McHenry ended last high school season ranked No. 2 nationally at 106 pounds, and is No. 8 overall in the Class of 2019 120 pounds: Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) vs. Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) While a known commodity prior to high school, Howard burst onto the scene with a runner-up at the Super 32 Challenge last fall in the 113-pound weight class. Furthermore, the nation's No. 1 wrestler in the Class of 2020 made the UWW Cadet world team in freestyle at 54 kilograms this spring. In that same Super 32 bracket, McKee placed third; splitting matches against Antonio Mininno, a wrestler that beat Howard in the state final during the high school season. Two-time state champion McKee is ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2018, after winning a Junior National freestyle title at 120 pounds this spring, and ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 13 at 120 pounds; Howard finished last high school season ranked No. 4 at 113. 170 pounds: Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.) vs. Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) Two-time Super 32 placer Hidlay is ranked No. 25 overall in the Class of 2018 after earning runner-up finishes in both styles at this summer's Junior Nationals in Fargo. He finished the 2016-17 season ranked as the No. 6 wrestler nationally at 160 pounds after winning a state title and a Flo Nationals title. The highlight of the 2016-17 scholastic season for Ramirez, ranked No. 7 overall in the Class of 2019, was his Beast of the East title that came with wins over both David Carr and Shane Griffith. Despite being upset in the quarterfinals at National Preps, Ramirez ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 12 nationally at 152 pounds. 152 pounds: Brayton Lee (Brownsburg, Ind.) vs. Justin McCoy (Chestnut Ridge, Pa.) This match places a pair of wrestlers who were Junior National freestyle All-Americans this summer at 145 pounds, Lee placing third and McCoy in sixth. During the course of the tournament, Lee beat both wrestlers whom McCoy lost to (Alex Lloyd and Sammy Sasso). Each is ranked within the top 50 of the Class of 2018, Lee is eleventh, while McCoy is 49th. Both were state champions during the past high school season at 145 pounds, Lee ended 2016-17 ranked fourth nationally, while McCoy was just outside the top 20. 126 pounds: Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.) vs. Patrick Glory (Delbarton, N.J.) These wrestlers met in an excellent Powerade final almost two years ago, when Teasdale beat Glory 6-5 on December 30, 2015 at 113 pounds. Three-time state champion Teasdale is undefeated for high school career, is a two-time Cadet World team participant, and won a Junior National freestyle title in 2016; while three-time state finalist Glory (2017 state champion) is also a two-time Super 32 finalist (October 2016 champion) and placed third in Junior freestyle this summer. The pair of wrestlers are ranked No. 4 and No. 21 respectively in the Class of 2018; Teasdale ended 2016-17 ranked No. 3 at 126 pounds, while Glory was No. 1 at 120. 132 pounds: Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.) vs. Joey Silva (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) This match pits a pair of top ten in the Class of 2018 wrestlers against one another, the Penn State commit Bravo-Young is ranked No. 5, while Michigan commit Silva is ranked No. 9. At the end of the 2016-17 season, Bravo-Young was ranked No. 2 at 132, while Silva was No. 4 nationally. Bravo-Young was a Cadet world team member in 2016 at 54 kilograms, and is a two-time Cadet National double champion (2014 and 2015); while Silva is a two-time Super 32 champion and was champion at the NHSCA freshman, sophomore, and junior nationals. 138 pounds: Jacori Teemer (Long Beach, N.Y.) vs. Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) Both wrestlers in this match are three-time state champions ranked within the top 15 of the Class of 2018. Arizona State commit Teemer is ranked No. 10 in the senior class after earning a spot on the Cadet World team at 63 kilograms, where he earned a bronze medal; while Virginia Tech commit Moore is ranked No. 13 in the 2018 class and is a three-time Super 32 placer. Both wrestlers ended the 2016-17 season ranked nationally at 132 pounds, Teemer was ninth, while Moore was third. David Carr after winning a Junior freestyle title in Fargo (Photo/Jim Thrall) 160 pounds: David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) vs. Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind./NLWC) This folkstyle bout will be a rubber match of sorts, as these elite Class of 2018 wrestlers split a pair of freestyle bouts this offseason, Lee winning at UWW Juniors in the spring and Carr taking home their match this summer at Junior freestyle in Fargo. Carr is ranked No. 7 overall in the senior class, and is the top uncommitted wrestler, having already won four state titles (including eighth grade in Kentucky) and earning a Junior National freestyle title this summer in Fargo. Lee is ranked No. 16 overall and is already training at Penn State; he will also forego his senior season scholastically. At the end of the 2016-17 season, Carr was No. 3 at 152 pounds, while Lee was No. 8. Women's 125: Gracie Figueroa (Selma, Calif.) vs. Macey Kilty (Stratford, Wis.) Both wrestlers in this match won bronze medals at the Cadet World championships in 2016. 195 pounds: Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) vs. Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.) Both wrestlers in this bout are ranked among the top 15 Class of 2018 wrestlers nationally, Penn State commit Beard is sixth, while Ohio State commit Hoffman is fourteenth. Two-time National Prep champion Beard ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 2 nationally at 195 pounds, while during the season was champion at both the Ironman and Beast of the East down at 182 before moving up a weight class. Two-time state champion Hoffman was a Cadet world bronze medalist last month, and in the previous scholastic season was a Flo Nationals champion and Super 32 runner-up; he ended the season ranked No. 6 at 195 nationally. 145 pounds: Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.) vs. Anthony Artalona (Tampa Prep, Fla.) This is another rubber match of sorts in folkstyle, after the pair of wrestlers split freestyle matches this offseason; Sasso winning at Junior Duals, while Artalona won in the semifinal round of the Junior Nationals in Fargo. Ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2018, Sasso ended the season ranked No. 2 at 138 pounds after steamrolling his way through the competition at the Super 32, Ironman, Beast of the East, state tournament, and Flo Nationals. Two-time state champion Artalona is ranked No. 20 in the Class of 2018, ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 10 at 152, and added a Junior National freestyle title in Fargo this summer.

