InterMat Staff

Last week in Finalnd, Kamal Bey became the United States' first Junior world champion in Greco-Roman in 18 years. Bey knocked off Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan in a wild 16-11 match. On the penultimate day, Bey (an anonymous name to most casual fans of the sport) put on the single most electrifying Greco-Roman performance since Elmurat Tasmuradov's run to gold at the 2015 Asian Championships in Doha. Like Tasmuradov, Bey competed with an offensive mindset, optimizing his performance by creating angles, pressure opponents and taking chances from over-under tie-ups. If Greco-Roman wrestling wanted to create a better, more actionable product it seems that Bey is their spokesperson for the aggressive style of wrestling they are trying to promote. Cheers to Kamal Bey and to the USA's success at the Junior level. One can only hope that the senior-level wrestlers bring Bey's score-first attitude with them to Paris next week. To your questions … Nick Suriano battles Lehigh's Darian Cruz (Photo/Juan Garcia) Q: What's your take on the Nick Suriano saga? -- Mike C. Foley: Assuming everyone involved is telling the truth about their involvement and decisions, then the saga is derived from two questions: Why did Suriano choose to leave? And, why does the Big Ten block the transfer of non-revenue athletes? According to what has been stated in the press, Penn State released Suriano to compete elsewhere. Suriano chose Rutgers and the Big Ten (following procedure) withheld his eligibility for one season. Why did Suriano leave? No idea and I doubt that anyone who wasn't in that room, or in his head can really tell you why he chose to transfer. One rub is that the idea of transferring is somehow getting a negative wrap. While I'm all for making a commitment to a school, we adults must also realize that when kids make big decisions before their 18th birthday there is a likelihood that they might change their mind. Kids do that. They change their mind. One influence -- and I promise you this is a real input for guys like Suriano -- is the draw of New Jersey. Maybe it's the beaches or maybe the pork rolls, but being a wrestler from New Jersey means that you are at a higher risk of transferring back to school in New Jersey, or simply quitting the sport. That is NOT a mathematical fact, but it is an impression I've had since half the University of Virginia roster was from New Jersey and a good quarter of them transferred out after their first season. Why does the Big Ten block in-conference transfers? Simple, because that is the policy driven by football and basketball and is thus inherited by the non-revenue sports. The NCAA (and conferences) tend to now distinguish between the sports when making large bureaucratic decisions like setting limits on in-conference transfers. If they started to make those minor determinations it would mean that they are recognizing their financial model and subsequently opening themselves up to possible litigation. Also, passing individual rules for 30-plus sports would be a monster headache. Q: Aside from Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev, what is your most anticipated potential matchup in Paris? -- MC Foley: My most anticipated potential matchup featuring an American, aside from Snyder vs. Sadulaev, is Hassan Yazdani Charati vs. J'den Cox at 86 kilograms. I'd give the early tip of the cap to the more experienced Yazdani. He's been on the international scene for a long time and is coached to game plan for every match. Cox tends to not follow a game plan and is much more likely to be picked off for positional points early in the match. In Greco-Roman, Yun Won Chol of North Korea vs. Kenichiro Fumita of Japan. Lights, camera, CRAZINESS for six minutes. This will be Greco-Roman at its finest. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Official teaser for the 2017 Wrestling World Championships Yui Susaki is just the best. Q: Who do you predict has more college success, Spencer Lee (Iowa) or Daton Fix (Oklahoma State)? More international success? -- Mike C. Foley: I give Fix the early nod because we have yet to see how Lee will change his on-the-mat tactics post-surgery. That said, I think Spencer Lee might be the most mentally sturdy kid I've seen on the mats in the past ten years. He is an absolute superstar of resilience and I can't conceive of him taking many losses, whether at the NCAA level or when mixing it up with the international community. Q: Is Cade Olivas still wrestling? -- Joe F. Foley: Word is that Cade has been retired for the foreseeable future after battling issues caused by concussions. He would have been a gem for Arizona State. Really is too bad.

Check out this week's Takedown TV, featuring … UWW Junior World Championships Greco and Women's Recap National Wrestling Hall of Fame feature on Tom Green, Medal of Courage recipient 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.

Vishal Kumar Verma, a national-level wrestler for India, was electrocuted by a short circuit in a flooded stadium building Tuesday. He was 22. Vishal was found lying unconscious inside the nearly 40-year-old Jaipal Singh Stadium, just outside the Jharkhand State Wrestling Association office. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. "Preliminary investigation has revealed that death was due to electrocution," a local police officer told IndiaTimes.com. ""Vishal was using a water pump to clear out the water when the incident took place. Faulty wiring seems to be main cause for this incident." Jharkhand Wrestling Association president Bhola Singh weighed in with his assessment of the incident. "It is extremely unfortunate. I don't know why he went to the office which is sunk in deep waters," Singh said. "The situation of the stadium is pathetic and the building is in ruins." The wrestling association has promised to pay Vishal's family 10,000 rupees per month (approximately $156/month), as he was the only breadwinner for his family. However, they laid blame on the governmental agency which runs the facility. "The RMC (Ranchi Municipal Corp.) has been claiming renovation of the stadium for years, but changes are far from visible. The ground floor is almost always flooded in monsoon," Singh told The Telegraph. An unidentified official told the same newspaper, "The building has been labelled risky (by RMC), but players still live there and offices function. Sustained negligence has cost a life." Singh noted that Vishal had represented the state at various championships since 2005, having come fourth in senior nationals this year. The 5'8" wrestler competed at 70 kilograms/154 pounds.

