InterMat Staff

Jordan Leen coaching in the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) PITTSBURGH -- University of Pittsburgh head wrestling coach Keith Gavin announced Thursday the addition of assistant coach Jordan Leen, while Drew Headlee will remain on staff in his current role as assistant coach. "I'm really excited to have Jordan and Drew on my staff," said Gavin. "They both have incredible work ethics and know what it takes to build a top program. We're all energized to get in the room and start working with the team as we see incredible potential for the Pitt wrestling program." "Jordan is a high character individual that has the experience and mentality it takes to build an elite team and will make an immediate impact on this program. He is great at developing student-athletes and he is a very effective recruiter." Leen joins the Pitt coaching staff after having spent six seasons with the Virginia Cavaliers where he was an assistant for five and an associate head coach in his final year. He will work primarily with the middle weights. "I am thankful and excited for the opportunity to help guide the Pitt Panthers to new heights," said Leen. "I'd like to thank Pitt's administration for entrusting me with the job. I have been impressed by Heather's vision, the rest of administration and support staff's commitment, as well as Keith's plan for the program. I believe that together we can do something special here at Pitt and I think it can be a lot of fun in the process." During his tenure at Virginia under the guidance of Steve Garland, Leen helped produce 40 NCAA qualifiers, nine ACC champions and six All-Americans. The Cavaliers also claimed the 2015 ACC team championship. Leen played a crucial role in developing 2017 NCAA runner-up George DiCamillo at 141 pounds. DiCamillo had a standout redshirt senior campaign, becoming just the third Cavalier in program history to reach the NCAA finals. At the conclusion of the season, DiCamillo was named ACC Wrestler of the year. Prior to joining the UVA staff, Leen got his coaching start at Duke, spending the 2010-11 season with the Blue Devils. A 2009 graduate of Cornell, Leen was the 2008 157-pound NCAA champion, a three-time All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier. He posted a career record of 118-29 while garnering First-Team All-Ivy League honors on three occasions. Headlee, who mainly works with the lower weights, will enter his fourth season with the Panthers as an assistant coach. "It was very important for me to keep Drew on staff," said Gavin. "I wanted someone that knew the ins and outs of this program and he has overwhelming support from the student-athletes, staff and alumni. I have run into Drew at just about every major recruiting event over the years and I saw him consistently working to improve the Pitt wrestling program. His determination and work ethic embody what the foundation of this program will be built on. We are all excited that Drew will be staying with us." During his time in the Pitt corner, Headlee has seen 15 Panthers qualify for the NCAA Championships and six individuals capture ACC titles, three of which were in 2017. "It is a great opportunity to stay here at Pitt and work with Keith as he shares the same passion for this program, University and city that I do," said Headlee. "Keith brings a new level of experience as well as expectations to the program that will push it to be great. In the short time he has been here, Keith has already taken a number of steps in the right direction." A 2008 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, Headlee spent two years at Lehigh University under the guidance of Pitt standout Pat Santoro before returning to his alma mater. Headlee had an extensive professional wrestling career as he trained and competed around the world including Lehigh, North Carolina RTC, West Virginia RTC, while competing in Russia, Belarus and Cuba. At Pitt, Headlee reached All-America status while qualifying for the NCAA championships three times. He was also a two-time EWL champion. The Panthers concluded the 2016-17 season 11-5 overall and was ranked in the top 25 of the USA Today/NWCA Coaches poll the entire season. Pitt's year was highlighted by three individual champions, the most since the 2014-15 season, and a third-place finish at the ACC Championship.

Wrestlers wore two-piece uniforms at Who's Number One (Photo/Juan Garcia) After nearly a half-century as being the one-and-only uniform in amateur wrestling, the singlet is about to get some competition, at least on the high school level, as the National Federation for State High School Associations has approved rule changes which will allow scholastic wrestlers the option to wear two-piece uniforms on the mat. The NFHS announced on Tuesday that its Wrestling Rules Committee approved the uniform option, which includes compression shorts or shorts designed for wrestling, and a form-fitted compression shirt. The new two-piece uniform will be legal for the 2017-18 season and beyond. What will the new two-piece uniform option to the traditional singlet -- the standard uniform for high school and collegiate wrestling in the U.S. since first gaining widespread use in the late 1960s and early 1970s -- mean for the sport overall? "The committee approved use of the alternate two-piece uniform in the hopes of increasing boys' and girls' participation in the sport after receiving favorable results from experimentation and positive comments from schools, students, coaches and officials," the NFHS said in its announcement. Presently, just over a quarter-million high school students participate in wrestling, with 250,653 boys and 13,496 girls involved in the sport, according to the 2015-16 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. Some within the wrestling community have shared concerns from would-be wrestlers who have said that the one-piece singlet is "too revealing" and may serve as a "deal-breaker" to keep some out of the sport. Two-piece uniforms: a winning alternative to singlets? Will the new two-piece uniform answer these concerns ... and actually help boost participation? Two-piece uniforms have already made an appearance at the college level ... most notably, this past season at the NCAA Division I program at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Rutgers University head coach Scott Goodale, who previously coached at Jackson Memorial High School in New Jersey, said that if the two-piece uniform option helps more prospective student-athletes come out for the sport, he's in favor of the rule change, according to MyCentralNewJersey.com. "I think it's great for the sport," said Marcus Ivy, head wrestling coach at Sayreville High in New Jersey. "I'm fine with the singlet, but the fact of the matter is some people are deterred (from competing) by singlets. I understand there are purists that say that if (the singlet) is what keeps you from wrestling, you shouldn't wrestle anyway. But if we can make our sport grow, why would you not do it? We're not going to lose kids because of this." "I think most coaches will agree, our sport is a numbers game, and we are always looking to improve our numbers," Monroe High head coach Billy Jacoutot told MyCentralNewJersey.com. "In wrestling, we are always trying to find different ways to get kids interested. If there's anything to be done to get more bodies in the room, great." Susquehanna Township coach Dee Evans pointed out that most sports don't require revealing uniforms to compete. In talking about the new two-piece wrestling uniforms just approved by the NFHS, Evans told PennLive.com, "That's for kids who are going through the most changes with their body and how they fit in with their teams. It becomes a big deal for them. Most sports don't have tight-fitting clothes like wrestling has. This gives us an avenue to something they'd wear in basketball or football." Clayton Smith, who has been on the coaching staff at New Jersey's Mainland Regional High for 15 years, told the Press of Atlantic City that it's not just upper-weight wrestlers who have complained about how they look in a singlet ... but he's also heard grumbling from lower and middle-weight wrestlers too. Smith likes that the new two-piece uniform gives off "more of a mixed martial arts look" which could help tie wrestling to the growing popularity of MMA especially among young people. "That's how they perceive it," Smith said. "When that proposal about MMA-style shorts and compression shirts came out, a lot of kids said they would try out if they wore that." Even some traditionalists may be coming around to seeing the potential benefits of offering a two-piece wrestling uniform option for those uncomfortable with the idea of pulling on a singlet. "If you asked me when I first started coaching 11 years ago, I'd say no," Michael Carbone, head coach at Woodbridge High School, told MyCentralNewJersey.com. "I had a hard line in the sand. It should be a singlet. But the college coaches have tinkered with it, and a lot of the wrestlers that I know, they actually like it. So, in my opinion now, rather than back when I was young and didn't understand it, whatever is better for the sport, I think we should do. If the two-piece is going to get a kid who is having body-image issues on the mat, I think it's the right thing to do for that kid. If another kid is built like he is made out of stone and he wants to wear a singlet, then great, carry on." Cost may be a challenge A potential impediment for the two-piece compression-style uniform may be money. "We're going to have to look at the cost and see," said first-year Lower Cape May Regional coach Billy Damiana. "If it helps grow the sport, I don't have a complaint," Damiana told the Press of Atlantic City. "I don't care about the uniforms, I just want the kids wrestling." "My kids are getting excited about it," Harrisburg High School coach Domineak Commodore told PennLive.com. "The biggest concern I have is the quality of the uniform. Is it going to be more expensive? It's easy to keep track of 25 singlets, but I have to worry about 50 pieces now." Cost may be an issue even with high school wrestling coaches whose athletes had positive feelings after wearing the shirts-and-shorts look at special competitions. Michael Carty of Florida's Satellite High School coached an all-star team sponsored by the National Guard at the Disney Duals in 2008. The wrestlers wore a two-piece uniform and loved them. Carty says he's "all for the additional option," telling the Orlando Sentinel that he hopes the uniform rule will be expanded to include modified fight shorts in the future, but for now his team will likely remain in the one-piece singlets. "We've gotten new singlets the last two years," Carty said. "Tough to justify getting more new ones with the AD, but we might make it a special-order option for the guys." The singlet has not always been the uniform for amateur wrestling. To see photos of past wrestling uniforms, check out this November 2016 InterMat feature.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- With John Hangey being elevated to Rider Wrestling Head Coach as of this coming July 1, he's announced that Nic Bedelyon will be promoted as his top assistant coach. Bedelyon has served on the Rider staff for the last five years under Hangey and the legendary Gary Taylor. In his time at Rider, he's coached three student-athletes to four All-American honors in the last three years and the team has finished in the Top 25 in each of the last two years. Nic Bedelyon"Naming Nic Bedelyon as the head assistant for our wrestling program was literally a no-brainer decision for me to ensure our program keeps moving forward," said Hangey. "Nic and I have been together for five years and we hit it off personally and professionally from the very beginning. Nic has had a major impact in the overall success our program has experienced the last five years. Nic is extremely committed to our University and wrestling program and has sincere aspirations of us becoming a perennial Top 10 program." Bedelyon was instrumental in securing a Top 10 recruiting class that included B.J. Clagon (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) and Chad Walsh (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic), who both went on to earn All-American honors. The Broncs had three individuals ranked in the Top 10 to start the season in 2016-17 and achieved a Top 10 ranking in the 2014-15 season after defeating a pair of Top 15 teams in Wisconsin and Lehigh. With Bedelyon on staff, the Broncs earned the 2016 Eastern Wrestling League Championship and has finished as runner-up twice. Bedelyon has coached 14 individual EWL Conference Champions since the 2013-14 season and the Broncs have won 62 dual matches in his first five years.

