InterMat Staff

Daton Fix won a bronze medal at 55 kilograms (Photo/Justin Hoch) MACON, France -- First-year Junior Daton Fix sent the U.S. home from the 2016 Junior World Championships in style on Sunday, picking up a bronze in men's freestyle at 55 kilograms/121 pounds. Standing opposite the electric American youngster was two-time Cadet World champion Andriy Yatsenko of Ukraine. Yatsenko has medaled at four Senior-level tournaments in 2016, including a finals appearance at the European Championships. Fix came out firing from the first whistle against the well-versed Ukrainian, scoring two electrifying takedowns to take a 4-0 lead. Yatsenko struck on a low-level single to cut the lead in half, but that's as close as the Ukrainian would get. Fix rode his offense to three second period takedowns and a 10-3 win. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Three-time state champion Layne van Anrooy (Roseburg, Ore.) verbally committed to the University of Michigan late on Sunday afternoon. The projected 157/165 placed fourth at the Flo Nationals this past spring, and was a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion in the spring of 2015. This summer, van Anrooy placed third in Junior Greco-Roman. He is ranked No. 19 overall in the Class of 2017, joining No. 25 Jelani Embree (Warren Lincoln, Mich.), No. 30 Ben Freeman (Walled Lake Central, Mich.), No. 61 Andrew Davison (Chesterton, Ind.), and No. 63 Drew Mattin (Delta, Ohio) as elite commitments for the Wolverines in this recruiting class.

The first Saturday of September became a more than banner day for Iowa State in terms of 2017 recruiting. Adding to the verbal commitment of No. 28 Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) is two more high end commitments, those coming from No. 24 Jarod Verkleeren (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) and No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.) Verkleeren was a state medalist during his sophomore season of high school. Within the last 12-to-15 months, Verkleeren was a UWW Cadet World freestyle champion at 69 kilograms and a runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman competing in the 145 pound weight class. He also was a Junior freestyle runner-up this summer at 145 pounds. Verkleeren projects to compete as a 149/157 in college. Mantanona is a two-time state medalist, including a runner-up finish this past year at 170 pounds. Prior to the start of last season, he placed fourth at the Super 32 Challenge in the 170 pound weight class; while after the season, he was champion of the Flo Nationals competing at 160 pounds. Mantanona also was a Junior National champion in Greco-Roman this summer at 160 pounds, and projects to compete at 174 in college. Verkleeren and Mantanon join the earlier reported verbal commitment of Allar, along with those from No. 13 Austin Gomez and No. 68 Marcus Coleman in what is a banner start to 2017 recruiting for the Cyclones.

Junior National freestyle champion Jake Allar (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) verbally committed to Iowa State University on Saturday afternoon. The No. 28 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 became the third top 100 commit for the Cylcones in this year's recruiting class. Allar is also a three-time state medalist, winning a state title during his junior season. Further accomplishments for Allar include a fifth place finish in last fall's Super 32 Challenge, a 2015 Cadet folkstyle national title, a 2014 Cadet Greco-Roman national title, and making the 2015 UWW Cadet World team in Greco-Roman at 69 kilograms. He projects to compete at 174/184 pounds in college, and will join No. 13 Austin Gomez (Glenbard North, Ill.) and No. 68 Marcus Coleman (Ames, Iowa) as ranked recruits in this class going to Iowa State.

Spencer Lee and Mark Hall won junior world titles (Photo/Justin Hoch) MACON, France -- It was a golden night for the U.S. men's freestyle team at the 2016 Junior World Championships with Spencer Lee and Mark Hall both claiming gold medals and hoisting the American flag at night's end. The American duo gave the U.S. its first two gold medalists at the Junior Worlds this week, and both achieved the monumental feat in thrilling fashion. Lee entered the 50-kilogram gold medal match as the defending champion in the weight class and heavy favorite to repeat, but the American received all he could handle from Kyrgyzstan's Khurshid Parpiev who was competing in his first international tournament. Right off the bat, Lee charged in with a body lock maneuver and was hip tossed for four points. Lee returned to score a takedown and step out to cut the lead to 4-3. The American soon found himself down by five after giving up two exposures off his own takedown attempt. Lee reeled off eight straight points in the waning moments of the match to win it in dramatic fashion, 11-9. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Alec Donovan won a New Jersey state championship in 2015 It's a homecoming of sorts for Alec Donovan, as the 2015 New Jersey state wrestling champ has transferred from Cal Poly to Centenary College in his home state. "I'm getting a lot of questions about college so I will make one big post. I transferred from Cal Poly to Centenary. I am a Cyclone now and I'm happy with my choice," Donovan wrote on Facebook Friday. Centenary is a four-year private school located in Hackettstown, N.J. with an enrollment of approximately 1,700 students. The Cyclones wrestling program competes in NCAA Division III. When contacted by InterMat, Donovan responded, "I am eligible for the next four years to wrestle for Centenary. I made the transfer prior to August. Had all of the transfer release forms in from Cal Poly." Donovan won the 145-pound title for Brick Memorial High School at the 2015 NJSIAA championships at Atlantic City and was named Shore Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2015 by NJ.com. On a college recruiting trip Donovan revealed that he is gay, not long after Mike Pucillo, 2008 NCAA champ for Ohio State, came out in an interview. Donovan is believed to be the first openly gay college wrestler. "I am not a gay wrestler, I am a wrestler who just happens to be gay," Donovan said at the time he came out. "Being gay has nothing to do with wrestling." Donovan had considered Limestone College in South Carolina and Edinboro University in Pennsylvania before signing a letter of intent at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. In his first season as a Cal Poly Mustang, Donovan compiled an overall record of 14-7 -- including six falls, two major decisions, and two technical falls -- wrestling in tournaments at 157 pounds.

A trio of 2016 Olympic wrestlers are among the guests on this Saturday's Takedown Radio, the broadcast announced Friday. Join hosts Scott Casber, Tony Hager, and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. live on KXNO.com, IHeartRadio.com and TakedownWrestle.com. Fans, athletes and coaches are invited to participate by calling 866-333-5966 or 515-284-5966. This week's guests include (all times Central): 9:00 a.m.: George Ivanov -- 2016 Freestyle Olympian 9:20 a.m.: J'Den Cox -- 2016 Olympic freestyle bronze medalist, University of Missouri NCAA champ 9:40 a.m.: Andy Lausier -- Sacred Heart Head Wrestling Coach 10:00 a.m.: Jesse Thielke -- 2016 Greco-Roman Olympian 10:15 a.m.: Colby Covington -- UFC Welterweight 10:35 a.m.: Raul Ramirez -- Founder of the Catch Wrestling Alliance

