InterMat Staff

Jon Jones, high school and junior college wrestling champ who became an Ultimate Fighting Championships titleholder, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a charge resulting from a hit-and-run crash in Albuquerque earlier this year that injured a pregnant woman. Jones' plea to a felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving injury was entered in New Mexico district court. He will avoid jail time and serve up to 18 months of supervised probation under his plea agreement made before Judge Charles Brown in Albuquerque on Tuesday. Jon JonesIn addition, the 28-year-old fighter has been ordered to schedule 72 speaking engagements, one for each week of his probation, at area schools and martial arts centers on how wrong choices can damage an individual's life. If Jones compiles with the terms of his probation, he will not be convicted, and will not have the felony on his record. Back in April, Jones ran a red light while driving a rental SUV in Albuquerque, striking another vehicle. According to witnesses, Jones then fled on foot, but returned soon after to collect cash from the vehicle. Officers responding to the accident found a pipe with marijuana in the SUV. A woman in the other car was sent to the hospital with a broken arm. Jones' defense attorney said in court that the fighter had tried to make the situation right with the injured woman, claiming the woman had fully recovered from her accident-related injuries. In addition, the attorney told the court that Jones turned himself in to authorities to comply with an arrest warrant after the accident. Shortly after his arrest, the UFC stripped Jones of his light heavyweight title and suspended him from fighting. "With regards to today's decision made by the court, I am very happy to now be able to put this incident behind me," Jones said in a statement after sentencing. "My actions have caused pain and inconvenience in the lives of others and for that I am truly sorry and I accept full responsibility. I have been working hard during this time away from my sport to grow and mature as a man and to ensure that nothing like this happens again. I have learned a great deal from this situation and I am determined to emerge a better person because of it. I apologize to those who were affected by my actions in this incident and I am hopeful that I will be given the opportunity to redeem myself in the eyes of the public, my family and friends as well as my supporters. I am not sure what the future holds for me but I plan to continue to do the work needed to be productive and successful in every aspect of my life." The UFC also issued a statement regarding Jones which said, "The UFC organization is aware that Jon Jones reached a plea agreement with authorities in Albuquerque, New Mexico this morning stemming from charges associated with a motor vehicle accident earlier this year. As a result, UFC, through Las Vegas-based law firm Campbell & Williams, will thoroughly review the agreement before discussing Jones' possible reinstatement to return to competition." Jones launched his mixed martial arts career in April 2008, compiling a 21-1 overall record. Prior to entering MMA, Jones was a New York State wrestling champ for Union-Endicott High School. He won a NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) title while at Iowa Central Community College.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has finalized his coaching staff for the 2015-16 season with the addition of Darrius Little. A 2012 NCAA All-American and three-time ACC runner-up for North Carolina State, Little will serve as Lehigh's volunteer assistant while training with the Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club. “I've known Darrius for a long time, from when he was a freshman at NC State and I was at Maryland,” Santoro said. “I've always been impressed with how he's handled himself and how he competed. He has a good moral compass and I look forward having him join our staff.” Little spent the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach at Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina where he helped mentor Ryan Mosley into a NCAA tournament qualifier. At NC State, Little amassed a 102-58 record and sits third in school history in total victories. He capped his Wolfpack career with a 37-13 campaign in 2011-12 that featured runner-up finishes at both the Southern Scuffle and ACC Championships. Little went 4-3 at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, earning All-America honors with an eighth place finish at 141. He defeated nine nationally ranked wrestlers including four All-Americans in his senior season. Little also finished second in the ACC as a freshman in 2008 and as a junior in 2011. A three-time NCAA qualifier, he qualified for nationals in 2009 and 2011 in addition to his All-America campaign in 2012. “I've heard numerous great things about the coaching staff,” Little said. “I wrestled against Santoro my freshman year when he was at Maryland and saw how he took that program literally from the bottom to a top tier program. “You want to be around people like that,” Little continued. “That was one of the biggest things for me. Lehigh has a great team, great facilities, a great campus, and excellent support from alumni but the number one thing was being able to be mentored by Pat Santoro.” The Thomasville, N.C. native has been active on the freestyle circuit since graduating from North Carolina State with a degree in science, technology and society with a concentration in computer science in 2012. Little finished fourth at University Nationals in 2014 and took seventh place at 61 kg in the 2015 U.S. Open last May. Little will work primarily with Lehigh's lighter weights that include a pair of returning All-Americans in Darian Cruz and Mason Beckman, and two-time EIWA Champion Randy Cruz. The Mountain Hawks will officially begin preseason practice next week. The 2015-16 season will begin with the annual Brown and White Wrestle-offs, October 29 inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. The dual season begins at Bucknell on November 6, while the home opener against Pitt is slated for November 20.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- After putting up piles of points en route to an undefeated freshman season and an NCAA championship at 157 pounds, Illinois' Isaiah Martinez is ready to make his first appearance at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic is also sponsored by Raymond James and will be held at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m. Martinez will face two-time All-American Nick Brascetta of Virginia Tech. Brascetta will be the second of three Hokies to compete in the event as heavyweight Ty Walz and 174-pounder Zach Epperly also accepted invitations. Epperly's matchup will be announced in the coming days. Isaiah Martinez runs to the elevated mat in the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Martinez went 34-0 during his first season in the Illinois lineup and he became the first undefeated freshman to win the NCAA championship since Iowa State's Cael Sanderson went 39-0 during the 1998-99 season. Martinez and Brascetta met once during the 2014-15 season, a 10-4 win by Martinez in the quarterfinals of the 2015 NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis. "When you look at what Isaiah Martinez did last year as a freshman, you can't help but be impressed," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "In 34 matches, he scored 25 bonus victories. He's exciting and high-octane -- he's the type of wrestler this event is intended to showcase to the sporting public." Of those 25 bonus victories, Martinez earned 11 technical falls and seven major decisions, including a 10-2 major decision over Cornell's Brian Realbuto in the 157-pound Division I final. Brascetta moved up from 149 pounds after a redshirt year and earned his second All-American honor, finishing fourth, after an injury-shortened season. Going 15-4, Brascetta was unseeded entering the tournament and upended ninth-seeded Joey LaVallee of Missouri and eighth-seeded John Boyle of American before falling to Martinez in the quarterfinals. Brascetta earned All-American honors with a 5-2 win over fifth-seeded Cody Pack of South Dakota State and then picked up an 8-0 major decision over two-time All-American Mitch Minotti of Lehigh. He fell in the third-place match to Nebraska's James Green 3-2. Green recently finished with a bronze medal at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in freestyle. This is the second straight year Virginia Tech has multiple entries in the event. Last year, Devin Carter and Joey Dance represented Virginia Tech. Martinez will make Illinois' 19th individual appearance in the All-Star Classic. The last time Illinois had wrestlers in the All-Star Classic was in 2011-12 when Jesse Delgado, B.J. Futrell, and Jordan Blanton all competed in the event. Illinois wrestlers are 10-8 all-time in the event, but haven't won an individual matchup since 2009 when Jimmy Kennedy defeated Minnesota's Jayson Ness 7-5 at 133 pounds. Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: Isaiah Martinez, So. (Illinois) vs. Nick Brascetta, Sr. (Virginia Tech) 165: 174: Kyle Crutchmer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Zach Epperly, So. (Virginia Tech) 184: Nathaniel Brown, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Vic Avery, Sr. (Edinboro) 197: 285: Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech) WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15 PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider) EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org About ESPNU The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.

2014 state champion Owen Webster (Shakopee, Minn.), who is also a three-time state place-winner, verbally committed to the home state University of Minnesota on Monday evening. Coming off a sizzling off-season, one in which he was a UWW Cadet National freestyle champion and a Junior National freestyle All-American, Webster is ranked No. 40 overall in the Class of 2016. Also on the resume for Webster is an eighth place finish in last year's Super 32 Challenge, along with finals appearance in both styles at the 2014 Cadet Nationals (including a title in Greco-Roman). He projects to compete as a 184 pound wrestler in college for the Golden Gophers. Webster is the third top recruit for Minnesota in their 2016 class, where he joins No. 11 Mitch McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) and No. 38 Hunter Marko (Amery, Wis.) as a commitment.

Two-time state champion Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) verbally committed to Lehigh University on Monday afternoon. The No. 28 overall prospect in the Class of 2016 was also undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka, Disney Duals) this summer, and a placer in the 2013 edition of the Super 32 Challenge. Karam, a three-time state finalist, projects to compete as a 125/133 in college for the Mountain Hawks. He joins No. 6 Jordan Wood (Boyertown, Pa.) and No. 20 Chris Weiler (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) as notable commits for Lehigh in this year's recruiting class to date.

