InterMat Staff

Patrick Cummins, two-time NCAA All-American heavyweight at Penn State, scored a third-round TKO over Rafael Cavalcante in a preliminary-round bout at UFC 190 in Rio di Janeiro, Brazil Saturday night. "Patrick Cummins put away onetime Strikeforce champion Rafael Cavalcante with third-round elbows in a grueling undercard pairing at 205 pounds," is how mixed martial arts website Sherdog.com opened its account of the fight. "Cavalcante succumbed to a combination of blows and fatigue 45 seconds into round three." Patrick CumminsThe former big man for the storied Nittany Lion wrestling program scored eight takedowns, with the last one leading to a swarm of elbows for a TKO win at 45 seconds in the third and final round. The trio scoring the match for Sherdog.com's live play-by-play all had Cummins winning the first two rounds. "The horror show that was Patrick Cummins' face in the second round belied the reality of the fight," wrote Matt Erickson of MMAJunkie.com, describing the battered and bruised face of the former college matman. "Then in the third, he gave Rafael Cavalcante's face a little horror show of its own." After the match, Cummins said, "I got caught a couple of times. The first round, I got caught with some good and clean punches and that kind of dictated the pace of the fight. I decided, 'OK, I'm going to wrestle him and use my ground game,' and that went well." With the win, the 34-year-old Cummins is now 8-2 in his MMA career, and 4-2 in UFC competition. His only two losses were to Ovince Saint Preux in April at UFC on Fox (knocked out towards the end of Round 1) ... and to former Oklahoma State NCAA finalist and Olympian Daniel Cormier via a first-round TKO. Cavalcante drops to 12-6 overall, and 1-3 in UFC. Before launching his MMA career in 2010, Cummins made a name for himself in the 285-pound weight class ... despite being a walk-on at Penn State. He became a two-time NCAA All-American, placing third at the 2003 NCAAs, then making it to the heavyweight finals of the 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, where he lost to 2002 champ Tommy Rowlands of Ohio State in the finals, 6-2. A year later, a bearded Cummins won the heavyweight (265-pound) title at Real Pro Wrestling, a 2005 cable TV series featuring former college wrestlers competing under rules that were a unique hybrid of various amateur wrestling styles for prize money.

Nathan Traxler (Marmion Academy, Ill.), state champion this past season at 182 pounds, verbally committed to Stanford University on Sunday afternoon. The projected 184/197 pound wrestler is currently ranked No. 21 in the Class of 2016. Traxler finished fifth in Junior freestyle at 182 pounds just over one week ago, which was his second All-American finish in freestyle in as many years. He is the first commit for the Cardinal in this recruiting class.

Pete Di Pol, legendary New Jersey prep wrestling coach who most recently headed up the mat program at Baker University in Kansas, is about to take the helm at Bishop Heelen High School in Sioux City, Iowa, the Sioux City Journal reported Saturday. Pete Di PolDi Pol had been head wrestling coach at Baker for two seasons, replacing Jimmy May, the coach who launched the program at the Baldwin City, Kan. school six years ago. Under Di Pol, Baker crowned its first individual national champion in program history when Bryce Shoemaker won the 133-pound title at the 2014 NAIA national wrestling championships. Immediately before coming to Baker in 2013, Di Pol had been head coach at Gloucester Community College in New Jersey since 2011. Prior to coaching at Gloucester, Di Pol made a name for himself as a high school wrestling coach in New Jersey, heading up nationally-recognized programs at Camden Catholic High and Haddonfield High, among others. Di Pol's teams won three state titles. He was also a standout wrestler at Paulsboro High School in New Jersey in the 1990s. Di Pol is returning to his high school wrestling roots ... and is up for the challenge of transforming the Bishop Heelan program that has struggled in recent years, failing to send a wrestler to last season's Iowa state championships. "The wrestling culture is you don't take any easy roads or paths," Di Pol told the Journal. "I am always looking to challenge and push myself. People don't know me here so I kind of have to prove myself there. I am looking to push myself and my wrestlers to be the best we can all be." "I am really impressed with the work ethic of the kids and the commitment," Di Pol added. "When I was still the coach at Baker (University) and knew I was probably going to take this job I had 20 to 25 kids from Heelan come down to Kansas for the camp." In addition to being head wrestling coach, Di Pol will also serve as a guidance counselor at Bishop Heelan, a Catholic high school serving grades 9-12 located in Sioux City in western Iowa.

Gelen Robinson, Purdue University heavyweight wrestler who is also on the school's football and track teams, will miss the first two to four games of the 2015 season because of two alcohol-related offenses since coming to the school, football coach Darrell Hazell said at Friday's Big Ten media day. Gelen Robinson (Photo/Matthew Thomas)"It will be a minimum of two and a maximum of four and that will be determined here in the next couple of weeks based on what he does into camp," Hazell said Friday, one week after publicly stating there would be a penalty for the Boilermaker sophomore who was projected to start as rush end this season, the Purdue Exponent reported Friday. Hazell went on to say Robinson was "very remorseful and he realized he made a mistake. He's ready to pay the penalty and move on." That said, Robinson will be eligible to participate in workouts with the Purdue football team when practice starts Aug. 7. Robinson was arrested in June for operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 percent or more and illegal possession of an alcoholic beverage. In June 2014, Robinson, son of legendary Purdue basketball star Glen Robinson, was cited for minor alcohol consumption by Purdue University Police. Last August, the 20-year-old Robinson entered a diversion agreement which allows a defendant to have the charges dismissed if he or she abides by formal terms and conditions over a set period of time. According to the terms of that agreement, Robinson made a commitment to, among other things, not to "consume alcohol or alcoholic beverages" and not to "enter any bar, tavern or liquor store" for the duration of the agreement, which lasts until Aug. 3, 2015. Violating the terms of this diversion agreement means Robinson could now be subject to prosecution on the original misdemeanor charge ... and could result in a greater penalty regarding his eligibility to participate in sports at the Big Ten school located in West Lafayette, Ind. A product of Schererville, Ind., Robinson was a four-year letterwinner in wrestling, football and track at Lake Central High School in northwest Indiana. He was a two-time Indiana state wrestling champ at 220 pounds. This past season, the 6'1" Robinson compiled a 3-4 overall record for the Purdue wrestling squad as a freshman, and was 1-3 in Big Ten dual meets, according to his official Boilermaker wrestling bio. One of his wins was by pin, scoring a 56-second fall against a Wabash College wrestler at the Greyhound Open. After wrestling season, Robinson joined the Purdue track team, where he throws the shot put, weight throw and discus.

Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 8 in the Class of 2016, verbally committed to Ohio State on Saturday evening. The rising senior is a two-time Super 32 champion and a two-time state champion, as well as a three-time state finalist. Pletcher projects most likely as a 141 in college, and is the initial verbal commit for Ohio State in the 2016 recruiting class.

The University of Jamestown announces Dan Lovell will join the University as head men's wrestling coach. Most recently, Lovell was the head wrestling coach and Health/PE instructor at Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids, Minn. However, he is no stranger to Jamestown. From 2012-13 Lovell was an assistant men's wrestling coach and admissions counselor at UJ before moving onto ICC. "We are excited to have Dan rejoin the Jimmie family," said University of Jamestown Athletic Director Sean Johnson. "Dan has enjoyed success at nearly every level of wrestling both as a coach and competitor. His previous experience at UJ combined with his accomplishments elsewhere make him the right person to lead Jimmie wrestling into the future." Lovell brings a wealth of coaching experience as he takes the helm of the program at UJ. As the head coach at Antioch High School in Antioch, Calif., from 2001-2006, Lovell led his team to a North Coast Section Class 3A Dual Championship, Bay Valley Athletic Championship, North Coast Section Tournament Championship, and was named the Contra Costa Prep Athlete Coach of the Year. He began coaching in 1997 as an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, a position he held until 1999. He served as co-head coach at Great Oak High School (CA) in the 2006-2007 season before moving onto the head coaching position at Marshalltown High School in Marshalltown, Iowa until 2012. Coach Lovell also has extensive coaching experience at the club level serving as Nebraska Omaha Espoir Junior World Team Trials Coach from 1997-99, Head Coach of the California National Team from 2003-05, Head Coach of the California Australian Tour in 2005, California USA Wrestling Coach from 2005-06, Iowa USA Wrestling Coach from 2009-11, Jamestown Taz Wrestling Club Coach in 2013, and was as the Screaming Yetis Wrestling Club Director and Minnesota Storm Wrestling Coach (Greco-Roman/Freestyle) from 2013-15. Professionally, Lovell is a member of the National Coaches Education Program for USA Wrestling, the National High School Coaches Association, the National Wrestling Coaches Association, International Sports Specialist, Inc., and holds a USA Wrestling Copper and Bronze Coaches Certification. "I am very pleased to return to the University of Jamestown as the men's head wrestling coach," commented Lovell. "I'm very excited about the potential and the commitment of the current athletes and hope to create a winning attitude in every aspect of their college experience." The University of Jamestown was established in 1883 and is ranked as a top tier regional school in US News and World Report and a top Midwestern school in The Princeton Review. The school features development of the whole person through its distinctive Journey to Success experience.