Bill "Red" Schmitt, longtime wrestling coach at Illinois' Granite City High School just outside St. Louis, passed away last weekend. He was 94. Bill "Red" SchmittThe man affectionately known as "Schmitty" coached at Granite City from 1950 to 1985. Under Schmitt, the Warriors captured the 1965 Illinois state wrestling title, marking the first time a team outside of Chicago had won a state wrestling crown. His first three teams at Granite City were undefeated. Schmitt was the first wrestling coach in the country to reach 500, 600 and 700 career wins, eventually reaching 1,400 dual-meet victories, according to the Alton Telegraph, the newspaper in his hometown. He is a member of numerous national, state and regional wrestling Halls of Fame. http://thetelegraph.com/sports/88472/legendary-wrestling-coach-red-schmitt-dies-at-94 Born in Alton, Illinois in 1922, William C. Schmitt was a champion wrestler at Alton High School, where he graduated in 1940. After serving in World War II, Schmitt earned a bachelor's degree from Shurtleff College and a master's from University of Illinois. He began coaching at Alton's Western Military Academy in 1947, then came to Granite City High, where he remained for 35 years. Schmitt led Granite City to 18 conference titles and 26 sectional championships. In addition to winning the state title in 1965, Schmitt's Warriors also placed in the top 10 at the state tournament 15 times. Schmitt also had 47 individual state place winners and coached four state champions. With Schmitt at the helm, Granite City had a 605-82-5 record, the Belleville News Democrat reported. A number of individuals who knew "Red" and "Schmitty" spoke glowingly of the late coach. "The metro east area lost a great man this weekend," Granite City High School Athletic Director John Moad said. "Coach Schmitt was a coaching legend. He was a wrestling icon not only in southern Illinois. But he was an icon throughout the state." "He was an iconic figure in Granite City and in wrestling," said current Warrior coach George Kirgan. "He cared about the kids who wrestled for him and when I started coaching, he helped mentor me. I learned a lot of positives from him and we were very fortunate to have him here as a coach." "Coach Schmitt was the kind of coach that as an athlete you wanted to run through the wall for," said Mike Garland, who served as assistant to Schmitt, then later became head coach at Granite City. "One of the most amazing was the number of dual matches his teams won. Back then, teams didn't wrestle more than 12-15 dual matches a year. For him to win as many as he did was an amazing number. "Some of it had to do with tradition. Maybe a lot of it," Garland continued. "Coach Schmitt built such a good program and was such a strong part of his athletes lives that as an athlete or a team, you didn't want to be the one or the team to let him down. To let the program down." "Coach Schmitt was the Dan Gable of high school wrestling," said Mike Garland of the man whose name now adorns the annual Granite City High Christmas wrestling tournament. "He will be missed and remembered forever." Schmitt is survived by his wife of 70 years, Helen; two daughters; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild… along with one brother, Ron. A memorial celebration for Bill Schmitt will be held on October 9, 2016, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Hatheway Gallery on the campus of Lewis & Clark College in Godfrey, Illinois. Memorials may be made to The Nature Institute, 2213 S. Levis Lane, Godfrey, IL 62035, or to Granite City High School, designated for the William "Red" Schmitt Holiday Wrestling Tournament, 3101 Madison Ave., Granite City, IL 62040.

Coleman Scott at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Four years after U.S. men's freestyle wrestler Coleman Scott won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, it may be possible that he may end up with a substantial upgrade: a gold medal four years later. Scott, now head wrestling coach at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, was one of two bronze medal winners at 60 kilograms/132 pounds, along with Yogeshwar Dutt of India. However, a number of media reports out of India are reporting that either Scott or Dutt may receive the gold because of recent reports concerning the gold and silver medal winners. On Monday, it was announced that silver medalist Besik Kudukhov of Russia -- who was killed in a car crash in 2013 -- had tested positive for banned substances, and would be stripped of his 2012 Olympic silver medal. Now there are reports that 2012 Olympic gold medalist Toghrul Asgarov of Azerbaijan has also been found guilty of using a banned drug this week. Asgarov also won a silver medal in men's freestyle at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro at 65 kilograms/143 pounds. The tests are being done by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a part of its revised "retrospective testing" policy. Under the policy, the blood and urine samples of athletes, collected from international tournaments, are kept in deep freeze for up to 10 years for re-testing with the help of advanced technology. The WADA has been re-testing the samples of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games. That re-testing of Asgarov's samples from the London Games have shown traces of a banned substance in his body and is likely to be stripped of his medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, there is no official confirmation from WADA or the United World Wrestling (UWW) on the subject, the Tribune of India reported Friday. The Tribune of India goes on to state that, according to the UWW rules, the gold medal should go to Scott, who was defeated by Asgarov during the preliminary stage and had later settled for bronze after winning his repechage round. Scott was also in the top half of the draw with Asgarov and has the first claim on the gold. TheHindu.com reports that there is no precedent of both finalists in wrestling testing positive. Asked about the possibility of being upgraded as a gold medal winner, Yogeshwar was quoted by DNAIndia.com as saying, "I have heard about these reports, but, according to me, I will only be getting the silver medal. We (Scott and Yogeshwar) were two bronze medalists. I had qualified through repechage and lost to the silver medalist. The other bronze medal winner, Coleman Scott of the United States, should get the gold because he lost to the eventual champion. Thus, I don't think my silver will be upgraded to gold. However, I am yet to receive any formal information about this and I am only saying what I feel." If Coleman Scott were to receive a gold medal now for his performance four years ago, he would join fellow Team USA men's freestyle wrestlers Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner who won Olympic championships in London.

