InterMat Staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- The executive committee of United World Wrestling has announced that Budapest has been selected to host the 2018 Wrestling World Championships. The Hungarian city was also selected to host the 2017 U-23 European Wrestling Championships, one of United World Wrestling newest premier events. Budapest -- who is preparing to host the 2016 Non-Olympic Weight Wrestling World Championships December 10-11 at the SYMA Sports and Conference Centre -- last hosted the world championships in September 2013. United World Wrestling also named Kharkhov, Ukraine as the new host of the Freestyle Wrestling Club World Cup December 8-9. Budapest will host the Greco-Roman Wrestling Club World Cup on the same dates, just prior to the non-Olympic weight world championships. The 2017 Freestyle Wrestling World Cup and Greco-Roman World Cup have also swapped dates, with the former now being competed February 16-17 in Tehran and the latter March 16-17. Host city applications for the 2019 Wrestling World Championships are currently being reviewed with a selection expected by the end of the year.

Ryan Millhof rides Missouri's Barlow McGhee (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) All-American Ryan Millhof announced on Monday on Facebook that he is transferring from Oklahoma to Arizona State. He initially asked for his release from Oklahoma after Mark Cody resigned as head wrestling coach in August, but had not announced where he would be transferring to until today. "I'm happy to announce that next semester I will be transferring to Arizona State University," wrote Millhof. "I can't thank the people that have helped me through this process enough. I want to thank the University of Oklahoma for an awesome two and a half years. I will miss my teammates and the community tremendously! God bless everyone." Millhof, a Georgia native, is coming off a season in which he posted a 21-7 record, won a Big 12 title and earned All-American honors with a seventh-place finish at 125 pounds. He compiled a record of 37-22 in two seasons at Oklahoma.

Isaac Jordan gets in on a shot against Bo Jordan in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- Mat wrestling will be at a premium as Wisconsin's Isaac Jordan and Missouri's Daniel Lewis have agreed to compete at 165 pounds at the 51st annual NWCA All-Star Classic on November 5 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The event, presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company and hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network, has served as the major kick-off event for the wrestling season since becoming and early-season event. In 2012, the event moved to the first weekend of the major college wrestling calendar and has been a fixture ever since. Both Jordan and Lewis are known for the extreme proficiency of their mat work. Jordan, a returning NCAA finalist, can latch on and keep nearly anyone down while Lewis has no problem taking top against some of the nation's best wrestlers. "This match truly has the makings of being an NCAA finals preview," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "While we know how good these athletes are on the mat, let's not forget that to be this good, you've got to be great in all positions. I think the fans in Ohio will be glad to see another native son (Jordan) come back to compete, too." Jordan, a three-time All-American, is looking to become just the fifth Wisconsin wrestler in school history to earn All-American honors four times. He comes into the bout with a 86-12 career record including a 29-1 record last season. A three-time high school state champion, Jordan hails from Ohio wrestling powerhouse Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio where he was coached by his uncle Jeff Jordan. Father Jim is a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a two-time NCAA champion at Wisconsin. Lewis burst onto the national scene last season, finishing a stellar redshirt freshman season with a fourth-place finish at 165 pounds. Lewis was the Mid-American Conference champion and the conference's freshman of the year and finished the season with a 29-6 mark. In high school, Lewis wrestled for Missouri power Blue Springs under coach Mike Hagerty. Lewis won four state championships, the first wrestler in school history to do so, and was the second wrestler in state history to win four titles at four different weights. The other was current Mizzou teammate and Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox. This will be the first official meeting between the two as they did not meet last season. Jordan joins teammate Connor Medbery as one of two Badgers in the event and will be the 26th wrestler from Wisconsin to compete in the event. Badger wrestlers are 11-12-1 all-time in the All-Star Classic with the last win coming from Donny Pritzlaff in 2001. Lewis will make Missouri's 12th appearance at the All-Star Classic. Tiger wrestlers are 7-4 all-time in the event with Alan Waters earning the last victory at the 2015 All-Star Classic in Philadelphia, beating Virginia Tech's Joey Dance at 125 pounds. 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company Hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network November 5, 2016 - Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University Time: Showcase Matches 6 p.m.; Main Event 7 p.m. Tickets: $15 GA, $100 Preferred Seating/Social. Group options available. Tickets available at www.goallstarclassic.com or Wolstein Center Box Office ( 844-407-2279) or Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Marts. Streaming: Trackwrestling.com Officially Announced Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: Isaac Jordan, Sr. (Wisconsin) vs. Daniel Lewis, So. (Missouri) 174: 184: 197: 285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin) About the National Wrestling Coaches Association The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) Wrestlers in Business Network is a registered 501 C-3 that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have graduated from the sport and are now in their respective careers. Our mission is to build a community that serves as a platform to connect our members and facilitate business and job opportunities across the nation by leveraging a talent rich pipeline of wrestling alumni, with the ultimate byproduct of increasing reinvestment back to the sport. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- Sunday in upstate New York saw the Journeymen Fall Classic, which is structured with round-robin pools followed by either cross-over finals or semifinal-to-final to determine placement in each weight class. Wrestlers are selected for the event primarily by invitation and/or qualification. The weight classes in the "A" flight feature many wrestlers with high-caliber state and/or national level credentials. Results: 106: Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.) dec. Ryan Chauvin (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), 1-0 113: Robert Howard (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) dec. Joe Manchio (Seneca, N.J.), 4-2 120: Jakob Camacho (Danbury, Ct.) dec. Patrick Gould (East Stroudsburg South, Pa.), 5-4 125: Joseph Silva (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) dec. Real Woods (Montini Catholic, Ill.), 5-1 130: Jacori Teemer (Long Beach, N.Y.) dec. Hunter Dusold (Locust Valley, N.Y.), 10-3 135: Brian Courtney (Athens, Pa.) dec. Jason Renteria (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), 5-4 140: Ryan Vulakh (North Penn, Pa.) dec. Parker Filius (Havre, Mont.), 5-2 145: Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.) dec. Peter Pappas (Plainview JFK, N.Y.), 2-1, overtime 152: Evan Barczak (Monroe Woodbury, N.Y.) dec. Michael Ross (Foran, Ct.), 9-5 160: Trent Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.) dec. Kyle Cochran (Paramus, N.J.), 5-3 170: Bryce Rogers (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) dec. George Walton (Bound Brook, N.J.), 5-1 182: Louie Deprez (Hilton, N.Y.) dec. Drew Peck (Chambersburg, Pa.), 7-0 195: Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.) major dec. Danny Salas (St. John Bosco, Calif.), 14-1 225: Ryan Ellefsen (Goshen, N.Y.) pin Eric Keosseian (Howell, N.J.), 2:36 285: Mansur Abdul-Malik (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Sammy Evans (Alcoa, Tenn.), 5-2