Seth Gross (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Seth Gross, a three-time Fargo freestyle champion, will be continuing his college wrestling career at South Dakota State, he announced Friday on Twitter. Gross, along with fellow freshmen Ross Lembeck and Logan Ryan, were dismissed from the Iowa wrestling team in May after the three were charged with third-degree burglary stemming from incidents in March. Gross won three Minnesota state titles at national wrestling power Apple Valley High School in Minnesota. He claimed back-to-back Cadet freestyle titles in 2011 and 2012 before earning a Junior freestyle title in 2013. Gross posted a 12-4 record as a redshirt at Iowa competing at 141 pounds.

Last weekend James Green saved the wrestling community a week's worth of drama when he handily defeated Nick Marable in a best-of-three wrestle-off at the FARGODOME. James Green celebrates after a victory over Nick Marable (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The Green-Marable drama is common knowledge by now, but what shocked many outsiders was that an outside body -- in this case an arbitrator -- ruled against USA Wrestling, a national federation. Though the circumstances surrounding the incident and the validity of the appeal have been brought into question there was no supporting evidence brought forward in the public domain with which to doubt Marable. That being the case if nothing was presented at the arbitration (How does one prove something like a concussion "doesn't" happen?) then the arbitrator made about the only decision they could. Though it's highly unlikely it's not totally impossible that Marable did fall and hurt himself before weigh-ins. Because he was dehydrated? Maybe, but what if he slipped in a puddle of someone else's sweat form their plastics? I tore an MCL that way in college. Unlikely but not impossible. USA Wrestling was within their right to deny Marable his wrestle-off and Marable was within his right to appeal. The process is meant to protect an athlete from the personal agendas of those with political roles in national federations. As such it skews towards second chances and that's a good thing. Green won the wrestle-off in large part because he is wrestling better at this moment. He beat a VERY talented Frank Chamizo and has a better than 50 percent chance of placing at the World Championships. Support Green and choose to trust (or if you must, forgive) Marable. These are this nation's finest athletes and as always they deserve our love and support no matter their circumstance. To your questions ... Q: What are your thoughts on Iowa potentially having an outdoor dual meet at Kinnick Stadium in November? It's going to be freezing! -- Mike C. Foley: I don't know all that much about these things, but the weather forecast for Iowa in mid-November has to be chilly. There is a press conference scheduled for next week so I have to assume they'll make their plans known then. Wrestling outdoors is probably not all that crazy. The wrestlers can wear large jackets and I assume they'll have something to cover the mats to make sure they don't become frigid and stiff. Who will they wrestle? Unclear, but it seems unlikely to be Penn State or Ohio State since both are off the schedule. I'd like to see it be Minnesota and since the best weekend to do it might be the Minnesota football game there is a possibility of a big splash. Kudos to Tom Brands and whatever team comes into Iowa for this spectacle as it will be a great promotion for the sport of wrestling. Q: What do you think of Logan Storley and Ed Ruth entering MMA? With only three amateur fights in high school, do you think Storley is turning pro too early? Why or why not? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Support their endeavors. Wrestling is tough and if you are on the outside looking in at a weight class like 74 kilos you don't have many other options in terms of how to use your body to earn money. Ruth I'd still prefer to see compete through 2016 since I think he could regret having never made it through a cycle. MMA is not a bad first career choice. You're young and you like to work hard, why not throw hands and use God's blessing to make some cash and maybe travel a bit more. Young guys, like most, will eventually end up in an office chair for the majority of their working life. Why not give your body a spin or two before your expiration date. That said, I wouldn't think that you want to be in the fight game for more than 10 years. After a while you need to protect your noggin and think about a sustainable future. Q: I read an article from the Des Moines Register a little while ago about how Tony Ramos and Matt McDonough rarely train with each other. Is this odd that these two studs don't reap the benefits of training together? I understand they have Thomas Gilman, Cory Clark, Daniel Dennis, and others to train with and they both have the same goals, but it just seems odd to me. -- Justin H. Foley: That makes total sense to me, though I wonder if it's totally true. There is always something to these stories that seems likely, but not enough of the story is being told. I see both these guys training hard to win, but maybe that's driven some separation between the two. Ramos' success could be motivating McD and to make friends might jeopardize that reserve. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME This kid gets what sports are all about Q: Is wrestling a lifetime sport? Can it be? -- Mike C. Foley: For most, wrestling can only be a lifetime sport as a spectator. Crashing into the ground and having your head pounded on by a 19-year-old is not something men in their 50's should be doing with any consistency, or likely at all. We are passionate group and like most I'm sure that you and I will continue to follow the action on the mat until our blue hairs tumble onto the ground. Q: Why are schools limited to 9.9 scholarships? It's kind of crazy that top 10 teams only have 4-5 guys on full rides. -- @alliseeis_ Foley: The 9.9 rule is a limitation by the NCAA that ensures gender equality and is in line with the number of starting wrestlers on each Division I, II, and III squad in competition. The rule has been in place for decades and has worked fine since most schools can cobble together financial aid packages from wealthy endowments and are allowed to cutup and divide those scholarships in any amount they choose. Also in the current system (Death to the NCAA) most graduating seniors don't merit a full ride. Some do, but the majority should have to earn their way up from 60 percent to a full ride based on performance, though with some guarantees it doesn't go down. Q: Cael recently talked about David Taylor, and gave this quote in an article on Pennlive.com: "He (Taylor) has to decide what he's doing. I'm not so sure we won't be seeing him move up a weight because he is a big kid. He doesn't have trouble but he's big enough and it might be better for him in the long run.'' Do you think we could see Taylor at 86 kilos as early as 2016? -- Mike C. Foley: Yes. I think that statement teases what is coming. Taylor goes to 86 kilos and tries to take on Jake Herbert for the World Team spot. I think that for Team USA to field him up a weight would be a coup and it's rational for him to go somewhere he fits, but also somewhere he can represent his country and maybe medal at the Olympic Games. Q: Will wrestling be a part of your honeymoon? Does your fiancé know how to score a match yet? -- @WrestlGreatness Foley: Not yet, but I have her watching full dual matches and am standing overtop screaming in disbelief when she mistakenly marks the scoring maneuvers out of order. As for the honeymoon, I am trying for a wrestling trip to Mongolia but so far the response has been tepid. She's been very understanding of my insane travel schedule so I think I'll reciprocate and be understanding of her need to sit on a beach or explore some new country. Happy wife, happy life. Oklahoma State signee Joe Smith dominated in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Q: Joe Smith, John Smith's son, dominated in Fargo and was named OW of the Junior freestyle competition. What are reasonable expectations for Joe Smith at Oklahoma State? -- Mike C. Foley: I'd predict a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American. Given the recent performances of true freshmen, however, I don't think a third title is out of the realm of possibility. His dad is John Smith. Maybe we can get Muir to make some lines?