USA Wrestling is proud to help lead a coalition of major wrestling organizations which worked together to submit a proposal to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seeking Emerging Sports Status for women's wrestling. Working side-by-side with the U.S. Olympic Committee, Wrestle Like A Girl, the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, USA Wrestling helped develop a comprehensive proposal document which was submitted to the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics on August 1. This proposal will be presented to the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics in its September 2017 meeting. The committee is chaired by Sherika Montgomery, Associate Director of Athletics for Winthrop University. This is the first step in a process in which the coalition of wrestling organizations hope results in women's wrestling receiving official Emerging Sports Status within the NCAA. "This is very similar to 2002, when USA Wrestling formally worked with partner organizations to successfully encourage the International Olympic Committee to add women's wrestling to the Olympic Games. We are pleased that these leading organizations have come together to launch this exciting application process according to NCAA procedures," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. College wrestling for women is not new in the United States, with almost a quarter century of history on college campuses. The first women's varsity team was the University of Minnesota-Morris, which was formed in 1993-94. There have been 14 years of college national women's championships, starting in 2004 with the first event at Missouri Valley College. The women's college wrestling community formed the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA) in 2008, which has hosted national championships ever since. Currently, there are 36 college programs which will compete in the WCWA in the upcoming season, including institutions from the NCAA, the NAIA and the NJCAA. Although seeking Emerging Sports Status with the NCAA has been discussed for a number of years, it became apparent to wrestling leadership over a year ago that women's wrestling had grown to the point where it met the requirements to apply for this important recognition. A committee organized by USA Wrestling leader Kyra Barry, the 2013-16 U.S. Women's Team Leader, held a number of organization and strategy conference calls to initiate the development of the application document. The writing and design of the NCAA Emerging Sports Status Proposal for women's wrestling was managed by USA Wrestling Director of Communications Gary Abbott. A complete 23-page document, containing the history of women's wrestling in the United States and the formal plan for NCAA women's wrestling, was developed during the spring and summer of 2017. In order to achieve Emerging Sports Status designation, an application must meet a specific set of standards determined by the NCAA. Spearheading the collection of the required support letters and institutional financial information were Sally Roberts of Wrestle Like A Girl and Sarah Wilhelmi of the U.S. Olympic Committee. All of the coalition organizations had input in the process which led to the completed document. There was a requirement of 10 letters from NCAA institutions which either sponsor women's wrestling or plan to do so after Emerging Sports Status is achieved. These support letters were supplied by Adrian College, Averett University, Emmanuel College, Ferrum College, King University, MacMurray College, McKendree University, Pacific University, Simon Fraser University and Westminster College. Additional support letters from the coalition organizations were added, plus additional letters from Arizona State Athletics and the University of Iowa Wrestling program. The proposal provides a plan to use freestyle wrestling, the international style for women, for NCAA women's competition. Freestyle is the style which has traditionally been used in women's college wrestling, including all WCWA competitions. The proposal also calls for NCAA women's college wrestling to be a Fall Semester sport, with a proposed NCAA women's wrestling championships during the third week of December. It is proposed to have 10 weight classes, the same number as men's wrestling, but to use the international weight classes which will be instituted by United World Wrestling for women for the 2018 year. The meeting of the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics is the first step of a process that could ultimately lead to approval of women's wrestling as a Women's Emerging Sport in the NCAA. All of the coalition members have made a commitment to participate actively as it works its way through the NCAA decision process. The coalition is also supportive of seeking official status for women's wrestling in the other college sports organizations including the NAIA and the NJCAA. There will also be an effort to encourage college conferences to recognize women's wrestling as an official conference sport. "Women's wrestling continues to be a foundational program within USA Wrestling. We are excited with the prospect of women's wrestling securing Emerging Sport Status from the NCAA. We are confident that this will become another springboard to further grow women's wrestling at all levels. USA Wrestling is also actively involved in the grassroots effort to expand the number of states which offer girls wrestling as an official sport at the high school level. It is an exciting time for women's wrestling in our nation," said Bender.

Tommy Rowlands and Jason Bryant will be guests on the "On The Mat" broadcast this Thursday, Aug. 10. Rowlands was a two-time NCAA heavyweight champ for Ohio State who is now co-owner of RUDIS wrestling apparel company. Bryant of mattalkonline.com will also serve as co-host for this week's broadcast. "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 Thursday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

From left: Jill Thompson, Derek Moore, Officer Jacobs, Spencer Adams and Brandon Sellers LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Their scarlet T-shirts read "Bellarmine Knights Wrestling" but, according to Florida vacationer Jill Thompson, head coach Spencer Adams and assistant coach Brandon Sellers sprang into action on Sunday afternoon as if they wore an "S" on their chests. "I have some new amazing friends that happen to be real-life super heroes disguised as wrestling coaches," Thompson said. Thompson delivered the high praise of Adams, Sellers and California Baptist assistant coach Derek Moore after the trio of wrestling coaches managed to help thwart and then subdue a thief who attempted to rob Thompson outside a hotel in Daytona Beach, Florida, where she was vacationing with her family. The unsettling incident occurred as Thompson headed to the Daytona Hilton's swimming pool following lunch on the boardwalk. From behind, the assailant forcibly grabbed Thompson's wallet and raced away. She chased the thief, repeatedly screaming, "He stole my wallet," during a pursuit that unfolded from the beach to a side road and then to a main road. Thompson described the thief as "very fast" and said she lost plenty of ground to him during the chase. The odds of him making a clean getaway seemed stacked in his favor. However, what the assailant most likely did not know was the National Wrestling Coaches Association's annual convention was being held at the hotel. It was swarming with wrestling personnel, and three attendees -- Adams, Sellers and California Baptist's Moore -- were in the parking lot by the hotel's convention center when they heard Thompson's shrieks for help. "All three of us started running (for the thief) at the same time," Sellers said. Sellers and Moore cut off the assailant's getaway path and blocked him from fleeing. Sellers said another man who had witnessed the scene then grabbed the thief and pulled him to the ground. The robber managed to wiggle free but his escape attempt was quickly foiled by Adams, who at that point was approaching the group of men after collecting the contents of Thompson's discarded wallet. The thief had tossed them away during his attempt to evade the wrestling coaches. From behind, Adams, a former three-time NAIA All-American at Campbellsville (Ky.) University, hoisted the assailant up and drove him to the ground, a wrestling move known as a lift-and-return or a mat return. From there, all four men collaborated on pinning down the thief. "He wasn't moving," said Adams, who noted the assailant was restrained for approximately 10 minutes before law enforcement arrived. "It all happened so fast," Adams added. "It was a situation where once we all made the decision to go help, everything flowed. (Thompson) was so happy we caught him, and her reaction made it worth it. Also on a personal level, I have the utmost respect for what our law enforcement has to deal with each day. This incident really put that admiration into an even clearer perspective: Where this situation may be once-in-a-lifetime for us, it's an every-day occurrence for them." Bellarmine Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt applauded Adams and Sellers for the courage they displayed in Daytona Beach. "Bellarmine athletics and the university as a whole is extremely proud of Coach Adams and Coach Sellers," Wiegandt said. "They are great role models for our wrestling program, and their selfless and heroic actions in Florida italicized that." Police told Thompson that the thief was on probation for assault and battery with a weapon. "Thank God he did not have a weapon this time, but these men that came to my rescue did not care if he had a weapon or not," Thompson said. "Their response was immediate and brave. They took control of the situation and made sure that I was safe and justice was served. "I think robbing a lady outside a hotel that is hosting a national conference for wrestling coaches is not the stupidest thing this man ever did, but it certainly wasn't smart," Thompson added. "I guess he wasn't counting on the fact that not only do these guys have strength, speed and amazing submission moves, but they also have tremendous bravery and an authentic desire to serve and help others with their talents. I thank God for bringing us all together on Daytona's strip for a life-changing encounter."

