InterMat Staff

The 53rd Annual NWCA All-Star Classic is right around the corner, and that means that college wrestling is officially on the horizon. We don't have a host site, or matchup, but we do know that the All-Star Classic participants show up ready to perform at the NCAA Championships. Last year, NWCA All-Star Classic participants produced 11 All-Americans and three NCAA titles. We expect the matchups to be announced in the coming weeks, but before that happens, we took a shot at laying out ten match-ups that should happen at the 2018 NWCA All-Star Classic. Ronnie Bresser edged Spencer Lee at the Midlands (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) 125: Spencer Lee (Iowa) vs. Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) The reigning 125-pound NCAA champion Spencer Lee suffered two losses during his true freshman campaign. His first college loss came at the hands of Oregon State's Ronnie Bresser at the Midlands Championships. He suffered his second loss at the Big Ten Championships to four-time NCAA All-American and 2015 NCAA champion, Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State). Lee avenged his loss to Tomasello in the semifinals of the national tournament but has yet to get his hand back on Bresser to try and avenge that 3-2 loss. 133: Seth Gross (South Dakota State) vs. Tariq Wilson (North Carolina State) One of the fan favorites from a season ago was Tariq Wilson of North Carolina State. The long and lengthy true freshman lost six of eight matches coming into Cleveland but knocked off three top-five wrestlers on his way to a third-place finish. In the semifinals, Wilson accomplished what very few wrestlers have been able to do over the past two seasons, and that was to score multiple takedowns on Seth Gross. Wilson snatched up the left leg of Gross with ease, scoring five takedowns, while nearly stunning the No. 1 seed before giving up the fall in overtime. 141: Joey McKenna (Ohio State) vs. Jaydin Eierman (Missouri) One has to imagine that reigning NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) will be out for a significant portion of the season after tearing his ACL against Jaydin Eierman in the semifinals. After taking out graduated seniors, next in succession is reigning Big Ten champion and two-time All-American Joey McKenna and two-time All-American and two-time MAC champion, Jaydin Eierman. These two split their pair of career meetings. Eierman handled then Stanford Cardinal, McKenna 8-0 at the 2016 NCAA Championships. Mckenna rebounded and closed out last season with a 7-2 victory over the Tiger in the third-place bout of the NCAA Championships. 149: Matthew Kolodzik (Princeton) vs. Grant Leeth (Missouri) With the departure of two-time Hodge Trophy winner Zain Retherford (Penn State) and four other top-eight finishers, Matthew Kolodzik and Grant Leeth are two of the favorites to take supremacy over the 149-pound weight class. These two are no strangers to each other, as Princeton's two-time All-American Matthew Kolodzik defeated Grant Leeth in the NCAA quarterfinals, 4-3 and went on to finish in third-place. In mid-May, both Leeth and Missouri learned that he would be award two additional years after facing a catalog of injuries, including a neck injury that required surgery to fix a herniated disk that was causing repetitive stingers. Jason Nolf repeated as NCAA champion, defeating Hayden Hidlay in the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 157: Jason Nolf (Penn State) vs. Hayden Hidlay (North Carolina State) This would be a rematch of the NCAA finals where Nolf defeated Hidlay, 6-2. Coming into Saturday night in Cleveland, and taking out the injury default "loss" that sidelined Jason Nolf for nearly half the season, these two entered the NCAA finals with a combined record of 52-0. 165: Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) vs. Evan Wick (Wisconsin) Without question, reigning two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph is one of the most electrifying and dangerous wrestlers in the country on his feet. Joseph has shown that he can hit his inside trip on anyone from anywhere. While Joseph is dominant on his feet, Wick controls matches on the mat. The Badger used his top-work to pummel Iowa's Alex Marinelli (19-6) and Chance Marsteller (Lock Haven) on his way to a third-place finish in Cleveland. 174: Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) vs. Mark Hall (Penn State) Zahid capped off his unblemished run to an NCAA title last year by nearly majoring Hall in the NCAA finals, 8-2. That was their second meeting of the year after Zahid snuck past Hall 3-2 in the 52nd Annual NWCA All-Star Classic. Zahid, with his two wins last season, gained the 2-1 (college) career advantage against Hall. 184: Bo Nickal (Penn State) vs. Myles Martin (Ohio State) These two have met nine times, with Nickal winning seven of those bouts. Most recently, Nickal scored the fall over Martin in the finals of last year's NCAA Championships, clinching Penn States' third straight team title and seventh in eight years. Kyle Conel defeated Kollin Moore twice at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) 197: Kollin Moore (Ohio State) vs. Kyle Conel (Kent State) Kent State's Kyle Conel returned to wrestling after sitting out the 2016-17 season and entered the national tournament as an unseeded wrestler, but went on to become an All-American. His third-place run included four upset wins over seeded wrestlers, with two of those big wins coming against No.1 seed Kollin Moore of Ohio State. 285: Amar Dhesi (Oregon State) vs. Nick Nevills (Penn State) The departure of Adam Coon (Michigan), Jacob Kasper (Duke) and Kyle Snyder (Ohio State), along with the questions surrounding Sam Stoll (Iowa), heavyweight is another weight class that finds itself wide open. Heading into the season, the most intriguing heavyweight match-up is between Amar Dhsei and seventh-place finisher Nick Nevills. Dhesi, the returning third-place finisher knocked off third-seeded Nick Nevills, 4-2, making the NCAA semifinals and capturing his second career All-America honor.