Signing Day has long been a fixture on the sports calendar as high school wrestlers make written commitments to continue their college careers. Now Signing Day has a whole new meaning, as three former NCAA Division I wrestlers -- Mike McClure, Roman Perryman, and Max Thomusseit -- are among the athletes who participated in Hendrick Motorsports very first Signing Day ceremony to welcome the newest class of NASCAR pit crew recruits at the organization's Concord, N.C. headquarters this past week. Mike McClure tries to defend a leg attack from Nick Gwiazdowski in the NCAA quarterfinals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)"It's really neat to be a part of the first Signing Day ever for Hendrick Motorsports for the pit development program," Hendrick Motorsports President Marshall Carlson said. "It's a tradition in other sports. If you look at what we tried to do over the last few years really elevating our whole athletic department and these athletes -- bring them in and trying to get out to a wider range of recruits -- the investments we've made in coaching, the facilities, it's really fitting that we would start to do some of the traditional things that other sports do to celebrate the success that the coaches and the recruiting class are bringing to our company." Director of Human Performance Andy Papathanassiou described the multi-step weeding-out process to determine the seven athletes -- including four college football players, in addition to the three former mat stars -- that would be a member of Hendrick Motorsports' fall class of 2015. "Our classes have ranged from seven to about a dozen," Papathanassiou said. "Year after year we start recruiting, gathering 50 names, knock that down to about 30 that we see in person, and we physically evaluate them. We bring in 20 for a two-day minicamp where we put pit crew equipment, pit stop stuff in their hands and then pick our recruiting class from there. These are the winners of a very long and arduous process." McClure, who wrestled heavyweight at Michigan State, is now a fueler/jackman for Hendrick Motorsports. A native of Holland, Mich., McClure, 25, earned All-American honors by placing fifth in the 285-pound bracket at the 2014 NCAA championships. The education major also achieved All-American honors in academics. Perryman's position with the Hendrick pit crew is tire changer. The Springfield, Va. product graduated from West Virginia University this spring, majoring in sports and exercise psychology. Perryman was the runner-up in the 149-pound finals at the 2015 Big 12 conference championships. Former Pitt wrestler Thomusseit will be a tire career for the Hendrick pit crew. A native of St. Paris, Ohio, the 24-year-old Thomusseit was a four-time NCAA championships qualifier at 184 pounds for the Panthers. Max is following in the footsteps of his older brother Zac, also a former Pitt wrestler who joined the Hendrick pit crew in 2014. NASCAR pit work is proving to be a new career opportunity for wrestlers to employ the strength and skills gained on the mat ... an athletic alternative to mixed martial arts, professional wrestling, or pro football. In August, Deven Dittrich, former wrestler and long-time coach who is also a NASCAR fan, told InterMat, "I am hoping that a by-product of all of these stud wrestlers on pit crews will be four-fold. First, that it can bring higher-quality coaching at wrestling clubs in the Charlotte area. Second, that NASCAR will bring media attention to amateur wrestling to the southeastern U.S., while a NASCAR hotbed, has been historically soft spot for amateur wrestling. Third, that USA Wrestling will find a way to piggy back off the good publicity generated by these wrestlers in mainstream media, and, finally, a new high-paying career opportunity for wrestlers so that they can help donate to fundraising efforts of their former college programs that helped them get this job." The other four former college athletes who signed with Hendrick Motorsports last week include Spencer Bishop (tight end at Wake Forest), Ryan Cheek (linebacker and fullback at North Carolina State), Rod Cox (cornerback, linebacker and safety for N.C. State), and Matt Lehman (tight end for Penn State).

Dale ThomasA measure of success in college wrestling for individuals and programs is total number of wins. The same can be said for collegiate wrestling coaches at all levels -- NCAA Division I, II and III, as well as NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) and NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association). As wrestling fans anticipate the 2015-16 season, Martin Fleming of the website Takedown Report has updated his list of all-time winningest college mat coaches who have compiled at least 240 wins over the course of their careers. Over 100 coaches have earned at least that many career victories as of the end of last season; InterMat has chosen to show the top 25 here. Individuals listed in bold are still actively coaching. Coach's name/School/Number of Wins/Collegiate division 1. Dale Thomas (Oregon State) 616 -- NCAA Division I 2. Jare Klein (Olivet College) 569 -- III 3. Pat Pecora (Pitt-Johnstown) 540 -- II 4. David Icenhower (College of New Jersey) 534 -- III 5. John Reese (Wilkes Univ.) 515 -- I/III 6. Jack Childs (Drexel) 512 -- I / NJCAA 7. Bill Racich (Ursinus College) 499 -- III 8. Harold Nichols (Iowa St.) 493 -- I 9. Max Servcies (Wabash) 487 -- III 10. Doug Parker (Springfield, Mass) 485 -- III 11. Arthur "Bucky" Maughan (North Dakota State) 467 -- II / I 12. Milton Martin (Westmar) 462 -- NAIA 13. Don Elia (Carson-Newman) 461 -- II 14. Ron Mirikitani (Meramec --St. Louis) 457 -- NJCCA 15. John Sacchi (Rutgers/Middlesex) 447 -- I/NJCAA 16. Ned McGinley (King's College) 442 -- III 17. Bobby Douglas (Iowa St./Cal St. Santa Barbara/Ariz. State) 440 -- I 18. John Johnston (Princeton/Stevens Tech) 431 -- I/NJCAA 19. J Robinson (Minnesota) 430 -- I 20. Mike Olson (UNC-Pembroke/Upper Iowa/Monmouth) 428 -- II/III 21. T.J. Kerr (U. Calif. Bakersfield/San Jose St.) 421 -- I 22. Gary Taylor (Rider) 417 -- I 23. Tom Jarman (Manchester/Northwestern/Taylor) 415 -- I/III 24. Phil Grebinar (Worcester Poly Tech.) 414 -- III 25. Jim Miller (Wartburg) 413 -- III Among the best-known coaches a bit further down the list: current Oklahoma State coach John Smith (No. 37 on the list, with 369 career wins to date), retired University of Iowa coach Dan Gable (No. 39, 356 wins), and Rob Koll, presently coaching at Cornell University (No. 96, 260 victories). The entire list is available online. For corrections and updates, please contact Martin Fleming directly at martinkfleming@gmail.com.

In a battle of former college wrestlers, Darrion Caldwell defeated Shawn Bunch by submission, while former University of Michigan standout Joe Warren earned a unanimous decision over L.C. Davis in the headline event at Bellator 143 at State Farm Arena in Hildago, Texas Friday night. Darrion Caldwell (Photo/Bellator)Former North Carolina State University champ Caldwell - who won the 149-pound title at the 2009 NCAA Division I wrestling championships by upsetting defending titleholder Brent Metcalf of the University of Iowa -- used a rear-naked choke at 2:35 of the first round of his three-round preliminary match with four-time Edinboro EWL (Eastern Wrestling League) mat champ Bunch. According to Sherdog.com's play-by-play, Bunch tried to roll out of Caldwell's submission hold, but had nowhere to go and was forced to tap out. It was what happened after the match that garnered some considerable press coverage - accompanied by video clips -- at non-mixed martial arts websites. To celebrate his win, Caldwell climbed to the top of the cage. He attempted a backflip, but, to quote CBSLocal.com, "totally wipes out the cameraperson, who happens to be female. But she was a trooper and was able to capture Caldwell nearly taking her head off. Fortunately, she was OK afterwards and Caldwell apologized." Caldwell remains undefeated at 8-0 overall, and 5-0 in Bellator Fighting Championships bouts, while Bunch is now 4-2 overall and in Bellator. Here's how Brian Knapp of Sherdog.com opened his write-up of the top-of-the-card event featuring the former Greco-Roman world champion and 2000 NCAA All-American for the Wolverines: "Former two-division Bellator MMA champion Joe Warren did what he does best, and L.C. Davis, like plenty of others before him, was powerless to do anything about it. Repeated takedowns, mild but effective ground-and-pound and the ever-present threat of a guard pass carried Warren to a unanimous decision over Davis…" All three judges score the three-round bout 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 for Warren, who is now 13-4 in his MMA career, and 11-3 in Bellator , and has compiled six victories in his last seven outings. Davis is now 23-7 overall, and 3-1 in Bellator.

Wrestling fans wishing to honor Dan Gable, one of the all-time great wrestlers and coaches -- and contribute to the museum that bears his name -- can do so by participating in the Dan Gable Museum Gala this October in Des Moines. The event will take place Sat., Oct. 24, 2015 -- one day before Gable's 67th birthday -- at the Holiday Inn Airport, 6111 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745. The black-tie recommended event starts at 6:30 p.m. with registration, social hour and silent auction opening. Program and dinner begins at 7:30 p.m., with live auction commencing at 8:30 p.m. The Dan Gable Museum Gala is the culmination of the museum's yearlong capital campaign. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum -- located in Gable's hometown of Waterloo, Iowa -- is being transformed into a state-of-the-art museum with an expanded wrestling room and training center. Updated interactive displays throughout the museum are in the works, along with a new theater, according to the museum's statement issued Wednesday. The Gala will feature representatives from all 26 collegiate wrestling programs within the state of Iowa. Numerous Hall of Famers, Olympians, NCAA wrestling champions, and legendary coaches are expected to be in attendance, according to the Dan Gable Museum. The Museum also announced that the sponsor for the Gala will be Casey's General Stores, Inc., a Fortune 500 company based in Ankeny, Iowa with over 1,850 convenience stores located in 14 states in the Midwest. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a not-for-profit organization, with a mission is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations. Dan Mack Gable is one of the iconic figures in amateur wrestling, as a competitor, coach and goodwill ambassador for the sport. In 1972 he won a gold medal at the Munich Olympics without surrendering a point after winning NCAA titles for Iowa State in 1968 and 1969. As the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa he led the Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA team titles in 21 years (1977-1997), compiling a 355-21-5 dual meet record. In a 2005 online poll of wrestling fans conducted for the 75th anniversary of the NCAA wrestling championships, Gable was one of three individuals voted as all-time greatest college wrestling coaches, along with his coach at Iowa State, Harold Nichols, and Oklahoma State's Ed Gallagher, who coached from World War I to World War II.