Doug Blubaugh, Oklahoma State wrestling champ and 1960 Olympic gold medalist, and long-time University of Central Oklahoma wrestling coach David James, are among the honorees who will be welcomed into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on Monday, Aug. 14. The induction ceremony for the Class of 2017 will take place at the Riverwind Showplace Theater in Norman, Okla. Doug Blubaugh Douglas Morlan Blubaugh earned the gold medal in men's freestyle at 160.5 pounds at the 1960 Rome Olympics, then later was named outstanding wrestler in the world for that feat. The year before, the Tonkana, Okla. native won gold at the 1959 Pan-American Games in Chicago. As a wrestler at Oklahoma State, Blubaugh was a three-time NCAA All-American, winning the 157-pound title at the 1957 NCAAs. In addition, Blubaugh won national AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) freestyle titles in 1957 and 1959. After hanging up his singlet, Blubaugh turned to coaching, first as an assistant at Michigan State for seven years, then as head coach at Indiana University for a decade. Blubaugh was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1979. Sadly, he was killed in a motorcycle accident in his home town in May 2011. David James has long been associated with wrestling at Central Oklahoma. The product of Del City wrestled at UOC, where he became the school's first four-time All-American and two-time national champion. Not long after graduating, James took over as head coach at his alma mater at age 24. Over the next 34 years at the helm, James let the Bronchos to 12 national team titles, with 48 individual national champs and 182 All-Americans. James parted ways with Central Oklahoma in 2016. In addition to Blubaugh and James, other members of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2017 include University of Oklahoma standout quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Jason White, Oklahoma State basketball great Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, Olympic decathlete Jeff Bennett, and pro baseball player Bill Greason. Located in Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame honors individuals who have accomplished greatness in athletics and have a close identification with the state of Oklahoma. Currently, 160 Oklahoma sports figures, and two "teams of legend" have been inducted into the Hall of Fame since it was established in 1986.

State champion Ryan Thomas (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) verbally committed to the University of Minnesota on Tuesday evening. He placed third at state as a freshman and sophomore, and was a runner-up at the Preseason Nationals last fall in the Junior/Senior division. Ranked No. 64 in the Class of 2018, Thomas joins No. 1 Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) and No. 53 Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) as top 100 verbal commits for the Gophers in this class. He projects collegiately as a 174 pound wrestler.

Nick Suriano wrestling Nebraska's Tim Lambert (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Penn State sophomore Nick Suriano is seeking to transfer to Rutgers University in his home state of New Jersey. According to sources, Suriano, an undefeated, four-time New Jersey state wrestling champ, has received a transfer release from Penn State which means he can transfer outside of the Big Ten without losing a year of eligibility. Per Big Ten rules, Suriano would be forced to sit out the 2017-18 season if he transfers to Rutgers, losing an entire year of eligibility. Suriano still plans to file a waiver request with the Big Ten. If the waiver is not granted by conference and Suriano were forced to sit out the upcoming season, he would have only two more seasons of eligibility left -- 2018-19, and 2019-20. Suriano is arguably one of the all-time great wrestlers to come out of New Jersey. Wrestling for Bergen Catholic High School, Suriano compiled a perfect 159-0 record, racking up four NJSIAA (New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association) titles. He also won numerous individual championships at national tournaments such as Super 32 and Beast of the East. As a Penn State wrestler, Suriano compiled a 16-3 record at 125 pounds during his freshman season in 2016-17.

Tom Brands with Ryan Morningstar at NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Count Tom Brands among those who support efforts to have the NCAA recognize women's wrestling. The head wrestling coach at University of Iowa has sent a letter to the NCAA, backing the idea that women's wrestling should be an officially sanctioned sport just like men's wrestling. In his letter, Brands outlined "Iowa's storied wrestling legacy," mentioning the Hawkeye wrestling program's 23 national titles and other accomplishments going back a century. The long-time coach and former NCAA and Olympic champion then described "wrestling's powerful role in developing young men into leaders within our institution, for our state, and throughout the nation." "It is long overdue for women to share in the opportunities afforded by this great sport." Brands concluded his letter by stating, "To empower women both athletically and academically, we call upon the NCAA to support female wrestling, beginning with recognizing women's wrestling under emerging sport status for the upcoming season." Brands' letter offers critical support to efforts by Wrestle Like a Girl, Inc. and its partners -- including USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame -- which sent a letter to the NCAA last week, seeking Emerging Sports Status for women's collegiate wrestling. (Presently, women's collegiate wrestling programs compete in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association.) The letter named eleven colleges which have submitted letters of commitment -- along with budgetary information -- to the NCAA. The schools represent all three divisions of NCAA - including NCAA Division I school Arizona State -- along with NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) schools. The Women's Committee on Athletics will review this bid in September, according to the Aug. 3 letter from Wrestle Like a Girl, Inc. If approved, wrestling will be invited to make a presentation to the Committee to earn NCAA Emerging Sport Status, with the hope of someday having women wrestlers compete for NCAA national title.