Brandon Eggum coaching Ethan Lizak in the NCAA finals (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Minnesota head wrestling coach Brandon Eggum was named Amateur Wrestling News' "Rookie Head Coach of the Year" on Tuesday, an award that not only recognizes Eggum's leadership and guidance this past year, but the hard work and successes of his coaching staff and his young wrestlers. By many of the expectations placed on the Gophers prior to the start of the season -- save maybe their own -- Minnesota over-performed throughout Eggum's first year as head coach. The team qualified nine wrestlers for the national tournament, putting four on the podium and two into championship matches to earn a seventh-place finish as a team. No Gopher team in program history has finished higher at NCAAs under a first-year head coach than Eggum's group did this year. During the regular season, Minnesota produced a pair of fourth-place team finishes at the nation's best in-season tournaments -- the Cliff Keen Invitational and the Southern Scuffle -- picking up three individual championships and a collection of top-eight finishes from its wrestlers in those two events. Away from the mat, the Gophers are wrapping up an exceptional year in the classroom as well. Nine Gophers were named Academic All-Big Ten last month, the highest total for the program since 2014, and five were recently named All-Academic by the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA), the highest total in program history. As a team, Minnesota was the top academic program in the Big Ten according to the NWCA. Though this was his first year leading the program, an obvious requirement for a Rookie Head Coach of the Year award, it was certainly not Eggum's first as a coach. He joined the staff shortly after graduating from Minnesota in 2000 as a three-time All-American, national finalist and four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree majoring in applied economics. This season was Eggum's 17th on the staff at Minnesota.

Attached to the U.S. Open this past weekend in Las Vegas was the UWW Junior National Championships in freestyle and Greco-Roman. For Greco-Roman it was the World Team Trials in select weight classes, while in freestyle it was the primary qualifier for the trails to be held in Lincoln, Nebraska, on June 9. Those competing at the UWW Junior Nationals have birthdates in 1997 through 2000, which means that wrestlers that will be seniors in high school next year as well as some juniors-to-be are age eligible. Given that those still to be in high school next year are among the youngest of the competitors in this event, being a shining star in the tournament would be impressive, though in some cases it is very expected. Let's take a look at five such individuals from the events of this past weekend. It's going to be a heavy read indeed. Gable Steveson defeated Jordan Wood 9-2 in the finals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) The nation's top-ranked Class of 2018 wrestler, and the No. 1 wrestler this past season at 285 pounds in the country, showed why he's worth all the buzz. The two-time Cadet World freestyle champion at 100 kilograms made his UWW Junior debut, and showed the form that everyone knows is within him as Steveson won gold at 120 kilograms. Four shutout technical falls propelled Steveson to the final, the fourth of those came in the semifinal round against returning Junior National freestyle runner-up Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.). In the championship match, Steveson upended 2014 Cadet World silver medalist Jordan Wood 9-2; Wood redshirted this past season at Lehigh University, and is their likely starter in 2017-18 at 285 pounds. It should be noted that Steveson beat Wood in the UWW Cadet National semifinal in 2015 on his way to qualifying for his first Cadet World team and title. Steveson would still be age-eligible for the Cadet World team this year, though there is no weight class above 100 kilograms - a weight that he has already surpassed - at the world championships. It might not be crazy to suggest that the future Golden Gopher is a viable NCAA title contender in 2020 (if not as a true freshman in 2019) and legitimately in the hunt to be the Olympic representative for the United States in freestyle that same year. Cohlton Schultz earned a spot on the Junior World Team in Greco-Roman (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.) Like Steveson, Schultz is the top ranked wrestler in his class and age eligible for the Cadet World team. The nation's No. 2 ranked wrestler at 220 pounds this past high school season, he sits atop the Class of 2019. Schultz won the UWW Junior National title in Greco-Roman at 120 kilograms, after last year qualifying for Cadet Worlds in Greco-Roman at 100 kilos. Schultz won his opening match of the trials by hitting a five-point move during the first period (it happened to be the first points of the bout), while he advanced to the championship match with a 9-0 technical fall. In the championship series he swept two-time Fargo third in Greco-Roman (2016 Junior, 2015 Cadet) Anthony Cassioppi; the first match was an 8-7 victory, while the second bout was a 13-4 technical fall victory within the first period. Joe Lee reached the finals at 69 kilograms before losing to Griffin Parriott (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.) The current junior Lee was ranked No. 16 overall in the most recent rankings for the Class of 2018. The two-time high school state champion is also a very seasoned freestyle wrestler, earning a runner-up finish at 69 kilograms in last spring's UWW Cadet Nationals and winning a Cadet National freestyle in Fargo during the summer of 2015. His older brother Nick was a Junior National freestyle champion last summer, and the No. 5 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017. Both Lee brothers will be headed to Penn State, Nick this coming fall and Joe the following year. The first four matches of the UWW Junior Nationals tournament in freestyle at 70 kilograms for Lee were technical fall victories. The first three were 10-0 shutouts, while the fourth was a 19-9 victory. That set up a semifinal rematch of last year's UWW Cadet Nationals final against David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio), who is ranked No. 8 overall in the Class of 2018; Carr swept last year's series. However, on this occasion, Joe Lee came through with a 14-5 victory. Lee's tournament did end in a runner-up finish, as he fell 9-0 to Purdue's redshirting freshman Griffin Parriott, a 2016 Junior National freestyle champion. An interesting question to watch is if Joe Lee will take the same path as older brother Nick in forgoing his senior season of high school to train at/near the Penn State campus. However, Joe does have the chance to be a three-time state champion and four-time finalist, while Nick had just one state title (3-1-2) in his first three seasons of high school. Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.) Heinselman is one of the most talented "little guys" in the country, finishing the 2016-17 season ranked No. 1 in the country at 106 pounds. The Ohio State verbal commit is ranked No. 47 overall in the Class of 2018. He is also a three-time Fargo freestyle champion (Cadet 88 and 94 in 2014 and 2015, Junior 100 in 2016). The two-time Cadet World team member in freestyle (42 kilograms in 2015 and 46 kilos in 2016) won the under 50 kilogram weight class at the UWW Junior Nationals this past weekend. His tournament included a 13-2 technical fall over nationally ranked 113 pound wrestler Brandon Kaylor (Bonney Lake, Wash.) and a 12-2 technical fall against Junior National freestyle runner-up Brendon Garcia (Pueblo County, Colo.) on the way to the final. In that championship match, Heinselman upended nationally ranked 120 pound wrestler Dack Punke (Washington, Ill.) by a 4-0 decision. Punke is a two-time Junior National champion in Greco-Roman in Fargo, along with a two-time scholastic state champion. Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.) Though lost in the midst of the very talented Steveson and Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), Cassioppi is also a very talented Class of 2018 projected 285 pound wrestler. The Northwestern verbal commit ended the 2016-17 season a state champion and ranked No. 5 nationally in his weight class; Cassioppi commit is also ranked as the No. 33 overall wrestling prospect in his graduating class. This year's Junior National folkstyle champion, a title won last month in Cedar Falls, Cassioppi has been most excellent in Fargo the previous two years. Third in Greco and runner-up in freestyle at the Junior level last year and double third as a Cadet in 2015. The UWW Greco-Roman tournament for Cassioppi started with a shutout technical fall and a 13-2 technical fall before a 7-0 decision over returning UWW Junior Greco runner-up Nick Boykin (Riverdale, Tenn.) advanced him to the final against Schultz; Boykin also won both Cadet titles in Fargo back in 2015 when Cassioppi was double third. In freestyle, Cassioppi reached the semifinal with a 13-2 technical fall over Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.); Metz was ranked No. 4 nationally at 285 at the end of the most recent high school season.

Glen Lanham DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin White announced Wednesday the school and wrestling head coach Glen Lanham have agreed to a contract extension through June 30, 2020. "What Glen Lanham has accomplished in his five years as Duke's head wrestling coach is amazing," said White. "To be sure, Glen has brought tireless passion, appreciable discipline and unprecedented results - both on and off the mats - to the program, which has registered its four highest NCAA Championship team finishes in history under his leadership. We are honored, and ecstatic, that Glen will continue to ably guide the Blue Devils into a very bright future!" Lanham was introduced as Duke wrestling head coach April 16, 2012 and has left an indelible mark on the program in his five seasons at the helm. Under Lanham's direction, the Blue Devils have sent 16 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, five more than the previous nine seasons combined, earned the highest NCAA finish in history and had 13 earn Scholar All-America recognition. "Duke is a great environment in which to work," said Lanham. "I can speak for myself. I have been fortunate enough to coach some of the very best and brightest student-athletes. We're really close to them and it's different with our guys here. I know they're doing the right things. That's unique. They are focused, they know what they want to do and they're just great to be around." Prior to Lanham taking the reins Duke had just one All-American, never finished higher than 35th at the NCAA Championships and had 46 Blue Devils qualify for the NCAA Championships from 1955 through 2012. Since Lanham took over in the 2012-13 season, Duke has sent multiple qualifiers to the NCAA Championships in each of the five seasons, and finished among the top 32 in each of the past four NCAA Championships. Prior to the 2015-16 campaign, Duke had never sent more than two wrestlers to the NCAA postseason event in consecutive seasons. At least three Blue Devils have qualified for the NCAA field every year since 2015. Lanham has mentored two All-Americans, including Duke's first three-time All-American Conner Hartmann, during his five seasons. Seven Blue Devils have garnered All-ACC recognition since 2013 with Hartmann capturing consecutive ACC titles in 2015 and 2016. In addition to the numerous NCAA qualifiers and top 30 NCAA team finishes, the Blue Devils have defeated three Big Ten opponents for the first time in program history and defeated the highest ranked opponent in Duke history when they beat No. 13 North Carolina in 2016. Duke's success off the mat is equally as impressive and consistent. The Blue Devils have been one of the top 30 teams in team GPA every year under Lanham and ranked as high as fourth in 2016. Under Lanham's leadership, Duke regularly lands the most All-ACC Academic Team selections and has had at least two NWCA Scholar All-Americans in four of the five seasons. "The team's considerable academic success is significant for Duke Wrestling," Lanham said. "We understand we represent Duke University in everything we do. Where we are in the ACC, finishing on top or tied for the most ACC honor roll members, having five Scholar All-Americans - that's always been incredibly important to me. I know we'll get it done on the mat, but building the total student-athlete has been a driving force and is something we, as a program, hang our hats on."

The University of Winnipeg has announced the elimination of its men's and women's wrestling programs, part of $3.7 million in cost cuts to bring the school's 2017-18 budget into balance as required by the Manitoba legislature, Canada's UWinnipeg announced Monday. In addition to getting rid of the men's and women's wrestling teams, the men's baseball program will also vanish effectively immediately, and the men's soccer will be put "on pause" - to use the phrase featured in the official announcement -- for the 2017-18 season. The school is keeping the basketball, volleyball and women's soccer teams. "We can no longer afford to maintain those teams," U of W's senior executive officer Chris Minaker told the Winnipeg Free Press. "There's a lot of expenses associated with away games, travelling and all that kind of stuff, so those are the teams, unfortunately, that we're not able to fund next year. We recognize that that has an impact on players as well as staff." "UWinnipeg receives a much smaller annual operating grant per student from the province than any other Manitoba university," according to the school's official announcement. "The University of Manitoba and Brandon University receive operating grants almost double that received by UWinnipeg." The announcement goes on to say, "The considerable gap between revenues and expenses necessitates tough choices. In order to preserve academic excellence and front-line student services to the best of our ability, UWinnipeg has elected not to reduce expenses across the board, but rather, to take a targeted approach that aligns with its Strategic Directions and priorities as approved by the Board of Regents." The University of Winnipeg received its charter in 1967 but its roots date back more than 145 years. The founding colleges were Manitoba College (1871), and Wesley College (1888), which merged to form United College in 1938. The four-year public university located in the capital city of the province of Manitoba has an enrollment of approximately 9,300 students.