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- The one-day Grappler Fall Classic held on Saturday in Battle Creek, Mich. was a solid tournament with some high level wrestling, even though the day of competition was a marathon in nature. Most notable of the champions in the high school elite division were Carson Manville (South County, Va.) at 119 pounds, Grant Aronoff (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.) at 135, and Ben Freeman (Walled Lake Central, Mich.) at 140. Carson ManvilleManville, ranked No. 2 overall among junior high wrestlers, beat wrestlers that finished third place or better in their high school state tournament last year in his last four bouts. In the round of 16, it was a 2-1 victory over Jack Medley (Anchor Bay, Mich.), while it was a 3-1 overtime victory over Jordan Crace (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) in the quarterfinal, before an 8-5 victory over Austin Franco (Stevensville Lakeshore, Mich.) in the semifinal. The championship match was a 5-3 victory over two-time state champion Mike Mars (Westland John Glenn, Mich.). Aronoff, ranked No. 31 overall in the Class of 2018, had a technical fall, major decision, and pin in his matches prior to the final. That championship match was a 9-5 victory over Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.), who has finished third in all three of his high school season state tournaments. Freeman, ranked No. 30 overall in the Class of 2017, had three pins and a major decision from his four matches in the tournament; this included a pin in 2:41 over three-time state finalist Francisco Valdes (Miami Southwest, Fla.) in the championship bout. Results: 98: Jesse Mendez (Indiana) dec. Riley Bettich, 4-2 105: Noah Horst dec. Hunter Olson (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), 6-2 112: Rayvon Foley (Ann Arbor Pioneer, Mich.) by forfeit over Jake Canitano (Solon, Ohio) 119: Carson Manville (South County, Va.) dec. Mike Mars (Westland John Glenn, Mich.), 5-3 125: Carlos Champagne (Marian Catholic, Mich.) dec. A.J. Facundo (Davison, Mich.), 9-4 130: Kevon Davenport (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) pinned Angel Perez (Miami Southwest, Fla.), 2:26 135: Grant Aronoff (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.) dec. Breyden Bailey (Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.), 9-5 140: Ben Freeman (Walled Lake Central, Mich.) pinned Francisco Valdes (Miami Southwest, Fla.), 2:41 145: Markus Hartman (Barrington, Ill.) dec. Cameron Amine (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), 6-2 152: Colt Yinger (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) dec. Kyle Hatch (Warsaw, Ind.), 9-6 160: Nick Kiussis (Brunswick, Ohio) dec. Ryan Thomas (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), 4-2 TB 171: Zac Braunagel (Althof Catholic, Ill.) dec. Collin Lieber (Croswell-Lexington, Mich.), 12-9 189: Kordell Norfleet (Marian Catholic, Ill.) dec. Jared Ball (Hilliard Darby, Ohio), 7-2 215: Ryan Vasbinder (Byron Center, Mich.) dec. Diata Drayton (Mt. Carmel, Ill.), 5-0 285: Devon Kozel (Bangor, Mich.) dec. Chase Beard (Allegan, Mich.), 7-4

Jordan Decatur defeated Gavin Teasdale at Who's Number One (Photo/Juan Garcia) BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The 2016-17 scholastic wrestling season began in earnest this past weekend with three notable events, the most notable of them being the FloWrestling sponsored Who's Number One all-star matches that happened at Lehigh University on Sunday afternoon. Two notable upset outcomes kicked off the event. The first came at 120 pounds in what was a battle of wrestlers that are ranked No. 3 overall in their respective grade level. Sophomore Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) upended junior Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.), 8-7. Teasdale represented the United States twice at the UWW Cadet World Championships in freestyle, at 42 kilograms in 2014 and 50 kilograms in 2015. He also ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 1 in the nation at 113 pounds. Decatur is a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion, who has twice placed at the UWW Cadet National championships, including fourth at 50 kilograms in 2015 and second at 54 kilograms in 2016. Jarod Verkleeren topped Kaden Gfeller at 145 pounds (Photo/Juan Garcia) The second of those involved a battle of elite seniors that have already committed to Big XII schools. Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area, Pa.), ranked No. 24 overall in the Class of 2017, beat Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.) by a 10-3 score. The Oklahoma State commit Gfeller is ranked No. 11 in the Class of 2017, while Verkleeren is committed to Iowa State. Results: 120: Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) dec. Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.), 8-7 145: Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area, Pa.) dec. Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.), 10-3 138: Nick Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind./Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) dec. Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.), 8-3 126: Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.) dec. Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.), 3-2 182: Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) dec. Jelani Embree (Warren Lincoln, Mich.), 12-6 160: Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) dec. Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), 7-5 SV 152: David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) dec. Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa.), 4-2 132: Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) dec. Austin Gomez (Glenbard North, Ill.), 8-2 170: Michael Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) dec. Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, Ore.), 3-1

Three-time state medalist Brian Courtney (Athens, Pa.) was a known commodity headed into last year's post-season tournaments; however, it was during those tournaments that he went absolutely en fuego. In the PIAA state wrestling tournament, Courtney beat three defending state champions on the way to his state title. Having previous finishes of third and second in the state tournament, Courtney first beat Jonathan Gabriel 8-3 in the quarterfinal, then beat Cole Matthews 9-3 in the semifinal, and upended fellow top Class of 2017 prospect Max Murin 3-2 in the championship match. He then added a championship at the Flo Nationals within the month. Courtney is ranked No. 23 overall in the Class of 2017, and joins No. 7 Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa.) as an elite wrestler to be committed to the University of Virginia. He projects to compete at 141 pounds in college.

