InterMat Staff

State champion Drew Marten (Tecumseh, Mich.) verbally committed to Central Michigan on Monday evening. Marten compiled a 53-1 record en route to winning a state championship this past season. The No. 87 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 projects to compete as a 141 pound wrestler in college.

State champion Stephan Glasgow (Bound Brook, N.J.), ranked No. 43 overall in the Class of 2017, verbally committed to Rutgers University on Monday evening. The projected 157/165 pound wrestler also finished as a state runner-up during his sophomore campaign. Glasgow was champion at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals, before finishing runner-up at the NHSCA Sophomore and Junior Nationals. He ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 11 in the nation at 152 pounds.

Vitali Arujau wrestling Amirhossein Maghsoudi of Iran in the Cadet World finals (Photo/Gerhard Remus) Over recent years, the Super 32 Challenge has served as a key measuring stick for the high-end high school wrestler. In the 2016 NCAA Division I tournament, eight of the finalists participated in this event during their high school career. That includes four of the ten NCAA champions: Dean Heil (Oklahoma State), Zain Retherford (Penn State) two-time national champion Isaiah Martinez (Illinois), and Kyle Snyder (Ohio State). Furthermore, of the 330 qualifiers, over one-third were past Super 32 Challenge participants; while 32 of the 80 All-Americans had participated in this tournament during their scholastic career. Also of note, Olympic champion Kyle Snyder won the Super 32 Challenge in October 2012. This coming year's event should be no exception. The talent level among the approximately 1,500 wrestlers registered to compete is extraordinarily high. Competition starts on Saturday morning (Oct. 15) at 8 a.m. ET, and continues on Sunday (Oct. 16) with 16 wrestlers remaining in the competition, quarterfinals starting at 8 a.m. Below is a weight-by-weight overview. Note: Information used for this preview is based on the list of registered wrestlers as of Sunday evening, Oct. 9. There will likely be further changes in weight classes, as well as wrestlers listed here who do not compete in the event. 106: In past years, this opening weight class has been a bastion for star freshmen to win championships. In recent years that list includes Adam Busiello, Cade Olivas, Yianni Diakomihalis, Nick Suriano, and Michael Kemerer. The last non-freshman to win this weight class was Darian Cruz back in 2010. Leading those candidates this year would be No. 6 Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.), No. 11 Andrew Cerniglia (Nazareth, Pa.), No. 25 Cullan Schriever (Mason City, Iowa), and Greg Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) However, the most credentialed wrestler in this weight class is a sophomore, Mosha Schwartz (Ponderosa, Colo.). Ranked No. 34 overall in the Class of 2019, he was a Cadet Triple Crown winner in 2015, a Junior National folkstyle champion this spring, and was on the Cadet World Team in Greco-Roman at 46 kilograms. In addition to Diakomihalis, at least five other wrestlers in this weight class were state champions last year: two-time Junior freestyle All-American Cody Phippen (Platte County, Mo.), Junior National double All-American Brandon Kaylor (Bonney Lake, Wash.), Ryan Chauvin (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), two-time Junior Greco-Roman runner-up Elijah Varona (South Dade, Fla.), and Junior National double finalist Brendon Garcia (Pueblo County, Fla.) Additional Fargo freestyle All-Americans from this past summer in this weight class include Eric Faught (Clear Lake, Iowa), Lucas Byrd (LaSalle, Ohio), Eric Barnett (Hortonville, Wis.), Keegan O'Toole (Arrowhead, Wis.), Cevion Severado (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), Dylan Ryder (Half Hollow Hills West, N.Y.), Cody Craig (Skowhegan, Maine), Nathaniel Rankin (Plano East, Texas), Brandon Nunez (John Browne, N.Y.), and Riley Weir (Sand Springs, Okla.). An additional top contender includes Israel Navarro (Wilmar, Minn.), a state medalist who ended the 2015-16 season nationally ranked at 106 pounds. 113: Last year's 106 pound champion Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.), ranked No. 8 in the Class of 2019, will lead an excellent group of wrestlers in this weight class. Three other nationally ranked sophomores are among the stars of the field. No. 16 Coltan Yapoujian (Pomona, Colo.) was a Cadet National freestyle champion this past summer, No. 19 JoJo Aragona (Pope John, N.J.) was runner-up to Busiello at the Super 32 Challenge last year, while No. 42 Colt Newton (Choctaw, Okla.) placed third in Cadet freestyle this summer. Five other wrestlers have won major national level tournaments during this calendar year. Nico Aguilar (Gilroy, Calif.) was champion in Junior freestyle, and is ranked No. 43 in the Class of 2018; Jaret Lane (Southern Columbia, Pa.) was champion in Junior Greco and at the FloNationals; Jesse Vasquez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) was champion in Cadet folkstyle, and is ranked No. 5 in the Class of 2020; Corey Gamet (Parma Western, Mich.) was a Cadet freestyle champion; Jace Koelzer (Olathe South, Kansas) was champion in Cadet folkstyle and Greco-Roman. Five additional wrestlers were runners-up in major national level tournaments during the calendar year. Returning Super 32 placer Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa) was runner-up in Junior folkstyle, Joseph Harrison (Omaha Burke, Neb.) was runner-up in Junior Greco, Ben Kamali (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) was runner-up at the FloNationals, while T.J. Hicks (Bradley Central, Tenn.) and Jake Ferri (Shawseen Tech, Mass.) were NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up finishers. Other notable contenders include state champion Patrick McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), who placed third in both styles at the Junior Nationals this summer; two-time state placer Nate Keaton (Circleville, Ohio), champion at the Walsh Ironman last December; two-time state placer Matt Cardello (CVCA, Ohio), third place at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle; and Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2020. 120: Wrestlers whom are among the best in their grade are abound in this weight class, with ten whom appear in the InterMat national rankings for their respective graduating class. The group is led by 2017 wrestlers Drew Mattin (Delta, Ohio) and Drew West (Highland Riverside, Iowa). No. 63 Mattin is a two-time state champion, two-time Super 32 placer, and two-time Junior National freestyle All-American; while No. 83 West is a three-time state placer, winning a state championship as a sophomore. Another pair are from the Class of 2018. No. 43 Tommy Hoskins (Legacy Christian, Ohio) is a two-time state champion and placed eighth in Junior freestyle this summer; while No. 49 Patrick Glory (Delbarton, N.J.) was runner-up at the Super 32 last year, and is a two-time state runner-up. Another three are from the Class of 2019, led by No. 5 Julian Chlebove (Northampton, Pa.), a state champion this past season. In addition are No. 17 Andrew Alirez (Greeley Central, Colo.) and No. 43 Ryan Anderson (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.); Alirez is a two-time Cadet freestyle All-American and was also a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American this spring. Another are elite freshmen in No. 2 Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) and No. 4 Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.); Saunders is a two-time middle school division champion at the Super 32 and was a semifinalist in Cadet freestyle this summer, while is a three-time middle school division champion at the Super 32. Lastly is Carson Manville (South County, Va.), No. 2 overall among Junior High wrestlers and champion in the Super 32 middle school division last year. Four others in this weight class were Junior freestyle All-Americans this summer. Two-time state champions Jet Taylor (Sallisaw, Okla.) and Dominic LaJoie (Gaylord, Mich.) also placed at the FloNationals, while Brock Bergelin (Denmark, Wis.) and Clayton Singh (Kearney, Mo.) are both two-time state champions. Additional wrestlers to watch in this weight class include two-time state placer Anthony Cirillo (Rocky Point, N.Y.), three-time state placer Jonathan Gomez (Locust Valley, N.Y.), state champion Brock Henderson (North Linn, Iowa), three-time state champion Korbin Meink (Skutt Catholic, Neb.), and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion Chris Wright (Central Dauphin, Pa.) 126: Five of the top six finishers from last year's 120 pound weight class at the Super 32 anchor the field of this weight class. Joey Silva (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) was the champion, and is ranked No. 21 in the Class of 2018; he also was champion at both the NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals. Two-time state placer Austin DeSanto (Exeter Township, Pa.) was the runner-up, and is ranked No. 37 in the Class of 2017. Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.), ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2019, placed third; he is a two-time Cadet National double champion and was a state runner-up during the high school season. Alex Thomsen (Underwood, Iowa) placed fifth, and is ranked No. 29 in the Class of 2018; he was a Junior National All-American in both styles this summer, and is a two-time state champion. State champion Colin Valdiviez (Rockhurst, Mo.) placed sixth, and is ranked No. 80 in the Class of 2017. Four other wrestlers in this weight class are ranked within their respective grade levels. From the Class of 2017 it is a pair of NHSCA Junior Nationals placers in No. 89 K.J. Fenstermacher (Northampton, Pa.), a two-time state placer; and No. 92 Robert Garcia IV (Selma, Calif.), a three-time state placer. Cadet National freestyle champion Jacori Teemer (Long Beach, N.Y.) is a three-time state champion, and ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2018; while NHSCA Freshman Nationals champion Connor McGonagle (Timberlane, N.H.) is ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2019 and was a New England Regional runner-up last year. Additional wrestlers to watch include Junior National freestyle All-Americans Dan Moran (Northampton, Pa.) and Jakob Campbell (Boyertown, Pa.), NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up Jose Tapia (Capital, N.M.), state champion Jake Gliva (Simley, Minn.), 2014 Super 32 placer Shane Metzler (West Morris Central, N.J.), three-time state champion Clai Quintanilla (North Central, Wash.), and UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Chase Zollmann (Poway, Calif.) 