InterMat Staff

After four years of provisional status, Southern Virginia University has been granted full NCAA Division III membership status for all intercollegiate sports, including the Knights wrestling program, the Buena Vista, Va. school announced Tuesday. Southern Virginia University is the only college that offers NCAA Division III athletics within a faith-supportive environment for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to the school's athletics page. As a full member of Division III -- the largest NCAA division both in number of contributing colleges and of individual athletes -- Southern Virginia will be eligible to compete in NCAA championships and will be able to vote in the NCAA Convention. "Academics are the primary focus for Division III student-athletes," according to the NCAA website, which goes on to say that Division III offers competitive intercollegiate athletics while placing "the highest priority on the overall quality of the educational experience and on the successful completion of all students' academic programs." "We are extremely excited and honored to become full NCAA Division III," said Southern Virginia University Director of Athletics Jason Lamb. "DIII is a perfect fit for us because we embody the division's philosophy of valuing the complete educational experience of our student-athletes." The official date for Division III status for Southern Virginia will be Sept. 1, 2016. The process began in 2012 when the Knights were granted provisional status. The following year, Southern Virginia joined the Capital Athletic Conference, one of the premier Division III conferences on the East Coast. In the four years of provisional status, SVU added a number of intercollegiate sports, including wrestling. Southern Virginia now sponsors 18 varsity-level sports – nine for men, nine for women. Southern Virginia University is a private, four-year, liberal arts college located in Buena Vista, Va.. Founded in 1867 as a school for girls, SVU has an enrollment of approximately 800 students.

Olympic Team Trials champion (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) It's now one month until Team USA wrestlers proudly march in the Opening Ceremonies for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. is sending a total of 14 wrestlers to Rio -- four women and six men in freestyle, and four Greco-Roman athletes. While transportation, accommodations and meals for the athletes are taken care of, it's another matter for the families and friends who want to cheer them on in person. Sure, these families could raise funds the old-fashioned way, with bake sales, selling chocolate bars, or conducting yard sales. Now, thanks to online fundraising sites, fans from all over the world can quickly, easily and safely make a contribution to help the families of their favorite wrestlers… and the families aren't stuck with leftover cookies or candy. InterMat wanted to do its part to help the families of these deserving athletes on the road to Rio… by sharing a list of fundraising websites for individual members of Team USA , put together by USA Wrestling's Richard Immel, and posted on the international wrestling forum of the organization's website, TheMat.com. To make a donation to help a particular wrestler's family, simply click on the link and follow the instructions on that page. Women's Freestyle Haley Augello Weight class: 48 kilograms/105.5 pounds Fundraising goal: $20,000 Amount raised as of July 3: just over $18,000 Athlete's message: "Hi! My name is Haley Augello. I have been wrestling for 13 years and this April I made the Olympic team at 48 kg. I am raising money to send my family to Rio so they can watch me compete in the 2016 Olympic Games. Over the years, I have realized how important it is to have the people who love and support you in your corner. It would mean the world to me to have them there to see me fight for the Gold! I would be super thankful for anything anyone can do to help make this dream a reality!" Helen Maroulis Weight class: 53 kilograms/116.5 pounds Fundraising goal: $24,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $8,700 Athlete's message: "Hi, my name is Helen Maroulis… I moved one step closer to achieving my life-long dream of winning an Olympic gold medal by qualifying my weight class for the Rio Games. Now I am hoping that with your help I will be able to achieve the next step of my goal, which is to send my support system -- made up of my amazing family and coaches -- to Rio with me. While there is nothing I want and have worked for more than to win a gold medal for my country, I never once pictured this dream without having these people by my side to share it with. Nothing would mean more than to be able to look into the stands and see their smiles and tears of joy…" Elena Pirozhkova Weight class: 63 kilograms/138.5 pounds Fundraising goal: $18,100 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $8,700 Message: Elena Pirozhkova has been wrestling for 11 years to see her Olympic dream come true in Rio de Janeiro this summer. Wrestling is her life, and being her family, we are a part of that life and are a part of the wrestling community. Unfortunately we cannot go down to Rio and support Elena... There are 9 children plus my mom, making us a pack of 10. But there is a total of 9 people traveling (since Elena is competing). (Note: The fundraising page has a breakdown of actual anticipated expenses… along with prizes available to donors.) Adeline Gray Weight class: 75 kilograms/165 pounds Fundraising goal: $25,000 Amount raised as of July 3: Approximately $15,800 Athlete's message: "I'm reaching out to my best friends, followers and fans to ask for your help in order to get my family to join me in Rio for the Olympics! My father and ex-coach, George, is a policeman and detective in Denver and he recently broke his foot, taking away his ability to earn enough funds for me to take him, mom, my three sisters and my boyfriend to Rio… I've fought my whole life to do something other girls haven't and my family has been my bedrock through this entire process. Please help me honor their commitment by helping me raise enough funds to take them with me…" Greco-Roman Jesse Thielke Weight class: 59 kilograms/130 pounds Fundraising goal: $25,000 Amount raised as of July 3: $12,000 Athlete's message: "Wrestling in the Olympics has always been a dream for me since I was in second grade… During my entire wrestling journey my faith, family and true friends have always supported me. There were times when wrestling was not fun for me, or them. They always believed and encouraged me to continue to be the best I can be and "never waste a minute". They have been there for all the pain, sweat and tears of joy and also some of the tough times. The sport of Greco-Roman wrestling demands the highest level of physical training; yet, it's the emotional preparation which is even more important. As an athlete, the most important emotional support is seeing and hearing family and friends in the stands during a tournament." Andy Bisek Note: InterMat was unable to find a fundraising website for Andy Bisek, Team USA's Greco-Roman entry at 75 kilograms/165 pounds. If you are aware of an official fundraiser page, please let us know so we may share it with the wrestling community. Ben Provisor Weight class: 85 kilograms/187 pounds Fundraising goal: $25,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $2,300 Athlete's message: "My singular purpose for writing this letter is to ask for financial support, so that my family can attend the games and help me bring home the gold. When it comes to training and competition, having the support of your family is an athlete's secret weapon. I truly believe that the encouragement from them is a key factor in building my confidence, and it's this confidence that can lead to success in a high-pressure sporting event. It would mean a lot to have them in Rio with me to see firsthand what all of their sacrifice and energy has resulted in." Robby Smith Weight class: 130 kilograms/286 pounds Fundraising goal: $20,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $3,600 Athlete's message: "As my Olympic dreams are becoming reality I have been reflecting on my journey. What an incredible experience this has been!!! I am so grateful to all of my fans for the years of support and encouragement! My parents have made a tremendous sacrifice to see my dream through. Years of driving to practice, traveling the world, feeding me, guiding me and supporting me on every level. Their commitment to my journey is beyond words. Now, as years of hard work and discipline are coming to a head, it is more important to me than ever that my mom and dad are there, my dad banging his drum and my mom hiding in the shadows. I am so excited to look up at their faces with undying gratitude and give them the ultimate 'thumbs up.'" Men's Freestyle Daniel Dennis Weight class: 57 kilograms/125 pounds Fundraising goal: (Goal already reached) Frank Molinaro Weight class: 65 kilograms/143 pounds Fundraising goal: $20,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $17,000 Athlete's message: "My wife and I are starting this page to try to get as many of our family members and friends out to Rio to support me in my dreams of attaining Olympic Gold this summer! It would mean so much to me to have a huge support system in Brazil, and to know that I can help them attain this. My wife might not be able to come (unless she has our Son, Frank Anthony a few weeks early), so it would mean the world to me to be able to send as many extended family as possible. Thank you so much for any help you can give…" Jordan Burroughs http://www.teamusa.org/usa-wrestling/forums Weight class: 74 kilograms/163 pounds Fundraising goal: $25,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $1,800 Athlete's message: "My wife and I were blessed to have our second little one arrive…Our little girl, Ora, was born on Saturday June 11th, and she is absolutely perfect. She will be in Rio to cheer Daddy on this summer. A huge thanks to everyone who has supported so far, and please feel free to share… I am hoping that with your support I will be able to help send my family to Rio this summer to watch me attempt to bring home a second Olympic Gold. All contributions will go directly to flights, housing, tickets, and food. Thank you!" J'den Cox Weight class: 86 kilograms/189 pounds Amount raised: Goal already reached; donations closed Kyle Snyder Weight class: 97 kilograms/213 pounds Amount raised: Goal already reached; donations closed Tervel Dlagnev Weight class: 125 kilograms/275 pounds Fundraising goal: $40,000 Amount raised as of July 3: approximately $7,500 Athlete's message: "Tervel Dlagnev here, I need your help to get my family to Rio to cheer me on!... This will be my second Olympic Games. I came up short of a medal in London and it has been a journey to get another chance. This past year has been the toughest of my career as I had to give up my spot on the 2015 World Team due to back surgery. It has been a grind getting back into wrestling form, but I believe I have more to give; I'm very thankful for this opportunity, this could be the last tournament of my life. That being said, my wife and I want this experience to be extra special and we want our families there to experien

