InterMat Staff

Now that we are a few days removed from the U.S. Open and UWW Junior Nationals, let's look at five things we learned in Las Vegas. Daton Fix is really, really good Daton Fix claimed the UWW Junior National freestyle title at 55 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Heading into Las Vegas, Daton Fix, a two-time Oklahoma state champion and Junior Olympic silver medalist, was regarded as one of the top five prospects in the Class of 2017. (In the latest InterMat grade rankings, pre-Vegas, Fix came in ranked fourth.) Fix raised his stock -- and national profile -- considerably after his performance in Vegas. He not only won the UWW Junior Nationals freestyle competition at 55 kilos, but defeated two NCAA Division I qualifiers, Ronnie Bresser (Oregon State) and Ethan Lizak (Minnesota), by technical fall, and in the finals blanked Stevan Micic (Northwestern), 10-0. Fix has his sights set on winning both a Cadet World title and Junior World title this year. Standing in his way to make the Cadet World Team at 54 kilos could be Cadet World champion Spencer Lee. The two met in the UWW (FILA at the time) Cadet National freestyle finals in 2013, with Lee winning by technical fall in less than a minute. "It didn't go the way I planned," Fix said of that meeting with Lee two years ago. "This time I want to make sure it goes the right way." Anthony Valencia is a contender on the senior level at 74 kilos Returning Junior World Team member Anthony Valencia was expected to enter the loaded 74-kilo weight class on the junior level with the likes of Mark Hall, Jason Nolf, Chance Marsteller and Jon Jay Chavez. Valencia was beaten badly by Hall in a preseason event and many anticipated a rematch in Vegas. Instead, Valencia, the nation's top recruit in the Class of 2015, opted to compete on the senior level in a weight class that is widely considered to be the toughest freestyle weight class in the United States. Even without Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake (both chose not to compete in Vegas), 74 kilos on the senior level still packs plenty of punch. After winning by technical fall in his first two matches at the U.S. Open, Valencia defeated 2011 All-American Colt Sponseller in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals he faced Andrew Howe. Valencia came out strong against Howe, taking him down and turning him to go up 4-0. Howe eventually came back to win the match, but Valencia's performance against Howe opened a lot of eyes. If his match against Howe didn't make people believers, his match for third place against University World champion Tyler Caldwell should have. Valencia used a lateral drop to go up 4-0 on Caldwell, and then use two double leg takedowns -- one for four points -- to earn a 10-0 technical fall. The World Team spot at 61 kilos in men's freestyle is up for grabs Coleman Scott won an Olympic bronze medal in 2012 at 60 kilos, but since then has not had the success on the international stage that many expected. He has failed to make the past two World teams. Reece Humphrey made his second World team in 2013 at 60 kilos, and last year Jimmy Kennedy took the spot at the new 61-kilo weight class. Scott had a disappointing World Cup performance in April, going 1-3. He entered the U.S. Open as the No. 1 seed at 61 kilos, but was upset in the round of 16 by Ali Naser. Scott showed a lot of determination in battling back to win six straight matches on the back side of the bracket to place third. Humphrey, who had been wrestling up a weight class at 65 kilos, came through to win his second U.S. Open title, beating Kendric Maple 7-6 in the finals. Humphrey admitted that he didn't feel his best in the U.S. Open finals, but was still able to come through and win. Maple, an NCAA champion and three-time All-American at Oklahoma, may lack freestyle experience, but makes up for it with his athleticism. Maple, along with Scott and potentially Junior World silver medalist Joey McKenna should challenge Humphrey for the U.S. World Team spot at 61 kilos. Jake Herbert still has tread on his tires Jake Herbert defeated Ed Ruth in the semifinals of the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Coming into the U.S. Open, not many people knew what to expect to see from 30-year-old Jake Herbert. He took two years off from competition after the 2012 Olympic Games, and his results since returning to competition this season have been mixed. He placed fifth at an event in Russia early this season, and was pinned by returning World Team member Ed Ruth in a Flo Premier League event in March. Herbert, who trains in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was seeded 10th in the pre-seeds, and was moved up to the fifth seed when the final seeds were released. Many wondered if Herbert was a still a legitimate threat to claim the title at 86 kilos, or whether he was nothing more than a former World medalist on the back side of his career providing depth to the weight class. In Las Vegas, Herbert showed that there is still plenty of tread on his tires. After "upsetting" fourth-seeded Richard Perry by technical fall in the quarterfinals, Herbert defeated Ruth in a high-scoring affair, 13-11, in the semifinals. In the finals he took out longtime friend Keith Gavin to claim his fourth U.S. Open title and earn a spot in the best-of-three finals of the U.S. World Team Trials next month. Prior to the Trials, Herbert will get a crack at three-time World medalist Reineris Salas Perez at "Salsa in the Square" on May 21. Herbert lost to Perez at the 2010 World Championships. Last month, Ruth topped Perez 22-13 at the World Cup in Los Angeles. The Kyle Snyder era may be starting sooner than expected Sometimes losses can be blessings. For Kyle Snyder, that may prove to be true. Snyder was pinned by Iowa State's Kyven Gadson on college wrestling's biggest stage in March. Could that loss become a defining moment in Snyder's career? That remains to be seen. But what we do know is that he has used that loss to fuel his fire. Not only did 20-year-old Snyder win the U.S. Open as the No. 6 seed, but he stunned 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner in the finals. Snyder's talent is undeniable, and from all accounts he is a tireless worker. Last year he wrestled a competitive against six-time World and Olympic champion Khadzhimurat Gatsalov of Russia at the Beat the Street evens in NYC. Snyder's victory over Varner to win the U.S. Open is a huge confidence booster and puts him in the driver's seat to represent the United States at the World Championships in Las Vegas. Since 2009, only two wrestlers, Jake Varner and J.D. Bergman, have represented the United States at 97 kilos (formerly 96 kilos) on the U.S. World Team or Olympic Team in freestyle. Snyder will look to break that trend next month in Madison, Wisconsin.