Seven individuals involved in wrestling in the state of Oklahoma have been announced as inductees into the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2018. Dale Estep, Tony Macias, Greg Newell, Darren Peaster and Nick Williams were chosen for Lifetime Service to Wrestling, while John Henry Ward will receive the Outstanding American award and Larry Tettleton will be presented the Medal of Courage honor. The Lifetime Service to Wrestling award is awarded annually to coaches, officials and contributors who have given a minimum of 20 years of service to wrestling. The Outstanding American honor is given to former wrestlers who are highly successful and use the disciplines learned in wrestling in their profession and the Medal of Courage is presented to a wrestler or former wrestler who has overcome what appear to be insurmountable obstacles. Meet the honorees Dale Estep was a two-time state champion wrestler at Geary High School and competed collegiately at Colorado's Adams State for two years before returning to the state to attend Southwestern Oklahoma, where he graduated. He took over as head coach at Noble High School in 1968 and held that post for 22 years, racking up an impressive 223-38 dual record. Estep's teams had 15 top-10 state tournament finishes and he coached 12 state champions along with 21 All-Staters. In all, he spent 34 years at Noble as a coach, teacher and athletic director. Estep also served a long stint as a state coordinator for the International Wrestling Exchange program that brought teams from Japan, New Zealand, Germany and Poland to Oklahoma. Tony MaciasTony Macias was a four-time state qualifier at perennial powerhouse Perry High School in the late 1950s, finishing with a 62-8-1 career record and winning a state championship before going to University of Oklahoma. He earned All-America honors as a sophomore before injuries cut short his career. Macias began a long coaching career while still attending OU, starting the Noble High School program in 1960 before going on to coach at Guthrie High School and Southeast High School. He led Southeast to a state title and two state runner-up finishes. He returned to Perry to open a restaurant that he ran for the next 44 years before his death in Sept. 2017. Greg Newell, a Kansas native, graduated from Bethany College in his home state before launching a 25-year coaching career. His first seven years as coach were at Larned, Kan. before moving to Durant, Okla. in 1980. Newell started the school's physical education program in 1982 and worked as a wrestling official for four years before returning to coaching in 1986 when he began both the junior high and high school wrestling programs at Durant. He went on to coach in Durant for 18 years before his retirement, building a competitive program that resulted in dozens of former wrestlers going on to become coaches themselves. Newell still works closely with Durant wrestling, serving as radio broadcaster for the team's events. Darren Peaster was a three-time state placer at Claremore High School before going on to earn All-America honors at both Northeastern Oklahoma A&M and Central Oklahoma. Peaster graduated from UCO in 1987 and spent three years as an assistant coach with the Bronchos before going into the high school ranks. He was an assistant for two years at Ponca City and four at Choctaw, then became Putnam City High School's head coach for two years before going to Catoosa High School in 1998. In eleven seasons at Catoosa, he guided the team to two dual state crowns and a like number of state tournament championships. Peaster racked up 254 career wins, coaching one four-time state champion and several three-time winners before retiring from coaching in 2013. Nick Williams was a three-time state placer in high school (becoming state champ as a senior), then became a three-year letterman at Oklahoma State in the mid-1990s before embarking on a lengthy coaching career that continues today. He spent one year at Mangum and six at Madill before taking over the Altus High School program in 2004. Williams' teams have won 14 district titles and five regional championships and he's had seven top-four state tournament teams, including a pair of runners-up. He has coached 20 state champions, 19 All-State participants and 11 high school All-Americans in compiling a 223-78 dual record. Williams has served as vice president of the Oklahoma Wrestling Coaches Association in addition to coaching in the All-State dual. John Henry WardJohn Henry Ward was a 1965 state champion for Tulsa Rogers High School who went on to becoming a two-sport collegiate All-American at Oklahoma State. He was a two-time Big Eight champion and placed third in the national tournament in 1969 for the Cowboys, then earned All-America honors on the gridiron that fall at defensive tackle. Ward was a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in 1970 and played on two Super Bowl teams during a six-year career in the NFL. Ward, a member of both the OSU Athletics Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, died in 2012 after a battle with cancer. Larry Tettleton was born with limited physical abilities on his right side and saw very limited action on the mat, but his contributions to the sport are substantial. Larry's disability hasn't affected his positive attitude, his enthusiasm for teaching and coaching or his motivational skills. Tettleton got involved in wrestling as a junior high manager and continued in that role throughout high school and college, where he helped Central Oklahoma to the 1992 NCAA Division II national championship. Tettleton spent a dozen years as an assistant coach at Edmond North High School, and 11 years as head junior high coach in Edmond, having compiled an impressive 130-23 dual record with eight conference championships, two state titles and one Oklahoma Junior High Coach of the Year award. Tettleton has coached 15 individual state champions, and two collegiate national champions. In 2012 he became a mat official. Induction in October These 2018 Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame honorees will be inducted during a banquet Oct. 14 at the former Jim Thorpe Museum and Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, 4040 N. Lincoln, in Oklahoma City. A reception begins at 3 p.m., with dinner at 4 p.m. and the induction ceremony at 5 p.m. Reservations are $55 per person and can be purchased online at www.ok-nwhof.ticketleap.com or by contacting Howard Seay at c4dcowboys@aol.com or 918-639-8868.

Bubba Jenkins (Photo/Bellator) Two weeks after InterMat reported that Bubba Jenkins had signed with Brave Combat Federation, we now know who he will be facing in his new organization. Jenkins, winner of the 157-pound crown for Arizona State at the 2011 NCAA Division I Championships, will face Elias Boudegzdame for Brave's featherweight (145-pound) championship at BRAVE 16 in Abu Dhabi on Friday, Sept. 21 as part of a co-main event featuring welterweight champion Carlston Harris taking on Jarrah Al-Selawe. Jenkins brings an MMA career record of 12-4-0 with 5 knockouts, 3 submissions, and 4 decisions to his Brave promotional debut ... while Boudegzdame is 15-4-0 with 13 of those wins coming by way of submission and two by knockout. In reporting on the upcoming title fight between Jenkins and Boudegzdame, Sportskeeda wrote, "The bout showcases a submission specialist facing an elite wrestler. Jenkins will have the advantage in the striking department which can force Boudegzdame to adopt a new game plan to face the challenger." Prior to signing up with Brave, Jenkins had fought in Bellator MMA and Absolute Championship Berkut (ACB). He has also coached 'Team Jones' on the seventeenth season of the UFC produced the TV series "The Ultimate Fighter." Prior to launching his MMA career, Jenkins had wrestled at Penn State before transferring to Arizona State to complete his college mat career. It was as a Sun Devil senior that Jenkins pinned former Penn State teammate David Taylor to win the title at the 2011 NCAAs. Immediately after that win, Jenkins announced plans to enter MMA.

Aaron Pico (Photo/Bellator) Less than a week after his 22nd birthday, Aaron Pico will face former title challenger Leandro Higo at Bellator 206 at SAP Center in San Jose on Saturday, Sept. 29. Pico, the amateur wrestling phenom turned top MMA prospect, will go up against "his toughest test yet" (to quote CageSidePress.com) in Higo, who has fought for the Bellator featherweight (145-pound) title twice, losing to current champ (and former college mat champ) Darrion Caldwell at Bellator 195 earlier this year ... and an earlier opportunity against then-champ Eduardo Dantas fell through at Bellator 177 when Higo missed weight. That bout went ahead at catchweight. That said, Higo is not taking Pico lightly ... but expects to come out on top. In Higo's Instagram message shared by MMAjunkie.com Sunday, the fighter -- shown with his arm raised in victory inside the cage -- wrote, "Going up in weight September 29th vs rising star Aaron Pico. Respect to him, but it'll be my hand raised as the winner, just like in this photo. I'm ready to shock the world and remind you I'm here to be a champion ..." Pico signed with Bellator in November 2014 as an 18-year-old while he was still focused on wrestling. The Los Angeles area native had earned numerous national and international freestyle wrestling titles, but decided to forego a collegiate career. Pico's pro MMA career got off to a rough start. The former Golden Gloves amateur boxing champ was submitted by Zach Freeman in the first 24 seconds of their fight at Bellator 180 in June 2017. However, since then, Pico has won his three fights by first-round KO or TKO. Higo is 18-4 overall, and 1-3 in Bellator competition.