One of the best parts about adding a Cadet World Championships is the tremendous impact it is having on American wrestlers at the Junior and Senior level. Since the U.S. doesn't wrestle the international styles year-round like most countries, having an extra opportunity at the Cadet level is a huge bonus. That is evident with past Cadet World team members like Kyle Snyder, Zain Retherford and Thomas Gilman now excelling in freestyle on the Senior level. Gaining that international exposure at a younger age provides a great deal of chances for wrestlers in this country to develop and progress. And keep pace with the powerhouse countries like Russia, Iran and Japan. That's why young and talented standouts Mark Hall, Daton Fix and Gable Steveson are already grizzled veterans at the international level. And one of the reasons all three won Junior world titles last week in Finland. It was a superb overall showing with the U.S. also coming home with champions in Maya Nelson (women's freestyle) and Kamal Bey (Greco-Roman). The American program has picked up some nice momentum with the start of the U.S. Senior World Championships just a couple of weeks away in Paris. Here is my report card from the Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland Daton Fix won a gold medal at the Junior World Championships at 55 kilograms (Photo/Marion Stein, UWW) Freestyle The U.S. turned in an incredible performance and did it with Kevin Jackson, the former U.S. National coach, leading the way. Jackson is back as USA Wrestling's developmental freestyle coach, a role he already is thriving in. KJ is a superb freestyle coach and will have a huge impact once again on the American program. Hall, Fix and Steveson led the way with dominant performances against a very elite field. These guys are confident, mature wrestlers who also wrestle aggressively and put points on the board. They can break matches open in the blink of an eye. They are fun to watch and their entertaining style certainly is great for growing and promoting the sport. The U.S. earned the team championship while finishing with seven medals, including three gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal. It was the first team title for the U.S. at the Junior Worlds in freestyle in 33 years. Hall already has won an NCAA title with Fix and Steveson both having an enormous amount of potential as they move forward. It was a breakthrough of sorts for Fix, a very tough young star who has numerous wins over Cadet and Junior world champion Spencer Lee. The U.S. also had silver medalists in Finland that included Mitchell McKee, Ryan Deakin and Zahid Valencia. Kollin Moore added a bronze medal. Every point was needed as the Americans edged a powerful Russian team by one point for the gold trophy. It certainly was a memorable few days for the Junior world team. Grade: A Maya Nelson won gold in women's wrestling (Photo/Marion Stein, UWW) Women's wrestling Nelson became the first Junior women's world champion for the U.S. since 2010, defeating Bulgaria's Yuliana Yaneva 6-0 in the finals. Nelson is another excellent young prospect who has excelled internationally at a very young age. She has the potential to be a star on the next level as well. She's a tough, gritty and explosive wrestler with a determination to match. Newcomer Asia Ray added a bronze medal for the American squad. Cameron Guerin fell in the bronze-medal bout. The U.S. women, typically on the podium among the top three teams in this event, finished fifth in the standings. The good news is women's wrestling is growing at this level in the U.S., so look for more young stars to emerge soon. Grade: C+ Kamal Bey became USA's first Junior World Greco champ since 1999 (Photo/Marion Stein, UWW) Greco-Roman The explosive Bey earned a wild 16-11 finals win over 2016 Cadet world champion Akzhol Makhmudov from Kyrgyzstan to cap a memorable showing at Junior Worlds. Bey has provided a much-needed boost for Coach Matt Lindland's Greco program. Bey is a huge talent with a very big upside. It was the first world title at that level for the U.S. since 1999. Bey's wide-open, exciting style makes him a fan favorite that can help Greco grow in this country. He's a major talent. American Cevion Severado added a silver medal for the U.S. Taylor LaMont reached the bronze-medal bout before placing fifth. The U.S. has struggled at the Senior level in this style and this performance gives the Greco program a spark and an indication that some future stars are coming at the Senior level. The addition of coach Gary Mayabb in a full-time role is a big plus for the program at the developmental level. The American Greco program is definitely on the right track. Grade: B-

A pair of top 100 Class of 2018 wrestlers made their collegiate commitments known on Monday. Three-time state placer Michael O'Malley (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) became the third top 100 wrestler to commit to Drexel in this class, while two-time state champion Erich Byelick (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) did the same for Northwestern. No. 58 Michael O'Malley joins No. 56 Antonio Mininno (Gateway-Woodbury, N.J.) and No. 71 Anthony Walters (Bishop McCort, Pa.) in the Dragons' class, while No. 79 Erich Byelick joins No. 29 Ryan Karoly (Malvern Prep, Pa.) and No. 31 Jack Jessen (Willowbrook, Ill.) in the Wildcats' class. A projected 174/184, O'Malley was the Outstanding Wrestler of the Pan-Am Cadet Championships in freestyle last month. He'll join older brother Sean, who starts at Drexel this fall, on the Dragons' wrestling team. Also a projected 174/184, Byelick was champion at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring and a Super 32 Challenge placer last fall.