132: Seven of the top 100 wrestlers from the Class of 2017 are present in this weight class, most notable among them is No. 3 Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.). The UWW Cadet world silver medalist in freestyle is a three-time state champion and placed third at the Super 32 last year in that loaded 126 pound weight class. Rounding out the group of seven are No. 23 Brian Courtney (Athens, Pa.), a state champion and FloNationals champion last March; No. 32 Chris Sandoval (Windsor, Colo.), fourth in this weight class at the Super 32 last year and champion in Junior folkstyle; No. 40 Paul Konrath (Connections Academy, Ind.), champion in Junior folkstyle and runner-up in Junior freestyle; No. 54 Kyran Hagan (Eureka, Mo.), runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American; No. 87 Drew Marten (Tecumseh, Mich.), a state champion; and No. 98 Zach Trampe (Council Rock South, Pa.) a two-time state placer and 2015 FloNationals placer. Six other wrestlers are ranked within their respective grade level. Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) is ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2018, and is a two-time state champion, two-time Super 32 placer, and two-time FloNationals placer. Cadet freestyle All-American Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla) is ranked No. 9 in the Class of 2020, and also won the middle school division at the Super 32 last year; while Austin Boone (Lowell, Mich.) is No. 22 among freshmen. State runner-up Devin Schwartzkopf (Francis Howell Central, Mo.) is ranked No. 24 in the Class of 2019, returning state placer Ryan Vulakh (North Penn, Pa.) is ranked No. 30 in among sophomores, while state champion and Cadet freestyle All-American Kevon Davenport (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) is No. 47 in the class. Additional wrestlers to watch in this absolutely loaded weight class include returning Super 32 placers Quinn Kinner (Kingsway Regional, N.J.), Andrew Wert (Central Dauphin, Pa.), and Mason Wohltman (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.); returning FloNationals placers Zack Donathan (Mason, Ohio) and Marshall Keller (Christiansburg, Va.); two-time state placer and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals runner-up Alex Felix (Gilroy, Calif.); five-time state champion Zach Van Alst (Montgomery Catholic, Ala.); Junior freestyle All-American Jeremy Schoenherr (Stratford, Wis.); Cadet National double finalist Mason Phillips (Stanwood, Wash.); and three-time state placer Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.) 138: Four star juniors are among the anchor wrestlers in this weight class, most notable among them is FloNationals champion Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.), who is ranked No. 9 overall in the Class of 2018; Sasso placed third in the Super 32 last year, finished runner-up in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals, and earned All-American honors in both styles at the Cadet Nationals each of the last two years. No. 19 Jaden Mattox (Grove City Central Crossing, Ohio) placed in the Super 32 as a freshman and is a two-time state finalist, including a state title this past season. No. 22 Brayton Lee (Brownsburg, Ind.) placed fifth at the Super 32 in this weight class last year, was a state champion this past high school season, and a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American. Rounding it out is No. 31 Grant Aronoff (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.), state champion this past season and champion at the NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals. Four other grade level ranked wrestlers are present in this weight class, most notable among them is FloNationals runner-up Ben Freeman. Ranked No. 30 in the Class of 2017, he is also a three-time state champion and two-time Super 32 placer. From the Class of 2019, No. 20 Cameron Amine (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) and No. 44 Jake Mariakis (Ridgeland, Ga.) are in the field; state champion Amine was a Cadet National double All-American, while state runner-up Mariakis placed at the FloNationals. Rounding it out is Sonny Santiago (St. John Bosco, Calif.), ranked No. 19 in the Class of 2020. Additional wrestlers to watch include returning Super 32 placer Corey Shie (La Salle, Ohio), a two-time state placer; New England Regional champion Timmy Kane (Fairfield Warde, Ct.); two-time state champions Jacob Greenwood (Poudre, Colo.) and Josh Humphreys (St. Alban's, W.Va.); NHSCA Junior Nationals placers Jimmy Hoffman (Hazelton, Pa.), Bradley Beaulieu (Marshfield, Me.), Danny Bertoni (Middletown, Md.), Robbie Cleary (Bound Brook, N.J.), and Sammy Hepler (Tri-Valley, Pa.); three-time state champion and FloNationals placer Knox Fuller (Bradley Central, Tenn.); Junior folkstyle runner-up Chris Deloza (Clovis North, Calif.); Cadet folkstyle runner-up Kasper McIntosh (Portage, Ind.); as well as 2014 Super 32 placers Roderick Mosley (Heritage Hall, Okla.) and Jake Silverstein (Hauppauge, N.Y.) 145: Four nationally ranked Class of 2017 wrestlers are among the anchors of this weight class, including No. 11 Austin O'Connor (St. Rita, Ill.), a three-time state champion and runner-up in this Super 32 weight class last year. No. 24 Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) placed fourth at the Super 32 two years ago, was a UWW Cadet world champion in freestyle in the summer of 2015, and was a Junior National freestyle runner-up this past summer. The other two ranked seniors are returning Super 32 placers in No. 76 Peter Pappas (Plainview JFK, N.Y.) and No. 91 Denton Spencer (Camden County, Ga.); both wrestlers are also two-time state runners-up, while Spencer also was champion at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this past spring. Also among the contenders here are a trio of nationally ranked Class of 2018 wrestlers. Most notable among them is returning Super 32 placer Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.). Ranked No. 8 in the junior class, Lee is a two-time state finalist -- winning this past year -- and was a UWW Cadet National freestyle runner-up at 69 kilograms. No. 15 Anthony Artalona (Tampa Prep, Fla.) is a two-time state champion and beat Verkleeren to win a Junior National freestyle title this summer. No. 40 Josiah Rider (Grand Junction, Colo.) is placed fifth in this weight class last year at the Super 32 and was a state champion come season's end. Two other grade level ranked wrestlers in this weight class are No. 9 Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio), who placed fourth at the state tournament as a freshman; and two-time state placer Ashton Habeil (Lake Gibson, Fla.), who is ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2020. Others to watch include three-time state finalist Brik Filippo (Tuttle, Okla.), state champion this past season; FloNationals placers in Brock Wilson (Nazareth, Pa.), Jake Hinkson (North Allegheny, Pa.) and Nick Santos (St. Peter's Prep, N.J.); two-time state champions Ryan Leisure (Clear Lake, Iowa) and Justin Ruffin (Union Grove, Ga.); two-time state placers Sandro Ramirez (Wauseon, Ohio) and Tyler Shilson (Centennial, Mass.); NHSCA Junior Nationals placers Zach Hartman (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.), Ryan Monteiro (Minnechaug Regional, Mass.), Chase Archangelo (Smyrna, Del.), and Bryce Marcus (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.); along with NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion Joe Casey (Bound Brook, N.J.) 152: Five nationally ranked Class of 2017 prospects are among the notable stars of this field. Most notable among them is No. 9 Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), a three-time state champion -- and 2015 UWW Cadet world team member in freestyle -- who suffered a major injury during the state semifinal round this past season. However, he is back and in good form. Other nationally ranked seniors include No. 20 Quentin Hovis (Poway, Calif.), a returning Super 32 placer and Junior National freestyle All-American this past summer; No. 43 Stephan Glasgow (Bound Brook, N.J.), a two-time state finalist (2016 champion) and runner-up at both the NHSCA Sophomore and Junior Nationals; No. 81 Jake Brindley (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), a two-time state champion and 2014 Super 32 placer; along with No. 96 Hunter Willits (Pueblo County, Colo.), a Junior National freestyle All-American and three-time state champion. Another pair of stars are ranked from the Class of 2018. David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio), champion in the Super 32 last year at 145 pounds, is ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2018 and was a bronze medalist at the UWW Cadet world championships in freestyle last month. Also present is No. 38 Aaron Brooks (North Hagerstown, Md.), a Cadet National double champion this summer and champion in both the NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals. Additional grade level ranked wrestlers are a pair from the Class of 2020, who won middle school division titles at the Super 32 last year, in No. 7 Nevan Snodgrass (Kettering Fairmont, Ohio) and No. 18 Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) Others to watch include state placer Connor Melbourne (John Jay Cross River, N.Y.), runner-up at the NHSCA Sophomore and Junior Nationals; state placer and NHSCA Junior Nationals third place finisher Nicholas Palumbo (Lenape Valley, N.J.); state runner-up and FloNationals placer Matt Grippi (Fox Lane, N.Y.); state champion Erich Byelick (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.); two-time state champion Elijah Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.); along with state third place finishers in Joshua Kim (Santiago Corona, Calif.) and Colt Yinger (Mechanicsburg, Ohio). 