A GoFundMe page has been established for twin girls -- both middle-school wrestlers -- who were killed in a house fire outside San Francisco last weekend. Tran sistersThe fundraising website is intended to help pay for funerals for Trinh and Tram Tran, 14, and their mother, Mau Dao Tran, all who died in the fire in their home in Vallejo, Calif. about 3 a.m. last Sunday. Funds are also intended to assist a fourth member of the family, Vy Tran, eleven-year-old sister of the twins who survived the fire and is recovering from her injuries, as well as the family's father, Tuan Tran. Both Trinh and Tram had wrestled at Hogan Middle School in Vallejo, where they made many friends. Their wrestling coach, Jason Guiducci, described each of the Tran twins to local TV station KPIX . "Trinh was the soft-spoken but strong silent type, Tram was the bubbly, uplifting type," Guiducci told the CBS affiliate serving the San Francisco Bay area. "But you knew that they loved everyone here and everyone loved them in return, there was no way you couldn't love those kids." A video tribute to Trinh and Tram Tran -- including many images of the twins in action as wrestlers -- is available for viewing online. According to Vallejo Police, officers smelled smoke while on routine patrol. They found the Tran home engulfed in flames, family members still inside. On Wednesday, Vallejo Police announced they are investigating the fire as a homicide. No suspects have been named, and no arrests made.

Zion Clark, a college wrestler born without legs, is the subject of a documentary short now being shown on Netflix. The eleven-minute film "Zion" is the story of the 20-year-old wrestler now competing at Kent State University's Tuscarawas Campus in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Zion Clark was born with caudal regression syndrome, a condition that impairs development of the lower half of the body. Given up for adoption as a baby, Clark was bounced around from foster home to foster home. "It was not the ideal situation," the wrestler said. However, Clark says he lives by the motto, "no excuses," which is tattooed on his back. "The obstacles I face in wrestling prepare me for everyday life," Clark is quoted at an official Kent State website. "Wrestling teaches me patience and persistence." Clark was introduced to wrestling at age 7, and continued his mat career at Massillon Washington High School in Ohio. As a freshman and sophomore, he had no wins. As a junior, the tide began to turn and he started to win a few matches. By the end of his junior year, he started thinking about college ... and became serious about training. Clark concluded his high school career with a 33-15 record. Now Clark is a business major at Kent Tuscarawas, and wrestling at 125 pounds for the Golden Eagles. "Zion is one of the most coachable wrestlers I have ever coached," said his college coach Dave Schlarb. "He has a can-do attitude that never waivers. He is a remarkable team player that is willing to do anything needed to help the team succeed." Nominated for Short Film Grand Prize at the famed Sundance Film Festival, the documentary film "Zion" has pinned down several awards, including Best Documentary Short at Atlanta Film Festival, Best Short Film at Omaha Film Festival, and the Audience Award -- Special Recognition at Aspen's ShortsFest. To watch a preview, click here.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Four-time national qualifier and 2015 All-American Dan Neff has joined the Navy wrestling staff as an assistant coach it was announced by fifth-year Navy wrestling head coach Joel Sharratt on Friday. Neff arrives in Annapolis having spent the last two seasons at Bucknell serving as a volunteer assistant coach. Dan Neff"I am honored to have the opportunity to coach at the United States Naval Academy," said Neff. "This is an extremely storied program and I am excited to be a part of its climb up the national ladder. There is a great coaching staff in place with a great deal of talent and leadership on the team. I am eager to roll up my sleeves and get to work." "I am excited to add Dan to my staff and believe he will make an immediate impact in the wrestling room," said Sharratt. "As an All-American, he understands the commitment to a championship lifestyle we hold in the Navy program. Dan has a strong desire to be a top-level coach and his decision to join our program speaks volumes about his commitment to excellence. He has great intensity and is driven for success and that's contagious among the young team we have retuning in 2018-19. "The timing of this allows for an immediate impact with the talent we have around the weight Dan lives and trains at. He will push guys like Nicholas Gil, Jared Prince and Quentin Hovis on a daily basis to perform at their very best." Neff was part of a Bucknell program that saw one of its most successful stretches in program history. The Bison reached double digits in the win column for four straight seasons, including 2016-17 when they closed out the year with a 12-4 mark, including a 9-1 record against EIWA competition. That same season Bucknell placed sixth at the EIWA Championships and sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Championship in St. Louis. There, Tyler Smith finished one victory shy of earning All-America status at 141 pounds. The Bison struggled with injuries throughout the 2017-18 campaign, though Smith once again was a bright spot in the Bucknell lineup. Smith put together the 11th undefeated dual season in school history (16-0) and became Bucknell's seventh EIWA runner-up, falling to eventual national champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell in the title bout. For the second year in a row, Smith fell one match shy of becoming an All-American, bowing out in the Blood Round. While at Bucknell, Neff also served as a coach and resident athlete of the Buffalo Valley Regional Training Center in Lewisburg. There he organized and conducted practice sessions, coached multiple high school dual teams, volunteered for Lewisburg Elementary wrestling and competed personally at the senior and international level. A four-time NCAA qualifier and 2016 graduate of Lock Haven University, Neff garnered All-America honors in 2015 after placing eighth in the 149-pound weight class at the 2015 NCAA Championship. In doing so, he became the school's 39th All-American overall and the first since 2007. Additionally, the Quarryville, Pa. native was the 2016 Eastern Wrestling League Champion at 149 pounds and earned PSAC Freshman of the Year honors in 2012. He finished his career 11th on Lock Haven's all-time wins list with a 109-46 record. Neff also had a remarkable high school career, becoming Solanco High School's first PIAA State Champion after winning the 3A 135-pound crown in 2011. He amassed a 150-19 high school record which stands as the fifth-best mark in Lancaster County history.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands announced Friday that Quinn Hollan has been named interim strength and conditioning coach for the 2018-19 season. Hollan most recently served as a performance analyst for the Iowa football program on Chris Doyle's strength and conditioning staff. Prior to joining the Hawkeyes in February, 2018, Hollan was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Western Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's of science degree in exercise science from Northern Iowa in 2014, and a master's of science in sport pedagogy from Mississippi State in 2016. He is a 2010 graduate of Mid-Prairie High School in Wellman, Iowa.