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army West Point head wrestling coach Kevin Ward has announced the addition of assistant coach Joe DeAngelo to his staff. DeAngelo spent last season as a volunteer assistant at Clarion University. In addition to coaching the lightweights, he assisted with recruiting, fundraising, scheduling, and setting up practices with the Golden Eagles. He also coordinated community and alumni events for the team. DeAngelo worked closely with Jake Gromackie and Brock Zacherl, who both earned bids to the NCAA Championships after placing second at the Eastern Wrestling League Championships. "I couldn't be happier to welcome Joe to our staff," Ward said. "He is an energetic, hard-working, and passionate young coach who will have a positive impact on our program and the lives of our cadet-athletes. He has been a part of some very impressive wrestling programs, and we will look to Joe to have an immediate impact on our lightweights and a large role in our recruiting efforts as we continue to bring in some of the most accomplished and most driven young wrestlers in the country." Prior to Clarion, DeAngelo served as a volunteer assistant at Hofstra in 2015-16. With the Pride, he played a pivotal role with NCAA qualifier Jamel Hudson who advanced to the second day of the national championships by winning in wrestlebacks. "I am beyond excited to work with Kevin and the rest of the staff at West Point," DeAngelo said. "I have heard nothing but great things that they have accomplished with this program, and I'm excited to play a role in the future success of Army wrestling." DeAngelo graduated from North Carolina State University in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies after earning his associate's degree at Nassau Community College in 2012. DeAngelo qualified for NCAAs twice while wrestling for the Wolfpack at 125 pounds. He placed fifth in the 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships to earn an automatic berth and then placed fourth in the 2015 ACC Championship to receive an at-large bid. DeAngelo, who was selected the Wolfpack's team captain in 2014-15, was named the North Carolina State Most Valuable Wrestler after joining the team at mid-season in 2013, Redshirt of the Year in 2014 after recording a 27-4 and placing no lower than third in all seven open tournaments, and was selected ACC Wrestler of the Week in February, 2015 after posting two victories over nationally-ranked opponents. He also earned University National Freestyle All-American honors by placing fourth and was a finalist at the National Collegiate Open in 2014. At Nassau CC, DeAngelo earned All-America honors by placing seventh at the National Junior College Athletic Association Wrestling Championships in 2012. He also earned NJCAA Academic All-America honors that year. Active on the club and camp circuits, DeAngelo has coached in the Pop and Flo Nationals and the Wake Forest Wrestling Club since 2014 and the Vougar Hall of Fame Wrestling Club and the Nassau Kettlebell Program in 2011-12. He also has extensive camp experience having worked at the Journeyman Wrestling Camp, Bob Guzzo's World Class Wrestling Camp, the Havelock Wrestling Camp, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Wrestling Camp and the North Carolina State Wrestling Camp. DeAngelo has also been doing personalized coaching since 2010 which has resulted in three All-American performers and three state championship finishes along with numerous state place-winners. A native of Burlington, N.C., DeAngelo currently resides in Highland Falls, N.Y. For more information on Army West Point wrestling, visit GoArmyWestPoint.com and follow @ArmyWP_Wres on Twitter.

A decade after a former wrestler and volunteer coach at a suburban Cincinnati high school was murdered, his memory lives on in a fundraiser next month to benefit his alma mater. The John Harris "No Excuses" Memorial Fundraiser will take place Saturday, Sept. 16 from 6-10 p.m. at the Sharonville Convention Center, 11355 Chester Road, Sharonville, Ohio, just up the street from Princeton High School where Harris wrestled for the Vikings, then later returned to the school to help coach the mat program. The event will feature music and motivational speakers. A donation ticket costs $10, but gifts of any amount are welcome. All proceeds are slated to support the Princeton Vikings wrestling program. A 2001 graduate of Princeton High, John Harris was a standout wrestler for the Vikings, and named team captain his senior year. Even after graduation, he was a part of the program coaching kids both on and off the mats. Harris, who worked as a journeyman plumber, was murdered outside his home in the city of Cincinnati in June 2007. His killers have yet to be caught. To learn more about the Princeton High wrestling program, visit their Facebook page.

California's Calvary Chapel High School -- home to one of the nation's top-ranked prep wrestling programs -- has fired its head coach and assistant coach, the Orange County Register reported Saturday. Calvary Chapel principal Jason Huffman said that the school had relieved head coach Sal Garcia and assistant coach Jacob Harman of their coaching duties early last week. What's more, Garcia -- who had headed up the Churchboyz wrestling program for the past two seasons -- was let go as a physical education and math instructor at the school. Changes at the Santa Ana, Calif. based school weren't limited to the teaching and coaching staff. "We have decided to part way with the Team Thunder wrestling program," Huffman told the Register. Garcia and Huffman had been on staff of Team Thunder -- a year 'round wrestling club with approximately 75 athletes -- which has used the wrestling room at Calvary Chapel for a number of years. The principal offered no reasons as to why the two coaches were let go, nor why the relationship with Team Thunder had been severed. Garcia was informed of his firing at a meeting on Monday where the school expressed concerns about the wrestling program. "It just kind of came out of nowhere," Garcia told the Register, declining to offer any reasons for the dismissal. "It seemed like we were on the right track (as a program), but I don't know. I think some outside influences kind of help them make that decision. … I'm bummed because of the time all of us coaches invested in these kids and these families." Garcia also said some parents were "upset at some of the coaches" but did not elaborate. "Without getting into details, ultimately it's their kids they're concerned about," he said. There were no explanations for Calvary Chapel severing ties with the two coaches and Team Thunder at the Churchboyz Facebook page -- the unofficial site for the school's wrestling program -- or for the wrestling club. Neither had been updated since July. Calvary Chapel has won seven CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) State team wrestling championships, the most of any Southern California program. Over the past quarter-century, many Calvary wrestlers have won individual state and CIF-Southern Section championships. Calvary Chapel is a four-year, private Christian high school located in Santa Ana, Calif. southeast of Los Angeles "dedicated to the spiritual, academic, physical, and social development of the students it serves." Founded in 1988, Calvary Chapel has approximately 500 students in grades 9-12.