Darian Cruz (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com The first two matches for the 52nd NWCA All-Star Classic have been released and they feature a 2017 NCAA Division I Champion and a two-time women's college champion and U.S. Women's World Team member. The NWCA All-Star Classic is hosted by Wrestlers in Business Network and sponsored by Princeton Brain and Spine and Northwestern Mutual Life. The first men's matchup announced is at 125 pounds where returning NCAA Division I champion Darian Cruz will make the 90 trek to Jadwin Gym on the campus of Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey on November 5 to take on another All-American, Oklahoma State's Nick Piccininni. Cruz went 31-2 en route to his second All-American finish last season. He defeated Minnesota's Ethan Lizak 6-3 at 125 pounds to win Lehigh's 28th individual NCAA championship. Piccininni placed fourth last season coming into the NCAA championship in St. Louis as the No. 8 seed. He went 27-8 on the year. Cruz was a two-time high school state champion in Pennsylvania at Bethlehem Catholic, while Piccininni was four-time high school state champion in New York for Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, New York. The two have not met in NCAA competition. Lehigh is 17-15 all-time in All-Star Classic matches and 2-0 in head-to-head matches against wrestlers from Oklahoma State. The last head-to-head meeting at the event came in 2003 when Jon Trenge of Lehigh topped Muhammad Lawal of Oklahoma State 6-4 in overtime. The Cowboys are 44-40-6 individually. Simon Fraser's Mallory Velte will take on Grays Harbor College's Desiree Zavala at 143 pounds in the first women's match announced. Velte, a native of Sacramento, California, represented the United States at the 2017 World Championships in Paris and will be the first wrestler from Simon Fraser to compete in the event. Simon Fraser is the only school in Canada that's a member of the NCAA. A three-time Women's College Wrestling Association All-American, Velte has captured WCWA championships each of the last two years. This past August, Velte was part of the U.S. Women's World Team that finished second in the world -- she placed 14th at 63kg/138 pounds. Velte was third at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and a fifth-place finisher at the 2015 Junior World Championships in Salvador, Brazil. Zavala, a sophomore at Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Washington, finished third at the 2017 WCWA championships while wrestling at Southern Oregon University. A four-time high school state champion from Grandview, Washington, Zavala went 30-3 last year as a freshman and also qualified for the U.S. World Team Trials. The two met twice last season with Velte taking both matches including a 12-0 technical superiority victory in the WCWA semifinals in Oklahoma City. 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 LIVE WEBCAST: trackwrestling.com INFO: www.goallstarclassic.com ANNOUNCED MATCHUPS Men 125: Darian Cruz, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Nick Piccininni, So. (Oklahoma State) 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: 184: 197: 285: Women 101: 109: 116: 123: 130: 136: 143: Mallory Velte, Sr. (Simon Fraser) vs. Desiree Zavala, So. (Grays Harbor) 155: 170: 191: Note: Women's college wrestling competes under international freestyle rules.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Last weekend, J Robinson, founder of JROB Intensive Camps and three-time NCAA national champion wrestling coach, was honored by Minneapolis nonprofit humanitarian organization Smile Network International (SNI) as one of this year's "Champion of Hope" award recipients. Since 2012, Robinson has placed a donation box at each one of the four JROB Intensive Camps and encouraged campers to donate. The Robinson family then matches their donations dollar-for-dollar, resulting in donations totaling $43,653 over the past five years. At each of the four JROB Intensive Camps, Robinson and his staff focus on teaching life skills called "The J7"-- Discipline, Dedication, Sacrifice, Hard Work, Responsibility, Accountability, and Service. Camp directors and counselors stress the importance of being a community leader through kindness, inclusiveness, and helping those in need, but just like anything else, service is a learned skill. For that reason, donation boxes are placed in the camp store and campers are urged to donate throughout camp. "We chose the Smile Network as a fundraising operation because in dealing with our young campers, we know for them to buy in they have to see meaningful results that are realistic to achieve," said Robinson. Part of what we teach at camp is service and the importance of doing something to help someone else. Knowing that they have changed someone's life forever gives them a sense of being part of something bigger than their immediate goals in sports." SNI funds surgical missions to developing countries and provides necessary supplies needed to repair birth defects, with a focus on cleft lips, cleft palates and other conditions requiring surgical intervention. The surgeries are free of charge and are available to children who would otherwise go untreated. For $500 per surgery, a child who once lived with shame will be given the gift of a happier and healthier life. More information can be found at smilenetwork.org.

Nick Sulzer, a three-time All-American at the University of Virginia, has been hired as an assistant coach of the New York University wrestling team. He will be focusing mainly in the practice room on skills development. Nick SulzerA 2015 UVA graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, Sulzer went on to earn a Master in Higher Education Administration degree in 2015, also from Virginia. A four-year member of the Cavaliers' Division I wrestling squad, Sulzer became only the second team member to earn NCAA All-America honors three times, all at 165 pounds. He twice was selected to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team and earned Virginia's Top Athletic Scholar Award and its Wrestling Leadership Award in 2015. Sulzer's on-mat performances helped lead Virginia to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship in 2015. "To bring in someone with his credentials will be a tremendous help to our team and individual development," said Head Coach Bruce Haberli. "Our wrestlers are followers of the sport, and I'm confident they will respond extremely well to Nick." Following his career as a student-athlete, Sulzer became an assistant wrestling coach at The Wrestling Factory of Cleveland from 2015-17, where he was responsible for implementing specific practice plans and mentoring young high school wrestlers. "I'm really excited for the opportunity to give back and share both my wrestling and life experiences with the team and see what positive effects I can have," Sulzer said. A native of Cleveland, OH, Sulzer currently resides in Manhattan.