Kyle Ruschell (Photo/Wisconsin Sports Information) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton announced that Kyle Ruschell has been offered and accepted the position of Head Wrestling Coach for the Mocs. Ruschell replaces Heath Eslinger, who stepped down to pursue other interests on July 19. "We had an outstanding pool of candidates for this position, which is a testament to the type of program Heath built over the last nine years," stated Wharton. "This was a very difficult decision, but in the end, Kyle became the clear choice to lead our program. "I talked to a lot of individuals throughout the wrestling community, both locally and nationally, and it was clear that Kyle is ready for the challenge to lead our program. His credentials as a coach and athlete are outstanding, and he has a clear vision that fits within our athletics department." Ruschell joined the Mocs staff in June as assistant coach. He was elevated to Interim Head Coach on July 19, following Eslinger's resignation. He spent the previous eight seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin. A former member of the U.S. National Team (2014-15), he was a two-time All-American for the Badgers (2007-10). "I am extremely honored to be named the next head coach of UTC wrestling," stated Ruschell. "The support for this program is amazing, and I am excited for the future. "I want to thank Mark Wharton for believing in my leadership and vision for this program, and Heath Eslinger for showing me what the Mocs are all about. Chattanooga is a special place and I cannot wait to get to work. Go Mocs!" As a member of the Wisconsin coaching staff, Ruschell helped five Badgers earn seven All-American honors. Four times in his tenure, Wisconsin finished in the top 20 at the NCAA Tournament, including a 13th-place showing in 2013. Ruschell helped Isaac Jordan win his first Big Ten championship in 2015 and earn four All-American honors. Jordan was the program's first Big Ten champion since Trevor Brandvold in 2011. Ruschell also coached Evan Wick to a third-place finish at NCAAs in 2018, along with Ryan Taylor and Connor Medbery to 2015 All-American honors. In 2017, the Badgers sent nine wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, marking the program's highest number of qualifiers since 2007. Ruschell has twice competed in the World Team trials in Fargo, N.D., most recently in 2018. He made the U.S. National Team in 2014. He placed third in the U.S. Open and third in Phase II of the World Team Trials after beating two-time national champion Kellen Russell from Michigan and national team member Frank Mollinaro, who was a national champion for Penn State. In the fight to "Save Olympic Wrestling", Ruschell was asked to be a representative for the sport at the Kentucky state capital as they passed a state bylaw to keep wrestling in the Olympics. The Crittenden, Ky. native was a four-time NCAA championship qualifier for the Badgers, earning All-America honors twice at 149 lbs. The four-year letter winner served as team captain his junior and senior seasons. Ruschell is the only two-time All-American from Kentucky and the state's highest placer in the NCAA Division I championships. At Ryle High School, Ruschell was a two-time state and four-time conference champion. He and his wife, the former Allie Johnson, were married in June of 2017.

Kenny Anderson MOUNT VERNON -- Three-time NCAA champion Kenny Anderson has moved into a full-time assistant coaching role on Cornell College's wrestling staff for the 2018-19 season, it was announced by interim head coach Brent Hamm. Anderson will serve as the lead assistant for Cornell's storied program, which owns nine Top-20 NCAA team finishes in the past 12 years. Anderson was a part-time assistant in 2017-18, when the Rams landed three all-Americans and placed 17th in the NCAA team race. "I am very excited to have Kenny Anderson on board full-time as the lead assistant," Hamm said. "He fits our coaching staff very well and is easy to connect with. He is a great technician and a huge asset to our program." Anderson had an exceptional three-year career competing at Wartburg, winning NCAA individual titles in 2012 (125 pounds), 2013 (133) and 2014 (133). He helped lead the Knights to three consecutive NCAA team championships during that span. Anderson, a three-time Iowa Conference Wrestler of the Year honoree, was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2014 Central Region Championships. As a junior, he was named USA National Wrestler of the Week by TheMat.com. "Kenny loves wrestling," Hamm said. "His passion for the sport and desire to be successful is why he accomplished so much as an athlete. These undeniable qualities are going to make him a great coach for the Cornell Rams." Anderson lost only three individual matches in three seasons at Wartburg, and avenged them all. He was captain of the 2013-14 team. Anderson graduated from Wartburg in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in fitness management. He remained in Waverly as an assistant coach at Wartburg from 2015-17. During that time, the Knights compiled a 57-1 dual record, won three NWCA National Duals championships and two NCAA team titles (2016, 2017). Wartburg was NCAA runner-up in 2015. Anderson was on the 2017 Wartburg staff named Central Region Assistant Coaching Staff of the Year. A native of Billerica, Mass., Anderson was a three-time Massachusetts state champion, three-time New England finalist and one-time New England champion. He was enshrined in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2011.

LANCASTER, Pa. -- Franklin & Marshall wrestling coach Mike Rogers announced the addition of Tyson Dippery to the Diplomats' coaching staff for the 2018-19 season. "We are excited to have Tyson joining our program," said Rogers. "He has strong connections with the local wrestling community and had a very successful wrestling career at both the high school and collegiate level. Tyson has competed for some of the most competitive programs in the nation, and we believe that experience will allow him to make an immediate impact on our student-athletes." Dippery competed at Division I Rider University, where he graduated in May 2018 with a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. Throughout his five-year collegiate career, Dippery compiled a 101-48 career record. He transferred from Rutgers University where he was a 2016 NCAA Qualifier at 149 lbs. and a Big Ten Championships place winner – finishing sixth. A native of Harrisburg, Dippery was a two-time PIAA State Finalist for wrestling-powerhouse Central Dauphin High School, graduating with the most wins in both school and district three history with 183. He was a three-time Fargo All-American, placing twice in Greco and once in Freestyle.

It is never too early to look at the upcoming NCAA wrestling season on Matside. On Monday, the Iowa Hawkeyes picked up yet another top-100 commit as Abe Assad announced his intentions. To discuss the Hawkeye's recent momentum, Richard Mann chats with the proprietor the Iowa Wrestling Fan Blog, Todd Conner. Richard and Todd discuss Iowa's recent success on the recruiting trail, the status of Sam Stoll, the impact of transfer Austin DeSanto, Michael Kemmerer potentially moving up to 174 pounds and what the Hawkeyes need to do to contend for a national title. Follow InterMat on Twitter and subscribe to the show @InterMat | Apple Podcasts | iHeartRadio | Google Play Music | Stitcher | Spreaker | RSS