NEW YORK -- Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc. and USA Wrestling today announced the U.S. lineup and the match pairings for the "Salsa in the Square," as top competitors for Team USA and the Cuban National Team will compete in a dual meet featuring all three Olympic wrestling styles. The USA vs. Cuba Dual meet will be held in historic Times Square on Thursday, May 21, this time back in the Duffy Square location at 46th Street in Manhattan. It is one of the most impressive and iconic settings in the history of Olympic wrestling. This will be the first time that a stand-alone dual meet between a U.S. team and a Cuban team in an Olympic sport will take place in the United States since the historic change in USA and Cuban political relations earlier this year. It is also the first time that a Cuban wrestling team will compete in New York City in a dozen years, since the successful 2003 World Freestyle Wrestling Championships were held at Madison Square Garden. The American team announced today is loaded with talent. Included on the U.S. roster is 2012 Olympic champion and two-time World champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kilos in men's freestyle. A pair of Olympic medalists will compete in women's freestyle, 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun at 48 kilos and 2008 Olympic medalist Randi Miller at 69 kilos. Chun was also a World champion in 2008. The U.S. team also includes a pair of two-time World medalists, Tervel Dlagnev at 125 kilos in men's freestyle and Helen Maroulis at 55 kilos in women's freestyle. Dlagnev won World bronze medals in 2009 and 2014. Maroulis was a World silver medalist in 2012 and a World bronze medalist in 2014. Other World medalists on the American roster include Andy Bisek at 74 kilos in Greco-Roman and Jake Herbert at 84 kilos in men's freestyle. Four of the athletes on Team USA have won the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's top college wrestler: Jordan Burroughs, Jake Herbert, Brent Metcalf at 66 kilos and David Taylor at 74 kilos. Taylor won the Hodge Trophy twice. Combined, the USA team accounts for a combined 17 NCAA titles, including two-time champions Brent Metcalf (Iowa), David Taylor (Penn State), Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska), Jake Herbert (Northwestern) and Tervel Dlagnev (Nebraska-Kearney), along with NCAA champion Tony Ramos (Iowa). Among the NCAA champions in the event are two top current stars. There is a special challenge match between the reigning NCAA Div. I national champion Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State and reigning NCAA Div. II national champion Joey Davis of Notre Dame College. Dieringer is a two-time NCAA champion. Davis is a three-time NCAA champion, and has not yet lost a college wrestling match. The event also features a four-time WCWA women's college national champion, Helen Maroulis, who won her titles for Simon Fraser (3x) and Missouri Baptist (1x). One of the women's matches will feature a New York City native and a product of the Beat the Streets program, who is currently a star on the college level, Rosemary Flores at 60 kilos. Flores competed for Curtis High School on Staten Island, and wrestled in Times Square during the Beat the Streets youth matches while she was in high school. She attends Campbellsville University, where she is a two-time All-American, placing third in the 2014 WCWA Women's College Nationals and fourth in the 2015 WCWA Nationals. The U.S. lineup features nine athletes who won 2015 U.S. Open national titles in Las Vegas this past weekend: Ramos, Metcalf, Taylor, Herbert, Dlagnev and Maroulis, plus Greco-Roman champions Spenser Mango at 59 kilos and Andy Bisek at 75 kilos, plus freestyle champion Kyle Snyder at 97 kilos. The Cuban Wrestling Federation has announced its lineup of stars last week. The Cuban team features four past medalists in men's freestyle: 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan Lopez Azcuy at 74 kilos in men's freestyle, three-time World medalist Reineris Salas Perez at 86 kilos, plus 2014 World bronze medalist Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez at 57 kilos and Javier Cortina Lacerra at 97 kilos. The women's freestyle and Greco-Roman athletes are a mix of veteran stars and exciting young talents. Combined, the team has won 11 Pan American individual gold medals and four Junior World medals. USA Wrestling will be publishing detailed previews of each of the USA vs. Cuba matchups, including in depth biographies, on its website TheMat.com in the upcoming week. Top Beat the Streets middle school and high school students will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 3:45 pm to start the evening. The Beat the Streets youth match pairings will also be announced shortly. The USA vs. the World dual requires a ticket for reserved seating in Times Square, but is an outdoor event. Pedestrians and non-ticket holders are encouraged to watch. Admission tickets may be bought in advance at www.btsny.org or 212.245.6570. A ticket is required for the Gala. More details are available at http://www.btsny.org/gala The Gala Celebration will follow the wrestling competition at Best Buy Theater. This unique and electrifying annual event helps Beat the Streets(BTS) raise significant funds to further its mission. Whether it's providing a safe, constructive outlet for our urban youth, fighting childhood obesity, empowering women, or uniting entire nations, wrestling teaches persistence, dedication, and the value of working hard to achieve one's goals, creates opportunities for personal and universal growth. BTS currently serve over 3,000 student-athletes every year. Overall, this unique and electrifying annual event helps raise significant funds to further BTS' mission to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and the strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. The event will be broadcast on two national television networks. Universal Sports Network will air a same-day 90-minute show on Thursday, May 22 at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time. NBC Sports Network will broadcast its 90-minute show on Wednesday, May 27 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. All of the matches from Times Square will also be webcast live by Flosports. The world-class competition has been hosted in Times Square three previous times. In 2011, the United States defeated World champion Russia, 5-2, the first sports event ever held in historic Times Square. In 2012, another U.S. vs. Russia dual meet was held in Times Square, along with the U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off for the 60 kilos/132 pounds position on the U.S. Olympic Team in men's freestyle. In 2014, the USA defeated a World All-Star Team in Times Square, 8-3. This will be the sixth straight year in which a major international-style wrestling competition will be hosted as part of the Beat the Streets Gala activities. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. In 2013, the event was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal. Dubbed "The Rumble on the Rails," it featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran and was an important part of the international Keep Olympic Wrestling effort, which resulted in wrestling retaining its status on the Olympic Games program. SALSA IN THE SQUARE, USA VS. CUBA DUAL PAIRINGS Men's freestyle: 57 kilos/125.5 pounds -- Tony Ramos (USA) vs. Yowlys Bonne Rodriguez (Cuba) 65 kilos/143 pounds -- Brent Metcalf (USA) vs. Franklin Maren Castillo (Cuba) 74 kilos/163 pounds -- Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Luis Esteban Quintana Martinez (Cuba) 74 kilos/163 pounds -- David Taylor (USA) vs. Livan Lopez Azcuy (Cuba) 86 kilos/189 pounds -- Jake Herbert (USA) vs. Reineris Salas Perez (Cuba) 97 kilos/213 pounds -- Kyle Snyder (USA) vs. Javier Cortina Lacerra (Cuba) 125 kilos/275 pounds -- Tervel Dlagnev (USA) vs. Andres Ramos Dinza (Cuba) Women's freestyle 48 kilos/105.5 pounds -- Clarissa Chun (USA) vs. Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (Cuba) 55 kilos/121 pounds -- Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Yamilka del Valle Alvarez (Cuba) 60 kilos/132 pounds -- Rosemary Flores (USA) vs. Yekelin Stornell Elastigue (Cuba) 69 kilos/152 pounds -- Randi Miller (USA) vs. Yudari Sanchez Rodriguez (Cuba) Greco-Roman: 59 kilos/130 pounds -- Spenser Mango (USA) vs. Maykel Anache Lamout (Cuba) 75 kilos/165 pounds -- Andy Bisek (USA) vs. Yurisandi Hernandez Rios (Cuba) Special Challenge Match NCAA Div. I champion Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) vs. NCAA Div. II champion Joey Davis (Notre Dame College) "Salsa In The Square," Beat The Streets Wrestling Schedule At New York, May 21, 2015 3:45 p.m. -- Beat the Streets Exhibition Matches in Duffy Square at 46th Street 5:45 p.m. -- World Class Wrestling: Team USA vs. Team Cuba at 46th Street 7:30 p.m. -- Gala Celebration at Best Buy Theater at 1515 Broadway About Beat The Streets The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTSW works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to help New York City's student-athletes achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTSW and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life skills of physical fitness, teamwork, and self-empowerment. The goal of fostering strong, dedicated, and optimistic kids is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, and mentoring. More information can be found at www.btsny.org. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 220,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com.