Mark Perry and Tom Brands coaching Thomas Gilman (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Mark Perry, two-time NCAA champ for the University of Iowa who is now head coach of the Hawkeye wrestling club, is the one and only guest for "On the Mat" on Wednesday, October 4. "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. CT on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

Bill and Robyn Wolfe at the 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas A Pennsylvania elementary school wrestling coach was among the 59 killed in a mass shooting at a concert in Las Vegas late Sunday night. Bill Wolfe, Jr. served as an elementary school wrestling coach for the Shippensburg Area School District near Harrisburg. He and his wife Robyn had attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival near the Las Vegas Strip when shots rang out from the 32d floor of the nearby Mandalay Bay Resort, killing 59 attendees and wounding hundreds more. The sniper, 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, killed himself in his hotel room as police broke in to stop the shooting. The couple, who was attending the Jason Aldean concert to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary, had become separated during the shooting. While Robyn Wolfe was uninjured, friends and family were unable to locate Bill Wolfe for more than a day. His death was confirmed by Shippensburg police on Facebook at approximately 10 a.m. Eastern time Tuesday. "It is with the most of broken hearts, the families of Bill Wolfe Jr. and his wife Robyn share that Bill has been confirmed to be among the deceased as a result of the mass attack in Las Vegas. Please continue to hold our entire family as well as those affected across the nation in your unending prayers. "At this time we ask that you respect the family's privacy during this horrific time. "Thank you." The Shippensburg Greyhound Wrestling Facebook page confirmed the police report minutes later, along with a plea for prayers for the family, and donations to help with expenses. "We are broken-hearted to share that Bill did pass. If you are able please consider donating to the GoFundMe we have setup. There will be many unanticipated expenses in the coming weeks for the Wolfe family. You can mail donations as well. We will post more information as it becomes available. Until then please keep them close to your heart in prayers of comfort and peace. Thank you again for your outpouring of support." As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe page had generated nearly $4,000 of its goal of $10,000. For those who would prefer to make a donation by mail, checks may be sent to: Wolfe Family Fund, 1475 Orchard Rd, Chambersburg, PA 17202. Please make checks payable to Shippensburg Wrestling Boosters along with a note of designation. The ABC-TV affiliate in Pittsburgh reported that the Shippensburg community held a prayer vigil for Bill Wolfe and the other victims of the Las Vegas mass shooting on Monday evening at Doc Norcross Stadium in Shippensburg. Hundreds of people turned out for the event. Shippensburg High School varsity wrestling coach Tony Yaniello told the Patriot-News that Bill Wolfe has been the head elementary coach for about two years. Prior to that, he was an assistant coach at the high school and long-time president of the booster club. In addition to coaching wrestling, Wolfe had also mentored a local Little League baseball team. "He's built a legacy as a coach in the community," Yaniello told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "There's so many people who are upset about this. He's going to truly be missed." In addition to his coaching, Wolfe had a long career in engineering. Most recently, he had worked in Carlisle, Pa. at Dewberry, an engineering consultant group based in Fairfax, Va. Prior to that, Wolfe had worked at Carl Bert & Associates, Surveyors, working as a lead engineer. "Other than family, there was no one that I was closer to professionally and personally, as he was a friend and good Christian brother in the Lord," company president Carl Bert wrote in an email Tuesday. "He was a class act in every way." Wolfe, 42, leaves behind his wife of 20 years, Robyn, and their two sons, Ethan and Trevor. UPDATE 10/9/17 A celebration of life service honoring Bill Wolfe, Jr. will be held Friday, Oct. 13. For details, visit http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/18714

Helen Maroulis (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) In 2015, Helen Maroulis made a decision that would change her life, moving to California to study under Coach Valentin Kalika. Now she's moved again -- this time to NYC -- to stay with Coach Kalika.

UW-La Crosse has a new wrestling room Ever had a home that was simply too small ... so small, that everyone seems to be on top of each other? That was the situation in the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse wrestling room ... until now, as the Eagles move from one of the smallest in college wrestling to one of the largest, according to head wrestling coach Dave Malecek. The new practice facility - located in the lower level of the Cartwright Center on campus -- is spacious, to be sure. It weighs in at 7,500 square feet, with three full-size mats, each equipped with a television monitor, to easily accommodate the entire UW-La Crosse wrestling team's workout session. Along with the wrestling area, the new room also features a full suite of workout equipment, including three full squat racks along with dumbbells and free weights are available as well as a treadmill, Airdynes and ellipitical machines. A 55-inch television is also located near the weights. The UW-La Crosse wrestling practice facility is spacious ... and complete. There's a team meeting area, an area for athletic trainers, bleachers for fans and friends to watch practice sessions in person, and offices for each of the three coaches. If all this weren't enough, the Eagles' new wrestling facility now has a 2,000-square-foot lounge -- complete with 70-inch television -- for wrestlers to gather and relax before and after practice.

Gabe Dean (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gabe Dean, one of Cornell University's most accomplished wrestlers, has graduated to a new assignment in the Big Red practice room as volunteer coach, the upstate New York school announced Friday. Dean replaces Donnie Vinson, who recently accepted an assistant coaching position at North Carolina State University, working with Pat Popolizio, his coach at New York's Binghamton University prior to when Popolizio became head coach for the Wolfpack. Here's what Dean said on Facebook about his new assignment at his alma mater: "Excited for this year and to be a part of this program from the coaching side." The two-time NCAA champ told NewYorkWrestlingNews.com that he's thrilled to launch his coaching career with the coaches who helped shape his successful wrestling career at Cornell. "It's awesome to have this opportunity. It's what I want to do with my life -- be a college coach," said Dean. "I had the influences of Damion [Hahn], Mike [Grey] and Coach [Rob] Koll during blessed and lucky." "The coaches at Cornell helped me develop so much as a person during my career," Dean continued. "All the off the mat stuff was so important and I'd like to have that same kind of impact on the kids I coach. Those are the things that really matter at the end of the day." Dean is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with the wrestlers who once worked out alongside him in the Big Red wrestling room. "It's really awesome to be here for all the guys," Dean told the New York-focused wrestling website. "As a coach now, especially for the young guys, I have the chance to help them achieve their goals and prepare for the season. Everybody coaches everybody here -- it's not super specific. I'll just be helping and running individual workouts with everyone -- from little guys to the big guys." Dean, who graduated from Cornell this spring, has an impressive resume of on-the-mat achievements to share with current-generation wrestlers. A three-time national finalist at 184 pounds, Dean posted a career record of 152-7 with 101 bonus wins, both school records, and never finished lower than third at nationals. He is one of just 11 wrestlers in more than 100 years to win four Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) titles and was a two-time Ivy League Wrestler of the Year. The four-time, first-team All-Ivy League pick was the 2014 Ivy League and EIWA Rookie of the Year and was a two-time Coaches Trophy Award winner as the most outstanding wrestler at the EIWA meet. Even though he has accepted the volunteer coach assignment, Gabe Dean isn't hanging up his singlet just yet. Dean continues to wrestle Greco-Roman, and plans to compete next at the U23 Trials on Oct. 7 in Rochester, Minn. at 98 kilograms/215.5 pounds. And, if wrestling and coaching weren't enough, Dean plans to assist with Cornell wrestling's marketing efforts. "I'm one of the people working on the new Redman's Army Facebook page," Dean said. "It's about connecting our wrestlers to their fans and even moreso to the student body here at Cornell. It's important that people get to know the guys a little bit -- maybe through funny videos, seeing the shenanigans and the goofiness of our team behind the scenes. That helps fans connect with the wrestlers and come to the matches to support them."