Victoria Anthony after earning a spot on the U.S. World Team (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NEW YORK -- Two standout champions will join an Olympic gold medalist on Team USA when two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony and 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion Tamyra Mensah complete the American women wrestlers squaring off against Japan in the annual Beat the Streets Benefit on Wednesday, May 17, at New York's Times Square alongside 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Helen Maroulis, who last week was named to the team. All three won the U.S. World Team Trials event in Las Vegas this past weekend. Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) will compete at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.; Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) is the U.S. representative at 58 kg/128 lbs., and Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury WC) is slotted at 69 kg/152 lbs. Since the announcement, Maroulis won the 58 kg/128 lbs. title at the U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nev. on April 29, and earned a spot on the 2017 U.S. World Team. In addition to becoming the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal, Maroulis also boasts a 2015 World title, a 2012 World silver medal and a 2014 World bronze medal. The Rockville, Md., native is now training in New York at Columbia University's NYC RTC. Maroulis' opponent in Times Square has been changed, as 2014 World champion Chiho Hamada of Japan had to withdraw due to injury. Maroulis will now face 2016 Junior World champion Yuzuru Kumano. Maroulis has a perfect 4-0 record in her previous Beat the Streets Benefit appearances. With her victory in Las Vegas, Anthony has qualified for her second U.S. Senior World Team. She placed fifth in the 2013 World Championships, competing up a weight class at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. She is only the second U.S. woman athlete to win two Junior World titles (2009, 2010), joining two-time Olympian Ali Bernard with that lofty achievement. Anthony became the first athlete to win four WCWA Women's College national titles, when she claimed her fourth title for Simon Fraser University in 2014. Maroulis, who was Anthony's teammate at Simon Fraser, became the second to win four WCWA titles later that day at the 2014 WCWA Nationals. She is a native of Huntington Beach, Calif. and currently trains in Tempe, Ariz. with the Sunkist Kids. Anthony was second in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and was a 2014 Pan American Championships gold medalist. She is also a two-time U.S. Open champion. Anthony will face Yuki Irie, who won both a Junior World title and a University World title in 2012. Most recently, Irie was a 2016 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion in Russia and a 2015 Senior Asian champion. Mensah defeated two-time Olympian and four-time World medalist Elena Pirozhkova (New York, N.Y./Titan Mercury WC) to win the 2017 World Team Trials and earn a spot on her first U.S. Senior World Team. Mensah was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2017 World Team Trials based upon her achievement. Last April, Mensah won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, but was unable to compete in the Rio Olympic Games because the USA failed to qualify for the Olympics at her weight class. Mensah won a gold medal at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in Russia in January, only the sixth U.S. woman to win this event and the first since 2010. She was a 2016 U.S. Open champion, and was third in the 2015 Olympic Test Event in Brazil. Mensah won two WCWA College National titles for Wayland Baptist University, in 2014 and 2017. In Times Square, Mensah will battle 2016 Cadet World silver medalist Miwa Morikawa, a showdown of two of the top young stars at 69 kg on the women's scene. The other U.S. athlete who has confirmed participation in the USA vs. Japan dual meet is 2016 World champion Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), who will battle Shingo Arimoto at 61 kg/134 lbs. in men's freestyle. Stieber was a four-time NCAA champion for Ohio State. The rest of the U.S. men's freestyle team roster is currently being completed and will be announced shortly. 2017 BEAT THE STREETS BENEFIT At New York, May 17 Event Schedule 3 p.m. (ET) - Beat the Streets youth exhibition matches 4:45 p.m. (ET) - NYC PSAL Girls Dual Meet Championships 6 p.m. (ET) - Team USA vs. Team Japan Announced Team USA Roster Men's Freestyle 61 kg/134 lbs. - Logan Stieber (Columbus, Ohio/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) Women's Freestyle 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) 58 kg/128 lbs. - Helen Maroulis (New York, N.Y./Sunkist Kids/NYC RTC) 69 kg/152 lbs. - Tamyra Mensah (Katy, Texas/Titan Mercury WC) Team Japan Roster Men's freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs. - Rinya Nakamura 61 kg/134 lbs. - Shingo Arimoto 65 kg/143 lbs. - Daichi Takatani 70 kg/154 lbs. - Nobuyoshi Takojima 74 kg/163 lbs. - Sohsuke Takatani 86 kg/189 lbs. - Takahiro Murayama 97 kg/213 lbs. - Koki Yamamoto 125 kg/275 lbs. - Katsutoshi Kanazawa Women's freestyle 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Yuki Irie 58 kg/128 lbs. - Yuzuru Kumano 69 kg/152 lbs. - Miwa Morikawa Team Leader - Kosei Akaishi Freestyle Coach - Shinichi Yumoto Women's Coach - Ryo Kanehama About Beat the Streets The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTS works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to bring the life changing sport of wrestling to over 3,000 New York City student-athletes to help them achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTS and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life lessons of grit, personal responsibility and teamwork, physical fitness and nutrition, and life-long learning. The goal of fostering strong, well-rounded student-athletes is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, life skills workshops, and summer camps. More information can be found at www.btsny.org. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 220,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com.

An alternate two-piece uniform consisting of compression shorts or shorts designed for wrestling and a form-fitted compression shirt has been approved for the 2017-18 season in high school wrestling. Wrestlers will have the option of the new two-piece uniform or the traditional one-piece singlet. This revision to Rule 4-1-1 was one of 11 rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 2-4 meeting in Indianapolis, and all changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The compression shorts or shorts designed for wrestling shall be school-issued and shall have a minimum 4-inch inseam that does not extend below the knee. The form-fitted compression shirt shall not cover or extend below the elbow and shall have a minimum 3-inch tail. The shirt may be worn under a singlet or with compression shorts or shorts designed for wrestling. Specific language was developed regarding undergarment requirements for female contestants wearing a one-piece singlet or a form-fitted compression shirt, as well as for male contestants wearing shorts designed for wrestling. The committee approved use of the alternate two-piece uniform in the hopes of increasing boys and girls participation in the sport after receiving favorable results from experimentation and positive comments from schools, students, coaches and officials. The committee approved several rules related to minimizing risk of injury in the sport. Rule 4-5-3 now prohibits any activities that promote weight loss or weight gain when an athlete misses weight on his or her first attempt on the scale. In addition to activities that promote dehydration or drinking fluids to gain weight, the rule now prohibits activities such as cutting hair, modifying clothing, etc. Another change designed to reduce risk of injury was elimination of the straight-back salto, regardless of which body part (head, neck or shoulder) hits the mat first. The straight-back salto in the rear-standing position that brings the defensive wrestler straight back with feet in the air is intended to have the defensive wrestler's head, neck or shoulder(s) hit the mat first, and is now an illegal move. In addition, added to the list of illegal holds/maneuvers in Rule 7-1-5 was a front flip and/or front hurdle over an opponent in the standing position. "The attempt to flip or hurdle an opponent from a neutral position is not only an elevated risk to the wrestler attempting the maneuver, it also places the opponent in a disadvantage position as he or she is not only left to counter the scoring attempt, but is placed in a position of responsibility for not reacting in a manner that may cause a slam or unsafe return to the mat of the wrestler who actually initiated the maneuver," said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services. The committee approved two changes in Rule 5-11 related to falls and near falls. In 5-11-1, the shoulders or scapula of the offensive wrestler no longer must be inbounds to earn a fall. The committee agreed that wrestling should continue if the offensive wrestler's supporting parts remain inbounds and no body part of the defensive wrestler goes off the mat. In 5-11-5, "unless any part of the shoulders or both scapulae of the defensive wrestler is inbounds" was eliminated. If wrestling is continuing during a match, near falls and falls will be awarded/earned regardless of the out-of-bounds line. In a related rule, Rule 5-15-2b, c was changed as follows: "Near-fall points or a fall shall be earned while the supporting points of either wrestler are inbounds." "The committee agreed that offensive wrestling should be rewarded," Hopkins said. "If wrestling is continuing, as allowed by current rules, and points for escapes and reversals are allowed, the ability to earn a fall or near fall should be there as well, with no deference to the out-of-bounds line." Other changes approved by the committee include the following: Rule 5-19-10: The referee no longer may be behind the contestants when starting the wrestlers from the down position, which has led the false starts by one or both wrestlers. Rule 6-6-4a(1) and 6-6-5a(1): Errors by the timekeeper, official scorer or referee must be corrected prior to the offended contestant leaving the mat area and before the start of the next match on that mat. 7-6-4d: Stalling occurs when the contestant in the advantage position stays behind the opponent while on his/her feet, making no attempt to bring the opponent to the mat. "The wrestling rules committee did another phenomenal job in taking the necessary strides to promote participation by approving a two-piece alternate uniform to be worn," Hopkins said. "The committee also continued its commitment to reducing risk by making the straight-back salto and suplay illegal maneuvers, as well as prohibiting weight loss or gain in the weigh-in area. In addition, scoring a fall or near-fall is strengthened by the modifications to the definition and location of fall and near-fall in our rules book." Wrestling ranks seventh in popularity among boys at the high school level with 250,653 participants, according to the 2015-16 NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. In addition, 13,496 girls participate in the sport throughout the nation.

Two-time All-American wrestler Brett Pfarr was named Minnesota's male athlete of the year at the school's Golden Goldys held last night held at TCF Bank Stadium. Minnesota Athletes of the Year Brett Pfarr and Sarah WilhiteThis past season Pfarr finished runner-up at the Big Ten Championships, and two weeks later became Minnesota's first national finalist since 2014. He led the Gopher wrestling team in almost every major category: wins, dual wins, conference wins, wins over ranked opponents, dual points scored and average tournament placement. In addition, Pfarr was awarded the Male Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award in honor of his success both in the classroom and in wrestling. He is set to graduate with honors this spring with a degree in agricultural and food business management. Pfarr and All-American heavyweight Michael Kroells both earned the Top Five Award, which recognize the five highest grade point averages by male and female student-athletes. Kroells also received a Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship. NCAA finalist Ethan Lizak was a finalist for Minnesota's male breakthrough athlete of the year.