The first episode of Global Wrestling News for July has plenty of news about US Olympic wrestling as well as developments in high school and collegiate wrestling too. This week's show covers all the bases -- and then some -- with these feature segments: Interviews with the Cadet World Team along with head coach Brandon Slay. Is this our best team ever? Air Force's Dustin Kilgore and Sam Barber. Great hire? Wayne Boyd's "As I See It" NASCAR wrestling match. Do drivers make great wrestlers? And what about that play-by-play commentary? Yianni Diakomihalis and David Carr scrap on Instagram Ryan Taylor injury reactions Freshman Adam Busiello commits to Penn State. Was it too early? Alex Dieringer up for Best Male College Athlete ESPY. Will wrestling fans help him take down the competition? Ben Dermstadt -- Under Armour Wrestler of the Week 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 already 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.

Richard Figueroa As the former eighth grade group moves onto high school, it is time to turn the corner to the next group of top junior high prospects. These wrestlers reflect those that will graduate high school in the Class of 2021 and outward years. Due to many factors, the rankings will be imperfect, and will most certainly evolve as the years go on. However, all the young men on this list are very talented and deserving to be recognized. Topping the initial junior high rankings is Richard Figueroa of California. It has been a most excellent 2015-16 season for him, including a Roller World of Wrestling Triple Crown at 80 pounds in the 12U division. Figueroa was also a California junior high state champ at 85 pounds, and a Super 32 Challenge middle school champ at 80 pounds. Two other Golden State natives join Figueroa in the top 15, Ryan Franco and Maximo Renteria. Two other states have a pair of ranked wrestlers within the top 15, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Ranked second overall is Carson Manville of Virginia, who also has a very robust resume within the past year. He was champion at the Super 32 Challenge competing at 100 pounds, runner-up at the InterMat JJ Classic, undefeated at the McDonogh Duals, undefeated in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the Schoolboy Duals, a Schoolboy Nationals folkstyle champion, and placing fourth in the high school division of the FloNationals at 106 pounds. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Link: Top 15 Junior High Wrestlers Below is a sneak peek of the top five junior high wrestlers. 1. Richard Figueroa, California 2. Carson Manville, Virginia 3. Ryan Crookham, Pennsylvania 4. Ryan Franco, California 5. Chance Lamer, Iowa

Travis Wiuff claimed a gold medal (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Individual champions were crowned at the Frank Gotch World Catch Championships in Humboldt, Iowa, the hometown of early 1900s professional wrestling champ Frank Gotch, on Sunday. More than 250 people gathered inside the Humboldt High School gymnasium to watch male and female wrestlers from across the United States compete in a wrestling style that emphasized pins and submissions made popular by Gotch, the Fort Dodge Messenger reported Monday. In men's competition, Chris Morales of Los Angeles won the title in the 220-pound division, defeating defending champ Nicholas Caggia of New Jersey in the finals. North Carolina's James Bunn placed third. In the 200-219-pound division, Travis Wiuff, of Rochester, Minnesota, former All-American wrestler at Mankato State and MMA fighter, took the gold, with Ned Morales of Los Angeles placing second, and Arkansas' Nick Badger in third. Anthony Pacheck from Cedar Rapids, Iowa won the title at 160-169-pounds, with Los Angeles' Keanu Huete second, and Johnny Boyd of South Carolina taking third. In competition at 140-159 pounds, first place went to South Carolina's Matt Tran, with Javier Garcia of Los Angeles and Canada's Adam Laporte taking second and third place, respectively. In women's competition, Los Angeles' Shayna Baszler claimed the gold medal (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)In women's competition, Los Angeles' Shayna Baszler, mixed martial arts fighter and pro wrestler, won the crown, with Laura Anderson, U.S. grappling champion from L.A., taking second, and Drew Persson, of Alberta, Canada placing third. In a men's catch weight bout, Curran Jacobs, former Michigan State wrestling captain, pinned Travis Warner of Los Angeles. (Catch weight means that one or both wrestlers did not make weight, but agreed to wrestle regardless.) Here's how Dr. Raul Ramirez, executive director of the Catch Wrestling Association, described the sport to the Messenger in an earlier interview. "It's old, but we are trying to make it new again," said Ramirez, himself a catch wrestling instructor. "This style developed in the northern part of England in its earlier forms during the 1700s before it spread across the United States in the 1800s. "When pro wrestling was real, it was catch-as-catch-can wrestling. There were no points and no time limits at that time. You actually had to beat the other person." One submission hold that appeared to be a fan favorite in the birthplace of Frank Gotch was the toe hold, made popular by the pro wrestler known as the Iowa Plowboy who won the world title from George "the Russian Lion" in Chicago in 1908. "The thing I liked the most was I saw two guys use toe holds from Frank Gotch to win their matches," said Ron Wasoba, recently retired head wrestling coach at Humboldt High School. "The whole crowd was enthusiastic about that because that's what we have talked about through the years is when Frank Gotch got that toe hold on you, it was over." Frank Gotch Statue (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.comWasoba was also impressed with the endurance of the catch wrestlers. "To see these guys go hard for 20 minutes is just unbelievable," said the former amateur wrestler and coach. "It shows the kind of heart they have. A lot of guys once you get to the point where you are really tired, you pretty much collapse and give it up." In catch wrestling, matches can last a maximum of 20 minutes (compared to seven minutes for a college match); however, some were over in less than a minute. The catch wrestling championships had been held in Los Angeles the past two years before moving to Humboldt this year. Ramirez was pleased with the reception in the first year of the event being held in the north-central Iowa community. "If Humboldt will have us, we will come back. People seem to understand what we're doing and appreciate it. We want to go where we are welcome."