Mongolian women's freestyle wrestlers Chimdee and Battsetseg enjoy their winnings from the 201 World Championships Wrestlers from around the planet have been trickling home in the two weeks since the World Championships and many are being welcomed back with open arms and impressive gifts. In Mongolia, Battsetseg was given a three-bedroom apartment and a two-pound gold bar for winning the 63-kilo crown in women's wrestling. Her teammate Chimdee (silver, 60 kilos) grabbed a one-pound gold bar for her runner-up performance at Worlds. She was also given a sports car since she was given an apartment for winning last year's world title at 60 kilos. The men wrestlers who qualified Olympic weights for Mongolia earned similar gifts, including Nomin and Unurbat who earned a two-bedroom apartment and one-pound gold bar for taking second at 61 kilos and 74 kilos. Bekhbayar earned a half pound of gold and a two-bedroom apartment. On the Russian side Abdulrashid Sadualev took home a Toyota Land Cruiser in 2014 and was given prize money in 2015 for his second World title in as many years. Vorobieva was also awarded more than $50,000 in prize money for her World title as did other Russian champions like Roman Vlasov, though the exact amount was unknown. Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, Adeline Gray and Helen Maroulis each received $50,000 for their gold-medal victories in Las Vegas, even though Snyder will have to wait until his post-college years to collect the bounty. Turkish heavyweight champions Rıza Kayaalp and Taha Akgul are rumored to have received as much as $100,000 for their titles and have been on an impressive countrywide victory tour where they meet with the underprivileged in communities known to support wrestling. Ukrainian Zhan Beleniuk hasn't stopped making public appearances, and though the exact amount of his award money hasn't been published he's been seen in photographs holding gifted jewelry and awards. Rasul Chunayev takes a selfie from the front seat of his new SUV awarded for winning the Greco-Roman World championship at 71 kilosAzerbaijan's Rasul Chunayev and Haji Aliev will each win more than $150,000 in prize money, though that number could reach as high as $250,000 depending on their pre-tournament arrangements. (Azerbaijan wrestlers made the same for winning the European Games.) For winning the Olympics the money could soar past one million dollars. All these cash prizes are great for the wrestlers and the countries so apt to promote their achievements. For wrestlers like Battsetseg and Chimdee the money is literally life changing, allowing parents to retire and to go to school. Even for Russians and Turkish wrestlers the money helps family members get medical attention they need and raises their own projection from a life of poverty to one of respect and admiration in the community. Wrestling is among the best places to witness social mobility through sport and there is no better time to watch that wheel spin upwards than in the weeks following the World Championships. To your questions … Q: Kyle Snyder already has a World championship under his belt. If he goes on to win Olympic gold or even medal, what are the chances that he goes back to Ohio State? While it would very fun for us fans and even more so for his teammates, doesn't he have more to lose than to gain? Lastly, have any Olympic medalists gone back to college? -- Andy S. Foley: John Smith is the most famous World champion to return to college after gold. The Oklahoma State legend won the 1987 World championship and came back to school in 1988 as a senior where he won the NCAA title and then went in to win Olympic gold. Yojiro Uetake won an Olympic gold for Japan in 1964 after an undefeated season at Oklahoma State. He then went back to win two more titles in 1965 and 1966 before winning a second Olympic gold in 1968. He was undefeated during his college career. Regardless of Snyder's performance in 2016 I think it's almost certain that he will return to Columbus. Take it from someone who lived on the road and overseas for more than a year on the wrestling circuit (albeit behind a keyboard) -- that's a lonely go. Snyder deserves the camaraderie of college and the chance to graduate. He'll receive awesome training in folkstyle to keep himself in shape and prepare for his run at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The money earned as an Olympic medalist might be tempting, but from my understanding he can recover that money after he graduates since it's not a sponsorship and is instead a pre-established award. The most compelling reason is that an Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder wouldn't WANT to change up his winning formula without reason. Q: Any chance we'll see the triumphant return of the Backpoints Podcast? I scrolled through my podcast subscriptions and realized that it's been a long time. Is it safe to say that you no longer need to do the podcast because you're now spending the wealth accumulated from the podcast bank roll? -- Curt H. Foley: I'm writing this mailbag from the backseat of my Maybach Exelero. Recognize the cash flow of the podcast! No, I don't think Backpoints will be revived, but I do think I'll try to form something at the international level and will drop in on it every once in a while to discuss the big topics and names. Podcasts are a great way to burn a commute and I'd love to add to the conversation with something informative … especially in the Olympic year. Q: Darrion Caldwell fights Shawn Bunch on Fright night in Bellator. Who are you picking? -- Mike C. Foley: This has all the makings of a very, very boring matchup. Wrestlers are prone to wrestle and though both are much improved strikers, neither has the makings of a one-punch KO artist (Bunch's last performance being the exception). I'd have to side with Caldwell who has the length to frustrate Bunch and the ground game to keep him on the mat. However, I tend to think we'll see a lot of clinching by the cage, some great takedown attempts and at least one rear-naked choke attempt, but otherwise they'll go the distance … from a distance. Q: How does the U.S. Open for this Olympic year differ from last year's U.S. Open? Rumor has it that competitors who have already qualified for the Olympic Team Trials cannot compete at the Open. Does this mean that the winners of the Open will not get a bye to the finals of the Olympic Team Trials? -- Scott M. Foley: The only byes given in men's freestyle in 2016 will be to Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Snyder, who medaled at the 2015 World Championships. Winners of the U.S. Open are qualified and (likely) placed as the top seed at the 2016 Olympic Team Trials. Winners of the U.S. Open will still need to win the challenge tournament at 74 kilos and 97 kilos to make the best-of-three finals for the Olympic team spot. If they are at one of the other four weights the challenge tournament finals will be best of three against the winners from each side of the bracket. Q: Where would you rank Adeline Gray in the world pound-for-pound women's freestyle rankings? -- Mike C. Adeline Gray with the American flag after winning the World title in Las Vegas (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: This hurts, but not in the top ten. While Gray has enjoyed heaps of success the past two years, her style doesn't often wow fans, and the competitive depth of the weight class isn't on par with the first five Olympic weights. Also -- and this is worth mentioning -- almost once a tournament she is dead to rights (Qian Zhou at 2014 Worlds and Aline Da Silva Ferreira at 2015 Worlds) but somehow rebounds. That shows her incredible will to win, but keeps her from being mentioned alongside the tactical wizardry of women in the top ten. Still, finding a way to win is probably a skill that I'd take over technical proficiency, especially in an Olympic year. A women's top ten that doesn't include any backups from Japan or China might look something like … 1. Kaori Icho (Japan) 2. Saori Yoshida (Japan) 3. Oksana Herhel (Ukraine) 4. Eri Tosaka (Japan) 5. Helen Maroulis (USA) 6. Natalia Vorobieva (Russia) 7. Maria Stadnyck (Azerbaijan) 8. Zhou Feng (China) 9. Sofia Mattsson (Sweden) 10. Sukhee Tserenchimed (Mongolia)

The Big 12 Conference has selected Tulsa as the host for the 2017 and 2018 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, announced Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. Dates are scheduled for March 4-5, 2017 and March 3-4, 2018. After the initial two-year agreement, an option of a one- to three-year extension may be exercised by the Conference. "We are pleased to award the 2017 and 2018 Big 12 wrestling championships to Tulsa. The city and sports commission have shown a commitment to bringing Big 12 events to Tulsa and have a strong interest in the sport of wrestling," said Bowlsby. The championship will be contested at the BOK Center, a 565,000-square-foot, 19,199-seat multi-purpose arena that hosts athletics competitions, concerts, conventions and other special events. Ground was broken on the facility in 2005 and the first events were hosted in August of 2008. The BOK Center is the flagship project of Tulsa County's Vision 2025 long-range development initiative. "On behalf of the Tulsa Sports Commission leadership and staff, I am excited that our collective effort to continue to host Big 12 Conference events in Tulsa has been fruitful," said Vince Trinidad, Executive Director, Tulsa Sports Commission. "Many community partners joined us to put forth an aggressive but sustainable bid to bring this event to Tulsa. I would like to extend our thanks and gratitude to SMG and the BOK Center for being the host venue and the Tulsa community for embracing the Big 12 during the 2015 Big 12 Baseball Championship. That support proved that Tulsa is currently and will continue to be an ideal sports destination." The Big 12 Wrestling Championship will expand to a two-day event with a 10-team field in 2016. Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia will be joined by six wrestling affiliate members Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming. The wrestlers participating in the Big 12 championship will be competing for berths into the NCAA Wrestling Championship. Conference institutions hosted the wrestling championship on campus from 1997-2015. The 2016 event will be held in Kansas City's Sprint Center March 5-6. For additional information on Big 12 wrestling, visit Big12Sports.com.

