InterMat Staff

Mark Ellis, 2009 NCAA heavyweight champ for University of Missouri, has joined the coaching staff at University of Virginia as an assistant coach, the school announced Saturday. Mark EllisThe former Mizzou big man joins a staff headed up by Steve Garland (a 2000 NCAA All-American for the Cavaliers), along with former Cornell University champ Jordan Leen as an assistant coach, and volunteer assistant Shelton Mack. "We are thrilled to be welcoming Mark Ellis to the Virginia wrestling family," said Garland, who completed his tenth year at the helm last season. "Mark has won at the highest levels of Division I wrestling. He won an individual NCAA title as a student-athlete at Missouri where he competed for, and coached with, one of the greatest minds in our profession in Brian Smith. In addition to Coach Smith, Mark has learned from guys like Heath Eslinger (at Chattanooga) and Jon Sioredas (at Chattanooga and Grand Canyon) -- two men that I highly respect as well. "When you think about that type of mentorship and the program culture he was developed under at Missouri, I think he can help our program in a plethora of ways," Garland said. "Family is also really important to Mark and I trust he will set a great example for our team off the mat as well." Mark Ellis' response to his hiring was succinct. In retweeting the Virginia wrestling announcement Saturday afternoon, Ellis simply added, "Pumped!" Ellis brings diverse experience as a coach and wrestler to the Atlantic Coast Conference school located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Most recently, Ellis was an assistant coach at Grand Canyon University in Arizona before that program was eliminated. Prior to heading to the Phoenix-based school, Ellis served as an assistant coach at Chattanooga where he helped guide the Mocs into the top 20 of the national rankings during the 2013-14 season. Chattanooga won the Southern Conference Championship that season and sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. A two-time All-American at Missouri, Ellis claimed the 2009 NCAA heavyweight title as the second-seeded wrestler at heavyweight. He defeated five nationally-ranked wrestlers on his way to the championship, including a 3-2 win over No. 5 seed Konrad Dudziak in the title bout. The following year, Ellis earned All-American honors for the second time by placing sixth in the 285-pound bracket at the 2010 NCAAs. A native of Raymore, Missouri, Ellis compiled a 90-39 record at Missouri. He scored 30 falls as a Tiger, ranking him sixth in terms of career pins. In addition, Ellis was a two-time Big 12 conference finalist. Ellis also captured the Ed Lampitt Award in 2010. Ellis was the first wrestler to earn All-America status as a heavyweight at Missouri and only the second NCAA champion in program history, following two-time champ Ben Askren, who was Ellis' college roommate. Beyond his wrestling and coaching career, Ellis has also competed in mixed martial arts (MMA), with two professional fights in the ProElite promotion in 2011.

Jayson Ness works to turn Aaron Pico at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) Jordan Oliver, Jayson Ness, Reece Humphrey, B.J. Futrell, Haley Augello and Victoria Anthony -- along with some of the top women's wrestlers in California -- will take to the mats for the Somar Shootout Dual Takedown Tournament in suburban Los Angeles on Saturday, October 15. The event -- consisting of a Girls Dual Takedown Tournament, and an Elite Match-Up main event -- will take place at Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) in Walnut, Calif. Girls Dual Takedown Tournament The Somar Shootout starts at 9 a.m. with the Girls Dual Takedown Tournament, featuring four teams from Southern California, and two teams from Central California who will wrestle in two pools of three teams each. At the end of the pool competition the two second-place teams will face each other, as will the two third-place teams. The two top teams from the Girls Dual Takedown Tournament will face each other in the undercard for the main event at 5 p.m. The Girls Dual Takedown Tournament will be wrestled under folkstyle rules, with some scoring modifications. Matches last three minutes. A wrestler who wins her match by a 5-0 score earns six points for her team. A match won before end of regulation earns five points, while a wrestler winning within regulation puts three points on the board for her team. A losing wrestler who scores three or four points during the match gives her team two points; a loser who scores 1-2 points earns one point for her team. Elite Match-Up main event At 7 p.m., it's the Elite Match-Up main event, featuring these top U.S. wrestlers: Jordan Oliver vs. Jayson Ness: Oliver, a two-time NCAA champ (2011, 2013) for Oklahoma State and three-time Pennsylvania state champion for Easton High School, takes on Ness, 2010 NCAA champ, Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament and Dan Hodge Trophy recipient as the nation's best wrestler for the University of Minnesota. Reece Humphrey vs. B.J. Futrell: Humphrey, a two-time NCAA All-American for Ohio State, and three-time Indiana state champion at Lawrence North, faces Futrell, a two-time All-American for University of Illinois and two-time Illinois state titlewinner for Mt. Carmel High School. Haley Augello vs. Victoria Anthony: Augello, two-time WCWA college nationals champion for King University who represented the U.S. at the 2016 Rio Olympics, goes up against Anthony, four-time WCWA champion for Simon Fraser University in Canada and 2014 gold medalist at the Pan American Games. The Elite Match-Up main event bouts will be wrestled by freestyle rules, with some unique scoring aspects for this event. Each match consist of first to 5 takedowns (3 push outs count after 3 offensive wrestler gets leg choice) or two 1:30 periods. Wrestlers will be paid a flat rate, with a fifty percent bonus to the winner, and an additional fifty percent bonus for a win by ending a match prior to end of regulation. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door. Tickets purchased online in advance with arrival before noon will cost $15 each -- a $5 discount for early arrival. Otherwise, ticket buyers will pay $20 at the door before noon, or $30 for arriving after noon. Five dollars of each ticket will go to either the Mt. San Antonio wrestling, or to a wrestler/program of the ticket purchaser's choice. To purchase tickets online, visit http://buytickets.at/somarwrestling/67439.

Gregor Gillespie, 2007 NCAA wrestling champ for Edinboro University, delivered an impressive performance in his first time in the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 95: Cyborg vs. Lansberg at Nilson Nelson Gymnasium in Brasilia, Brazil on Saturday. Gregor Gillespie (Photo/Jason Silva, USA Today Sports)The former Fighting Scot scored a unanimous decision over Brazil's Glaico Franca (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) in a three-round lightweight (155 pounds) preliminary bout. "Former Ring of Combat champ Gregor Gillespie leaned heavily on his Division I wrestling skills, making 'TUF: Brazil 4' winner Glaico Franca miserable over three rounds," wrote MMAJunkie.com. "Franca tried just about everything to keep upright, including elbows to the side of the head and repeated fence grabs. But in the end, Gillespie took home a unanimous decision." From Sherdog.com's live play-by-play account of the bout, Gillespie managed to score at least a half-dozen takedowns on Glaico. It was only the second match in Gillespie's pro mixed martial arts career launched in January 2014 to go the distance; all others had ended in the first round. With the successful Ultimate Fighting Championship debut, Gillespie is now 1-0 in UFC and 8-0 overall; Franca falls to 13-5 overall, and 1-2 in UFC. Back in August when it was revealed that Gillespie would make his UFC debut at this event in Brazil's capital, his opponent was originally slated to be Joaquim Silva, who had a 9-1-0 record. A native of Webster, N.Y., Gillespie was a four-time NCAA All-American at Edinboro, winning the 149-pound title at the 2007 NCAAs with a 3-1 overtime win over Josh Churella of the University of Michigan in the finals. He was also a three-time champ in both the EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) and PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference). Gillespie completed his mat career at Edinboro having compiled a 152-13 record, for an impressive .921 winning percentage. In his last season at the Pennsylvania-based school, Gillespie served as a coach and administrator for the Edinboro Scotsman Wrestling Club. He later served as an assistant coach at Hofstra University.