The timetable for recruiting across all collegiate sports, including wrestling, is shifting ever earlier. For prospective student athletes in most sports (wrestling is part of this), the early signing period for the Class of 2016 is about one-half year away; it commences on November 11 and ends on November 18, with the late signing period eleven months away (starting on April 13, 2016). Per NCAA rules (for Division I), official visits cannot take place until the first day of school for a prospective student athlete in their senior year, and off-campus contact is prohibited until July 1 after the junior year of school. There are other types of communication out there that can be used starting on September 1 of the junior year. Additionally, limited information can be communicated/sent prior. Of course, there are gray areas within the policies, procedures, and practices. However, that does not preclude prospective student-athletes from initiating communication with schools of interest earlier in the process. While in recent year the spring period has been limited in terms of impact wrestlers available, it was staggering at how the vast majority of top 100 and/or weight class ranked wrestlers had committed (signed) before that late period this year. In addition, the number of wrestlers to commit before the initial off-campus contact date seemed to be more than before; and the amount to commit before official visits commenced was on the rise. For better or for worse, this is the world of recruiting in college athletics today. Just check out what's going on in football and basketball, and it's pretty darn similar. Even considering the imperfect nature of a commit list, especially with non-seniors, the fact that 19 of the top 50 prospects for the Class of 2016 have already committed is interesting to say the least. Eighteen have committed to wrestle in college, while 40th-ranked Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.) has chosen to play football at UCLA on the defensive line. In addition, the list of other potential impact wrestlers (i.e. could be in the top 100 come the June update) that have already committed in this class is in double digits. To compile rankings this early in the process would be patently absurd. There are so many key figures yet to make commitment decisions, and we are six months away from the early signing period with the obvious possibility of changed decisions along the way as well. However, one can look at some of the early commitments for what schools have strong "momentum". Iowa commit Alex Marinelli defeated Penn State commit Mason Manville in the finals of the Walsh Ironman (Photo/Rob Preston)Iowa and Lehigh have commitments from a pair of top 50 recruits respectively. Early verbal commitments to Iowa have come from No. 3 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and No. 41 Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney, Pa.); while No. 4 Jordan Wood (Boyertown, Pa.) and No. 18 Chris Weiler (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) have chosen to stay in state and attend Lehigh. Even though all reside outside the top 50 at present, Rutgers has verbal commitments from three high-end Class of 2016 prospects in Brett Donner (Wall Township, N.J.), Alex Mackall (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), and Brandon Paetzell (Phillipsburg, N.J.). Two other schools have a pair of notable Class of 2016 verbal commitments: Bucknell has No. 27 Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) and Drew Phipps (Norwin, Pa.); while Pittsburgh has No. 26 Jake Wentzel (South Park, Pa.) and Austin Bell (Belle Vernon Area, Pa.) In addition to those mentioned above, the following members of the top 50 in the Class of 2016 have verbally committed at this time: No. 8 Mason Manville (Virginia) to Penn State No. 11 Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) to Northwestern No. 16 Kyle Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.) to Virginia Tech No. 20 Hayden Hidlay (Miffin County, Pa.) to North Carolina State No. 21 Mitchell McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) to Minnesota No. 24 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) to Cornell No. 28 Jack Mueller (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) to Virginia No. 32 Ethan Anderson (Southeast Polk, Iowa) to Missouri No. 35 Austin Kraisser (Centennial, Md.) to Campbell No. 42 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) to Central Michigan No. 46 Dakota Geer (Franklin, Pa.) to Edinboro No. 49 Hunter Marko (Amery, Wis.) to Wisconsin Further notable commitments include the following: Ty Agaisse (Delbarton, N.J.) to Princeton Kevin Budock (Good Counsel, Md.) to Old Dominion Jack Harris (Urbana, Ohio) to Kent State Alex Herringshaw (Holland Patent, N.Y.) to Buffalo Devin Schroder (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) to Purdue

Wrestling fans may not have had the opportunity to see Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs this past weekend at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas because he opted not to compete, but there could be many more opportunities to catch the Olympic champion in action in the future. Jordan Burroughs went to undefeated at this year's World Cup in LA (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The 26-year-old Burroughs recently shed some light on how much longer he plans to compete in freestyle wrestling. "I really haven't decided whether I want to finish up my career in 2016 or 2020, but I'm leaning toward 2020," Burroughs told USA Wrestling's Richard Immel. "If I feel anywhere near the way I feel right now a year from now then I'm going to continue my career." Burroughs won an Olympic gold medal in 2012 at 74 kilos, and was a World champion in 2011 and 2013. Last year he finished as a World bronze medalist, losing to Russia's Denis Tsargush in the semifinals. He has an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals at the U.S. World Trials next month in Madison, Wisconsin, and also plans to compete later this month at the Beat the Streets event in New York. "Obviously, Dake, Taylor, Howe, Caldwell ... a number of other guys at the weight class are extremely tough, and they're all going to be vying for that No. 1 contender spot at the Trials," said Burroughs. "My job is to continue to do what I've done the last couple years, just knock them off the ladder once they're climbing up." This year's World Wrestling Championships will take place in the United States, in Las Vegas, September 7-12. "I've got family that have already booked flights to Vegas," said Burroughs. "I've got to do it."

Joe Williams and Chuck Long to go "On the Mat" is this Wednesday, May 13. "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 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments. Williams was an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1996, 1997, and 1998. He was a member of the 1997 University of Iowa NCAA championship team that is being inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on Saturday, May 30. Long was an All-American football player for the University of Iowa. He won the Maxwell Award in 1985 as college football's best player. Long is playing as a celebrity in the Dan Gable Celebrity Golf Tournament on Friday, May 29.

Legendary high school wrestling coach Jim Jackson has taken over as head wrestling coach at Shakopee High School in Minnesota. Jackson replaces Mark Neu, who resigned as Shakopee's head wrestling coach in March. Jim Jackson talks to Mark Hall (Photo/The Guillotine)"I am thankful for the opportunity provided to me and look forward to getting back in the wrestling room with the athletes in Shakopee," said Jackson, who served as an assistant coach at Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School prior to becoming Shakopee's coach. Jackson served as head wrestling coach at Apple Valley for 17 years, and led the Eagles to two national championships, 14 state championships and coached 60 individual state championships. He amassed a dual meet record of 618-27-3 during his time at Apple Valley. "His record, experience and background speak for itself," said John Janke, Shakopee's activities director. "You would be hard pressed to find a more qualified candidate, and I look forward to the positive impact Mr. Jackson will make on an already strong program."