Wrestling may well be the Rodney Dangerfield of sports ... the one that gets no respect. Oftentimes, the problem is from outside. Wrestling's lack of coverage in major newspapers, sports publications and websites, and on jock-talk call-in shows is a justified point of contention with those in the wrestling community ... as is the ongoing problem with various athletic sports halls of fame repeatedly passing over significant wrestlers and coaches as they announce their latest inductees. Even more damaging: the disrespect demonstrated when those in positions of authority to eliminate the sport, whether it's college athletic director looking to pinch pennies (or replace it with lacrosse or whatever sport he played in college), or the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee. The diss from within Then there's the lack of respect for wrestling from within. The wrestling community likes to refer to its sport as the oldest and greatest. Yet, too many participants, coaches and fans appear to dismiss their own sport's rich history. This disrespect of wrestling's history and its great wrestlers and coaches is on display more often than fans might realize, in ways large and small. It can be as simple and seemingly small as a high school or college wrestler, when asked which sports figures he admires, mentions LeBron James or Tom Brady, not some all-time mat great. (Conversely, it's hard to imagine that some prep basketball star or football stud is going to say his favorite athlete is Logan Stieber or Cael Sanderson.) It's also on display when the names of current, unproven wrestlers are equated as being as talented or accomplished as past legends in online polls or forum discussions. Larry Owings defeated Dan Gable in 1970Earlier this year, NCAA.org conducted an online poll of fans to determine the "most epic" finals match in the 85-year history of the NCAA wrestling championships, providing a bracket of eight matches (with video) for fans to vote for online. Despite the fact the NCAA championships started in 1928 -- and there are films of a number of the finals going back into the 1930s -- the oldest match up for a vote was way back in 1978. (For some of you, that's prehistoric; others of us remember that year as if it was yesterday.) Among the matches not even in the running: the 1970 NCAA 142-pound finals bout where University of Washington's Larry Owings upset the undefeated Dan Gable in his last match as an Iowa State wrestler, named by historians -- and a 2005 NCAA poll of fans -- to be the most significant college wrestling match of all time. . This failure to recognize and honor past greatness is not a new phenomenon. One incident that got me to focus on sharing the history of amateur wrestling took place more than a dozen years ago. I saw an online poll, asking "Who's better -- a kid who had just won his fourth high school state title, or Dan Gable? Gable -- yeah, the one who lost only one match in his entire high school and college career, and won the gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics without being scored upon -- was being trounced, receiving single-digit support. Now I can understand that voters could easily be caught up in the afterglow of a kid claiming his fourth prep championship -- no mean feat. And I can imagine that most fans in a particular state would be inclined to vote for the current home state hero rather some out-of-state guy. There's also the issue of timeliness -- someone fresh from his victory, compared to Gable, who wrestled decades earlier. But ... in this historian's mind, four high school state titles does not trump the considerable, hall-of-fame worthy accomplishments of one Dan Mack Gable. The all-time-great debate: fans vs. historians Robin ReedIn case you're thinking my example of the online poll where The Kid trounced Gable is limited to one individual state ... let's look at a nationwide poll. A decade ago, the NCAA conducted an online poll of wrestling fans to determine the fifteen top college wrestlers for the 75th anniversary of the NCAA wrestling championships. In one of my first stories for InterMat, I questioned why some highly accomplished wrestlers of the past were missing from the final list. Only three individuals who competed before 1970 received enough fan votes to earn a place on that 2005 list: Gable, Yojiro Uetake (three-time NCAA champ for Oklahoma State, 1964-66), and Dan Hodge (three-time NCAA titlist for University of Oklahoma, 1955-57). Grapplers such as Robin Reed -- early 1900s Oregon State wrestler and 1924 Olympic gold medalist who is considered by some to be the best amateur wrestler of the first half of the 20th century -- and Stanley Henson, three-time Oklahoma State champ in the late 1930s who was named best of his decade by Amateur Wrestling News, did not make the cut. Who would the "experts" pick for all-time greatest? Just weeks after Cornell University's Kyle Dake won his fourth NCAA championship in March 2013, Amateur Wrestling News assembled a team of nine long-time historians and writers to rank the top five college wrestlers of all time. They started with a list of twenty candidates, then whittled that down to a dozen. From that list, the historians were asked to rank their five top picks. Every historian put Cael Sanderson at the top of his list. Other wrestlers who earned at least two votes from the nine mat sages: Dake, Hodge, Uetake, Gable, Gray Simons (three-time NCAA champ for Lock Haven, 1960-62), Lee Kemp (three-time NCAA champ for Wisconsin, 1976-78), and Bill Koll (three-time NCAA champ at what is now University of Northern Iowa, 1946-48). (Note that this list was put together two years before Ohio State's Logan Stieber claimed his fourth title at the 2015 NCAAs. As to why a number of the AWN greats have "only" three titles ... from 1928 until the late 1960s, college wrestlers could not compete at the NCAA championships as freshmen.) This raises the question: how do YOU measure greatness? Is it strictly by stats -- won/loss record, pins, bonus points scored ... or are there other elements in the equation, such as the quality of a wrestler's competition? Now, I fully understand that many fans would vote for someone they've seen in action in person (or on TV) rather than some old-time guy whose name they might not even recognize. I also "get" the arguments from many in the college wrestling community who say things like, "The guys of the past wrestled fewer matches" or claim the overall competition wasn't as tough ... or cite developments in nutrition and training as to why today's wrestlers are better. These arguments aren't unique to wrestling; they have been made in regards to athletes in other sports by journalists, athletes, coaches and fans. Two past greats defend their era Not everyone buys into the idea that today's wrestlers are indeed superior to their fathers or grandfathers. In 2008, I interviewed a trio of mat stars of 55-60 years ago for an InterMat feature on the 1958 NCAAs, with the idea of providing current wrestling fans with a first-hand perspective of those nationals from back then in comparison to today. One -- University of Iowa's Simon Roberts, the first NCAA African-American wrestling champ -- seemed to agree with the "newer is better" idea. "There's so much more to the sport now -- more sophistication in the training, especially in weight work, diet, and in the strategy during matches," said the man who also owns the distinction of being the first black to win a title at the Iowa high school state championships. However, two of his contemporaries -- Shelby Wilson, Oklahoma State NCAA finalist of the late 50s who won a gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics, and the late Les Anderson, two-time NCAA champ for Iowa State -- bemoaned the state of college wrestling in 2008 (which isn't that much different than it is in 2015). Shelby Wilson"It's kind of disheartening to see how (college wrestling) has turned into a brawl," said Wilson, who went on to a long career as high school and college coach. "You should want to out-fox opponents, not brawl with them ... As a society today, we like gladiators -- two guys banging into each other. In the past, wrestling was more an art." "Nowadays, wrestlers keep making the same mistakes week after week," said the former Cowboy, who worked summer wrestling technique camps with fellow 1960 gold medalist, the late Doug Blubaugh. "We had plenty of time to work on technique ... The last guy who really had technique was Cael Sanderson." Anderson, 1958 and 1960 NCAA title-winner who worked alongside Harold Nichols as assistant coach for the Cyclones for decades, told InterMat in 2008, "There was more fundamental wrestling back then. There was more chain wrestling, less willingness to settle for the easiest thing for example, going for a reversal instead of just an escape." "The style back then was less 'clinging' -- not as much latching onto your opponent, and pushing him around for a stalemate." "Our style today is killing fan interest," Anderson, creator of how-to-wrestle books and videos, said in 2008. "We need to award guys who are aggressive, who take shots, who stay active." The diss = history disconnect? The phenomenon of fans ignoring or being dismissive of past greats isn't unique to college wrestling. I've seen results of "all-time great" polls in other sports that are heavily weighted towards current or recent stars. One can imagine that the same arguments used by wrestling fans would apply here. However, there may be other factors involved ... and it could be as simple as fans not being aware of past mat greats and their accomplishments. Imagine that the NCAA conducts an online poll for the 100th anniversary of the NCAA wrestling championships fifteen years from now. Will you be forced to explain why fans in 2030 should consider including Cael Sanderson, Kyle Dake and Logan Stieber among the all-time greats worthy of inclusion on that list? Stanley HensonTo fans of the future, these names may be as much a part of a distant past as names like Henson or Reed are to today's fans. Presumably, you'll have plenty of video of Cael, Dake and Stieber in action -- and easy access to their stats -- to back up your claims. Sadly, action footage, statistics, even photos and basic biographical information is not always available for past greats of the 1930s or 50s or even the 70s or 80s. Here's an example: do an online search to try to find actual match footage of Dan Hodge in action in college online. I've only been able to find one YouTube video during his time as an Oklahoma Sooner, from the 1955 NCAAs, quickly pinning Penn State's Joseph Krufka in the 177-pound finals. What's the story? Why is it difficult to find film, photos and info on the top wrestlers of times past? And ... could that lack of access make it more difficult for wrestling fans to appreciate old-school mat stars? Pin it on decisions made in the past Choices made in the past by college yearbook editors, student newspapers, and college sports information directors -- along with other outside forces -- now make it difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to find any proof of the existence of some old-school wrestlers. Not just on film or video or in photos, but even the most basic information such as accurate statistics and biographical information. It's an issue that I come across on an ongoing basis as a wrestling writer. Finding correct, useful information about wrestlers and coaches of the past can be truly challenging, whether it's online, or in school libraries or archives, or in books, magazines and other printed materials. I deal with this challenge under various circumstances, whether it's for a profile or historical feature that has no real deadline ... or for a "got to get it done now" project with a screaming deadline, such as writing a tribute to a wrestler or coach who has just passed away. Photo-frustration When I'm working on an obituary for a significant figure in the college wrestling community, I like to include a photo of the individual as a wrestler in his prime, ideally, in the uniform he wore out onto the mat ... or in his warm-ups or workout clothes. An image that not only grabs the attention of an internet surfer, but also immediately makes clear "This guy wrestled" ... rather than take the easy way out, and use the readily-available image of an elderly-looking gentleman from a funeral-home obituary that looks like anyone's grandpa, and not someone who might have struck fear in the hearts of opponents years ago. Sadly, that's often easier said than done, in that finding photos of wrestlers from the past in their wrestling gear can often be pretty much impossible. What's the story? Oftentimes, the blame can be placed on editors of student newspapers and yearbooks and the decisions they made decades ago. From a fundamental standpoint, it can be as simple as the lack of coverage wrestling received from many yearbook and newspapers back in the day. College wrestling fans would be stunned to see the lack of stories and photos of the oldest and greatest sport in the print media at some of the schools that would be considered home to all-time great wrestling programs. In looking at past yearbooks from some Big Ten schools, for instance, the wrestling program is relegated to a half-page or less, forced to share a page with the boxing, fencing or gymnastics team ... while the football program is generously treated to a dozen or more pages. At many schools, the yearbook staff shunted wrestling to the "minor sports" section, where it was forced to share limited space with teams other than football or basketball. Sometimes, the photo choices themselves can be baffling. This has come into sharp relief for this writer in looking at college yearbooks from the 1960s and 1970s, when many editors seemed to have placed style ahead of substance. Traditional team photos and action shots were often replaced with "artsy" images, cleverly cropped. Close-ups of shoulders or arms or other wrestler body parts ... images that might be interesting to an anatomy student, but useless to anyone seeking to find a specific wrestler or a team photo. On a smaller -- yet no less frustrating -- level: lack of helpful photo captions. What am I looking for in a caption? Basic information of what's in the image, starting with the name of the individual(s) visible and their schools. Such as "Bob Smith, University of the Midwest heavyweight, pins Biff Jones of State." Instead, too many photo-editors took the easy way out with silly, dismissive, information-less captions, such as "Shall we dance?" under a picture of two wrestlers tussling, or "To have and to hold" under the image of someone caught in a painful-looking hold. Other editors sought a clean look for their page layouts, and banished photo captions completely. That's very frustrating for a writer of today seeking to find photos of a particular individual. Diss = disappearance and disposal If you think all that's bad ... how about the actual disappearance and disposal of wrestling-related items? It happens ... and usually not for malicious reasons. More than once, I've contacted the sports information director (the media contact for wrestling programs) to ask for photos and info of one of their past mat greats, only to be told, "Sorry we don't have anything" then quietly confessing, "I think that stuff got thrown out because we were running out of space." This phenomenon isn't limited to cleaning out actual file cabinets and storage rooms. It would appear that a number of college wrestling programs' websites undergo frequent housecleaning as well. In too many cases, bios, photos, videos, stats and other info on wrestlers of the recent past which had been easily accessible online have vanished into cyberspace ... sometimes, seemingly months after those mat stars had hung up their headgear for good. (While working on this story, I tried to find biographies of a couple NCAA Division I wrestlers who had competed within the past decade for some news stories for InterMat ... and came up completely empty-handed.) In some cases, I wonder if missing photos etc. may not be a case of items being thrown away, but instead being misfiled or misplaced. It's possible that old photos, stats, films and other mementos of some wrestling programs are hiding in some forgotten storage room or basement at the school ... or maybe in a long-gone coach's attic. There's always hope. A couple years ago, Oklahoma State posted on YouTube a complete film of the 1962 NCAA championship finals ... supplanting much shorter, highly edited versions that had been all that was previously available for viewing online. Now, I don't know what the story was as to why this "newer", unedited version suddenly appeared online ... but it's possible that the original, complete finals film had been recently uncovered. The Lost Generation These challenges caused by missing (or misplaced) photos, films, stats and other basic information about past college wrestlers aren't limited to guys from the 1920s or 40s who wore wool tights and did battle on horsehair mats, or perhaps in a roped-off ring. (Yeah, some colleges conducted their matches in a ring that looked like what you see for boxing or pro wrestling events. The NCAA outlawed rings for college wrestling during World War II.) There's a whole era of college wrestling that seems to have never existed ... roughly, from the mid-1960s up into the late 1980s or 1990. What I mean is ... it's often impossible to find any evidence of wrestlers from this time span. No photos. No films. No video. Why? In terms of films and video, up until the early 60s, each college that hosted the NCAA wrestling championships was responsible for filming the event, then offering those films to wrestling programs at other schools for viewing. (A number of these host schools still have a copy of that silent, black-and-white film in their archives. Some have posted that film on YouTube; others will gladly make you a DVD copy for nominal cost.) In 1963, the era of host-school films went away, as the NCAA finals started being shown on TV. In the early years, it was ABC's "Wide World of Sports", then, in the 1980s and 90s, CBS, showing the national championships in a severely edited format (only selected matches show, not always in their entirety), weeks after the event. Recordings of these TV broadcasts from decades ago are pretty much unavailable in any form, other than bootleg copies from the network; for the most part, they are not on YouTube. Things started to change about 30 years ago, as VCRs became a staple in more and more homes ... with some college wrestling fans recording the network TV broadcasts of the NCAAs on VHS or Beta videotapes. In addition, the introduction of camcorders for individual consumer use made it possible for wrestling fans -- and the parents of college wrestlers -- to record matches and save the matches on videotape, for future viewing. (Realize that today's technology such as DVRs and cellphones which can record video was not available back in the 1980s and 1990s.) Members of wrestler families, along with fans and historians, lucky enough to know someone who squirreled away these tapes might be in luck ... as long as there's a VCR for playing them, and that the tapes don't break. In the early 1990s, the internet started to become a go-to source for information on college wrestling, with the establishment of InterMat in 1995, and a number of colleges setting up basic websites with some photos and info. (This was before high-speed internet service; websites had to be designed to load easily via dial-up services of that era which ruled out large photos and video.) Sadly, all this means that wrestlers who competed in the era roughly from the early 1960s through much of the 1980s pretty much don't exist, at least in terms of readily available photos, films/videos and stats/information. During that time, wrestling fans had to rely on printed wrestling magazines, newspaper accounts, and limited coverage from general sports magazines such as Sports Illustrated ... or, from media guides published by colleges to provide info on their wrestling programs to sportswriters. It's not all about me Not being able to find photos, videos and other information on old-school college wrestlers is not an issue limited to the small number of writers and historians who chronicle college wrestling's past. More often than you might realize, I hear from family or friends of a wrestler from a couple (or more) decades ago, asking, "Can you help me? I can't find anything on (my dad/granddad/uncle) who once wrestled at ..." For every instance where I'm able to use my nerdy-reporter search skills to find something for them, there are plenty more situations where I come up empty, and have to disappoint someone. There are larger implications for the sport of wrestling beyond disappointing a long-ago wrestler's kin. For a sport that is often described as being "the oldest and greatest", too many of today's fans and participants are pretty much clueless about the sport's rich history. They don't recognize (or appreciate) the legendary wrestlers and coaches of the past, and, therefore, all too often become dismissive of those greats. Sadly, this dismissive attitude can be found on display among folks who should know better. A couple years ago, I remember reading an online Twitter conversation between two individuals connected with the coaching staff of a storied Division I wrestling program. One mentioned the name of a long-dead wrestler who many historians would consider to be one of the all-time best amateur wrestlers of the pre-World War II era. In the conversation, it appeared that neither guy had any clue about the greatness of the all-time great, with one questioning how you could even compare old-school grapplers to today's best. It's one thing for fans to share their cluelessness in an argument on an online forum or in social media. It's another to have two wrestling coaches display their ignorance on social media for all to see. And, as mentioned earlier, it's even worse when those in power -- be they arrogant athletic directors or an Olympic committee -- make decisions to eliminate the sport because they don't know or appreciate the rich history of the oldest and greatest sport. Why history matters, regarding rules Understanding and appreciating wrestling's past -- and its past greats -- has implications for the sport beyond being able to win bar bets and settle arguments in online forums. Knowledge of the past can help make the present and future of wrestling even stronger. A good place to start is rules. When there's discussion about changing the rules for a specific situation, it can be helpful to look back at the rules in the past, to see what might have worked -- or, perhaps, more importantly, did NOT work -- so that the NCAA and those involved in shaping the sport's rules can make informed decisions, and not repeat the mistakes in the past. I think it's helpful to realize that so many things we take for granted now regarding rules have historic precedent. Rules forbidding specific punishing holds such as the keylock, or potentially dangerous maneuvers such as the full-height body slam were implemented because opponents on the receiving end suffered injuries. (The two examples I just mentioned resulted in rule changes implemented almost immediately after the wrestlers known for those maneuvers had completed their collegiate careers.) Headgear, once optional, became mandatory in an attempt to prevent the growing problem of cauliflower ears. Rules are always subject to change; right now, the college wrestling community is discussing possible rule changes that might make matches more compelling for fans and athletes, focusing on ideas that might open up scoring, and how to prevent seemingly endless matches that result in a tie at the end of regulation. On the topic of tiebreaking options, in recent weeks I've seen folks make proposals that echo rules that have been tried in the past, did not work, and then scuttled or amended. An understanding of the history of how knotted scores have been handled (and mishandled) in the past would go a long way to providing possible solutions that are truly new and innovative, and don't merely repeat mistakes of the past. Sometimes, an understanding of mat history can help shape attitudes about today's challenges. Take the subject of stalling, one of the most popular topics to rail against. Most current fans, wrestlers and coaches don't always realize this was a "hot topic" back in the 1960s, 1940s and 1920s, a situation that wrestling writers and coaches have long lamented for decades. Folks today may not realize that one element of stalling -- riding time -- also has roots that go back to the earliest days of NCAA wrestling. Until about World War II, there was no point-scoring system in college wrestling; an athlete won the match by pinning his opponent, or by what was called "time advantage", essentially, who was "in control" the greater amount of time. One way to control an opponent was by riding him. Nowadays, some wrestlers are guilty of what appears to be a lame attempt at riding an opponent's legs. The NCAA has implemented new rules regarding this ... but some in the sport think it's time to eliminate riding time altogether in college. Just realizing that some issues are as old as the sport itself can help put things in perspective ... and, perhaps, open the door to bold new solutions, rather than re-implement old rules that failed to solve the problem in the past. History and the singlet Another challenge facing wrestling that doesn't generate as much heat on online forums or in social media -- but is one that I hear about in emails -- is singlets. Within the past couple weeks, in response to an article I had written about the decline in the number of boys participating in high school wrestling in 2014-15, a wrestling fan with three teenage sons in the sport wrote to say he thought that many potential wrestlers consider singlets were too revealing, and, therefore, a deal-breaker. This sentiment has been echoed by InterMat's T.R. Foley, and Joe Reasbeck, wrestling novelist who has included the singlet as an item that needs to be jettisoned if the sport is to grow. There is a considerable contingent of fans who assume that singlets have always been worn in college wrestling, and, therefore, are sacred and cannot be replaced. These fans might be stunned to know that, 50 years ago, singlets were not allowed by NCAA rules at the time. In fact, singlets were an answer to an issue in the late 1950s and early 60s: to prevent what the NCAA rule books of that era referred to as "unseemly exposure." Back then, large numbers of high school and college wrestlers competed in trunks, without shirts or tights. However, according to the late, aforementioned Les Anderson (who was wrestling at Iowa State at that time), there was at least one incident where another college wrestler's genitals "popped out" from under or over his trunks ... so the NCAA at first required either tights or shirts (school choice) to prevent another X-rated moment. By the mid-1960s, the NCAA amended their uniform requirements to require college wrestlers to wear both a shirt and tights with their trunks. By the late 1960s, the NCAA reversed course on singlets, permitting wrestlers to wear them ... all with the idea of preventing unseemly exposure. Ironically, exposure is again an issue for some, as today's body-hugging synthetic-fabric singlets can sometimes be just about as revealing as the incident Anderson described. So ... can history help with finding a new solution that all wrestlers are comfortable with (especially adolescents), and, will prevent any wardrobe malfunctions of the past? It's worth a look back. Perhaps an old-school uniform might serve as the blueprint for today, with modifications, incorporating today's technology regarding fabric and design. History isn't always as we imagined it Throughout this piece I've railed how it often appears that old-school wrestlers don't get the respect they deserve. That said, there is a contrasting issue, where past greats are deified, and the old days are viewed by some as a version of perfection that has been lost over the years. Some fans also have a notion that the past was the zenith of good sportsmanship and good behavior. That's not true. As I wrote in my 2014 InterMat feature "Matmen Behaving Badly?", stories of recent-vintage wrestlers having run-ins with the police or being benched for "breaking team rules" are not an exclusive product of our times; by reading old newspapers and yearbooks, we can see that some mat champs of the past did indeed break rules, and, sometimes, break laws. In addition, there was trash talk ... and some athletes and coaches engaged in making public statements that served as "locker room" fuel to fire up opponents; it just wasn't widely reported. I just read about a rivalry between two top high school heavyweights in a major wrestling state in the 1950s, where one basically "owned" the other because of things he'd say to his opponent to pysch-out the other guy. Bill KollBy contrast, there's a small contingent of fans who view old-school wrestling and wrestlers as the peak of toughness, of rugged manliness. (This is not a sexist comment; it was not until the 1970s and '80s that the first women took to the mat in high school and college.) They lament the so-called Koll rule prohibiting body slams from a fully-standing position (a signature finishing move of 1940s champ Bill Koll, father of Cornell University coach Rob Koll), keylocks, and other punishing holds that have been outlawed or at least severely restricted. Again, it helps to realize that these prohibitions were implemented to prevent potentially serious injuries, not as an attempt to make a tough sport "wimpy" as some allege. A study of history can also provide insight into even bigger-picture elements of college wrestling. For example, by looking back, we see that diversity was not in action in the "good old days." Look at college wrestling team photos from 50 or more years ago, and just about every face was white. Some milestone dates to provide some perspective: the first African-American to wrestle at the NCAAs was Harold Henson of San Diego State, in 1949 ... the first black NCAA champ, Simon Roberts of Iowa, in 1957 ... and the first African-American to wrestle at the storied Oklahoma State program was Joe James, who arrived on the Stillwater campus in 1960. The first appearances of Hispanics and Native American wrestlers at NCAAs were within the same time frame. What can be done? What can be done to help preserve, protect and share the sport's treasures? If it were up to me, all the photos, films, videos, stat books, coaches' scrapbooks, and other mementos of a college wrestling program would be kept in the school's library or archives, maintained by librarians, archivists and historians. They know how to catalog these items so they can be easily accessed when someone needs to see them (rather than have some poor college intern have to dig through file cabinets in the sports information department) ... and are schooled in the techniques of preservation and restoration, so those images and items will remain in a condition to be useful for future historians. This would also free up sports info directors to concentrate on providing complete, up-to-date information on their wrestlers and the program as a whole, rather than have to deal with storing and finding old info for that occasional request for a photo from the distant past. For those concerned that archiving these wrestling historical materials in a library will cut off fan access, nothing could be further from the truth. It never ceases to amaze me that the library/archive professionals I've worked with over the years are not only very gracious but also incredibly knowledgeable, and more than willing to help provide you with what you need. And, if you're not able to visit their facility in person, they are usually willing to photocopy or scan photos and articles -- and even make DVDs of wrestling films -- for a nominal fee. Even better, more and more facilities are now digitizing their holdings, so that historians and the wrestling community can use these items at their convenience, at no charge. What can YOU do? As for what the college wrestling community can do ... for starters, if YOU have old-school photos or films or videotapes or yearbooks or newspapers in your attic or garage, I encourage you to find a way to share with your fellow fans. Consider putting them online for the rest of us to see. Better yet, turn them over to the library at the appropriate school, so they can preserve, protect and share them. And ... as you come across items of historical interest online or while browsing your library or old bookstore, be sure to share your find with other wrestling fans by posting your discovery online, or contacting a wrestling historian. (I'd be happy to help you spread the word.) There are various historical resources already available to you, many online. A great place to start is Tom Fortunato's mega-website, WrestlingsBest.com, which has links to thousands of websites related to the sport around the world, including sites for specific college wrestling programs and wrestlers, as well as historical treasures such as photos and collector cards. Another great starting point is the National Wrestling Hall of Fame website [NWHOF.org], which, in addition to providing informative biographies of honorees, also has scans of NCAA Wrestling Guides, annual publications which provide recaps and results of that year's action along with team photos, and explanation of then-current rules with illustrations. WrestlingStats.com is another treasure-trove of information, including brackets for NCAA, Big Ten, Big 12 and EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) championships, and career stats for individual wrestlers at a number of top college programs. Over the years, InterMat's Rewind features have profiled legendary wrestlers, as well as providing historical perspective on topics such as rules and uniforms. A number of college newspapers have digitized their past issues -- including those at Cornell University, Illinois, Lehigh, and Oklahoma State -- making it possible for fans and historians to view their coverage of wrestling online at no charge. A number of schools have also provided free access to their vintage yearbooks online, including "The Illio" (Illinois) and "Redskin" (Oklahoma State); the website e-yearbook.com also has scans of tens of thousands of college yearbooks available for an annual subscription (though you may not find the school or year of interest to you.) Social media can also provide you with photos and info from college wrestling's past. Some Facebook resources that I can recommend include Bobby Douglas' page, along with various state chapters of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame providing pages such as I Wrestled in Tennessee, I Wrestled in Georgia, and I Wrestled in Virginia ... with more to come. Some college wrestling programs incorporate information and photos from their past in their Facebook and Twitter accounts. To get a stronger sense of the overall history of college wrestling, I would recommend subscribing to the magazines that cover the sport on a national basis, such as Amateur Wrestling News, WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine), and Wrestling USA. (Some of the specific features that provide a look back include "The Centenarian Files" by Donald Sayenga in Amateur Wrestling News, and Mike Chapman's column in WIN.) In addition, your state may be blessed to have a publication with more of a localized focus, such as "The Guillotine" which covers wrestling in the state of Minnesota. There are a number of great books that provide tremendous historical perspective on wrestling. One book I refer to often is "The History of Intercollegiate Wrestling" by the late historian Jay Hammond, which provides a year-by-year review of college wrestling, along with features on some of the major wrestlers and coaches who have shaped the sport. The 2005 printed book is now available as an updated e-book. This website's InterMat Reads has featured articles on a number of books -- too many to list here -- which offer a look back at wrestling. A couple older (pre-InterMat) books I can recommend include Mike Chapman's "From Gotch to Gable" about the history of wrestling in the state of Iowa, Doris and Bob Dellinger's "Cowboys Ride Again" about the Oklahoma State mat dynasty, and Wade Schalles' photo-book of the 1980s "They Call It Wrestling" which provides images of some of the all-time greats in action. If you have ties to a particular college wrestling program, do some research about its history. A great place to start is that school's wrestling media guide; most are available online at the program's website, and most have some photos and info on their all-time greats, along with team stats through the years. Go to your alma mater's library and check out the old yearbooks and newspapers to see what the wrestlers looked like long before you were on campus. Pick the name of a wrestling legend you've heard of but don't know much about, and do some digging of your own. Start online ... but don't be surprised or disappointed if you don't find much in the way of photos, video or info on the internet. (Now you have an idea of what life is like for a wrestling historian.) I encourage you to explore the history of this great sport and its legendary athletes and coaches. You will uncover information that will provide you with new insights and appreciation into wrestling as it was ... as it is now ... and its future.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Returning NCAA runner-up Nathaniel Brown of Lehigh might have over-performed a little bit in St. Louis last year. Edinboro's Vic Avery clearly did. Lehigh's Nathaniel Brown gets his hand raised after a victory in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Brown and Avery, the second and third-place finishers at last year's NCAA Division I Championships are set to compete at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic is also sponsored by Raymond James and will be held at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m. "Lehigh and Edinboro are synonymous with wrestling tradition and wrestling success," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Lehigh's tradition dates back over 100 years and they've always been supportive of the All-Star Classic." Brown finished second in the nation as the No. 7 seed at the NCAA championships, while Avery's third-place performance as a No. 13 seed was crucial to the Fighting Scots winning a trophy for the first time at the event. "Edinboro showed the power of wrestling and how a small program can compete with the sports' giants," said Moyer. "They're a Division II school with Division I wrestling and they attract and develop talent like Vic Avery. When you say Edinboro, you think wrestling." Brown finished last season 29-6 and defeated second-seeded Max Thomusseit of Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals and unseeded Kenny Courts of Ohio State in the semifinals to reach the finals, where he lost to Cornell nemesis Gabe Dean in the finals. Avery upended returning All-American Jack Dechow of Old Dominion in the second round and then majored No. 5 Taylor Meeks of Oregon State to reach the semifinals where he fell to Dean in the second tiebreaker. The two met once last year at the Grapple at the Garden with Brown earning a 3-1 victory over Avery at Madison Square Garden, the site of this coming year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Brown also defeated Avery 4-3 during the 2013-14 season at the Edinboro Open. Lehigh is 15-14 overall in the event all-time with Mason Beckman last earning a victory in 2013 over Edinboro's A.J. Schopp at 133 pounds. Brown will be the Mountain Hawks' 30th all-time participant. Edinboro is 8-7 all-time with Avery making the school's 16th appearance. Schopp picked up the last victory, last year in a rematch against Beckman at 133 pounds. Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: 184: Nathaniel Brown, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Vic Avery, Sr. (Edinboro) 197: 285: Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech) WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15 PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider) EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org About ESPNU The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.