Owen Webster celebrates after winning a Junior freestyle title in Fargo (Photo/The Guillotine) MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg College wrestling team will welcome an incoming class with numerous major accomplishments, including a world cadet bronze medal, two junior/cadet national championships, eight junior/cadet All-American honors, and five state high school championships, the coaching staff has announced. The 17-member incoming class, which includes 16 first-year wrestlers and one transfer, has combined to produce 41 state tournament qualifications and 29 state placings, including five state championships. "The coaching staff and I are very excited about our incoming recruiting class. It is one of the most accomplished classes in Augsburg College history," said Jim Moulsoff, entering his third season as Augsburg's head coach in 2016-17. "Combined, this class has had eight All-American honors at the USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet National Championships, and five different wrestlers won individual high school state championships. As well as being great wrestlers, these young men have also done a great job in the classroom and are committed to continuing our great team culture of commitment to academics." Winners of a record 12 NCAA Division III national titles since 1991, the Auggie wrestlers are coming off a 12-4 dual-meet record and fifth-place national tournament finish in 2016, the Auggies' 28th straight top-10 national finish. Augsburg has finished among the top five teams nationally 34 times in school history, including 27 of the last 28 years. In addition, the Auggies have been a tremendous success in the classroom, claiming 135 National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-America honors over the past 31 years. Augsburg has finished among the top-10 Division III teams in the NWCA's Scholar All-America team rankings since 1998, including a 10th-place finish in 2016 with a 3.27 team grade-point average. Augsburg has claimed the academic national title twice since 1998. "These individuals will be a great addition to our current wrestlers in the room, which include a national champion, three returning All-Americans and 10 wrestlers who have competed at the national championships," said Tony Valek, Augsburg's associate head coach. "We look forward to continuing our strong tradition of Augsburg wrestling, as we work toward adding to our record 12 NCAA Division III national championships." Augsburg's 2016-17 season opens on Nov. 19 with the annual Auggie-Adidas Open at Si Melby Hall. Here is a look at the 2016-17 Augsburg wrestling incoming class: SAM ANDERSON (East Bethel, Minn./Totino-Grace HS, heavyweight) • Three-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier, including a third-place finish in 285-AA in 2016 and 4th-place finish at 285-AA in 2015. • Finished 24-3 in 2015-16 and 37-7 in 2014-15. JOHN BARTEE (Fridley, Minn., 141 pounds) • Two-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier • Finished 26-6 in 2015-16 and 18-9 in 2014-15. JACK BERGELAND (Blaine, Minn./Centennial HS, 133 pounds), transfer from Wisconsin-La Crosse • Three-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier, finishing fourth at 106-AAA in 2014 and sixth at 106-AAA in 2013. • Finished 33-12 in 2014-15, 40-6 in 2013-14 and 37-10 in 2012-13. BRENT CHAMBERS (Princeton, Minn., 197 pounds or heavyweight) • Two-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier, finishing sixth at 220-AA in 2015. • Finished 29-5 in 2015-16 and 36-7 in 2014-15. RYAN EPPS (Cannon Falls, Minn., 149 or 157 pounds) • Double All-American at 152 pounds at the 2016 USA Junior Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships. Epps placed sixth in Greco-Roman and eighth in Freestyle, one of only three Minnesota seniors to accomplish double All-American honors. • Won the 145-AA Minnesota state championship in 2016. Also finished fourth at 132-AA in 2015, and second at 120-AA in 2014. • Four-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier. • Finished 39-0 in 2015-16, 39-4 in 2014-15, 37-6 in 2013-14 and 32-5 in 2012-13. MONTY FREDERIKSEN (Cambridge, Minn./Cambridge-Isanti HS, 125 or 133 pounds) • Two-time state tournament qualifier (132-AAA in 2015 and 2016). • Finished 30-10 in 2015-16 and 30-8 in 2014-15. JULIAN GEORGESCU (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons HS, 174 pounds) • Two-time Florida state tournament qualifier, finishing third at 170-1A in 2016 and sixth at 170-1A in 2015. • Finished 48-2 in 2015-16 and 52-6 in 2014-15. VICTOR GLIVA (Farmington, Minn., 125 pounds) • Won the 113-AAA Minnesota state championship in 2016. Also finished second at 106-AAA in 2015. • Three-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier. • Finished 44-1 in 2015-16, 45-3 in 2014-15 and 29-16 in 2013-14. BRANDONN GORE (South St. Paul, Minn., 184 pounds) • Finished sixth at 182-AA at the 2016 Minnesota state tournament with a 24-15 record. ETHAN HOFACKER (Spring Valley, Wis., heavyweight) • All-American at the 2016 USA Cadet Greco-Roman National Championships, when he placed sixth at 220 pounds. • Won the 220-D3 Wisconsin state championship in 2016. Also finished second at 220-D3 in 2015 and third at 195-D3 in 2014. • Three-time Wisconsin state tournament qualifier. • Finished 40-3 in 2015-16, 40-6 in 2014-15 and 44-4 in 2013-14. LUCAS JESKE (St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS, 165 or 174 pounds) • Ranked as Intermat's No. 55 overall recruit in the nation entering the 2015-16 season. • Ranked No. 15 in Intermat's 2015-16 final high school rankings at 182 pounds. • All-American at the 2016 USA Junior Freestyle National Championships, after making the finals and recording a national runner-up finish at 160 pounds. • Won the 152-AAA Minnesota state championship in 2015. Also finished second at 170-AAA in 2016. • Two-time Minnesota state qualifier. • Finished 45-3 in 2015-16 and 20-1 in 2014-15 MARCUS PLACIDE (Minneapolis, Minn./Washburn HS, 165 or 174 pounds) • Competed at the Minnesota state tournament (170-AAA) and compiled a 31-7 record in 2015-16. CAMERON SCHMITZ (New Prague, Minn. 184 pounds) • Finished third at 182-AA at the 2016 Minnesota state tournament with a 36-11 record. BYRON SIMMONS (Chicago, Ill./Simeon HS, 141 pounds) • Competed at the 138-3A section tournament in Illinois in 2016 with a 29-4 record. TANNER VASSAR (Maple Lake, Minn./Annandale-Maple Lake HS, 141 pounds) • Finished fourth at Minnesota state tournament at 132-AA in 2016, second at 126-AA in 2015, and third at 120-AA in 2015. • Four-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier. • Finished 38-8 in 2015-16, 40-4 in 2014-15, 33-9 in 2013-14 and 29-10 in 2012-13. JOSHUA VERBETEN (Wrightstown, Wis. 149 or 157 pounds) • Three-time Wisconsin state tournament qualifier, finishing second at 152-D2 in 2016 and fifth at 132-D2 in 2014. • Finished 40-8 in 2015-16, 28-14 in 2014-15 and 37-17 in 2013-14. OWEN WEBSTER (Shakopee, Minn. 184 pounds) • Ranked as Intermat's No. 40 overall recruit in the nation entering the 2015-16 season. • Bronze medalist at the 2015 UWW Cadet World Championships at 187.5 pounds freestyle. • National champion at the 2016 USA Junior Freestyle National Championships (182 pounds). • National champion and national runner-up at the 2015 UWW National Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships. • Four-time All-American at the USA Junior & Cadet Freestyle & Greco-Roman National Championships. • Won the 152-AAA Minnesota state tournament in 2014. Also finished fifth at 160-AAA in 2015 and fourth at 138-AAA in 2013. • Three-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier. • Finished 38-4 in 2014-15, 32-5 in 2013-14, and 30-10 in 2012-13. JONNY ZARNKE (Chaska, Minn. 184 pounds) • Two-time Minnesota state qualifier, finishing third at 182-AAA in 2016 and fifth at 182-AAA in 2015. • Finished 34-7 in 2015-16 and 24-10 in 2014-15.