Joe Solomon, three-time Pennsylvania high school state wrestling champ who later won EIWA and NCAA titles for the University of Pittsburgh, died Saturday due to complications from Alzheimer's. He was 84. Born in Canonsburg, Pa. in November 1933, Joseph John Solomon had a lifelong involvement in the sport of wrestling, as a high school and college wrestler, and as a long-time mat official. Solomon wrestled at Canonsburg High School, where he was a three-time WPIAL (Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League) champ. He made it to the PIAA finals twice, winning the Pennsylvania state title at 154 pounds in 1950. Joe Solomon behind Ed DeWitt (Photo/Owl Yearbook)Solomon continued his education and wrestling career on a scholarship to Pitt under head coach Rex Perry. The two-time team MVP and team captain as a senior was a two-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association finalist, placing second at 167 pounds at the 1954 EIWAs, and being crowned EIWA champ at 177 pounds as a senior in 1955. At the 1954 NCAAs at the University of Oklahoma, the unseeded Solomon won the 167-pound title. The following year at the 1955 NCAAs, Solomon placed fourth at 167, earning All-American honors for the second consecutive year. Upon graduating from Pittsburgh in 1955, Solomon served in the U.S. Navy. While serving his country, Solomon continued his mat career, as an All-Navy wrestling champ, and as coach at the Great Lakes Naval Station wrestling team. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, Solomon spent over 30 years at Blue Cross of Western Pennsylvania (Highmark) as Senior Vice President of Sales. In his free time and while working for Blue Cross, Joe officiated well over 900 wrestling matches for 30 years at all levels including 15 PIAA state championships, ten PSAC and EIWA Championships, and five NCAA Championships. In addition, Solomon served for more 20 years with the Dapper Dan Classic Committee which puts on the annual event featuring the best U.S. high school wrestlers taking on those from Pennsylvania. He also worked with the Pennsylvania Olympic Committee. Solomon had been honored by a number of halls of fame, including the Pennsylvania, Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame, the Western Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, and the EIWA Hall of Fame. In 2005 Solomon was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Pennsylvania Chapter for Lifetime Service to Wrestling. Visitation will take place Monday, Aug. 7 from 2-8 p.m. at William Slater II Funeral Services at 1650 Greentree Rd. in Pittsburgh. A funeral mass will be held Tuesday, Aug. 8 at noon at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on 1066 Washington Road in Pittsburgh, with burial to follow at 2 p.m. at the National Cemetery of the Alleghenies in Washington County. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

Cohlton Schultz dropped his opening match at the Junior World Championships (Photo/Richard Immel) TAMPERE, Finland -- After winning medals in each of the first five days of the Junior World Championships, the U.S. has fallen short of a medal on the final day of competition. It was a tough day for the Americans as the final four Greco-Roman wrestlers competing went a combined 0-4 on Sunday. None of the four were pulled back into repechage, putting an end to Team USA's week-long competition in Tampere, Finland. Randon Miranda, who finished seventh at last year's Junior World Championships, was edged 6-5 by Cadet world champion Turabek Tirkash of Uzbekistan in the round of 16 at 55 kilograms. Miranda found himself in an early hole after giving up a two-point exposure and four-point arm throw. Miaranda would rally late, scoring a four-point move to cut the deficit to one late, but Tirkash held on for the win. Miranda was knocked out of the competition when Tirkash fell to Kerem Kamal of Turkey in the semifinals. Domonick Demas, competing at 66 kilograms, lost by technical fall, 12-2, in his first match against Joilson De Brito Ramos of Brazil. The Brazilian held a 3-0 lead midway through the period before pulling away late. Wyatt Koelling dropped his first match to Sweden's Aleksandar Stjepanetic 3-1 at 84 kilograms. Stjepanetic used an arm throw to score the match's first two points before Koelling earned a reversal to make the score 2-1. Stjepanetic would add another point late in the first period off a passivity to go up 3-1 and held on for the victory. At 120 kilograms, Cohlton Schultz, the nation's top-ranked wrestler in the Class of 2019 by InterMat, lost narrowly, 4-3, to Estonia's Artur Vititin. Schultz led early before giving up a four-point throw, which proved to be the difference in the match. USA concludes the Junior World Championships with 11 medals won across the three styles and a team title in freestyle. Three American freestyle wrestlers won gold medals: Daton Fix, Mark Hall and Gable Steveson. Maya Nelson captured a gold in women's wrestling, while Kamal Bey became American's first Junior world champion in Greco-Roman since 1999.

Kamal Bey with the American flag after winning gold at the Junior World Championships (Photo/Richard Immel) TAMPERE, Finland -- Kamal Bey was just a year old when the U.S. last crowned a Junior world champion in Greco-Roman … entering today. On Saturday, Bey snapped the 18-year gold medal drought for the United States, capturing a gold medal in Greco-Roman at 74 kilograms on the opening day of the Greco-Roman competition at the Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland. Kamal Bey nearly secured a fall in the first period (Photo/Richard Immel) Bey, a Chicago native, dazzled all day with big moves match-after-match. In the gold-medal match, Bey met 2016 Cadet world champion Akzhol Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan. The two wrestlers traded step out points in the first 20 seconds. Fifteen seconds later Bey locked up a throw and put Makhmudov on his back for four points, nearly securing the fall. The Kyrgyzstan scored a reversal and then attempted a throw of his own, but Bey countered and scored two points, making the score 7-2 in favor of the American. Makhmudov inched closer with a takedown and gut wrench to make the score 7-6. The two wrestlers then came to their feet and Bey threw Makhmudov to his back for four points to go up 11-6, which is how the opening period would end. Bey and Makhmudov battled for the first two minutes of the final period with no scoring. Then with 45 seconds left Makhmudov threw Bey to his back, but the American quickly reversed the action and a flurry ensued, which resulted in the scoring being 13-11 in favor of Bey with just over 30 seconds remaining. Bey would add a late takedown and win by five, giving the U.S. its first Junior world champion in Greco-Roman since Garrett Lowney accomplished the feat in 1999. Cevion Severado also wrestled for a gold-medal on Saturday, but was blanked 6-0 in the finals at 50 kilograms against Iran's Poya Dad Marz. The Iranian scored early with a step out, picked up a takedown midway through the first period and added a point off passivity to grab a 4-0 lead at the break. Dad Marz would add a takedown in the final period while preventing Severado from scoring. Taylor La Mont, a Junior world bronze medalist in 2016, was defeated in the bronze-medal match at 60 kilograms by Russia's Magomed Magomedov 2-1. Sunday is the final day of the Junior World Championships with the remaining four weight classes in Greco-Roman being contested. Randon Miranda (55 kilograms), Domonick Demas (66 kilograms), Wyatt Koelling (84 kilograms) and Cohlton Schultz (120 kilograms) will compete for Team USA.