Deron Winn, junior college wrestling champ who hopes to wrestle for the U.S. freestyle team at the 2016 Olympics, has signed a contract with Zinkin Entertainment, an organization that represents a number of former mat stars entering mixed martial arts competition. Deron Winn comes out onto the mat for his semifinal match at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Winn shared the news on his Facebook account Monday, writing, "I am so very pleased to announce that I have just signed with the best fight management team in the business, Zinkin Entertainment! I can't wait to beat people up for a living wink emoticon!" Winn made clear that he intends to explore an MMA career after next summer's Olympics. "I have recently made the decision that I am going to pursue being a world champion in mixed martial arts after I finish my quest of being an Olympic Champion this summer in Rio." In the opening paragraphs of his announcement, Winn shared how the sport of wrestling has been his passion in life, and has helped shape him into the man he is today, concluding that section of his message, "Thus far I have had an amazing career and plan on adding to that after I make the Olympic Team this spring!" "With all of that being said, I have recently been presented with an amazing opportunity for my future that I could not turn away," the Olympic hopeful continued. "Just a few weeks back I went to train in San Jose at AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) with the UFC light heavyweight champ Daniel Cormier. Before going there I would say I had little to no interest in being a professional fighter. After I training MMA (mixed martial arts) for about a week my interest skyrocketed." It was after spending time with Cormier -- an NCAA finalist as an Oklahoma State wrestler, and two-time Olympic freestyle wrestler -- Winn decided to explore the possibility of an MMA career after the Olympics… and signed with Zinkin, which represents, among others, Cormier. At its website, Zinkin Entertainment and Sports Management describes itself as "dedicated to the sport professional mixed martial arts (MMA)." Among the individuals listed at the website which Zinkin trains and manages: Cain Velasquez, Chuck Liddell, Phil Davis, Luke Rockhold, Aaron Pico, and many other fighters. Zinkin's fighters compete in the UFC, ONE Fighting Championship, Bellator Fighting Championships, World Series of Fighting (WSOF) and other promotions. Winn was a three-time Missouri state wrestling champ for Liberty High School outside Kansas City. He then enrolled at St. Louis Community College, Meramec where he was a two-time NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) champ. At the 2008 NJCAA Nationals, Winn was presented with the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award. He attended Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. for one year, earning All-American honors, then moved to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. More recently, Winn has been training at the Cyclone Wrestling Club, affiliated with Iowa State in Ames, Iowa, and is competing in men's freestyle at 86 kilos/189 pounds.