Shaun Lally has resigned as Muhlenberg College head wrestling coach. The Pennsylvania-based school announced Lally's departure Friday. Lally, who took the reins of the Mules wrestling team in 2014, is credited with turning around a once-struggling program ... a program that, in the early part of the decade, had trouble filling out a full roster. Under Lally, the Muhlenberg mat program now has more than 20 wrestlers, and turned around its on-the-mat performance as well. This past year, Muhlenberg tallied ten wins, the most in 14 seasons. "It's been one hell of a ride and I can't believe all of the amazing things that we accomplished in just under 3 years," wrote Lally in a Twitter message. "The program's rise is a credit to so many good people who supported and believed in my abilities. It's been one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of. For me, I'm moving in a different direction from college coaching but still can't wait to see this team beat Ursinus!" A native New Yorker, Lally grew up in the Lehigh Valley that's home to Muhlenberg. He wrestled at Parkland High School, then headed west to continue his academic and athletic career at University of Pittsburgh. Prior to coaching the Mules, Lally coached at the middle and high school level, then served as head coach at Stony Brook University in New York. Muhlenberg is already seeking a new head coach. In the meantime, assistant coaches Sonnieboy Blanco and Andrew Drake will run the mat program. Located in Allentown, Pa. in the heart of the Lehigh Valley wrestling hotbed, Muhlenberg is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Enrollment is approximately 2,200 students. The Mules wrestling program -- and all other Muhlenberg sports teams -- compete in NCAA Division III.

A dual meet last season between Arizona State and Ohio State (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Imagine the college wrestling season fitting into a single semester, starting in January, and concluding in April. What's more, dual meets could have a greater impact on determining national champions. Those concepts may become reality, as a Blue Ribbon Task Force for NCAA wrestling has been looking at ways to ensure the future of the sport, and make it better for athletes, coaches and fans. Award-winning wrestling writer Andy Hamilton outlined these proposed changes in a feature article for Trackwrestling.com this week. "The task force assigned to examine the sport's long-term health has unanimously approved schedule adjustments that, if passed by the NCAA, would squeeze the Division I season into one semester, culminating with a late-April dual championship tournament," according to Hamilton. The task force -- comprised of wrestling coaches, athletic directors, conference commissioners, as well as NCAA executive vice president of regulatory affairs Oliver Luck (former athletic director at West Virginia University) -- has proposed two fundamental changes to the structure of the college wrestling season: Shifting the wrestling season from the current one that roughly spans from Halloween to St. Patrick's Day, to a new calendar that corresponds to what most colleges would consider to be spring semester, from about New Year's Day to the end of April, making wrestling a single-semester sport. Incorporating a greater emphasis on dual meets, by having the season conclude with a two-week dual meet tournament that would be held after the traditional conference and NCAA Wrestling Championships. Let's take a look at each of these components. A single-semester season Arguably the reason for concentrating the college wrestling season into spring semester is ... for the wrestlers. This shift would provide freshmen the entire fall semester to get acclimatized to all the challenges of the college experience, including more rigorous coursework, learning time-management skills, dealing with dorm-mates and roommates, and missing friends and family back home. "If you just look at the facts with wrestling in general, we have a lot of first-generation college students and I think when you add in these kids coming to school and starting preseason right away, cutting weight and trying to get certified for the beginning of the year and then competing really close to those first final exams, it puts a lot of stress on the athletes in that first year," Troy Nickerson, head wrestling coach at Northern Colorado and a Blue Ribbon Task Force member, told Trackwrestling.com. "That's one of the big reasons why we chose the second semester being a better fit for it." The thinking behind the spring-semester season shift may draw from past practice. Until about 1970, college wrestlers were prohibited by the NCAA from competing in intercollegiate wrestling matches as freshmen ... with the idea of giving new college student-athletes an entire school year to get accustomed to all the challenges of first-year college life. What might a single-semester wrestling season look like? According to Blue Ribbon Task Force facilitator Jim Fallis, the proposed NCAA Division I* season would start on or around Nov. 10 with official practices ... with competition beginning during the break between semesters. The first half of the season would feature a mixture of duals and individual tournaments leading up to March's conference tournaments and the NCAA Championships. However, that would NOT be the end of the college wrestling season ... (* What about NCAA Division II and Division III? Fallis told Trackwrestling.com that if keeping the season as is would work best for D2 and D3, they can do that.) An enhanced dual meet focus Once the NCAA Championships were completed, the season would only consist of duals, culminating with a two-weekend, 16-team dual tournament held on college campuses. The bracket would be filled by conference dual champions and at-large selections, Trackwrestling.com reported. The top eight seeds would each host dual meets on the dual tournament's first weekend. The top remaining seed after the first weekend would play host to an eight-team championship bracket the following weekend. This dual meet championship may well be a major factor -- or, perhaps even THE determining factor -- in crowning a team titlewinner. "We need to find a way to make the dual meet matter more," Troy Nickerson told Trackwrestling.com. "Dual meets are exciting. You're always going to have your wrestling fans, but I think a dual meet is much more likely to capture that casual fan. They can conceptualize that a little bit easier than sitting eight hours at a tournament all day long." For a number of years, the NCAA has been promoting the idea of greater emphasis on dual meets. In a report incorporating a survey of attendees at the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the collegiate sports organization seemed to be laying the groundwork for arguing its "team component" proposal -- also referred to as a "dual team competition component." Back then, the NCAA's proposed a dual meet tournament spanning three weekends in February, with teams earning points which would be a factor in determining team titles at the NCAAs. The proposal would have 70 percent of the team race be determined by the present method of points garnered by individual wrestlers at the NCAA championships, and 30 percent from this new dual meet tournament. This would be a significant change from how team titles have been determined for decades -- strictly based on points scored by wrestlers during the tournament -- and has generated some strong opposition. What is the thinking behind an emphasis on dual meets? In its 2014 report, the NCAA stated that the dual team competition component will attract "younger fans that may not have the time or resources to attend the NCAA individual component championships ... However, they can commit two hours to attend a dual match at a nearby school." In a May 2015 article titled "The Graying of the NCAAs", this writer cited the report on the 2014 NCAAs which explained the importance of developing more wrestling fans by reaching out to casual sports fans, especially near college campuses. The report went on to state a number of projected outcomes if its team component proposal were implemented, including more focus on team competition during the season, increase in fan affinity and attraction of more casual fans, additional media exposure and increased broadcast opportunities, and additional recognition opportunities for wrestling teams and institutions. "Dual meets provide a clear picture of competition for fans who currently sit outside the day-to-day of the sport," wrote T.R. Foley in his "Foley's Friday Mailbag" for InterMat on Friday, Sept. 29. "The meets are easier to televise, discuss and promote. I'm in favor of the steps taken and think that with more details will come even more support from coaches, athletes