Think you know Spencer Lee? Knowledgeable wrestling fans can recite the Pennsylvania high school senior's career highlights, won-loss records and other statistics. But ... it's not always as easy to get a sense of the young man beyond wrestling. Now fans can spend an hour with the mat phenom -- and get a behind-the-scenes look at his life on and off the mat -- thanks to the new documentary "Spencer Lee" now available for viewing. First, a word about Spencer Lee Spencer Lee is the nation's No. 1 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 ... and, in fact, has been ever since he enrolled at Franklin Regional High School in Pennsylvania. A three-time PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state champ, Lee had a perfect 145-0 record going into the 2017 Class 3A 126-pound state championship finals ... but lost to Austin DeSanto of Exeter, 6-5. It was later revealed that Lee wrestled with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Prep accomplishments aside, Spencer Lee's greatest success has been in freestyle ... first, at national events, then on the world stage. He has won a Cadet world title, followed by two Junior world titles. The "Spencer Lee" documentary focuses on that third world championship, held in Macon, France ... the native country of his mother Cathy, a 1992 Olympic judo alternate. (Spencer's father Larry was a U.S. judo coach.) Jeff UpsonMeet filmmaker Jeff Upson Jeff Upson, the man behind the "Spencer Lee" documentary, is a name familiar to many wrestling fans with his PA Power Wrestling website which covers the sport in Pennsylvania. Originally from Harrisburg, Upson started wrestling at age 10 ... eventually wrestling for Central Dauphin High School and coach Jeff Sweigert. (To provide a timeframe, Upson told InterMat, "When I was a senior, Walter Peppelman was a freshman ... There was lots of talent in the program.") "I grew up around wrestling," Upson continued. "I went to the state tournament with my dad -- a wrestler at Trinity High -- as a kid ... I consider myself to be a student of the sport." "I started to do wrestling rankings while in high school. The PA Power Wrestling website was an outgrowth of my original rankings." (Upson's original rankings website was launched in 2004 ... two years before he graduated from high school.) If maintaining an amateur wrestling website within one of the nation's top states for the sport weren't enough, Upson is also a Pittsburgh police officer. Prior to entering law enforcement, Upson graduated from West Virginia University in May 2010 with a Bachelor's in Criminology and Investigations ... then spent one year in London, England where he completed a Master's degree in International Criminology, maintaining his PAPowerWrestling.com website throughout. How the film came about "Spencer Lee" is the first film project for Jeff Upson. When asked for how the idea to make a documentary came about, Upson responded, "I got to know Spencer and his dad Larry. "Spencer was a big name even as a youth wrestler. I really got to know him in high school," Upson continued. "We formed a close relationship." "It's amazing how mature he is ... As a police officer, I see young people who are struggling." "Spencer had set his sights on the World Championships in France," said Upson. "His mother is from France, and he had traveled with his family there many times. (For that reason) it was sentimental for him and the whole Lee family as he was going for his third world title." Lee was not expecting a coronation in his mom's home country. "He was coming off an injury -- a torn labrium at the previous Worlds," according to Upson. "He missed 75-80 percent of his high school junior year season." Spencer Lee with Eric Knopsnyder and Jeff Upson at the Junior World Championships in Macon, France Jeff Upson had the opportunity to be able to come along with the Lee family to the Junior World Championships in Macon, France ... accompanied by wrestling journalist Eric Knopsnyder. "Once we knew he qualified for the Worlds, we approached the family about going along to France to tell (Spencer's) story." "I was able to go to France, film the action, and have it put together," said Upson. "I realized I needed someone with a background in film who knew wrestling to edit it." More than mat action The "Spencer Lee" documentary's prime focus is on the Pennsylvania mat phenom in action at the World Championships. However, the film also includes interviews with Lee's parents and his twin sister Gaby ... as well as those who know him well in the wrestling world, including his club coach Jody Strittmatter and University of Iowa head assistant coach Terry Brands. ("Spencer Lee" shows the wrestler signing his letter of intent to wrestle for the Hawkeyes.) In addition to having family and coaches weigh in, the documentary includes considerable time interviewing the young man whose name is in the title. In these individual interviews Spencer Lee comes across as wise beyond his years ... thoughtful ... and incredibly down-to-earth. All very impressive for a high school athlete once labeled by a Pennsylvania media outlet prior to the 2017 state championships as "undoubtedly one of the greatest wrestlers in the world." "He's so mature for his age," said filmmaker Jeff Upson. "A marked contrast to the negative aspects we see in some high school athletes." "Spencer is very driven, very competitive," Upson continued. "But he has a good head on his shoulders. I think it helped that, earlier in his life, he also competed in other sports." "I wanted to give Spencer an opportunity to have his goodness shine through. (In this film) you're not just seeing him as a wrestler but also as a human being." Spencer Lee competing at the Junior World Championships Larry Lee, Spencer's father, said, "The film is a blueprint for parents raising young athletes." "Spencer Lee" has plenty of wrestling-related footage -- from practice sessions as well as from actual matches -- for fans who want to see one of the greats doing what he does best. However, what distinguishes this documentary is its off-the-mat aspects -- the interviews with Lee's family and his coaches, along with thoughtful comments from the subject of the film -- that really set "Spencer Lee" apart, and make it must viewing for young wrestlers, their parents and coaches to see and hear a true class act that any wrestler would be wise to emulate. "Spencer Lee" is available for viewing online now. Wrestling fans can watch it for $9.99 at Amazon Prime ... or for $6 at the PA Power Wrestling website.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Monday announced the state and regional winners for the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA) and the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). The awards recognize and celebrate the nation's most outstanding high school seniors for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service. The national winners for both awards will be announced on Thursday. National winners will be presented with their awards during the 41st Annual Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum on June 2-3 in Stillwater. The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. First presented in 2014, the TSHSEA is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women's wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the UWW Hall of Fame in 2011. "Each year we are pleased to honor these remarkable student-athletes, who are inspirational role models because of their excellence on the wrestling mat, in the classroom and in their communities," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "We take great pride in our high school excellence honorees and enjoy following their careers as they continue to be positive influences." The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for the High School Excellence awards, and a committee, with input from Hall of Fame state chapters, selects state and regional winners. National winners are then chosen from the regional winners. National winners of the DSHSEA award have combined to win 16 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010) and two-time winners Steven Mocco (2001), Zain Retherford (2013), David Taylor (2009) and Teyon Ware (2002). Retherford, who will look to win his third title in 2018, and Mark Hall (2016), who won as a freshman, both captured titles in 2017. The 2017 TSHSEA Regional Winners: West: Cierra Foster of Post Falls, Idaho, won the gold medal in the 56 kg/123.25 lbs. division at the 2016 Pan American Cadet Championships. She helped the U.S. capture the team title, and she received the Golden Boot as the Outstanding Wrestler of the event after winning all three of her matches by pin. The daughter of Todd and Angelique Foster, she is a two-time champion and five-time finalist at USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals while also winning the USA Wrestling Cadet Freestyle Nationals and finishing second at USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle Nationals. Foster was named Sophomore of the Year and Wrestler of the Year by USA Idaho Wrestling. She finished third in the Class 5A state boys tournament as a freshman, after becoming the first girl to be a 5A district champion in Idaho. She also captained the girls' soccer team as a junior and senior and was awarded the Scholar Athlete award for four years in two sports. Foster volunteers at Real Life Ministries, local churches and soup kitchens while also coordinating food drives for food banks in Idaho. Foster was asked to be a member of the National Honor Society, but had to decline because of her class and wrestling schedule. She has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Oklahoma City University. Central: Charliette Hamer of The Colony, Texas, was the first member of the girls' wrestling program at The Colony High School despite never having wrestled. Three years later, the daughter of Brandon and Chasity Morgan is a three-time district and regional champion while winning two state titles and being named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament in 2017. As team captain all three years, Hamer helped lead her team to a district title and a Top 6 finish in the state. She mentors young girls in an after-school program while also volunteering with Kids with Cancer and teaching children to swim during the summer. Hamer has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Emmanuel College in Georgia. Midwest: Katlyn Pizzo of Clawson, Michigan, lettered four years in wrestling at Clawson High School, qualifying for state two years and earning all-state honors with an eighth-place finish in 2017. The daughter of Jeffery and Lisa Pizzo, she won a silver medal in the 43 kg/94.75 lbs. division and helped the United States capture the team title at the 2016 Pan American Cadet Championships. Pizzo won the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in 2016 championship in 2016 and finished second and third at the USA Wrestling Body Bar Freestyle National Championships. She was cross country team captain four years, qualifying for state three times and earning AAU All-American honors in 2016 with an eighth-place finish. She also lettered four years in track and was team captain for one year. Pizzo is an assistant religious education teacher at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, a member of the National Honor Society and class secretary as a senior. Northeast: MacKenzie Matta of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, is a five-time state champion for West Thomas Jefferson High School in Jefferson Hills, Pennsylvania. The daughter of Melissa Matta, she has placed sixth and eighth at the USA Wrestling Body Bar Freestyle National Championships and was the Outstanding Wrestler at the Pennsylvania Montour tournament in 2014. Matta has won titles in folkstyle and freestyle in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, while also participating in freestyle clinics at the Olympic Training Center. She is first chair in her school orchestra for viola and has received a scholarship for music to Adrian College in Michigan. Southeast: Kayla Marano of Jefferson, Georgia, is a two-time state champion and the 2017 U.S. Marine Corps Girls Folkstyle Nationals champion. The daughter of two-time World Champion and nine-time world medalist Kristie Davis, and Emmanuel College women's coach Link Davis, she was a member of the boys' wrestling team at Jefferson High School and Sapulpa High School in Oklahoma, where she also lettered in girls' soccer. Marano won a bronze medal at the 2015 United World Wrestling Cadet World Championships, and she won her first Junior Nationals title in 2016 after a runner-up finish in 2015. She has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Emmanuel College in Georgia. The 2017 DSHSEA Regional Winners: West Region: Haydn Maley of Roseburg, Oregon, is a four-time Oregon High School state champion. The son of Dave and Jayne Maley, he was the Fargo Junior Greco-Roman national champion in 2016 and finished second at the United World Wrestling Junior Greco-Roman World Team Trials on April 27. Maley has earned All-America honors in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at Fargo. He also earned All-America honors from the National High School Coaches Association and at FloNationals. Maley is a 4H participant, and he was Reserve Grand Champion Showman and a Douglas County Sheep Ranchers Wool Gatherer. Maley volunteers for the Buddy System with Down Syndrome Youth, the Lion's Club, the City of Roseburg Beautification efforts, and the Rotary Club. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Stanford University next year. Central Region: Daton Fix of Sand Springs, Oklahoma, was a four-time Oklahoma High School state champion, compiling a 168-0 high school record to become the fourth wrestler in state history to go undefeated. The son of Derek and Stacee Fix, he was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament twice and was named Wrestler of the Year by the Tulsa World three times. Fix captured the USA Wrestling Triple Crown in 2013, and was a Youth Olympic silver medalist in 2014 and a Cadet World bronze medalist in 2015. He is a two-time Pan American champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and he was a FloNational Champion in 2015. Fix also lettered in cross country and was named Athlete of the Year for football in 2013. He is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteers to read to children at Read Across America while also working as a peer tutor for special needs physical education. Fix was named Student of the Month three times and in 2017 was named as one of the Top 10 People of the Year to Watch by the Tulsa World. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Oklahoma State University. Midwest Region: Brady Berge of Mantorville, Minnesota was a four-time Minnesota High School state champion, and he helped Kasson-Mantorville capture three state team titles. The son of Kevin and Cheri Berge, he won his first state title as a seventh grader, and after a third-place finish as an eighth grader, he added titles as a freshman and sophomore in high school. Berge was on track to become a five-time state champion when he suffered a broken leg in the semifinals as a junior, finishing and winning the match before defaulting out of the tournament due to injury. He returned to capture his fourth title as a senior. Berge finished with a career record of 282-5, ranking second in state history for wins with 282 and winning percentage with .982. Had he not suffered the broken leg, he likely would have ended his career by winning his final 196 matches. He was all-conference in football and was named Mr. Minnesota High School Wrestler and Rochester Area Sports Commission Athlete of the Year in 2017. Berge is a member of the National Honor Society and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America as well as a volunteer with the Kasson-Mantorville American Legion. Berge has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for national champion Penn State University. Northeast Region: Spencer Lee of Murrysville, Pennsylvania is a three-time Pennsylvania High School state champion, finishing with a career record of 144-1. He came within seconds of being an undefeated four-time champion, losing in the state finals while wrestling with an injured knee. Lee is a two-time Junior World champion and the first American to win back-to-back junior world titles. He is the youngest American to win a cadet title at 15 years old and the youngest to win a junior world title at 16 years old. Lee became the first American to win a cadet world title one year and a junior world title the next year, and he is the United States first three-time age group champion, capturing a cadet world championship and two junior world championships. Daniel Dennis chose Lee as his workout partner for the 2016 Olympic Games, making Lee the only high school wrestler selected as an Olympic training partner. Lee volunteers at the Westmorland County Food Bank and for the Bill Mazeroski Miracle Field, a program that gives individuals with special needs and opportunity to enjoy the excitement of playing sports. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestling for the University of Iowa. Southeast Region: John Borst of Stephens City, Virginia, is a three-time state champion for Sherando High School, finishing with a career record of 211-18 and being team captain his last three years. The son of John and Elizabeth Borst, he won both the Beast of the East and the Super 32 in 2016, and he was a junior national champion, a junior national runner-up, and two-time third place finisher at junior nationals. Borst is a member of DECA, Future Farmers of America and Varsity Club and was selected to receive the F.D. "Red" Robertson Student Athlete award. He also received a scholarship from the Winchester Wrestling Officials Association for his exemplary character and sportsmanship. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for Virginia Tech University. The regions and the states that they are comprised of are: West (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming Midwest (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin Central (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas Southeast (10) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia Northeast (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont 2017 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners Alaska - Krystal Lorraine Dayrit Fabricante, Kodiak High School California - Alyvia Fiske, Vintage High School Colorado - Olivia Ioppolo, Silver Creek High School Florida - Briana Kellin, Lake Gibson High School Georgia - Kayla Marano, Jefferson High School Hawaii - Alexis Encinas, Lahainaluna High School Idaho - Cierra Foster, Post Falls High School Illinois - Genae Sampract, Althoff Catholic High School Iowa - Rachel Dreeszen, Kingsley-Pierson High School Kansas - Marissa Patterson, Shawnee Heights High School Maryland - Julian Kai Yates, George Washington Center for the Arts and Technology Massachusetts - Naomi Hunt, Middlesex School Michigan - Katlyn Pizzo, Clawson High School New York - Cheyenne Sisenstein, Maine Endwell High School Ohio - McKayla Campbell, Wauseon High School Oklahoma - Maranda Dornan, Warner High School Oregon - Makaela Fine, Oakridge High School Pennsylvania - MacKenzie Matta, West Thomas Jefferson High School South Dakota - Ronna Heaton, Brookings High School Tennessee - Jessica Elery, Northwest High School Texas - Charliette Hamer, The Colony High School Virginia - Briana Csontos, Culpeper County High School Washington - Brenda Reyna, Mount Vernon High School 2017 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners Alabama - Zachary Van Alst, Montgomery Catholic Prep School Alaska - Tristen Evans, Bethel High School Arizona - Brandon Courtney, Desert Edge High School Arkansas - Caleb Freeman, Searcy High School California - Justin Mejia, Clovis High School Colorado - Hunter Willits, Pueblo County High School Connecticut - Baltazar Gonzalez, Ellis Technical High School Delaware - Chase Archangelo, Smyrna High School Florida - Bryce Rogers, Lake Highland Prep School Georgia - Matthew Waddell, Gilmer High School Hawaii - Brian Pascua, Iolani School Idaho - Casey Randles, Coeur d' Alene High School Illinois - Austin O'Connor, St. Rita of Cascia High School Indiana - Andrew Davison, Chesterton High School Iowa - Ryan Leisure, Clear Lake High School Kansas - Clay Lautt, Saint James Academy Kentucky - Casey Cornett, Simon Kenton High School Louisiana - Steven Shields, Brother Martin High School Maine - Cody Craig, Skowhegan High School Maryland - Bailey Thomas, Our Lady of Good Counsel Massachusetts - Jake Ferri, Shawsheen Valley Technical High School Michigan - Ben Freeman, Walled Lake Central High School Minnesota - Brady Berge, Kasson-Mantorville High School Missouri - Connor Brown, Oak Grove High School Montana - Parker Filius, Havre High School Nebraska - Korbin Meink, Skutt Catholic High School Nevada - Ian Timmins, Earl Wooster High School New Hampshire - George Tarwo, Concord High School New Jersey - Chase Singletary, Blair Academy New Mexico - Jose Tapia, Capital High School New York - Yianni Diakomihalis, Hilton High School North Carolina - Blaine Mainz, Jacksonville High School North Dakota - Jesse Shearer, West Fargo High School Ohio - Kaleb Romero, Mechanicsburg High School Oklahoma - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School Oregon - Haydn Maley, Roseburg High School Pennsylvania - Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional High School Rhode Island - Nick Martino, Bishop Hendricken High School South Carolina - Noah North, Lugoff-Elgin High School South Dakota - Tyler Waterson, Spearfish High School Tennessee - Nick Boykin, Riverdale High School Texas - Jack Skudlarczyk, Westlake High School Utah - Ashton Seely, Juab High School Vermont - Brandon Cousino, Vergennes High School Virginia - John Borst, Sherando High School Washington - Dalton Young, Lakeside High School West Virginia - Noah Adams, Independence High School Wisconsin - Devin Bahr, West Salem/Bangor High School Wyoming - Hayden Hastings, Sheridan High School All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award 1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa 1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio 1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian) 1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion) 2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina 2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian) 2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion) 2003 - C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio 2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist) 2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion) 2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida 2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota 2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah 2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (2X NCAA Champion) 2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (4X NCAA Champion) 2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California 2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan 2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (2X NCAA Champion) 2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California 2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion) All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award 2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California 2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington 2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Whitwell, Tennessee National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation and now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. It also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport.