Edgar Bright, a former University of Pittsburgh wrestler, has been arrested on various charges for an alleged fight with his ex-girlfriend and her friends Friday night, according to multiple media reports this week. Edgar Bright battles Penn State's Zain Retherford (Photo/Bill Ennis)Edgar Louis Bright, 20, of West Oakland faces charges including aggravated assault, simple assault, drug possession and firearms violations, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Tuesday. Authorities said he punched a woman in the face and slammed another to the ground after an argument shortly after midnight Friday. WPXI-TV, the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, reported that the incident began as an argument between the former Pitt wrestler and his ex-girlfriend, with two of her friends getting involved in the altercation. Bright allegedly punched one of the women in the face and flipped another woman over his shoulder and onto the ground. The Post-Gazette also reported that a search of Bright's home on Robinson St. yielded drug paraphernalia and a stolen .40-caliber pistol, according to authorities. Pitt athletics spokesman E.J. Borghetti said that upon learning of Bright's arrest, head wrestling coach Jason Peters immediately dismissed him from the wrestling program. Bright's athlete biography has been deleted from the Pitt Panthers' official wrestling website. Prior to coming to Pitt on a wrestling scholarship, Bright wrestled at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, just outside Cleveland, where he was a four-time placer at the Ohio state wrestling championships. Bright made a name for himself in national events, placing first at the Fargo National Championships his sophomore year, and was a two-time finalist at the Walsh Ironman, winning the title as a senior. As a true freshman starter at 141 pounds at Pitt, Bright compiled a 19-11 record during the 2013-14 season. He was runner-up at the 2014 ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) championships, and a qualifier for the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Last season, Bright placed third at the Southern Scuffle.