Nick Carr was an NCAA Division III champion in 2015 Nick Carr, 2015 NCAA Division III wrestling champ at Washington & Jefferson College, is now an assistant coach at Lycoming College, the Pennsylvania-based school announced Friday. Carr capped off his career at Washington & Jefferson by winning the 157-pound title at the 2015 NCAA D3 championships. In addition, Carr finished his senior year with a perfect 27-0 record, his second Mideast Regional and Presidents' Athletic Conference titles… as well as earning NWCA Scholar All-American, Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American and CoSIDA Academic All-District laurels that year. He had been an NCAA finalist as a junior. Prior to coming to W&J in Washington, Pennsylvania, Carr spent two years at Kent State University in Ohio, going 21-10 in his redshirt freshman year at 149 pounds. A three-time state placewinner at South Fayette High School, Carr won a PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) Class AA state title as a junior and was ranked 10th in the nation among 145-pounders by USA Wrestling. He returned to his prep alma mater last fall, serving as an assistant coach at South Fayette High School in 2015-16. Carr joins the Lycoming coaching staff headed up by Roger Crebs and assistant Sean Reese, and replaces Eric Caschera on the staff, who resigned to pursue opportunities outside athletics. Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The private, four-year college has an enrollment of 1,400 students. All Warriors intercollegiate sports programs – including wrestling – compete in NCAA Division III.

Rich Powers, record-setting Panther wrestler from a quarter-century ago, and loyal wrestling supporter Sandy Stevens are among the members of the Class of 2016 Athletics Hall of Fame for the University of Northern Iowa, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reported Saturday. Rich PowersWrestling for the UNI Panthers from 1988-92, Rich Powers compiled a 134-25-1 record with 54 pins, placing him third all-time in program history. The native of Harvard, Ill. was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American at 177 pounds, placing as high as fourth at the NCAAs. Other career highlights for Powers include defeating Iowa State's Matt Johnson in the 1991 NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) All-Star Meet, and being a four-time NCAA West Regional champ and two-time Outstanding Wrestler for that event. In May, Powers was hired as principal at Cedar Falls High School, the community that Northern Iowa calls home. Sandy Stevens is well known within the wrestling world well beyond the Northern Iowa campus as a highly respected wrestling event announcer and columnist for WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine). She is also a supporter of UNI athletics and most notably wrestling. A graduate of the State College of Iowa (previous name for UNI), Stevens served as the announcer at Panther meets and the NCAA Championships for 34 years, along with multiple world championships and two Olympics. She began the "Pledges for Pins" program at UNI in 2007, and the program has generated more than $132,000 from 17 states. Sandy and husband Bob "Bear" Stevens - a former Panther wrestler -- also created the Bear and Sandy Stevens Head Wrestling Coach Endowment that helps support the salary of UNI's head coach and have endowed a pair of wrestling scholarships. Sandy Stevens is a board member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the UNI Foundation. She will be receiving the Dr. Jitu D. Kothari Meritorious Service Award. In addition to Powers and Stevens, others to be welcomed into the UNI Athletics Hall of Fame include former men's basketball star Ben Jacobson (not to be confused with the current men's basketball head coach by the same name), football standout Ray Pedersen, volleyball stars Kim Kester Tierney and Ellie Blankenship Regan, and the 1982 Panther softball team. The 2016 UNI Athletics Hall of Fame honorees will be officially inducted Saturday, Sept. 10 at 10 a.m. in the McLeod Center on campus. To RSVP for the ceremony, contact the UNI Athletics Office at (319) 273-2470.

DORTMUND, Germany -- Olympian Daniel Dennis (Iowa City, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) claimed a gold medal in men's freestyle at 57 kg/125.5. lbs. on the final day of the Grand Prix of Germany. Dennis defeated Mirjalal Hasan-Zada of Azerbaijan in the finals, 3-2. This is the final tune-up event for the U.S. Olympians in freestyle prior to the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in August. Dennis scored in the first period when Hasan-Zada was placed on the shot clock and could not score, leading 1-0 at the break. In the second period, Dennis was put on the shot clock. Dennis took a shot and scored on a double leg takedown with two seconds left on the shot clock to lead 3-0. Later in the second period, Dennis was again put on the shot clock and did not score, making it 3-1. A caution and one point penalty against Dennis with two seconds left made it the final 3-2 margin. Read complete story … GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY At Dortmund, Germany, July 3 Results Men's freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs. Gold - Daniel Dennis (USA) Silver - Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan) Bronze - Marcel Ewald (Germany) Bronze - Baris Kaya (Turkey) 61 kg/134 lbs. Gold - Haji Aliyev (Azerbaijan) Silver - Krzysztof Bienkowski (Poland) Bronze - Abbas Rakhmanov (Uzbekistan) Bronze - Mehmet Oeguet (Turkey) 70 kg/154 lbs. Gold - Gitnomagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan) Silver - Lennard Wickel (Germany) Bronze - Samet Duelger (Germany) Bronze - Bekzhanov (Kazakhstan) 125 kg/275 lbs. Gold - Jamaladdin Magomedov (Azerbaijan) Silver - Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan) Bronze - Kamil Kaskiewicz (Poland) Bronze - Danylo Kartavyi (Ukraine) U.S. men's freestyle performance 57 kg/125.5 lbs. – Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC), gold medal WIN Roman Walter (Germany), tech. fall 10-0 WIN Baris Kaya (Turkey), tech. fall 11-0 WIN Mirjalal Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan), 3-2 Greco-Roman 59 kg/130 lbs. Gold - Sanal Semenov (Russia) Silver - Lee Jungbaik (Korea) Bronze - Schambulat Lokejaev (Russia) Bronze - Dustin Scherf (Germany) 71 kg/154 lbs. Gold - Maximilian Schwabe (Germany) Silver - Timo Badusch (Germany) Bronze - Abuiazid Mantsigov (Russia) Bronze - Adam Kurak (Russia) 80 kg/176 lbs. Gold - Selcuk Cebi (Turkey) Silver - Kim Hyeonwoo (Korea) Bronze - Mahmoud (Egypt) Bronze - Eduard Sargsyan (Armenia) 130 kg/286 lbs. Gold - Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) Silver - Vitali Shohur (Russia) Bronze - Eduard Popp (Germany) Bronze - Mantas Knystautas (Lithuania) U.S. Greco-Roman performance 71 kg/156 lbs. – Raymond Bunker, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), dnp LOSS Abulazid Mantsigov (R