Ten months to the day after former Rutgers Prep mat star Brett Epps received a life-saving kidney from his fiancée Alixandra Cirigliano, the two exchanged wedding vows in a private ceremony this past weekend, MyCentralNewJersey.com reported Monday. Brett Epps married his kidney donor Alixandra CiriglianoAs InterMat reported back in July 2016, Epps, 29 -- the winningest wrestler in Rutgers Preparatory School history -- underwent a successful kidney transplant at Carolina Medical Center in North Carolina ... with the organ coming from Cirigliano. The two had met while working together at Verizon in Charlotte. Epps had been diagnosed in October 2014 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare disease characterized by scarring in the part of the kidney that filters blood. Because his kidneys were functioning at just 13 percent, Epps had to undergo nine hours of dialysis at home each evening. The former wrestler -- a three-time Somerset County Tournament champion and third-place Prep National Tournament finisher who went on to compete at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania -- had been searching for a kidney for more than 18 months. Epps learned in April 2016 that his then-girlfriend Cirigliano had a kidney that would work for him. From the start, Cirigliano wanted to give Epps one of her kidneys. However, for a time, Epps refused her offer, believing it was his responsibility to protect her. However, after Cirigliano made it clear that she wanted to spend her life with him -- and that might not be a possibility if he did not receive a new kidney -- Epps agreed to accept her gift of life. The initial transplant -- scheduled for June 1, 2016 -- had to be postponed because Epps' blood pressure spiked prior to surgery. Once that issue was resolved, the second attempt at a transplant was completely successful. "Even without the special circumstances surrounding their engagement, love and marriage is still a remarkable thing," the groom's father, Kurt Epps, told MyCentralNewJersey.com. "It's still what moves the world. However it happens is a wonderful thing, but because they have such circumstances to deal with, I think for them it means a whole lot more." Kurt Epps said his son told him, "I'm the happiest man in the world," adding, "That's all you want to hear from your kid." He previously said the romantic tale between Brett and Alixandra is "really a story about the power of love."

Kevin Beazley after his win in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan wrestling head coach Joe McFarland announced today (Monday, May 1) the addition of transfer Kevin Beazley to the Wolverine program. Beazley, a 2017 NCAA All-American at 197 pounds for Old Dominion, will be a graduate student in 2017-18 and have one year of eligibility remaining. "We're excited to have Kevin join our program," said McFarland, "and I know he's really excited to come back home to Michigan. He brings great experience at the highest level of collegiate and international competition and has a broad skillset with his Greco background. He's also a serious and dedicated student. He will be a great fit at Michigan." Beazley claimed NCAA All-America honors with an eighth-place finish at 197 pounds at the 2017 NCAA Championships last March. A two-time NCAA qualifier, he has placed among the top four at the Mid-American Conference Championships in each of his last three appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2017. Beazley posted a 25-8 record last season and owns a 103-52 mark over his collegiate career. Beazley, who took an Olympic redshirt season in 2015-16, is also an accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler, twice representing the United States at 96kg/211 pounds at the Junior World Championships -- in 2013 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia. He took second place at the 2015 U.S. Open and 2015 World Team Trials in his first year at the senior level. A native of Howell, Michigan, Beazley was a 189-pound state champion (2012) and two-time state finalist (2011, '12) at Detroit Catholic Central, where he registered a career prep record of 190-22. Beazley will graduate from Old Dominion this spring with a bachelor's degree in sport management and will enter Michigan's Master of Science in Sport Management program in the fall. He is a two-time NWCA All-Academic Team, Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team and MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete honoree (2015, '17).