Russian Nationals wrapped up last weekend and fans who watched the online stream were treated to some of the year's best freestyle wrestling. The tournament winners at eight of the ten weights will represent Russia at the 2018 World Championships in Budapest, with wrestlers at 61 kilograms and 65 kilograms entering a tournament next month to decide the final two tickets. Though Russian Nationals boasts incredible depth the starting Russian side wasn't as end-to-end impressive as we saw in 2015 or 2016. In fact, it's reminiscent of their 2017 squad which lost the team title to the United States by only a few points. Either the Russians or regressing or Team USA's growth is raising the bar higher than some Russians can reach. I wrote last week about how much David Taylor has improved over the past year. He's stronger, more creative and just better all-around than anyone he's met all season. It should reassure American wrestling fans that when contrasting Taylor style, pace and ability with that of his Russian counterpart Dauren Kurugliev there is simply no positive comparison to draw for the Dagestani. Overall, Kurugliev lacks any indicators that he could even reach a world final against Taylor, much less be competitive or hold any advantage. Maybe I drank some Taylor family juice mixes, but after watching Kurugliev struggle mightily to get past his finals opponent I fail to see how anyone could reasonably conclude that the Russians are sending a viable threat to Budapest. Maybe Hassan Yazdanicharati is Taylor's only real competition, but even there I'd back Taylor as the heavy favorite. The Russian Nationals also gave us a peek at the 2018 version of a 97-kilogram Abdulrashid Sadualev. I discuss more below, but the two-time world champion and Olympic champion was a lesser version of the Russian Tank that rolled through Las Vegas and Rio. There is still a lot of talent in the Russian lineup, the soft spots were glaring. At 74 kilograms an undersized, out-of-shape Zaurbek Sidakov limped onto the world team after a controversial call gave him the edge over longtime rival Khetik Tsabolov. Sidakov is a bronze medalist at best, but he's not matching the firepower of Jordan Burroughs -- and unless he draws him in the first two rounds, I'm doubtful the duo will match up because Burroughs is the best 74-kilogram wrestler in the world. No question. There are other holes, too. Batyrbek Tsakulov has a win over Kyle Snyder's nemesis Aslanbek Alborov, but is slow and unimaginative on the mat. Heavyweight Anzor Hizriev once again won the starting spot for Russia but is incredibly average by Russian standards. Zaur Uguev is a better than average 57k-kilogram wrestler but failed to place in 2017 and there is no reason to think he'll cruise through the brackets in Budapest. He's a bronze medalist at best. No question this is a softer-than-normal Russian lineup, but there are still five potential world champions, including Sadualev. Whoever comes out at 61 kilograms and 65 kilograms will be the automatic favorite to win Worlds and 79-kilogram starter Akhmed Gadzhimagamedov might be the most impressive wrestler in the world not named Taylor. At 70 kilograms it's impossible to conceive of Magomedrasul Gazimagamedov not making the finals. Here is the full Russian lineup for the 2018 World Championships in Budapest: 57: Zaur Uguev 61: Rashidov/Idrisov 65: Bekbulatov/Chakaev 70: Magomedrasul Gazimagamedov 74: Zaurbek Sidakov 79: Akhmed Gadzhimagamedov 86: Dauren Kurugliev 92: Batyrbek Tsakulov 97: Abdulrashid Sadulaev 125: Anzor Hizriev To your questions … Abdulrashid Sadulaev at the 2017 World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: How did you think Abdulrashid Sadulaev looked at Russian Nationals? Last year he looked like he hadn't grown into 97 kilograms yet. Does he look bigger this year? -- Mike C. Foley: Sadualev cruised in the finals, beating Batciev with little issue. However, he looked tired and slow on the first day of competition. Why is unclear, but he might just be getting used to the weight, or his opponents felt that much worse on the second day than they did on the first day. The growing pains we are seeing from Sadualev right now are the same we saw from David Taylor in 2016 and 2017. All the techniques are there, the conditioning seems to be in place, but there is a lack of sustained strength. Like with Taylor, his performance isn't a reflection of work ethic or talent as it is a body struggling to oxygenate and optimize new muscle tissue. From my vantage point the biggest difference in Sadualev's growth pattern is that he doesn't seem to have the frame to be a fully actualized 97-kilogram wrestler. Whereas Taylor could hang muscles on his then-lanky frame, Sadulaev looks to be growing wider through the chest. That growth is fine, but he's not the same barrel-chested monster that you see with Kyle Snyder, and that might mean he's getting close to topping out on his size and strength. We'll see how he looks in three months, but I think there is a chance he could be in deep water early in the tournament. Everyone wants to see the rematch, but there are hurdles. Also, it's not too soon to remind fans that because Sadualev has not yet competed internationally at 97 kilograms in 2018 and he won't be seeded in the bracket. Like last year both he and Snyder are going to be added through the random draw. That won't happen in 2019, but with each missing the majority of ranking series events their placement will be left to chance. Q: How do you think Pittsburgh will do as a host for the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships? I've never been to Pittsburgh, but plan on going to NCAAs next March. -- Mike C. Foley: My guess is that the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships will be the most enjoyable and well-run since the 2016 NCAA Championships in New York City. This is one of America's most passionate wrestling cities and with proximity to so many East Coast fans we are bound to see a passionate, sold-out arena. Also, Pittsburgh is a very fun city for fans to enjoy. The restaurants and bars are welcoming, well-priced and there is a variety of cuisines to try. I'm not sure I'll make the trip, but given the distance (and my already packed schedule) there is a higher likelihood of me making the trek to Pittsburgh than to somewhere in the Midwest. I imagine a lot of East Coast wrestling fans are equally excited about the shorter commute. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Sadulaev v. Batciev Kyle Snyder discusses pressure … Artistic recap of the 2018 European Junior Championships Q: It's been a while since you have had anything nice to write about Henry Cejudo. I am thinking Saturday's performance will inspire you give the champ his props. -- Jacob R. Foley: Henry Cejudo is incredibly talented, but he's always needed to work hard in order to have his talents shine. Missing weight as often as he did and backing out of fights (along with rumors of not working hard in practice) led to valid criticism. Today Cejudo is focused and fighting with purpose. I suspect he'll vacate this belt and move up a weight class, but I think that will largely be determined by what the UFC decided to pay him for a bantamweight defense against Demetrious Johnson. It will be much more difficult for him to break into the featherweight ranks with a budding social media rivalry breaking out between Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw -- a fight that most fans want to see. Cejudo can't rest on any of these his achievements. Fighters who lose the hunger to train and stay disciplined often end up canvassed. The challenge for Cejudo will be to create a new goal that he'll work every day to attain. At most Cejudo has a five-year window with which he can earn top dollar as an MMA fighter, and likely even less. That's not a lot of time, but if he shows up in future fights like he did last weekend he'll ensure himself of larger checks and even more cultural influence. Q: Did Kyle Crutchmer and Logan Storley have amateur MMA fights before going pro? If not, what is your opinion on them jumping straight into the pros? In your opinion, who is the better MMA fighter: Storley or Crutchmer? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Logan Storley did not need time in the amateur ranks and based on his recent performance neither did Kyle Crutchmer. I think that for non-athletes -- especially those who have never competed in combat sports -- a tour through the amateur ranks can help the adjustment period. For these guys they are accustomed to the hard work and are only developing new skills, not adopting to new training techniques or lifestyle as someone coming off the street. Also, it's incredibly difficult to find fights for former collegiate wrestlers. Crutchmer has had this difficulty at the pro level, and even his latest opponent came in a whopping 15 pounds over, arguably to help negate the advantage of Crutchmer's wrestling. Finding fights at the amateur level, especially anything challenging, is near impossible for these wrestling elite graduating to MMA.

Mike Zadick (right) and Derek St. John coaching at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser is re-shaping his Cyclone coaching staff after the dismissal of associate head coach Mike Zadick. "I've decided to go in a different direction with our coaching staff as we continue to re-build the Iowa State program," Dresser said. "There isn't a better guy to teach wrestling technique than Mike, but we had some significant differences of opinion and it is best that we part ways. Mike was given the opportunity to run our practice room and have substantial input on all elements of the program. At the end of the day, however, I'm the leader of this program and our staff has to be aligned and unified." Zadick, a three-time All-American at Iowa and a 2008 U.S. Olympian, worked with Dresser at Virginia Tech (volunteer assistant before a promotion to assistant coach) before coming with him to Iowa State. Dresser, assistant coach Derek St. John and volunteer assistant coach Brent Metcalf will handle Zadick's responsibilities in the short term. Dresser has begun a national search to fill the full-time assistant coaching position. St. John was a NCAA champion in 2013 and a four-time All-American at Iowa. Metcalf won two NCAA Championships and was the 2008 Hodge Trophy winner at Iowa before a distinguished international career. "What's exciting for us going forward is that we've got multiple coaches in our wrestling room with championship backgrounds and a commitment to the Cyclone program," Dresser said. "Derek and I have worked side-by-side for three years and his rapid development as a teacher and developer of young men has impressed me. Brent is one of the most-decorated competitors in recent times. Even as a volunteer assistant last year, his ability to connect with kids and prepare them for competition impacted our room incredibly. Brent is a rising star as a coach and I'm eager to get him even more involved with our current Cyclones during this transition." Iowa State opens the season Nov. 3 by hosting the Cyclone Open.