Funeral services will be held Saturday for Brandon McDonough, state champion wrestler in Iowa who went on to earn All-American honors in NCAA Division III. McDonough, who died Sunday, Sept. 19, was 30. Brandon McDonoughVisitation for McDonough will take place Friday, Sept. 23 at Hamilton's Southtown Funeral Home, 5400 SW 9th Street, Des Moines. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home followed by burial at Elm Grove Cemetery. McDonough wrestled at Lincoln High School in Des Moines, where he won the 112-pound Class 3A title at the 2003 Iowa state wrestling championships, defeating future University of Iowa NCAA finalist Joey Slaton of Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 3-2, in the finals, capping off a 38-0 junior season. "I reminded myself every day, in every morning run, in every practice, how hard I had to work to beat my opponent," McDonough told Des Moines Register wrestling writer Dan McCool after winning that state title. "It was pretty easy because that's what I wanted more than anything – to win." McDonough was a four-time state placer. In addition to his 2003 state championship, he placed 2nd in 2001, 3rd in 2002, and 3rd in 2004. In 2012, McDonough was inducted into the Lincoln Athletic Hall of Fame and in 2014, welcomed into the Lincoln Wrestling Alumni Hall of Fame. For college, McDonough headed east to Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2007, he won the 125-pound title at the New England Wrestling Association championships. McDonough followed that by earning All-American honors by placing third at 125 at the 2007 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. That season, McDonough compiled a 41-5 record, with 12 pins, and 83 takedowns, on what many consider to be Johnson and Wales' most successful college wrestling season in history. In 2014, McDonough and the entire 2007 wrestling team was inducted into the Johnson and Wales University Hall of Fame. Brandon Robert McDonough was born April 9, 1986 in South Korea and came to the U.S. in August 1986.

Anthony Bellai, a New York state champion wrestler, national junior college champ, and NCAA qualifier for the University of Oklahoma who went on to serve as a high school instructor and wrestling coach, died in his home in upstate New York Saturday, Sept. 17. He was 51. Born in Niskayuna, N.Y., Bellai attended Mont Pleasant High School in Schenectady, where he won the 105-pound title at the New York State wrestling championships. After graduating from Mont Pleasant in 2003, Bellai went on Delhi Junior College in New York, where he was a two-time National Junior College Athletic Association wrestling champ at 118 pounds. Bellai then headed west to continue his education -- and wrestling career -- at the University of Oklahoma, where he wrestled for legendary Sooner coach Stan Abel. Bellai placed fourth in the 118-pound bracket at the 1988 Big 8 conference championships. Bellai then qualified for the 1988 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at 118. He won his first match, but then lost to Oklahoma State's Cory Baze in his next match and did not place. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Oklahoma in 1988 and his Master's degree from SUNY Albany. Bellai was a long-time Physical Education teacher and coach, employed for the last 17 years at Saratoga Springs High School where he was also a wrestling coach at the varsity and modified levels. In addition, he served as a girls' softball coach, and most recently a cross country coach. Current Saratoga Springs head wrestling coach Kris West told The Saratogian, "I think everyone is shocked. He was such a young guy, so full of life. He was a guy that everyone was drawn to and attracted to and a great person to be around. "He's always laughing, in a good mood; he always put you in a good mood. He always knew how to put a smile on someone's face, cheer them up and make their day better. He is going to be sorely missed." Shenendehowa varsity wrestling coach Rob Weeks -- a rival coach and long-time friend -- also shared positive memories of coach Bellai. "He was one of the pioneers of my generation and one of the guys that we looked up to as a hero as a wrestler and a great ambassador for the sport afterwards, it is sad," said Weeks. "We had a nice, healthy rivalry with them and he invested his time and effort into the program." Christopher DiLorenzo, Saratoga Springs High chemistry teacher, told The Daily Gazette, "If you could say, 'Here's how I want to build a teacher, and this is the personality I want that coach to have,' that's Coach Bellai." Funeral services have already been held.

There will be two weigh-in options for wrestlers competing in the 2016 InterMat JJ Classic on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota. The weigh-in locations will be held in Minneapolis and Rochester on Friday, Oct. 21. Weigh-in locations will be held in Rochester and Minneapolis on Friday, Oct. 21. Wrestlers have the option of weighing in at either location. There is a three-pound allowance. The Rochester weigh-in will be held at the UCR Regional Sports Center from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. Address: UCR Regional Sports Center 851 30th Ave. Southeast Rochester, MN 55904 The Minneapolis weigh-in will take place in the Augsburg College wrestling room at the Kennedy Center from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Address: Kennedy Center 731 23rd Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55454 For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic or to register, visit the event website.

Have you heard of Paul Salopek? If not, you should Google him now. What you'll find is that Salopek's a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who, with the support of National Geographic, began a seven-year journey in 2013 to walk around the world (roughly) following the path of human migration out of Africa. Salopek is undertaking something so simple, but extraordinary, that one can't help but be inspired. Every photo, recap and story. He's enduring seven years of pain and suffering to help the rest of us bums better understand how and why our world is composed of these vastly different cultures. He's slowing down so he can observe, report and, on the deepest level, feel. Salopek's journey of loneliness and commitment stands against much of the world's current trajectory. As information has sped up to the lightning speed of distraction, Salopek has chosen to slow it down. We have Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other technologies to pull us away from life. Salopek has his feet to draw himself (and us) closer to life. Maybe Salopek's lesson can be adapted to wrestling and the way we monitor success. Our sport is no doubt on a slog not a sprint. We need focus, patience and diligence much more than we need 140 characters and 8-second highlight films. The Save Olympic Wrestling movement prompted significant change, but that was only to one sliver of our complex worldwide network of wrestling styles and cultures. Each could use exploration, promotion and adaptation. But that can't be done from behind our keyboards. Salopek saw this when he set off in 2013. He isn't firing off about human migration and the intricate, delicate and subtle difference of cultures from the comfort of his home, he's out in the world documenting it through his senses and through stories that typically go unheard or quickly forgotten. Seven years may be too long for most of us to give to the sport, and walking would be a tad nonsensical, but wrestling could use some more journeys of inspiration. We need this next generation to explore our sport's history first-hand, to intervene on its behalf in times of need and in a meaningful way. Young or old we all should to strive to become a little bit more than just monsters of social media. We should be a little more like Paul Salopek. Follow Paul on his journey here, here and here. Maybe we'll all catch some inspiration. To your questions … Nick Suriano defeated Devan Turner (Dixon) to win the Doc Buchanan Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: What are realistic expectations for Nick Suriano this upcoming season as Penn State's starter at 125 pounds? -- Mike C. Foley: Nick Suriano's expectations are (I'm guessing) to be a national champion. Outside looking in I'd lay $200 to win $100 that he's an All-American and lay $50 to win $300 that he's in the national finals. Winning the national championship? 15-1. Q: Must we as wrestling fans tolerate UWW corruption with the understanding that Olympic wrestling would be gone without it? -- @rickmathern Foley: I don't agree that wrestling needs corruption in order to function. However, what I think you might also be hinting at is that there are a number of countries or individuals that keep the sport in play in Europe who may also have selfish reasons for governance. As you might imagine I've been asked to answer a lot of questions about the federation since Rio de Janeiro, and most of the time I'm more than happy to engage with anyone who wants to hear how things work (this is different than my opinion of how I think things should work) and I tell them the same thing each time. International sports is dysfunctional for many reasons, most of which are outside of any federation's domain. International federations tend to allot one vote to each nation in choosing their leadership councils. This naturally tips the balance of power to Europe, which has a multitude of contributing nations who can be easily co-opted come the time to vote. One side effect of that regional concentration of power is that the power leads to more nations in Europe hosting events, which means that they make money and now have more money with which to sponsor sport. It's almost cyclical in that way and is true in judo, fencing, and a ton of other sports including wrestling. The one nation, one vote issue is also what hampers progress at the UN and other multinational organizations, as it doesn't weigh population or make adjustments for scale of influence, but simply gives Trinidad and Tobago as much power to influence as it does Russia. From where I sit the one nation, one vote system causes imbalances that can negatively affect the sporting world. FIFA has taken steps to reduce some of this influence by offsetting powers into regional committees, but who knows if that'll change much in the long run. In the meantime some creative thinking might be in order to try and ensure that smaller nations have a voice and that sport can enjoy a better worldwide balance. Q: What did you think of Team USA's performance at the Cadet Worlds in freestyle? -- Mike C. Foley: Incredible. There is World Championships talent on that team, and as many people pointed out their opponents sometimes looked as though they graduated from high school last decade. Regardless of their competitors age, the quality of the wrestling coming from the USA is arguably the best it's ever been. Much of the team's success comes from the implementation of a development program focused on introducing young talent to the national team coaches and athletes in Colorado Springs. Most, however, seems to come from the expansion of RTC's which has created the availability of high-level coaching from an earlier age. The wrestlers coming through today are in a very unique position in that they also have full-time wrestling coaches in their hometowns and can train year-round with top-flight partners. Also a growing familiarity with the rules has improved the on-the-mat tactics and strategies for our Cadet and Junior level wrestlers. Where does it go from here? That's a tougher question to answer, but I think we are topping out on what's possible since the folkstyle season remains dominant. While I don't doubt that the grind of the season and the number of matches and practices help our wrestlers win at the senior level, I think that changing the rule set to freestyle would multiply the advantage of that system. If not, I don't see more than seven medals in the USA's future at Cadets and more than four medals out of every eight weights at the senior level would shock me. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Africa's first-ever female medalist in wrestling, Marwa Amri. Q: Mailbag million $ question: When will United World Wrestling take a hard stance on corruption and legitimize the sport at the international level? -- @adamtirapelle Foley: From my understanding there was an ethics report filed with United World Wrestling and the bureau agreed to hire an independent ethics panel to investigate certain cases. While referees at the Olympics were dismissed for suspicion, it's important to remember that you don't want to over-adjust and allow people in positions of power to self-regulate. Let's assume for a moment that the leadership agreed that there was corruption and dismissed those responsible immediately, but didn't follow a process. What would then stop those same individuals from casting off anyone who disagreed with them on "suspicion" of corruption? The wheels of justice are slow in some cases and faster in others, which I know is frustrating, but no matter where you land on the issues of the day the need to have a fair investigation should remain. Here's to hoping it all gets figured out in the near future. Q: Former Edinboro wrestler Gregor Gillespie is making his UFC debut this weekend. How do you see him doing in the UFC? -- Mike C. Foley: I'm bullish on Gregor Gillespie and his chances of becoming a massive success in MMA. First, he has the wrestling background, which means he is a proven physical learner, has been through the grind of the NCAA season, and has the skills necessary to thread together the various parts of the fight game. Secondly, he is lanky, which gives him distance for a jab and the opportunity to land leg kicks from a distance. Finally, I think that he is also fairly proficient at jiu-jitsu defense, which is more important than being proficient at landing submissions. Also, he has a lot of tattoos and those play well for the UFC demographic! Q: What's your problem? -- Chris Foley: Bah humbug.