and fans." "Concentrating the season into one semester and creating new ways for fans to watch the sport is a positive for our sport," Foley, a former University of Virginia All-American wrestler, concluded. Some historical perspective Today's schedule is NOT your grandfather's college wrestling season The college wrestling season has not always been as long as it is today. From looking at college wrestling schedules from decades ago, it's pretty safe to say that most college wrestlers of the 1920s or 40s or 60s had a schedule that looks more like what is being proposed by the 2017 Blue Ribbon Task Force than the current time-frame. In other words, a dual meet season that began in January, with the NCAA championships usually being held the last weekend in March. There was not the proliferation of early-season November-December tournaments back then that there are now. To provide an individual perspective on old-school vs. more recent college wrestling schedules, let's take a look at two of the all-time great collegiate mat champs of two different eras, Dan Hodge and Cael Sanderson. Hodge, who wrestled in the mid-1950s at the University of Oklahoma, compiled a 46-0 record over three years of intercollegiate competition. That means the legendary Sooner superstar wrestled about 15 matches a year, including those at the Big 8 conference championships and the NCAA wrestling championships, in his three years of eligibility from 1955 through 1957. By comparison, Cael Sanderson compiled a 159-0 record over four seasons at Iowa State from 1999 through 2002. Sanderson, now head coach at Penn State, wrestled 39-40 matches in each of his four seasons of eligibility (again including conference and national championships). Shifting the season: Not a totally new idea, but a good one The efforts of the Blue Ribbon Task Force are to be applauded as the organization seeks to improve the student-athlete experience, enhance academic performance, put ore fans in the stands for regular-season dual meet events, and generate more media coverage for college wrestling overall -- and, in particular, the national championships which have been fighting a losing battle for media attention because of the NCAA basketball championships. However, the idea of making college wrestling a single-semester sport -- and pushing the NCAA championships a bit later on the calendar, out of the shadow of basketball's "March Madness" -- are not completely new. Fifteen years ago, one of this writer's first articles for a now-defunct wrestling website addressed this very topic ... as there was discussion of single-semester, January-through-April college wrestling season in the early 2000s. A number of college coaches weighed in, offering their support for changes to the season structure that share some of the elements that are now being proposed. That does not mean the proposals of the Blue Ribbon Task Force should be dismissed as "nothing new." In fact, the fact that some of today's proposals had validity and currency a decade-and-a-half ago mean the time for serious consideration and implementation is now. What's next In the coming weeks, the Blue Ribbon Task Force will be presenting its findings to the NCAA, with the possibility of implementation as early as 2019, according to InterMat's T.R. Foley. Only time will tell.

Donnie Vinson RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State head coach Pat Popolizio has announced the addition of Donnie Vinson as an assistant coach for the Wolfpack. Vinson was an All-American at 149 pounds during his collegiate career at Binghamton under Popolizio, and spent the last three years on the coaching staff at Cornell. "Donnie will bring a heightened level of energy to our program," said Popolizio. "As his former coach at Binghamton, I have been able to watch him grow as an athlete. I've been extremely impressed with his professional development, and he has proven he can help produce national champions at the Division 1 level. "Donnie brings creativity and youth with him to Raleigh, which will have a major impact on all our student-athletes. Because of his history with myself and his former teammate, Nick Gwiazdowski, the transition will be smooth as he knows and understands the #PackMentality expectations and our culture." Vinson joined the Cornell coaching staff as the program's volunteer assistant coach for the 2014-15 season, and was on staff there for three seasons, which were among the program's best ever. Vinson helped tutor three NCAA champions and two runners-up and 11 total All-Americans. Cornell qualified a school-record nine wrestlers for NCAA's in his first two years and won New York State, Ivy League and EIWA titles each year Vinson was on the sidelines. He spent the 2013-14 season as a graduate assistant at Binghamton. He helped develop a pair of NCAA qualifiers, including EIWA runner-up Cody Reed at 197 pounds, who later become just the second Bearcat wrestler in program history to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. Binghamton had five place winners and tied for seventh in the school's debut at the EIWA Championship. Vinson is the career wins leader at Binghamton with a 132-27 record and was a two-time Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year. The 2012 All-American at 149 pounds was named the CAA Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler as a senior and claimed the athletic department's Athlete of the Year award. He was also chosen to receive the John Bilos Alumni Award, given to the top senior male for outstanding career performances as a Bearcat. Vinson is one of just four wrestlers to defeat Kyle Dake, Cornell's four-time NCAA champion, during his collegiate career. He earned his undergraduate degree in marketing from Binghamton in 2012, and then went on to earn his master's in student affairs administration in 2014, also from Binghamton.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) for NCAA wrestling this week announced a proposal aimed at making sweeping changes to the Division I competition calendar. The changes, as outlined below by Andy Hamilton of Trackwrestling.com, are being presented to the NCAA in the coming weeks, and could be in place as early as the 2019 season. Official practices would begin on or around Nov. 10. Competition would kick off during the semester break. The first half of the season would feature a mixture of duals and individual tournaments leading up to March's conference tournaments and the NCAA Championships. The post-NCAA Championships portion of the season would only consist of duals. The season would culminate with a two-weekend, 16-team dual tournament held on college campuses. The bracket would be filled by conference dual champions and at-large selections. The top eight seeds would each host dual meets on the dual tournament's first weekend. The top remaining seed after the first weekend would play host to an eight-team championship bracket the following weekend. In a nutshell, the BRTF hopes to make NCAA Division I wrestling a single-semester sport, while also creating a revamped championship structure focused on end-of-the-year dual meets and separating some from the NCAA Division I basketball tournament. The ideas are not altogether new, but this is the first-time recommendations will be presented to the NCAA for implementation. According to Hamilton's article there continues to be spirited debate by the BRTF and plenty of hoops to jump through, but the members seem to all agree that these steps could help student-athletes better assimilate to the academic rigors of college life and create additional revenue for top-tier programs who qualify for the end-of-year dual meet championships. Dual meets provide a clear picture of competition for fans who currently sit outside the day-to-day of the sport. The meets are easier to televise, discuss and promote. I'm in favor of the steps taken and think that with more details will come even more support from coaches, athletes and fans. Concentrating the season into one semester and creating new ways for fans to watch the sport is a positive for our sport. To your questions … Rutgers coach Scott Goodale coaching at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: Rutgers has a quality team, but lots of seniors. How many classes away do you think they (or any rising program) are from sustained top-10 finishes? -- Anil C. Foley: Rutgers is well within reach of a top-10 finish by 2020. With Nick Suriano on their squad and big-name Jersey talent staying in-state they will continue to grab points at the NCAA tournament. In the right year a top-10 finish could be as few as three All-Americans with bonus points. That's very doable for Coach Goodale and Coach Pritzlaff. Q: Does wrestling have a race problem? The best U.S. wrestler alive is either Kyle Snyder or Jordan Burroughs, who