Ruth McCain Nichols, widow of legendary Iowa State wrestling coach Harold Nichols, passed away at Green Hills Health Care Center in Ames, Iowa on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015. She was 92. Ruth NicholsRuth McCain Nichols was born Aug. 12, 1923 in Clarksdale, Miss. She attended school in Clarksdale, graduating from Clarksdale High School in 1941, then continuing her education at Mississippi State College for Women in Columbus, Mississippi and the University of Mississippi at Oxford. In June 1942, Ruth went on a blind date with Lt. Harold Nichols who was temporarily stationed in Clarksdale during World War II. Less than one year later -- March 13, 1943 -- Ruth and Harold were married. After the war, the Nichols relocated to Jonesboro, Ark. when Harold accepted a teaching and coaching position at Arkansas State College in Jonesboro, where he launched a wrestling program. In 1953, the Nichols moved again, this time to Ames, as Harold was hired as head wrestling coach at what was then called Iowa State College. As her obituary in the Ames Tribune stated, "Ruth's life was to forever change. In the next three decades she became to surrogate mother to hundreds of wrestlers at Iowa State. She attended all of the home wrestling meets and enjoyed traveling on wrestling trips to the NCAA tournament each year." Ruth's husband Harold Nichols made Iowa State one of the most successful Division I college wrestling programs in the nation. In his 32 years at the helm of the Cyclone wrestling program, Nichols' wrestlers won six NCAA team titles, and 38 individual NCAA championships. Among the champs he coached: Les Anderson, Carl Adams, Nate Carr, Dan Gable, Jim Gibbons, Ron Gray, Gordon Hassman, Veryl Long, Tom Peckham, Ben Peterson, Jason Smith, Chris Taylor and Kelly Ward. Coach Nichols retired at the end of the 1985 season; he passed away in Feb. 1997 at age 79. He is enshrined in numerous halls of fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame. In a 2005 online poll of wrestling fans conducted by the NCAA, Nichols was named one of three all-time greatest college coaches (along with Gable, who coached at University of Iowa, and Oklahoma State's Ed Gallagher). In addition to her enduring support of her husband's coaching career and the Iowa State wrestling program, Ruth Nichols was active in civic and church work. One of her passions was genealogy. Ruth and Harold Nichols had two sons: Harold James Nichols born July 27, 1945 in Hempstead, N.Y., and William Charles Nichols born July 10, 1950 in Jonesboro. Services for Ruth Nichols were held Tuesday, Sept. 22 in Ames.