160: Five grade level ranked wrestlers, including four top 60 Class of 2017 prospects anchor the field. Leading the way here is Junior National freestyle champion Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), a returning state champion and Super 32 placer, who is ranked No. 28 in the Class of 2017. Next in line is No. 36 Hunter Bolen (Christiansburg, Va.), also a returning Super 32 placer, along with being a FloNationals runner-up and two-time state champion. No. 51 Mekhi Lewis (Bound Brook, N.J.) is a three-time state placer, and state champion this past season; while No. 56 Kyle Cochran (Paramus, N.J.) was also state champion this past season, and also won a NHSCA Junior Nationals title. State runner-up and FloNationals runner-up Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.) is ranked No. 24 in the Class of 2018, and also placed at the Super 32 last year in this weight class. An additional grade level ranked wrestlers is Cadet freestyle All-American Chris Foca (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), who is ranked No. 45 in the Class of 2019. Other contenders include returning Super 32 placer Georgio Poullas (Canfield, Ohio), three-time state runner-up Nick Kiussis (Brunswick, Ohio), state champion and Junior freestyle All-American Sammy Cokeley (St. James Academy, Kansas), two-time state champion Braeden Redlin (Allen, Texas), and state champion Emille Shannon (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) Additional wrestlers with major national event credentials in this weight class include NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion and Cadet double All-American Josh Stillings (Pennridge, Pa.), FloNationals placer Dale Tiongson (St. Paul's, Md.), Super 32 placer Isaiah Johnson (A.L. Brown, N.C.), NHSCA Junior Nationals placers Shawn Mosca (Wheatley, N.Y.) and Skitch Light (Central Dauphin, Pa.), UWW Cadet Nationals freestyle placer Robert Patrick (Ligonier Valley, Pa.), along with Cadet freestyle All-American Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa). 170: Four top 100 ranked seniors anchor the wrestlers in this field, a group headed by No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.). The FloNationals and Junior Greco-Roman champion placed fourth in this Super 32 weight class last year and is a two-time state placer. No. 64 Bryce Rogers (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) is a two-time state champion, and this past spring placed at the FloNationals and was a NHSCA Junior Nationals champion; No. 73 Ethan Smith (Sparrows Point, Md.) was a state champion this past season and placed third at the FloNationals; while No. 74 Bunmi Smith (Camden County, Ga.) is a three-time state placer and was state champion this past season. Two additional FloNationals placers are in this weight class. Two-time FloNationals placer Casey Cornett (Simon Kenton, Ky.), who also placed third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals; along with state medalist Dalton Group (Susquenita, Pa.). Four additional wrestlers were NHSCA Junior Nationals placers: state medalists George Walton (Bound Brook, N.J.) and Bryan McLaughlin (Woodbridge, N.J.), two-time New England regional third place finisher Joe Accousti (Newtown, Ct.), as well as Ty Bagoly (Exeter Township, Pa.) Others to watch include state champion Myles Wilson (Glenwood Springs, Colo.), three-time state placer Jason Hoffman (Hadley-Luzerne, N.Y.), state runner-up A.J. Meyers (Toms River East, N.J.), two-time state placer Dom Mandarino (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.), Cadet National double All-American Devin Winston (Park Hill, Mo.), and two-time state qualifier Emil Soehnlen (Massillon Perry, Ohio). Winston is ranked No. 41 overall in the Class of 2019. 182: Five top 100 seniors anchor what is a rather strong field in this weight class. The group is headlined by No. 18 Louie Deprez (Hilton, N.Y.), runner-up at last year's Super 32, also a two-time state champion and FloNationals placer. No. 21 Nino Bonaccorsi (Bethel Park, Pa.) is a two-time state placer, was third at the Super 32 last year, and won a FloNationals title this spring. In that finals match at the FloNationals, Bonaccorsi beat No. 25 Jelani Embree (Warren Lincoln, Mich.), who was a state champion this past high school season and a Junior National double All-American in Fargo this summer. No. 49 Anthony Falbo (Newtown, Ct.) is also a returning Super 32 placer; this past season he won a New England regional title, while in the off-season he won a second straight NHSCA grade-level title and placed fourth in Junior freestyle. Rounding out the quintet of elite seniors is No. 85 Matthew Waddell (Gilmer, Ga.), a two-time state champion, who placed at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and was a Junior double All-American this off-season. Other notable seniors in this field include state champion and Junior freestyle All-American Jackson Hemauer (Deforest, Wis.), state medalist and returning Super 32 placer Dawson Peck (Chambersburg, Pa.), state champion Kendall Norfleet (Marian Catholic, Ill.), two-time state placer J.T. Brown (Elyria, Ohio), Junior National double All-American Miles Lee (South Philadelphia, Pa.), a pair of state champion and NHSCA Junior Nationals placers in Khamari Whimper (Baylor School, Tenn.) and Antonio Stewart (Camden County, Ga.), state champions Kaden Russell (St. Ignatius) and Stanley Smeltzer (Smithfield, Va.), along with state placer and NHSCA Junior Nationals placer Kendall Elfstrum (Monroe Woodbury, N.Y.) Additional wrestlers to watch include Cadet folkstyle champion and freestyle runner-up Lucas Davison (Chesterton, Ind.), as well as state medalists Jared Ball (Hilliard Darby, Ohio) and Cody Mulligan (Saegertown, Pa.) 195: Three nationally ranked seniors and two juniors are among the top wrestlers in this weight class field. The highest ranked of the group is Brandon Whitman (Dundee, Mich.), ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2018; the FloNationals runner-up at 182 pounds is also a two-time state champion and placed fifth in both styles at the Junior Nationals this summer in Fargo. No. 26 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.) is the other junior; the state champion is a returning Super 32 placer and finished third at the FloNationals competing at 195 pounds, while also winning a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals title and finishing third in Cadet freestyle. Heading up the 2017 contingent is No. 53 Jacob Raschka (Pewaukee, Wis.), a 2015 Cadet National freestyle champion, who won a state title and finished fifth at the FloNationals this past year. No. 61 Andrew Davison (Chesterton, Ind.) placed fifth at state in 2015, was a Junior folkstyle champion this spring, and placed seventh in both styles at the Junior Nationals this summer. No. 90 Jake Woodley (North Allegheny, Pa.) was a state champion this past high school season, and then placed at both the FloNationals and Junior National freestyle tournaments this off-season. Another pair of wrestlers are grade-level ranked in this weight class. Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) is ranked No. 3 overall in the Class of 2020 and enters high school with a Cadet National double title this summer and winning a middle school division title at the Super 32 last fall; while state champion Daniel Kerkvleit (Simley, Minn.) is ranked No. 36 in the Class of 2019 and placed third in Cadet freestyle losing just to Amos. Other wrestlers to watch include NHSCA Junior Nationals champion John Borst (Sherando, Va.), who was runner-up in Junior freestyle this past summer; two-time state champion Noah Bushman (Cave Spring, Va.); state placers Kanan Sarver (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and Joe Doyle (Council Rock South, Pa.); two-time placer John Kelbly (Smithville, Ohio), a NHSCA Junior Nationals placer; two-time state placer Danny Salas (St. John Bosco, Calif.); and state champion Miles Nuessle (Liberty, Ariz.) 220: Two wrestlers are returning Super 32 placers from this weight class last year, Zane Black (Cumberland Valley, Pa.) and Cole Nye (Bishop McDevitt, Pa.). Black is ranked No. 71 in the Class of 2017 and was runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals; while Nye was state champion last high school season and a Junior freestyle All-American in the summer of 2015. The only other grade level ranked wrestler in this weight class is state placer Johnny Shafer (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), who is No. 33 in the Class of 2019. Additional contenders include two-time state champion Jeffrey Allen (Amherst County, Va.), a Junior National double All-American this past summer; FloNationals placers Ryan Vasbinder (Byron Center, Mich.) and Eric Keosseian (Howell, N.J.); along with state medalists Diata Drayton (Marist, Ill.) and Nino Manzonelli (Allen, Texas). 285: The headline wrestler in this weight class is Kevin Vough (Elyria, Ohio), the No. 15 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017; he was champion at the FloNationals in 2014 and runner-up in Junior freestyle during the summer of 2015. Two others in this weight class are returning Super 32 placers, Evan Ellis (Eastern, Ind.) and Mansur Abdul-Malik (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.); Ellis is a two-time state placer and was a FloNationals placer this spring, while Abdul-Malik is a two-time National Prep placer. Other contenders include Junior National freestyle All-American Zach Muller (Downers Grove North, Ill.), NHSCA Junior Natonals placers Laith Alsous (Lew-Port, N.Y.) and Sammy deSeriere (Mullen, Colo.), state champion Tyler Shannon (Arkansas City, Kansas), two-time state qualifier Blake Zalapi (Hononegah, Ill.), FloNationals placer Brendan Furman (Canon-McMillan, Pa.), and two-time state runner-up Evan Surgeon (Southeast Guilford, N.C.)