Zaprian Petrov Zaprian Petrov, national champion wrestler for Bulgaria who later coached the sport in Mexico, passed away July 23. Born in Stransko, Bulgaria in 1958, Petrov was a four-time Bulgarian national wrestling champion before earning a postgraduate degree in physical culture in Sophia. In 1992, Petrov followed his wife to Mexico -- who had been hired as a gymnastics coach in Mexico City -- where he became head wrestling coach at the National Preparatory School Campus 3 of National University. It was there that Petrov became known as "Tatko" -- Bulgarian for "dad" -- because of his "charismatic, affable way of always being interested in the integral development of every athlete he met, not only his own team wrestlers," to quote United World Wrestling's tribute to Petrov. In his first stint as coach, Petrov guided his team to national team titles, as well as coached dozens of National Team members as well as Pan American and Central American champions. Petrov also was a tireless champion for promoting women's wrestling in Mexico. Petrov suffered a setback in 2010 when he was struck by a car, causing numerous fractures, and putting him a coma for nearly two weeks. However, he overcame those challenges to return to coaching four years later. In 2012, National University authorities named the wrestling hall where he coached for nearly twenty years in his honor, for his contributions to the wrestling program at the school, as well as the sport throughout Mexico.

Kamal Bey defeated Per Albin Olofsson of Sweden to reach the finals (Photo/Richard Immel) TAMPERE, Finland -- The U.S. Greco-Roman team delivered a strong performance in Saturday's opening session of the Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland. Three of the four Americans competing on Saturday advanced to medal matches, with two, Cevion Severado (50 kilograms) and Kamal Bey (74 kilograms), reaching the finals. USA had not had a finalist at the Junior World Championships in Greco-Roman since 2000 when Joe Privitere won a silver medal at 69 kilograms in 2000. Garrett Lowney was the last American to win a Junior world title, accomplishing the feat in 1999 at 97 kilograms. Taylor La Mont, a returning world bronze medalist, will wrestle in the bronze-medal match for the third consecutive year. Cevion Severado reached the finals in his first World Championships (Photo/Richard Immel) Severado, who replaced the injured Elijah Varona, outscored his opposition 24-4 on his way to reaching the finals at 50 kilograms. His semifinal victory came over Japan's Kensuke Shimizu, who knocked off returning world champion Vladislav Melnikov of Russia by technical fall in the quarterfinals. He now meets Iran's Poya Soula Dad Marz for the gold medal. Bey, a U.S. Open champion, put on a throwing clinic on his way to reaching the finals at 74 kilograms. He won three of his four matches by technical fall. In the semifinals, Bey jumped out to a comfortable lead and appeared to be on his way to another technical fall, but his opponent, Nasir Hasanov of Azerbaijan, battled back and came within three points. Bey then won a wild, high-scoring semifinal match, 19-7, over Per Albin Olofsson of Sweden. Taylor La Mont defeated Sweden's Ardit Fazljija in the quarterfinals (Photo/Richard Immel) La Mont put together two strong matches to reach the semifinals at 60 kilograms. He opened with a 6-2 win over Cadet world bronze medalist Maksim Nehoda of Belarus, and then topped Sweden's Ardit Fazljija 8-3 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, La Mont met Ukrain's Oleksandr Hrushyn. The American scored first and took a 1-0 lead into the second period. Hrushyn came out strong in the second period, scoring first off a passivity and then getting a takedown and gut wrench turn to go up 5-1. The Ukranian would add an additional point off a step out to win by five. Returning world bronze medalist Tracy Hancock opened with two straight wins before dropping a tight 4-3 match in the quarterfinals to Suleyman Erbay of Turkey. Hancock was eliminated from the tournament when Erbay lost by technical fall in the semifinals to Cadet world champion Artur Sargsian of Russia. Saturday's final session is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. local time, 11 a.m. ET.

Former collegiate wrestler turned MMA star Michael Chandler, a trio of wrestling coaches and a book author will be among the guests to be featured on the Takedown Radio broadcast this Saturday, August 5. Join Scott Casber, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson for the two-hour broadcast from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Central available on KXNO 1460 AM radio and online at www.KXNO.iHeart.com or TakedownWrestle.com Here's this Saturday's guest list: 9 a.m. John Clark, Sacred Heart head wrestling coach 9:15 a.m. Kevin Emily, author of “Pathfinder: The Journey of the African-American Wrestler” 9:35 a.m. Sean White, Buena Vista University assistant wrestling coach 10 a.m. Michael Chandler, former University of Missouri All-American, now Bellator MMA fighter 10:20 a.m. Don McGuire, host of MMA radio show, “The Fighter's Voice” 10:40 a.m. Mark McGowan, USA Deaf and Challenged Wrestling head coach

