InterMat Staff

Jordan Burroughs battles Andrew Howe at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Jordan Burroughs has been receiving a lot of attention over the past several months. One of Team USA's biggest stars, Burroughs has been the face of the Polo Ralph Lauren campaign for Rio 2016 and has repped Chobani, Asics and a few other brands. He's been featured in several magazines and is even the subject of upcoming documentaries by two well-known media outlets. As wrestling's most popular figure for the past few years, Burroughs is now showing significant mainstream appeal. This week Burroughs used his platform to speak about the frustrations of many in the African-American community regarding police brutality and the social injustice. The posts came in the wake of the police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castille, which were caught on camera and watched millions of time via social media. Regardless of how any one reader feels about the police, guns and the situations which prompted Burroughs' response, there is much to admire in Burroughs' standing up for what he believes is an issue that affects his family and friends. He's taking his position as father and role model with seriousness and thoughtfulness. The wrestling community has plenty of opinions, but few quality opinion-makers. Burroughs is one of those opinion-makers and for him to speak up about this type of issue, especially as it would have been easy to cower away during this pre-Olympic period, shows his courage to stand for what he believes is right. To your questions … Q: In 2004, Team USA won six medals (across all three styles) at the Olympic Games. In 2008, the Americans won three medals. Last Olympics, in 2012, Team USA captured four medals. Over/under for Team USA medals in Rio is 5.5. Are you betting over or under 5.5? -- Mike C. Foley: I'll take the over. 1.5 from Greco-Roman 2.5 from women's wrestling 2.5 from men's freestyle I like where you placed that line! Any thoughts from Brian Muir? Q: Looks like a segment of one of Jordan Burroughs' Olympic athlete profile videos was used in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Taking this plug and Adeline Gray's appearance in the upcoming ESPN Magazine's The Body issue can we assume that USA Wrestling has hit a promotional turning point and expect to see the sport gain more exposure in popular media outlets? -- Jacob R. Foley: Wrestling is very visually pleasing, which lends many creative outlets to lean against our stars in the promotion of the Olympic Games. The highlights are radical, the bodies are in-shape and the characters are even a bit brighter. We speak a lot about Burroughs' fame, but no wrestler has received more media attention in the run-up to the Olympic Games than Adeline Gray. Her feature in the upcoming Body Issue is groundbreaking, but she's also seen write-ups in magazines and websites ranging from women's focused to airlines. In fact, even I have a 4k+ word profile piece on her coming out on ESPN right before the Olympic Games. The women have been wonderfully promoted, as have our freestyle stars. The crew at USA Wrestling has done a phenomenal job getting their athletes front and center for external media. Years of hard work and relationship building has created this opportunity for the athletes and I hope we see it continue to grow. MUTLIMEDIA HALFTIME Second teaser for upcoming documentary on Battsetseg Hamid Soryan: The Long Road to Rio Link: Adeline Gray ESPN Body Issue photos Q: Do you think the World Championships will return to the United States within the next 10 years? -- Mike C. Foley: Sure, why not. Ten years is a pretty long time and the 2015 World Championships were some of the best received in the history of the sport. I don't know how interested USA Wrestling would be in hosting, but I think that the event and fan, athlete and viewer experiences were all top of the line. As far as averages it would be a little quicker than normal. USA had last held it 12 years prior in 2003 and then 7 years prior with the Olympic Games in 1996 and the LA Games in 1984. Q: Do you see Boris Novachkov as a legitimate medal contender in Rio? -- Mike C. Foley: Hard to count out anyone that athletic, but he has struggled to break through against the top five talent at 65 kilos. I'd put him at 10 percent to medal.