The U.S. Open has always been one of my favorite wrestling events. The best competitors in the country gather in one of the best cities in the world, Las Vegas, for a great weekend of wrestling. This year was no exception with an outstanding field of wrestlers taking part in Vegas. Eight U.S. Open freestyle champions were crowned Saturday night, setting the stage for June's U.S. World Team Trials in Lincoln, Neb. Virtually all of the big names were on the mat in Vegas with the exception of Olympic medalists Kyle Snyder and J'den Cox, along with world champion Logan Stieber. Those three have already clinched spots in the Trials finals by virtue of medaling in 2016. Plenty can change when the stakes become higher at the Trials in June. No doubt, we will see some great wrestling in Nebraska. Champions in Lincoln will qualify for August's World Championships in Paris, France. That's a nice reward for an event that used to be in not-so-glamorous locales like Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan in recent years. Here are 10 takeaways from the freestyle competition in Las Vegas: Tony Ramos gets in on a shot against Nahshon Garrett (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Tony Ramos is never boring Tony Ramos has developed a penchant for winning close matches, and that's why he made back-to-back world teams in 2014 and 2015 at 125.5 pounds. He's fun to watch wrestle, but his interviews are in some respects better than his matches now. After winning Saturday's U.S. Open title, where he staged yet another rally in the finals, Ramos was asked if he was the comeback kid: "I'm just clutch. Winner's win. Winner's find ways to win." Ramos is determined to bounce back after falling in the finals of the 2016 Olympic Trials. He knows how to win in the U.S. Now he needs find ways to win at the World Championships. Let everyone watch The entire NCAA tournament is now on television, and you can watch every session on ESPN. So why isn't the U.S. Open, which features better quality wrestling and a higher skill level than collegiate wrestling, on TV? This is Olympic-level wrestling. It's great that you can watch a live stream of all the matches at the Open, but it is something you have to pay for and many people simply refuse to do it. Having it on television allows more wrestling fans to watch, not to mention giving non-wrestling people an opportunity to become interested if they see it on television. The quality of these streams are typically very good now, although there were reportedly some problems and issues this past weekend, but you really aren't growing the sport a whole lot with live streaming. Your audience is primarily wrestling folks. Elite level international-style wrestling needs to be on TV. That legitimizes the sport more as well, and in my opinion is your best chance to grow wrestling. Nick Gwiazdowski came through to win the U.S. Open title at 125 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gwiz kid is rising star It is no secret that two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski is considered the heir apparent to retired two-time Olympian Tervel Dlagnev at heavyweight. Gwiz wrestles a style similar to Tervel, as he's also a mobile, athletic heavyweight who has a strong offensive arsenal with lethal leg attacks. Gwiz still has work to do at the Trials, but he's the type of heavyweight who can give defensive-minded foreign wrestlers fits with his attacking style. Don't forget about Kyven It wasn't really that long ago when Kyven Gadson pinned Kyle Snyder in the NCAA finals. It was just over two years ago. Of course, Snyder has gone on to win Olympic and world gold medals along with two NCAA titles since then. But it's not like Gadson has just been sitting around binging on the ice cream he craved after his dramatic NCAA win in 2015. With Snyder sitting out, Gadson won the U.S. Open on Saturday at 213 pounds. Not saying Gadson wins, but might be interesting to see a Snyder-Gadson finals matchup at the World Team Trials. Will Green be golden? James Green burst onto the international scene two years ago by winning a world bronze medal in Vegas. Green looks ready to make a run at gold this year at 154 pounds. He's very composed and confident, and now he has gained even more experience internationally. And he continues to train alongside Olympic and world champion Jordan Burroughs. The explosive Green hasn't reached his peak yet, but that day may be coming very soon. Green has a great offense, but he also is stingy defensively. He has learned how to maximize his immense athletic talents. Get rid of criteria and add overtime One of the best parts of the 2013 fight to save Olympic wrestling was that the rules were changed in freestyle wrestling. It's opened up matches and made them much more entertaining to watch. United World Wrestling, for some reason, doesn't want to add overtime. One of the fears is it would make tournaments longer. Have a one-minute OT and make someone score a legitimate point. No athletic event should end in a tie and an athlete's hand should not be raised if he doesn't outscore his opponent. Overtime is the way to go. Put the wrestlers on their feet and let the fur fly. Nobody should call criteria wins thrilling. Nobody. Especially when the only points are scored via step outs and shot clock points. Two of Saturday night's finals bouts ended with the score tied. Not good. Jordan Oliver with his coaches Eric Guerrero and Zeke Jones (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) JO still has potential Jordan Oliver is an outstanding wrestler. He's beaten Olympic and world medalists. He's gifted and talented. But he's still never made a world-level team on the Senior level. This could be the year after Oliver beat Olympian Frank Molinaro to win the Open at 143 pounds. It would be a shame if we never got to see what Oliver could do on the world stage. That could change this year in Paris. He's a matchup nightmare for foreign wrestlers with his size, skill and athleticism. It's time for JO to cash in. Missing Snyder USA Wrestling has rules and guidelines in place built to reward wrestlers who win Olympic and world medals by allowing them to land spots directly in the finals of the Trials the following year. Those rules have paid off with athletes like Jordan Burroughs, but the only bad part is missing out on seeing a great wrestler like Kyle Snyder perform at the U.S. Open, which the national governing body for wrestling calls its national tournament. It's a treat anytime we get to see an amazing wrestler like Snyder compete. I get some of the reasons why elite athletes like Snyder don't have to wrestle in the Open. But it's unfortunate for fans who want to see an American Olympic and world champion in action at a major domestic freestyle event. Those guys don't compete much on U.S. soil to begin with as a number of the top international competitions are held overseas. David Taylor cruised to his second U.S. Open title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Magic Man is a gold medal waiting to happen David Taylor is one of my all-time favorite athletes I've been fortunate enough to cover in my career. Not only is he a great young man who handles himself extremely well, Taylor is one of the most entertaining wrestlers I've ever seen. And he keeps getting better. Unable to break through against studs like Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake in the last Olympic cycle, Taylor was phenomenal at the Freestyle World Cup this year. He may still have to beat J'den Cox to make his first world team on the senior level. Taylor has grown into the 86 kg weight class, and with his technique, tactics and gas tank he is poised to win his first medal this year. I'm excited to see the Magic Man continue to improve, progress and develop. Burroughs vs. Dake didn't quite live up to the hype Jordan Burroughs is one of the best American wrestlers of all-time. And one of the best competitors we've ever seen. But going into the U.S. Open, the trendy pick by many was that Kyle Dake would finally break through and beat the Olympic champion and three-time world gold medalist. It wasn't a bad match, but it wasn't a great match either. Plus, their finals bout ended with the score tied 2-2 at 163 pounds. Nobody scored a takedown. As mentioned earlier, have an overtime. Make someone score to win. That would clearly add more drama and excitement. Burroughs now has the inside track on landing a coveted trip to Paris. He will compete at the World Team Trials in his home-away-from-home in Lincoln, a place where he has lived and trained since arriving on Nebraska's campus in 2006. And it's an odd-numbered year. Burroughs won his world titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Will he add a fourth title in 2017?

Jarod Verkleeren (Photo/Tom Elling) State champion Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area, Pa.) committed to Penn State on Sunday evening. He had previously committed to Iowa State, signing in the early period, but was released after the coaching change in February. The nation's No. 16 overall Class of 2017 wrestler was a Cadet World champion in freestyle at 63 kilograms in the summer of 2016. He also was a Super 32 Challenge champion this past fall at 145 pounds, and a Junior National freestyle runner-up this past summer. Verkleeren ended the 2016-17 season as the nation's top ranked 145 pound wrestler. He projects to compete as a 149/157 pound wrestler in college, and joins No. 5 Nick Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.) and No. 8 Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) in anchoring the Penn State recruiting class of this year.

Four former college wrestlers -- including Logan Storley and Deron Winn -- came out winners at Legacy Fighting Alliance's Sioux Falls Fight Night 1 mixed martial arts event at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Saturday night. The top of the card featured two UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championships) veterans. David Michaud - who wrestled at South Dakota State - came out on top in his 170-pound bout vs. Jake Lindsey. Lindsey had attempted a takedown when he injured his knee and was unable to continue. With the win, Michaud improves to 11-3 in his pro MMA career. Immediately prior to the main event, another home state hero -- former Augustana University (S.D.) mat standout Sid Bice -- came out on top in his bout, scoring a unanimous decision over Cody Land in a 125-pound flyweight fight. The judges scored it 30-26, 30-27, 29-27 for Bice, whose win boosts his record to 7-1. Deron WinnLogan Storley, four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Minnesota, made short work of his opponent Andres Murray in their middleweight bout, ending the fight at 1:13 of Round One by TKO. The multi-time South Dakota state mat champ, in his first fight in a year (having injured his hand, then shoulder), pounded his way to his fifth win in his flawless pro MMA career ... while Murray falls to 2-1. Deron Winn -- two-time NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) champ for St. Louis Community College, Meramec -- made a favorable impression in his second pro MMA fight. The light-heavyweight (205-pound) fighter from Missouri scored a TKO by strikes at 1:40 of the first round vs. Deven Fisher. Winn's latest win came on the heels of his pro debut in March when he destroyed an MMA veteran in less than 30 seconds.

Former Michigan State wrestler and current catch wrestling instructor Curran Jacobs won his amateur mixed martial arts fight at KnockOut Promotions' KOP 55 at DeltaPlex Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. Saturday night. Curran JacobsJacobs submitted Brian Hawkins at 1:22 of Round 1 of their scheduled three-round middleweight (185-pound) amateur MMA bout. "Introduced my opponent to Catch Wrestling by strapping on a double wrist lock in the 1st round," Jacobs posted on his Facebook page Saturday. Jacobs, a two-time NCAA championships qualifier for the Spartans, gave up six inches on the 6'3" Hawkins. "He had reach and he's very wild and reckless, throwing bombs," Jacobs told InterMat. "(He) came in swinging, took a hard shot and went for the takedown. He scrambled up and then he landed a nice knee right in my nose. I took him down immediately and strapped on the double-wrist lock." "I was extremely happy to showcase catch wrestling in an MMA setting." It was the second win for Jacobs, 28, in his amateur MMA career. Jacobs teaches catch wrestling at Murcielago MMA, one of the top MMA programs in Michigan.