Penn State Behrend will have two additional sports for the 2017-18 season, with the resurrection of the long-dormant wrestling program as well as the debut of a brand-new women's bowling program, the Erie, Pennsylvania -based school announced Wednesday. Penn State University Erie-Behrend Campus had an intercollegiate wrestling program from 1967-1978, first taking to the mats when the Beatles were at the height of their powers, and died with the advent of disco. Even though there's been a club program on campus in recent years, it's been nearly 40 years since the school has had a varsity wrestling program. The new intercollegiate program will compete in NCAA Division III. Back in the sixties and seventies, Penn State Behrend wrestlers used Erie Hall for practices and home matches. The newly revitalized program will return to that space next fall. The state of Pennsylvania has long been a dominant force in the sport; no other state has had more NCAA programs or produced more All-Americans in the last 50 years, according to the Penn State Behrend announcement . The move from club team to intercollegiate wrestling program will help elevate the sport at the school, and provide an opportunity for the region's high school wrestlers to continue to compete locally, said Brian Streeter, director of athletics for Penn State Behrend. "These sports (wrestling and bowling) will help to draw more quality student-athletes to our campus," Streeter said. "Both sports reward students who are driven by individual success. Those tend to be good students who are determined to achieve, both in and out of the classroom, and who have the time-management skills to make that happen." Penn State Behrend's student-athletes compete at the NCAA's Division III level. The college fields 24 teams and has for the past 12 years won the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC) Presidents Cup, which honors the top overall athletics program in the conference. Founded in 1948, Penn State Behrend is a public, four-year, residential college located in Erie in northwest Pennsylvania. It has a student enrollment of approximately 5,000 students.

Charlie Pickell celebrates after winning a state title (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Charlie Pickell (Mankato West, Minn.) has registered for the 2016 InterMat JJ Classic at 113 pounds. This past season, Pickell claimed a state championship at 106 pounds as an eighth-grader. Last fall he won a Preseason Nationals title in the middle school division at 105 pounds, and placed third at the JJ Classic at 106 pounds. He was a Minnesota/USA Triple Crown winner in 2016, winning state championships in all three styles. The 2016 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic and to register, visit the event website.

Austin Marsden rides Missouri wrestler James Romero (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Army West Point head wrestling coach Kevin Ward announced on Thursday the addition of Austin Marsden to his staff as a volunteer assistant. Marsden will work primarily with the upper weights, a task in which Ward is confident he can have a big impact. "We are getting a big boost with the addition of Austin to our staff," Ward remarked. "He is an individual that has competed at the highest levels throughout his competitive career being a two-time Division I All-American, a two-time Junior World Team member, and a multiple-time All-American in high school. He was one of the most dominant heavyweights in college wrestling over the past four years, and he has been on teams that have competed to win NCAA titles. That experience will greatly benefit our cadet-athletes. We are thrilled that he has chosen to begin his coaching career with us at Army West Point." Marsden spent his last four years wrestling at national powerhouse Oklahoma State, where he compiled a career-record of 108-22 as a heavyweight with 40 bonus-point victories (19 major decisions, five technical falls and 16 falls). He went 37-8 in dual meets for the Cowboys and was an even 20-20 against ranked opponents throughout his career. The Nashville, Tenn., native qualified for the NCAA tournament all four years and won three-straight Big 12 heavyweight titles as the No. 1 seed in the tournament. Marsden earned two All-American honors when he finished eighth at the national tournament in 2014 and sixth as a senior in 2016 at Madison Square Garden. The Black Knights open their season at the Hokie Open on Nov. 6, in Roanoke, Va. For more information on Army West Point wrestling, visit GoArmyWestPoint.com and follow @ArmyWP_Wres on Twitter.

Joe Nord NEW YORK -- Joe Nord has been promoted to the David and Michael Barry Assistant Coach of Wrestling, announced today by the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling, Zach Tanelli. Nord spent the last season as the volunteer assistant coach, working primarily with the upper weight classes while helping in the development of NCAA Qualifier and first team All-Ivy League selection Garrett Ryan. "I am thrilled to announce the addition of Joe Nord to our staff as the David and Michael Barry Assistant Coach of Wrestling," said Tanelli. "Joe brings value in multiple facets to Columbia University and will help guide our men both on and off the mat to become even more successful. His experience wrestling collegiately and internationally, coaching multiple top-10 NCAA Championship teams, as well as earning his Master's degree in business administration make him a perfect fit for moving this program forward in the direction I envision." "He will be instrumental in developing our upper weights with his hands on approach to coaching, while being a great mentor and role model to our team with his tremendous character." Nord began his tenure with the Lions prior to the beginning of the 2015-16 season, after spending two years on staff at the University of Minnesota. "I am honored," said Nord. "I cannot thank Zach Tanelli, our administration, and our program's supporters enough for the opportunity to coach at such an esteemed program. The impact that Columbia University has had in wrestling, athletics, academics, and society as a whole, is monumental. I am very confident that this staff and the individuals on this team are going to reach a level of success that this program has yet to see. It is going to be an exciting time for Columbia Wrestling and I am thrilled to be part of it." During his time with the Gophers, Joe helped with the day-to-day operations of the program while also coaching, training and competing himself. At Minnesota, Nord helped the wrestling team to two top-10 NCAA Championship finishes including a runner-up team finish at the 2014 NCAAs. From 2014 to 2015 Joe competed in many international tournaments including the Dave Schultz Memorial, the Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and the Men's US Open in freestyle. Prior to returning to his alma mater, he spent the previous two years as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, where he also obtained his Master's degree in Business Administration. Nord wrestled for the Gophers from 2006-11, competing at both 197 and heavyweight. He was a four-time letterwinner and the recipient of the Verne Gagne Scholarship/Leadership Award as a senior. A native of Waconia, Minnesota, Nord won state championships in 2005 and 2006. He also earned high school All-American honors in both folkstyle and freestyle. Nord graduated from the University of Minnesota in the spring of 2011 with a degree in Business Marketing Education and Applied Economics. Along with Nord, Steve Santos will also continue to guide the Columbia Wrestling program, staying on as the John Huemer Assistant Coach of Wrestling.