Kyle Dake finished second at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Junior World Championships are this week in Macon, but the real drama might be off the mats as United World Wrestling holds its bi-annual congress and elections for the sport's leadership bureau. Most of the issues from the Olympic Games focused on the potential influence of this body and their election is often a chance for nations around the world to vote in new blood. Six seats are up in this election with at least two new members to join after previous members announced their retirement. New voices should be good for the sport as they might add new perspective. I will be sure to let the wrestling community know the results of the elections as soon as the votes are cast. To your questions … Q: If you are Kyle Dake, do you move back down now that Jordan Burroughs would have to go through the gauntlet at the Trials? Is it likely that David Taylor would stay at 86kilos? Frank C. Foley: If I'm Dake, I don't know that I'd want to head back down and take on a super motivated Jordan Burroughs in an open field any more than I'd want to challenge an ever-improving J'den Cox at 86 kilograms. The big thing fro Kyle should be to get healthy and travel to as many tournaments and camps as possible. There is nothing more he can do here in the states to give himself an edge. Overseas will get him up close and help him figure out his weight class and learn the winning strategies and techniques of wrestlers from Iran, Russia and Turkey. Q: Do you know what wrestlers from other countries get as a reward for bringing home a gold, silver or bronze medal? Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey? -- KK Foley: The most celebrated returns seem to come from these countries, and though I don't know much about each reward I do know that Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia has so far received six million rubles ($100k), a brand new BMW sports car … and a golden horse. The Turks are rumored to pay $500k for each gold medal and a lifetime salary. The Iranians are certain to pay a good amount, but I will need to ask very personal questions. I'd heard in the past that they receive money, but most of their income comes from sponsorships and finding themselves in preferential business arrangements. An interesting side note, the most celebrated Iranian wrestler Gholamreza Takhti is in part beloved for refusing a gift of land from the government. There was some argument about who had currently owned the land and Takhti didn't want to take from his countrymen. The decision endeared him to the nation. Q: It was difficult to watch a devastated Migran Arutyunyan on the podium accepting his silver medal after the ref decided he was not worthy of gold. Some have suggested the match was called in favor of the Serb in an effort to please the head of UWW. Could there be any truth to this or are we talking way-out-there conspiracy theory? -- KK Foley: I don't know what was in the mind of the referee from Taipei! Obviously Arutyunyan should not have been put down twice. However, I never thought it was a conspiracy as much as poor officiating. Though the match was not as many would have hoped, it's also not as though Stefanek is a nobody. He had a great tournament prior to making the finals. Q: I caught the 48 and 58-kilogram women's finals last night. I thought the 48-kilogram final went smoothly with Azerbaijan girl choking at the end. Japanese girl really swarmed her at the end, pretty impressive and great way to close. What I could not understand was how the Russian 58-kilogram wrestler got put on the shot clock twice, and I don't believe Icho took a single shot the entire match?!?! That last score was a counter off the Russian's sloppy 'diving' shot. Seems like many wrestlers' fates are being put in the ref's hands and not their own. Help me make sense of this. -- Willy D Foley: First of all, we have to come to a consensus in the wrestling community that women's wrestling was the most entertaining of the Olympic Games. High drama, massive upsets and last-second victories defined their two days of competition. They also attracted the most media and had the highest attendance of any style. The women also competed well and with a high level of technical acumen. There were WAY more throws and a wider variety of takedowns than the 2012 Games, showing that the sport is rapidly growing and changing. As for Icho's match I think that the Russian should have been penalized much earlier in the match for repeated blows to Icho's face and head. That tactic benefited the Tunisians in the first round and was imitated by the Azerbaijani wrestler in the semifinals. However, Valeria Koblova's attempts were more direct and with little offense in mind. To me her late period shot clock violations also seemed warranted. Q: Can you provide any data on the viewership of the Olympic wrestling events and how it compared with other Olympic sports? -- KK Foley: We will be working on these numbers over the next several weeks. I can say that if you look on NBC Sports the top posts were all from stories surrounding wrestling: Helen's win, Burroughs' interview, and the throw by Kawai. Also, the Mongolian protest skewed a lot more attention in wrestling's direction, even if it was for unwanted reasons. RANT OF THE WEEK By Ben H. How is wrestling at the NCAA level recognized as an Olympic sport but they don't even wrestle the same style of Olympic wrestling? Shouldn't it be that all sports at the NCAA level, that are Olympic sports, look the same at the NCAA level as the Olympic sport? I don't know any of the other sports -- swimming, track and field, water polo, gymnastics -- any of them that play by a different set of scoring/rules during the NCAA level then switch to a different style for the Olympics. Student-athletes are allowed to take an Olympic redshirt but again they aren't even competing with the same rules and style as they do during the NCAA season. My thoughts are we should go freestyle and/or freestyle/Greco during both NCAA season and high school season then if we want to keep folkstyle wrestling as something special to our country everyone can do it for "fun" during the summer months or offseason. Or … Why don't we flip the folkstyle and freestyle/Greco seasons in America? Have high school and colleges compete in freestyle/Greco during the actual season then in the offseason train folkstyle as we do with freestyle/Greco now. It's pretty ironic that we have Olympic redshirts in college wrestling but those same wrestlers never wrestle the Olympic style EVER in a school uniform. Every four years wrestling is showcased in the Olympics and we have people like Jordan Burroughs and Adeline Gray all over talk shows but then the casual fan watches it on TV it looks nothing like the couple of duals they saw on the ESPN/Big Ten Network/online. Then people like you and me are explaining wrestling once again on the couch to someone that we tried to get to understand the scoring and what's going on just a couple months ago watching the ESPN/Big Ten Network/online. Switch the freestyle/Greco seasons with the folkstyle seasons.

Jason Mester BLOOMSBURG -- Bloomsburg University announces the resignation of head wrestling coach Jason Mester. Mester completed three seasons as the team's head coach posting a mark of 10-38 in that time. "We would like to thank Jason Mester for his support and dedication to the program and we wish him and his family the best with this transition," Dr. Michael McFarland said. An announcement will be made soon about a search for a new head coach.

Oklahoma's Mark Schultz defeated Iowa's Ed Banach in the 1982 NCAA finals Now that it's official -- Lou Rosselli is the new head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma -- the question has to be asked: what kind of program is the long-time staff member at Ohio State and Edinboro University inheriting? Despite some recent struggles, the Sooner wrestling program has a long, rich, successful history spanning nearly a century. A number of top wrestlers have competed for Oklahoma, including NCAA champs of the past decade such as Cody Brewer (2015), Kendric Maple (2013) and Teyon Ware (2003, 2005) ... 1980s legends such as Melvin Douglas, Dan Chaid, Dave Schultz, Mark Schultz and Andre Metzger ... 1960s superstars such as Wayne Wells, Wayne Baughman, Mike Grant ... and greats of the 1950s, including Dick Delgado, Stan Abel, Tommy Evans, and the one and only Dan Hodge. The Sooners, by the numbers Since the wrestling program was launched at Oklahoma in 1920, the Sooners have put up some pretty impressive numbers over the years: Seven NCAA team titles (only Oklahoma State, University of Iowa and Iowa State can claim more); Sixty-seven individual national titlists ... and 271 NCAA All-Americans; Twenty-three conference crowns ... and 182 individual conference champions. University of Oklahoma's first national title in any sport came in 1936, when the Sooner wrestling program, led by head coach Paul V. Keen, took the NCAA team title 80 years ago. (In case you were wondering, that coach Keen was the brother of Cliff Keen of University of Michigan coaching fame.) The Sooners scored six more NCAA championships: three with Port Robertson as head coach (1951, 1952, and 1957) ... two under Tommy Evans (1960 and 1963) ... and the most recent with Stan Abel at the helm in 1974. (Note: Of these title-winning coaches, three -- Robertson, Evans, and Abel -- all wrestled for the Oklahoma Sooners. Paul Keen wrestled at cross-state rival Oklahoma State.) In the four decades since Oklahoma has won an NCAA team title, the Sooners have finished among the top 10 at the national tournament 27 times, including four runner-up finishes. It's been a while since the Sooners have claimed a conference title -- the 2002 Big 12 championship, to be exact, under then head coach Jack Spates. Rosselli -- the fourteen Sooner mat coach Lou Rosselli becomes the fourteenth head wrestling coach at Oklahoma, replacing Mark Cody, who, in five seasons, guided the Sooners to a 55-34 overall record, for a winning percentage of .618. The first OU mat coach was Dewey Luster, who could claim a lackluster 0-2-0 record during the 1920 season. After a rapid succession of coaches who each lasted a year or two at the most, Paul Keen came in 1928 to become the first truly successful Sooner wrestling coach. In his dozen seasons at the helm, Keen led his wrestlers to a 51-34-3 overall record, for a .597 winning percentage. Port Robertson, a top wrestler under Paul Keen, was head wrestling coach from 1947-1959, then returned for one season in 1962 when Tommy Evans had a military obligation. In that time, the big, burly, no-nonsense Robertson and his mat greats like Hodge, Evans, Abel and Delgado compiled an 88-27-7 record, for a .750 winning percentage. Tommy Evans took the reins in 1960, and was in control until 1973 (other than that '62 season). The Sooners built their highest win percentage under any coach -- .775 -- with a record of 140-40-2. Stan Abel was head coach for two decades -- 1973-1993. His Sooners were 279-123-8, for a .690 winning percentage. Jack Spates succeeded Abel as coach, compiling a 243-97-13 record and .709 win percentage in his time until retiring in 2011, handing over the program to Mark Cody. When introduced as the fourteenth head wrestling coach in Sooner athletics history, the 46-year-old Rosselli said, "I look forward to leading this Oklahoma program and building on its significant tradition. OU is a very strong and storied program with a ton of potential, and I'm hoping I can lead it to an eighth national title." Readers who want to know more about Oklahoma Sooner wrestling history should check out "Port Robertson: Behind the Scenes of Sooner Sports" by Ed Frost ... and Mike Chapman's "Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story."