is black. Yet almost every Division I roster is exclusively white (or at least 85 percent white). As a minority in Carver-Hawkeye it was made very clear that I wasn't welcome by fellow fans. (Although I am Indian, I was asked repeatedly if I was here to blow something up. Security actually asked me to leave when I made it clear to the hick next to me he was one comment away from a trip to the hospital.) I can list off five locker rooms right now I know no minority wrestler would feel comfortable in based solely on the public comments of his prospective teammates. Do coaches even care? And if not, how can the sport grow when the highest levels of wrestling aren't exactly welcoming? -- Anil C. Foley: The United States is going through a challenging time, a nation caught between opposing forces seemingly incapable of agreement on the manner in which we should treat each other. As your question illustrates, the discussions about race and class division is at the forefront of our national discourse. For better or worse, wrestling will also need to address its own deficiencies. I'm married to the daughter of Chinese immigrants, but otherwise have little personal insight into the struggle of those in minority communities. I'm a white, middle class American male living and working in New York City. I don't have to worry about being profiled by police or falling into troubling times if I lose my job. My position is one of observer, not experiential. For minorities in America there is an emerging "otherness" in the political discourse that has transformed their lives into an ongoing discussion of equality and recognition. For lovers of the American dream it's terrifying to consider that the fabric of the country is being torn apart on racial lines, and some of those affected by this turmoil are wrestlers. Listen to Jordan Burroughs on Richard Immell's Bonus Points podcast. Wrestling culture is predominantly white, middle class and rural. To your point, there does seem to be members of the community who lack sensitivity to the struggles of minorities, and there is far too much racism on the surface (as you experienced). There is never one match igniting a national controversy, but politicians and the media culture framing and enflaming disputes on everything from flags to crime to immigration are certain to share blame. We can all learn from the current discussions around race and equality, but to do so will require an open mind, and more importantly, coming in with the expectation for compassion. Compassion for those that have less, who face difficult circumstances, who have different life experiences. How much of what is bantered about on CNN and Fox News would be eliminated if the commentators gave credibility to the experience and insights of those who aren't white and middle class? Compassion is apolitical, free and helps build communities and help individuals. It can also help the wrestling community to continue its growth. We should each aim to protect everything that is American, not just the portions that make us feel nostalgic or safe. America is based on ideals of fairness and freedom. Equality is recognizing that actions protected by the constitution aren't to be discarded for political expediency, or unease. I hope that wrestling can see that its role should be to protect those who are less fortunate, not be a symbol of ideals better left in the 20th century. Q: What's up with all the decommits at Northwestern? This past week Ryan Karoly announced that he was decommitting, and this was after other top recruits like Michael Beard and Anthony Cassioppi decommitted. Is something going on with Northwestern? Or are the decommits releated to Northwestern's academic standards? -- Mike C. Foley: Ryan Karoly was unable to maintain grades necessary to get into Northwestern. These offers, especially verbal, are always contingent on meeting certain criteria -- almost like a closing in real estate. There is a time after purchase for everyone to make sure this was the correct decision. Overall, academic issues are not uncommon, especially at school with rigorous academics and admission standards. Karoly will find a new home soon. The verbal period can sometimes open recruits up to more intense focus from competing schools. I once heard a coach describe it in terms of picking up girls when he was younger. He said he'd always focus on girls with boyfriends because it reduced his competition from "every other dude in the bar to just her boyfriend." It's a somewhat crass analogy, but that thinking is what guides some coaches, especially those who are desperate to fill holes in their recruiting needs. Northwestern is doing just fine with recruiting and even more so with hiring top level coaches to develop their young athletes. Things are looking up for the gang in Evanston. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Link: When athletes share infections Nicole Chung penned an essay about speaking to her parents about race in the time of Trump. It's a powerful insight into the fear that many Americans have that their fellow countrymen see white as American and non-whites -- especially Latinos and Asian-Americans -- as others. Q: 2006 NCAAs at 174 pounds: 1. Ben Askren (two-time champ four-time finalist) 2. Jake Herbert (two-time champ, four-time All-American) 3. Mark Perry (two-time champ, four-time All-American) Perry and Herbert were both three-time finalists, along with third-place finishes. Can you think of a better 1, 2, 3 finish? -- Smeadium Foley: Better? Hmm. Probably not as stacked, but I'd offer up 149 pounds in 2008 for some comparison. 1. Brent Metcalf (two-time champ, three-time All-American) 2. Bubba Jenkins (one-time champ, two-time All-American) 3. Jordan Burroughs (two-time champ, four-time All-American) Q: Do you think PSU or Ohio State shuts Iowa out this year? -- @Bpaynecpa727 Foley: You're obviously trying to get me banned from the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City. It won't work. No. Neither of these teams will shut out the Hawkeyes. I don't see much hope of Iowa beating Ohio State or Penn State, but a Brands-led team will never roll over. Iowa should find wins between top-level talent like Brandon Sorensen, Michael Kemerer, Alex Marinelli, and potentially a non-redshirted Spencer Lee. Also, Iowa will always have a Jesse Whitmer on their squad, a guy who with an ass pat and go get 'em could upset any wrestler not named Kyle Snyder. Q: Based on the early entry list for U23 World Team Trials, what matchup are you most looking forward to seeing? -- Mike C. Foley: I'm most interested in seeing NATO! He is a little stiff at times, but I want to see how he handles the international crowd. Also, Imar could do a lot of work for Team USA once he makes it to the world stage. Getting there will be fun to watch. I'm also interested in watching some of the Greco-Roman weight classes where I don't know as many of the athletes. Same with the women. It's actually the reason I love the U23 concept -- that we as fans get more access to the next tier of talents who would otherwise do most of their toiling in regional tournaments and in their respective wrestling rooms. Q: Do you ever see freestyle replacing folkstyle at the high school and college level? -- @Jagger712 Foley: Never say never, but I'd find it a heavy lift to convince American wrestling fans, coaches and wrestlers to switch from folkstyle to freestyle. One of the many issues a transition would face is the reluctance of the American wrestling community to have rules written by a governing body based in Switzerland. To be beholden to that rule set with no input is simply a non-starter. The other major issue would be figuring out when to start that process. Imagine if the years stated was 2020 and a wrestler on the team you support won the 2019 NCAA championship in folkstyle. Seems that nobody would want to see that change. Besides, the USA is world champions. Don't change a thing! Q: I continue to enjoy your columns. However, I am disturbed by the increasing number of angry and irrational dunces spouting hatred and taking cheap shots at you each week. I oppose censorship but wonder if it would it be possible for InterMat to block inappropriate comments. There have been many since November 2016. -- Russ T. Foley: Thanks for the kind words. I mostly ignore the hatred of the comments section. I like the dialogue, but you're right that it gets hijacked by a few commenters. In that same vein I recently decided to tune out much of Twitter. There was a time when straightening out rules changes, or giving an opinion on some event seemed to do good, but nowadays those instances are becoming rarer. I still read what's being said, but my motivation to fight for truths online has been trampled by another motivation -- the motivation to not deal with trolls.