Tristan MoranTristan Moran announced on Twitter his decision to transfer from Oklahoma State to Wisconsin. Moran, a Stillwater, Okla. native, has compiled a 41-12 record over the past two seasons. He competed at 141 pounds during his first two seasons at Oklahoma State before moving up in weight last season. Moran primarily competed at 149 pounds last season, but moved up late in the season to 157 pounds. He posted a 1-2 record at the Big 12 Championships at 157 pounds. He was a four-time state finalist as a high school wrestler, compiling a record of 85-10. Moran has two seasons of college eligibility remaining.

Andy Hrovat coaching David Habat at the World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) After a third of a century of involvement in wrestling as a wrestler and coach, Andy Hrovat has announced his retirement. The two-time Ohio high school state champ, three-time NCAA All-American for University of Michigan, and 2008 U.S. Olympic men's freestyle wrestler who then shared his knowledge and experience as a coach, announced his retirement Wednesday on social media and his website. "Today is a very exciting time in my life," Hrovat wrote on his Facebook page. "After much thought I have decided to step away from the sport of wrestling after competing and coaching for the last 33 years. I am exploring options for what I will do next as a career but like everything I have done with wrestling nobody has to question that I will be successful in whatever I choose." Hrovat opened his 1,300-word retirement announcement on his website Wednesday thusly: "Today marks the 10th year anniversary of the opening ceremonies for 2008 Olympic Games. I can still vividly remember walking through the tunnel of the arena surrounded by my wrestling friends and all the other members of Team USA. Entering that arena was just one of the many highlights from my Olympic experience and was the culmination of all my years training. "When the Olympics ended I felt in my heart that there were still things in the sport that I wanted to accomplish. My post-Olympic journey as a wrestler included moving to Colorado Springs to become a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center, as well as living for a whole year in Vladikavkaz, Russia to learn the Russian training system. My time spent in Russia was the absolute highlight of my wrestling career, when I left, I took with me knowledge and experience no other American has ever had. "In 2011 when I returned home from Russia I decided to retire as an athlete and start my coaching career. I had given everything I had to the sport and in return the sport had given me all that I needed as an athlete, so my decision to retire was a natural one ... " Hrovat then went on to outline his varied career as coach and entrepreneur. Among the highlights: launching his coaching career as an assistant to Zeke Jones and the USA National Team ... then as coach at the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club ... then helped launch Double Leg Ninja custom wrestling apparel distributor for Cliff Keen Athletic with Jake Herbert and Steven Fisher ... then, developing BASE Wrestling with Herbert. Here's how Hrovat closed his retirement announcement: "I want to thank USA Wrestling, the Slovenia Wrestling Federation, the Serbian Wrestling Federation, the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club, the New York Athletic Club, Cliff Keen Athletic and Asics America for supporting me through my career as a coach and allowing me to represent each organization. I want to thank the University of Michigan Wrestling staff for allowing me to run the CKWC and work together to make the Michigan Regional Training one of the best places to train in the country. I want to thank my family for supporting me through my entire wrestling career as an athlete and coach, without their support I would not have been able to do half of what I did. Lastly and most important I want to thank all the athletes that trusted me with their training and development, I hope each of you grew as much out of our relationship as I have." Born in Cleveland in January 1980, Hrovat crafted an impressive on-the-mat career. He wrestled for Greg Urbas at the storied St. Edward High School in suburban Lakewood, where he was a two-time Ohio state wrestling champ. After graduating from St. Ed in 1998, Hrovat enrolled at University of Michigan, where he was a three-time NCAA All-American and four-time Big Ten championships placer. He completed his athletic career for the Wolverines with a 132-29 overall record. Hrovat then focused on freestyle wrestling. Among the highlights: silver medalist at 2007 Pan American Games ... and member of the U.S. team competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, wrestling at 84 kilograms/185 pounds. Hrovat was ranked in the nation at No. 2 after the 2009 World Team Trials. He retired from wrestling in 2011.

The American Wrestling League has postponed its August 18 show, AWL I The Beginning, "The Greatest Wrestling Show on Earth!", to Nov. 30, 2018. AWL will remain at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. All tickets sold for the August 18, 2018 event will be honored on November 30 or money will be refunded to those who cannot attend on November 30, 2018. Along with the American Wrestling League launching its inaugural event, many of the greatest Iowa wrestlers will be recognized along with the state of Iowa's great fans and supporters of our sport of wrestling over the last 50 years. In addition to recognizing Iowa for all its contributions to wrestling, USA Wrestling and the U.S. Wrestling Foundation will present the Big Checks from the Living the Dream Medal Fund to USA's medalists from the World Championships. Kyle Snyder, David Taylor, Kyle Dake, Logan Stieber, Frank Molinaro, Isaiah Martinez, Alex Dieringer, along with Iowa standout wrestlers, Cory Clark, Brandon Sorensen, Sammy Brooks, Joe Colon, and many more, are slotted for the action-packed event at the U.S. Cellular Center on November 30TH. The AWL will bring publicity to our sport of wrestling and increase the income for wrestlers who work so hard while they build their lives. Every match has a $10,000.00 prize, $2,500.00 for each wrestler to compete, with the winner earning a $5,000.00 prize bonus. These competitions will occur all over the United States and our intention is to eventually lead to a four to ten team league that competes for money and annual championship during a planned season. The American Wrestling League is extremely thankful to all its partners and sponsors who have committed to supporting AWL I The Beginning. The AWL's partners and sponsors include: USA Wrestling, The United States Wrestling Foundation, NWCA, Resilite, ScrapLife, Pure and Clean Sports, TrackWrestling, Takedown Radio, The Hawkeye Wrestling Club, Titan Mercury Wrestling Club and BTSLA. It is time to elevate the great sport of wrestling to a much anticipated professional level and shine a light on the best American wrestlers in the world. Our millions of dedicated fans have been waiting for this moment. Join us in Iowa and watch history being made. Please follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Like us on Facebook. Visit our website for more details. Tickets go on sale Aug. 20 at here. PPV Live Streaming will be provided by Trackwrestling.com.