Mongolia coaches strip off their clothes at the Olympics (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The two Mongolian wrestling coaches who stripped off most of their clothing while on the mat to protest an official's call against their wrestler at the 2016 Rio Olympics have been hit with a monetary penalty ... and a costly three-year suspension. According to a letter sent to the Mongolian federation by United World Wrestling on Sept. 13 and forwarded to The Associated Press on Wednesday, coaches Tserenbaatar Tsogbayar and Byambarinchen Bayaraa have been banned from all international competition until August 2019. In addition, Mongolia's national body has also been fined 50,000 Swiss francs, or approximately $51,000. The protest by the Mongolian coaches came just moments after referees awarded a match -- and, ultimately, the bronze medal -- to the opponent of Mongolia's Mandakhnaran Ganzorig. Uzbekistan's Ikhtiyor Navruzov, trailing 7-6, was awarded a late point after the Mongolian wrestler fled a hold and celebrated too early, with less than 10 seconds left. The officials determined that Ganzorig had failed to engage his opponent, awarding a point to the Uzbek wrestler, thus tying the score. The Mongolians protested the call and lost the appeal. Per Olympic rules, the other wrestler gained a point, making the final score 8-7 for Navruzov, resulting in a bronze medal for the Uzbek in men's freestyle at 65 kilograms/143 pounds on the final day of competition, Saturday, August 21. Navruzov's arm being raised was not the end of the action. Here's how InterMat described the incident: "When the protest went Uzbekistan's way, the two Mongolian coaches jumped on the mat and laid down, pleading with the officials to change their decision. When the referees didn't reverse their decision, the coaches started angrily stripping off their clothes. One coach peeled off his jacket and shirt, while the other one took off everything but his underwear and socks. The video received tons of play online, and was the only wrestling-related footage on the NBC Nightly News' 6:30 p.m. Eastern broadcast on the network granted exclusive coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics." Both Mongolian coaches refused to leave the mat until they were escorted by the Brazilian National Public Security Force.

Joe Gibbons was a four-time All-American for Iowa State Joe Gibbons will be the exclusive guest on this week's edition of the On the Mat wrestling broadcast on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Gibbons was an NCAA wrestling champion for Iowa State at 142 pounds in 1985. He was a four-time All-American as well. Prior to that, Gibbons was a four-time Iowa high school state wrestling champion. On the Mat is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

Mahdi Bigdely has been named head coach of the women's wrestling program at Ottawa University, the Kansas-based school announced Monday. Mahdi BigdelyBigdely brings valuable experience to a program that first took to the mats in 2014. Before coming to Ottawa, Bigdely was a graduate assistant coach with the University of Jamestown women's wrestling program in North Dakota. In 2015, he was invited to coach at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to help the Women's Wrestling National Team train for the 2016 Rio Olympics. A native of Teheran, Iran, Bigdely has coached many wrestling teams in national and international competitions, leading them to a first-place finish. He also coached the Tehran Wrestling Team in the Iran National Wrestling Championships in 2012 and 2013. The team earned first in 2012 and third in 2013. Bigdely served as an analyst for the Iran National Teams at the 2012 London Olympics. He was also a member of the Scientific Committee of the National Olympic Committee for the Islamic Republic of Iran for the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Prior to launching his coaching career, Bigdely wrestled for the Iranian National Team. He made his first appearance on the national stage as a 16-year-old, and won championships in different national and international tournaments. Bigdely last competed in 2006, placing in several international and Asian tournaments over the course of his mat career. "We are very pleased that Coach Bigdely has accepted our offer to become our new head women's wrestling coach," said Arabie Conner, OU athletic director. "His international coaching and competitive wrestling experience and successes will add depth and knowledge to our women's program and wrestling staff. We expect him to be instrumental in continuing to grow our program and develop our student-athletes in all aspects including the competitive levels they each seek to attain. Through the search process, we have been very impressed with Coach Bigdely's level of professionalism, lifelong commitment to the sport of wrestling and his high character values. He has both competed and coached at a very elite level including his work with Olympic level athletes and we look forward to what he will bring to our program and campus community." "I am honored and extremely excited for the opportunity to be a part of this young and very promising women's wrestling program at Ottawa University," said Bigdely. "I am confident that together we can accomplish outstanding results, both academically and athletically, that our university and our community can be proud of. I would like to sincerely thank Mrs. Arabie Conner and the University for giving me this opportunity." Ottawa University was founded in 1856. The four-year school, affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA, has a student enrollment of 600 at its main residential campus in Ottawa, Kan.; there are additional learning centers scattered across the nation.

Nick Gwiazdowski was an NCAA runner-up to Kyle Snyder this past season (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) RALEIGH, N.C. -- Two new additions to the Wolfpack Olympic Regional Training Center (RTC) will be familiar faces for NC State wrestling fans. 2016 All-Americans Tommy Gantt and Nick Gwiazdowski will both continue their wrestling careers staying in Raleigh, and training at the Wolfpack Olympic Regional Training Center. The training center is already home to multiple US Open place winners, University National All Americans, and World Team Members. Continuing to build upon that success, NC State head coach Pat Popolizio is excited to announce two additions to the RTC here in Raleigh. "Tommy and Nick staying in Raleigh is a great asset to our program," said Popolizio. "They bring a wealth of knowledge to our practice room. Most importantly, their attitude and character will help mentor future and current athletes here at NC State. "We are looking to grow our Regional Training Center and are looking to do it the right way, and bring the right attitudes into our program. All of our RTC guys represent first class individuals. Anyone associated with the RTC will have an immediate impact on NC State's growth and development, as they are paving the way for future RTC athletes." Gwiazdowski goes down as one of the best wrestlers in NC State history. A four-time All-American, Gwiazdowski was the NCAA champion at heavyweight in both 2014 and 2015, and was runner-up in 2016. After transferring from Binghamton, Gwiazdowski went 110-3 during his Wolfpack career, including a perfect 55-0 in duals. He was also one of the most dominant wrestlers in ACC history. In his three-year NC State career, he was 28-0 against all ACC competition, with 23-bonus point wins. In all three of his seasons, he led the conference with the most individual dual points in conference action, going a perfect 16-0 in ACC duals. Gwiazdowski was only the second wrestler in the conference's history to be named ACC Wrestler of the Year three times. "I've had a lot of success here in Raleigh and here at NC State there are a lot of individuals who care a lot about me and my career," said Gwiazdowski. "I'm with people I trust and training along side athletes that I can positively impact their careers, while working toward my own goals of being the best in the world" It was a long journey for Gantt at NC State. They only leftover from the previous coaching staff, Gantt went 12-13 as a freshman in 2012. Improvement was shown as a sophomore going 16-9, but it wasn't until his junior season he made noise nationally. Gantt went 35-10 as a junior in 2014, and was one win away from All-American honors. The coaching staff decided to redshirt him in 2015, and the benefits paid off as he won his first ACC Championship and earned All-American honors at 157 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Championships. "I constantly improved during my time wresting here at NC State," said Gantt. "We have all the resources, coaches and training partners you need to take that next step. I consider NC State my home, and I look forward to working at the RTC and improving as a wrestler." Gantt (74 kg) and Gwiazdowski (125 kg) are joined in training at the Wolfpack Olympic Regional Training Center by: current NC State assistant coaches Obe Blanc (57 kg) and Adam Hall (70 kg), former Wolfpack wrestler Quinton Godley (70 kg) and former Wisconsin wrestler Timmy McCall (86 kg). Just within the last year, the Wolfpack Olympic Regional Training Center has posted positive results in international competitions. Gwiazdowski (125 kg) Hall (70 kg) both won their weight classes at the University Nationals in June, and advanced to compete for the U.S. at the University World Championships in Corum, Turkey October 25-30. Gantt placed third in his weight class, going 6-1 with four tech fall wins. Back in April, Blanc, Godley, Gwiazdowski and Hall all traveled to Iowa City and competed at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in freestyle wrestling.