Chamsulvara ChamsulvaraevChamsulvara Chamsulvaraev, a former member of the Azerbaijan men's freestyle wrestling team who wrestled at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but later joined ISIS, was killed in an air strike in Iraq. In September, Chamsulvaraev was killed when a car he was riding in was struck by a U.S. drone near Mosul, a city in Northern Iraq, according to news reports out of Russia. The 32-year-old Chamsulvaraev was originally from Dagestan, Russia, a predominantly Muslim region of the country on the Caspian Sea near the borders of Georgia and Azerbaijan, where he began wrestling at an early age. When Chamsulvaraev was unable to qualify for the Russian national team, he became a naturalized Azerbaijani citizen to compete for their men's national freestyle team at 74 kilograms/163 pounds. During his career, Chamsulvaraev won a silver medal at the World Wrestling Championships in 2009 and a bronze medal in 2007. Chamsulvaraev also competed a number of times at the European Championships, where he was a three-time bronze medalist, and a gold medal winner at the European championships at Vilnius, Lithuania in 2009. He also wrestled at the 2008 Beijing Olympics but did not place after losing to eventual bronze medalist Murad Gaidarov of Belarus. In addition, BloodyElbow.com reported that Chamsulvaraev competed at the 2005 Super Cup event in Dagestan, where he wrestled Muhammed Lawal, an NCAA All-American for Oklahoma State who is now competing in mixed martial arts for Bellator as "King Mo" Lawal. Chamsulvaraev retired from the sport of wrestling in 2014 and eventually joined the Islamic State terrorist group as a key recruiter in the region. He is believed to have converted and radicalized a pregnant teenager, Diana Ramazanova, who blew herself up in Istanbul, Turkey last year.

Carson Manville was a JJ Classic runner-up in 2015 (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Carson Manville (Lorton, Va.), the nation's No. 2-ranked junior high wrestler, has registered for the InterMat JJ Classic at 120 pounds. He was a JJ Classic runner-up a year ago at 100 pounds. This year Manville captured a USA Wrestling Triple Crown by winning national titles in folkstyle, freestyle and Greco-Roman. He posted a combined 12-0 record in those three national tournaments, which included seven technical falls, four falls and one (15-8) decision. Last fall, Manville won titles at the Super 32 Challenge in the middle school division, Preseason Nationals and Grappler Fall Classic. Manville is the second top five junior high wrestler to register for this year's JJ Classic, joining No. 5 Ryan Franco, who registered at 113 pounds. The 2016 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic and to register, visit the event website.

Tom Patterson hugs his mother Joene Thomas Patterson, former Briar Cliff University wrestler and volunteer coach for the Sioux City, Iowa school, went missing in the Missouri River after going in to rescue a friend during Labor Day weekend. His body was found later, the victim of a drowning. He was 23. Patterson disappeared Sunday, Sept. 4 in the Missouri River near a beach about four miles southwest of Elk Point, South Dakota. Other students who were there that afternoon said he got caught in the current while trying to help other swimmers cross back to the other side of the river. Patterson had wrapped a dog leash around him to use as a tether. The other individual helping those caught in the current was able to make it to a tree near the middle of the river, but Patterson was caught in the current and unable to reach the tree. He went under soon after. "As he was going across, I turned my back for one second, and then he was underwater and nobody saw him," said Bryce Raby, a student at Western Iowa Tech Community College, told the Sioux City Journal. After sustained search efforts by authorities from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, Patterson's body was found ten days later not far from where he went into the water. Thomas George Patterson was born March 24, 1993 in Cumberland, Maryland, and was raised in Frostburg, Maryland. So how did a young athlete from western Maryland travel 1,000 miles west to Sioux City to wrestle at Briar Cliff University? "I always said it was fate that we wound up here (at Briar Cliff) because he started getting recruit letters coming in," his mother Joene Patterson told CliffNews.net, a website for the university. "I would sit in the evenings at the computer and just delete. I never looked at them, I never opened them, I just sat there deleting. The only recruit letter that was opened was the one coach (Joe) Privitere sent. Now why did I stop on that one? I didn't open any of the others. When I read it Tom was sitting there. Coach Privitere was describing what he wanted in an athlete, and what he wanted for Briar Cliff. As I read it, at that moment, I felt that he was describing Tom." "His leadership skills were an asset absolutely," said head wrestling coach Joe Privitere. "He bought into what we were selling. He was an extremely hard worker, and loved the (wrestling) program. He actually graduated and realized he had another year of eligibility, so he enrolled back into the university this fall, which shows how much this program meant to him. He was just a special kid. If we could have forty of him, we would." "Seven years ago Thomas's dad called me and told me, 'Thomas Patterson will be the hardest worker you've ever had,'" Privitere continued. "I hear it all the time, and in this case it was true. He was the hardest working kid I've had. And it came into fruition with him. You hear it all the time, 'he'd run through a wall for you,' Thomas Patterson would run through a wall for you." Here's what coach Privitere wrote for the GoFundMe.com page established to help the Patterson family with funeral expenses. "As his college wrestling coach, I recruited Tom 7 years ago. Originally from Frostburg, MD he took no time making an immediate impact on those around him and across the Briar Cliff community here in Sioux City, IA. Tom earned his undergraduate degree in the spring of 2015 and selflessly volunteered the next year with the program. In a random conversation between him and I he said, 'I wish I had another year to compete with the program.' To that, I let him know he did. Due to an injury his junior year he was unable to compete and essentially red shirted. Long story short, he re-enrolled at the university in an effort to bolster his criminal justice degree with a psychology degree as well as reach his goal to become an All-American." According to his Briar Cliff wrestling bio for the 2013-14 season, the 5'10" Patterson had wrestled at 157 and 174 pounds for the Chargers. In high school, Patterson was a two-time Maryland state qualifier and senior team captain. Patterson graduated from Briar Cliff in May 2015 with a degree in criminal justice, a minor in sociology and a coaching certificate. After spending a brief time back in Maryland, he returned to Sioux City and volunteered with the wrestling program. In August, Patterson re-enrolled at BCU to pursue an additional degree in psychology. His parents say he had aspirations to become a counselor. A memorial service for Patterson in Sioux City has already been held. Future memorial services are slated to take place in Frostburg, Maryland at a date to be announced. Those wishing to make a donation in Tom Patterson's name are encouraged to consider a gift to the Briar Cliff wrestling program at briarcliff.edu or to his GoFundMe.com page. Founded in 1930, Briar Cliff University is a private, four-year Catholic university located in northwest Iowa. It has a student enrollment of approximately 1,200 students. The Chargers wrestling program competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA).