Ed Ruth (Photo/Bellator) Last month, wrestling fans learned that Penn State would be hosting Bellator 186 mixed martial arts event in November, featuring wrestling alums Ed Ruth and Phil Davis. Now those two all-time Nittany Lion mat greats have learned who they will be facing at the event to be held Friday, Nov. 3 at Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State campus. Ed Ruth, 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. Ruth, who made his pro MMA debut last November, is now 3-0, with all those wins by TKO. Prior to entering MMA, Ruth became the first three-time NCAA Division I champ in the long history of Penn State wrestling, winning the 174-pound championship in 2012, and back-to-back titles at 184 in 2013 and 2014. Dempsey is a western Pennsylvania native with an amateur mat background as an NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Dempsey got off to a great start in MMA, posting a 10-0 record before stumbling somewhat when he started competing in the UFC. His record is now 11-5. Davis had been Bellator light-heavyweight champ until last June when he fell to Ryan Bader, former Arizona State All-American wrestler. "Mr. Wonderful" brings a 17-4 (with one no-contest) record to his match at Penn State, where he'll be facing Bellator newcomer Leo Leite, whose background is judo. Prior to signing with Bellator, Leite compiled a perfect 10-0 record in his four-year pro MMA career, capturing the Legacy FC middleweight and light heavyweight belts along the way. The top-of-the-card bout at Bellator 186 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. Bellator 186 is believed to be the first pro MMA event to be held on a major college campus.

A 20-year-old student who grew up in the Atlanta area and was a member of his wrestling team in high school and college was shot and killed while attending a party in southern Georgia. Stevenson Derival was killed this past weekend in an off-campus party in Mount Vernon, Ga., home to Brewton-Parker College where he was a wrestler. Stevenson Derival Mount Vernon Police Chief Calvin Burns says at least 200 people were at the party and fled when gunfire rang out early Sunday morning. Derival was hit and later died. No one has been arrested in Derival's death. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting Mount Vernon police in solving the crime. Born in Haiti, Stevenson Derival was a 2015 graduate of Towers High in DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta, where he was on the wrestling team and participated in track and field. Derival continued his involvement in those two sports at Brewton-Parker College. The junior wrestled at 174 pounds for the private, four-year Christian school located approximately 165 miles southeast of Atlanta. He was majoring in criminal justice. Within hours of the fatal shooting of the student-athlete, Brewton-Parker College president Steve Echols posted this message on the school's Facebook page. "Please pray for the family of Stevenson Derival who passed away early this morning in a tragic off-campus incident. We are all shocked and broken-hearted to see a friend and student whose life held such promise to be cut short in such a devastating way." Demonte Parker, a fellow student at Brewton-Parker, said this of his classmate. "(He) was one of the best wrestlers. He had a good spirit, a good heart." Brewton-Parker College has a student enrollment of approximately 800. The school's wrestling program and other sports compete in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

As the college wrestling season is about to gear up, this week's Takedown TV gets you ready for the action by featuring these guests: One-on-one with North Carolina State head wrestling coach Pat Popolizio Tom Brands provides an overview of the 2017-18 Iowa Hawkeye roster A.J. Schopp discusses his move from South Dakota State to Purdue University Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale talks about the Scarlet Knights' recent milestone, and upcoming event at Yankee Stadium One-on-one with Ferrum College's new women's head coach, Jessica Medina Watch online or on these cable networks/channels: Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4 p.m. KCWI 23: Saturday 4 p.m. KWEM Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Long Lines Cable: daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5 p.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports: Saturday at 12 p.m. Western Reserve Cable: Tuesday at 11 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10 p.m.