How do you measure the greatness of a wrestler? Dan HodgeMost of us would start with national and conference titles. Then, factor in won-loss records, pinning percentages, how many points put on the board ... all those statistical measures are key to determining a wrestler's greatness. Other factors to consider: various honors and awards during his/her wrestling career, including Outstanding Wrestler honors at specific tournaments such as the NCAA championships. Yet another measure of a wrestler's greatness: the quality of his/her opponents. Did they face challenging competitors who also had accumulated impressive titles, stats, and honors ... or did he/she manage to skate through their careers relatively unscathed because their competition wasn't, well, very tough? Dan Hodge was the dominant college wrestler of the 1950s ... and one of the all-time greats. The University of Oklahoma mat star of the mid-1950s won all the national and conference titles he could at the time. His individual statistics were nothing short of mind-blowing. He was richly rewarded with awards and honors at the time ... and, more recently, the leading award presented to the nation's top college wrestler is now named in his honor. And ... Hodge defeated opponents who had been -- or were about to become -- NCAA and conference champs. The 411 on Dan Hodge Dan Allen Hodge was born in May 1932 on a farm outside Perry, Oklahoma. He wrestled at Perry High School -- one of the all-time great prep programs in the nation -- where he won an Oklahoma state title in 1951. Immediately upon graduation, he signed up for the U.S. Navy, where he was able to continue his wrestling career, earning a spot on the 1952 U.S. Olympic men's freestyle team. Having completed his service to Uncle Sam, Hodge was heavily recruited by Northwestern University ... but the Oklahoma native was persuaded to return to his home state by University of Oklahoma head coach Port Robertson. The Sooners were one of the leading college wrestling programs of that era, and still rank fourth in total number of NCAA team titles won (seven), behind Oklahoma State, University of Iowa, and Iowa State. The pinning machine with the perfect record Hodge was the 177-pound starter for Oklahoma for three seasons, from 1955-1957. (Back then, freshmen were not allowed to wrestle varsity.) He compiled a perfect 46-0 record. Of those wins, 36 were by fall, for a pinning percentage of 78%, one of the all-time highest in NCAA history. Hodge won three Big Seven conference titles (1955-57), and three NCAA titles those same years. In the 85-year history of the NCAA wrestling championships, He is only one of two three-time Nationals titlists to have won all three of his finals bouts by pin; the other wrestler who earned that distinction was Oklahoma State heavyweight Earl McCready, the first three-time NCAA champ (1928-30). (Like Hodge, McCready had a perfect college record and was a fall guy, pinning 20 of his 25 opponents, for an 80% pin rate.) During his collegiate career, Hodge was a much-feared competitor. Newspaper and magazine accounts of his matches referred to him as "Dangerous Dan" and "Homicide Hodge." Years later, one of his college rivals said something to the effect of, "When you knew you were going to wrestle Dan Hodge, you didn't get too many good nights' sleep." That same wrestler -- a conference and NCAA champ -- also said his arms would be covered with black-and-blue marks from Hodge applying his powerful grip. (Perhaps you've seen an elderly Dan Hodge crush a pair of pliers or turn an apple into applesauce on a grip-strength demonstration on a past NCAA telecast not too many years ago.) Two-time OW, two-time Olympian Dan Hodge on cover of SIHodge is one of a handful of wrestlers to have been named Outstanding Wrestler at more than one NCAA championship -- in 1956 and 1957. What's more, he is the only U.S. amateur wrestler to have been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine as a wrestler in the more than 60-year history of the sports magazine, in the April 1, 1957 issue. What's more, Hodge was a twice a member of the U.S. Olympic men's wrestling team in the Fifties. Only one year out of high school, Hodge competed at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland but did not place. Four years later, Hodge -- then about to embark on his senior year at Oklahoma -- took to the mats for Team USA at the '56 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia where he won a silver medal on a controversial call where some observers believe he won the match, and should have been presented with the gold. Now, some words on Hodge's age ... and rivals There are those who have said that Dan Hodge's flawless college record and stellar pinning record was the result of his being older than most of his rivals. It is true that Hodge was a bit older than many college wrestlers of that time; he turned 25 not long after hanging up his wrestling tights and graduating from Oklahoma in 1957. He was a married man with an infant son when he wrestled for the Sooners. (There's a classic photo of the feared wrestler, sitting on the sidelines, wrapped in a robe, with Dan, Jr. sitting peacefully on his lap.) In terms of being older than typical college athletes, Dan Hodge was not some one-of-a-kind anomaly. In a decade or so immediately after World War II, a number of wrestlers delayed or interrupted their college careers to serve in the military, as Hodge did immediately after graduating from high school, serving in the Navy before enrolling at Oklahoma. (As you'll see, one of Hodge's toughest college rivals interrupted his college life for military service.) There are others who believe that Hodge's dominance in college was because he did not face tough competition ... alleging that the 177-pound weight class may have been light on talent in the mid-1950s. Not true. This article will introduce you to four of Hodge's foes who were highly respected wrestlers from top programs who earned NCAA and/or conference crowns. First, a word about the photos: Hodge and most of his opponents wrestled in trunks, sometimes worn with tights ... oftentimes without shirts. This was the standard college wrestling uniform at a number of schools in the 1950s. Singlets were not worn back then ... and, in fact, were banned by the NCAA until the late 1960s. Now, let's meet some of Hodge's most accomplished college rivals ... Ned Blass, Oklahoma State Ned BlassCollege wrestling fans who have never set foot in the state of Oklahoma are familiar with the Bedlam Series between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. It's a wrestling rivalry that goes back to 1920, where the Sooners and the Cowboys now face each other twice a season. Dan Hodge's first official college match as an Oklahoma Sooner in January 1955 was a Bedlam Series bout vs. the team from Stillwater, Oklahoma. If that weren't intense enough, the untested sophomore would be stepping onto the mat against veteran Ned Blass, a two-time NCAA champ (1953, 1954) for Oklahoma State who was crowned the Oklahoma high school heavyweight state champ the same year Hodge won the 165-pound title for Perry. In that first Bedlam Series dual meet held in Norman, Oklahoma, Hodge more than held his own against Blass. In fact, the rookie nearly put the defending champ onto his back. While Blass escaped without getting his shoulders put to the mat, he lost to Hodge on decision, 8-3. It was the Cowboy's only loss his senior year ... and one of only three in his entire college career. This January 1955 Hodge-Blass Bedlam bout was their first and last college meeting. The next time the Sooners wrestled the Cowboys, Oklahoma State sent out a wrestler other than Ned Blass. Hodge at the 1955 NCAAs: At the Nationals at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Hodge pinned Penn State's Joe Krufka -- a Navy teammate of Hodge's -- at 4:23 in the 177-pound finals to claim the first of his three consecutive NCAA titles. Jim Gregson, Oklahoma State Jim GregsonFor Dan Hodge's junior year, Oklahoma State sent out a seasoned veteran -- and past NCAA champ -- to do battle with the defending titlewinner: Jim Gregson. A product of Blackwell, Oklahoma, Gregson won the 175-pound title for the Cowboys at the 1949 NCAAs ... then served in the military for a number of years before returning to Oklahoma State for the 1955-56 season as a senior. Hodge and Gregson met each other on the mat at the first of two Bedlam Series duals in January 1956 at Oklahoma State's Gallagher Hall (now Gallagher-Iba Arena). In a battle of the two mat veterans (both well into their 20s), Gregson earned the distinction of being one of only a few opponents to score on Hodge -- in this case, an escape -- but the Sooner junior defeated the Cowboy senior, 5-1. In the last dual meet of the season in late February 1956, Dan Hodge and Jim Gregson tussled again at the second Bedlam Series dual of the season, this time on Hodge's home turf. Again, Hodge failed to pin his Oklahoma State rival, but managed to hold Gregson scoreless, 6-0. Gregson's only two regular-season losses as a senior were to Hodge. To provide a couple additional indicators of Jim Gregson's greatness ... the Blackwell native had earned the role of 175-pound starter in the late 1940s by defeating an Oklahoma State teammate, the defending NCAA champ, in a series of ranking matches (wrestle-offs). What's more, the 1949 NCAA 175-pound champ found himself in the 191-pound finals at the 1956 NCAAs, where he lost to Iowa's Kenneth Leuer. However, Gregson earned a place in the history books for having the longest break between appearances in the NCAA finals (seven years). Gary Kurdelmeier, University of Iowa Gary KurdelmeierGary Kurdelmeier was one of the top wrestlers at Iowa in the 1950s. The hairy-chested Hawkeye was teammates with some all-time legends of the program such as Terry McCann (who went on to win a gold medal in freestyle at the 1960 Rome Olympics) and Simon Roberts (the first African-American NCAA wrestling champ, 1957). Prior to coming to Iowa City, Kurdelmeier was a two-time Iowa state champ from Cresco High School, a nationally-recognized prep power from the 1930s through the 1950s who produced future Iowa State coach Harold Nichols, and 1970 Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug. Kurdelmeier and Hodge tangled at least twice in college. In January 1956, the Sooners came to the Iowa Field House ... with Hodge pinning the powerfully-built Kurdelmeier in his home gym. Later that year, Hodge and Kurdelmeier faced off again in the 177-pound semifinals at the 1956 NCAAs at Oklahoma State's Gallagher Hall. "Dangerous Dan" had pinned his way through his side of the bracket before meeting the Iowan ... and continued to play the role of fall guy, putting Kurdelmeier's shoulders to the mat at 4:36. (Kurdelmeier went on to place third at 177, earning All-American honors.) Just to be clear ... Kurdelmeier was no patsy. He lost only a handful of matches in three seasons as an Iowa starter, two of those two NCAA heavyweight champs Bob Norman of Illinois, and Gordon Roesler, Hodge's teammate at Oklahoma (back then, it was not unusual for a wrestlers to drop down or jump up a weight class or two) ... and the two matches to Hodge. Kurdelmeier eventually won titles at the Big Ten conference championships as well as at the 1958 NCAAs ... then, in the early 1970s, became head wrestling coach at Iowa, laying the foundation for the success of the Hawkeye program which his assistant, Dan Gable, built upon when he took the helm in 1976 when Kurdelmeier was promoted to an administrative position at Iowa. Hodge at the 1956 NCAAs: After pinning Kurdelmeier in the semifinals in Stillwater, Hodge went on to face Roy Minter of Minnesota State-Mankato for the title. The Sooner made even shorter work of Minter, getting the fall at 1:37 to win his second straight title. John Dustin, Oregon State John DustinFresh from winning the Pacific Coast Conference championship, John Dustin of Oregon State found himself facing defending champ Dan Hodge in the semifinals of the 177-pound bracket at the 1957 NCAAs at the University of Pittsburgh. Hodge, the top-seeded senior, lived up to his reputation by pinning his way through the bracket at his last Nationals ... until he encountered Dustin in the semis. The Beaver put up a good fight, admitting years later that when Hodge had him in a pinning predicament, he screamed out in pain ... so the referee would stop the action. ("He was breaking me up," Dustin said in an interview decades later.) Hodge managed to win all but ten of his matches by pin; John Dustin was one of those ten who went the distance with the Sooner known as "Dangerous Dan." (Final score: Hodge 8, Dustin 2. Dustin went on to place fourth in the bracket, earning All-American honors.) Hodge at the 1957 NCAAs: Hodge closed out his collegiate career by pinning all of his foes (except for John Dustin), concluding with putting Franklin & Marshall's Ron Flemming's shoulders to the mat at 7:35. (Back then, college matches lasted nine minutes.) For the second time, Hodge was presented with the Outstanding Wrestler trophy. Awards and honors Here's a quick recap of some of the highlights of Dan Allen Hodge's amateur wrestling career: 1951 Oklahoma state champ for Perry High School, 165 pounds 46-0 collegiate record, with 36 falls Never allowed a takedown 3x Big Seven conference champ at 177 pounds (1955-57) 3x NCAA champ (1955-57) 2x Outstanding Wrestler, NCAAs 2x U.S. Olympic men's freestyle team member -- 1952 Helinski (did not place) and 1956 Melbourne (silver medal) Now, just a few of the honors presented in the years since Hodge stepped off the mat: Titles in boxing and pro wrestling After graduating from University of Oklahoma in 1957, Dan Hodge sought to continue his career in sports. He was persuaded to become an amateur boxer, winning a Golden Gloves title, which then led to a brief pro boxing career which he left because of shady dealings with a manager. Hodge then traded the boxing ring for the professional wrestling ring. In a nearly two-decade career, Hodge was a multi-time Junior Heavyweight Champion. Dan Hodge Trophy Often referred to as "the Heisman of college wrestling," the Hodge Trophy has been presented each year since 1995 by Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine (WIN) and Culture House to the top college wrestler in any division, or to use the words of the folks who give the award, "to the nation's most dominant college wrestler." The voting committee consists of all previous Hodge winners, national wrestling media, retired college coaches from different regions of the country and a representative of each of the national wrestling organizations. In addition, now fans have some input as they can cast a vote online. Criteria for the award includes a wrestler's record, number of pins, dominance on the mat, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship and heart. A number of famous wrestlers have won the Hodge Trophy, including Cael Sanderson, Ben Askren, Jordan Burroughs, Stephen Neal, Kerry McCoy, Logan Stieber and Alex Dieringer. Sports Illustrated cover story In the more than 60-year history of Sports Illustrated, only one amateur wrestler has appeared on the cover of the popular national sports magazine: Dan Hodge, in his Oklahoma Sooner wrestling gear, on the April 1, 1957 issue. (There have been former amateur wrestlers who have been featured on the SI cover over the years ... but as football players or pro wrestlers.) NCAA 75th Anniversary Team honoree To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the NCAA Wrestling Championships, in 2005 the NCAA and the National Wrestling Coaches Association came up with a list of 45 top collegiate wrestlers over the years, and asked the wrestling community to vote for the 15 all-time greatest wrestlers. The final list had only three individuals who wrestled prior to 1970 ... with Dan Hodge being one of them. Perry Wrestling Monument Park Earlier this year, Hodge's hometown of Perry, Oklahoma dedicated a new park -- the Perry Wrestling Monument Park -- designed to honor the rich legacy of wrestling at Perry High School -- one of the nation's top high school programs -- and the great coaches and wrestlers who made that happen. Dozens of Perry Maroon wrestlers have won state and national titles, with two earning medals at the Olympics: Jack VanBebber (gold medal, 1932 Los Angeles) and Dan Hodge (silver, 1956 Melbourne). In May 2016, a bronze statue of Hodge was unveiled in the Perry Wrestling Monument Park to coincide with his 84th birthday. Want to know more about Dan Hodge? Check out these two books: "Oklahoma Shooter: The Story of Dan Hodge" by Mike Chapman ... and Ed Frost's book about Hodge's college wrestling coach, titled, "Port Robertson: Behind the Scenes of Sooner Sports."