What if they held the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships and no fans showed up? That's crazy talk, you'd say. Look at the stats. For a number of years, the NCAAs have been a sellout, with 100,000 or more fans total for all six sessions of the tournament, making it one of the best-attended events of all NCAA sports championships. In fact, the 2015 NCAA D1s set an all-time record high in terms of attendance, with 113,013 total attendees at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Fans from Cornell University, as well as heckler Robin Ficker, take in the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Thousands of fans are willing to shell out a couple hundred dollars for tickets for the three-day event, not to mention all the related expenses such as meals, hotels, and transportation. Beyond the dollars, these fans schedule their vacations so they can take time off work and witness March Matness in person. That's dedication and loyalty to a sport that's somewhat unique to college wrestling. How would you describe the typical fan at the NCAA D1 mat championships? You may have pictured a middle-age (or older) man, with gray hair ... or little hair at all. You might have assumed that "typical fan" was a former wrestler; you may have pegged him to be old enough to remember wearing tights with his singlet ... or, in many cases, of an age to remember wrestling without a shirt, or headgear, on a mat that was anything but a foam-core construction with a bonded vinyl surface, often referred to by those in the wrestling world by the brand name Resilite. These fans have the time and financial wherewithal to attend the NCAAs in person. But, sadly, they won't be around forever. And ... then what? Is there a new set of fans in training, waiting to take their seats at, say, the 2025 or 2035 NCAAs? Or will the event go the way of horsehair mats and wool wrestling tights? Hardly. The NCAA may already be anticipating the future, by attempting to attract younger fans to its premier wrestling event. One example: a few months ago, the NCAA sponsored an online survey that seemed to be focused on cost issues, with questions centered on ticket prices, and what kind of discounts, promotions and giveaways might be appealing to survey participants to get them to attend the event in person. In addition, the NCAA's ongoing effort to create a team component by adding a new, end-of-the-regular-season dual-meet tournament to be held immediately prior to the NCAAs being used in part to determine team titlewinners may go beyond a stated goal of boosting dual-meet attendance at colleges to also help bring in new fans to the national championships. An analysis of 2014 NCAA championships attendees A few weeks after the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee issued its analysis of that year's tournament held in Oklahoma City. Among the information contained within that Committee Report were stats on the attendees of the 2014 NCAAs. That portion of the report opened with this positive statement: "The current championship is very successful and enjoys tremendous support as evident by five consecutive sellouts." Who attends the NCAAs? The survey conducted at the 2014 NCAAs revealed that most attendees participated in wrestling as a student-athlete or coach. What's more, two-thirds of the attendees surveyed had been to at least one previous NCAA Division I wrestling championship. Approximately half of NCAA attendees surveyed were college graduates; a similar percentage (48%) traveled 500 miles or more to attend the NCAA championships. So ... are the fans in the stands at the NCAAs really graying? According to the 2014 NCAA attendee survey, the average age of attendees is 42 ... with more than a third of fans are age 50 or greater. Are stats an argument for the NCAA's "team component" proposal? In its presentation of these facts about championship attendees from its post-2014 NCAAs report, one could think that the NCAA is laying the groundwork for arguing its "team component" proposal -- also referred to as a "dual team competition component" -- which would be a dual-meet tournament spanning three weekends in February, with teams earning points which would be a factor in determining team titles at the NCAAs. The proposal would have 70% of the team race be determined by the present method of points garnered by individual wrestlers at the NCAA championships, and 30% from this new dual-meet tournament. This would be a significant change from how team titles have been determined for decades -- strictly based on points scored by wrestlers during the tournament -- and has generated some strong opposition. In making a case for its "team component" proposal, the 2014 NCAA report closes its statistical presentation with the assertion that this concept will attract "younger fans that may not have the time or resources to attend the NCAA individual component championships ... However, they can commit two hours to attend a dual match at a nearby school." In addition, the report states the importance of the NCAA championships welcoming a "more diverse group of fans who may not have a history in the sport" by reaching out to casual sports fans especially near college campuses. In referencing the fact that just over 50% of attendees are college graduates, the NCAA report says that these fans have "a more personal connection to team sports because of the tangible connection to the institution that the team represents" going on to mention "all the pageantry that comes along with college sports (that) makes being a fan a thrilling experience." In essence, the NCAA report seems to be saying that the Nationals should do more to "attract more of that fan affinity so deeply rooted in traditional team sports." The NCAA's 2014 report also lists a number of projected outcomes if its team component proposal were implemented, including more focus on team competition during the season, increase in fan affinity and attraction of more casual fans, additional media exposure and increased broadcast opportunities, and additional recognition opportunities for wrestling teams and institutions. "Ensuring the continued success of the NCAA Wrestling Championships" (or similar wording) is NOT part of the 2014 report ... but may well be an unstated goal as the NCAA seeks to attract larger numbers of new fans to one of the crown jewels of college athletic championship competition. NCAA championships: a history of growth, change For participants and fans of any recent NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, it's easy to imagine that the tournament has pretty much always been the event they know and love. However, over the 85-year history of the NCAAs, the event has grown, evolved and changed dramatically. The nationals haven't always been the mega-event they are now in terms of number of wrestlers and schools participating, or fan attendance, or type and location of venue holding the event, judging by the information presented by the late wrestling historian Jay Hammond in his definitive "History of Collegiate Wrestling" book first published in 2005, and updated in e-book format in 2014. Iowa State ArmoryThe first NCAAs were held at Iowa State in 1928. Just 40 wrestlers from 15 schools participated in the event held on campus at the Armory. Only Iowa State and Oklahoma State had a wrestler in each of the seven weight classes (there are ten weights now) ... while there were no wrestlers from Eastern colleges. Other than a hiatus during World War II, the NCAA championships motored along through the 1930s and the 1940s with barely any changes in the number of participating schools and wrestlers. The first NCAAs to have more than 100 wrestlers were the 1949 championships at Colorado State which welcomed 118 athletes. Less than a decade later, the 1957 NCAAs at University of Pittsburgh was the first to host more than 200 wrestlers -- 213, to be exact. The 1960s saw significant changes -- and growth -- for the national mat championships. In 1963, the NCAAs split into two divisions -- the University Division, for larger schools, and College Division, for smaller schools ... a predecessor to today's Division I, II and III separate championships (which debuted in 1974). Four years later, wrestler participation