Hunter Marko (Amery, Wis.), a three-time state champion, verbally committed to the University of Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon, which was one day after he de-committed from Wisconsin. Ranked No. 42 in the Class of 2016, Marko is also a three-time Junior National freestyle All-American, which includes a championship in 2013 and a fifth place finish last week. Marko joins good friend Mitch McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), who is ranked No. 12 in the Class of 2016, as a verbal commit to the Gophers. He projects as a 141/149 in college.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO -- Otterbein University has officially added men's wrestling as an intercollegiate varsity sport, announced Thursday morning by Dawn Stewart, director of athletics. "After careful thought and consideration, I am pleased to announce the re-introduction of wrestling as our 21st varsity sport program," Stewart said. "We are thrilled to provide this athletic experience to a new group of student-athletes. More than 11,000 high-school students participate in wrestling within the state of Ohio and, to those student-athletes who choose Otterbein, the Athletics program will continue to provide a supportive academic environment and highly-competitive experience." Otterbein, competing within NCAA Division III and as part of the 10-member Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), is expected to hire a coach this coming fall and then begin varsity competition during the 2016-17 academic year. Wrestling competes as a winter sport. The Cardinals become the seventh member of the OAC to offer wrestling, joining Mount Union, Baldwin Wallace, Ohio Northern, Heidelberg, John Carroll and Muskingum. Otterbein had previously offered the sport from 1961-69 before the program was cut. "We are very excited to reestablish the wrestling program," said Bob Gatti, vice president for student affairs. "There has been a lot of enthusiasm from our students. This addition will enhance our athletic program and the recruitment of additional students will support our strategic enrollment plan." There were 11,309 wrestlers, across 585 high schools, in the state of Ohio during the 2014-15 year of competition. Over 54,000 fans supported the OHSAA State Wrestling Individual Tournament in Columbus, the third-highest attendance for any sport behind only basketball and football. "Many factors were considered when adding this program," Stewart said. "Prospective and current Otterbein students were surveyed about their sport interest and the results continually showed strong support for wrestling. In addition, the OAC provides an immediate competitive avenue for this program and we are looking forward to furthering the conference's tradition of excellence within this sport."

Two all-time great Oklahoma State wrestlers -- Pat Smith, and Yojiro Uetake Obata -- are among the Class of 2015 to be welcomed into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame Monday, Aug. 3. Pat Smith, a member of the storied Smith wrestling family of NCAA All-Americans, made history of his own when he became the first wrestler to win four NCAA Division 1 individual national championships. The Oklahoma State Cowboy earned NCAA titles in 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994, compiling a 121-5-2 record, including a school record for consecutive matches without a loss (98). After graduating, Smith served as an assistant wrestling coach at his college alma mater for 11 years. In 2007, Smith moved to Little Rock to open the Arkansas Wrestling Academy to help start wrestling in the state. Since then, wrestling has been approved as an official high school sport in Arkansas, and a number of colleges have launched wrestling programs in that state. Yojiro Uetake ObataYojiro Uetake Obata is often considered to be THE college wrestler of the 1960s, earning a place on the NCAA 75th anniversary list of fifteen all-time greatest wrestlers in 2005, and on a 2013 list of nine top collegiate matmen compiled by wrestling historians for Amateur Wrestling News magazine. Uetake came to Oklahoma State from Gumma, Japan, where he crafted a perfect 58-0 record, winning three Big Eight Conference titles, and three NCAA championships in 1964-66 (along with being named that tournament's Outstanding Wrestler as a junior and senior). The Cowboy affectionately known to wrestling fans as "Yo-jo" won two gold medals for his native Japan at the 1964 and 1968 Olympics. In addition to Smith and Uetake Obata, others being inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame include Kurt Burris (football), Jack "Jumping Jack" McCracken (basketball), Ralph Terry (baseball), and Steve Zabel (football). Burris and McCracken will be inducted posthumously. Ceremonies will take place at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Founded in 1986, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame honors athletes of all sports at every level with ties to the state of Oklahoma. It is not affiliated with any specific university. Currently, 152 Oklahoma sports figures, and two "teams of legend" have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including a number of former college wrestlers.

Ray Nunamaker, Penn State wrestler who became a legendary mat coach at Nazareth High School in the wrestling hotbed of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, died Tuesday in his home after being diagnosed with a brain tumor last year. He was 74. Ray Nunamaker"Ray Nunamaker 'revolutionized' the sport of wrestling in the Lehigh Valley, building a state and national powerhouse at Nazareth High School while always teaching, and learning, something new," is how The Morning Call newspaper described the former Nittany Lion grappler. "Nunamaker transformed Nazareth wrestling into a nationally recognized program. In 34 years as head coach, Nunamaker never had a losing season. He retired in 1997 with a career record of 468-95-7 and coached nine wrestlers to state championships, including son Ryan." Ryan Nunamaker, who is now head wrestling coach at nearby Parkland High School, said, "It certainly makes you feel extremely proud and blessed to have someone in your life that has positively impacted so many people. Over the last 10 months, we've really learned a lot about that. He impacted a lot of people through wrestling, but in 39 years as a teacher, he also impacted lot of students as well, and they've shared their stories and feelings with us." Ray Nunamaker wrestled at Penn State from 1959-63. "Although I was never a 'starter', I was always made to feel an important part of the team," Nunamaker said in a profile in the 2008 book "A Century of Penn State Wrestling." After describing a scene in which then Penn State coach Charlie "Doc" Speidel had stopped him on the way to class to demonstrate a move -- and how much that simple act meant to him -- Nunamaker said, "I doubt very much if I would have been a wrestling coach if I had not been for the influence of Charlie Speidel. He changed the direction of my career (I was in mechanical engineering) by suggesting I would make a good teacher and coach. He was instrumental in getting my first and only coaching job at Nazareth High School ... Doc's concern for his wrestlers impacted me and how I treated my wrestlers." Current Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson issued a statement, saying, "The Penn State wrestling family was saddened to hear of the passing of one of our own, Ray Nunamaker. Ray was a former Nittany Lion wrestler who went on to give back to the sport he loved as a coach. We send our condolences to his family and join them in mourning his loss." The family plans a 'Celebration of Life' for Nunamaker on Aug. 16.