MADISON, Wis. -- After showing extreme dedication and helping progress the Wisconsin wrestling program, Trevor Brandvold has been elevated to the associate head coach position and Camden Eppert has been named the volunteer assistant coach, head coach Barry Davis announced Monday. Trevor Brandvold"There's some changes within the coaching staff and I think these changes will help us move the program forward in the right direction," Davis said. The move for Brandvold comes after four years of hard work where he helped coach five Badgers to All-America honors, including two-time Big Ten champion and three-time All-American Isaac Jordan and 2015 All-American Connor Medbery, who finished fourth at the 2015 NCAA championships. "It's kind of surreal because I've always been a Badger since I was born, listening to Badger football, basketball and following wrestling. It's a part of who I am so to be able to continue to coach here is so exciting, I feel like it's the place I've been called to be," Brandvold said. "There's so much excitement around our program right now and I'm so proud to be from Wisconsin and be part of the coaching staff that's going to help turn our wrestling program back into a perennial powerhouse." Since Brandvold joined the staff, the Badgers have improved their team record along with NCAA placing. The team saw success off the mat as well, with the 2013-14 season marking UW's highest GPA in wrestling's history. The team also increased their involvement within the community in each of Brandvold's four seasons on staff. In the room, Brandvold specializes in leg riding, leg defense, low level attacks and finishes. "The reason I am most thrilled about and why I am accepting this position is that we are doing things the right way as a coaching staff and that's why our future is so bright," Brandvold added. "From Coach Davis all the way through, we are doing it the Wisconsin way, which is a really unique way of going about things in college athletics. It's fun when you believe in what you're doing and believe in the way you're doing it." A two-time Big Ten champion and two-time All-American at 197 lbs., Brandvold was named Most Outstanding Wrestler and team captain his senior year. In high school, Brandvold was rated No. 1 at 189 lbs. by InterMat, The Mat and USA Wrestling. He posted a 46-0 record and Wisconsin State title at 189 lbs. his senior season, earning him first-team Asics All-America honors. After college, Brandvold was named the 2012 champion of the Minnesota Storm Freestyle tournament. He also wrestled in the finals of the Olympic Trials and made both the finals and semifinals of the U.S. Open in Freestyle at 96 kilograms. Brandvold got his start in international coaching when he helped coach the cadet world freestyle team and has since attended the FILA World Coaches Summit. Eppert joins the UW staff after spending one year training at the USA Wrestling Regional Training Center (RTC) in Madison. Before joining the RTC, Eppert spent one year as an assistant wrestling coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Wabash College. "I am extremely excited to be officially apart of the UW coaching staff," Eppert said. "I cannot wait to learn from this staff as well as mentor, push, and coach these athletes. I am so excited about traveling and being in the corner for this team." Eppert, a 2014 graduate of Purdue University, was a two-time NCAA qualifier and four-time Big Ten championships placewinner in his four years as a Boilermaker. The 125-pounder was also a three-time NWCA All-Academic and four-time Academic All-Big Ten recipient. A two-time team captain, Eppert earned the Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar Award in 2014. "I have learned in my one year here in Madison that Wisconsin wrestling strives to be a family rather than just a team," Eppert added. "Beyond the diverse individual goals our athletes have, our common mission is to pursue excellence athletically and academically, with involvement in the community and university. These are key to our success and I am so happy to be a part of this."