Participants for the 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic are starting to be announced and with NCAA champion Myles Martin, NCAA finalist Isaac Jordan and heavyweight crowd-pleaser Ty Walz this year's event is certain to bring fireworks. The NCAA kickoff weekend has become quite the event. Recently the matchups have been between high octane, generational talents like Kyle Dake and David Taylor, and while those horses won't be running, the NWCA has done a great job of finding watchable, likable talent. The Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) has also been instrumental in insuring the event goes off every year with great production value and high ratings as a result. While the NWCA All-Star Classic is on solid footing the dual meet season seems under duress. I've long been a proponent of the dual meet season as a way to build the sport, but in hearing a close friend discuss mini-tournaments I'm not longer as certain. Essentially the argument is that you might reserve dual meets for the top-drawing events of each team's season like Ohio State vs. Michigan or Oklahoma State vs. Oklahoma, but that you'd replace the rest of the dual meets with min-tournaments. The wrestlers would get more action in shorter season, teams would save costs, and you could market more stars per event. Rather than have 28 dual meets a weekend you could have five mini-tournaments with wrestlers receiving more reps. I'm not sure I see all the angles here, and this seems pretty similar to the idea of a dual meet tournament, but I like the notion that we could save budget on travel and shorten the season to something more manageable. Just a thought to share with the community for us to ponder together and possibly mature it into a workable solution. To your questions … Nathan Tomasello at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: Nathan Tomasello is reportedly moving up to 133 pounds. Do you see him as a title contender there? Or do you think his height could be a hindrance against taller, longer 133-pounders? -- Mike C. Foley: But Tomasello has always been that tall. The issue of height is, for me, not an issue. Having never wrestled him I wouldn't know, but it seems like he could pick up a forklift and throw it across a warehouse. With that type of Herculean strength I think he can more than make up for a lack of comparable leverage. NATO is a force and with one of the best coaches in the NCAA I think that he has a chance to win it at 133, 125 and hell, maybe even 141! Q: Does USA Wrestling have anything set up to hire people to make our sport better? Are there any organizations other than USA Wrestling that do that? The NCAA has their committee of coaches, but they can only do so much as the NCAA trumps the coaches. How would one help our sport the most, outside of being a competitor or coach? What would be the best avenue to take? -- Ben H. Foley: One of the most influential bodies in the sport is the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), which provides resources and insights to coaches around the country. Unlike the NCAA, the NWCA has more autonomy to make recommendations on the future of the sport and tends to be former wrestlers, rather than a mixture of professional collegiate administrators and coaches. Also, we have to define what we mean to make the sport "better." When you look at the totality of wrestling's place in the United States things are looking pretty good. The sport is growing rapidly among women, there is increased participation in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and the NCWA. High school numbers are less stable, with some overall participation figures pointing towards a downward trend. As for video content, there is FloWrestling, Trackwrestling and the individual governing bodies like United World Wrestling and USA Wrestling who are all providing video to those who'd like to watch. Jason Bryant's podcast network is hooking thousands of listeners a week up with an inside track on their favorite program or discussion topics. And we have a robust social media culture (even if it gets a little hot at times). Things could always be "better" but for the most part we are seeing some good results. Yes, you could cut this the other way and see a different story, but I'm choosing the positive angle … this time. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Helen and Simone! Q: With Jordan Burroughs not winning in Rio, how much does that affect his marketability? Can you give a ballpark figure on how much money it might have cost him? -- Mike C. Foley: Off-the-whistle he's losing $500,000 for not repeating as Olympic champion. I think that after that number the rest is sort of inconsequential. I don't know if there is any real way to gauge how much market value he lost. There are contracts that I'm sure were signed before the Olympics to ensure that he still could capitalize on his fame. Also, I don't know that I think he lost that much value form his previous popularity, as much as he has lost income opportunity. That number could be enormous when you start factoring in book deals, attire and other items. Crazy to think about what happened at the Olympic Games and not feel some empathy for his position. How many other wrestlers were being paid by Hershey's, Asics, Ralph Lauren and Chobani? How many could deal with that level of expectation? Tough to say, but I think that he has served the sport well, and while I wish to see him on the mat soon, I wish more to see that he is healthy and happy. Q: Any word that Isaiah White will or will not be enrolling at Ohio State this fall? He is not listed on their roster. I've heard that grades may be a problem. -- J.M. Foley: Update: Twitter is telling me he is at Notre Dame College. Q: Who are your top five pound-for-pound NCAA wrestlers? -- Mike C. Foley: Kyle Snyder has to be at the top of the heap, given his dramatic win last season and, oh yeah, the Olympic title. After that I'm choosing J'den Cox, Isaiah Martinez, Zain Retherford and Gabe Dean.