This week's Takedown TV covers all levels of amateur wrestling. Among this week's features: Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder on Takedown Radio UWW Junior World Championships Daton Fix from Junior Freestyle Camp Cael Sanderson offers his opinion on wrestling at the 2016 Olympic Games One-on-one with Doug Schwab Watch this week's episode here… or at the Takedown Wrestling's YouTube Channel. In addition, Takedown Wrestling TV is aired on these television networks. All air times are 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. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. KWEM, Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00 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 9:00 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Suddenlink Cable- Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports- Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Western Reserve Cable- Tuesday at 11:00 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10:00 p.m.

Judson University is bringing back its wrestling program after more than four decades, and has hired Matt TreDenick as its head coach, the Elgin, Illinois-based school announced Wednesday. The Eagles wrestling program, which last took to the mats in 1970, will start up again for the 2017-2018 school year, competing as a NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) program. TreDenick has more than 30 years of high school and college coaching experience, working at schools in the greater Chicago area such as Wheaton Warrenville South, and Driscoll Catholic High in Addison, Illinois, as well as Cedar Springs High in Michigan. Most recently, TreDenick has served as assistant wrestling coach at Triton College, a two-year junior college in River Grove, Illinois. TreDenick has also been active in the community developing many youth programs that include the Bartlett Junior Hawks in Bartlett, Illinois, the Villa Lombard Cougars in Carol Stream, Illinois, and the Carson City Youth Wrestling program in Carson City, Michigan. Prior to launching his coaching career, TreDenick attended Carson City High School where he was a two-time Michigan high school state wrestling champion and team captain. TreDenick then attended Grand Valley State on both a football and wrestling scholarship and was the Chapter President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He would later complete his bachelor's degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Christian Ministries. "I am honored, thrilled, and thankful to be at Judson where I can share the love of Jesus through the medium of wrestling," said TreDenick. Founded as the undergraduate division of Northern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1913, the school became Judson College in 1963, and Judson University in 2007. Located in Elgin, about 40 miles northwest of Chicago, Judson has an enrollment of approximately 1,300 students.

Jason Chamberlain shoots on Reece Humphrey at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) FRESNO, Calif. -- The Fresno State wrestling staff continues to take shape as head coach Troy Steiner announced the hiring of Jason Chamberlain as an assistant coach on Tuesday. "Jason is young and eager to learn and we are happy to add him to the Fresno State wrestling program," said head coach Troy Steiner. "He is still training and competing so he brings that leadership to the young team that we are going to have. He will be able to show them how to train at the highest level and he will bring that leadership to the team. He is a great competitor and a two-time All-American and has done real well at the international level so he brings a wealth of knowledge as a competitor and the student-athletes will see him training with a purpose and hopefully feed into that work ethic and follow suit." Chamberlain arrives at Fresno State after a lengthy wrestling career filled with numerous accolades. A 2013 graduate of Boise State with a degree in health sciences, Chamberlain was a two-time All-American and a three-time Pac-12 champion at 149 pounds as a Bronco. "Being one of the first programs to bring back Division I wrestling, I wanted to be apart of that unique opportunity and help nuture it and build a program," said Chamberlain. "I think that fits my personality to build and I have known Coach Steiner and Silva for awhile and I thought I would be a good fit here. It is well known that the Fresno Valley is a hotbed for high school talent and I believe Fresno State has an excellent opportunity to have a good program quickly." He compiled a 107-23 overall record during his four years at Boise State finishing third at the NCAA Championships in 2011 and was the runner-up at the 2013 NCAA Championships falling by a narrow 3-2 margin to two-time national champion Jordan Oliver of Oklahoma State. Chamberlain earned the 2013 Pac-12 Male Athlete of the Year as a senior and qualified for the NCAA Tournament in all four of his seasons. After competing in his first three years at Boise State, he took a redshirt season in 2011-12 and earned a spot on the University World Team after winning the University Freestyle National Championship at 66kg/145.5lbs. After his collegiate career was over, Chamberlain continued to compete in freestyle most notably winning the Pan American Championship in 2015 at 65kg/143lbs. He also claimed the Paris Grand Prix silver medal and qualified for the Olympic Trials in both 2012 and 2016. Since leaving Boise State in 2013, Chamberlain has spent the last three years coaching and training at the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center in Lincoln, Neb. In addition to training, he has coached and learned alongside 2012 Olympic Gold medalist and two-time World Champion Jordan Burroughs. He has also worked with the University of Nebraska wrestling program coaching technique and organizing individual workouts for the student-athletes. "Being from Boise State, they were a growing program when I got there and we were able to be very successful so I saw as a student-athlete what it takes for a program to build into that," added Chamberlain on how his experience as a Bronco will benefit his time with the Bulldogs. "My time at Nebraska has also benefited me since I have seen what it is like to be at an established program in the Midwest and they have everything set in place and top resources so it has allowed me to see both worlds and what we want to accomplish here." A native of Springville, Utah, Chamberlain was a four-time Utah State Champion at Springville High School from 2005-2008. He compiled a prep career record of 191-2 and holds the state record for most wins as a prep He earned the Dave Shultz High School Excellence National Award and Asics Wrestler of the Year as a senior in 2008. He and his wife Abbey have two daughters, Violet (5) and Kitt (six months). Chamberlain File 2013-16 - Coach/Athlete, Nebraska Wrestling Training Center 2008-13 - Student-Athlete, Boise State