The 2015 edition of USA Wrestling's Junior & Cadet National Championships from Fargo came to their conclusion this past Saturday. As is the case in every year, it is a defining tournament in the calendar year for many competitors. College coaches are present to evaluate, media members and ranking services are dissecting the results, and so forth. Performances in Fargo can shape the narrative about wrestlers headed into the next scholastic season, as well as the perception that college coaches will have about the prospective student athlete. They can also serve as important confidence and development boosts for the athletes themselves. Let's take a look at five young men from each the Junior and Cadet levels whose performances during the Fargo week enhanced their stock. Juniors Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.), 285-pound freestyle champion, Greco-Roman third-place finisher Already a verbal commit to play football at UCLA along the defensive line, the nation's No. 39 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2016 had little incentive to be at Fargo last week. However, Odighizuwa made the trip, performed rather well, and did so in both styles to boot. His freestyle tournament started with two shutout technical fall victories, continued with a 5-0 victory over fellow top 100 rising senior Carter Isley (Iowa), a 9-2 victory in the quarterfinal over 2014 Junior National double All-American Michael Rogers (Pennsylvania), then a 3-1 semifinal victory over top 25 graduated senior Austin Myers (Kentucky), and concluded with an 11-0 technical fall in the final over top 15 Class of 2017 wrestler Kevin Vough (Ohio). Odighizuwa went 8-1 in the Greco-Roman tournament to finish third. The lone loss was an early round fall against Brandon Metz (North Dakota), a Cadet Nationals champion in Greco-Roman last year. That outcome would be avenged with an 8-6 decision in the consolation semifinal. Among his six consolation wins was a first minute fall over another Cadet Nationals champion from 2014 in Kevin Vough. Among the most impressive things about this physical freak is that he doesn't turn 17 for another two weeks. Odighizuwa's older brother Owa was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round after being a two-year starter at UCLA. Osawaru's performance puts him in position to almost assuredly be the nation's No. 1 wrestler at 285 pounds come early November. California's Evan Wick reached the Junior freestyle finals at 152 before losing to Larry Early (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Evan Wick (San Marino, Calif.), 152-pound freestyle runner-up Let's cut to the chase here, the evidence to suggest a run to the Junior National freestyle final for Evan Wick prior to the event was rather faint. Among the resume points within the last year include failure to place at the Junior National folkstyle tournament in April (both losses to wrestlers outside the top 100 of the 2015/2016 classes, though Wick did have one win over a top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler in the tournament); two mid-placement finishes in the California state tournament (fourth as a junior, fifth as a sophomore); and a 1-2 record in last summer's Junior National freestyle tournament. However, a run to the Junior National freestyle final is exactly what happened. Ranked outside the top 100 for the Class of 2016, Wick had a pair of wins over top 25 wrestlers in his grade level during the tournament; 14-13 over No. 20 Hayden Hidlay (Pennsylvania) in the round of 16, and a pin at the 5:46 mark over No. 22 Griffin Parriott (Minnesota) in the semifinal. Additional wins included a 12-0 technical fall over two-time state champion Zemua Baptista (Nebraska) in the third round and an 11-0 technical fall over state placer Austin Hiles (Ohio), a wrestler that would have been considered a relative peer to Wick prior to the last week, in the quarterfinal. The championship final loss came 12-8 to Larry Early (Illinois), ranked as a top 50 Class of 2015 wrestler, in a match that was tied 8-8 late. It is almost a sure bet that Wick now moves into the top 100 for his grade level. He certainly garnered the attention of college coaches everywhere with the wins over Hidlay and Parriott, as well as the very well-contested finals match against Minnesota enrollee Early. Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), 160-pound freestyle runner-up Even though Jeske won a state title during this past high school season, he was not a truly known commodity on the national level headed into the Fargo week. Jeske's first four matches in Junior freestyle were one-sided outcomes; two shutout technical falls and a pin followed by an 18-7 technical fall over state runner-up Tristan Johnson (Iowa). His quarterfinal came against top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Canten Marriott (Missouri), an opponent that Jeske had lost in overtime against at the Preseason Nationals; however, this go around, Jeske came through with an 8-6 victory. In the semifinal round, Jeske would come through with an 11-1 technical fall victory over Brandon Dallavia (New Jersey), who is ranked inside the top 25 for the Class of 2016. The championship match loss was a shutout technical fall against Oklahoma State enrollee Joe Smith (Oklahoma); however, that is what Smith did to everyone else during the tournament as well. It is almost a sure bet that Jeske now moves into the top 100 for his grade level. Any skepticism there was about his state title this past year in Minnesota should be totally vanquished at this point. Travis Piotrowski (Prairie Ridge, Ill.), 120-pound freestyle third place Piotrowski entered this year's Junior freestyle tournament having twice finished state third in the high school season, and a low-placing Cadet freestyle All-American (6th in 2013, 7th in 2014). He was also outside the top 100 for the Class of 2016. Piotrowski started the tournament with a pair of 11-0 technical falls before a pair of matches against wrestlers more of his caliber. It was a 10-0 technical fall over two-time state champion Matt Schmitt (Missouri), a returning Junior freestyle runner-up, in the round of 16; which was immediately followed by another 10-0 technical fall, this one over Ian Parker (Michigan), who is ranked No. 77 in the Class of 2016. The semifinal for Piotrowski was an expected 13-3 technical fall loss against Daton Fix (Oklahoma). However, Piotrowski ended the tournament with positive momentum, a 13-5 decision over Schmitt in the consolation semifinal, followed by a 13-0 technical fall over Parker in the third place bout. It is almost a sure bet that Piotrowski now fits into the top 100 for the Class of 2016 after placing third in a weight class that saw two top 100 Class of 2016 wrestlers fail to place, along with many other excellent wrestlers falling short of the podium. Dean Drugac (Morris Knolls, N.J.), 195-pound double All-American, fourth in freestyle, seventh in Greco-Roman Not only has Drugac yet to earn a state placement finish, he has yet to win a front side match in either of his state tournament appearances in the Garden State. Previously in Fargo, Drugac had a pair of Cadet All-American finishes in Greco-Roman, but was not an All-American in freestyle either of those two years. However, this year in Fargo at the Junior level, he was a double All-American. Drugac's freestyle tournament started with two shutout technical falls before a 15-5 technical fall loss to top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Wyatt Koelling (Utah). The next match was an injury default win that left him two matches short of All-American honors. After an 18-7 technical fall over state runner-up Nick McShea (New York), it was a 10-8 win over returning Junior freestyle All-American, No. 100 ranked Class of 2015 wrestler Cash Wilcke (Iowa) to confirm the podium. The freestyle tournament for Drugac would end with a 9-7 decision over two-time state placer Christian Brunner (Illinois), advancement to the third-place match when Koelling defaulted the consolation semifinal, and then losing by 12-2 technical fall to top 100 Class of 2016 wrestler Jack Harris (Ohio). While it may not be enough to crack the Class of 2016 top 100 for Drugac, his success in Fargo certainly elevated his "stock" in the eyes of this national ranking coordinator and the vast majority of college coaches. Cadets Pennsylvania's Sammy Sasso claimed a Cadet freestyle title at 132 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Sammy Sasso (Nazareth, Pa.), 132-pound freestyle champion, Greco-Roman fifth-place finisher It's a little tough to say that a wrestler who is already ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2018 should be a "stock up" candidate. However, the Cadet freestyle tournament that Sasso had was most impressive, including wins over four of the next five in the placement standings at the event, with three of those ranked wrestlers in the Class of 2018. The tournament for Sasso started with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, those coming over a Michigan state placer and Florida state champion. In the round of 16, it was a 12-6 decision over Carson Kharchlava (Ohio), who placed fourth in the event. The quarterfinal was a 13-3 technical fall over Brayton Lee (Indiana), who finished third in the weight class and is ranked No. 30 in the Class of 2018. Next, it was a semifinal pin in 5:36 over Alex Lloyd (Minnesota), the Greco-Roman champ, who is ranked No. 21 in the Class of 2018. Finally, the championship match was a 4-1 decision over Cadet double runner-up Brock Hardy (Utah), ranked No. 19 in the Class of 2018. Carson Kharchlava (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio), 132-pound freestyle fourth place Though Kharchlava was not ranked among the top 25 in the Class of 2019, the incoming freshman was not a totally unknown commodity, as he won a middle school division Super 32 Challenge title in the fall. However, this was a performance that would certainly suggest that he should be ranked among the top 25 incoming freshman, and be a force at the state level during this upcoming high school season. His freestyle tournament started with a pair of 10-0 technical falls, the second of which was over state champion Brock Mauller (Missouri). In the round of 16 match, he lost by 12-6 decision to eventual champion Sammy Sasso (Pennsylvania) to drop to the consolation bracket. From there it would be five straight wins to reach the consolation final. Among those victories include a 14-1 technical fall over junior high state champion Baylor Fernandes (Illinois), an 11-0 technical fall over state placer J.J. Figueroa (California), and 8-4 victory over Alex Lloyd (Minnesota). The third-place match loss came by 10-1 decision to Brayton Lee (Indiana). Alex Thomsen (Underwood, Iowa), 120-pound freestyle runner-up, Greco-Roman fourth-place finisher Though Thomsen has already been distinguished in his short high school career, Preseason Nationals champion and undefeated state champion as a freshman, this week in Fargo marked more notches on the resume for the No. 45 ranked Class of 2018 wrestler. His freestyle tournament started with two shutout technical falls sandwiched around a pin, prior to an 8-1 decision over state placer John Burger (New Jersey) in the round of 16. The quarterfinal match was a 13-6 victory over two-time state champion Jacori Teemer (New York), who is ranked No. 27 in the Class of 2018. Next was a pin in 3:49 over UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Max Murin (Pennsylvania), a returning Cadet freestyle runner-up, in the semifinal. The championship loss to Nick Raimo (New Jersey), ranked No. 3 in the Class of 2019 and a double champion last week, came in a 15-13 slugfest that was one of the best matches of the whole event. During Greco-Roman, Thomsen went 7-2 with both losses coming to the same wrestler by 5-3 and 10-9 scores. Look for this Class of 2018 star from Iowa to shoot up the grade level rankings in the next update. Jake Boyd (Smithville, Mo.), 195-pound double finalist, champion in freestyle In two high school seasons, Boyd did not make the state final, third as a sophomore at 195 after a consolation quarterfinal appearance at 160 as a freshman. However, last week in Fargo, Boyd made both finals at the Cadet level. On his way to the freestyle final, the path started with three technical falls including one in the round of 16 over state qualifier Saylor Schmit (Minnesota). The semifinal match was a reversal of the Greco-Roman final, this affair being a 10-3 victory for Boyd over state champion Brady Daniel (Maryland). Then in the final, it was a 9-2 victory to confirm the championship. Anthony Artalona (Tampa Prep, Fla.), 145-pound double champion Artalona is ranked No. 44 in the Class of 2017, though that is in error, as he is a Class of 2018 wrestler. Already a two-time state champion and a double All-American at the UWW Cadet Nationals in the 63 kilogram weight class, this isn't so much a "stock up" as it is an enhanced awareness, which is something that Fargo tends to provide. The rising sophomore went 13-0 across styles in Fargo with a pin and four technical falls during each of the title runs. It was six wins in Greco-Roman and seven wins in freestyle. Notable victories in freestyle included those over Preseason Nationals champion Emille Shannon (Illinois), incoming freshman and Tulsa Nationals champion Brian Case (Michigan), and the 11-4 championship match victory over Jaryn Curry (Oklahoma), who is ranked No. 29 in the Class of 2018.