Ty Walz takes a shot on Kyle Snyder in the NCAA semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- Cleveland native Ty Walz of Virginia Tech has agreed to face Wisconsin All-American Connor Medbery at 285 pounds in 51st annual NWCA All-Star Classic on November 5 at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center. The event, presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company and hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network, has served as the major kick-off event for the wrestling season since becoming and early-season event. In 2012, the event moved to the first weekend of the major college wrestling calendar and has been a fixture ever since. Walz, a graduate of nearby St. Edward High School in Lakewood, is a rising senior whose fourth-place finish at 285 pounds last season helped the Hokies to a program-best fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division I Championships in New York City. A two-time All-American, Walz was an Ohio state champion at St. Edward, one of the top high school wrestling programs in the nation. Medbery, a native of Loveland, Colo., is a three-time NCAA qualifier and a returning All-American. He finished fourth at 285 pounds in 2015 but redshirted last season to try to make the U.S. Olympic wrestling team in freestyle wrestling. While he didn't make the team, he did travel to Rio de Janeiro as the training partner for two-time Olympian Tervel Dlagnev. A graduate of Loveland High School, Medbery won three Colorado 5A state championships, finishing his last three seasons with a combined 125-0 record. The two have only met once on the college mats, a 2-1 Medbery win in the third-place match at the 2014 Midlands. "These two wrestlers are big and powerful and exciting to watch," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Last year, we saw Ty Walz move like a little guy and score some quick takedowns, but also powerful ones. Connor Medbery has been one of the most active upperweights since he was a champion high school wrestler. This should be a fun match for the fans in Cleveland to enjoy, although I think most of the crowd will likely be pulling for their local boy." This will be Walz's second-straight appearance at the All-Star Classic and the fourth straight year Virginia Tech has been represented in the event. Walz topped Michigan's Adam Coon 9-3 in last year's event in Atlanta. The Hokies are 2-4 in the event all-time with both wins coming last year -- Walz and teammate Zach Epperly. Wisconsin last appeared in the All-Star Classic in November of 2008 and it also came at heavyweight and it also occurred in Ohio. Oklahoma State's Jared Rosholt topped Wisconsin's Kyle Massey 8-4 in Columbus on the campus of the Ohio State University. Badger wrestlers are 11-12-1 all-time in the event with the last victory coming during the 2000-2001 season when Donny Pritzlaff defeated Iowa State's Joe Heskett 3-2 in the tiebreaker at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Brewer-Garrett Company Hosted by the Wrestlers in Business Network November 5, 2016 - Wolstein Center, Cleveland State University Time: Showcase Matches 6 p.m.; Main Event 7 p.m. Tickets: $15 GA, $100 Preferred Seating/Social. Group options available. Tickets available at www.goallstarclassic.com or Wolstein Center Box Office ( 844-407-2279) or Northeast Ohio Discount Drug Marts. Streaming: Trackwrestling.com Announced Matchups 125: 133: 141: 149: 157: 165: 174: 184: 197: 285: Ty Walz, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. Connor Medbery, Sr. (Wisconsin) About the National Wrestling Coaches Association The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) Wrestlers in Business Network is a registered 501 C-3 that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have graduated from the sport and are now in their respective careers. Our mission is to build a community that serves as a platform to connect our members and facilitate business and job opportunities across the nation by leveraging a talent rich pipeline of wrestling alumni, with the ultimate byproduct of increasing reinvestment back to the sport. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org

Clay Lautt after winning a title at the UWW Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman (Photo/Sam Janicki) Kansas wrestling is on the move. Last year, Kansas' senior class placed several wrestlers at quality schools, though only three signed with Division I schools: Michael Prieto headed to South Dakota State University, Alan Clothier to Appalachian State University and Sam Elliott to Duke University. With Kansas' monumental second-place finish in Fargo at the Cadet level in 2016, the Kansas faithful knew that 2017 would bring a deep class of seniors with a swarm of Division I attention. Here is a look at the top 10 senior wrestlers from Kansas … 1. Clay Lautt High School: St. James Academy Projected High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Clay has been on a steady rise to the top, winning the FILA Cadet National Greco-Roman title and earning a spot on the Cadet World Team this year. He is a two-time state champion and a three-time Fargo All-American. He has been an anchor for the Kansas National Duals teams and has that top-shelf character that is a coaches' dream. The University of North Carolina recognized him early and will be getting an elite athlete from a fantastic family. Words from the corner: "No two wrestlers have made more of an impact on our program than Clay Lautt and Sammy Cokeley. What these two have done on the mat speaks for itself. Over the last few years these two have spent basically 10 months a year working towards their goals. If not working hard in the room for themselves, they are at youth practices working with Kansas' future wrestlers striving towards being the next All American for Kansas. What we try to teach is 'it's not always about winning, it's about what you're doing to win.'" -- St. James Academy head wrestling coach Mike Medina 2. Kayne Hutchison High School: Pittsburg Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Analysis: Kayne had built an impressive stockpile of hardware as a Cadet 220-pounder, reaching the podium in both styles at UWW Cadet Nationals and Fargo. As an encore he moved up to the 285-pound class and did it again. He was a FILA Cadet freestyle finalist and third-place finisher in Greco-Roman, followed by a double All-American finish in Fargo at the Junior level. In short, this kid is a gem. Words from the corner: "Kayne Hutchison is a picture-perfect example of a champion in all facets of his life. He is a fierce competitor on the mat and applies the same tenacity with his academics. Kayne's hard work and perseverance drive him to find a way to win the toughest of matches. Kayne takes to the mat to win every match without uncertainty." -- Pittsburg head wrestling coach Scott Rieck T3. Kameron Frame High School: Goddard Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Analysis: Kameron is a two-time state champion, Cadet National folkstyle champion in 2015, folkstyle All-American in 2014 and a two-time Fargo All-American. With a career record of 97-13, he has been a leader on his back-to-back state champion high school team. These twin brothers are veterans of Kansas' National Dual teams and will likely be traveling together to college, giving some lucky program a double bonus. T3. Kendall Frame High School: Goddard Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Analysis: Kendall is also a two-time state champion and three-time state placer. He reached the finals of the Cadet National folkstyle competition and forfeited to his brother Kameron. He is a Fargo All-American and veteran of the National Dual teams. His career record is 99-10. Kansas wrestling fans have been cheering on these twin brothers since a very young age. They are going to make some college coach's year when they sign. Words from the corner (on Kameron and Kendall): "As a coach you dream about kids like this. They don't miss a practice, training session in the offseason, and wrestle year-round with a great attitude. They are also very coachable and understand that if you are not improving you are going to lose ground. Both are students of the sport, spending countless hours watching videos and attempting to perfect their technique. They don't rest on their past accomplishments." -- Goddard head wrestling coach Brett Means 5. Sammy Cokeley High School: St. James Academy Projected High School Weight Class: 170 Projected College Weight Class: 165/174 Analysis: Sammy is the definition of "hard work pays off." With the legacy of his four-time state champion brother Ryne and his state champion brother Reese, Sammy was a two-time state placer with high hopes. He kept chopping wood by traveling to every possible tournament, taking on the nation's best wrestlers. He couldn't have picked a better time to peak than the state tournament. Sammy beat two former state champs and avenged two earlier losses to win his first state title. Everyone could tell the light had turned on. In Tulsa, he went 14-2 at the Junior National Duals, beating a Fargo champion. He then ripped through the backside in Fargo, beating three All-Americans, including Wyatt Sheets from Oklahoma to take home a fourth-place finish in the Junior division. Along with his success in the classroom, this kid will have plenty of college options. Air Force Academy, Cornell, Wisconsin and Columbia are on the short list. 6. Corbin Nirschl High School: Basehor Linwood Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: Corbin has a career record of 103-5 as a three-time state finalist and one-time champion. He is a Fargo All-American, making the finals in 2014. In 2015, Corbin was runner-up at UWW Cadet Nationals in Greco-Roman. Adding to that hardware, he was a Cadet All-American in folkstyle. He is a veteran on many of the National Duals teams and always keeps himself in top shape. Words from the corner: "Corbin is one tough kid. I have never seen a more self-motivated kid. He is very hungry to get back to the top of the podium after finishing second the past two years. I know Corbin is going to work harder this year than he ever has to end his high school wrestling career with another state championship." -- Basehor Linwood head wrestling coach Joe Zlatnik 7. Dylan Prince High School: Pittsburg Projected High School Weight Class: 195 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Analysis: Dylan has had to overcome many physical hurdles throughout his career. He is a beast who passes any eye test and has excelled on the national stage. He is a three-time Fargo All-American and placed third in the Cadet National folkstyle competition. If I had to pick a kid from Kansas to run through a wall, it would be him. Words from the corner: "Dylan Prince is an exceptional athlete whose relatively short career just began in the seventh grade. His work ethic and persistence are second to none. Combined with his relentless pride, Dylan gives it his all in every match. His intensity is fueled by his competitive spirit and ambition to succeed on the mat and in the classroom. Dylan is driven and strives for the intrinsic rewards only a true champion recognizes." -- Rieck 8. Mason Wallace High School: Manhattan Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Analysis: Mason is one win away from three state titles. His 120-9 career record and two titles have grabbed the attention of college coaches nationwide. In 2014, he gained All-American status in folkstyle and has several Fargo wins along with being a veteran of the National Duals teams. Coming from a great family, Mason will make any college coach proud. Words from the corner: "In my forty years as a high school wrestling coach, Mason Wallace exemplifies what we want in our student-athletes. He is a leader by example on and off the wrestling mat. His work ethic is amazing and his ability to instill in his teammates that drive and passion for success. Young people like Mason Wallace energize my life and encourage me to coach forever." -- Manhattan head wrestling coach Bob Gonzales 9. Aryus Jones High School: Junction City Projected High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 184 Analysis: With a career record of 68-13, it would be easy to overlook this athletic phenom from Junction City. That would be a mistake. True wrestling fans know that Aryus Jones has the potential to make a Division I roster. He is a three-time state placer and went 18-0 last year, winning the 6A state title. At the Kansas freestyle/Greco-Roman state tournament this year, he ran roughshod over two Fargo All-Americans and put everyone on notice to watch this kid's encore senior season. Words from the corner: "Aryus is a hard worker, not only on the mat but also in the classroom. He has been a great leader for our team and our community. Along with his pure athleticism, his potential is unlimited." -- Junction City head wrestling coach Robert Laster T10. Paul Stuart High School: Andover Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: One loss in the state finals of his freshman season stands in the way of Paul attempting to win his fourth state title. With a stellar career record of 110-4 and two state titles, he is an elite technician and crowd-pleaser. Words from the corner: "Paul leads by example in the wrestling room. He has a huge heart for kids and loves working with them in camps. Paul is much more than just a wrestler in the wrestling room. Paul is family to me. We have spent so much time together in and out of the wrestling room. I will personally miss him next year and our team will be losing a wonderful teammate." -- Andover head wrestling coach Brett Fiene T10. Tristan Porsch High School: Hoxie Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Tristan has a career record of 114-3 and two state titles. He is also a state freestyle and Greco-Roman champion, winning the Southern Plains Regional in Greco-Roman. His win over four-time champion Michael Prieto last season got the attention of many coaches. Tristan is a National Honor Society member with a 3.85 GPA. He is one win away from three state titles. He has a tremendously competitive attitude. College coaches will do well with this kid. Words from the corner: "Tristan has a great work ethic and what he has accomplished is special because he hasn't had a roomful of workout partners. He wrestles eleven months of the year and has carried on the strong tradition in our wrestling program mostly on his own, since his freshman year. A true leader in our room." -- Hoxie head wrestling coach Mike Porsch Honorable Mention: Daniel Butler (Leavenworth) Tanner Hitchcock (Bonner Springs) Andrew Johnson (Homeschool) Anthony Scantlin (Mulvane) Dylan Servis (Dodge City) Logan Treaster (Newton)