DORTMUND, Germany -- The U.S. men's freestyle Olympians went four-for-four on medals during day one of competition at the Grand Prix of Germany on Saturday. Three-time World champion and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs (Lincoln, Neb./Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) ran through the 74 kg/163 lbs. field to add another gold medal to his ever-growing collection. After opening with 10-0 technical falls over Markus Knobel of Germany and Andrzej Sokalski of Poland, Burroughs downed 2014 World bronze medalist and NCAA All-American Bekzod Abdurakhmonov of Uzbekistan, 9-3, to advance to the gold medal match. Burroughs won a tight 3-1 bout over hometown favorite Martin Obst of Germany in the finals. Read complete story … GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY July 2-3 at Dortmund, Germany Results Men's freestyle: 65 kg/143 lbs. Gold - Togrul Asgarov (Azerbaijan) Silver - Frank Molinaro (United States) Bronze - Tital Dzhafaryan (Ukraine) Bronze - Mustafa Zopali (Turkey) 74 kg/163 lbs. Gold - Jordan Burroughs (United States) Silver - Martin Obst (Germany) Bronze - Oleg Motsalin (Greece) Bronze - Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan) 86 kg/189 lbs. Gold - Nurmagomed Gadzhiev (Azerbaijan) Silver - Sharif Sharifov (Azerbaijan) Bronze - J'den Cox (United States) Bronze - Amarhajy Mahamedau (Belarus) 97 kg/213 lbs. Gold - Khetag Gazyumov (Azerbaijan) Silver - Radoslaw Baran (Poland) Bronze - Mamed Ibragimov (Kazakhstan) Bronze - Kyle Snyder (United States) Greco-Roman 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Gold - Frank Staebler (Germany) Silver - Artem Surkov (Russia) Bronze - Giuk Chol (Korea) Bronze - Matias Lipasti (Finland) 75 kg/165 lbs. Gold - Rafik Huseynov (Azerbaijan) Silver - Chingiz Labazanov (Russia) Bronze - Oldrich Varga (Czech Republic) Bronze - Jinhyeak Kim (Korea) 85 kg/187 lbs. Gold - Tadeusz Michalik (Poland) Silver - Ramsin Azizsir (Germany) Bronze - Denis Kudla (Germany) Bronze - Metehan Basar (Turkey) 98 kg/215 lbs. Gold - Musa Evloev (Russia) Silver - Fredrik Schoen (Sweden) Bronze - Vilius Laurinaitis (Lithuania) Bronze - Daniel Gastl (Austria) U.S. men's freestyle results 65 kg/143 lbs. - Frank Molinaro, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC), Silver WIN William Stier (Germany), 11-0 WIN Tital Dzhafaryan (Ukraine), 9-2 LOSS Togrul Asgarov (Azerbaijan), 5-4 74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC), Gold WIN Markus Knobel (Germany), 10-0 WIN Andrzej Sokalski (Poland), 10-0 WIN Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan), 9-3 WIN Martin Obst (Germany), 3-1 86 kg/189 lbs. - J'Den Cox, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri Wrestling Foundation), Bronze WIN Kanat Berdiev (Kazakhstan), 10-0 LOSS Sharif Sharifov (Azerbaijan), 6-2 WIN Konstantin Volek (Germany), Fall WIN Adilet Davlumbaev (Kazakhstan), 10-5 97 kg/213 lbs. - Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC), Bronze WIN Nicolai Ceban (Moldova), 9-4 WIN Jose Daniel Diaz Robertti (Venezuela), 9-1 LOSS Khetag Gazyumov (Azerbaijan), 2-1 WIN Serdar Boeke (Turkey), 11-1 U.S. Greco-Roman results 75 kg/165 lbs. - Jayshon Wilson, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps), 5th WIN Khalil Rabbia (Palestine), 11-2 LOSS Rafik Huseynov (Azerbaijan), 12-2 LOSS Oldrich Varga (Czech Republic), 8-0 98 kg/215 lbs. - Daniel Miller, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps) LOSS Cenk Ildem (Turkey), 2-0

Serkan Türk, former national wrestler for Turkey, was among those killed in the terrorist attack at the international airport in Istanbul Tuesday, according to multiple media reports. He was 24. Serkan Türk The attack killed 44 people including Türk, and wounded approximately 280 others at Ataturk International Airport when a trio of terrorists stormed Europe's third-busiest airport and opened fire with rifles before detonating bombs. "United World Wrestling sends its condolences to the Turkish wrestling community after the loss of Serkan Turk during the Ataturk Airport bombing," is the message posted at the Facebook page for the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling. Originally from Samsun, Turkey, Türk was a former national wrestler lived who in Istanbul. He graduated from Trakya University last year after studying physical education, according to NPR. Asst. Prof. Ilhan Toksoz of Trakya University said Türk "was a young man who loved his country and was full of life." Naciye Cinar, a mother of one of Türk neighbors, told reporters that Türk was there to pick her up. "Serkan noticed that something was wrong and got inside the terminal building to find me," she said, according to the BBC. "The bomb exploded as soon as he got inside."