Brandon Metz won a Junior Greco-Roman title in Fargo this past summer (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) Fall sports have started all throughout the United States, or at least in the vast majority of states. While specialization seems to increasingly be the new normal, there are still many multi-sport athletes who are impact contributors in multiple sports. A number of the nation's top wrestlers will also be making an impact on the gridiron this fall, here are some of their stories. Patrick Brucki (Carl Sandburg, Ill.) On the wrestling mat, Brucki is a two-time state medalist, placing third and second at the state tournament this last two seasons. In Fargo this summer, he finished third in Junior freestyle at 195 pounds. Brucki is currently ranked No. 35 overall in the Class of 2017. He started at linebacker as a junior for a perennial state playoff team, and this season will add playing fullback to his duties. Trent Hillger (Lake Fenton, Mich.) On the wrestling mat, Hillger has not lost a match since the consolation final at state his freshman season. The last two seasons have been undefeated state championship campaigns, with records of 60-0 and 63-0. He is ranked as the No. 16 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017. On the football field, this athleticism translates in the form of multi-position stardom. Hillger started at running back as a freshman and sophomore before getting moved to quarterback as a junior, while on the defensive side of the ball it was two years of starting at defensive end before a move to linebacker his junior season. For this coming season, Hillger is slated to start at running back and defensive end. Dylan Meeks (Dr. Phillips, Fla.) On the wrestling mat, Meeks advanced to the state final bout at 195 pounds as an eighth grader before winning state titles each of the next three seasons (freshman year at 195, the last two at 220). However, the No. 38 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 will be a collegiate football player. His two older brothers are currently Division I-A football players (Alton at Northern Illinois, and Colby at Colorado State). Dylan is going to be a four-year varsity player for a power football program at the linebacker position, and will be entering his third season as a starter. In terms of his football outlook, Meeks is rated as a three-star recruit, and has many offers from "power five" programs. Brandon Metz (West Fargo, N.D.) On the wrestling mat, Metz is a three-time state champion and multi-time USA Wrestling All-American. The No. 42 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 has won a pair of titles in Greco-Roman, the first as a Cadet in 2014 and most recently just over a month ago at the Junior level. Metz was also a Junior Greco All-American in 2015, and has earned a pair of All-American finishes in freestyle, as a Cadet in 2014 and at the Junior level last month. Metz has verbally committed to North Dakota State, where he will be a scholarship wrestler and attempt to walk-on for the five-time defending Division I-AA (FCS) national champions. On the football field, he is a defensive lineman. Quinn Miller (Archer, Ga.) On the wrestling mat, Miller is a three-time state finalist, earning his lone state title as a sophomore. He was also runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring in the 220 pound weight class, and is ranked No. 94 overall in the Class of 2017. As a football player, Miller is a three-star rated linebacker with offers from multiple "group of five" football programs in Division I-A. Mason Parris (Lawrenceburg, Ind.) On the wrestling mat, Parris has one loss across his two seasons of high school competition, that coming in the state semifinal round as a freshman. The No. 17 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 was an undefeated state champion during his sophomore season, and also went undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals this summer. As a football player, the linebacker was named Defensive MVP in his conference as a sophomore; Parris averaged 13 tackles per game, including two per game for a loss. Even more important, he has over a 4.0 GPA. Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) On the wrestling mat, Romero is a three-time state champion with 150 wins against just three losses, the last two of them coming in early December of 2014. He is ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect in the Class of 2017. On the football field, Romero will be entering his fourth season as a two-way starter at the quarterback and free safety positions. He was named all-state first team at the QB position during his junior season. In terms of team success, Romero has been a key part of three straight playoff teams, including a state semi-final run his freshman season before last year's state quarterfinal run. Furthermore, Romero also played baseball as a freshman, where he was a center-fielder with a .430 batting average. Chase Shiltz (Creston, Iowa) On the wrestling mat, Shiltz is a three-time state finalist, with state titles in each of the last two seasons. This multi-sport star is ranked No. 70 overall in the Class of 2017, and has verbally committed to North Dakota State for wrestling. As a football player, Shiltz has amassed over 30 touchdowns each of the last two seasons as a running back. Last season, he was top five overall in Iowa both in rushing touchdowns (35) and rushing yards (2,542). Shiltz is also an impact contributor in a third sport, playing both third base and pitcher on the baseball field. Travis Stefanik (Nazareth, Pa.) On the wrestling mat, Stefanik placed third in the PIAA big-school state tournament this season, and then built upon that with superlative performances at both the FloNationals and NHSCA Junior Nationals. The No. 55 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 was champion at the FloNationals and then finish runner-up the following week at NHSCA Juniors. As a football player, Stefanik will be entering his third year as a quarterback at the varsity level, his second as the full-time starter. Last year, he averaged 200 yards passing a game with 60-plus percent completions, while rushing for another 100 a game and contributing for just over three TD's a game (28 passing, 8 rushing in 11 games). During the senior season, Stefanik will add starting free safety duties to his plate. Brey Walker (Southmoore, Okla.) On the wrestling mat, Walker won a state title during his sophomore season. In addition, the No. 13 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 was champion at the NHSCA Sophomore and Freshman Nationals each of the last two seasons. However, his meal ticket in college is going to be football, where the four-star recruit has already committed to Oklahoma. Walker is a physical freak at the offensive tackle position.

The two members of Team USA who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics - Helen Maroulis, and Kyle Snyder -- will be the featured guests on this week's edition of the On the Mat wrestling broadcast on Wednesday, Aug. 31. Helen Maroulis earned her gold medal at 53 kilograms/116.5 pounds, becoming the first U.S. women's freestyle wrestler to have won an Olympic gold medal. Kyle Snyder brought home the gold in men's freestyle at 97 kilograms/213.5 pounds. At age 20, Snyder - who wrestles heavyweight for Ohio State - became the youngest U.S. male to win an Olympic wrestling championship. 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.

Taylor LaMont earned a bronze medal at 60 kilograms (Photo/Justin Hoch) MACON, France -- The U.S. impressed on the first day of Greco-Roman competition at the 2016 Junior World Championships with Taylor LaMont and G'Angelo Hancock snagging bronze medals for the Red, White and Blue. Coming off three-straight Cadet World Championships where he fell short of a medal, LaMont broke through in dramatic fashion by staging a second period comeback against 2015 Cadet World champion Oleksandr Hrushyn of Ukraine. LaMont rallied from a late 3-0 deficit, scoring the match clinching takedown with just under one minute to go. He went on to win by a 5-3 final tally to claim the bronze at 60 kilograms. "It's the fourth time here and I went home empty handed three times I wasn't going to let it, especially when I was this close again, so I just went out there and took what was mine. I knew that guy was getting tired. I could feel it. I just got the takedown when it counted," said LaMont. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

J Jaggers coaching at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Like any leader of a championship caliber program, Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan has surrounded himself with elite-level talent - both on the mat and on his coaching staff. One of those talents - associate head coach Lou Rosselli - will now have the opportunity to guide his own program. Rosselli was announced today as the head coach at the University of Oklahoma, prompting Ryan to tab J Jaggers as his top and longest-tenured assistant and promote Tervel Dlagnev to assistant coach and head of the renowned Ohio Regional Training Center. Dlagnev had previously been announced as the programs volunteer assistant coach. Rosselli and Ryan worked together for 10 seasons and led the Buckeyes to four top-three finishes at the NCAA Championships, culminating in 2015 when Ohio State won the programs first-ever national championship. He also led the Ohio RTC, which produced 1/3 of this year's US men's freestyle Olympic team and is also the training home of four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber. "I couldn't be more proud and excited for Lou," said Ryan. "Oklahoma is getting a special coach, but an even better man. He pours himself into a few things; family and those whom he coaches. We came to Ohio State together because we had the same big vision - and we have had plenty of success. We have both grown as leaders and coaches. It's his time to shine." Jaggers, who will retain the title of assistant coach, made a seamless transition from student-athlete to coach in 2009-10 as the volunteer assistant coach and recently completed his sixth year as a full-time assistant and seventh overall. In addition to his integral role in the gym and his coaching duties during matches, Jaggers has been a key piece in bringing in numerous nationally-ranked recruiting classes. His work on the recruiting trail, and on the mat, helped guide the Buckeyes to the 2015 Big Ten and NCAA championships. As a student-athlete, Jaggers won back to back national titles and was inducted last fall into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame. "When an organization is built on a strong foundation, it attracts the right people," said Ryan. "J will move into the head assistant position. He has done a great job helping all of the student-athletes here across all the weight classes. He's a Buckeye through and through and will help us continue to remain as one of the nation's elite programs." Dlagnev recently completed competition in his second Olympic Games, taking fifth place at 125kg. He was a two-time NCAA Division II national champion for the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2007 and 2008; in 2008, Dlagnev led the Lopers to their first-ever team title. Following graduation, he moved to Columbus in order to be trained at the Ohio RTC. Since then, he has made eight national teams, winning the World Team Trials seven times. In international competitions, Dlagnev has won two bronze medals at the World Wrestling Championships (2009 and 2014) and has wrestled for a least a bronze in every tournament he's entered. Other tournaments won by Dlagnev include the US Open (2011-2015), World University Games in 2008, Pan American Games in 2011, Alexander Medved International (2010, 2013), Cerro Pelado International in 2012, and the New York AC International Open (2008-2010, 2012). "Equally as exciting for us is the opportunity to move Tervel Dlagnev into the critical role of assistant coach and head coach of the Ohio Regional Training Center," said Ryan. "Coming off his second Olympic Games, he is one of the most respected men in the sport. His mental approach and teaching skills are as good as any I have been around. He, like all of our staff, believes in the same fundamentals of life that allow organizations to experience prolonged sustained success; talent and hard work will get you there, but character will keep us there."