Keith Gavin battles J'den Cox in the Olympic Team Trials semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NORMAN -- New University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Lou Rosselli officially announced Keith Gavin and Michael Lightner as his assistant coaches on Monday. "I am excited to have Keith and Mike on board here at Oklahoma," Rosselli said. "They are world-class wrestlers and each has a great work ethic. Their knowledge of the sport and the way they live their lives will help our student-athletes develop on and off the mat." Gavin joins the Sooners after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Virginia. Gavin helped lead the Cavaliers to the 2015 ACC championship and a 19th-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Seven UVA wrestlers qualified for the 2015 national tournament, including Nick Sulzer, who earned All-America status at 165 pounds. In 2016, five Cavaliers advanced to NCAAs under Gavin's instruction. "I've known Coach Rosselli for a while, so I'm very excited to work with him and be on staff with Coach Lightner," Gavin said. "I think we have a really great staff in place and a talented team that is only going to get better. I think we have some work to do, but the sky is the limit for this program." The Factoryville, Pa., native trained at the Ohio Regional Training Center under Rosselli and was a member of the U.S. National Team for seven years. He took the crown at the U.S. National Championships in both 2013 and 2014 and competed for the U.S. at the 2013 World Championships. Gavin took second place at the 2015 U.S. Open and third at the Yasar Dogu International after finishing in third at the U.S. World Team Trials. In 2012, Gavin competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials, placing third. "I really grew as an athlete under him (Rosselli) and I learned just about leadership and coaching in general, so when I had the opportunity to come on board and be one of his assistants, I jumped at it," Gavin said. "I believe in Coach Rosselli. I like what he's about, and I think we have a very similar mindset when it comes to the sport of wrestling." Keith Gavin In 2011, Gavin was the Pan-American Championships runner-up and also finished second at the 2010 and 2014 U.S. World Team Trials. A two-time collegiate All-American wrestler at Pitt, Gavin was the 2008 174-pound NCAA Champion (he produced a perfect 27-0 record) and the 2007 NCAA runner-up. He completed his collegiate career with a 120-37 mark. Gavin, who is a member of the Eastern Wrestling League Hall of Fame and was a two-time EWL Wrestler of the Year, earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Pitt in 2008 and remained there as an assistant coach for one season. He and his wife, Carrie Foster Gavin, are parents to a daughter, Nora. Lightner, who has served as an assistant and associate head coach at Oklahoma for seven seasons, was retained by Rosselli and will continue in an assistant role. The Sooners have produced two national champs (Cody Brewer and Kendric Maple) and 11 individual conference crowns during Lightner's time on staff. "I'm excited to stay here at OU because I'm loyal to this program and I love the university," Lightner said. "Lou is an Olympian and Keith is a World Team member, they're both national champions and all of us coaches have international experience. I know both of these guys are hard workers, and they're knowledgeable about wrestling and like to win. It's exciting for me to get to work with both of them and get to learn and gain a new perspective." A Marlow, Okla., native, Lightner recorded one of the most impressive wrestling careers in OU program history from 1998-2001. He claimed the 141-pound national title in 2001 and was a four-time Big 12 Champion. He was also a four-time All-American, an achievement only 11 other Sooners have accomplished. His 144 career wins rank as the second-most in program history. Michael Lightner After his collegiate wrestling career, Lightner remained at OU as a club coach from 2001-2004 while training for international competition. In 2005, he moved to the Olympic Training Center and was crowned champion both U.S. National and World Team Trials champion, earning a spot on the U.S. World Team. Lightner and his wife, Lindsey, are parents to daughter Maya. The Sooners start the 2016-17 season under their new coaching staff on Sunday, Nov. 13 when they head to Albany, N.Y., for the Northeast Duals. The squad's first home dual is slated for Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. against Michigan.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland announced the promotion of assistant coach Tyrel Todd and the addition of a supervisor of wrestling operations on Monday. Tyrel ToddTodd was named head assistant coach after spending his first two seasons with the Boilermakers as an assistant coach. While on staff, Todd helped bring in a top-10 recruiting class with three 2016-17 freshmen that were ranked among the top three at their respective weight. The No. 7 ranking by InterMat for the Class of 2016 stands as the highest ranked recruiting class in program history. "Tyrel has shown he deserves this promotion from his hard work, loyalty and dedication to the program the last two seasons," Ersland said. "He has been instrumental in all facets of the program, from our recruiting to our milestones and performance with 11 NCAA qualifiers, matching a record with eight in 2015, and Chad Welch winning Midlands." After serving as an assistant athletics communications director for three seasons, Amanda Dahl was promoted to associate athletics communications director for wrestling and supervisor of wrestling operations. Dahl will continue to be responsible for Purdue wrestling's communications efforts, while adding team travel, camp and internal operations support. "The addition of Amanda is invaluable for our program as it will truly allow our staff to focus on the development of our wrestlers and recruiting, which will only enhance the program," Ersland said. "We're very excited to give Amanda more responsibility with our program because of her dedication, knowledge and passion for the sport and Purdue wrestling."

There's plenty of wrestling to talk about here in mid-September… and Global Wrestling News is your source for collegiate and international wrestling coverage. Check out these feature stories: Cadet World Championships coverage Minnesota Athletic Director Mark Coyle on the firing of long-time head wrestling coach J Robinson Canada's Olympic gold medalist Erica Wiebe LIVE interview Division I recruiting news This half-hour Global Wrestling News broadcast presents the news about all aspects of amateur wrestling, in a fast-paced sports news format featuring Scott Casber and Tony Hager, along with comments and opinions from wrestling aficionado Wayne Eric Boyd, who champions the oldest and greatest sport. Global Wrestling News is a subsidiary of Global Wrestling Championships and owned by Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. This week's show has been posted at TheMat.com, TMWC1.com, and Takedown Wrestling's website. In addition, it is available on Takedown Wrestling's YouTube channel. What's more, you'll find Global Wrestling News on these cable, satellite and broadcast channels. (All times Central.) Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times.