Three of the four suspended Norman North High School (Oklahoma) wrestlers accused of sexually assaulting a teammate on a bus in January have had their cases moved to juvenile court, according to multiple media reports Thursday. A Garvin County judge dismissed the felony charge against each of the three wrestlers -- all juveniles, ages 16 and 17 -- and gave prosecutors five days to file new cases in juvenile court, based on a psychological evaluation of each of the juveniles which stated "the acts were willful but appear to be impulsive rather than premeditated and planned." The psychologist who evaluated the three accused juvenile wrestlers stated in his report to the judge that he was told "the activity in question was part of a tradition in wrestling," The Oklahoman -- the daily newspaper for Oklahoma City -- reported. The Pauls Valley Democrat used the phrase "hazing event" in its reporting. The fourth wrestler, 18, was charged as an adult, and is charged with three felony counts of rape by instrumentation. He has pleaded not guilty. His case is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 2. The alleged sexual attacks occurred Jan. 9 as the Norman North High School junior varsity wrestling team returned from a tournament that took place in Pauls Valley, Okla. south of Norman. Prosecutors alleged the offenses began in Garvin County, where Pauls Valley is located. The four defendants are accused of using fingers to rape the two teammates -- 16 and 12 years old -- over their clothing, hence the "rape by instrumentation" charges. As InterMat reported back in February, the 16-year-old victim was reportedly attacked at the back of the bus by three of the suspects. The accused perpetrators allegedly tried to lure the 12-year-old victim to the rear of the bus; when he failed to cooperate, they dragged him to the back of the bus and allegedly raped him there. When the bus returned to Norman North, the 12-year-old was again sexually assaulted two more times -- once in a secluded area next to the building, and in between two parked cars in the school parking lot. The final attack ended when the younger victim's parents arrived to pick him up. Norman Public Schools launched their own investigation, and contacted Norman City Police. A few days later, the school system suspended the accused attackers, and issued the following statement: "An adjunct coach who was responsible for supervising students on the bus was immediately dismissed. A second coach has been suspended pending further investigation." Norman North High School, established in 1997, has an enrollment of approximately 2,300 students. It's one of two public high schools in Norman, Okla., a city of approximately 110,000 located about 20 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City. The third-largest city in the state, Norman is the home to the University of Oklahoma.

Just days before one of the most-anticipated events in the 20+ year history of Ultimate Fighting Championships, one of the headliners for UFC 200, Jon Jones, has failed a drug test, and will not be on the card, according to multiple media reports late Wednesday night. The former UFC light-heavyweight champion had been slated to face current champ Daniel Cormier in the capstone event for this weekend's UFC 200 event in Las Vegas Saturday night. Instead, the Brock Lesnar-Mark Hunt bout will be elevated to top-of-the-card status. MMAFighting.com is reporting that Jones won't be fighting "due to a potential violation in a USADA [US Anti-Doping Agency] drug test administered on June 16." UFC Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance Jeff Novitsky issued a statement, saying that Jones has yet to be declared guilty of the allegations, but, given the proximity of the company receiving the results and the fight itself, there wasn't time to conduct a review, thus necessitating the fight cancellation. "The UFC was notified tonight that the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has informed Jon Jones of a potential anti-doping policy violation stemming from an out-of-competition sample collection on June 16, 2016," Novitzky said. "USADA, an independent administrator of the anti-doping policy, will handle results management and appropriate adjudication of this case. It is important to note that under the UFC anti-doping policy, there is a full, fair legal review process that is afforded to all athletes before any sanctions are imposed. However, because Jones was scheduled to fight Cormier this coming Saturday, July 9 in Vegas, there is insufficient time for a full review before the scheduled bout, and therefore the bout has been removed from the fight card." BloodyElbow.com reported that UFC president Dana White was apparently eating dinner when he got the news of the failed drug test which necessitated the cancellation of one of the biggest, most anticipated pay-per-view MMA events in recent memory. White, who along with the rest of UFC appeared to be blindsided by the stunning turn of events, did not rule out the possibility of finding a new opponent for Cormier on such short notice. "Maybe someone will pop up and fight Cormier at the last minute," White said at a press conference Wednesday night. "Stranger things have happened." Last fall, Jones pleaded guilty to a charge resulting from a hit-and-run crash in Albuquerque earlier in 2015 that injured a pregnant woman. Under terms of the agreement, Jones avoided jail time by agreeing to participate in 72 speaking engagements - one for each week of his probation -- at New Mexico area schools and martial arts centers on how wrong choices can damage an individual's life. Shortly after his arrest, the UFC stripped Jones of his light heavyweight title and suspended him from fighting. Prior to entering MMA, Jones was a New York State wrestling champ for Union-Endicott High School. He won a NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) title while at Iowa Central Community College. Jones' slated opponent at UFC 200, Daniel Cormier, was a two-time NJCAA champ at Colby Community College in Kansas, who then transferred to NCAA Division I powerhouse Oklahoma State where he earned All-American honors at the 2001 NCAAs. The Louisiana native twice earned a place on the US freestyle team for the 2004 and 2008 Olympics. The new main event now features another former college mat star in Brock Lesnar, himself a 1998 NJCAA champ at Bismarck Junior College in North Dakota. Lesnar transferred to University of Minnesota where he was a two-time NCAA finalist, winning the heavyweight title at the 2000 NCAAs.