Two-and-a-half months ago, InterMat told you about a former New Jersey wrestling star who had been battling kidney disease and needed a transplant, discovered the perfect match: his girlfriend. This week, Brett Epps received that gift of life from his now-fiancée, Alixandra Cirigliano, thanks to a successful kidney transplant at Carolina Medical Center in North Carolina, USA Today reported Friday. Brett Epps and fiance Alix Cirigliano before their successful kidney transplant operation (Photo/Epps family)"This is going to be Independence Day in more than one way," said Kurt Epps, Brett's father, referring to the upcoming July 4 holiday and that his son would no longer being tethered to a dialysis machine for up to nine hours each night. The 28-year-old Epps was diagnosed in October 2014 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare disease characterized by scarring in the part of the kidney that filters blood. The winningest wrestler in Rutgers Prep school history had been searching for a kidney for more than 18 months, learning in April that Cirigliano had a kidney that would work for him. Surgery had been scheduled for June 1 -- the day Epps proposed to Cirigliano in his hospital room -- was postponed hours because Epps' blood pressure spiked perilously high. No such issues on the second attempt on Wednesday when the transplant was successful. "The kidney took immediately and worked superbly, and it's still working superbly," Kurt Epps said. "After the doctor came in and he said everything was OK, I got up and gave him a big hug and then I left the room and I went into the bathroom to be by myself to let out two years of frustration." In fact, Brett Epps was sitting up the next day, and was expected to be up and walking by the end of this week. According to the Living Kidney Donor Network, approximately 5,000 of the more than 93,000 people waiting for a kidney transplant in the United States will die annually (survival rates are significantly greater for transplants from living donors than cadavers), as the life expectancy of a middle-aged man on dialysis does not exceed eight years.

Three former Olympians -- Dan Gable, Kevin Jackson, and Cary Kolat -- 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: 9 a.m.: Cary Kolat, head coach at Campbell University and 2000 Olympian 9:20 a.m.: Kevin Jackson, Iowa State head coach, 1992 Olympic gold medalist 9:35 a.m.: Dan Gable, 1972 Olympic gold medalist, former University of Iowa head coach 10:00 a.m.: Nahshon Garrett, 2016 NCAA 133-pound champ and four-time All-American at Cornell University 10:20 a.m.: Troy Steiner, University of Iowa mat great, recently named head coach at the newly resurrected program at Fresno State

It's been a week to remember for actor and film director Nate Parker, as the former wrestler at Penn State and University of Oklahoma learned he would be receiving a major film award ... and be named a member of the board that votes for Oscar nominees. Nate ParkerParker will receive the Sundance Institute's Vanguard Award at Night Before Next, a benefit for the Institute and its artists at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles on Aug. 11, the Institute announced this week. The Vanguard Award was founded in 2011 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program and its founding director, Michelle Satter. The award also includes a cash grant. Seven months ago, Parker's film, The Birth of a Nation, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, where it won both the audience award and grand jury prize. The film -- which Parker wrote, financed, directed and starred in -- tells the story of a pre-Civil War slave rebellion led by Nat Turner, was the focus of a bidding war at that same festival, won by Fox Searchlight Pictures paying $17.5 million, the most ever for a Sundance film. The Birth of a Nation will be released to theaters on Oct. 7; the first trailer for the film was posted online this week. Also this week, Parker learned that he is one of 683 new members named by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences -- the organization best known for the annual Oscar awards presented for excellence in movies - in an effort to make the voting membership more diverse. The Class of 2016 membership - which, in addition to Parker, also includes actors Idris Elba, America Ferrera, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael B. Jordan, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac -- is 46% female, and 41% people of color. If all accept their invitations to join, the percentage of female members and members of color will rise to 27% (up 2%) and 11% (up 3%) respectively, according to USA Today. Parker's film career started when he was discovered at a modeling convention in Dallas (he was attending with a friend) which led to a commercial ... then roles in TV and movies. His films include Denzel Washington's The Great Debaters, Secret Life of Bees, and Beyond the Lights. Prior to launching his film career, Nate Parker made a name for himself on the wrestling mat. Born in November 1979 in Norfolk, Va., Parker was introduced to wrestling as a high school sophomore. At national wrestling powerhouse Great Bridge High School, Parker claimed the 125-pound Division AAA title at the 1998 Virginia state championships, and an eighth place finish at the Junior Nationals. Parker earned a scholarship to wrestle at Penn State, and became a starter. However, he left the school after he and a teammate were accused of having had non-consensual sex with a woman; he was acquitted in 2001. Parker transferred to the University of Oklahoma, where he earned All-American honors by placing fifth in the 141-pound bracket at the 2002 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

Alex Dieringer wins at the Freestyle World Cup (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The incredible year that Alex Dieringer has enjoyed appears to have become a bit more rewarding. The Oklahoma State wrestler who just concluded his career as three-time NCAA champ and Hodge Trophy winner earlier this year has signed with Nike Wrestling. Dieringer posted this message on Twitter Thursday: "I am proud to announce that I am officially a @NikeWrestling athlete!! #athleteps #nikewrestling" Dieringer won his third consecutive national title and second straight at 165 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships to cap his collegiate wrestling career on an 82-match win streak, dating back to January 2014. The product of Port Washington, Wisconsin was also a four-time NCAA All-American and four-time Big 12 conference champ. Dieringer closed his Cowboy career with a 133-4 overall record, putting him second only to current head coach John Smith in victories in the 100-year history of the program. Days after winning his third title, Dieringer was named recipient of the 2016 Dan Hodge Trophy, given each year to the top college wrestler. In April, Dieringer earned a place on the U.S. National Team by placing third at 74 kilograms/163 pounds in men's freestyle at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Iowa City. Just last week, Dieringer learned that he's in the running for an ESPY award as Best Male College Athlete.

Beau Bartlett (Photo/Josh Conklin) High school starts in just under two months for the wrestlers in the Class of 2020. Many of the incoming freshmen are already known commodities, as they have performed strongly at multiple national events. The Roller World of Wrestling Triple Crown tournaments (Kickoff Classic, Tulsa Nationals, Reno Worlds), Super 32 Challenge, FloNationals, Schoolboy Nationals, Schoolboy Duals, and Virginia Challenge. On the other hand, others are less traveled nationally. Heck, there will likely be some wrestlers not in this initial top 25 who emerge their way towards the top of the class, as the identification process becomes more precise. Leading this class is Beau Bartlett, who will be attending Wyoming Seminary, Pa. in the fall. He already has a pair of Eastern States Classic titles, since Wyoming Seminary was able to enter him as their high school varsity wrestler in that event, as New York allows junior high wrestlers to compete at the varsity level. In addition, Bartlett was a Cadet National folkstyle champion this spring, a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American at the beginning of June, along with about everything else there is to win. Bartlett is one of five Pennsylvania wrestlers in the initial top 25 for the Class of 2020. Joining him are six-time PJW state champion Sam Hillegas; PJW junior high state champion Andrew Cerniglia (Nazareth), who was undefeated at the Virginia Challenge; Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan), a Tulsa Nationals and Super 32 Challenge middle school division champion; and PJW junior high state champion Gaige Garcia (Southern Columbia). Other states with multiple top 25 rising freshmen are California, Florida, New Jersey, and Ohio. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Link: Top 25 Freshmen Below is a sneak peek of the top five freshmen. 1. Beau Bartlett (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) 2. Josh Saunders (Missouri) 3. Sam Hillegas (Pennsylvania) 4. Jesse Vasquez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) 5. Braxton Amos (West Virginia)