Do you believe in second chances? If you weren't the winner of last year's "Ride in Style" ticket raffle to support California State University, Bakersfield wrestling, you now have a second chance. The CSU Bakersfield wrestling program announced this week it's having what it's calling its second annual "Ride in Style to Support CSUB wrestling" prize drawing on October 13, 2018. The prize: a 2018 Infiniti QX30. All proceeds will benefit the CSUB wrestling program. You've got to like your chances. Only 1,000 raffle tickets will be sold at just $100 each. There's no limit on the amount of tickets an individual may purchase. What's more, you need not live in Bakersfield -- or California -- to purchase a ticket. This car raffle is open to wrestling supporters anywhere. The winning ticket will be drawn on October 13, 2018. Participants need to be present to win. The winner will be notified immediately. The drawing winner will be responsible for taxes and license and must be 18 years of age. "We are excited to launch our second Ride in Style Drawing," said CSUB head coach Manny Rivera. "The goal again this year is to sell 1,000 tickets. All proceeds will go directly to the CSUB wrestling program. This is a great fundraiser in that one lucky winner gets to take home a nice vehicle. Last year's raffle turned out to be a success and we look forward to an even better drawing this year. A big thank you goes out to our sponsors: Infiniti of Bakersfield, Varner Bros, Triumph M LLC., Supreme Almond of California, Mission Bank, Advanced Network Solutions and the Bland Company." Tickets are available for purchase in a number of ways. They may be purchased in person at the CSUB wrestling office and at the Infiniti of Bakersfield showroom. For wrestling fans wishing to purchase tickets online, click here. To purchase by phone with a credit card -- or for more information -- please call (661) 654-2343. To purchase tickets by mail please print out and return the flyer to: CSUB Wrestling 9001 Stockdale Highway, 8 Gym Bakersfield, CA 93311-1022

Tywan Claxton (Photo/Bellator) Former college wrestler Tywan Claxton has been added to the Bellator 204 main card, the promotion announced this week. Claxton, who earned NCAA Division II All-American honors at King University in Tennessee before transferring to Ohio University where he was a two-time NCAA Division I championships qualifier, will face Cris Williams in a featherweight (145-pound) bout in the first-ever Bellator event in South Dakota, at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Friday, Aug. 17. The 25-year-old Claxton is 2-0 in his pro MMA career that began with a "flying knee knockout" at Bellator 186 last November that generated considerable social media buzz ... followed by a TKO at Bellator 194 in February. Williams, 24, brings a 4-1 overall record -- and 1-1 in Bellator action -- to his fight with Claxton, suffering his first career loss, a unanimous decision at the hands of Daniel Carey at Bellator 195 in March. Claxton will join fellow former college mat stars Darrion Caldwell and Logan Storley who were announced for Bellator 204 in late June. Caldwell, current Bellator bantamweight (135-pound) champion with a 12-1-0 record, will move up a weight class to featherweight (145) in a non-title but top-of-the-card bout vs. Noad Lahat who is 12-3-0. Prior to launching his pro MMA career, Caldwell wrestled for North Carolina State, where he won the 149-pound title by upsetting Iowa's Brent Metcalf at the 2009 NCAAs. Storley, a four-time NCAA All-American at University of Minnesota with an 8-0 MMA record, will take on A.J. Matthews, who brings a 9-7-0 mark to the Bellator 204 match.

Lavion Mayes NEW YORK, NY -- Three-time All-American and 2017 NCAA finalist Lavion Mayes and two-time All- American Evan Henderson have joined the New York City Regional Training Center (NYC RTC) as resident athletes, the club announced Tuesday. The two experienced middleweight athletes plan to compete on the senior circuit and train out of Columbia University in New York, as well as the club's satellite training facility in Hoboken, New Jersey. "We are working every day to continue to build something special here at the NYC RTC," Regional Training Center coach and 1996 Olympic Gold medalist Kendall Cross said. "With the support and backing of the Columbia Wrestling family and network of alumni, we have added two senior-level athletes to our roster." "Lavion and Evan are two individuals passionate about the sport of wrestling and are willing to put in the work to make World and Olympic teams," Cross continued, "and I am committed to putting in the work alongside them as a coach. They will compete every day and raise the bar in the Columbia wrestling room, being examples of hard work and dedicated training for those around them." A native of Mascoutah, Illinois, Lavion Mayes wrestled for the University of Missouri, earning All- America honors three times during his career. During his senior campaign, Lavion reached the NCAA Championship match in St. Louis, Missouri to add to his 3rd and 7th place finishes. He is only the fifth wrestler in Mizzou history to earn three All-American honors. Lavion finished his career in Missouri's Top-10 in wins, major decisions and winning percentage. Wrestling in the 149-pound weight class, Mayes was also the 2017 MAC Champion during his senior season for Missouri. Lavion spent the 2017- 18 season coaching at Clarion University. He is expected to wrestle at 70kg for the NYC RTC. "The New York City Regional Training Center provides the opportunities that will allow me to be the best wrestler I can be," Mayes noted. "The international experience and knowledge from Coach Cross and Coach Kalika have already given me the extra confidence to compete with the best of the world. I'm excited to train with World Champion Frank Chamizo, Olympic Champion Helen Maroulis, Nestor Taffur as well as Evan, hoping to raise the ceiling of expectation." Evan Henderson comes to New York City from the Badger RTC at the University of Wisconsin where he was a resident athlete at 65kg. A native of New Florence, Pennsylvania, Henderson wrestled for the Tar Heels of North Carolina and finished on the podium twice, 6th and 4th, to take home All-American status. Additionally, Evan was a 2x ACC conference champion while in Chapel Hill. In 2015 Evan won the University National Championships in addition to taking 2nd place at the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational. In 2017, he was the Runner-Up at the Dave Schultz Memorial International Tournament before winning the 65kg crown at the Bill Farrell Memorial Invitational in 2018. In his first two years on the senior circuit, Evan has placed at both the U.S. Open (5th, 6th) and the World Team Trials (4th, 4th). "I am incredibly excited to join the NYC RTC and Columbia Wrestling family," Henderson said. "It is a tremendous opportunity for me to expand my wrestling and to be exposed to an elite level of competition. Having Kendall, Valentin, and Chamizo in the room, along with the Columbia coaching staff and student-athletes, is a recipe for success." "And as much as I feel that this training environment will help me personally, I hope to help elevate the wrestlers around me as well. I cannot thank or show enough gratitude to those who have made this opportunity possible." Columbia's New York City Regional Training Center is a USA Wrestling-recognized RTC working in the support and cultivation of Columbia University wrestling student-athletes, as well as the ambitions of senior-level Olympic hopefuls.