Alex Tsirtsis, NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Iowa and four-time Indiana high school mat champ, is now head wrestling coach at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday. Tsirtsis replaces John Kading, 1996 NCAA champ for University of Oklahoma, who has accepted the head coaching job at Leyden High School in suburban Chicago after five years at the helm of the Mt. Carmel Caravan wrestling program which was nationally ranked last season and placed third in Class 2A at the Illinois state championships. In fact, when Kading announced his departure, he recommended Tsirtsis for the position to Mount Carmel athletic director Dan LaCount. "Alex's name came up right away," LaCount told the Tribune. "He was No. 1 on our list and we approached him immediately." As someone who grew up just across the Illinois-Indiana state line in Griffith, Ind., Tsirtsis is familiar with the Mount Carmel mat legacy, and how the IHSA - the governing body for high school sports in Illinois -- allows its teams to travel and compete in tournaments across the country. "I live in Northwest Indiana, and I think in Illinois, they're a little more competitive on the national scene," Tsirtsis said. "As far as the IHSA is involved, they give less restrictions on travel, which was pretty intriguing for me from a competition standpoint." LaCount also cited Tsirtsis' residing just across the Chicago Skyway from Mount Carmel, located straight south of the Chicago Loop, as a positive factor. "We love the fact that he lives in Northwest Indiana and that he has a great pipeline to that area," LaCount said. "He was receptive right away." Tsirtsis wrestled at Griffith High School, where he compiled a flawless 236-0 record and took home four Indiana state titles. He then headed west on I-80 to Iowa City, where, as an Iowa Hawkeye, Tsirtsis was a four-time Big Ten Conference Championships place winner (2005-2009), and earned All-American honors by placing seventh at 141 pounds at the 2006 NCAA Championships. In addition, as co-founder of the Region Wrestling Academy in nearby Gary, Ind., Tsirtsis brings coaching experience to the Caravan mat program. "It's about finding the right people and designing your program so these kids love the sport but still get the training they need," Tsirtsis said. "You'll have your studs and then the guys just trying wrestling out. I wanna grow the sport. I want the guys to love it for the rest of their lives." Located on the south side of Chicago, Mount Carmel is an all-male, four-year high school run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago. Founded in 1900, Mount Carmel has 850 students.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- CSU Bakersfield director of athletics Kenneth "Ziggy" Siegfried has announced the successful completion of the national search and the hiring of former University of Minnesota All-American Manny Rivera as head wrestling coach at CSUB. Rivera, a four-time letter winner at Minnesota and member of the 2007 NCAA National Championship team, has been the lead assistant at Big-12-member North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. for the last five years. Rivera becomes just the fourth head coach all-time for CSUB, replacing Mike Mendoza who took over as head coach at Boise State last month. "Our goal in this national search was to find an individual who would continue to build on our strong wrestling tradition, while embracing our department's vision of promoting academic excellence, providing an outstanding student-athlete experience, pursuing competitive success, and engaging the Bakersfield community. I am thrilled to say we have found that person in coach Manny Rivera," Siegfried said. "I want to commend our wrestling sport supervisor and associate athletics director Karen Langston for her efforts in leading this search." Rivera, a native of El Monte, Calif., will be returning to his home state to lead the Roadrunners, a team that finished with a Pac-12 best 4-1 record last season in dual competitions and sent five student-athletes to the NCAA Nationals in New York. "As a product of California and having wrestled there I am looking forward to getting back and working in the state," Rivera said. "The wrestlers in California are phenomenal and I look forward to working with them." As an assistant coach, Rivera assisted two NCAA All-Americans and 11 NCAA National qualifiers during his five seasons at NDSU. The Bison also won the 2015 Western Wrestling Conference dual and tournament championships while finishing in the Top-25. Prior to that, he coached at the University of Virginia and was a graduate assistant at his alma mater Minnesota while earning his Master's Degree in Sports Management from 2008-2010. Rivera says a familiarity with the wrestling history at CSUB was one of the main attractions to this position. "For me it's been a goal to run my own program and be the head coach, specifically at CSUB," he said. "I grew up just a couple hours away so I am familiar with the tradition, it's strong and I know the support for the program from the community, the alumni and administration is hard to beat and its some of the best that I've seen." While a graduate assistant for the Gophers, he also served as the assistant director at the School of Champions, a wrestling training program for junior high and high school students. Additionally, he was a volunteer wrestling coach at Rosemead High School. "Coach Rivera is a great addition to the CSUB staff and his experience will provide outstanding leadership for our student-athletes," Langston said. "He has competed and coached at a high level and our student athletes will benefit greatly from that. I'd like to thank the community supporters who served on the search committee for their contributions throughout the process and I'd like to recognize our wresting team members for their patience and professionalism as we completed the search." As well as coaching, Rivera brings several accolades as a grappler himself, he was a three-time NCAA qualifier at Minnesota and earned All-America honors as a senior after finishing seventh at 141 pounds at the NCAA Championships. He was also a starter on Minnesota's 2007 national championship team. He finished his career with a record of 113-40 and 27 pins and was team captain as a senior. Now as a head coach Rivera hopes to instill what made him successful on the mat into the student-athletes he will be coaching at CSUB with an approach based around toughness. "I'm pretty old school and I want to have some of the toughest guys out there when they step on the line," he said. "We're going to be aggressive and it doesn't matter who we are wrestling, we're going to be tough and it's going to be a dogfight." Rivera will officially be introduced at a community reception next week following his arrival in Bakersfield and completion of the hiring process.