Lou Rosselli (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors) NORMAN -- Lou Rosselli, an assistant and associate head coach the last 10 years for one of the country's top collegiate wrestling programs, and who has wide-ranging experience with USA Wrestling, has been named the head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma. OU Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione made the announcement Tuesday morning. Arriving in Norman from Ohio State, Rosselli was promoted from Buckeyes assistant coach to associate head coach following the 2008-09 season after helping lead OSU to NCAA runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009. He also played an integral role in helping deliver the program's first national championship in 2015. "I look forward to leading this Oklahoma program and building on its significant tradition," said the 46-year-old Rosselli. "OU is a very strong and storied program with a ton of potential, and I'm hoping I can lead it to an eighth national title. I'm thankful to both Joe Castiglione and (OU wrestling administrator) Jason Leonard for giving me this opportunity." "I look forward to leading this Oklahoma program and building on its significant tradition. OU is a very strong and storied program with a ton of potential, and I'm hoping I can lead it to an eighth national title." Lou Rosselli A native of Middleport, N.Y., Rosselli was named the 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year and the 2014 USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year. He mentored four-time NCAA Champion Logan Stieber and two-time champ J Jaggers. Additionally, the Sooners' new head coach has had a large presence with USA Wrestling and has served as a volunteer coach for the U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team at both the 2016 Rio Games, where the U.S. earned two medals (one gold), and the 2012 London Games, where the U.S. won three medals (two gold). As a three-time U.S. Freestyle World Team Coach, Rosselli led his squads to third-place finishes at the 2006 and 2011 FILA Wrestling World Championships, and to a fourth-place showing in 2007. He was named the 2007 Terry McCann Freestyle Coach of the Year for his efforts. Rosselli, the 14th head wrestling coach in OU history, was named to the 2015 USA Wrestling coaching staff for the 2015 World Championships, and his 2009 team earned gold at the Pan American Championships. In 2010, he coached the U.S. World University Games Team, and he served as assistant coach when the U.S. placed third at the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey. "I couldn't be more excited about Lou Rosselli joining the OU Athletics family and leading our wrestling program in the pursuit of national championships," said OU Vice President and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione. "Lou not only has the collegiate coaching experience necessary to be in charge of a program of this stature, but he also has a history of significant Olympic involvement that is so important in today's recruiting world. While the position attracted many qualified candidates, I'm convinced we have the right person to lead our program back to excellence and enhance the student-athlete experience." "While the position attracted many qualified candidates, I'm convinced we have the right person to lead our program back to excellence and enhance the student-athlete experience." Rosselli was a wrestler on the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team (114.5 pounds), and earned gold at the 1997 World Cup and silver at the 1998 Pan American Championships. He was also a University National Freestyle champ in 1994 before capturing U.S. National Freestyle titles in 1995, 1996 and 1999. A two-time All-American, Rosselli wrestled collegiately at Edinboro from 1989 to 1993. He was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Eastern Wrestling League Championships Outstanding Wrestler in his senior season and was a three-time PSAC champion at 118 pounds. In his rookie season, Rosselli was named the EWL Freshman of the Year and became the first freshman from Edinboro to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Rosselli earned the Young Alumni Award from the Edinboro University Alumni Association and has been named to the Edinboro, Eastern Wrestling League and Greater Buffalo Sports halls of fame. Prior to his stint with the Buckeyes, Rosselli served as a volunteer assistant coach at Edinboro for three years before being promoted to assistant coach for eight seasons. Rosselli earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Edinboro in 1993. Rosselli and his wife Amy are parents to Jordan, Ty and Jaxson. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING Ohio State Head Coach Tom Ryan "Lou is a great human being. He pours his life into others. He has a very clear vision of what it takes for someone to be elite and he is a great leader by example. He invests in people and builds strong relationships with them. It has been a pleasure to work with him for ten years and build this program to the level at which it is at. "Two words came to my mind when I found out Lou was hired at Oklahoma. The first was joy and the second word was reflection. I am beyond happy for Lou Rosselli and his family. The Oklahoma community got a great person and a great coach. Reflection, I reflected on when he first came to Columbus because he stayed with me. His family hadn't moved out yet and Lou moved in with my wife and I and my family. I just remember how excited we both were about the future, and it is just awesome to see what has happened here over the past 10 years and Lou was a big part of it. So the words I think of are joy and reflection. I'm very happy on so many levels for the many people that have crossed paths with Lou." Olympic Gold Medalist Kyle Snyder "Lou values the correct things that you need to value if you want to lead people and if you want to create an environment and a culture that's going to have success. It's not just the fact that he's a great wrestling coach and he knows a lot of techniques, but he also knows what it means to be a solid person and a good man, and he knows how to bring athletes from the ages of 18 to 22 to that same level." Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning "The University of Oklahoma, Joe Castiglione and (OU Wrestling Administrator) Jason Leonard hired a winner in Lou Rosselli. Lou has worked very hard through the years, not only to develop his wrestlers but also to develop himself as a coach. That's an attribute that I think is really fantastic about Lou. He's always trying to better himself, and that's a great quality for a coach to have. "Lou is a great leader because he's going to lead by example by putting in the work you have to do to be a head coach. I know he's going to get a good staff around him that will complement him and his abilities. He has an infectious personality that people will love about him. He has great energy, and I think he's going to draw student-athletes to the University of Oklahoma where they won't only have great academic experiences but also a great athletic experience because of where he can lead them." Four-Time NCAA Champion Logan Stieber "He's a huge motivator. I haven't met anyone just like him as a coach. He's a great leader and he makes it clear how he wants you to win and how you can win. Him leaving is bittersweet. I have known him for the last six years, and he's an amazing coach to me, the best I could ask for. I know he wanted to be a head coach and he deserves everything he wants. I'm very happy for him and I'm happy for his family. He can finally do what he's wanted to do for a while, and I think he will do a great job."