The United States Olympic Committee has revoked 2016 Olympics credentials for FloSports, SportsBusiness Daily reported Thursday. The business website said the USOC was denying credentials to the sports media organization for allegedly posting video footage of several Olympics trials events, including the 2016 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials held in Iowa City in April. NBCUniversal owns exclusive rights to Olympics and team-selection events through 2032, according to the USOC. "After multiple infractions of use of video in trial venues, we revoked credentials for trials and Olympics going forward," a USOC spokesperson said. FloSports CEO & co-founder Martin Floreani disputed the allegations. "There were no repeated use violations," Floreani said. "We disagree with the spirit of the claims, which resulted in the USOC's withdrawal of two credentials. The USOC's response is odd. We understand that the USOC is struggling to keep up with current media trends. Their actions illustrate their inexperience with emerging media. Withdrawing our credentials just hurts the USOC. We wish them the best of luck." FloSports operates FloWrestling.org as well as other media organizations devoted to several sports. According to SportsBusiness Daily, FloSports has a contract with United World Wrestling -- the international governing body for the sport of amateur wrestling -- but not with the International Olympic Committee or the USOC.

Jim Vollrath compiled a career record of 72-24 at Penn State (Photo/Bill Ennis) A GoFundMe.com webpage has been established for recent Penn State wrestler James Vollrath who is battling cancer. "Jim Vollrath was recently diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma cancer," according to his fundraising page. "We are raising money to help with his chemotherapy treatments and all other medical expenses. Any donations will be extremely helpful! Thank you to everyone who is supporting Jim's battle." In the week since the page was established by Taryn Marino, approximately $7,700 of the $20,000 goal had been raised as of Thursday evening. Ewing's sarcoma is a primary bone cancer, meaning that it originates within bone cells, according to WebMD.com . A native of Richboro, Pa., Vollrath wrestled at 157 pounds for the Nittany Lions from 2009-2014, crafting an overall record of 72-24. Among his PSU highlights: winning ESU Open title in 2010, and defeating eventual three-time NCAA champ Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State and eventually placing second at the prestigious 2013 Southern Scuffle. Prior to coming to Penn State, Vollrath wrestled at Council Rock South High School at 145, where he compiled a 132-45 mark, and was a PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state championships place winner.

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Taylor Meeks, a four-time NCAA qualifier during an impressive career at Oregon State, has returned to the program as an assistant coach, head coach Jim Zalesky announced Thursday. Taylor MeeksZalesky also announced that assistant coach Kevin Roberts has been promoted to associate head coach. Meeks comes back to Corvallis after serving one season as an assistant coach at Boise State. "He's been through the program, he wrestled here and has the respect of the guys on the team," Zalesky said. "He can work with the upper weights, which is what I was looking for. We should be pretty strong there next year. He will be a great asset to our team." Meeks completed his Oregon State career in 2014 after winning 122 matches, which is tied for 10th all-time. His 32 pins, meanwhile, rank him 13th. Meeks won the Pac-12 crown at 197 pounds in 2013 and was named an All-American after finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. The Beavers finished eighth that year, their second consecutive top-10 finish. He also wrestled at 184 pounds during his career, and took home three additional conference runner-up finishes in addition to his 2013 title. "It means a lot to me to be able to come back to Oregon State," Meeks said. "I've been around Coach Zalesky for a long time and I know what his expectations are, what he wants. I'm real excited to be here." Roberts has been with Oregon State since the 2006-07 season. In 10 seasons as an assistant under Zalesky, he's helped guide the team to seven conference championships, including a school-record five consecutive. Roberts, a native of Spokane, Wash., has helped coach 10 All-Americans and 22 conference champions. "He's been with the program since I've been here," Zalesky said. "He's put in 10 good years for us and has worked hard to earn that promotion." "I'm very excited for the opportunity and I'd like to thank Coach Zalesky and Oregon State for their continued support," Roberts said. "I'm looking forward to continuing to build the program to new heights." Prior to joining the Oregon State staff, he was an assistant coach at North Idaho College and Wyoming in addition to a stint as a strength and conditioning coach at Minnesota. He was a two-time All-American during a career at Oregon that saw him claim three team Most Valuable Wrestler honors. For more information on the Oregon State baseball team, follow the club's official Twitter account at Twitter.com/BeaverWrestling, by Facebook at Facebook.com/OregonStateBaseball or on Instagram at Instagram.com/BeaverWrestling. OREGON STATE ATHLETICS' EVERYDAY CHAMPIONS CULTURE Through the power of sport, we help people discover and pursue their passions, talents and purpose in order to live a life of balance and positive contribution.

Cohlton Schultz was a Doc Buchanan champion (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) As the summer after their freshman high school season is beginning, the initial edition of a top 50 rankings for the Class of 2019 is here. Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.) retains his status as the top prospect in this class. During the spring, he qualified for the UWW Cadet World Championships in Greco-Roman at 100 kilograms, along with a third-place finish in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals. In addition, he went undefeated at the NWCA Scholastic Duals in folkstyle during April. Though it was reported this spring by Five Point Move that Schultz is going to be wrestling Greco-Roman at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs moving forward, he remains in the Class of 2019 prospect rankings for two reasons. First, unlike Aaron Pico, he has not renounced amateur status (i.e. eliminated NCAA eligibility). Second, Schultz has competed in both folkstyle and freestyle since the announcement. Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.) and Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.) retain their positions at No. 2 and No. 3 in the Class of 2019. Raimo placed third at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle at 54 kilograms, losing to the eventual champion in the semifinals; while Busiello verbally committed to Penn State this week. Rounding out the top five are Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) and Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio). Ramirez, who competed for Tampa Prep, Fla. has transferred to Blair Academy for the 2016-17 season. Already this off-season, he placed third at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle competing at 69 kilograms, and was undefeated at the Cadet National Duals in freestyle this month. Decatur finished as runner-up at 54 kilograms at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle, with undefeated performances at both the NWCA Scholastic Duals and Disney Duals in folkstyle. Ramirez is one of four top 50 sophomores on the Blair Academy team, as he is joined by Michael Colaiocco, Chris Cannon, and Mike Madara; those three were the Buccaneers' starters at 106 through 120 in the 2015-16 season. Five other wrestlers are ranked from New Jersey, including a pair that compete for Bergen Catholic. Additional teammates in the rankings include those that compete for Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), Northampton (Pa.), Pomona (Colo.), and Simley (Minn.). InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Link: Top 50 Sophomores Below is a sneak peek of the top 10 sophomores. 1. Cohlton Schultz (Ponderosa, Colo.) 2. Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.) 3. Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.) 4. Julian Ramirez (Blair Academy, N.J.) 5. Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) 6. Julian Chlebove (Northampton, Pa.) 7. Josh McKenzie (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) 8. Connor Brady (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio) 9. Anthony Jackson (Simley, Minn.) 10. Dylan D'Emilio (Genoa, Ohio)

Jake Brindley Three-time state champion Jake Brindley (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) verbally committed to Cornell University on Wednesday evening. The projected 157/165-pound wrestler is ranked as the No. 79 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017, and joins No. 2 Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) and No. 3 Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.) as elite commitments for the Big Red in this recruiting class. Brindley has four state finals match appearances, winning titles in 2013, 2014, and 2016. He also placed eighth at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2014, and finished third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring. Brindley also ended he 2015-16 season ranked No. 18 in the nation at 145 pounds.