Ron Finley, former Oregon State wrestler, Olympian and long-time head wrestling coach at the now-defunct University of Oregon wrestling program, died Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer. He was 75. Ron FinleyFinley's on-the-mat career was impressive in accomplishment and scope. He won back-to-back Oregon high school state titles at Newburg in 1957 and 1958, then headed to Corvallis to wrestle at Oregon State for legendary head coach Dale Thomas. As a Beaver wrestler, Finley made it to the 137-pound finals of the 1961 NCAA championships in his home gym, placing second to Michigan State's Norm Young. Finley then focused on international competition, first earning a spot on the U.S. Greco-Roman national team in 1961. He placed fourth at the World Championships in 1962 and 1963, then sixth at the 1966 Worlds at 63 kilograms/138.75 pounds. Finley made the 1964 U.S. Olympic team, placing fourth in his weight class at the Tokyo Games, one of the highest placers on the U.S. Greco squad. In 1970, Finley took the reins of the University of Oregon, and remained head coach for 28 years until stepping down in 1998. In that time, Finley led the Ducks to an overall dual-meet record of 309-186-8. Three of his teams won conference titles; 42 Ducks won individual conference crowns. Finley also served as the coach of the U.S. Greco-Roman team at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. That Finley-led squad earned a total of four medals, including gold medals for Steve Fraser and the late Jeff Blatnick, according to his bio in the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame where he was inducted in 1982. More than once, Finley was credited with saving wrestling at Oregon when the program was slated to be eliminated for financial reasons. He met with a university vice president and athletic director Rick Bay in 1981 to keep the program off the chopping block. "He told me a story about sliding an envelope across the table because he saw it once in a movie," Chuck Kearney, who wrestled for Finley at Oregon before serving as his assistant and then replacing him as coach following his mentor's retirement, told the Eugene (Ore.) Register-Guard. "In the envelope, he wrote down the number of what it would cost to run the program. They were impressed with how low the number was and said, ‘Plus your salary?' He said, ‘No, my salary is included.' "We dodged that bullet." "He had a great balance of being a coach, being tough on you when he had to be tough, and at the same time being one of the finest human beings and caring about everyone," said Kevin Roberts, a two-time all-American under Finley at Oregon who is now the associate head coach at Oregon State. "As a coach, the thing I always remember from Fin is that all these guys are trying their best and they want to be the best they can be. "That's the biggest thing I take from him is the way he treated his athletes. Whether you're an all-American or fourth-string, just treat them well." In addition to his accomplishments as wrestler and coach, Finley was a tireless champion for the sport in his native Oregon. In recent years, he had fought to get wrestling reinstated at Oregon. The Ducks dropped the sport in 2007. In addition, Finley headed up the Save Oregon Wrestling Federation, as well as executive director of the National Wrestling Restoration Foundation, whose goal was to prevent further cuts to collegiate wrestling programs. "He's going to be missed," NWRF president Paul Fenley told The Oregonian. "The wrestling community has lost a great man. He was one of those figures that everyone looked to as a guiding light. His entire life was wrestling. He didn't go off and do business or get into sales. He dedicated his entire life to the sport. Everything is wrestling with this guy." Through the NWRF, Finley and Fenley launched the Zero Quit clothing brand, whose proceeds go directly into a fund to create an endowment for an Oregon wrestling program. "I guess the best way to put it, when Ron Finley was a wrestler he won because he was tough," said Chuck Kearney. "He refused as an athlete to give in. As an athlete that defines who he was, and he coached the same way. When he was fighting cancer, it was the same way. "He just refused to give in." Finley is survived by his wife, Linda, a son, Michael, and a daughter, Kelly Sopp. Memorial services were still being planned as of Tuesday night.