Maya Nelson became America's first Junior world champ in women's wrestling since 2010 (Photo/Richard Immel) TAMPERE, Finland -- For the first time since 2010, the United States has crowned a Junior world champion in women's wrestling. On Friday, Maya Nelson improved upon her bronze-medal finish from 2016, upgrading to a gold medal at the 2017 Junior World Championships in Tampere, Finland. Nelson capped off her dominant run to gold at 63 kilograms with a convincing 6-0 victory in the finals over Yuliana Yaneva of Bulgaria. "I'm elated," said Nelson, who finished the tournament with two shutouts, a technical fall and fall. "I'm so happy right now. But first and foremost all the glory goes to God. Without Him, without my faith I would not be here." In the gold-medal match, the 19-year-old American scored off a single leg attack just over 30 seconds into the match to take a 2-0 lead. The score stayed that way for the next four and a half minutes. With just over a minute remaining, Nelson shot a double leg, which she converted for a four-point takedown on the edge of the mat to extend her lead to 6-0. The two wrestlers battled for the next minute, but neither wrestler could score, giving Nelson the six-point victory and gold medal. "Once I got my hands on her and I snapped her down the first time, I was like, 'I got this,'" said Nelson, who trains at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. "I moved her around and I got my offense off so that was exciting for me." Nelson, a runner-up at the U.S. Open, becomes the first Junior world champion in women's wrestling for America since Victoria Anthony won her second consecutive world title in 2010. In 2014, Nelson became the first high school girl in Colorado state history both to qualify for big-school state competition and win a match. She qualified the next year in 2015 as well. Nelson's run to gold on Friday comes a day after Asia Ray won a bronze medal at 44 kilograms on the first day of the women's wrestling competition. Nelson was the lone American to reach a medal match on the final day of women's wrestling. Three other Americans, McKayla Campbell (48 kilograms), Ronna Heaton (55 kilograms) and Rachel Watters (72 kilograms), were eliminated in Friday's opening session. Japan ran away with the team title in women's wrestling, winning four of the eight gold medals, outdistancing second-place Russia by 19 points. USA finished fifth in the team standings. The U.S. has now won nine medals, including four golds, over the first four days of the Junior World Championships, which includes freestyle and women's wrestling competition. Greco-Roman wrestling is scheduled to begin on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time in Finland, 3 a.m. ET. Cevion Severado (50 kilograms), Taylor LaMont (60 kilograms), Kamal Bey (74 kilograms) and G'Angelo Hancock (96 kilograms) will compete for the Americans.

A suspect in the murder of the two-time European junior freestyle wrestling champion Yury Vlasko of the Russian Federation has been arrested, the Russian website RAPSI reported Thursday. He was 20. Yury Vlasko One week after winning the junior title in the under 96-kilogram category in competition at Ulan-Ude, Vlasko was found dead on the shore of Lake Baikal in Siberia on Saturday, July 29. He had been stabbed in the neck and chest. According to BloodyElbow.com, Vlasko came to the rescue of friends who had reported being attacked by locals on the beach. When the brawl ended, Vlasko's bloodied body was found lying on the beach. Vlasko had dreamed of wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Mikhail Mamishvili, president of the Wrestling Federation of Russia, expressed his condolences. "Yury was an open, honest, strong, and lucid guy without a shadow of aggression, a team spirit. A real strong Russian guy with clear goals and objectives," he told TASS.

Nazem Amine, two-time Olympic wrestler and father and grandfather of a handful of University of Michigan wrestlers, died in Dearborn, Mich. in mid-July. He was 90. Nazem AmineBorn in Lebanon in 1927 as one of nine children, Nazem Amine took up wrestling at age 16. He qualified for the Lebanese Olympic wrestling team twice, competing at the 1956 Melbourne Games. Then, four years later at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Amine earned a bronze medal, according to the Dearborn Press and Guide. (InterMat was able to verify that Amine wrestled lightweight in Greco-Roman competition in Rome, but could not confirm from independent sources that he received a medal.) Two of Nazem Amine's sons -- Mike and Sam Amine -- wrestled for the Michigan Wolverines, while three grandsons -- Malik, Jordan, and Myles -- also earned scholarships to wrestle at the Ann Arbor school. The senior Amine left Lebanon, bringing his family to Dearborn in 1967 where he worked as a butcher. He later served as a driver for Spirit Airlines, working until he was 88. "He wanted us to always be the best in everything we do regardless of the consequences," his daughter Hoda told the Press and Guide. "He loved us unconditionally and always paved the way by walking the walk and talking the talk."

Maya Nelson defeated Russia's Mariia Kuznetsova to reach the gold-medal match (Photo/Richard Immel) TAMPERE, Finland -- Maya Nelson will be upgrading her world medal a year after winning a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships. She advanced to the gold-medal match at 63 kilograms on Friday in Tampere, Finland, blanking Russia's Mariia Kuznetsova 4-0 in the semifinals. It was a rematch from last year's bronze-medal match, also won by Nelson. Nelson held a 2-0 lead until late in the match. Kuznetsova attacked with 15 seconds left and able to get to Moore's leg, but the American countered and scored a takedown of her own in the closing seconds to seal the victory. She will face Bulgaria's Yuliana Yaneva for the gold medal. "I've gotten so much better since last year," said Nelson, a Denver, Colorado native. "I've been nervous all day. It probably doesn't show in my face when I'm wrestling out there. I had a couple breakdowns this morning. It just showed me that I can overcome adversity and get on the mat and do what I love to do … and just have fun." Nelson was dominant in her first two matches. She opened with a 12-1 technical fall over Ying Zhang (China), and then in the quarterfinals picked up a fall in the second period over Nicole Depa of Canada. Nelson was the lone American to reach a medal match on the final day of women's wrestling. Three other Americans, McKayla Campbell (48 kilograms), Ronna Heaton (55 kilograms) and Rachel Watters (72 kilograms), were eliminated in Friday's opening session. Campbell dropped her first match by technical fall, 12-2, to India's Ankush Ankush of Indiana. She was eliminated from the competition after Ankush dropped her next match. Ronna Heaton cruised to a technical fall in her first match (Photo/Richard Immel) Heaton, a two-time Cadet world finalist, cruised to a 10-0 technical fall in her opening match at 55 kilograms against New Zealand's Anastasia Dmitrivna. In the round of 16, Heaton faced Russia's Viktoriia Vaulina, a past cadet world champion. The match was competitive early as the two wrestlers traded takedowns in the first minute. But Vaulina dominated the rest of the way, getting three more takedows and two turns to end the match in the first period. Heaton's tournament officially ended when Vaulina fell in the semifinals to Cuba's Lianna De Montero Herrera. Watters, competing at 72 kilograms, came from behind to win her first match in the closing seconds, getting a late exposure to win 3-2 over Poland's Natalia Strzalka. In her second match, Watters faced Taipei's Hui Tsz Chang, and appeared to be on her way to another close victory. Trailing 4-2 with 15 seconds remaining, Watters took a shot and was awarded a go-ahead takedown in the closing seconds. However, the call was challenged and reversed, giving Chang the victory.