J Robinson coaching at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Related: U wrestler's essay submitted to J Robinson | University of Minnesota police report Hennepin County prosecutors as well as Minneapolis city attorneys have decided not to pursue criminal charges against University of Minnesota wrestlers suspected of using and selling the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax earlier this year, nor would there be any obstruction charges leveled towards coach J Robinson, according to multiple media reports Wednesday evening. The county attorney's office declined to pursue the case due to "a lack of evidence." Minneapolis city attorney Susan Segal said that University police presented their case to her office last week, after approaching the county attorney's office. "We reviewed all the evidence and there was not sufficient evidence to support charges in the case and it's as simple as that," Segal told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. In addition, Segal said that there wasn't enough evidence to support misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor charges against Minnesota head wrestling coach J Robinson "regarding this case and specifically concerning an obstruction charge being brought against (name redacted)," with that name reportedly being Robinson, according to the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. Segal added that school officials did not inquire about drug charges concerning the wrestlers who were allegedly involved. "Declining charges is different from saying that people acted appropriately," Segal said. "It means there's not evidence that fit in the criminal charges that we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt." Meanwhile, the university will continue its investigation. Coach Robinson remains on paid administrative leave, prohibited from having any involvement with the Gopher wrestling team, nor is he allowed on the campus.

J Robinson has guided Minnesota to three NCAA titles (Photo/David Peterson) Gophers wrestling coach J Robinson, who allegedly found out about some members of his team selling and using Xanax in March, told University of Minnesota police a month later the matter had been "fully taken care of," according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune Tuesday. Campus police have been conducting a criminal investigation into a team member's disputed allegation that Robinson attempted to cover up allegations that four Minnesota wrestlers had been selling Xanax to fellow students, and that ten student-athletes were using the prescription anti-anxiety drug. After being alerted to the allegations, Robinson told the team in March that anyone who was involved in the use or sales of drugs had until the end of the month to report that information to him and turn in any drugs they may have. At that point, Robinson said those team members would be granted immunity, according to the affidavit, which had been issued April 21. According to Robinson's attorney Ryan Kaess, the coach gave wrestlers who came to confess a form he had created with check boxes indicating whether they had bought, used or sold the drug. When Robinson received the completed forms, he discussed them with the athletes and then threw them away, Kaess said. Robinson told the wrestlers to report to the athletic trainer to begin the school's "Safe Harbor" program, which protects athletes from drug test-related punishments if they self-report. Student-athletes in the program are temporarily ineligible to participate in university sports. The affidavit stated that, once the forms were turned in, Robinson gave those wrestlers immunity and considered the matter closed. According to the affidavit, Robinson met with University of Minnesota police officers April 12 but refused to provide them with wrestlers' names, documents in his possession and other information pertinent to the investigation. "Robinson said that he would provide more detailed information beyond possession and use by his players if we could grant his players immunity," university investigator Aaron Churness wrote in the report. Two days later, campus police tried to interview wrestlers. When officers arrived at the students' classes, they were not present, according to the affidavit. When contacted again, the informant told police that Robinson had alerted some wrestlers that they were being investigated and recommended they seek legal counsel. The university police then issued a search warrant directed at both Robinson and the 14 wrestlers alleged to be involved, which was served April 15. Investigators seized three computers, a DVD drive, 15 storage drives and an iPhone from Robinson's office at the Bierman Athletic Building, according to the warrant. Through his agent, Robinson has insisted he followed proper channels by alerting both his direct supervisor and then-interim Athletics Director Beth Goetz of his suspicions that some of his wrestlers were using Xanax. On June 1, Minnesota's new athletic director Mark Coyle told Robinson that he would be on paid administrative leave, suspended of all coaching duties, and not allowed to be on campus. All J Robinson wrestling camps originally scheduled to take place at the University of Minnesota campus were relocated to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. The investigation by the University of Minnesota Police remains open; coach Robinson remains on paid administrative leave as the school continues its investigation. However, earlier this week, Hennepin County prosecutors announced they were not planning to charge a University of Minnesota wrestler with selling Xanax, saying there was "insufficient evidence at this time." J Robinson was named head coach of the Minnesota wrestling program in 1986. In his 30 years at the helm, the Golden Gophers won three NCAA team titles in 2001, 2002 and 2007. Robinson has led Minnesota to an overall record of 440-145-4, for a .747 winning percentage, the highest of any wrestling coach in the nearly 100 years of the program's existence.

Gable Steveson claimed his second state title in late February (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Since the last grade level rankings were published in mid-April, which was right after the post-season national tournaments at the end of the scholastic season, two-plus months including many major competitions have occurred. As a result, there are some changes to be had in the Class of 2018 rankings. What does remain constant though is the top four wrestlers within the rising junior class. Leading the way is Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.), who continues to be locked in with his form. The returning UWW Cadet world champion in freestyle at 100 kilograms won the national title in that weight class in early June, and will seek a repeat gold medal in September. In addition, Steveson dominated his way to championships at two different Junior regional tournaments. David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) remains second overall in this class after winning a UWW Cadet national title at 69 kilograms, which is a one position improvement from his runner-up finish last year. Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.) remains third after most notably finishing runner-up at the UWW Cadet Nationals in April at 55 kilograms, a tournament run that included a shutout technical fall over elite 2015 recruit Nick Piccininni (Oklahoma State). Two-time California state champion Seth Nevills (Clovis) remains in the fourth position. Three other wrestlers from this grade level made upward movements in the ranking after qualifying for the UWW Cadet World Championships in freestyle, as they earned national titles in Akron earlier this month. Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.) and Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, Ore.) each moved up six positions in the rankings, to No. 7 and No. 8 respectively, while Aaron Cashman (Mound Westonka, Minn.) moved into the top 50 at No. 44 Making a significant move up into the top ten was Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.), the UWW Cadet Nationals runner-up at 69 kilograms in freestyle. He jumped fourteen positions from No. 23 to No. 9 overall in this class. A pair of wrestlers moved up eight spots in the grade level rankings, Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.) and Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), who are now ranked No. 23 and No. 28 respectively; Hidlay placed third at the UWW Cadet Nationals in the 76 kilogram freestyle competition, while Lewan was fifth at UWW Cadets in the 63 kilogram weight class along with undefeated performances at the NWCA Scholastic Duals and the Cadet Freestyle Duals. Earning debut appearances in the top 50 are Jared Krattiger (Waterford, Wis.), Anthony Cassioppi (Hononegah, Ill.), Aaron Cashman (Mound Westonka, Minn.), Nelson Brands (Iowa City West, Iowa), and Jake Gliva (Simley, Minn.). Pennsylvania natives are most popular in the rankings, as eight wrestlers from the Keystone State appear in the top 50. Five wrestlers each reside from Illinois, New Jersey, and Ohio; while four are from Minnesota, as well as three being from California, Indiana, and Florida. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Link: Top 50 Juniors Below is a sneak peek of the top 10 junior recruits. 1. Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) 2. David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) 3. Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.) 4. Seth Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) 5. Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) 6. Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.) 7. Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.) 8. Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, Ore.) 9. Joe Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.) 10. Frankie Gissendanner (Penfield, N.Y.)