exploded at the 1967 NCAAs, with 345 wrestlers vying for titles at Kent State University in Ohio. By 1970, the number of wrestlers crowding Northwestern's McGaw Hall (now called Welsh-Ryan Arena) was 394 wrestlers ... all competing in a two-day event, with matches continuing into the late-night hours. (Today, the number of participating wrestlers is limited to 330 -- 33 wrestlers in each of ten weight classes.) Earl McCreadyThe 1980s were a watershed decade for the NCAA championships in a couple ways. In his "History of Collegiate Wrestling", Hammond described the 1980 NCAAs at Oregon State as being "the zenith in popularity and participation for collegiate wrestling" with 121 programs -- the most ever. (Imagine the reaction of one of the champs crowned in Ames -- Oklahoma State heavyweight Earl McCready -- who lived long enough to not only attend one of these supersized NCAA championships in the early 1980s, but also be interviewed during the CBS broadcast of the finals.) Another historic change took place in 1983, as the NCAAs were held off-campus for the first time, in downtown Oklahoma City. The site was The Myriad, an arena located inside the convention center, across the street from the newer, larger facility which hosted the 2006 NCAAs (then called Ford Center) and 2014 (as Chesapeake Energy Center). The University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were co-hosts for the event. For the next two decades, the NCAAs bounced back and forth between on-campus facilities and urban arenas. The last time the nationals were held in a college venue was the 2001 NCAAs, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena at the University of Iowa. Since then, the event has been held exclusively in big cities such as St. Louis, Kansas City, Des Moines, and Philadelphia. This trend will continue, as indicated by sites already announced for upcoming NCAAs: New York City's Madison Square Garden in 2016, St. Louis' Scottrade Center in 2017, and Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena in 2018 ... all downtown arenas in major cities. Why did the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships move off-campus? One can imagine that fan convenience was a major factor, with large cities providing easier access to airports and interstate highways than available in some college communities ... along with larger venues. For decades, the NCAAs were held at college gyms and field houses with a seating capacity of a few thousand. For example, the 1970 NCAAs -- noted for setting a record for largest number of participating wrestlers -- had approximately 8,000 fans filling the stands at Northwestern's arena which opened circa 1950. By contrast, the seating capacity at newer urban arenas which have hosted the NCAAs in the new millennium averages about 19,000 ... not only providing more opportunities for fans to be in the stands, but also generating greater revenue. Speaking of revenue ... ticket prices have increased significantly over the years. Three-day, six-session ticket prices for next year's NCAAs at Madison Square Garden are officially priced at $195-$235. By contrast, at the 1958 NCAAs -- the subject of a 2008 InterMat feature article -- a fan could purchase a reserved seat for all four sessions in advance for $6.00 for adults, and $3.00 for students and children. (To provide a bit of price perspective: host school University of Wyoming offered wrestlers, coaches and fans a complete steak dinner in the student center cafeteria for $1.50.) What's more, the make-up of the audience at the NCAAs has evolved over the years. Look at old photos or films shot at the national wrestling championships, and you'll see mostly middle-aged white men, dressed in jackets and ties, in the stands. For example, on the film of the 1962 NCAA finals at Oklahoma State, about the only women you'll see are young ladies in similar-looking dresses, sitting demurely matside, presumably to hand out awards. This mostly-male audience for sporting events in the past was not unique to the NCAA wrestling championships; it's evidenced in photos and films showing fans at college football and basketball games, as well as professional sporting events such as NFL and major league baseball games. As an architect friend pointed out to me when I asked why there were so few women's restrooms in old-time arenas and stadiums, for decades, women didn't attend sporting events in the numbers they do now. Two heavyweight challenges ... As you can see, the NCAA Wrestling Championships have grown and changed with the times over its 85-year history. To remain the must-see spectacular that it has become, the Nationals must continue to evolve and grow. However, the event faces at least two heavyweight-sized challenges: one, new technology that provides the most extensive, most easily accessible coverage to just about anyone, anywhere, in real time ... and, two, the graying of the NCAA audience, and need to develop a new, younger fan base who is willing to spend the time and money to travel to take in the NCAAs in person. One: New technology-driven coverage vs. being there As stated earlier, the NCAA mat championships have run up a string of sellouts ... with the most recent edition (2015) setting new records for in-person attendance, with just over 113,000 fans over the course of the six-session event. Yet, another statistic revealed for the 2015 NCAAs refers to the first challenge stated in the paragraph above: ratings for ESPN's multi-platform, "every mat, every match" coverage also broke records ... meaning more and more fans were able to partake in the NCAA experience without having to travel to St. Louis. And that could prove to be a double-edge sword for the NCAA: getting fans to attend in person when there are such attractive options for watching at home. This "in person" aspect may well be one of the greatest challenges to overcome ... and it's not unique to college wrestling. A number of professional sports leagues and individual teams are battling the challenge of a fan who may be tempted to take in the action at home. More and more fans of various sports are saying, "Why should I deal with traffic to get to the stadium/arena, pay big bucks for parking, and for food and beverages, and be squished into a cramped seat with thousands of strangers ... when I can relax at home and experience the game in the comfort of my home on TV, with all the great camerawork, special effects, and expert commentary I can't get attending the event in person?" This may become even more of an issue for NCAA mat championships, as ESPN has stepped up its game in covering the event. Not just in terms of its "every mat, every match" coverage, but also its "Inside the Mat" coverage option that provides expert commentary and unique perspective from wrestling legends such as Dan Gable. Technology now makes it possible to deliver a "you are there" fan experience to anyone with ESPN delivered via cable or satellite service to their TVs, and/or a smartphone, tablet or laptop. That's where the "you are there" experience must offer benefits the stay-at-home fan can't get in his living room or sports bar or even at his workplace. This is why the NCAA talks about "all the pageantry that comes along with college sports (that) makes being a fan a thrilling experience" in its analysis of its 2014 NCAA survey results ... and has taken steps to make the three-day tournament more of a "you've got to be here" event, with more showmanship/showbiz elements, such as those on display in recent years at the finals -- entrance music, dramatic lighting, smoke columns. It would also be smart for the NCAA to play up the more personal aspect -- the camaraderie of being with others who share your passion for the sport, reuniting with long-time friends, and the chance to make new friendships. Furthermore, it wouldn't hurt to play up the unique attractions of the host city -- specific must-see landmarks, restaurants and entertainment venues that could be experienced between or after sessions, especially those easily accessible from the NCAA championships venue. Two: The graying of NCAA attendees As attendees for the NCAA wrestling championships grow older and may decide to take advantage of technology options to follow the action at home (rather than deal with the expense and hassle of travel), the NCAAs will want to reach out to welcome new, younger fans to its showcase mat event. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this; this does not mean abandoning long-time, loyal attendees. In fact, seeking a younger audience is something smart marketing professionals do ... not in an eternal quest for youth for youth's sake, but to ensure that the brand -- in this case, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships -- will continue to remain viable, and, in fact, grow its audience in person and on TV and online, for years to come. This challenge confronts marketers of countless products and services. Two examples from the world of consumer goods immediately come to mind of this writer who spent a quarter-century of his life as an advertising copywriter. One fast-food brand, Arby's, struggles with the realization that it has the oldest customer base of any quick-serve restaurant chain ... so it has gone through a number of ad agencies in rapid succession, trying to reach a younger demographic to ensure the brand's future. A more successful outreach to attract younger buyers has been demonstrated by Cadillac. A decade or more ago, the domestic luxury car brand realized the average age of buyers for its cars was pushing 70 ... prompting a brand marketing manager to say something to the effect of, "For a lot of loyal Cadillac customers, ours was the last car they'd ever purchase before passing away." Realizing this was not a sustainable model to ensure the brand's future, Cadillac mounted a two-prong effort to attract younger buyers, focusing on both the product and its marketing. The brand started introducing smaller, more contemporary vehicles that were more fun to drive and attractive to a generation raised on Japanese and European makes ... and promoted those new models with edgier advertising and promotional campaigns, such as using Led Zeppelin music in its "Break Through" campaign towards the beginning of this process. This approach has proved successful in helping Cadillac increase sales overall, while lowering the average age of a Cadillac owner -- all while managing to hold onto much of its loyal customer base -- ensuring the brand will be around a while longer. Larry Owings gets his hand raisedThis process of reaching younger prospective attendees must be done deftly, without alienating long-time, loyal fans ... some who might be able to recall being one of those 8,000 at McGaw Hall in 1970 to see the mighty Dan Gable fall to upstart Larry Owings in the 142-pound title match. There have been examples where long-established brands made bone-headed marketing decisions that drove away their customer base ... while failing to pick up enough new customers. This marketing professional recalls Schiltz's attempt to be edgy and appealing to younger beer drinkers in what has been derisively called the "drink Schiltz or I'll kill you" ad campaign ... and the demise of Bill Knapp's Family Restaurants, an upper Midwest-based chain that, in terms of food and decor, seemed to be targeted to your grandmother and her friends (though they had a killer chocolate cake). When they rolled out new restaurant designs and menus that felt like a pale imitation of chains like Friday's or Ruby Tuesday, their older customers -- and their grandkids who were the new target market -- stayed away in droves. R.I.P., Bill Knapp's. In providing this analysis, realize that I'm not some young punk picking on "guys my granddad's age." I am in my mid-50s, with gray in what hair is left at the top of my head. Old enough to remember when tights/leggings were mandatory equipment to be worn with singlets. And of an age when there was a waiting game to get the details on the NCAAs -- waiting for "Amateur Wrestling News" to arrive in the mail, and for ABC-TV's "Wide World of Sports" anthology to show a highly edited version of the NCAA finals on a tape-delay basis, weeks after the fact. ("We'll be right back to the heavyweight finals, but, first, let's go back to the pool, for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships ..." said the announcer.) I was part of the wave -- make that a tsunami -- of Baby Boomers, born in the two-decade era that roughly spanned from the end of World War II to the beginning of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, 1945-1965. We came along at just the right time to have a huge influence on American culture -- music, movies, cars, clothes, politics and more ... and, because of that, we were accustomed to being catered to by advertisers. Now the youngest Boomers are about to turn 50, while the vanguard of this age group is retiring -- or making plans to retire. Ironically, most of these folks now have more of that disposable income -- not to mention more time -- to take in events such as the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. However, as we Boomers age and discover that following the NCAAs at home using technology tools is pretty cool after all, will younger fans pick up where we leave off, and start their own traditions of attending the NCAAs in person? The world is filled with once-proud, once-dominant brands that are now but a memory. As recently as the 1980s, Howard Johnson was the No. 1 restaurant chain in the U.S. Now there are only two outlets left in the entire nation. Pontiac and Plymouth once vied for third place in domestic car sales behind Ford and Chevy; now both nameplates are in the junkyard of history, unable to contend with competition from Japan, Korea and Europe. Even if those of us old-time traditionalists want to hold onto long-standing ways of doing things at OUR Nationals -- for example, the way team titles are determined -- we must be willing to explore options that might bring in new life, new energy and new fans into the greatest event in college wrestling. After all, you don't want to deny your grandkids the opportunity to experience the same excitement, fun and camaraderie that you've enjoyed by attending the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in person, do you?

Ed Ruth has signed with Bellator MMA, it was announced on Monday. Ed Ruth finished third at the U.S. Open this past weekend (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The 24-year-old Ruth has been open about his interest in pursuing a career in MMA after the 2016 Olympic Games. "I've known for a long time now that after I get Olympic gold around my neck, I was going to go get some MMA gold for my waist," Ruth told Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting. "I've been talking with all the major organizations, and at the end of the day, I really believe in what Scott Coker is doing with Bellator. They're signing the top talent, they're putting on exciting fights, and they're letting me secure my own sponsors. "It will be a little while until I step into the cage for the first time, but when I do, everyone they put in front of me is in for a world of hurt." Ruth was a member of the U.S. World Team in 2014. This past weekend he finished third at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas, losing to eventual champion Jake Herbert in the semifinals. As a collegiate wrestler, Ruth was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at Penn State. He was the 2012 InterMat Wrestler of the Year.