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- The Notre Dame College wrestling team has named Adam Koballa as an assistant coach and promoted Sonny Marchette to Head Assistant Coach. The two have multiple ties to the streamlined success NDC has had in the wrestling world and will look to continue to add to the Falcons championship dynasty. "Our coaches are integral parts of our winning tradition," said head coach Frank Romano. "The top-notch staff members we have had over the years have played key roles in our accomplishments. I am happy to add Adam as a full-fledged assistant coach and see Sonny take over the role of Head Assistant." Adam KoballaKoballa was a student-athlete at Notre Dame during the foundational years of the program and a volunteer coach over the past two seasons. As a National Champion and three-time All-American (2008-10), he brings with him a wealth of experience. Koballa was part of the first National Championship team in 2010 and first joined the coaching staff in 2011 when the team won its second championship. Before returning to the program, he served as the Head Wrestling Coach at Walsh Jesuit High School from 2013-16. Adam is the first Alumni to be added to the coaching staff since Romano began the program in 2006. He also serves as a coach for the Ohio National Freestyle Team. "It feels great to be back doing what I love for a program that I was blessed to help pioneer," Koballa said. "I have a lot of pride in this place and I look forward to assisting in adding to the championship legacy." Sonny MarchetteMarchette will enter his sixth season with the Falcons as he moves to become the top assistant. He has seen success in all steps of his career from his time as stellar high school and college athlete to coaching at every level. Marchette was an essential member of the 2014 and 2017 National Championship teams. "Sonny has been a hands-on coach and part of the backbone of Falcon wrestling over the years," Romano said. "He plays a large role in the psychological mindset of our team and wrestlers." With the new additions to its staff, the Notre Dame wresting team will once again look to land at the top of the NCAA Division II Championships, which will be held in Cleveland, Ohio in March of 2019.

Ed Ruth is 6-0 in his MMA career (Photo/Bellator) Three weeks ago, Ed Ruth learned he would be one of ten fighters named to Bellator MMA's Welterweight Grand Prix. Now the three-time NCAA wrestling champ from Penn State has found out who he will be facing in the first round of the tournament to determine the top welterweight (170-pound) fighter in the Bellator MMA promotion. Ruth's opening-round rival will be Neiman Gracie, fourth-generation member of the legendary Brazilian fight family, at a date to be determined. ESPN.com described Ruth and Gracie as "highly touted prospects." Both men are nearly the same age (Ruth is 27; Gracie, 29), nearly the same height (Ruth is 5'11"; Gracie, 6'0") and with similar flawless records. Ruth, 6-0, has earned five of his wins by KO/TKO, with one by decision ... while Gracie is 8-0, with seven of those wins by submission, and one by decision. Ruth launched his pro career in Nov. 2016; Gracie has been fighting in the pros since Sept. 2013. As announced previously, Bellator's Welterweight Grand Prix will begin with a previously announced rematch between former champions Douglas Lima (29-7) and Andrey Koreshkov (21-2). That bout will take place at Bellator 206 on Sept. 29 at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. In the other opening round bout -- announced just this week -- Paul Daley (40-6) will face Michael Page (13-0) at a date and location to be determined. Also part of the Grand Prix: Bellator's current welterweight champion Rory MacDonald (20-4) will take on Jon Fitch (31-7-1) ... as well as an alternate bout between Lorenz Larkin (19-7) and Yaroslav Amosov (20-0), of Ukraine. Ruth's entire pro MMA career has been with Bellator, having signed with the organization in May 2015. In less than two years, the former Nittany Lion mat star has crafted a perfect record, with the first five fights as a middleweight at 185 pounds. In June, Ruth made his debut as a welterweight at Bellator 201, scoring a second-round stoppage of veteran Andy Murad.

Kentucky Wesleyan College has signed 21 recruits for its brand-new wrestling program, the Owensboro, Ky. school announced this week. The signees represent nine different states. As would be expected, the commonwealth of Kentucky can claim eight wrestlers, with nearby Indiana being home to five future KWC wrestlers. Wrestlers as far away as Georgia, Florida and Washington State -- along with student-athletes from Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas -- have also committed to wrestling for the Panthers. "We really tried to recruit a balanced class in terms of age and experience, and felt like we hit the mark in that regard," said KWC head wrestling coach Chris Freije. "The goal is to win at the highest level as soon as we can and do it the right way. For our program, and the goals we have set, it is a four-pronged approach. For us that means finding individuals who have passion for what they're doing, have strong character, high academics, and a big work ethic in all areas of life. We've still got a couple irons in the fire and are working to add a piece or two to the puzzle before the school year starts. Looking at the group we have coming in this year, if we can consistently replicate that, and bring in student-athletes with those qualities we will attain the goals we have set soon." KWC's new mat program, announced in Oct. 2017, will compete in NCAA Division II beginning in the 2018-19 academic year. 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.

Kaori Icho after winning gold in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Kaori Icho, the only woman to earn individual gold medals at four Olympics, will be competing at a major wrestling event for the first time since the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, according to multiple media reports. The 34-year-old Japanese sports star is expected to enter the All Japan Women's Open Championships in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Oct. 13-14, 2018, KyodoNews.com reported Tuesday. Winners of that competition advance to the All Japan Championships in December, which in turn serves as the qualifier for the World Championships in 2019… prelude to the 2020 Olympics to be held in Tokyo. Icho is women's freestyle wrestling's "golden girl." She has won Olympic gold four times -- 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London at 63 kilograms/138.6 pounds, and 2016 Rio at 58 kilograms/127.6 pounds. In addition, Icho has claimed ten gold medals at World Championships at 63 kilograms from 2002-2013, and at 58 kilograms at the 2014 and 2015 Worlds. KyodoNews reports that Icho is entertaining the idea of wrestling at a still-lighter weight class than 58 kilograms as she has in recent years. If Icho were to wrestle at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and win gold, she would become the first athlete -- male or female -- to win top prize in individual competition at five separate Olympic Games. She is already the oldest woman to win Olympic gold. As InterMat reported in April, Icho was the subject of harassment by a director of the Japan Wrestling Federation, the Olympic organization governing the sport in Japan. Kazuhito Sakae, development director for the federation, was forced to resign the same day the Japan Wrestling Federation confirmed the accusations, some dating back to January 2018, which Sakae and the organization had denied until now.

WAVERLY, Iowa -- Alex Dolly has been named the top assistant wrestling coach at Wartburg College, head coach Eric Keller announced today. Alex Dolly"I am extremely excited to welcome Alex, Caitlin, and their family to the Wartburg wrestling family," said Keller. "Alex values personal relationships, investing in each student-athlete, and is committed to helping them reach their full potential in every area of their life. "His energy, work ethic, and passion for excellence, as well as his world level experience, makes him the perfect fit for our program," he added. "It is a dream come true to be a part of one of the most prestigious programs in college wrestling," said Dolly. "My family and I are very excited and grateful for this opportunity." Dolly comes to Wartburg from Waterloo West High School where he was the head coach for two seasons. Previously, Dolly was an assistant coach for four seasons at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. The Monarchs had four All-Americans and 20 national qualifiers in his time with the program. Prior to ODU, Dolly was a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan State for three seasons, where he coached one All-American and 17 national qualifiers. On the world stage, Dolly represented Ireland and competed in three World Championships. He advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2011 FILA World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, and placed ninth in the world. A standout at Northern Iowa, Dolly was a four-time national qualifier and reached the round of 12 three times. The Mishawaka, Ind. native still holds the state's career record takedown record at 548 and was a two-time USA Wrestling National All-American. He graduated from UNI with his bachelor's degree and earned his master's degree in sports administration from Michigan State. Dolly will start his duties at Wartburg on August 6.