Zach Sherman was a Walsh Ironman runner-up to Jack Mueller (Photo/Rob Preston) Three-time National Prep runner-up Zach Sherman (Blair Academy, N.J.) verbally committed to the University of North Carolina on Wednesday evening. Ranked No. 67 overall in the Class of 2017, Sherman placed fifth at 126 pounds in the Junior National freestyle championships this past summer. He projects to compete as either a 133 or 141 in college, and was also runner-up in the 120-pound weight class at the Walsh Ironman in December 2015. Sherman joins No. 11 Austin O'Connor (St. Rita, Ill.), No. 47 Jamie Hernandez (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), and No. 95 Clay Lautt (St. James Academy, Kansas) as verbal commits to North Carolina in Class of 2017 recruiting.

Devin Barr wrestling Minnesota's Alex Lloyd in Fargo (Photo/David Peterson, Minnesota/USA Wrestling) Two-time state champion Devin Bahr (West Salem, Wis.) is returning to the InterMat JJ Classic in 2016 at 152 pounds. He was a runner-up at last year's JJ Classic. Bahr is coming off a junior season in which he compiled a perfect 50-0 record en route to winning his second state championship. He was a state champion in 2014 as a freshman at 132 pounds. Bahr has compiled a career record of 123-1 in three years of high school wrestling. His lone loss came by injury default in his sophomore season at the Bi-State Classic. His wrestling resume is littered with titles and medals in national age group events. Among Bahr's most notable wrestling achievements: Cadet National folkstyle champion, Cadet National Greco-Roman runner-up, Cadet National freestyle All-American, Cadet World Team member and Preseason Nationals champion. Bahr is ranked as the nation's No. 69 senior recruit by InterMat. He has committed to wrestle at the University of Wisconsin. Devin's younger brother Aaron Barr, a state fifth place finisher as a freshman, is registered for the InterMat JJ Classic at 126 pounds. The 2016 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic and to register, visit the event website.