The impact of Lou Rosselli taking the job as University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach has been felt very quickly, most notably on the recruiting trail. On Sunday night, the Sooners got a second verbal commitment from an elite prospect from Central Ohio. This time it came in the form of No. 22 Dominick Demas (Dublin Coffman). Demas, a three-time state place-winner, earned a state title at 138 pounds during his sophomore campaign. This past season, he was runner-up at 145 pounds, and ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 10 nationally in the weight class. His older brother, Josh, was a multi-time NCAA tournament qualifier and national seed for Ohio State. Demas projects to compete as a 149/157 in college.

Tommy Owen served as the head assistant coach at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Tommy Owen has been named head wrestling coach of the brand-new Cougar men's wrestling program at Averett University, the Virginia school announced Friday. Averett had announced the addition of wrestling -- along with men's lacrosse, and women's lacrosse -- back in May, thanks to a generous $500,000 gift from an unnamed donor. All three sports will begin competing during the 2017-18 school year as the school transitions to NCAA Division III competition. Owen will be transferring from one set of Cougars to another. For the past two seasons, Owen has served as the head assistant coach of the Cougar wrestling program at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, an NCAA Division I school located just outside St. Louis. During his time at SIU-E, Owen coached NCAA national qualifiers and two conference champions in each of the past two years. His teams have also been successful in the classroom, earning a top-14 Division I National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team ranking both years. Before joining SIU-E's coaching staff, Owen coached at Division I George Mason University near Washington, D.C. from 2011-14 while also working as the regional training center coach for the Patriot Elite Wrestling Club. Owen's collegiate coaching experience also included a stint from 2007-2008 as an assistant at Division I Boise State University, his alma mater. Owen has also coached a number of club and high school teams, including a position as the head freestyle wrestling coach for Virginia USA Wrestling. Since 2013, Owen also served as a USA Wrestling national team volunteer coach, coaching a silver medalist and a bronze medalist at the 2014 University World Championships in Hungary. As a collegiate wrestler, Owen competed for Boise State in 2006-07. He began his wrestling career at Division I University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time NCAA national qualifier and a member of the 2002 national championship team and 2003 national runner-up, and Big Ten conference team titlewinners both years. In high school, Owen was a three-time Washington state champion and a four-time finalist. He was the 2001 National High School Coaches Association national champion, a 1998 Cadet National Champion and a member of the 2000 FILA Junior World Team. "Tommy has a tremendous amount of coaching experience at many levels in the wrestling community," said Averett University Director of Athletics Meg Stevens. "His knowledge and passion will be a great asset as we begin our first men's wrestling program at Averett." "I would like to thank Averett President Dr. Tiffany Franks and Director of Athletics Meg Stevens for this amazing opportunity," Owen said. "I couldn't be more humbled and excited to be chosen as the inaugural head coach at Averett. Having spent time as a college coach in Virginia, and with my wife being born and raised in the state, I feel this is the perfect opportunity for me to start a program at Averett and continue to build and strengthen wrestling in the state of Virginia and as a whole." "I also want to thank Mike Moyer and the NWCA along with all the organizations helping to build wrestling in all styles -- folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman," Owen added. "Without their tireless effort and commitment to the sport, I would not have the opportunities that lie ahead of me." Located in the city of Danville in south-central Virginia near the North Carolina border, Averett University describes itself as a four-year, fully accredited, private, co-educational college with a traditional residential campus. Originally founded as a women's college in 1859, the school became co-ed in 1969, and took on its present name in 2001.

Andrew Nicola Andrew Nicola has been named head wrestling coach at Concordia University, the Nebraska-based school announced Friday. Nicola replaces Dana Vote, who left Concordia to become the director of wrestling operations at Iowa State University after four seasons with the Bulldogs. Nicola, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, becomes the third head coach since the program's rebirth in 2009, taking over a team coming off back-to-back Great Plains Athletic Conference titles. Nicola brings diverse coaching experience to Concordia. For the past two years, as an assistant coach at California Baptist University, Nicola worked closely with head coach Lenny Zalesky to guide the Lancers to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship and then placed second in its region and sixth at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Heavyweight Joe Fagiano took home the program's first-ever NCAA title, while four Lancers earned NCAA All-American honors. In addition, CBU finished in the top 10 nationally in terms of grade point average during both of Nicola's seasons at the southern California school. Prior to landing at CBU, Nicola made a positive difference in two seasons at Cumberland University in Tennessee, which, like Concordia, is a NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) program. The 2013-14 Bulldogs recorded the program's highest-ever finishes at the NAIA National Championships (sixth), National Wrestling Coaches Association National Duals (third) and NWCA Academic All-American Team standings (fourth). Six Cumberland wrestlers found their way to the All-America stand at the 2014 national championships. One won a national title and another finished runner up. In addition, Nicola has coached at University of Central Missouri, an NCAA Division II program, as well as at two different Indiana high schools, Bloomington South and Culver Academies. Nicola has also coached on the international scene, having served on the Indiana National Team coaching staff, where he garnered Indiana Cadet/Junior Coach of the Year honors in 2012. He holds a USA Wrestling Silver Certification. Nicola graduated from Indiana University in 2008 with a bachelor's degree in biology. He went on to complete a master's degree in athletic and sport business administration in 2012 from Central Missouri. He also earned a master's degree in education from Cumberland. "We're blessed to welcome Andrew Nicola to the Bulldog Nation as our new Head Wrestling Coach.," said Concordia Director of Athletics Devin Smith. "Andrew has spent his coaching career preparing for this moment. We have no doubt that he will continue the momentum that has been built within our wrestling program by his predecessor, coach Dana Vote. Andrew brings strong Christian character and instant credibility into the room as a technician and as a strong recruiter with many connections throughout the country. He's been part of championship programs and we're excited about the winning pedigree he brings to Concordia. Andrew's passion for the sport and for life are clearly evident. We are looking forward to seeing what heights our wrestling program will reach with Andrew leading the way." "It is an honor beyond measure to be the head coach at Concordia University," Nicola said. "Concordia is an opportunity for me to use my God-given talents and passion for wrestling to lead this program. It is my duty to serve these young men in every capacity to help them achieve their goals socially, academically and athletically. I was drawn to the family atmosphere of the school and of the community and to the school's investment in athletics. My vision for Concordia wrestling is for it to continue be a nationally recognized and respected program both on and off of the mats." The new head wrestling coach of the Concordia wrestling program which won GPAC dual and postseason championships and placed eighth at the NAIA National Championships added that he is eager to take the Bulldogs to even greater heights. "I want anyone and everyone who hears about our boys to associate them with respect, hard work, discipline and loyalty. That's a recipe for success in all facets of our lives," said Nicola. "There's such a solid group returning and coming in that our goal should not be short of a top five finish in the classroom, at nationals and at the national duals this season. We will continue to build off of the success that coach Vote had and we will set our sights on earning a NAIA National Championship." Levi Calhoun remains the assistant wrestling coach for the Bulldogs. Located in Seward, Nebraska, Concordia University is a four-year, private school affiliated with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. Concordia has an enrollment of approximately 2,700 students.

Michael Beard defeated Jelani Embree at Flo's Who's Number One (Photo/Juan Garcia) National Prep champion Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) verbally committed to Northwestern University late on Sunday afternoon. The No. 7 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 was also runner-up in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals this spring competing at 85 kilograms. Beard ended his sophomore season ranked No. 8 nationally at 182 pounds, and projects to compete collegiately at either 184 or 197 pounds.

Twenty of the nation's top wrestling programs will be competing at the fifth annual Grapple at the Garden dual meet, set for New York City's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, November 27, the famed arena announced via press release Friday. The 2016 edition of Grapple at the Garden brings together NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III intercollegiate programs, along with two club teams, in a dual-meet format. The event -- which has become an early-season staple on the college wrestling calendar -- first took place at Madison Square Garden in Dec. 2012. Among the participating schools: Buffalo, Columbia, Cornell University, George Mason, Hofstra, Johns Hopkins University, LIU Post, Maryland, Mount St. Vincent, Muhlenberg, New York University, Princeton, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Rutgers, Stevens Institute, SUNY Oswego, United States Merchant Marine Academy, and Wilkes University ... along with club teams from Stony Brook University and SUNY Farmingdale. Madison Square Garden also revealed specific match-ups for the dual-meet-format event. As in the past, there will be three sessions for collegiate programs. Session one, which begins at 8:30 a.m., features Mt. St. Vincent (Div. III) vs. SUNY Farmingdale (club); and NYU (Div. III) vs. Johns Hopkins (Div. III). Session two, which starts at 10:30 a.m., features Cornell vs. Hofstra, Columbia vs. Rutgers, Princeton vs. Maryland, Buffalo vs. GMU, Wilkes (Div. III) vs. USMMA (Div. III), Stevens (Div. III) vs. Oswego (Div. III), Muhlenberg (Div. III) vs. NYU (Div. III), and Johns Hopkins (Div. III) vs. Pitt-Johnstown (Div. II). Session three, starting at 12:30 p.m., includes Cornell vs. Rutgers, Hofstra vs. GMU, Maryland vs. Columbia, Buffalo vs. Princeton, Stevens vs. Wilkes, Muhlenberg vs. Oswego, and LIU Post (Div. II) vs Pitt-Johnstown. In addition, this year's Grapple at the Garden will also feature the second-annual New York vs. New Jersey High School All-Star meet, as well as a first-ever Nassau County vs. Suffolk County All-Star High School meet. Tickets, priced at $20.00, $35.00, and $55.00, are currently on sale and may be purchased online at www.thegarden.com, all Ticketmaster locations, and the Madison Square box office.

Jordan Leen CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Virginia wrestling program announced Jordan Leen has been elevated to associate head coach on Friday. Leen is entering his sixth year with the Cavalier program. "Each year Jordan has grown tremendously as a coach and I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to elevate him to associate head coach of our program," said Virginia head coach Steve Garland. "Jordan has been loyal, he's worked hard and contributed much to me personally and to our program as a whole. He likes to say 'take what you've earned.' He's certainly earned this title and increased responsibility in our program. I'm really happy he's getting the recognition he deserves." Virginia has had five standout seasons since Leen's arrival, highlighted by 36 NCAA qualifiers, nine ACC champions and four All-Americans, as well as the 2015 ACC team championship. In his first season in 2011, the Cavaliers had three wrestlers win ACC championships. The program has continued to experience success each season, most recently with George DiCamillo claiming his third ACC championship in 2016 to become only the seventh Virginia wrestler to win three ACC championships in his career. The Cavaliers have sent at least five wrestlers to the NCAA championships each season since Leen arrived at UVA with a record nine competitors in the 2013 championships.