Jordan Burroughs after winning his fourth U.S. Open title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LAS VEGAS -- Jordan Burroughs has ruled the 74-kilogram weight class in the United States -- and the entire world at times -- since bursting on the senior level in 2011. On Saturday night in Las Vegas, the 28-year-old Burroughs topped Kyle Dake to win his fourth U.S. Open title and remain on top. Trailing 2-1 in the final period against Dake, Burroughs scored the go-ahead point off the shot clock and held on for a 2-2 criteria victory to win his sixth U.S. Open title. Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion, remains undefeated in his career at the U.S. Open and has not lost to American wrestler in over three years. Dake, a four-time NCAA champion at Cornell, fell to Burroughs in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials in 2015, but moved up to 86 kilograms last year and finished runner-up at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Prior to 2016, Burroughs had reached the finals of the World Championships or Olympics every year since 2011. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio last summer, Burroughs failed to earn a medal. "This has obviously been an extremely tough six or seven months for me since Rio," said Burroughs. "A lot of fear, a lot of doubt, a lot of anxiety, so this feels good, but obviously I know I've got to beat Kyle probably two times again in Lincoln in June. So I'm not going to sit on my laurels. This is just a stepping stone to where I want to be, getting back to Paris. "It's never going to be easy. I commend you, Kyle, for a great match, and I'll see you again twice in June." Burroughs was the lone 2016 U.S. Olympian to win a U.S. Open title in freestyle. The only other Olympian competing in the tournament, Frank Molinaro, was edged in the finals at 65 kilograms by Jordan Oliver on criteria. Molinaro led 2-0 after the opening period. He scored a point off the shot clock, which he followed up with a step-out point. Oliver, though, battled back in the second period, scoring a takedown off a low single and gaining two exposure points to go up 4-2. Molinaro responded with a takedown off a go-behind to make the score 4-4, but Oliver held the criteria lead, and was able to hold on for the narrow victory and claim his first U.S. Open title. "I knew it was going to be a war," Oliver said of wrestling Molinaro. "I went down 2-0 early, but it's nothing I can't come back from. I can score whenever I want, however I want and dictate the pace." David Taylor, who is ranked No. 6 in the world, was dominant en route to capturing his second U.S. Open title, and first at 86 kilograms. After picking up three technical falls and a fall on Friday, Taylor added a fourth technical fall by defeating Richard Perry 10-0 in the finals. Taylor was named Outstanding Wrestler at the U.S. Open. "I want to have fun," said Taylor. "Having fun with me is scoring a lot of points, getting back to what I love doing, and that's scoring. I made an assessment after the Olympic Trials last year. I said I'm not going to be tired in my matches anymore. I'm going to press the pace. I'm going wrestle hard. I'm going to make it hell for these guys I'm going to wrestle. I may get beat, but I'm going to wrestle as hard as I possibly can for that six minutes." James Green, a world bronze medalist in 2015, came through to win his first U.S. Open title at 70 kilograms, topping Nazar Kulchytskyy 4-1 in the finals. Green scored the match's only takedown off a low single in the first period. Two-time U.S. World Team member Tony Ramos won his second U.S. Open title with a 5-3 victory over Nahshon Garrett at 57 kilograms. The first period ended 1-0 in favor of Garrett after scoring off the shot clock. Garrett extended his lead to 3-0 in the second period after a takedown off a single leg. Ramos battled back, scoring points off the shot clock and from a step out to cut the deficit to 3-2. Then Ramos scored a double leg to grab a 4-3 lead and held on for the victory. Kendric Maple took the title at 61 kilograms, beating surprise finalist Brandon Wright 10-7 in the finals. Maple jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Wright mounted a late rally but came up short. Standing in Maple's way for a spot on the U.S. World Team is world champion Logan Stieber, who did not compete in Las Vegas. "That's who I'm training for," Maple said of Stieber. "He's got the title right now and I want to go get it." At 97 kilograms, Kvyen Gadson won his first U.S. Open title by blanking Micah Burak 3-0 in the finals. I've got a little girl who looks up to me, Isabella," said Gadson, an NCAA champion for Iowa State. "I tell her every day she's the hardest working girl in the world. I make her repeat it back to me. I just try to be the hardest working dad in the world. It's different for me, having never felt these type of emotions ever in my life. It feels good to win again." Olympic champion Kyle Snyder did not compete and has an automatic berth to the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials. Gadson, by winning the U.S. Open, will enter the World Team Trials as the No. 1 seed in the challenge tournament. Gadson pinned Snyder in the NCAA finals in 2015. However, since then Snyder has gone on to win a world title and Olympic title. "That [U.S. Open finals] performance isn't going to beat Kyle," said Gadson. "It's that simple." Nick Gwiazdowski also claimed his first U.S. Open title, beating Zack Rey 3-2 in the finals at 125 kilograms. Placewinners 57 kilograms: 1st: Anthony Ramos dec. Nahshon Garrett, 5-3 3rd: Nathan Tomasello dec. Frank Perrelli, 9-7 5th: Zach Sanders forfeit Alan Waters 7th: Jesse Delgado tech. fall Britain Longmire, 11-0 61 kilograms: 1st: Kendric Maple dec. Brandon Wright, 10-7 3rd: Joshua Kindig dec. Cody Brewer, 16-16 5th: Seth Gross forfeit Joe Colon 7th: Christopher Dardanes dec. Daniel Deshazer, 9-0 65 kilograms: 1st: Jordan Oliver dec. Frank Molinaro, 4-4 3rd: Zain Retherford dec. Jimmy Kennedy, 4-3 5th: Evan Henderson forfeit Kellen Russell 7th: Nicholas Dardanes dec. Mario Mason, 13-5 70 kilograms: 1st: James Green dec. Nazar Kulchytskyy, 4-1 3rd: Chase Pami dec. Jason Nolf, 12-6 5th: Alec Pantaleo dec. Jason Chamberlain, 5-1 7th: Thomas Gantt fall Jason Welch, 5:17 74 kilograms: 1st: Jordan Burroughs dec. Kyle Dake, 2-2 3rd: Alex Dieringer fall Anthony Valencia, 1:01 5th: Chris Perry dec. Kevin LeValley, 3-3 7th: Chance Marsteller dec. Dan Vallimont, 8-1 86 kilograms: 1st: David Taylor tech. fall Richard Perry, 10-0 3rd: Nicholas Heflin dec. Bo Nickal, 10-6 5th: Patrick Downey III dec. Kyle Crutchmer, 7-3 7th: Gabe Dean dec. T.J. Dudley, 8-8 97 kilograms: 1st: Kyven Gadson dec. Micah Burak, 3-0 3rd: Nathan Burak dec. Nikko Reyes, 11-2 5th: Ty Walz forfeit Kallen Kleinschmidt 7th: Matt Williams dec. Donald McNeil, 10-5 125 kilograms: 1st: Nick Gwiazdowski dec. Zack Rey, 3-2 3rd: Dom Bradley dec. Bobby Telford, 2-1 5th: Anthony Nelson dec. Justin Grant, 10-0 7th: Nathan Butler dec. Benjamin Durbin, 5-1

LAS VEGAS -- The last four Greco-Roman World Team spots were filled Saturday night at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. All four competitors made their first U.S. Senior World Team in an exciting wrap-up to the weekend. Cadet World champion Mason Manville (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) drew oohs and ahhs from the crowd Saturday night, defeating Kamal Bey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids), a heavy favorite entering the tournament, in two matches at 75 kg. In the first bout, Bey took a 2-0 lead with a takedown, but Manville responded with a four-pointer. Adding another takedown, Manville led the 2016 Junior World Team member, 6-2, at the break. Bey came out strong in the second period with a takedown and two turns to go up, 8-6. He was later hit with passivity just before Manville scored a takedown to win it 9-8. It was all Manville in the second match, scoring early with a four-point throw. He later countered for a takedown and wrapped it up with another takedown to earn a spot on his first Senior World Team. Read complete story on TheMat.com … Finals Results 59 kilograms: Ildar Hafizov defeated Hayden Tuma Match 1: Hafizov dec. Tuma, 7-3 Match 2: Hafizov dec. Tuma, 7-1 71 kilograms: Pat Smith defeated Chris Gonzalez Match 1: Smith dec. Gonzalez, 4-1 Match 2: Smith dec. Gonzalez, 6-0 75 kilograms: Mason Manville defeated Kamal Bey Match 1: Manville dec. Bey, 9-8 Match 2: Manville tech. fall Bey, 8-0 85 kilograms: Ben Provisor defeated Joe Rau Match 1: Provisor dec. Rau, 4-1 Match 2: Provisor dec. Rau, 4-3

LAS VEGAS -- 2016 Olympic champion Helen Maroulis flashed the high-octane offense and technical skills that made her the first U.S. woman to win an Olympic wrestling gold medal on her way to a victory at her new weight class, 58 kg/128 lbs. at the Women's World Team Trials on Saturday night at the South Point Arena. Maroulis (New York, N.Y./Sunkist Kids) won both of her Championship Series matches by technical fall over 2017 U.S. Open champion Kayla Miracle. In her first match, Maroulis won 15-2 in 5:45. In the second match, she came back with 10 straight points to win 10-0 in 2:42. Maroulis talked about her decision to return to competition after taking time away from the sport after her Olympic triumph. "I struggled with that a lot. I hope I am doing the right things for the right reasons. I felt I needed to come back and its different this time around. This year, it's more about my character development and myself as a person. It is not so much about wrestling right now. I know that sounds weird. This is my profession and I give everything I have when I am doing it. Off the mat, I have to give everything I have as a sister, a daughter, a friend. There are a lot of things important to me right now," said Maroulis. Read complete story on TheMat.com … Finals Results 48 kilograms: Victoria Anthony defeated Cody Pfau Match 1: Anthony pin Pfau, 0:38 Match 2: Anthony tech. fall Pfau, 10-0, 0:57 55 kilograms: Becka Leathers defeated Sarah Hildebrandt Match 1: Leathers won by inj. dft. over Hildebrandt, 3:50 Match 2: Leathers wins by inj. dft. over Hildebrandt, 0:00 58 kilograms: Helen Maroulis defeated Kayla Miracle Match 1: Maroulis tech. fall Miracle, 15-2, 5:45 Match 2: Maroulis tech. fall Miracle, 10-0, 2:42 75 kilograms: Victoria Francis defeated Erin Clodgo Match 1: Francis dec. Clodgo, 6-5 Match 2: Francis dec. Clodgo, 6-3