MOORHEAD, Minn. -- Minnesota State University Moorhead head wrestling coach Kris Nelson has announced that Luke Salazar has joined the Dragon coaching staff. Salazar brings a great deal of collegiate experience to the Dragon program. Prior to coming to Minnesota State University Moorhead, Salazar was an assistant coach at Wayland Baptist University for two years. During his time there, he coached two All-Americans and five national qualifiers during the 2013 men's season and helped led the team to an overall 16th finish at the NAIA tournament (2013). He was also an assistant coach at New Mexico Highlands University for four years, working with Hall of Fame Coach Doug Moses. New Mexico Highlands produced NCAA DII qualifiers each year, several All-Americans and a NCAA DII National Champion. Salazar was a NJCAA All-American at Northwest Wyoming and a valuable member of a NJCAA National Championship team. He went to University of Northern Colorado and qualified for the NCAA D1 national tournament. He is currently working on his doctorate degree from Grand Canyon University in Public School Administration with a Leadership emphasis. He is developing a dissertation study aimed at enhancing college wrestling programs.

Lou Rosselli celebrates with Kyle Snyder after the Olympic gold-medal finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors) Lou Rosselli, member of the Ohio State wrestling coaching staff for a decade, has been named head coach at the University of Oklahoma, according to multiple sources. Rosselli would replace Mark Cody, who unexpectedly announced his resignation as Sooner head coach on August 11 after five seasons at the helm. As of Monday evening, there is no announcement of Rosselli's reported hiring at the official Oklahoma Sooner wrestling website, nor in media in the Norman-Oklahoma City area. Rosselli, who was hired by Buckeye head coach Tom Ryan in 2006, was promoted to associate head coach after the 2008-09 season. Ryan was among the individuals connected to the Ohio State wrestling program who offered their congratulations to Rosselli on Twitter Monday evening. "Big Congrats to @LouRosselli being named Head coach @OU_Wrestling! U got a gem. So proud of the work we did here. Time for the next chapter!" Ryan wrote. Newly minted Olympic gold medalist -- and 2016 NCAA heavyweight champ for Ohio State -- Kyle Snyder tweeted: "Congrats to @LouRosselli one of the best coaches I've ever worked with. Can't thank you enough for all you've done." Logan Stieber, four-time NCAA Division I champ for the Buckeyes, wrote: Wouldn't be where I am today without @LouRosselli! Congrats to him! The past 6 years have been amazing! Tommy Rowlands, twice NCAA heavyweight champ for Ohio State, tweeted: "Congrats to my coach, friend, & mentor @LouRosselli. Well deserved. @wrestlingbucks & @OhioRTC will miss you!" There was no information confirming a possible new job on Rosselli's Twitter or Facebook pages. Rosselli, who is also a coach at the Ohio Regional Training Center, just returned to Columbus having coached Kyle Snyder to his gold medal in men's freestyle at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year and 2014 USA Wrestling Freestyle Coach of the Year, Rosselli helped guide Ohio State to a pair of NCAA runner-up finishes (2008, 2009) before the 2015 national title. Before coming to Columbus, Rosselli coached at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania for eleven seasons. Prior to getting into coaching, Rosselli wrestled at Edinboro, where he was a two-time NCAA All-American in 1991 and 1993. In 1993, Rosselli earned Outstanding Wrestler accolades at both the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and Eastern Wrestling League championships.

Aberdeen, S.D. -- Northern State University head wrestling coach Rocky Burkett announced Friday the addition of J.R. Lewis as the next Wolves assistant coach. Lewis joins the NSU program after spending one season at the Coast Guard Academy. J.R. Lewis"We are excited to have J.R. join our staff," noted Burkett. "He has a great knowledge of the sport of wrestling and has been a part of successful programs. J.R. will be a big asset in helping our program continue moving forward." "I'm extremely excited to be a part of the NSU wrestling team," explained Lewis. "I'm very thankful for the opportunity that Director of Athletics, Josh Moon, and Coach Burkett have given me and I look forward to this coming season. Go Wolves!" With the Bears, Lewis coached three regional place winners, as well as the Pilgrim League Wrestler of the Year. He also help lead CGA to their second consecutive winning season for the first time if 15 years. Lewis began his career at his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He spent two seasons as the graduate assistant coach for the Eagles, where he trained five All-Americans and one national finalist. Aside from the collegiate ranks, Lewis has help multiple club and camp coaching positions. He has worked with the Malecek Wrestling Camp, U.S. Naval Academy, Eagle Wrestling Club, and St. Charles Wrestling Club. Collegiately, Lewis was a 3-time NWCA Academic All-American and 2-time UW-L Team Captain. He earned first team All-WIAC in his senior campaign, as well as numerous team awards over his four year career. Lewis received both his bachelor of science in Political Science with a minor in Recreation Management, and his master of science in Physical Education-Teaching from Wisconsin-La Crosse. Lewis began with the Wolves on August 22nd. He will also join NSU graduate assistant coach AJ Valles who joins the Wolves after assistant coaching stops at Sanger High School in Sanger, California and Foothill High School in Palo Cedro, California. He was also the head wrestling coach at Golden State MMA. Valles is a 3-time collegiate All-American and received his AA from Fresno City College and BA from Simpson University.

Joey Davis won his first pro MMA bout at Bellator 160 (Photo/Bellator) Former college wrestling champs went one-for-one at Bellator 160, as four-time NCAA Division II titlist Joey Davis won his first professional mixed martial arts bout, while NCAA Div. I champ Bubba Jenkins was knocked out in less than a minute in his match at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California Friday night. Davis, a native of Compton, California, earned a unanimous decision over Keith Cutrone in his Bellator debut at the catchweight of 175 pounds. All three judges scored it 30-27 for the former undefeated Notre Dame College of Ohio superstar wrestler; in its live play-by-play coverage, Sherdog.com's own panel of judges also scored each of the three rounds in favor of Davis. After his successful inaugural bout, Davis posted this succinct yet heartfelt message on Facebook: "God is good 1-0!" With the win, Davis is now 1-0 in MMA, while Cutrone is 1-1. Davis' pro MMA career has been on a fast track. He won his fourth NCAA title at 184 pounds in March ... signed with Bellator in June, then learned he would be fighting at Bellator 160 just one month ago ... and discovered who his opponent would be even more recently. The outcome was not as good for Bubba Jenkins. The 2011 NCAA champ for Arizona State met his end 53 seconds in the first round, knocked out by Georgi Karakhanyan in a 145-pound catchweight bout. The Las Vegas Review-Journal said Karakhanyan landed "a big right hook after catching a kick to drop Jenkins along the cage and end the fight." "The Russian featherweight took care of 'The Highlight Kid' for the second time in two years," reported FightNetwork.com. "'Insane' came out firing, landing multiple blows that sent Jenkins to the mat with an early knockout, earning his 11th win in his last 14 fights. The loss is only the third of Jenkins' young career and second of the first round variety, both of which Karakhanyan is now responsible for." Back in January 2015, Jenkins lost to Karakhanyan by technical submission -- a guillotine choke -- at 1:49 of the first round of their bout at Bellator 132. With the loss, Jenkins -- who announced his MMA plans after pinning former Penn State teammate David Taylor in the 157-pound finals at the 2011 NCAAs -- now falls to 11-3 in his five-year-old pro MMA career, while the veteran Karakhanyan is now 25-6-1 in his career that now spans a decade.