Tyrell Fortune attempts an arm throw at the Dave Schultz Memorial (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) NCAA wrestling champs Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune will make their professional mixed martial arts debut at the same event -- Bellator 163: McGeary vs. Davis -- at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. on November 4, Bellator MMA announced Thursday. Ruth, a three-time NCAA Division I titlist for Penn State, will face Mark Mangiardi in his pro debut in a three-round middleweight (185-pound) bout ... while Fortune, NCAA Division II heavyweight champ for Grand Canyon University, will go up against fellow newcomer Cody Miskell. These preliminary bouts, which will be streamed live on Bellator.com beginning at 7:50 p.m. Eastern, lead up to the main event, a light heavyweight world title fight that pits champion Liam McGeary (11-0) against former Penn State mat champ Phil Davis (16-3). Before signing with Bellator in 2015, Ruth crafted an impressive wrestling career, first for nationally-ranked Blair Academy, then for the Nittany Lions. The Harrisburg, Pa. native made history at the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships by becoming the first three-time national champ in the more than 100 years of Penn State wrestling, winning the 174-pound crown at the 2012 NCAAs, then back-to-back titles at 184 in 2013 and 2014 after placing third at the Nationals in 2011. As a Nittany Lion, Ruth was a four-time NCAA All-American and four-time Big Ten conference champ, compiling an impressive 140-3 record. Ruth's opponent, Mark Mangiardi, is also making his pro debut at Bellator 163, having fought in four amateur bouts, according to Bellator. Mangiardi, also fighting out of Pennsylvania, launched his MMA career in 2012. Fortune, a product of Portland, Ore., was a three-time finalist -- and two-time state champ -- for Lake Ridge High School. He won six national freestyle and Greco-Roman titles. Fortune then launched his collegiate career at Clackamas Community College in Oregon, where he won two NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) heavyweight titles. Back in 2010, Fortune had accepted an offer to wrestle at Ohio State, but instead chose Grand Canyon University in Arizona, where he was crowned heavyweight titlist at the 2013 NCAA Division II championships, and was also named Division II Wrestler of the Year. Like Ruth, Fortune signed with Bellator last year. Facing Fortune in his first pro MMA bout is Kentucky native Cody Miskell, who Bellator lists as having a 5-2 amateur record in MMA.

Cody Brewer shoots on Tony Rmaos at Flo's Who's Number One event, an event that ditched the singlet (Photo/Juan Garcia) USA Wrestling this week stoked the singlet-free discussion with Matt Krumrie's article Is it time for wrestling to ditch the singlet?" In addition to the issue of spandex, the article prompted social media to debate about the wide array of issues wrestling needs to fix before approaching the matter of sartorial selection, including the perception of corruption and the need for alternative rules sets. While both matters are important, the real opportunity behind changing the singlet may not even lie in potential increased to retention and recruitment, but in a very conservative constituency making progressive changes for the sake of modernity. The act of change will require buy-in from several leading organizations, which means that a successful alteration of outfits could be the type of collaboration wrestling has been missing. I've been writing about the need to kill the singlet for more than three years and what I've learned is that there are loyalists unwilling to change, but that they are only a small faction. As time has passed I've read more and more public support for a change and Krumrie's article is the latest installment in the shifting attitude of our public and the sport's leadership. Political courage aside, Krumrie's article was fascinating for another reason -- his reporting that the NWCA has already done a comprehensive survey and found their constituents really do want change at the youth level. Last year, 8,500 coaches responded to a National Wrestling Coaches Association survey. In that survey, coaches were "overwhelmingly in support" of moving to an alternative uniform option, citing the importance of retaining wrestlers and growing wrestling, said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "What we found was that the singlet was definitely a barrier to entry into the sport," Moyer explains. "This was especially an issue with first-year wrestlers, and at the middle school level." Moyer is all for an alternative option, and feels it would help move the sport forward. "We've heard enough perspective from coaches across the country that they absolutely believe an alternative option would enhance recruitment and retention." What could be better for the sport, but to make it more available to the next generation? To your questions … Q: What do you make of Jordan Burroughs' recent blog post and the discussion of his retirement? -- C.Y. Foley: Burroughs initial blog post "Dear Wrestling" ended with the cliffhanger: "Maybe I'll see ya around. Maybe." That line is fairly clear in stating that Burroughs is/was contemplating a retirement from competitive wrestling. However, the next day Burroughs tweeted a message saying he was definitely not retiring. While Burroughs' non-retirement now seems indefinitely definite there is still plenty left to discuss. The letter -- written to the sport of wrestling as though it was the other half of a human relationship -- was very confusing. Parts of it read like an attempt to rationalize his pre-Olympic position within the sport, some of it was visualizations of his own struggle and there were parts that read like a conversation about values. If you were looking for answers as to "What happened to Burroughs in Rio?" then this letter was underwhelming. At times Burroughs' message seemed cheeky ("It's not you, it's me") and other times distant (the lack of parades for non-medalists). The desire to pour his heart out was obvious, but what did we learn by our rare peak inside Burroughs' thought process and mentality towards wrestling? From my perspective it seems Burroughs carried a lot of pressure when it came to the expectations of others, most notably his sponsors and the idea he needed to live up to the brand he'd created. To be clear, there has never been a wrestler with a more financially successful brand and no other combat sport Olympic athlete (ever?) who has created that brand solely on the amateur stage. No athlete has ever been sponsored by names like Hershey's, Chobani, and Ralph Lauren, and had to put himself or herself into the precarious position to have their physical, psychological and emotional fortitude tested by another man in hand-to-hand combat on a once-a-quadrennial occasion. Burroughs writes, "When the IOC wanted you gone, I defended you. When you needed someone to help you appeal to the masses, I was Mr. Right. This was always a mutually-beneficial relationship, until now. Carrying us this far has wore me down. 'Heavy is the head that wears the crown,' they say. And you snatched my crown without my permission. You took years to turn me into a superhero, and then just at the peak of my powers you took six minutes to make me human again." I disagree that wrestling (as the other side of a relationship) made him into a superhero, I think that was largely his own doing. There have been other wrestlers who have faced the same type of expectations as Burroughs: Karelin, Icho, Yoshida and even Kyle Dake. To paraphrase Dake in his run-up to a fourth NCAA title, "Pressure isn't a real thing that can hurt you, it's imagined." For Burroughs and others that pressure became a real thing, and in the case of Jordan it was complicated by the additional financial considerations (remember that JB lost out on $500k for not winning the Olympics). Burroughs came to be as a wrestler because he started off as the underdog -- free of expectation and with growing talents he exploded onto the scene in 2011 with a world title. He continued to work hard, found a winning strategy and capitalized for the next five years. The fall wasn't because of a (known) physical ailment, or the speed of the wrestling world catching up to his talents, it was an internal battle that manifested itself in the physical. Burroughs shouldn't retire, but he should readopt the mentality of the underdog if only so he re-examines and approaches the sport as a student rather than a mentor, a learner rather than a load-bearing celebrity. He has the physical abilities to win a world title today just as he did in 2011, but that'll require a shrug of these sporting responsibilities and a loss of celebrity. Maybe that is that the big bargain Jordan isn't sure he can make. Q: The three remaining candidates to host the 2024 Olympics are Budapest, Los Angeles and Paris. What city do you think will win the bid? What city would like to see win the bid? -- Mike C. Foley: Like many Americans I'd love to see Los Angeles earn the bid, but I honestly wouldn't be crushed if the Games ended up in Paris. Both are beautiful cities with governments willing to foot the massive bill for a bidding and hosting system coming under intense scrutiny. My gut says LA has the lead, but you can never tell. Rome (where I am today for a wedding) recently began the process of ending their bid, citing the financial strain it might cost the city. Seeing it up close for the first time I can see no reason the city should want the headache of the Olympic Games. Vanity of rulers might be the only reason some cities bid, and I applaud Rome for having the foresight to predict their people may not enjoy hosting such a movable feast. Q: Who do you see winning the Hodge in each of the next two seasons? Below are potential contenders. 2016-2017: Zain Retherford (two-time NCAA champion, Jason Nolf (one-time NCAA champion) Isaiah Martinez (three-time NCAA champion) Gabe Dean (three-time NCAA champion), J'den Cox (three-time NCAA champion, Olympic bronze) Kyle Snyder (two-time NCAA champion, world and Olympic champion) 2017-2018: Zain Retherford (three-time NCAA champion, Jason Nolf (two-time NCAA champion) Isaiah Martinez (four-time NCAA champion) Kyle Snyder (three-time NCAA champion, world and Olympic champion) -- Tim H. Foley: Kyle Snyder in 2017 and Isaiah Martinez in 2018! What a race! Q: What do you make of all the media scrutiny/praise regarding Nate Parker? -- Jacob R. Foley: I think this is a very difficult discussion to have. The courts have shown that he wasn't guilty and I think he deserves the opportunity to move forward with his life. The tragedies that the woman in the case endured in her all-too-short life are heartbreaking and I can't imagine the pain of her family. I'm proud of Parker for making the film and look forward to watching it in theaters as soon as I get back to the States. Q: Why on earth would Ryan Milhof leave Oklahoma with Lou Rosselli taking over as head coach? Do you suspect his decision to leave Norman was because he felt Mark Cody was wronged? I realize he's going to ASU with one of the best lightweight coaches in Zeke Jones, but he has to sit out this year and isn't eligible until second semester next year. If he stayed at Oklahoma he could wrestle this year and train under another top lightweight coach. -- Mike C. Foley: I don't know why Millhof left, but as you wrote you'd have to assume that he was displeased with Mark Cody's firing and wouldn't be happy continuing to compete in Oklahoma. Arizona State is certainly an awesome option, even if he needs to sit out a season. Remember that these are just kids and sometimes their emotions can be front-and-center in their decision-making.

A pair of top 60 overall seniors verbally committed to Ohio University on Thursday evening. No. 54 Kyran Hagan and No. 59 Alec Hagan, twins from Eureka, Mo. are the wrestlers that will be joining the Bobcats' roster in the fall of 2017. Kyran, a projected 141, was state champion as a sophomore, along with finishing runner-up as a freshman and third this past season. Alec, a projected 149, was a state champion this past season after finishing runner-up during both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Each wrestler was runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this past season, along with earning placement honors in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals this past spring. In addition, each earned All-American honors in both styles as a Cadet in Fargo during the summer of 2015.