While there is a strong element of consistency and stability within the top reaches of the InterMat Fab 50 national high school team rankings, there is a certain degree of year-to-year turnover in the rankings. In the final rankings of the 2016-17 season, there were 15 teams in the rankings that had not ended the 2015-16 season nationally ranked. While at the end of the 2015-16 season, 26 teams (one more than half) had not been ranked at the end of 2014-15. The rankings at the end of 2011-12 through 2014-15 each had 18 or 19 teams in them that had not been ranked at the end of the previous season. Since there is for sure to be turnover in the rankings, let's take a look at ten of the teams that could provide a degree of "newness" to the national team rankings. Christian Brothers College, Mo. This is a top-heavy squad that features some high-impact wrestlers, though their balance -- one through fourteen -- is a question mark. The Cadets will be anchored by returning state champions Malik Johnson, Joshua Saunders, and Emille Shannon; all of whom are elite wrestlers within their respective grade levels nationally. Additional high impact wrestlers include nationally elite freshman Vincent Zerban and returning state runner-up Cevion Severado, a Junior World runner-up in Greco-Roman. Returning state placer Kyle Prewitt along with upper-weight state qualifiers Charlie Cadell and Faze Thomas provide additional breadth for the Cadets. Columbia, Idaho This past season, the Wildcats took back supremacy in Idaho's big school division from Post Falls, who ended the 2015-16 season as a nationally ranked team. Headed into 2017-18, Columbia will return four of their five state champions from last season: Angel Rios, Kekana Fouret, Kade Grigsby, and Nathan Clements. Five additional state placers from last year will be on this year's Wildcats squad: fourth place finisher Michael Scott; fifth place finishers Levi Cluff, Michael Cox, and Skylar Hughes; along with sixth place finisher Daniel Ivko. Davison, Mich. One has to go back more than ten years to see the peak of the Cardinals wrestling program under Roy Hall when a quartet of future NCAA qualifiers were assembled on the same team: Paul Donahoe, Brent Metcalf, Trevor Perry, and Jon Reader. Even with that the case, they've been a high-level contender for state titles over the subsequent years, and have ended a pair of recent seasons ranked nationally (2012-13 and 2013-14). This year's team returns ten state qualifiers, and an eleventh with state tournament experience. Davison will be led by returning state champion A.J. Facundo, returning state third place finishers Andrew Chambal and Brian Case, along with freshman phenom Alex Facundo. Additional returning state placers include Steven Garty, Jaron Wilson, Cal Stefanko, and Brian Gilmore; returning state qualifiers include Marc Shaeffer, Jay Nivison, and Trevor McGowan; while Gabe Ellis qualified for state in 2016. Nicolas Aguilar is the nation's No. 90 senior recruit (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gilroy, Calif. While the Mustangs have been ranked at various points over recent seasons, they have never ended a season as a nationally ranked team. This year's squad is positioned to make that change. Three top 100 seniors -- Nicolas Aguilar, Alex Felix, and Tony Andrade -- anchor the lineup, while Joseph Barnes is a returning state place finisher and Juan Villarreal placed at state in 2016. Additional returning state qualifiers include Chase Saldate, Daniel Viczarra, John Fox, Nathan Villarreal, and Nicholas Villarreal; with Joseph Delgado having qualified for state the two previous seasons. Howell, N.J. This program on the rise has advanced to the state final four in three of the last four years, including this past season's state dual meet title. The Rebels won the Shore Conference Tournament (dual meet format) this past season for the second time in four years; and on the individual side of things repeated as district champions, a fifth title in six years. Headed into this season, they return a pair of state medalists in state runner-up Kyle Slendorn and Darby Diedrich; Slendorn is a top 100 overall senior nationally. Five others advanced to state last year: Luke Roda, Daniel Esposito, Xavier Kelly, Christian Murphy, and Shane Reitsma. LaSalle, Ohio (Cincinnati) The Lancers made their names known nationally in late January of last season when they upset St. Edward in a dual meet up in the Cleveland area, even though the Eagles had a short-handed lineup. They cracked the national rankings after advancing to the state dual meet quarterfinals, but dropped out of the rankings after a somewhat disappointing ninth place finish at the individual state tournament. Ryan Root moves over from Mason, who was nationally ranked last season, to take over for Avery Zerkle as head coach. This year's squad will be anchored by two-time state placer Lucas Byrd, a Cadet World team participant in Greco-Roman. Five other wrestlers return with state experience: state placers Blake Wilson and Garrett Bledsoe along with state qualifiers Antoine Allen, Trey Sizemore, and Michael Baker; another pair of wrestlers to watch are Cadet freestyle All-American Dustin Norris and Flo Nationals placer Elan Heard. Parkersburg South, W.Va. Those around the Patriots wrestling program thought last season would be the year that national rankings contention became reality. However, that was not to be as early season injuries put that out of the question. While three state champions were lost to graduation, this team brings in two star wrestlers that were not part of the state championship team last year: two-time Cadet double champion Braxton Amos (injured last year) and three-time state champion Josh Humphreys (transfer in). Two of last year's five state champions return for the Patriots, Luke Martin (a two-time champ) and Mikey Shamblin. Three additional state runners-up from last year return: Brayden Roberts, Zane Hinzman, and Louden Haga. Additional returning state medalists are Tucker Windland, Ian Irizarry, and Drew Dunbar; while state qualifier Jarritt Flinn placed at state in 2016. Portage, Ind. The Indians started the 2016-17 season as a nationally ranked team, but dropped out within the season's first month. This year's team led by head coach Leroy Vega features four returning state placers, led by Kris Rumph and Kasper McIntosh, who have state finals appearances to their credit; while Brock Peele and Colin Poynter placed fourth this past season. Jacob Moran placed at state in 2016, but was ineligible this past season; while Jeremy Torres and Anthony Maceo are upper-weights who qualified for state last season. Simley head wrestling coach Will Short at Minnesota's state tournament (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Simley, Minn. Before Kasson-Mantorville won Class 2A state the last two seasons, the Spartans were on a run of seven state titles in eight seasons. Simley also was a nationally ranked team at the end of the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons. Anchoring this year's squad are three returning state champions, Jake Gliva, Anthony Jackson, and Daniel Kerkvliet; Gliva is a top 100 senior, while Jackson and Kerkvliet are inside the top ten nationally in the junior class. Another pair of Spartans return as state placers, incoming freshmen Cael Berg and Ryan Sokol; Sokol is the No. 2 overall Class of 2021 wrestler nationally. Four others were state qualifiers last year: Luis Fierro and Quayin Short, along with upper-weights Brad Dohmen and Luke Zaiser; while Anthony Dawson was a state qualifier in 2015 and 2016. South Dade, Fla. The Buccaneers are one of the best programs in the Southeastern United States, but have just ended one of the last seven seasons ranked nationally, No. 35 in the 2015. This past season marked a fourth straight state title, and 12th in all for the perennial power. Leading this year's squad are returning state champions Bretli Reyna and Brevin Balmeceda, who is a top ten overall junior nationally. Five other wrestlers return as state placement finishers: runner-up Todd Perry, fourth place finisher Mikaelle Fundara, fifth place finishers Christian Morales and Corey Harvey, along with sixth placer Tyler Orta-Khawly.