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) appears to be comfortable in Topeka. After having had its NAIA Wrestling National Championships in the Kansas state capital for the past two years, the organization will continue to have its mat championships in Topeka through 2017. The NAIA Wrestling Championships have been held at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka the past two yearsThe Nationals will continue to be held at the Kansas Expocentre. The 2016 NAIAs will take place March 4-5; the 2017 event is scheduled for March 3-4. There is one significant change: the 2016 NAIAs will now feature 240 wrestlers, an increase from 210 competitors in 2015. The 2015 NAIA Wrestling National Championships were notable because Iowa's Grand View University won its fourth straight team title ... and Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon University claimed his fourth individual NAIA crown. "The city of Topeka has displayed a tremendous effort in making the NAIA Wrestling National Championships a first-class event,'' said NAIA president and CEO Jim Carr. "The NAIA is excited to continue the partnership for another two years. "Every individual on the (local organizing committee) and in the greater Topeka community needs to be recognized for their commitment in offering our student-athletes, coaches and fans a great championship experience.''

Logan Storley, four-time NCAA Division I All-American for University of Minnesota, will be making his professional mixed martial arts debut this August. Logan Storley finished fourth at the NCAAs this past season at 174 to conclude his college career as a four-time All-American (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Storley, who is a six-time South Dakota high school state wrestling champ, will be fighting for Resurrection Fighting Alliance, described by the Sioux Falls, S.D. Argus-Leader as "the UFC's unofficial developmental league," at their RFA 29 event on Friday, Aug. 21 at the Sanford Pentagon. The former Golden Gopher, who will be competing as a welterweight at 170 pounds, does not yet know who he will be facing next month. RFA 29 is being promoted as "USA vs. Brazil," with the co-main events featuring featherweights Ricky Musgrave vs. Roani Barcelos, and welterweights Jordon Larson vs. Ackson Junior. "I had three amateur fights in high school, but this is different getting a real training camp in and working with some of best guys in the country," Storley told the Argus-Leader. Since announcing his plans to compete in MMA as a professional, Storley has been training with Power MMA & Fitness in Phoenix, working with UFC veterans -- and former Arizona State wrestlers -- Ryan Bader and C.B. Dolloway. "In college wrestling, the thing that worked well for me was keeping a pace and making them scramble on me -- make them make the mistake," Storley said. "I think I can take down about anybody at 170 and grapple with them and all that. But I've got to be able to strike and put it all together." The August RFA 29 event will be something of a homecoming for Storley. A native of Roslyn, S.D., Storley shares the same hometown -- and high school, Webster High -- as another former Minnesota wrestler who went on to find fame and fortune in UFC. "I grew up in the same town as Brock Lesnar," Storley told FoxSports.com back in April. "We had the same high school coach. I grew up watching him wrestle and then watching him fight, so I grew up around that. Then I had three amateur fights in high school and I've wanted to fight since my freshman or sophomore year of college. Now getting done with the NCAA tournament, it's time to actually get to it." After graduation from Webster High, Storley enrolled at Minnesota, where he compiled an overall record of 119-27. Storley was a four-time NCAA Division I All-American -- only the tenth Golden Gopher to do so -- racking up four top-six finishes in the 174-pound weight class. He placed sixth as a freshman, fourth as a sophomore, third as a junior and, fourth as a senior at the 2015 NCAAs in St. Louis. He also was a four-time placer at the Big Ten conference championships, placing fourth in 2015 and 2014, seventh in 2013, and runner-up in 2012. Storley isn't the only former college wrestler to enter pro MMA competition. Just a week before Storley's announcement in April, Ed Ruth, three-time NCAA champ for Penn State and top-ranked US men's freestyle wrestler at 86 kilos/189 pounds, told BleacherReport.com that he plans to start his fight career immediately after wrestling freestyle at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A number of other former NCAA champs and All-Americans now compete as professionals in MMA, including Chris Honeycutt, 2012 NCAA finalist for Edinboro University, Paul Bradley, two-time All-American at University of Iowa, Bubba Jenkins, 2011 NCAA titlist for Arizona State, and two-time NCAA heavyweight champ Steve Mocco.