National Prep champion Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.), who ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 1 in the nation at 195 pounds, verbally committed to Ohio State late on Thursday afternoon. The No. 6 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 was also champion at the Walsh Ironman and runner-up at the Beast of the East during the 2015-16 season. Singletary was a National Prep runner-up as a sophomore at 182 pounds, while placing third in Florida as a freshman at 160 pounds for Palmetto Ridge. He was also a state champion in high school competition during his seventh and eighth grade years, while competing at Somerset Academy. In addition, he was champion at the NHSCA Freshman and Sophomore Nationals. Singletary projects to compete as a 285 pound wrestler in college, and joins No. 12 Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) as an elite Buckeyes commit in the 2017 recruiting class.

Jamie Franco HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- Hofstra University Head Wrestling Coach Dennis Papadatos today announced the appointment of Longo and Weidman MMA Training Center Operations Manager and Hofstra alumnus Jamie Franco as the Pride's volunteer assistant coach for the 2016-17 season. Franco, a three-time NCAA Championship qualifier and a 2013 Colonial Athletic Association champion for Hofstra from 2009 through 2014, will assist the Pride coaching staff working with the lightweight wrestlers. Franco recorded 75 victories with the Pride during his college career. After recording a career-best 21-13 record and advancing to the CAA Championship finals as a sophomore, he posted a 19-15 mark including a 3-0 record in the CAA Championship to capture the 133-pound title in 2012-13 record. Franco wrapped up his collegiate career at 125 pounds with a 21-15 overall record, including a 6-1 mark in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), and a New York State Collegiate Championship title in 2013-14. Since his graduation from Hofstra with a degree in business marketing in 2014, Franco has served as the operations manager at the Longo and Weidman MMA Training Center in Garden City, NY. In that capacity he has controlled marketing and advertising campaigns, managed accounts payable, controlled inventory and supervised the non-fighting staff at the facility. Just shortly after starting at Longo and Weidman MMA, Franco added the double duty of owner and head coach at the LAW Wrestling Academy also in Garden City, handling scheduling, coaching and conducting practices for wrestlers and fighters from the ages of five through 30 while also implementing the marketing and advertising campaign for the Academy. Franco served as a coach for youth wrestlers between the ages of five and 18 for the Garden City Grapplers Wrestling Club from 2009 through February 2015. He resides in Merrick, NY.

Kaleb Romero Three-time state champion Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) verbally committed to Ohio State on Tuesday. Ranked No. 12 overall in the Class of 2017, he has a three season high school record of 150-3; the last two of those losses coming at the Walsh Ironman in December of 2014. Romero went undefeated at both the NWCA Scholastic Duals and AAU Scholastic (aka Disney) Duals this past off-season. He ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 10 in the nation at 160 pounds, and also was a first-team all-state selection at quarterback on the football field last fall. Romero projects to compete as a 174/184 for the Buckeyes.

Brett Pfarr celebrates after winning his third-place match at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) MANHEIM, Pa. -- All-Americans Brett Pfarr of Minnesota and Brett Harner of Princeton have been confirmed to compete against one another at 197 pounds at 51st annual NWCA All-Star Classic on November 5 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The event, presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company and hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network, has served as the major kick-off event for the wrestling season since becoming and early-season event. In 2012, the event moved to the first weekend of the major college wrestling calendar and has been a fixture ever since. Pfarr capped a stellar 40-4 season with a third-place finish at the 2016 NCAA Division I Championships in New York City's Madison Square Garden. Harner finished the season 36-6 and earned All-American honors, finishing eighth at 197 pounds. The placement gave Princeton its first All-American under coach Chris Ayres and the program's first All-American since Greg Parker finished eighth in 2003 at 184 pounds. "This is a dynamic matchup that shows how great the sport of wrestling can be, no matter what type of institution," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "It's a great thing for our sport when we can pair an All-American wrestler from a powerhouse program from the Big Ten and an All-American from one of the nation's most prestigious academic institutions. They also like to score points. They combined for 45 bonus victories last year." Pfarr's length and ability on top leads to buckets of points, as evidenced by his 18 major decisions a year ago. It was also the largest number of major decisions by a Gopher wrestler in over 20 years. Harner's 15 bonus victories included two falls at the NCAA championships. A native of LeSueur, Minn., Pfarr won a state championship as a senior at LeSueur Henderson High School and collected 191 victories in high school. Harner is a Norristown, Pa., native where he was a four-time state placewinner, finishing second as a senior. Harner's EIWA championship last season was the first by a Princeton wrestler since Parker in 2003. Pfarr enters with an 89-19 career record, while Harner is 92-28. Pfarr will make Minnesota's 34th individual appearance in the All-Star Classic. Gopher wrestlers are 15-17-1 lifetime in the event with Scott Schiller earning the last victory in the event, an overtime win over Missouri's J'den Cox in November of 2014. The two have not met during their college careers. Harner is Princeton's third-ever wrestler to appear in the event and the first Tiger since 1985. He's also looking to become the first Princeton wrestler to win a match in the main event. Johnny Orr fell to Iowa State's Joe Gibbons 7-3 in 1985 at Utah State University. The only other Princeton appearance came in 1972 when Iowa State's Ben Peterson topped Princeton's Emil Deliere by injury default. 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company Hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network November 5, 2016 - Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University Time: Showcase Matches 6 p.m.; Main Event 7 p.m. Tickets: $15 GA, $100 Preferred Seating/Social. Group options available. Tickets available at www.goallstarclassic.com or Wolstein Center Box Office ( 844-407-2279) or Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Marts. Streaming: Trackwrestling.com Officially Announced Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: Isaac Jordan, Sr. (Wisconsin) vs. Daniel Lewis, So. (Missouri) 174: 184: Gabe Dean, Sr. (Cornell) vs. Myles Martin, So. (Ohio State) 197: Brett Pfarr, Sr. (Minnesota) vs. Brett Harner, Sr. (Princeton) 285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin) About the National Wrestling Coaches Association The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) Wrestlers in Business Network is a registered 501 C-3 that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have graduated from the sport and are now in their respective careers. Our mission is to build a community that serves as a platform to connect our members and facilitate business and job opportunities across the nation by leveraging a talent rich pipeline of wrestling alumni, with the ultimate byproduct of increasing reinvestment back to the sport. Wrestlersinbusinness.org

Jordan Burroughs at the 2016 Olympic Games (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Jordan Burroughs, 2012 Olympic gold medalist, has written a letter to the sport that has been the focus of his life for nearly a quarter-century which some may consider a retirement letter. Burroughs' letter titled "Dear Wrestling" was posted at his JordanBurroughs.com blog Tuesday. "Let me start by saying that I love you, still," is how the man whose Twitter ID is @allIseeisgold opens his letter to wrestling. "Although our most recent encounter could be described as anything but pleasant, I couldn't imagine my life without you. As you probably already know, these last few weeks have been difficult for me. You have a way of humbling even the most confident men. I thought I had come close to perfecting you, but here I stand corrected. Until August 19, my best had always been enough, and then all of a sudden it wasn't. That's the nature of sports. Someone once told me that the reaction associated with a loss is tangible to how much you've invested into attaining whatever you failed to gain." Burroughs then mentions his two losses in one day at the 2016 Rio Olympics six weeks ago which denied him a second Olympic gold medal… then continues: "I feared it...it happened...and now I face it. But Wrestling, please don't let my pain stay too long. I've got a family, friends and fans that needs me back. I'm sitting down at my computer to write to you. I'm spilling everything that I need to say to you into this keyboard, in hopes of capturing these feelings, bottling them up and leaving them within the contents of this letter." The two-time NCAA champ for the University of Nebraska compares and contrasts his two journeys home from his Olympic experiences. After winning gold in London in 2012, Burroughs recalls, "I was flown directly from the UK to Los Angeles to make an appearance on the Jay Leno Show. There were first pitches and parades, and a gold medal that the entire world wanted to get their hands on. Not this time." Burroughs' after-Rio odyssey involved three flights and nearly 20 hours in the air… only to arrive in Lincoln, Neb. in solitude to a quiet airport like any other traveler coming to Nebraska for business or to visit relatives. No fans. No fanfare. Burroughs then writes about his long relationship with the sport, and all that it has done for him -- beyond a gold medal and product endorsements and fame -- to help him find purpose, to make friends. "This was always a mutually-beneficial relationship, until now," Burroughs continues. "Carrying us this far has wore me down. 'Heavy is the head that wears the crown,' they say. And you snatched my crown without my permission. You took years to turn me into a superhero, and then just at the peak of my powers you took six minutes to make me human again." Burroughs concludes his Dear Wrestling letter thusly: "So as I consider our relationship, Wrestling, I'm finding solace in being who I am without my singlet. I'm waking up early not to rush to practice, but to make breakfast for my family. I'm driving my car past the wrestling room to take my son to gymnastics class. I just need some time to heal. I hope you understand. It's not you. It's me. I need a fresh perspective, and if I hurry back to you I'll be sacrificing this opportunity to grow. When you stop seeing gold, you gain the clarity to see life's true treasures. Maybe I'll see ya around. Maybe." Since that late August day in Rio de Janeiro when his dream of that second Olympic gold medal was dashed, Jordan Burroughs has been confronted with conflicting emotions. "It's a tough day. I had a lot of expectations coming here. I wanted to win. I knew I was capable of winning. Sometimes things don't go according to plan," Burroughs said immediately after being denied another Olympic championship. "I had a lot of expectations coming in here. I wanted to win. I knew I was capable of winning. Sometimes things don't go according to plan. I am a man of faith. Something good will come out of this. It is difficult. I lost a lot of things today. But my integrity and my character remain. I am hoping I can go back, re-evaluate my career, my abilities and what I did wrong today. I have a lot to work on." "I love the sport of wrestling because it is a testament of your growth, what you are capable of, what you can do as a man. And as nervous and afraid as I was coming into this tournament, I was equally as confident and prepared. I have always made my goals public. The hard thing about being an Olympian is that your failures are public, too," Burroughs concluded. By contrast, just one month after the Olympics, the 28-year-old Burroughs experienced the validation and love of his hometown as his prep alma mater, Winslow Township High School in New Jersey, honored him by putting his name on its gym. "You think about all the hours I spent in this gymnasium where you had a dream but you hadn't accomplished anything," said the honoree during a speech in the newly dedicated Jordan Burroughs Gymnasium. "We truly worked our butts off in hopes of something great, in hopes of accomplishing something good. "You have all these delusions of grandeur and you watch TV, you spend time on social media and you see these amazing athletes from these wonderful places. You dream that it will be you, but you never believe that it actually will be." Reading Jordan Burroughs' "Dear Wrestling" letter -- and his comments at among the lowest and highest moments of his life, all in the past few weeks -- one can't help but think of a speech from Russ Hellickson -- long-time coach at Ohio State and himself an Olympic wrestler -- titled "I Am Wrestling! Do Not Weep for Me!" Here's just one portion: "I am Wrestling! Do not weep for me!! "Weep for those who will never experience me. "Weep for those who will never feel the exhausting pain of my training, "Weep for those who will never sense the bond of Camaraderie that once established, will never wane or die. "Weep for those who will never comprehend the demands of my discipline "And most of all, Weep for those poor souls who will never miss me, because they never knew me."