Jason Bryant and Jim Gibbons will go "On the Mat" is this Wednesday, Sept 23. "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. CT on AM 1650, The Fan. Bryant is the owner and operator of MatTalkOnline.com. Gibbons is a commentator for United World Wrestling and for the Big Ten Network. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments.

Quentin HovisTwo-time state champion Quentin Hovis (Seton Catholic, Ariz.) verbally committed to the Naval Academy late on Monday evening. Ranked No. 29 overall in the Class of 2017, he placed third in Junior Greco-Roman this summer in Fargo. Earlier in the off-season, he was a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion and placed third in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals. Additional Fargo placements for Hovis come in the form of three Cadet National All-American honors, a pair in Greco-Roman and one in freestyle; he was a double All-American in 2013, while earning runner-up honors in Greco-Roman during 2014. Hovis was also a champion of the Southwest Kickoff Classic at 128 pounds in the fall of 2014, and projects as a 157/165 in college.

Three-time state champion Chad Red (New Palestine, Ind.), who has yet to lose a match during his in-season scholastic career, verbally committed to the University of Nebraska on Monday evening. During this past season, his third state championship campaign, he won a Super 32 Challenge title in the preseason and a FloNationals title in the post-season. Also on the resume for Red is a Cadet National freestyle title from the summer of 2014, a Cadet Greco-Roman All-American finish in 2013, a seventh place finish at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2012, and a Flo Nationals fourth place finish in the spring of 2014. Red, ranked No. 5 overall in the Class of 2016, projects to compete as a 133/141 at Nebraska.

State champion Brandon Cray (Hamilton East, N.J.) verbally committed to the University of Maryland on Monday afternoon. The projected 125 pound wrestler augmented his state championship from this past season with a fourth place finish during his sophomore campaign, one in which he placed eighth in the Super 32 Challenge at 106 pounds. Cray is the first top 100 commit for Maryland in this recruiting class.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Two of the nation's mobile and athletic heavyweights have agreed to compete at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic is also sponsored by Raymond James and will be held at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m. Ty Walz defeated Adam Coon in the semifinals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Returning NCAA runner-up Adam Coon of Michigan will face another returning All-American, Ty Walz of Virginia Tech. Both juniors, it will be the first appearance in the event for each athlete. Coon finished second to N.C. State's Nick Gwiazdowski in the 285-pound final at the 2015 NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis. Coon came in seeded No. 6 and defeated All-Americans Spencer Myers of Maryland and Mike McMullan of Northwestern to reach the finals. A Fowlerville, Mich., native, Coon finished the 2014-15 season with a 32-5 record. "What we have seen from both Adam Coon and Ty Walz is they have an ability to really entertain the fans with their exciting, athletic brand of wrestling," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "One of the most memorable sequences in all of last year's NCAA championships was Adam Coon's scramble with Mike McMullan in the semifinals. Walz is also as athletic as they come. I don't think the fans in Atlanta will see a push-and-shove 1-1 match here." Walz came into last year's tournament as the No. 10 seed and finished in seventh place, helping lead Virginia Tech to a 10th-place finish as a team in St. Louis. Walz, a graduate of national prep wrestling powerhouse St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio, defeated returning All-American Austin Marsden of Oklahoma State to earn All-American honors. Walz beat Coon once last season, earning a 5-3 overtime victory in the semifinals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational in December of 2014. From a historical standpoint, Walz will be Virginia Tech's sixth entrant into the event, with Joey Dance and Devin Carter (twice) representing the Hokies in the past three years. Sean Gray appeared in the event twice, wrestling for the Hokies in 2001 and 2002. Coon will be Michigan's first representative at the All-Star Classic since the fall of 2008 when Steve Luke defeated Iowa's Jay Borschel 3-2 at 174 pounds in Columbus, Ohio. Michigan head coach Joe McFarland participated in the event for the Wolverines back in 1982, defeating Oklahoma State's Randy Willingham 84 at 118 pounds. Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: 184: 197: 285: Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech) WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15 PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider) EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org About ESPNU The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.

The Eastern College Athletic Conference has announced the formation of a new ECAC Division II Wrestling League which will take to the mats this fall for the 2015-16 season, the conference announced Friday. . The new wrestling conference will consist of seven member programs which compete in NCAA Division II. The schools stretch along the eastern U.S., from Emmanuel College in Boston, to King University in Bristol, Tenn., along with two schools in North Carolina -- Belmont Abbey College and UNC Pembroke -- and three in South Carolina: Coker College, Limestone College, and Newberry College. With the creation of the ECAC DII Wrestling League, wrestlers will have expanded opportunities to qualify for postseason competition and garner individual awards. In addition, the league expects to generate an increased presence for collegiate wrestling among southern schools. "We are thrilled to add the ECAC Division II Wrestling League to our already-impressive list of leagues and affiliates," said ECAC President and CEO Dr. Kevin T. McGinniss. "The ECAC prides itself on being the "Home of Champions," and we are excited to offer further opportunities for our student-athletes to compete at the highest level while earning ECAC Division II Wrestling League and overall ECAC recognition for their accomplishments." A number of wrestling coaches from schools within the new ECAC Division II Wrestling League weighed in with their assessment of the newly formed league. "From a strategic perspective, this could not come at a better time for the wrestling program at Coker College," said Coker College head wrestling coach Cy Wainwright. "We are thrilled to be able to compete in the nation's largest conference as we look to get more recognition for our student-athletes." "This partnership with the ECAC is really going to allow us to build the wrestling presence in the South," said Othello "O.T." Johnson, head wrestling coach at UNC Pembroke. "A conference identity is something that has been needed for a long time." Jason Moorman, head wrestling coach at King University, agreed, adding "hopefully this will also encourage other NCAA Division II [schools] to strongly explore starting wrestling programs at their respective institutions." Founded in 1938, the ECAC has emerged as the nation's largest athletic conference. From just 58 members at the start, the ECAC has grown to over 300 member schools in Divisions I, II and III. The ECAC has considerable geographic reach as well, with member schools spanning the eastern U.S. from Maine to Georgia, and as far west as Missouri. In the 2015-16 academic year, the ECAC will host nearly 100 championships in 32 men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 male and female athletes.

Friends and family have established a GoFundMe.com page for Joe Knecht, wrestling coach and director of Kansas USA Wrestling District 1, who was seriously injured in a boating accident Labor Day weekend that later claimed the life of his wife Stephanie. Joe and Stephanie KnechtIndividuals who wish to help coach Knecht with his medical bills and other needs may make a secure donation online at the designated website www.gofundme.com/knechtlovefund. In the twelve days since the account has been established, 310 individuals have donated approximately $28,500. Joe Knecht has been the head coach of the Paola Wrestling Club in Kansas since 2009. In addition, he is the director for District 1, which covers eastern Kansas from Topeka to Kansas City, from the northern border with Nebraska to the southern border with Oklahoma. In addition to his active involvement with wrestling, Knecht has described himself as an eCommerce Architect, and, in fact, had developed software solutions for managing amateur wrestling tournaments. Joe and Stephanie Knecht were among four individuals seriously injured in the boating accident on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7. All four victims were flown to nearby hospitals; Stephanie died Wednesday, Sept. 9 at Research Medical Center, just days before her 38th birthday. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol, the boat ran aground and struck a tree. The driver of the boat, 41-year-old Ryan T. Johnson of Paola, Kan., was not injured. Johnson was arrested for boating while intoxicated and negligent operation of a watercraft. The Knechts were married Sept. 8, 2001, and had made their home in Paola. They became parents of a son Jaden and daughter Jordyn.

Jared Platt has been on the wrestling roster at Blair Academy and Penn State, competed in mixed martial arts, and coached. Now the 26-year-old is truly in the fight of his life: battling Stage 4 cancer. However, fans can stand in his corner by participating in online fundraising efforts. Jared Platt wrestled and coached at Blair Academy in New Jersey (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Friends have created a GoFundMe page to help Platt with the costs of his medical care. They set a goal of raising $100,000; in nine days, they have received just over 700 donors who have contributed approximately $70,500. Individuals may make donations online at www.gofundme.com/bc3y7qy3. Platt had been dealing with extreme, crippling pain in his back and legs. He was admitted to a Morristown, N.J., hospital earlier this month; emergency surgery revealed a cancerous mass on his lower back. Platt is being treated for the Stage 4 cancer, but his situation is complicated by a long-standing Type 1 diabetes condition. A biopsy performed Friday may well help doctors pinpoint the type of cancer so appropriate treatment can begin. Platt has had a successful competitive career in personal combat sports most of his life, despite being urged by doctors not to, because of his diabetes. He was a two-time Prep School National champion for Blair Academy in high school, winning at 215 pounds in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, Platt was named to the ASICS High School All-American Team as its third team member at 215 pounds. He was honorable mention in 2006. In addition to success in folkstyle, Platt made a name for himself in freestyle, where he was a Junior Nationals freestyle champion in 2007 at 215 pounds. He placed second in the 2010 University Nationals and fourth in 2008 University Nationals. He also won gold medals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2007 Pan American Junior Championships. Platt was recruited by Penn State for the 2007-08 season, and was a leading candidate to replace NCAA champ Phil Davis at 197 upon graduation. However, Platt was unable to wrestle because of a shoulder injury according to news reports at the time.