Wrestling announcer Sandy Stevens and legendary University of Northern Iowa wrestler Rich Powers will be featured guests on this week's edition of the On The Mat wrestling broadcast on Wednesday, July 6. In addition to being considered "the voice of amateur wrestling," Stevens is a supporter of UNI athletics and most notably wrestling, launching the "Pledges for Pins" program at UNI in 2007 and, along with her late husband Bob "Bear" Stevens created an endowment for the head wrestling coaching position. Powers was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American for the UNI Panthers (1990-92) at 177 pounds. He compiled a 134-25-1 record with 54 pins, placing him third all-time in program history. Both Stevens and Powers will be welcomed into the Northern Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame on Sept. 10. 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 Mat Talk Online.

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

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

The first episode of Global Wrestling News for July has plenty of news about US Olympic wrestling as well as developments in high school and collegiate wrestling too. This week's show covers all the bases -- and then some -- with these feature segments: Interviews with the Cadet World Team along with head coach Brandon Slay. Is this our best team ever? Air Force's Dustin Kilgore and Sam Barber. Great hire? Wayne Boyd's "As I See It" NASCAR wrestling match. Do drivers make great wrestlers? And what about that play-by-play commentary? Yianni Diakomihalis and David Carr scrap on Instagram Ryan Taylor injury reactions Freshman Adam Busiello commits to Penn State. Was it too early? Alex Dieringer up for Best Male College Athlete ESPY. Will wrestling fans help him take down the competition? Ben Dermstadt -- Under Armour Wrestler of the Week This half-hour Global Wrestling News broadcast presents the news about all aspects of amateur wrestling, in a fast-paced sports news format featuring Scott Casber and Tony Hager, along with comments and opinions from wrestling aficionado Wayne Eric Boyd, who champions the oldest and greatest sport. Global Wrestling News is a subsidiary of Global Wrestling Championships and owned by Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. This week's show has already been posted at TheMat.com, TMWC1.com, and Takedown Wrestling's website. In addition, it is available on Takedown Wrestling's YouTube channel. What's more, you'll find Global Wrestling News on these cable, satellite and broadcast channels. (All times Central.) Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three former Olympians -- Dan Gable, Kevin Jackson, and Cary Kolat -- are among the guests on this Saturday's Takedown Radio, the broadcast announced Friday. Join hosts Scott Casber, Tony Hager, and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9-11 a.m. live on KXNO.com, IHeartRadio.com and TakedownWrestle.com. Fans, athletes and coaches are invited to participate by calling 866-333-5966 or 515-284-5966. This week's guests include: 9 a.m.: Cary Kolat, head coach at Campbell University and 2000 Olympian 9:20 a.m.: Kevin Jackson, Iowa State head coach, 1992 Olympic gold medalist 9:35 a.m.: Dan Gable, 1972 Olympic gold medalist, former University of Iowa head coach 10:00 a.m.: Nahshon Garrett, 2016 NCAA 133-pound champ and four-time All-American at Cornell University 10:20 a.m.: Troy Steiner, University of Iowa mat great, recently named head coach at the newly resurrected program at Fresno State

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

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

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

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

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