State champion and three-time state medalist Max Lyon (Western Dubuque, Iowa) verbally committed to Purdue on Tuesday evening. The No. 88 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 has finished as runner-up in Junior folkstyle each of the last two years. He projects to compete at 184 pounds in college, and joins No. 62 Parker Filius (Havre, Mont.) as a top 100 commit for the Boilermakers in this year's recruiting class.

Dan Hinkel Services have been announced for Dan Hinkel, a fixture at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania for more than a half-century -- with two stints as head wrestling coach -- who died Sunday. He was 85. Visitation will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 5 - 8:30 p.m. at the Hildenbrand Funeral Home, 346 W. Main St., Kutztown. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Grace Evangelical Congregational Church, 421 W Main St., Kutztown. Messages of sympathy can be sent to his wife, Lois, at 419 Baldy Road, Kutztown, PA 19530. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Daniel J. Hinkel Family Scholarship Fund c/o Kutztown University Foundation, 15197 Kutztown Road, Kutztown, PA 19530. "Hinkel was an integral figure in Kutztown wrestling history," according to the school's statement on his passing. He had been associated with Kutztown University since 1964, when he helped reinstate the wrestling program, which had been dormant since before World War II. Hinkel served as head coach twice -- first from 1965 to 1972, then from 1989 to 1996 -- building a career record of 124-83-6. He was 45-43-4 in his first stint as coach, but found even greater success in his second time at the helm, going 79-40-2, with top-five finishes at the NCAA Division II Regionals in five consecutive seasons, from 1992 to 1996. Hinkel stepped down as head coach in 1996, but remained an active member of the coaching staff. He also served as chair and professor of secondary education at Kutztown. Current Kutztown head wrestling coach Robert Fisher had fond memories of coach Hinkel. "Dan was a part of my life for more than 25 years -- every match, every practice, Dan was there," said Fisher. "You don't realize how much a person means to you until they're gone. Dan committed his life to Kutztown University. He worked with every wrestler that came through our program the last 50 years -- it is amazing to sit back and fathom how many lives he has touched. He not only leaves his mark on the program here at Kutztown, but on the entire wrestling community." Tom Elling, an NCAA All-American for Lock Haven and author of "PA Wrestling Handbook" who now shares his insights into the sport in the Keystone State with his Pennsylvania Wrestling website http://pawrsl.com, offered his memories on Dan Hinkel with InterMat. "Dan was a graduate of Lock Haven State Teachers College and would often come back to alumni events. Somehow the topic would always turn to wrestling. He was a no-nonsense kind of guy. A story goes that he called a wrestler who wore an earring into his office. He offered, 'When you go to interview for a job, do you think some young, hip person will be interviewing you or maybe some older fogie like me who sees that hole in your ear?' Dan and his wife Lois rarely missed the annual PA Chapter banquets. He will be missed." Hinkel received numerous honors over the course of his long, successful career. In 2008, Hinkel was honored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association with a lifetime membership, as well as receiving a Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 2003, Hinkel was inducted into the KU Athletics Hall of Fame. He also is a member of Lock Haven University Hall of Fame. Dan and Lois Hinkel established the Hinkel Family Scholarship in 2001 to assist a Kutztown University wrestler who has been accepted in the university's College of Education. In recognition of the Hinkel family's dedication and volunteerism, the KU athletic department established the Hinkel Service Award, presented to a member of the athletic department for their service to the community. Born in Williamsport, Pa., Daniel J. Hinkel played football and wrestled at Williamsport High School. After graduation in 1949, Hinkel attended Lock Haven College (now Lock Haven University), where he graduated in 1953. He later earned his Master's Degree from Bucknell University in 1957. Hinkel first taught biology at Montoursville High School and Jersey Shore High School prior to serving as a professor and wrestling coach at Kutztown. He was a Veteran of the Korean War, having served in the Army from 1953 to 1955. Hinkel is survived by his wife Lois, two sons, and three grandchildren. Located in eastern Pennsylvania, Kutztown University was founded in 1866. The four-year, state university has an enrollment of approximately 10,000 students. The Golden Bears wrestling team and other intercollegiate sports programs compete in NCAA Division II.

Ohio State will host Penn State at the Jerome Schottenstein Center COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Two years ago, the Ohio State wrestling team hosted Minnesota in its first-ever dual inside Value City Arena at the Jerome Schottenstein Center. The result was a 22-13 win that propelled the Buckeyes on to a Big Ten and NCAA championship by the time the season was finished. This year, Ohio State is going back to the Schott with similar goals in mind -- the Buckeyes' dual against defending Big Ten and NCAA champion Penn State will take place at the Schottenstein Center on Friday, Feb. 3. An exact start time will be announced at a later date. "We're thrilled to be able to give our fans another opportunity to see us wrestle at the Schott," said head coach Tom Ryan. "I know Buckeye Nation will create an atmosphere that is second to none. A big thank you goes out to [associate athletics director, sport administration] TJ Shelton and [Senior Vice President and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director] Gene Smith for making this happen. We have a university that supports our program in all that we do and this is just another example of that." The Buckeyes' 2015 dual vs. Minnesota, who was ranked No. 3 nationally at the time, drew a crowd of nearly 6,000 fans. This year, both Ohio and Penn State are consensus top-five ranked teams headed into the season. Ohio State has ranked No. 4 overall in average attendance in each of the last two years, bringing in well over 4,000 fans per dual. The last time Penn State came to Columbus -- a 22-15 Ohio State win at St. John Arena on Jan. 11, 2015 -- the Buckeyes drew 6,109. A week earlier, 6,558 fans packed St. John Arena for Ohio State's dual against No. 1 Iowa. The Ohio State-Penn State dual could potentially feature seven wrestlers who earned All-America honors last year, as well as a re-match of the NCAA finals between the Buckeyes' Myles Martin and PSU's Bo Nickal. TICKET INFORMATION Fans interested in becoming a season ticket holder can contact the Ohio State Athletic Ticket Sales Department at 1-800-GOBUCKS (select option 2) or AthleticSales@osu.edu for further information. Single-match tickets will be available later in the year on www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com/tickets.

Gabe Dean gets his hand raised after winning his second NCAA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- When two returning NCAA champions meet in any type of wrestling event, fans tend to take notice. So be prepared to take notice. Two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean of Cornell and returning NCAA champion Myles Martin of Ohio State have officially confirmed their participation at 51st annual NWCA All-Star Classic on November 5 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The event, presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company and hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network, has served as the major kick-off event for the wrestling season since becoming and early-season event. In 2012, the event moved to the first weekend of the major college wrestling calendar and has been a fixture ever since. Dean, a senior and three-time All-American, stands as the incumbent champion at 184 pounds, while Martin, an NCAA champion last season as a true freshman at 174 pounds, will move up to a higher weight class and face the formidable Cornell bruiser. "There really aren't words to describe how excited we are to have such a match here in Cleveland," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "It's so rare we get to see returning NCAA champions hit at any time during the season and we've got two great ones set to tangle the very first weekend of the season. It's surely going to be memorable." The Dean-Martin match is the first matchup of returning NCAA champions at the All-Star Classic since another Buckeye, Logan Stieber, defeated Oklahoma's Kendric Maple 6-4 in sudden victory at the November 2014 event at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. Dean has been one of the most powerful and dominant wrestlers since he stepped on the scene. A third-place finisher as a freshman, Dean, a Lowell, Mich., native has dominated the competition en route to national titles each of the last two seasons. Dean's 77-3 mark over the past two years includes an impressive 49 bonus victories and contains 18 falls. Dean was a state champion as a junior at Lowell High School. His father Dave was an NCAA runner-up in 1987 for Minnesota. Martin, a stunning champion last season as the No. 11 seed, avenged three in-season defeats to Penn State's Bo Nickal to win the 174-pound title with a thrilling 11-9 decision. Martin becomes the third wrestler with Ohio ties in the event thus far. Ohio natives Ty Walz (Virginia Tech) and Isaac Jordan (Wisconsin) are already confirmed in the event. Martin is a Penns Grove, N.J., native but attended school at McDonogh in Owings Mills, Maryland, where he was a three-time state champion and four-time National Prep finalist. Ohio State is 10-9 all-time in the event with Nathan Tomasello earning the school's most recent win last season in Atlanta, Ga., over West Virginia's Zeke Moisey. Cornell is 6-7 all-time with Dean earning the most recent Big Red victory, a 5-2 win over Old Dominion's Jack Dechow in Philadelphia in November of 2014. 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company Hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network November 5, 2016 - Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University Time: Showcase Matches 6 p.m.; Main Event 7 p.m. Tickets: $15 GA, $100 Preferred Seating/Social. Group options available. Tickets available at www.goallstarclassic.com or Wolstein Center Box Office ( 844-407-2279) or Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Marts. Streaming: Trackwrestling.com Officially Announced Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: Isaac Jordan, Sr. (Wisconsin) vs. Daniel Lewis, So. (Missouri) 174: 184: Gabe Dean, Sr. (Cornell) vs. Myles Martin, So. (Ohio State) 197: 285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin) About the National Wrestling Coaches Association The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) Wrestlers in Business Network is a registered 501 C-3 that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have graduated from the sport and are now in their respective careers. Our mission is to build a community that serves as a platform to connect our members and facilitate business and job opportunities across the nation by leveraging a talent rich pipeline of wrestling alumni, with the ultimate byproduct of increasing reinvestment back to the sport. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org