Damion Hahn talks to Gabe Dean during the NCAA finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Dale Anderson and Damion Hahn will be guests on this week's edition of the On the Mat wrestling broadcast on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Both wrestlers each won two NCAA Division I wrestling championships for their respective Big Ten schools. Dale Anderson was twice the NCAA 137-pound champ for Michigan State in 1967 and 1968, while Damion Hahn was a two-time titlist for University of Minnesota at 197 pounds in 2003 and 2004. On the Mat is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

The 2016-17 scholastic wrestling season is close enough to beginning that one can sniff it. Sunday's Who Number One event put on by FloWrestling serves as the de facto lid lifter. The card features nine high school wrestling matchups involving some of the nation's elite wrestlers, along with a match of senior-level lightweights. The senior-level matchup features a battle of past NCAA champions in Tony Ramos and Cody Brewer; Ramos now an assistant coach at North Carolina and a multi-time World Championships participant, while Brewer is now on the staff at Northwestern. Below is a breakdown of the nine high school bouts to be contested on Sunday afternoon at Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University. Gavin Teasdale gets in on a shot against Oklahoma's Dalton Duffield in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) 120 pounds: Gavin Teasdale (Jefferson Morgan, Pa.) vs. Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) Teasdale represented the United States in the UWW Cadet World freestyle championships during 2014 and 2015 at 42 and 50 kilograms respectively, while also winning a Junior National freestyle championship this summer at 120 pounds. The two-time state champion is ranked No. 3 overall in the Class of 2018, while ending the 2015-16 scholastic season ranked No. 1 at 113 pounds. Decatur is a two-time placer at the UWW Cadet freestyle nationals, including his runner-up finish at 54 kilograms this spring. He is a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion, winning titles at 106 and 120 pounds the last two summers. After failing to make weight during the state tournament series at 113 pounds, Decatur won the 120 pound title at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals. He is the No. 3 overall prospect in the Class of 2019. 145 pounds: Jarod Verkleeren (Hempfield Area, Pa.) vs. Kaden Gfeller (Heritage Hall, Okla.) Verkleeren was the UWW Cadet World champion in freestyle at 63 kilograms last year, and the Junior National freestyle runner-up this summer at 145 pounds. The Iowa State commit missed out on his state series this past year due to a weight management issue that escalated into a court case, but placed fourth in a loaded 145 pound weight class during his sophomore season. Verkleeren is ranked as the No. 24 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017. Gfeller is a three-time state champion with a very robust national event resume. The Oklahoma State commit placed fifth in the Super 32 Challenge last fall, was a FloNationals champion in the spring of 2015, and is a three-time All-American in freestyle at the Cadet/Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. Gfeller ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 5 nationally at 132 pounds, and is the No. 10 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017. 138 pounds: Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.) vs. Nick Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind./Nittany Lion Wrestling Club) Even with just two titles between major high school aged national events and scholastic state tournaments, the No. 9 overall Class of 2018 prospect Sasso had an extraordinarily robust resume. His titles came at the FloNationals this spring, and in the 2015 Cadet National freestyle tournament. State tournament finishes include a runner-up finish to Spencer Lee as a freshman, while finishing third after a narrow state quarterfinal loss to Luke Pletcher this past season. Last year's Super 32 Challenge saw him finish third, losing just to three-time tournament champion Yianni Diakomihalis; prior FloNationals tournaments saw him finish third and (in eighth grade) fifth; he was runner-up to world bronze medalist Vitali Arujau at the UWW Cadet freestyle nationals; other Fargo finishes include third (2016 Cadet Greco), runner-up (2016 Cadet freestyle), and fifth (2015 Cadet Greco). Sasso finished the 2015-16 season ranked No. 7 overall at 138. Ranked No. 5 overall in the Class of 2017, Lee will see his high school career end with just one state title. He fell to Stevan Micic in the state semifinals as a freshman, won state as a sophomore, and fell to Chad Red in an epic state finals bout this past season. This year's Junior National freestyle champion at 138 pounds will spend the 2016-17 season in central Pennsylvania training with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club before starting at Penn State next fall. Other resume highlights for Lee include a UWW Junior National freestyle placement finish this spring, a pair of UWW Cadet National freestyle runner-up finishes, and a 2014 Cadet National freestyle Outstanding Wrestler honor. Lee ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 3 overall at 132. 126 pounds: Roman Bravo-Young (Sunnyside, Ariz.) vs. Nick Raimo (Hanover Park, N.J.) Bravo-Young competed on the UWW Cadet World stage in freestyle at 54 kilograms earlier this month. Along his path to that tournament title was a shutout technical fall victory over Sunday's opponent Raimo. The two-time state champion was a Junior folkstyle champion this spring at 120 pounds, and was a Cadet National champion in Fargo in both styles during both 2014 and 2015. Bravo-Young is ranked No. 6 overall in the Class of 2018, and ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 3 overall at 120 pounds. Raimo placed third at the UWW Cadet freestyle nationals in the 54 kilogram weight class after the previously mentioned loss to Bravo-Young. After placing third in the Super 32 Challenge and finishing as a state runner-up as a freshman, he ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 7 overall at 120 pounds. Raimo is also a two-time Cadet National champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, his titles coming in 2015 and 2016. As a result, he is ranked No. 2 overall in the Class of 2019. 182 pounds: Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) vs. Jelani Embree (Warren Lincoln, Mich.) Beard has twice been a finalist at the National Prep Championships, finishing runner-up at 170 as a freshman before winning the title at 182 this past season. Despite rather limited freestyle experience, he finished runner-up in the 85 kilogram weight class at the UWW Cadet freestyle nationals this spring. Beard finished 2015-16 as the No. 8 overall ranked wrestler at 182 pounds, and is presently ranked No. 7 overall in the Class of 2018. Embree won his first state title this past season, doing so at 171 pounds, after finishing third as a sophomore while missing out on his freshman season state series due to injury. In addition, Embree was runner-up at this year's FloNationals in the 170 pound weight class and was an All-American in both styles at the Junior Nationals in Fargo this summer, including a third place finish in freestyle at 182 pounds. The Michigan commit is ranked No. 25 overall in the Class of 2017, and also ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 9 overall at 170 pounds. Brady Berge is a three-time state champion (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) 160 pounds: Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantoville, Minn.) vs. Shane Griffith (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) Berge entered last year's high school state tournament as a three-time state champion, winning titles in seventh grade and then as a freshman and sophomore; his lone state series loss had come 5-4 in the state quarterfinals as an eighth grader. However, Berge suffered a major injury during the state semifinal round, was unable to finish the match, and had to default down to sixth place. The No. 9 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 was on the UWW Cadet World Team in freestyle at 69 kilograms last season after winning the 2015 national tournament. He finished 2015-16 ranked No. 3 overall at 160. Griffith is a two-time state champion, but made his major breakthrough on the national scene with his Super 32 Challenge championship last fall. Key upset victories over Class of 2016 stars Mitch McKee and Brent Moore made shockwaves on the landscape. The No. 11 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 was also a Cadet National freestyle runner-up in the summer of 2015. Griffith ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 3 overall at 138 pounds. 152 pounds: Cameron Coy (Penn Trafford, Pa.) vs. David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) The University of Virginia commit is a three-time state finalist in Pennsylvania's big-school division, winning state titles as a freshman and junior. His most notable national event production includes a fifth place finish at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2014 as well as undefeated finishes the last two years at the AAU Scholastic (aka Disney) Duals; Coy was named Outstanding Wrestler of that tournament this summer. Ranked No. 7 overall in the Class of 2017, he ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 1 overall nationally at 145 pounds. Carr was a UWW Cadet World bronze medalist at 69 kilograms earlier this month in freestyle. In addition, he has won state titles in each of his last three high school seasons, including one in eighth grade when he competed in Kentucky. The No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2018 was a Super 32 Challenge champion last year at 145 pounds, and was also a UWW Cadet National freestyle runner-up in 2015 at 69 kilograms. He finished the 2015-16 season ranked No. 2 nationally at 145. 132 pounds: Austin Gomez (Glenbard North, Ill.) vs. Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) The Iowa State commit has won state titles each of the last two seasons after placing third at his state tournament as a freshman. Gomez has a very robust Fargo resume, including four titles in seven attempts. It includes a Junior National freestyle title this summer at 126 pounds, a sweep of the Cadet National titles at 113 pounds in the summer of 2014, and a Cadet Greco-Roman title at 94 pounds in 2013. The No. 13 overall prospect in the Class of 2017 was also a UWW Cadet World Team member in freestyle at 42 kilos in 2013. Gomez ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 5 overall at 126 pounds. Ranked No. 4 overall in the Class of 2017, Fix is the top non-committed senior wrestler. The three-time state champion has a very robust resume, which includes a pair of world bronze medals; Cadet freestyle at 54 kilograms in 2015, and Junior freestyle at 55 kilograms last month. Additionally, Fix is a two-time Super 32 Challenge placer, a 2015 FloNationals champion, and a three-time Fargo champion (2015 Junior freestyle, 2013 Cadet Greco-Roman and freestyle). He ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 2 nationally at 126 pounds. 170 pounds: Michael Labriola (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) vs. Travis Wittlake (Marshfield, Ore.) The Nebraska commit won an elusive state title as a junior, after placing seventh and third during his first two seasons of high school. Labriola also placed third in the Super 32 Challenge at 160 pounds last fall. He is ranked No. 14 overall in the Class of 2017, and finished the 2015-16 season ranked No. 5 at 170 pounds. Two-time state champion Wittlake was a UWW Cadet world bronze medal earlier this month at 76 kilograms, after earning a Cadet National Triple Crown during the past off-season. The No. 5 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 also won Cadet National titles in folkstyle and Greco-Roman during 2015, while finishing third in freestyle. He ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 9 at 160 pounds.