Spencer Lee is the nation's No. 1 senior recruit (Photo/Robbert Wijtman‎) July 1 is Friday, and with that is the official start of the open contact period for Class of 2017 prospects. On that note, InterMat is unveiling its initial ranking of the top 100 wrestlers (recruits, prospects, etc.) for the rising senior class. It is a most excellent group with a pair of world gold medalists anchoring the class. University of Iowa verbal commitment Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.) has been -- with the exception of six months during 2015 -- the top wrestler in this class since November of their eighth grade year. That was when he finished runner-up at 106 pounds in the high school division of the Super 32 Challenge, losing a narrow decision in the final to Nick Suriano, who just finished high school as the No. 2 overall wrestler in the Class of 2016. Lee is a two-time world champion in freestyle, winning the UWW Cadet title at 50 kilograms in 2014 before taking home UWW Junior gold last year at 50 kilos. He will be seeking a repeat UWW Junior world title in late August, also at 50 kilos. In terms of scholastic style wrestling, he is a two-time Super 32 Champion and a two-time Walsh Jesuit Ironman, missing out on the chance to win a third title in each during the fall of 2015 due to injury. Furthermore, he is undefeated for his high school career, one in which he is a three-time state champion in Pennsylvania's big-school division. Right behind in the rankings is Cornell verbal commitment Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.), who was a UWW Cadet world champion in freestyle at 58 kilograms last year, and seeks to add a title at 63 kilos come September. In addition, Diakomihalis is already a four-time state champion, including a title at 99 pounds during his eighth grade season; New York State has that additional lower weight class and allows junior high wrestlers to compete at the varsity level. He is already a three-time Super 32 Challenge champion, and would become the tournament's first-ever four-time champion should he compete and win the title this fall. Three other wrestlers in this grade level will be competing at UWW World Championships in freestyle this summer. No. 3 Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.) is slated to represent the United States at the Cadet level in the 58 kilogram class, No. 4 Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) is slated to compete on the Junior level at 55 kilos, while No. 8 Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill.) is slated to compete at 85 kilos on the Cadet level. In terms of state representation, the "usual suspects" lead the way. Spencer Lee anchors 18 top 100 wrestlers from the Keystone State, a total that includes seven in the top 30 and nine in the top 50. Ohio has the second most in the rankings with 11, while it's eight from California and seven from Illinois. States with five ranked top 100 prospects include Iowa, New York, New Jersey; while Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma each have four rated in the top 100. In all, 27 states have a wrestler appearing in the top 100 for the Class of 2017, eighteen when one narrows it down to the top 50. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Link: Top 100 Seniors Below is a sneak peek of the top 10 senior recruits. 1. Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.), University of Iowa commitment 2. Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.), Cornell 3. Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.), Cornell 4. Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) 5. Nick Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.), Penn State 6. Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.) 7. Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa.), Virginia 8. Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill.) 9. Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) 10. Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.), Oklahoma State

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Coker College has named Michael Baxter as its head wrestling coach, Dr. Lynn Griffin, vice president of athletics and athletic facilities, announced today. Baxter becomes the second coach in program history. "We are very excited to have Michael join the Coker family," said Griffin. "He brings a wealth of experience, passion and a proven record of success to Coker. We look forward to watching Michael build on the academic and athletic success that our wrestling program has earned over the last three years." Baxter comes to Coker after spending the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Mercyhurst University. During the 2016 season, Baxter helped guide the Lakers to an 11-4 record, including going 6-1 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play. Nine wrestlers earned All-American status, with 125-pound Willie Bohince finishing second at the NCAA Division II National Championship. Off the mat, Mercyhurst had nine wrestlers named National Wrestling Coaches Assocaition (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans and as a team the Lakers had the second highest grade-point average in the nation, with a 3.350 team GPA. There were also two wrestlers, Bohince and Augusta Mizia, named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District at-large team. "I am very excited to have the opportunity to lead and coach at Coker College," Baxter said. "I want to thank Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Griffin for giving the me the chance to take the helm of the Coker wrestling team. Coker has done a fantastic job of building a program that is competitive athletically, as well as academically. I am confident with the group of student-athletes we have here, along with the vision of our leadership and administration, that Coker wrestling will continue to improve and compete at the highest level on and off the mat." Baxter, a native of Sandusky, Ohio, wrestled for the Lakers for two seasons before injuries derailed his athletic career. Over his two seasons, he compiled a 41-23 record, including a stellar 29-14 mark as a freshman. The 29 victories he recorded as a freshman are tied for fifth in program history by a rookie. He also led the Lakers with ten victories by fall as a freshman, which is also tied for fifth in program history in a single season. He missed qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championship by one place after finishing fifth at the NCAA Super Region 1 Tournament. After having his wrestling career cut short due to injuries, Baxter stayed on with the program as a student assistant coach during his junior and senior seasons. Over his two seasons on the Laker bench, Mercyhurst has posted a 28-9 record in duals, including a program-best 15-3 mark in 2012-13. The Lakers also won the first-ever Division II PSAC Championship in 2013-14. Baxter wrestled at Perkins High School in Sandusky, earning third- and seventh-place finishes at the State Championships during his career. A 2013 graduate of Mercyhurst with a bachelor's degree in sports medicine, he also earned a master's degree in exercise science from Mercyhurst in 2014. He assumes command of a Cobra wrestling team that has produced three national qualifiers, seven NWCA Scholar All-Americans and the program's first-ever All-American in 2016, Austin Akins, in just three seasons.