Princeton High School John Harris, who wrestled for Princeton High School in suburban Cincinnati, continues to lend his support to his program long after his murder nearly a decade ago ... thanks to fundraisers for his alma mater in his name. A journeyman plumber and father of three, Harris was murdered during a carjacking near his home in Northside within the city of Cincinnati in June 2007. The criminals have yet to be caught. Ever since that crime, John's mother Peggy Harris has spent every day searching for justice and comforting other mothers with the Who Killed Our Kids organization. She has also been active in generating support for the sport at her son's high school. A 2001 graduate of Princeton High, John Harris was a standout wrestler for the Vikings, and named team captain his senior year. Even after graduation, he was a part of the program coaching kids both on and off the mats. For the past two years, John's mother Peggy Harris has held a number of fundraisers in her son's memory to help the Viking wrestling program that meant so much to her son ... providing opportunities for young student-athletes who might not otherwise be able to participate. "I know he loved wrestling, so let's do this, let's give back to the wrestling program," Peggy Harris told WKRC-TV, the CBS affiliate in Cincinnati. "It's fulfilling, it's more joyous than being hurt all the time in so much pain." "After years of being drawn in trying to wondering who murdered Johnny it was eating me up because we still don't have any closure," said Harris. "I was getting overwhelmed with it." But wrestling is helping her with that loss, the same way the sport helped her son years ago. Peggy Harris' latest fundraiser for the Viking wrestling program took place Saturday night, at the Sharonville Convention Center, just up the street from Princeton High. Some of the money collected that night will go towards hotel costs for the team's first away meet in Columbus. "This is a good night, great night, said Charles Mason, an assistant wrestling coach at Princeton. "Getting good people together, good souls together to celebrate the life of a fallen Viking." For more information on the Princeton wrestling program and how you can help, visit the team's Facebook page.

Two-time state champion Mitch Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) verbally committed to Virginia Tech on Sunday afternoon. The No. 12 overall Class of 2018 wrestling prospect has already placed twice at the Super 32 Challenge, and was champion of the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in December of 2014. Mitch will join older brother Brent, who is a true freshman, as a member of the Hokies roster. He projects to compete as a 141/149 pound wrestler in college.

Yianni Diakomihalis (Photo/Alireza Akbari) TBILISI, Georgia -- History was made on the final day of the 2016 Cadet World Championships with Yianni Diakomihalis and Gable Steveson becoming the first two Americans to ever win two Cadet World gold medals, and Travis Wittlake grasping bronze to give the U.S. seven total medals in men's freestyle. Diakomihalis was the first American up on Sunday evening at New Sports Palace in Tbilisi, Georgia, and he stayed true to his championship form. In the 63 kg/138.75 lbs. gold medal match, Diakomihalis was dominant in all phases to secure an 8-0 win over two-time Cadet European medalist Stefan Tonu of Moldova. "That was probably the best match I wrestled all day," an energetic Diakomihalis said after winning gold. "So, like, it's good that I won, but it's good that I finished off wrestling well. Overall I was completely wrestling from setup to finish. It was good." Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Matt Keller Matt Keller, four-time Tennessee high school state champion wrestler who went on to compete at University of Nebraska-Lincoln then earn All-American honors at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, was shot to death by a homeowner in Marion County, Tennessee Friday night. Keller was 33. The homeowner told investigators he saw a man and woman he didn't know fighting on his property. When the homeowner confronted them, the man -- later identified as Keller -- stopped fighting with his girlfriend and attacked the homeowner, according to a news release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. WRCB-TV, the NBC affiliate in Chattanooga, reported that the TBI spokesperson said the man started assaulting the homeowner when he came outside to see what was going on in his yard. Marion County Sheriff Bo Burnett said the unidentified homeowner had a .25 caliber handgun he fired at least once during the fight before it was knocked out of his hands by Keller. The sheriff said the homeowner ran inside his home and returned with a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun he used to shoot and kill Keller as the former wrestler reportedly began assaulting him again. It's not exactly clear how Keller and the woman -- identified as Ashley Boss, 24 -- ended up on the homeowner's property, but sheriff Burnett said they were camping nearby. WRCB said a reporter interviewed the homeowner off camera who said he begged the couple to leave, but they wouldn't. He added that he fired a warning shot before shooting Keller. Ashley Boss was jailed for public intoxication, trespassing and other charges. No charges have been filed against the homeowner. Keller's body has been sent to Nashville for an autopsy. Born in August 1983 in Louisville, Kentucky, Matthew L. Keller grew up in the Cleveland, Tennessee area, just thirty miles northeast of Chattanooga. "When I was 6 years old, dad took me to the local Boys' Club for their wrestling program," Keller told InterMat in a 2007 feature. "You see, he was a high school wrestler." "It took three years to wipe the smile off my face." Keller went on to wrestle at Bradley Central High School, where he compiled an incredible 140-2 record, and won four straight Tennessee state championships. Despite that impressive prep resume, Keller was not heavily recruited, but managed to attract the attention of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and immediately signed a letter of intent. In three seasons with the Cornhuskers, Keller made positive contributions to the program, twice placing third in the Big 12 conference championships, and finishing just one win shy of earning NCAA All-American honors at 133 pounds. While at Nebraska, Matt Keller's father David was called to serve in the Army in Afghanistan. Coach Mark Manning released Keller from his scholarship, allowing him to transfer to University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. At the time, coach Manning told the Omaha World Herald, "Matt wants to be closer to home, so he can be there to support his mom and his family. I completely understand his decision. We've had a great relationship and I wish him the best." In his first season at UTC, Keller moved back to the 133-pound weight class after being at 125 his last year at Nebraska. During the 2005-06 season, Keller won the Reno Tournament of Champions, the 2006 Southern Conference Championships (and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event), and earned All-American honors at the 2006 NCAA by placing eighth at 133. As a senior, Keller won titles at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Missouri Open. He capped off his collegiate career as a two-time All-American with a fourth-place finish at the 2007 NCAAs. When contacted about Keller's passing, his head coach at UTC, Chris Bono -- who now heads up the wrestling program at South Dakota State University -- told InterMat, "Matt was one of the hardest workers and toughest kids I had ever coached. I am still in shock and having a real hard time knowing he is gone. I loved the guy." "I am real sorry for his family!" Bono, a 1996 NCAA champ for Iowa State, continued. "They are an awesome family who supported Matt and UTC wrestling like no other when I was the head coach." George McIntyre, a long-time wrestling official in Tennessee who watched Keller "on and off his entire wrestling career," said this of the former UTC wrestler: "One thing about Matt that stands out in my mind is what a loyal teammate he was. From little kids wrestling through college he would work extra with anyone who wanted extra mat time. When his individual match was over he wasn't finished for the day. He was every teammates' biggest cheerleader and coach at mat side. He was the perfect friend and when it was time to step on the mat his intensity was off the chart." "After the dual meet or tournament was over he was one of the guys who you enjoyed hanging out with the most," McIntyre told InterMat. "He had that switch that could turn him into a beast on the mat and then a regular guy two minutes after his match was over. He had started to reconnect with friends and teammates recently and seemed to really have his life on track." Services have yet to be announced.

Kurt McHenry (Photo/Gerhard Remus) TBILISI, Georgia -- The U.S. men's freestyle team sits atop the team standings after the first day of competition at the 2016 Cadet World Championships with four individuals earning a medal on Saturday evening. The electric Kurt McHenry stole the show at New Sports Palace with an instant classic win in the gold medal match to become the first Cadet World Champion for the U.S. this week in Tbilisi, Georgia. Taking on Cadet European champion Mahir Mammadzada of Azerbaijan in the 42 kg/92.5 lbs. gold medal match, McHenry jumped out to an early 4-0 lead courtesy of two slick takedown conversions. Mammadzada returned with four points of his own to lead McHenry on criteria, 4-4, late in the match. With less than five seconds remaining McHenry exposed his Azerbaijani foe from neutral to go ahead for good. After a lost challenge from Mammadzada, McHenry won by a final 7-5 tally. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...