Mike Finn, editor of the Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine -- WIN -- since 2003, has been named the winner of Amateur Wrestling News magazine's Bob Dellinger Award as the top wrestling writer of 2016, AWN announced in its October 15 issue released Tuesday. Mike Finn"Just found out that I won the Amateur Wrestling News' Bob Dellinger Award for the top wrestling writer of the year for 2016," Finn wrote on his Facebook page. "I am truly honored especially since I remember reading AWN as a kid and that magazine has inspired me in my current role as editor of WIN." Finn's responsibilities for WIN's monthly 50- to 90-page publications include writing numerous articles, his monthly "Editor's Notes" column, editing, laying out the publication and communicating with the magazine's group of columnists, writers and photographers, according to the AWN announcement. In addition to his work on WIN, Finn also writes numerous college-related stories for the NCAA Championships Souvenir program and provides match-up information for that program each March. This fall, Finn will add a new item to his to-do list: editing and laying out USA Wrestling's membership magazine USA Wrestler, in a blended format called USA Wrestler, WIN Magazine Edition. Finn's job takes him to numerous wrestling events, including every NCAA Championships since 2003, and has served as member of NBC's broadcast team, assisting color commentators with information on competitors, for the last three Olympics in Beijing, London and the recent Games in Rio de Janeiro. A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Finn has spent more than 25 years reporting and writing about sports. He was a 1978 journalism graduate of the University of Iowa and was the sports information director at Memphis State for 10 years. He has two daughters, Katie and Kelly. "Mike Finn has a true love for the sport of wrestling and a tireless work ethic," WIN publisher Bryan Van Kley said. "He really enjoys the people of the sport, which explains why covering it at the different levels has become a passion of his. A guy who loves to laugh and enjoy life, his ability to tell wrestling's 'story' through the big picture of life in the monthly issues helps us have a quality magazine. He's a tremendous asset to our staff and a very worthy recipient of AWN's Bob Dellinger Award." "Mike Finn is one of the writers and editors who I greatly respect," said WIN founder Mike Chapman, himself a two-time Dellinger Award winner. "He is a true professional in every sense of the word and loves not only journalism, but the sport of wrestling. I'm delighted to see him join this long list of hard-working wrestling journalists." The Dellinger Award, first established in 1960, is named for the late Bob Dellinger, long-time sports writer and editor for "The Daily Oklahoman" newspaper. In addition, he collaborated with his wife Doris in writing two books on the history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program: "Ride 'Em Cowboys" and "The Cowboys Ride Again". Dellinger was also the first director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Editor's note: Among the past recipients of the Dellinger Award: Jason Bryant, Andy Hamilton, Tom Elling, AWN writers Don Sayenga, Jim Kalin and Ron Good, author Jamie Moffatt, late historian and "The History of Collegiate Wrestling" book author Jay Hammond, and Mark Palmer, InterMat senior writer.