Mark Hall (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) LAS VEGAS -- The UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals concluded on Saturday afternoon at the South Point Arena with a thrilling set of championship bouts headlined by victories from past World champions Mark Hall and Gable Steveson. Hall reminded wrestling fans why he is the reigning Junior World champion at 74 kilograms by quickly dismantling Iowa's Alex Marinelli 10-0 in the finals. All six of Hall's matches this weekend resulted in 10-0 technical fall victories, with only one of his matches going to the second period. "There was one match I didn't get a turn, so other than that I thought I wrestled great. You know, getting to my attacks and turning guys was the main thing," Hall said. For his efforts in Las Vegas, Hall was named outstanding wrestler of the UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals. In addition to topping the Junior World Championships last year, Hall was a Cadet World champion in 2014 and a NCAA champion as a true freshman for Penn State this year. Read complete story on TheMat.com … Placewinners 50 kilograms: 1st: Malik Heinselman (Olympian WC) dec. Dack Punke (Unattached), 4-0 3rd: Jason Holmes (Thorobred) tech. fall Brendon Garcia (Steel City Elite) 5th: Brandon Kaylor (Team Aggression) forfeit Riley Weir (Team BIG) 7th: Hunter Lucas (Terrapin WC) forfeit Nick Onea (Crimson Wave WC) 55 kilograms: 1st: Daton Fix (Titan Mercury WC) tech. fall Paul Bianchi (Bison WC), 10-0 3rd: Drew Mattin (Burnett Training) tech. fall Alex Thomsen (SWIFT), 12-2 5th: Dylan D'Emilio (Burnett Training) forfeit Brandon Courtney (Sunkist Kids) 7th: Andrew Alirez (TNWC) tech. fall McGwire Midkiff (SWIFT), 10-0 60 kilograms: 1st: Mitchell Mckee (Minnesota Storm) dec. Vitali Arujau (Finger Lakes), 13-10 3rd: Montorie Bridges (Wyoming RTC) dec. Tariq Wilson (Wolfpack WC), 13-6 5th: Nick Farro (Lehigh) dec. Jacob Silzer (IRTC) 10-10 7th: Paul Glynn (Iowa) dec. Jackson Henson (Sunkist Kids), 8-5 63 kilograms: 1st: Luke Pletcher (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Sam Turner (Wyoming RTC), 8-6 3rd: Kaden Gfeller (Team BIG) dec. Ben Freeman (Michigan RTC), 9-4 5th: Nick Lee (Nittany Lion WC) dec. Dylan Thurston (IRTC), 12-9 7th: Alex Hrisopoulos (Michigan State) tech. fall Brandon Kier (Stanford-California RTC), 12-0 66 kilograms: 1st: Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) dec. Kanen Storr (C-RTC), 8-6 3rd: Yianni Diakomihalis (Finger Lakes) dec. Dominick Demas (Columbus WC), 10-0 5th: Patricio Lugo (Edinboro RTC) tech. fall Ben Hornickle (Wyoming RTC), 12-2 7th: Cole Martin (Wisconsin) tech. fall Keegan Shaw (Iowa), 10-0 70 kilograms: 1st: Griffin Parriott (Boilermaker RTC) dec. Joe Lee (Maurer Coughlin WC), 9-0 3rd: Austin Kraisser (Campbell) dec. Mike Dangelo (Princeton WC), 12-9 5th: Philip Conigliaro (Unattached) forfeit David Carr (Titan Mercury WC) 7th: Ryder Punke (IRTC) dec. Luke Weber (Nebraska WTC), 6-6 74 kilograms: 1st: Mark Hall (Nittany Lion WC) tech. fall Alex Marinelli (Iowa), 10-0 3rd: Evan Wick (Wisconsin) dec. Hayden Hidlay (Wolfpack WC), 6-5 5th: David McFadden (SERTC-VT) tech. fall Jake Allar (Minnesota Storm), 12-2 7th: Taleb Rahmani (Pittsburgh WC) dec. Carver James (IRTC), 5-3 79 kilograms: 1st: Jacob Covaciu (Wisconsin) dec. Kaleb Young (Iowa), 6-5 3rd: AJ Pedro (Pedro's WC) dec. Joseph Grello (Scarlet Knights WC), 6-0 5th: Joshua Ugalde (Terrapin WC) forfeit Ahmed Alford (Navy-Marine Corps RTC) 7th: Riley Demoss (Princeton WC) forfeit Spencer Carey (Navy-Marine Corps RTC) 84 kilograms: 1st: Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) tech. fall Nick Reenan (Wolfpack WC), 10-0 3rd: Max Dean (New York AC) dec. Jaron Smith (Terrapin WC), 14-10 5th: Taylor Venz (Nebraska WTC) dec. Keegan Moore (Titan Mercury WC), 8-1 7th: Jelani Embree (Beat the Streets Detroit) dec. Andrew Price (Lehigh), 8-5 96 kilograms: 1st: Andrew Marsden (Titan Mercury WC) dec. Nathan Traxler (Stanford-California RTC), 11-10 3rd: Samuel Colbray (C-RTC) dec. Kevin Snyder (Titan Mercury WC), 10-1 5th: Chase Singletary (Blairstown WC) forfeit Joshua Roetman (Navy-Marine Corps RTC) 7th: Ben Darmstadt (New York AC) dec. Brady Wetter (Wisconsin), 5-4 120 kilograms: 1st: Gable Steveson (Minnesota Storm) dec. Jordan Wood (Lehigh), 9-2 3rd: Shawn Streck (Boilermaker RTC) tech. fall Brandon Metz (Unattached), 11-1 5th: Rylee Streifel (Minnesota Storm) forfeit Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah WC) 7th: Brian Barnes (McMinnville) forfeit Christian Rebo

Jordan Burroughs defeated Kevin LeValley to advance to the U.S. Open finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LAS VEGAS -- Jordan Burroughs continued his dominance domestically by advancing to the U.S. Open finals, outscoring his opposition 32-2 in four matches. Burroughs, an Olympic champion and three-time world champion, rolled to a 12-2 victory in the semifinals over Kevin LeValley, setting up a finals showdown against four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake, who did not surrender a single point on Friday. The former Cornell star blanked three-time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer 3-0 in the semifinals. Frank Molinaro scores four points off a double leg against Jimmy Kennedy (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Olympian Frank Molinaro reached the finals at 65 kilograms by defeating Jimmy Kennedy 8-4. Molinaro led 2-1 after the opening period before breaking the match open with a powerful double leg takedown for four points midway through the second period. Molinaro will now meet Jordan Oliver, who edged collegiate star Zain Retherford 5-3 in the semifinals. Retherford held a 3-0 lead in the second period before being called for caution and two, which made the score 3-2. With 12 seconds remaining in the match, Oliver scored a two-point counter, which gave him the lead and the victory. David Taylor had four technical falls on Friday (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) World No. 6 David Taylor was dominant on Friday, picking up four technical falls at 86 kilograms, including a 15-4 victory over Nick Heflin in the semifinals. Taylor's finals opponent will be Richard Perry, who topped Bo Nickal 11-8 in the semifinals. James Green, a 2015 world bronze medalist, edged Jason Nolf 9-8 in the semifinals at 70 kilograms. Third-seeded Nazar Kulchytskyy reached the finals at 70 kilograms from the bottom side of the bracket by shutting out Alec Pantaleo 10-0 in the semifinals. Kulchytskyy has outscored his opposition 38-0 in the tournament. Brandon Wright after his semifinal victory at 61 kilograms (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Unseeded Brandon Wright continued his surprising run at 61 kilograms by knocking off Joe Colon 6-6 on criteria to advance to the finals. Wright will face Kendric Maple in the finals. Maple reached the finals by beating one of his former Oklahoma Sooner teammates, Cody Brewer 14-7. The top two seeds reached the finals at both 57 kilograms and 97 kilograms. Tony Ramos will face Nahshon Garrett at 57 kilograms, while Micah Burak and Kyven Gadson will meet at 97 kilograms. Zack Rey defeated Tony Nelson in the semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Zack Rey edged Tony Nelson 4-3 to reach the finals at 125 kilograms to set up a finals meeting with Nick Gwiazdowski. The finals are scheduled for 6 p.m. PT on Saturday. 57 kilogams: No. 1 Tony Ramos dec. No. 4 Nathan Tomasello, 2-2 No. 2 Nahshon Garrett tech. fall No. 3 Alan Waters, 11-0 61 kilograms: Brandon Wright dec. No. 5 Joe Colon, 6-6 No. 2 Kendric Maple dec. No. 3 Cody Brewer, 14-7 65 kilograms: No. 1 Frank Molinaro dec. No. 4 Jimmy Kennedy, 8-4 No. 3 Jordan Oliver dec. No. 2 Zain Retherford, 5-3 70 kilograms: No. 1 James Green dec. No. 5 Jason Nolf, 9-8 No. 3 Nazar Kulchytskyy tech. fall Alec Pantaleo, 10-0 74 kilograms: No. 1 Jordan Burroughs tech. fall No. 5 Kevin LeValley, 12-2 No. 2 Kyle Dake dec. No. 3 Alex Dieringer, 3-0 86 kilograms: No. 1 David Taylor tech. fall No. 4 Nick Heflin, 15-4 No. 2 Richard Perry dec. No. 6 Bo Nickal, 11-8 97 kilograms: No. 1 Micah Burak dec. No. 5 Kallen Kleinschmidt, 4-1 No. 2 Kyven Gadson tech. fall No. 3 Nathan Burak, 11-1 125 kilograms: No. 1 Zack Rey dec. No. 4 Tony Nelson, 4-3 No. 3 Nick Gwiazdowski dec. No. 2 Dom Bradley, 6-4

Robby Smith (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) LAS VEGAS -- Four of the eight Greco-Roman 2017 World Team spots were determined Friday night at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas. World Team members at 80 kg/187 lbs., 98 kg/215 lbs. and 130 kg/286 lbs. were decided in two matches, while it took three matches to determine the World Team member at 66 kg/145 lbs. The exciting rivalry between Ellis Coleman (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) and Alejandro Sancho (Miami, Fla./New York AC) continued on Friday night. Read complete story on TheMat.com … Finals Results 66 kilograms: Ellis Coleman defeated Alejandro Sancho Match 1: Colman dec. Sancho, 4-3 Match 2: Sancho dec. Coleman, 2-1 Match 3: Coleman dec. Sancho, 3-1 80 kilograms: Cheney Haight defeated John Stefanowicz Match 1: Haight dec. Stefanowicz, 3-1 Match 2: Haight dec. Stefanowicz, 3-1 98 kilograms: G'Angelo Hancock defeated Hayden Zillmer Match 1: Hancock dec. Zillmer, 6-4 Match 2: Hancock dec. Zillmer, 2-0 130 kilograms: Robby Smith defeated Toby Erickson Match 1: Smith dec. Erickson, 2-1 Match 2: Smith pin Erickson, 1:04

Alli Ragan scores with a five-point throw (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) LAS VEGAS -- Four members of the 2017 U.S. World Team in women's wrestling were determined during the Championship Series finals at the Women's World Team Trials at the South Point Arena on Friday. 2016 World silver medalist Alli Ragan (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) made her fifth World Team with a dominant two-match sweep over Francesca Giorgio (West Lawn, Pa./Simon Fraser), winning both bouts by technical falls. In bout one, Ragan threw Giorgio for five points early in the first period. She converted a two-point low single to make it 7-0, followed by a turn for a 9-0 lead. She added a spin behind takedown to make it 11-0. In bout two, Ragan was equally dominant, getting a takedown and three tilts for an 8-0 lead, then closing it out with a takedown and a 10-0 lead. "This is a stepping stone to being a World champion. I was just going out there and winning. This is my weight class now. I am excited. I was at 58 kg the last cycle, now I am at 60 kg." said Ragan. Read complete story on TheMat.com … Finals Results 53 kilograms: Haley Augello defeated Whitney Conder Match 1: Augello dec. Conder, 8-7 Match 2: Augello dec. Conder, 5-4 60 kilograms: Alli Ragan defeated Francesca Giorgio Match 1: Ragan tech. fall Giorgio, 11-0 Match 2: Ragan tech. fall Giorgio, 11-0 63 kilograms: Mallory Velte defeated Jennifer Page Match 1: Velte dec. Page, 10-8 Match 2: Velte dec. Page, 2-2 69 kilograms: Tamyra Mensah defeated Elena Pirozhkova Match 1: Mensah dec. Pirozhkova, 4-2 Match 2: Mensah dec. Pirozhkova, 6-2