LINDSBORG, Kan. -- The Bethany College Athletic Department announced the hiring of Larry Nugent as the new head wrestling coach Tuesday morning. Nugent brings collegiate and professional coaching experience to the position for the Swedes. Most recently, Nugent was the Director of Development at USA Wrestling, where he tracked private donor support, recorded corporate sponsorship revenue, and was in charge of special events. Prior to that, Nugent was the Associate Producer and on-air Talent with USA Broadcasting and USA Wrestling. Nugent worked with ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, Fox Sports, Oxygen Sports, Public Television, and in 2001 was the NWMA Broadcaster of the Year. "Coach Nugent brings a wealth of experience to Bethany College. His depth of knowledge of wrestling will allow our program to reach new heights in the NAIA, and I am excited to see him continue our student-athletes' development on and off the mat. Coach Nugent is a tremendous addition to Bethany College and we welcome him to Swede Nation," said Dean of Athletics and Student Development, Dane Pavlovich. Nugent's coaching career started in 1980 when he was on the staff as an Assistant Coach at Southern Oregon University. While there, the Raiders won the Team NAIA National Championship in 1983, and finished in second place in 1986. Nugent then was the Head Wrestling Coach and an Adjunct Instructor at Pacific University from 1993-1995. In his first year with Pacific University, Nugent produced five All-Americans. In his second season, Nugent was voted as the Conference Coach of the Year and produced the first national champion at the college in five years. Next, Nugent moved to BYU to be the Assistant Wrestling Coach and was there for three seasons. During his time at BYU, Nugent helped qualify three wrestlers to the NCAA D-I Championships; they had none qualify the three previous seasons. As a team, BYU qualified for the NWCA All-Academic 2nd team in 1998. In all three years Nugent was with the Cougars, they had a Top-15 national recruiting class. Nugent also helped to start ticket sales and a ticket marketing program to boost attendance to an average of 900 people. "It is both an honor and very exciting to join the Bethany College family as its new Head Wrestling Coach. Athletics are a great compliment to education, and I consider it a noble mission to guide and mentor "Swede" student-athletes as they reach their competitive athletic and academic goals. Both will greatly assist them in life's challenges post-graduation. Special thanks to Dane Pavlovich and all of Bethany College leadership for this opportunity," said Nugent late Monday afternoon. Nugent holds his Bachelors of Science in Health-Physical Education and his Masters of Science in Education from Southern Oregon University.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association is pleased to announce Austin Shanfelter will give the opening keynote at the annual CEO Leadership Academy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on July 29-30. Shanfelter will be joined by a distinguished panel of mentors and featured speakers throughout the two-day course. The CEO Leadership Academy consists of 10 online educational modules that address general concepts that are important to know when developing an educationally based intercollegiate wrestling program. An in-person workshop will also be administered whereby coaches will work with their peers to adapt the general concepts to meet the unique needs on their campuses. The Leadership Academy curriculum is the result of a collaborative effort with Dr. Dan Gould of Michigan State University, a renowned leadership expert, which aims to promote and strengthen CEO leadership skills, align wrestling programs with similar educational values and insulate current programs from being eliminated. "The work Dan Gould has done with the Leadership Academy over the past several years has been nothing short of amazing," said Moyer. "Through the curriculum we've developed with Dr. Gould, the Leadership Academy has put dozens of alumni into college coaching positions, with many of them hired by administrators at schools starting new college wrestling programs." Each attendee was awarded a sponsorship via the NWCA which covers the course and the travel associated with the leadership academy. A release recognizing the Academy donors will be forthcoming. Shanfelter, a Pennsylvania native, wrestled under coach Neil Turner at Lock Haven University and also spent a year coaching under Turner after his graduation. Shanfelter currently serves as the Chairman of Global HR Research, a nationwide firm that's provided pre and post-employment background and drug screening services. He serves on the Board for Patriot National, Orion Marine Group and two privately-held companies -- Sabre Industries and Vibra Health Care Systems. He is also a member of the Lock Haven Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Austin Shanfelter has been involved with the NWCA for a number of years and with a variety of different roles," said Moyer. "He's been active in charity work here in Florida and has been the CEO of a billion-dollar company. We're happy to have Austin give the keynote to open the CEO Leadership Academy." Joe Geiger, the recently retired Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, will speak for a second year in a row, while Dr. Amanda Stanec, founder of Move Live Learn and Kathy DeBoer, Executive Director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, will also touch on topics that relate to women's sports. Dr. Stanec is also a multiple-time convention and academy speaker. Geiger is currently the secretary of the NWCA after a long career working with nonprofit organizations. "As part of our team, we know how much information Joe Geiger possesses," said Moyer. "His experience with nonprofit organizations can be beneficial to our leadership academy attendees because he has an inside take on how to approach funding and fundraising." DeBoer will be featured in a women-specific forum discussing strategies in coaching women while Dr. Stanec will lead a panel on coaching women's wrestlers. DeBoer and Dr. Stanec are leading the new women's wrestling component that's now a part of the traditional Leadership Academy. "The success of women's volleyball at the NCAA level has been fantastic and with leadership like that of Kathy DeBoer, we will be able to help and facilitate our coaches in how to coach female athletes on a variety of levels," said Moyer. "We're super pleased she's going to be lending her knowledge to the Leadership Academy." DeBoer also authored "Gender and Competition: How Men and Women Approach Work and Play Differently," which was released in 2004. "Dr. Stanec is becoming a fixture at the NWCA Convention and the CEO Leadership Academy," said NWCA President Mark Cody. "She understands the valuable insight into the healthy lifestyle and well-being that wrestling brings and she's been an outspoken advocate at creating more wrestling and healthy sports opportunities for both boys and girls at the grassroots level." The NWCA Leadership Academy will take place along with the NWCA Convention at the Westin Beach Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mentors for this year: NCAA Division II champion coach Mark Bauer (Nebraska-Kearney); NCAA Secretary Rules Editor and Ohio Northern coach Ron Beaschler; Retired high school and college wrestling coach Johnny Cobb, most recently of Wayland Baptist in Texas; Missouri Baptist head men's and women's wrestling coach Brian Jackson; retired multiple-time Division III championship coach Jim Miller of Wartburg; multiple-time Division III championship coach and Augsburg Athletic Director Jeff Swenson; past NAIA National Coach of the Year Mike Ritchey of Southern Oregon; multiple-time WCWA championship coach Archie Randall of Oklahoma City University; retired Big 12 and Division I Coach of the Year Jack Spates. Current college coaches include Pat Popolizio of N.C. State, Brian Smith of Missouri, Campbellsville women's coach Lee Miracle, Missouri Valley women's coach Carl Murphee, Ursinus head coach Bill Racich. Helping facilitate the CEO Leadership Academy: Dr. Dan Gould of Michigan State; Dr. Dennis Johnson, the Program Reviewer for the Commission on Sports Management Accreditation; Andy Driska, the Coordinator of Sport Coaching and Leadership at Michigan State and Scott Westfall, sport leadership expert and doctoral student at Michigan State. This year's 2015 Leadership Academy attendees are: Ignacio Andrade (Birmingham Community Charter), Kevin Andres (Ottawa), Dustyn Azure (Montana State-Northern), Jeff Bedard (Chattanooga), Dillon Bera (Lakeland), Ryan Birt (Millikin), Niko Brown (Chattanooga), Tony Champion (Southern Oregon), Caitlyn Chase (Gomez Wrestlnig Academy), Curtis Chenoweth (Neosho County C.C.), Angelo Crinzi (Lindenwood-Belleville), Cliff Cushard (Grass Lake H.S.), Logan Davis (Southern Virginia), Jacquelyn Davis (Beat the Streets NY), Link Davis (Emmanuel), Craig Duncan (Huntingdon), Nate Engel (Navy), Tom Erikson (Lyon), Marques Gales (Trinity), Leroy Gardner (University of Houston-Downtown), Tyler Grayson (Brown), Brandy Green (Ottawa), Scott Kruger (Morningside), Kyle Kwiat (Ohio Northern), Lauren Louive (U. of the Cumberlands), Josh Manu (Johnson & Wales), Matt Meuleners (Nebraska), Chris Michael (Ferrum), Jesse Nelson (Southwest Minnesota State), Andrew Nicola (California Baptist), Jani Palmer (Bowerhouse), Jake Patacsil (Hofstra), Tony Patrizi (Heidelberg), Trent Paulson (Iowa State), Bryan Pearsall (Army), Jessica Philippus (Glenwood Girls), Jon Reader (South Dakota State), Tyson Reiner (Wartburg), Fletcher Roberts (Alma), Will Rowe (Duke), Sarah Saenz (San Fernando), Julia Salata (King), Mike Schadwinkel (Hastings), Todd Schavrien (Appalachian State), Sam Schmitz (McKendree), Coleman Scott (North Carolina), Rachael Shannon (Missouri Baptist), Israel Silva (George Mason), Tyrel Todd (Purdue), Mason True (Baldwin Wallace), Ty Vinson (Great Falls), Donaco Watts (Briar Cliff), Adam Wilson (Trine) and Jason Zastrow (U. of the Ozarks).

The IAwrestle Team is proud to announce that this October we will be hosting a premier wrestling event titled "The Night of Conflict", and will pit some of the best talent that the state of Iowa has to offer in a head-to-head battle for supremacy of each weight class. The event is scheduled for October 16, 2015, in Carver-Hawkeye Arena and it will take place the day before the Preseason tournament, the Conflict at Carver, whose proceeds directly benefit the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. Following weigh ins for the Conflict at Carver, wrestlers who have registered for the tournament will receive automatic admission into the Night of Conflict, free of charge. Registration for the Conflict at Carver is scheduled to get underway on September 1, 2015 so don't delay in signing up for a great tournament to get ready for the season, and the opportunity to watch a high caliber wrestling for free. Tickets for the Night of Conflict will also be available for purchase at the door. Wrestlers competing in the event will be split into two squads, and each team will be coached by a Hawkeye Wrestling Club member. Some of the wrestlers already accepting invitations to the Night of Conflict are: Brody Teske - 2015 3A 106 pound state champion Justin Portillo - 2015 1A 106 pound state champion Drew West - 2015 Fargo All-American Bryce West - 2015 1A 120 pound state champion, 2014 Double Fargo All-American Josh Portillo - 2015 1A 126 pound state champion Jack Wagner - 2015 3A 113 pound state champion Justin Mejia - Two-time California state champion, University of Iowa commit Alex Thomsen - 2015 1A 113 state champion, 2015 Double Fargo All-American Brock Rathbun - 2015 2A 120 pound state champion Ryan Leisure - 2015 2A 126 pound state champion Carter Happel - Three-time Iowa high school state champion, 2015 Fargo All-American Colton Clingenpeel - 2015 Fargo All-American Marcus Coleman - 2015 3A 152 pound state champion, 2015 Fargo National runner-up Anthony Sherry - 2015 Double Fargo All-American Ethan Andersen - 2015 3A 220 pound state champion Gannon Gremmel - 2015 3A 220 pound state runner-up

Three of the five wrestlers among the 64 athletes in the original bracket for Oregon's Greatest Athlete online poll are still in the running for that title, with Rick Sanders and Robin Reed winning their Round of 32 matchups Monday ... and Jess Lewis, Oregon State heavyweight of the late 1960s, battling today to join those two late mat champs in the Sweet Sixteen. Lewis, two-time NCAA heavyweight champ, 1968 Olympian, and All-American defensive tackle for the Beavers, is going up against Nick Symmonds, a middle-distance track champ for NCAA Division III Willamette University in Salem, Ore. a decade ago. Wrestling fans from anywhere in the world can cast their votes online in this poll sponsored by The Oregonian newspaper of Portland by clicking here. Robin ReedIn voting concluded Tuesday, two late, legendary wrestlers with ties to colleges in Oregon came out winners in their matches. Robin Reed, Oregon State wrestler and coach early in the 20th century who won a gold medal at the 1924 Olympics, defeated women's soccer star Tiffeny Milbrett, 67.8% (579 votes) to 32.2% (275 votes). Sadly for fans of the oldest and greatest sport, the other Round of 32 match-up was wrestler against wrestler ... with Rick Sanders, Portland State champ who died weeks after winning a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics, edging out Les Gutches, two-time NCAA champ for Oregon State in the mid-1990s. Sanders received 437 votes, or 51.96% of the vote ... while the former Beaver got 404 votes, resulting in 48.04% of the tally. Last week, Les Gutches' nephew Brock Gutches, who just won his fourth NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) champ at Southern Oregon University, lost his Round of 64 match-up, and was eliminated from the competition.