LAS VEGAS -- Less than two months after suffering one of the most heartbreaking defeats of his wrestling career, Kyle Snyder picked up the biggest win of his senior level freestyle career. Kyle Snyder elevates the leg of Jake Varner in the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)On Saturday night, 49 days after being pinned in the NCAA finals, Snyder accomplished what few people thought he could do. The Ohio State freshman beat 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner, 2-1, to win his first U.S. Open title at the age of 19 years old. "My whole life, ever since I knew what the Olympics was, I wanted to be an Olympic champion, and he did it," Snyder said of Varner. "He's a great competitor. Great guy to be around. He's actually taught me a lot. I'm just so grateful that I had the opportunity to wrestle him and come out with a victory." Snyder, a two-time Junior World medalist, used his NCAA finals loss in March to fuel the fire coming into the U.S. Open. "It kind of changed the way I think about the sport as a whole," Snyder said of his NCAA finals loss. "It definitely motivated me. A wounded animal is a dangerous animal." In March, Snyder's Ohio State teammate Logan Stieber became just the fourth wrestler to win four NCAA titles in Division I. Snyder had his sights on joining that club before losing to Iowa State's Kyven Gadson in the NCAA finals. "My whole life I've been dreaming of becoming a four-time NCAA champ, and then it got taken from me, so I just wanted to compete again." Two World medalists, Jake Herbert and Tervel Dlagnev, won their fourth U.S. Open titles. Herbert, a 2009 World silver medalist and 2012 Olympian, defeated Keith Gavin in the finals, 5-2. Herbert used a four-point move early in the match to go up 4-0. In the second period, with just under a minute remaining in the match, Gavin scored a takedown off an inside trip to cut the deficit to 4-2. Herbert would add a late pushout to win by three. "I just have to thank my fans and everybody," said Herbert, who beat returning World Team member Ed Ruth in the semifinals. "I'm 30 years old. I just got to do what I love on a Saturday night, and it feels good to be back on top." Herbert says that he has had a strong relationship with Gavin for several years. "I love Keith Gavin," said Herbert. "Tenth grade we were roommates in Fargo. We go all the way back there. I was at his wedding. He's a really, really good friend of mine. I knew we were going to battle it out there hard. I know he's one of the top guys to beat. He's going to push me to keep making me better, and vice versa." Dlagnev, a two-time World medalist, defeated Zack Rey, 3-1, to claim his fourth title. Rey scored first and led 1-0 after the opening period. But Dlagnev came out strong in the second period, scoring a quick takedown and then added another point to take the victory. Dlagnev, who trains in Columbus, Ohio, dealt with some adversity. He had a fever the day before the tournament and had been out with an injury since January. "It wasn't my prettiest performance," said Dlagnev. "I definitely didn't feel that great. But I got it done. I'm excited about that, thankful for that." Two former Iowa Hawkeyes, Tony Ramos and Brent Metcalf, will bring U.S. Open titles back to Iowa City. Ramos, a returning World Team member, claimed his first U.S. Open title in dramatic fashion, beating Andrew Hochstrasser, 7-3, in the finals at 57 kilos. With the score tied 1-1 and just under a minute remaining, Hochstrasser countered an attack for a takedown to go up 3-1. Ramos inched closer after Hochstrasser was called for fleeing the mat with 19 seconds left, which made the score 3-2. In the closing seconds, Ramos scored a four-point move to secure the come-from-behind win. Last year Ramos did not compete in the U.S. Open, and entered the World Team Trials without any credentials on the senior level. He entered this year's U.S. Open with a target on his back as the No. 1 wrestler in the U.S. at 57 kilos. "It's awesome," Ramos said of the target. "I beat everyone. Who else is there? I said it earlier, this is my spot. When I'm ready to give it up I'll give it up." Metcalf put himself in a strong position to make his fourth World Team by winning the U.S. Open title with a 2-1 victory over Jordan Oliver. The two wrestlers traded pushouts in the first period, with Metcalf scoring the last one. The former Hawkeye would add another point in the second period after Oliver failed to score while on the shot clock. "I have to get to where I want to be," said Metcalf. "It's the same story as last year. I probably did a better job last year of countering or taking advantage of opportunities on the edge and things than I did today. You get chances for re-attacks or chances to score on the edge, you have to take it." David Taylor won his first U.S. Open title at 74 kilos after finishing as a runner-up to Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs in both 2013 and 2014. Taylor's finals victory came over Andrew Howe, 2-0. Taylor scored a takedown in the first 30 seconds off an ankle pick. With under a minute remaining and Taylor leading 2-0, Howe shot a single leg and looked to score before a scramble ensued, which resulted in neither wrestler scoring and Taylor hanging on for the narrow victory. The 74-kilo weight class is widely considered to be the toughest freestyle weight class in the United States. Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs did not compete in Las Vegas, nor did four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake. "This is the first step," said Taylor. "Now the World Team Trials. Everyone's going to be there." Nick Marable repeated as U.S. Open champion at 70 kilos, beating Dustin Schlatter, 4-2, in the finals. Thirty seconds into the match Schlatter attacked Marable on the edge of the mat, and was awarded four points after a feet-to-back technique. However, the call was challenged and eventually reversed, with Marable being awarded the four points. Schlatter would add two pushouts in the second period, but was unable to overcome the early four-point move. "This is just another steppingstone for my World title," said Marable. "I want to win a World title. Now I get to sit out until the finals of the World Team Trials, which is big." Reece Humphrey edged Kendric Maple, 7-6, in the championship match at 61 kilos. The match was knotted at 4-4 after the opening period. In the second period Humphrey scored a takedown off a leg attack, and then added a pushout to go up 7-4. Maple would add two late pushouts, but would come up a point shy of tying the match. Humphrey, who made two World teams at 60 kilos, spent last season wrestling at 65 kilos after the weight classes were changed, and recently made the move down to 61 kilos. "I spent a whole year at 65 trying to get a lot better, stopped cutting weight for a little bit. I really improved on my wrestling because I had to wrestling Metcalf, Oliver and Stieber every day in practice, so I really had to get better with my skills. Going back down it was a tough cut. A lot of dedication and hard work, but it paid off obviously today. " Finals results: 57 kilos: Tony Ramos dec. Andrew Hochstrasser, 7-3 61 kilos: Reece Humphrey dec. Kendric Maple, 7-6 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf dec. Jordan Oliver, 2-1 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Dustin Schlatter, 4-2 74 kilos: David Taylor dec. Andrew Howe, 2-0 84 kilos: Jake Herbert dec. Keith Gavin, 5-2 97 kilos: Kyle Snyder dec. Jake Varner, 2-1 125 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev dec. Zack Rey, 3-1 Maroulis named OW in women's freestyle Two-time World medalist Helen Maroulis was named Outstanding Wrestler in the women's freestyle competition of the U.S. Open after winning by a 10-0 technical fall over 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell in the finals at 58 kilos. It was her sixth U.S. Open title. "I'm really thankful for my coach that prepared me," said Maroulis. "I lost to her in the 2012 Olympic Trials." World champion and multiple-time World medalist Elena Pirozhkova held off Olympic bronze medalist Randi Miller, 4-3, at 69 kilos to win her seventh U.S. Open title. "Winning a national title, every single time it's something special," said Pirozhkova. "Every match has been different. I think this is the first time I've won it at a heavier weight, so I think that's something new." At 75 kilos, two-time World champion Adeline Gray fell behind early in the finals against Jackie Cataline, but eventually rolled to a 15-4 technical fall on the strength of a leg lace. "Jackie is real tough," said Gray. "She's got a strong base and strong legs. You really have to fight to get those points, each one of them. She's going to have sore ribs tomorrow." Victoria Anthony, a two-time Junior World champion, came out on top in one of the most anticipated weight classes in the women's freestyle competition, 48 kilos. Anthony topped two-time World medalist Alyssa Lampe, 6-4, in the finals. It was her first U.S. Open title after finishing as a runner-up in each of the past three years. "It's awesome," said Anthony. "We've been working really hard. I have to thank a million times over coach Valentin Kalika. I've been working