Jack VanBebber, 1932 U.S. Olympic gold medalist and three-time NCAA champ at Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, will be honored by his hometown of Perry, Oklahoma with the dedication of a new statue in the Perry Wrestling Monument Park on Saturday, November 12, 2016. There are two separate events to honor the late wrestler who died in 1986: an invitation-only brunch event with a presentation made by guest speakers, followed by the statue unveiling which will be free and open to the public. Jack VanBebber statueThe exclusive, invitation-only lifetime achievement celebration for VanBebber will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Heritage Center, Sixth & Cedar Street, in Perry. A minimum donation of $125 per person -- with proceeds going to the Perry Wrestling Foundation -- is required for participation at this event. There will be four speakers who will pay tribute to VanBebber at this celebration. John Smith, head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State -- and himself a two-time Olympic gold medalist -- will talk about VanBebber's collegiate wrestling career. Lee Roy Smith of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame will discuss VanBebber's Olympic exploits and Hall of Fame honor. Mike Chapman, wrestling historian and columnist for Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN), will present VanBebber's lasting legacy. In addition, former Perry mayor Chuck Hall will speak at the celebration. Approximately 40 members of the VanBebber family are expected to attend. Following the celebration at the Heritage Center, the public is invited to the Perry Wrestling Monument Park at 1:00 p.m., where the bronze statue of Jack VanBebber in wrestling stance will be unveiled. The new VanBebber statue, which stands seven feet, six inches tall, will join the one unveiled earlier this summer of Dan Hodge, two-time Olympic wrestler and three-time NCAA champ for the University of Oklahoma in the 1950s. Both statues were crafted by local sculptor Jim Franklin, who has produced other famous statues, including the one of Billy Sims at University of Oklahoma. Like VanBebber, Hodge was born and raised in the Perry area; both wrestled at Perry High School. "The lifetime achievement celebration and public statue unveiling are outstanding ways to keep a great man's legacy alive," said Chance Leonard of the Perry Wrestling Foundation. "We seek to honor an individual, Jack VanBebber, who represented our town on the world stage during the 1932 Olympics." Jack Francis VanBebber won the gold medal in men's freestyle competition at the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, defeating an Olympic champion in the finals. Prior to the Olympics, VanBebber, wrestling at Oklahoma State for its legendary coach Ed Gallagher, won three consecutive NCAA titles for the Cowboys in 1929-1931. He achieved these great on-the-mat accomplishments despite a near-tragic childhood accident. At age six, VanBebber fell off a wagon; one of its metal-rimmed wheels ran over him, crushing his chest. At the time, doctors thought he would be crippled for life, unable to engage in any strenuous activity. In 1950, VanBebber was selected as one of the ten most outstanding amateur athletes in the western hemisphere for the first half of the twentieth century. In 1976, VanBebber was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma as a member of that facility's charter class. In 1988, VanBebber was named to the all-time best amateur wrestling team by Amateur Wrestling News; two decades later, he was welcomed into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. "I don't know any other wrestler who endured as much hardship as Jack VanBebber did in order to win Olympic gold," Leonard told InterMat. Despite passing away 30 years ago, VanBebber's inspiring story lives on in his memoir, A Distant Flame." VanBebber and Hodge are just two alums of the Perry High School wrestling program which is about to embark on its 95th season. In addition to being able to claim two Olympic medalists, this community high school -- located in a town of approximately 5,000 residents -- can also boast of having forty Oklahoma high school state team titles, 162 individual state champs, and sixteen dual state titles. In addition, 18 Perry Maroon wrestlers have earned a total of 28 All-American honors at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The community wanted to honor its unique high school wrestling legacy. After discussing the idea of an enclosed museum, the Perry Wrestling Foundation decided instead to have an outdoor facility -- the Perry Wrestling Monument Park -- open to all, at all hours of day, with statues of VanBebber and Hodge, and granite columns engraved with the names of the individual athletes from the high school who had achieved greatness on the mat. Perry Wrestling Monument ParkThe idea of the park goes beyond honoring local mat heroes past, present and future. "We wanted to create motivation for our young wrestlers to put in the effort, win state championships, and have their names engraved for future generations to see," said Chance Leonard. "High school wrestling hardly gets the coverage it deserves," Leonard continued. "I hope other programs across the country will look to the Perry Wrestling Monument Park and do something similar to honor their greats and those who support their wrestlers." Individuals interested in attending the lifetime achievement celebration/brunch honoring Jack VanBebber may contact Chance Leonard at chanceleonard@aol.com or visit the Perry Wrestling Foundation Facebook page and send a private message.

A quarter-century after the University of Delaware eliminated its NCAA Division I wrestling program, recently-signed legislation compels the school to conduct a feasibility study on bringing back the sport, the News Journal reported this weekend. The first steps toward restoring wrestling at UD -- which was eliminated at the Newark, Del. school in 1991 -- are taking place Monday evening at UD's Carpenter Center, through a working group of high school coaches and athletic directors, Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association personnel, UD administrators and state government representatives. This feasibility study to bring back wrestling to the state's flagship university is a requirement of Delaware Senate Bill 295, an appropriations measure approved by both branches of the General Assembly at the close of the 2016 legislative session and signed by Gov. Jack Markell. Bill 295 Section 41 reads: "The working group's feasibility study shall include, but not be limited to, the landscape of high school wrestling in Delaware including where resident high school wrestlers attend college to continue wrestling, start-up costs associated with initiating a Division I wrestling program, projected ongoing costs with a wrestling program including the impact on female athletics at the University, and the potential for the University of Delaware hosting state high school wrestling tournaments and regional collegiate wrestling tournaments.'' "We have no program in Delaware for anyone to give back to," said the sponsor of the legislation, Sen. Nicole Poore, a Democrat from New Castle, referring to the lack of college wrestling programs in the state for high school athletes to continue their careers in their home state. "We need to bring back a middle-class sport that allows our young men and women to have an opportunity." In June 1991, the University of Delaware announced the elimination of its wrestling program as a way of cutting athletic department costs. Edgar Johnson, athletic director at the time, said annual savings would be between $55,000 and $60,000. Other possible contributing factors to axing the program: the announced retirement of long-time coach Paul Billy, as well as the Blue Hens' disappointing record over the previous 11 seasons: 6-44 in the East Coast Conference and 69-98 overall. Title IX gender-equity concerns were not cited as a reason for getting rid of wrestling. Cancelling the wrestling program left UD with 11 men's and 11 women's varsity teams at the time. Currently, there are eight men's and 13 women's teams with varsity intercollegiate status at Delaware. UD dropped men's indoor track and field in 2009 and men's cross country and outdoor track and field in 2011. Title IX gender-equity concerns -- even though Delaware had not received any complaints -- and economic factors were cited, according to the News Journal. Previous attempts to convince UD to restore wrestling, including several with strong funding resources, have been ignored. The present push would include a recommendation that women's wrestling also be added, said Vic Leonard of the Delaware Wrestling Alliance. There are presently 30 college women's wrestling programs nationally, according to the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Despite not having an intercollegiate wrestling program, UD is host to the Beast of the East, one of the nation's top high school mat tournaments, held the weekend before Christmas at the Carpenter Center. Established in 1743, University of Delaware describes itself as "one of the oldest universities in the U.S." The four-year, public university, located in Newark, has a total enrollment of approximately 23,000 students. The school's sports teams, the Blue Hens, compete in NCAA Division I.

State champion Brandon Kui (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) verbally committed to Columbia University on Monday evening. The No. 41 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 placed fourth in Junior freestyle this summer competing at 195 pounds. Kui projects to compete as a 197 pound wrestler in college.

State champion and three-time state medalist Jaden Van Maanen (La Crosse Central, Wis.) verbally committed to North Dakota State University on Monday afternoon. The projected 141/149-pound wrestler placed fourth at the UWW Cadet Nationals this spring in freestyle while competing at 63 kilograms. He was an InterMat JJ Classic champion in 2015. Ranked No. 93 overall, Van Maanen is the third top 100 commit for the Bison in the 2017 recruiting class, joining No. 42 Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.) and No. 70 Chase Shiltz (Creston, Iowa).