Amazing how a single, simple tweet can generate so much buzz and speculation within college wrestling. This week, the Twitter account of the University of Iowa wrestling program posted a visual of the date 11.14.15, with the lines of a football field visible behind the large white numbers ... which launched considerable discussion online -- and a couple news stories, too -- as to what this could mean. The general consensus: the mat Hawkeyes plan to have an outdoor dual meet that Saturday at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, which will be the site of an already-scheduled Iowa vs. Minnesota football game. Kinnick Stadium has a seating capacity of just over 70,000A follow-up tweet from @Hawks_Wrestling Tuesday may hold the clue: "Fans, tired of some other school holding the attendance record? This year it comes home." Most likely, that's a reference to the college wrestling dual-meet attendance record, now held by Big Ten rival Penn State, when they drew 15,996 fans to a dual meet at Bryce Jordan Center vs. University of Pittsburgh in December 2013. Iowa had held the previous record of 15,955 for a dual vs. Iowa State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in December 2008. Kinnick Stadium has a seating capacity of just over 70,000 fans. The Iowa sports website Black Heart Gold Pants pointed out 11.14.15 is indeed the date for the Iowa vs. Minnesota football game at Kinnick ... "but that game is also a night game (scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Central). Maybe we're looking at a day-night doubleheader with wrestling in the afternoon and football in the evening?" K.J. Pilcher, who covers Iowa Hawkeye wrestling for the Cedar Rapids Gazette, did some digging to try to get to the bottom of the 11.14.15 tweet. As to whether that date might include a Hawkeyes vs. Gophers dual, UI sports information assistant director Chris Brewer and Director of Wrestling Operations Luke Eustice pointed out that the Minnesota dual is currently scheduled for Jan. 30 ... and that conference duals are scheduled by the Big Ten. "We are going to have a news conference to release our schedule next week," Eustice said. "With that, we will be talking about Iowa City Duals, any dates tweeted out, the (Olympic) trials, Big Ten tickets and all those things," referring to other events the Hawkeyes will be hosting during the 2015-16 season, including the Big Ten Championships in March, along with the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials in April. The idea of an outdoor dual meet in Iowa in mid-November is not without its issues. "There are more questions from an event standpoint," wrote RossWB for BlackHeartGoldPants.com. "Obviously, it can be a bit chilly in mid-November in Iowa. (InterMat did some checking -- average high in Iowa City that date: 50 degrees; low: 31.) That's probably not a huge deal for spectators -- they're already accustomed to sitting outside to watch football in chilly temps -- but what about the wrestlers themselves? On the other hand, they make heaters and big warm coats and, hell, guys could just hang out near the locker rooms until it was time to wrestle and then run out to the mat (I'm thinking of "the Swarm" here, only with one dude instead of 90+ football players, of course)." After discussing other potential pitfalls, RossWB went on to say that it all comes down to creating a spectacle. "Creating a big, splashy event that draws attention to wrestling. College wrestling has the tournament side of things down cold -- Midlands, the Southern Scuffle, the Big Ten tournament, and (of course) the NCAA tournament -- are spectacular events, chock-full of more great wrestling than anyone could possibly take in ... Dual meets are easy: two teams going mano a mano at ten different weight classes. Add up the points earned from each match and declare a winner -- boom. It's a format much closer to a typical sports experience than a tournament; it's also a much smaller time commitment." Outdoor dual meets are not unprecedented. "Wrestling With The Devil", a memoir of Arizona State wrestler Tony Russo, described a sunbaked ASU-Arizona dual meet in the mid-1960s. Earlier this month, California Baptist announced it would host its second "Take It Outside" al fresco dual meet on the front lawn of its southern California campus, welcoming Cal State Bakersfield, after the success of a similar event last year vs. Stanford. Most amateur wrestling events held outside are conducted in places that are perpetually warm. There are exceptions: earlier this year, there was "Salsa in the Square", a dual meet event featuring Team USA vs. Cuba in freestyle and Greco-Roman competition in New York City's Times Square. Then there's Melee 'til Midnight, an outdoor high school wrestling tournament held in on a high school football field in Vienna, Va. This event, held each June for the past five years, has welcomed participants from up to 15 states ... and, according to the website, is held rain or shine. In raising the possibility of an outdoor wrestling event in Iowa, the Hawkeyes may be paying tribute to one Frank Gotch, pro wrestling champ of the early 1900s from Humboldt, Iowa, whose popularity helped fuel the establishment of amateur wrestling in colleges and high schools a century ago throughout his home state and beyond. Gotch did much of his training in the great outdoors -- including practice matches -- in a park in the heart of his hometown of Humboldt. Furthermore, Gotch's two epic title matches vs. world champion George Hackenschmidt held in Chicago were both outside -- in early April 1908 at Dexter Park Pavilion (essentially, an open-air, shed-like structure) ... and Labor Day 1911, on the baseball field at "old" Comiskey Park, then home to the Chicago White Sox (torn down in the 1980s for today's U.S. Cellular Field).

IRVING, Texas -- The Big 12 Conference has added six affiliate members to its postseason wrestling competition as Air Force, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming will join Iowa State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and West Virginia in future Big 12 Wrestling Championships. Additionally, Denver will take part in the Big 12 Gymnastics Championship with Iowa State, Oklahoma and West Virginia. The affiliate member additions are effective beginning with the 2015-16 academic year. Affiliate members will compete for the Conference's postseason championship and the league's automatic qualification to NCAA postseason competition. In wrestling, the 10-team Big 12 Championship will shift to a neutral site and expand to a two-day event with the 2016 championship set for March 5-6, at Sprint Center in Kansas City. The Big 12 Gymnastics Championship will also make its neutral site debut in 2016 with Dr Pepper Arena in Frisco, Texas, hosting the meet on Saturday, March 19. "We are excited to announce the addition of affiliate members in sports where the league already maintains a strong competition level," Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. "The additional institutions will improve and strengthen what are already strong postseason events for the Big 12. We are looking forward to welcoming coaches, student-athletes and fans from each of the affiliate institutions to future Big 12 Gymnastics and Wrestling Championships." In addition to gymnastics and wrestling, the Big 12 also includes affiliate members in the sport of rowing.

Tom Meester battles Ben Askren at the 2006 U.S. Open (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Tom Meester, wrestler and assistant coach at Augustana College, along with the wrestling team that was runner-up at the 2005 NCAA Division II national championships, are among those who will be welcomed into Augustana's Athletics Hall of Fame, the Sioux Falls, S.D. school announced Monday. Meester compiled a 137-18 record competing for the Vikings and was a three-time NCAA All-American, posting back-to-back titles at 184 pounds in 2004 and 2005 to become only the second two-time NCAA Division II champ for Augustana. His performance at the 2005 NCAAs helped lead the Vikings to a second-place finish in the final team standings. Meester was also a three-time North Central Conference champ. In addition, the native of Rock Rapids, Iowa also earned a number of honors, including being named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2005 NCAAs by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). He was voted the NCC Wrestler of the Year for 2004-05, and won the Outstanding Wrestler award at the 2005 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Meester and the 2005 Viking mat squad will be joined by Class of 2015 honorees Jay Kirsch (baseball), Chrissa Landwehr (softball), Angela Reiners (volleyball) and John Ziminske (football). In addition to the Hall of Fame inductees, Augustana will recognize Bill Gross (Lefty Olson Award), Jamie Parish (Ole Odney Award), and Linda Larson (Milt and Clara Harvey Award). The Class of 2015 will be officially inducted into the Augustana Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 16. The Hall of Fame banquet begins with a 6 p.m. social hour on Friday at the Holiday Inn City Centre. In addition, the honorees will also be introduced at halftime of the Viking Days football game against Wayne State on Saturday, Oct. 17.

For the past three seasons Ty Swarm has worked as the head wrestling coach at Kearney High School in Kearney, Nebraska. Prior to that he spent 11 seasons as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, an NCAA Division II power. In other words, he's been on both sides of the college recruitment process. "I think the coach plays a supportive role in the recruitment process," says Swarm. "If the wrestler has solid direction and support from their parent or guardian then the coach's role will be less. If their parent or guardian is unsure or is not providing assistance in the recruitment process then the coach needs to fill this role to assist their wrestler." As the head coach at Jeffersonville High School in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Danny Struck takes pride when a wrestler from his program signs with a collegiate wrestling program. In the past 10 years a total of 27 wrestlers from the Jeffersonville High School program have competed in college and there are currently Jeffersonville wrestlers competing at the NCAA Division I, Division III and NAIA levels. "Many of them never made it to state," says Struck. "They loved to wrestle and found a school that suited them. If they want to wrestle, there is a place." Read complete story on MatBoss ...

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Mike Sugermeyer has been appointed to be the wrestling head coach at Western New England University. That announcement was made on Tuesday by Western New England athletics director Dr. Mike Theulen. No stranger to the Golden Bears wrestling program, Sugermeyer served the past two seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator while having a hand in all aspects of the team. He also is the son of Steve Sugermeyer '78 who was inducted into the school's Downes Athletic Hall of Fame last September, playing a significant role in the growth and development of the sport at the University. "I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to lead the wrestling program here at Western New England University. I would first like to thank Coach Theulen and the entire athletic administration for making this opportunity possible," stated Mike Sugermeyer. "Being an Assistant Coach (at WNE) for the last two seasons, I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of our Athletic Family. I look forward to being able to continue working toward our goal of creating successful student athletes on the mat, in the classroom and in life." Previously, Mike Sugermeyer coached numerous all-state, All-New England and All-American wrestlers while coaching at Northeast Elite and Bay State Wrestling Club of West Springfield. "I am delighted that Mike Sugermeyer has accepted a new challenge of becoming our next head wrestling coach," Theulen said. "He emerged as the top candidate from a solid pool of candidates, and I am confident that he will do well in his new position to continue the successes that our Athletic Family has achieved." Sugermeyer wrestled for NCAA Division III Rhode Island College in Providence. He was a senior captain for the Anchormen, achieving All-NCAA Northeast Region and All-New England honors, as well as being named a first-team Pilgrim League All-Star. He graduated in 2013 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, with a minor in business management. Prior to RIC, Mike wrestled for Minnechaug Regional High School in nearby Wilbraham. At Minnechaug, he was a three-time sectional champion, three-time all-state placer and All-New England. Sugermeyer is currently working toward a master of science in organizational leadership at WNE.

The ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet Nationals came to a conclusion in Fargo, N.D., with the Junior freestyle finals on Saturday afternoon. As the full week of wrestling came to an end, there are many points to ponder and factoids to convey. Here are some reflections from Fargo 2015: Major uptick in participation It was the highest number of participants across the four events of male wrestling in Fargo in exactly ten years. There were 4,032 participants when summing those in Cadet Greco-Roman, Junior Greco-Roman, Cadet freestyle, and Junior freestyle. The last time there were 4,000 was in 2005, when there was 4,065. In fact, the third most participants in the 2005-2015 stretch came in 2007 when there were 3,980; all other years have seen 3,800 or less. There was peak participation for the 2005-2015 stretch of time this year in the Cadet Greco-Roman event (913, previous high was 885 in 2005). The Cadet freestyle total of 1,084 was the highest since 2005 when 1,114 wrestlers took to the mats. For Junior Greco-Roman, the 895 participants was joint most with 2007; while the Junior freestyle total of 1,140 was the highest since 2005 when 1,173 wrestlers took to the mats. Relative to the 2011 low of 3,467 participants (note that the actual number of human beings is less, as those competing in multiple competitions count multiple times), the 2015 total is up significantly. At 4,032 participants this year, that represents an increase of more than 16 percent. Double your pleasure Navigating through ten-plus matches, and in some cases more than fifteen, over the course of a week is hard work. Add to that, the need to make weight multiple times over the tournaments, and it's a grind. These wrestlers that won titles in both styles, made the finals in both styles, or just even earned All-American honors in both styles put in a hard week's work and should be commended. Double champions Louie Hayes (Illinois), Junior 106 Nick Reenan (Texas), Junior 182 Mosha Schwartz (Colorado), Cadet 88 -- also a Triple Crown winner, when adding in folkstyle from April Malik Heinselman (Colorado), Cadet 84 Roman Bravo-Young (Arizona), Cadet 113 Nick Raimo (New Jersey), Cadet 120 Anthony Artalona (Florida), Cadet 145 Jacob Warner (Illinois), Cadet 170 Nick Boykin (Tennessee), Cadet 285 Double finalists Brock Hardy (Utah), Cadet 132 runner-up in both styles Ryan Karoly (New Jersey), Cadet 160 runner-up in both styles Jack Jessen (Illinois), Cadet 170 runner-up in both styles Jake Boyd (Missouri), Cadet 195, Greco-Roman runner-up and freestyle champion Cohlton Schultz (Colorado), Cadet 220, Greco-Roman champion and freestyle runner-up Jaret Lane (Pennsylvania), Junior 100, Greco-Roman champion and freestyle runner-up Mitch McKee (Minnesota), Junior 132, Greco-Roman champion and freestyle runner-up Taylor LaMont (Utah), Junior 132, Greco-Roman runner-up and freestyle champion Samuel Colbray (Oregon), Junior 195 runner-up in both styles Jordan Wood (Pennsylvania), Junior 220, Greco-Roman runner-up and freestyle champion Drops of knowledge Only one weight class of the 32 that are in the Cadet and Junior levels had completely different sets of All-Americans between Greco-Roman and freestyle, 160 pounds at the Junior level. While five Junior weight classes had zero or one double All-Americans present, all but one Cadet weight class had multiple All-Americans. Cadet 106 was the weight class with just one double All-American. As a matter of detail, there was a second Cadet Greco All-American that earned All-American honors in freestyle; however, Cadet champ Malik Johnson (Missouri) was seventh in Junior freestyle at 113. Furthermore, only four Cadet weight classes in total had two or less double All-Americans. Those additional weight classes were 138, 145, and 152 that had two doublers each. However, it should be noted that there was an additional Greco-Roman All-American at both 145 and 152 that earned freestyle All-American honors up a weight class; Braeden Redlin (Texas) did so at 145/152, while Max Wohlabaugh (Florida) did so at 152/160. In total there were 103 wrestlers to earn All-American honors in both styles during the Fargo week. 65 wrestlers did so at the Cadet level, while 37 earned the distinction on the Junior level, with Malik Johnson (Missouri) having the "mixed double". While all but the 100-pound weight class on the Junior level had three or less double All-Americans, eight of the seventeen Cadet weight classes had four or more double All-Americans, not accounting for any that earned their All-American honors at different weight classes in each style. Both the 100-pound Junior weight class and the 195-pound Cadet weight classes had seven of the eight All-Americans as the same between the events. Five of the All-Americans at Cadet 88, 160, 220, and 285 were the same between events; while four were the same at 94, 132, and 182. It should be noted that there was a Cadet 160 Greco All-American who earned freestyle All-American honors at 170, while there was a Cadet freestyle All-American at 160 who earned All-American honors at 152 in Greco-Roman. "State"-ment of dominance Team Illinois continued to assert its dominance in the Olympic styles at the scholastic age levels with its success in Fargo over the past week. During the month of June, Illinois won dual meet titles in Schoolboy freestyle, both styles of Cadets, and Junior Greco-Roman. This week Illinois swept its way to both Cadet titles, won the Junior Greco-Roman title, and was a narrow third in Junior freestyle (Oklahoma won that tournament with Ohio as the runner-up). In terms of All-Americans earned, Illinois had the most for any state in the three events it won, and joint most with Oklahoma and Ohio in Junior freestyle. Those counts were 17 in Cadet Greco-Roman, 20 in Cadet freestyle, then 12 each in Junior Greco-Roman and freestyle. This should not be a revelation, as the Illinois program continues to get the job done year over year. Wrestlers, coaches, leadership, and families. All across the board. Fargo as a perception changer Every year, the events in Fargo serve to shift the perception of many wrestlers on the national landscape. While the results of the tournaments can influence things in both a positive and negative way, the feature InterMat does on an annual basis will focus on those wrestlers for whom the Fargo tournaments served to boost their "stock." The article, featuring a selection of wrestlers at the Cadet and Junior level, will be published later on this week. Updated grade-level rankings The updated grade-level rankings for the Class of 2016 through 2019, as well as the junior high group, to reflect the happenings of Fargo -- as well as for other events that have happened since the mid-June update -- will be published during early August.