with him since immediately after the tournament last year. It's really just improved my wrestling in a huge way." Other U.S. Open champions in the women's freestyle competition were Whitney Conder (53 kilos), Sharon Jacobson (55 kilos), Leigh Jaynes-Provisor (60 kilos) and Erin Clodgo (63 kilos). Finals results: 48 kilos: Victoria Anthony dec. Alyssa Lampe, 6-4 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Carlene Sluberski, 5-3 55 kilos: Sharon Jacobson dec. Jacarra Winchester, 12-9 58 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Kelsey Campbell, 10-0 60 kilos: Leigh Jaynes-Provisor dec. Jenna Burkert, 6-1 63 kilos: Erin Clodgo dec. Amanda Hendey, 9-3 69 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Randi Miller, 4-3 75 kilos: Adeline Gray tech. fall Jackie Cataline, 15-4 Bisek, Mango, Williams, Martinez win Greco-Roman titles Returning World bronze medalist Andy Bisek made quick work of his finals opponent Dillon Cowan at 74 kilos. Bisek won by technical fall, 11-0, in just 39 seconds. "If I get on top I've got to finish the match," said Bisek. "That's what I did. That's what I'm training for." Also winning U.S. Open Greco-Roman titles on Saturday night were Spenser Mango, Caylor Williams and Patrick Martinez. For Mango, it was his seventh U.S. Open title. He blanked Jesse Thielke, 5-0, in the finals at 59 kilos. "It feels great," said Mango, a 2012 Olympian. "Every one is special. We train so hard for this. Coming here and winning tonight, it makes it all worth it." Caylor Williams, a two-time World Team member, won by technical fall over Kevin Beazley in the finals at 98 kilos. Martinez, seeded fourth, capped off an impressive tournament by defeating C.J. Myers, 3-1, in the finals at 80 kilos. He had a win over top-seeded Joe Rau in the semifinals. Finals results: 59 kilos: Spenser Mango dec. Jesse Thielke, 5-0 75 kilos: Andy Bisek tech. fall Dillon Cowan, 11-0 80 kilos: Patrick Martinez dec. C.J. Myers, 3-1 98 kilos: Caylor Williams tech. fall Kevin Beazley, 13-3

Men's freestyle: 57 kilos: Tony Ramos dec. Andrew Hochstrasser, 7-3 61 kilos: Reece Humphrey dec. Kendric Maple, 7-6 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf dec. Jordan Oliver, 2-1 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Dustin Schlatter, 4-2 74 kilos: David Taylor dec. Andrew Howe, 2-0 84 kilos: Jake Herbert dec. Keith Gavin, 5-2 97 kilos: Kyle Snyder dec. Jake Varner, 2-1 125 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev dec. Zack Rey, 3-1 Women's freestyle: 48 kilos: Victoria Anthony dec. Alyssa Lampe, 6-4 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Carlene Sluberski, 5-3 55 kilos: Sharon Jacobson dec. Jacarra Winchester, 12-9 58 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Kelsey Campbell, 10-0 60 kilos: Leigh Jaynes-Provisor dec. Jenna Burkert, 6-1 63 kilos: Erin Clodgo dec. Amanda Hendey, 9-3 69 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Randi Miller, 4-3 75 kilos: Adeline Gray tech. fall Jackie Cataline, 15-4 Greco-Roman 59 kilos: Spenser Mango dec. Jesse Thielke, 5-0 75 kilos: Andy Bisek tech. fall Dillon Cowan, 11-0 80 kilos: Patrick Martinez dec. C.J. Myers, 3-1 98 kilos: Caylor Williams tech. fall Kevin Beazley, 13-3

LAS VEGAS -- Eighteen-year-old Aaron Pico won a silver medal at the Junior World Championships in freestyle last year, and on Saturday the 18-year-old from California moved one step closer to getting another crack at a Junior World title. Pico, a Cadet World champion in 2013, won a hard-fought 8-5 battle over 2009 Cadet World champion Zain Retherford in the finals at 66 kilos, to earn a spot in the best-of-three finals of the UWW Junior World Team Trials next month in Madison, Wisconsin. Retherford, an All-American for Penn State, took a 3-2 lead early in the match, but Pico scored with a four-point move in the second period, which ultimately proved to be the difference in the match. It was a rematch of last year's UWW Junior Nationals finals match at 66 kilos, also won by Pico. "I felt I didn't wrestle my best here," said Pico. "But you've always got to find a way to win. You've got to stay focused and take the good with the good and the bad with the bad." On the senior level, Pico is ranked No. 3 in the U.S. and No. 18 in the world at 65 kilos. According to Pico, it was his coach Valentin Kalika who suggested that he compete at the junior level in Las Vegas, as opposed to the senior level. "I feel I'm ready, but like I've said in other interviews, if my coach says I need to go juniors, I'll listen to him," said Pico. Mark Hall (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Cadet World champion Mark Hall won arguably the deepest and toughest weight class, 74 kilos, beating Penn State freshman Jason Nolf, 11-8, in the finals. Nolf had a win earlier in the tournament over fellow Pennsylvanian Chance Marsteller, who wound up placing third in the bracket. Hall was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event. "I won. I had a good tournament," said Hall. "But at the same time, that's not how you want to win. That's not how you want to take a gold medal home, a stop sign. So I have a lot to work on still." Hall used a variety of ways to score, including a trip, crotch throw and countering Nolf's attacks. Hall nearly secured a technical fall in the second period when he went up 11-2, but Nolf scored three late takedowns to keep the match competitive. Hall, who attends Apple Valley High School in Minnesota, was honored as the 2015 InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year. Daton Fix, a high school sophomore, was dominant, winning by technical fall over Northwestern wrestler Stevan Micic in the finals. After taking Micic down, Fix used a trap-arm gut wrench to score consecutive turns and roll to a technical fall victory. Fix had an impressive run to the title, which included victories over NCAA Division I qualifiers Ronnie Bresser and Ethan Lizak. He is a two-time Oklahoma state champion who went 40-0 this past season. In a battle of top recruits from the Class of 2015, Arizona State signee Zahid Valencia blanked Ohio State signee Myles Martin, 7-0, in the finals at 84 kilos. Valencia led 3-0 in the second period before breaking the match open with a four-point move. It's the third meeting between the two since November, with Valencia taking all three of the matches. Two Oklahoma State wrestlers, Gary Wayne Harding and Chandler Rogers, claimed titles. Harding topped Mitchell McKee, 10-7, at 60 kilos. Harding was an NCAA qualifier this past season and posted a 30-12 record. Rogers, a 2012 Cadet World Team member, pinned Dominic Scalise in the first period at 79 kilos. Rogers compiled a 16-5 record as a redshirt. At 70 kilos, Wyoming Cowboy Archie Colgan capped off an impressive tournament by shutting out Alec Pantaleo, 7-0, in the finals. Pantaleo went 2-2 at the NCAAs as a true freshman at Michigan this past season. Colgan had a semifinal victory over four-time Ohio State Micah Jordan, who redshirted for Ohio State this past season. Danny Vega, a 2014 USA Wrestling Junior National Triple Crown winner, took the title at 50 kilos, pinning WVU signee Devin Brown in the finals. The match was scoreless midway through the first period when Vega pancaked Brown to his back and secured the pin. Vega was an undefeated (34-0) state champion in Arizona this past season as a junior. Minnesota's Tommy Thorn, a two-time Cadet World Team member, took the title at 63 kilos, beating surprise finalist Sam Crane, 14-11, in the finals. Crane scored first to go up 2-0, but Thorn responded with a takedown and four-point throw to go up 7-2. The two battled back and forth the rest of the way, and Thorn held on for a three-point decision. Penn State freshman Anthony Cassar won the title at 96 kilos, topping Jacob Seely, 8-3, in the finals. Cassar started slowly, but pulled away in the second period with three takedowns. Stanford's Nathan Butler won by technical fall, 11-0, over Jeramy Sweany to take the title at 120 kilos. Results: 50 kilos: Danny Vega pinned Devin Brown, 1:41 55 kilos: Daton Fix tech. fall Stevan Micic, 10-0 60 kilos: Gary Wayne Harding dec. Mitchell McKee, 10-7 63 kilos: Tommy Thorn dec. Sam Crane, 14-11 66 kilos: Aaron Pico dec. Zain Retherford, 8-5 70 kilos: Archie Colgan dec. Alec Pantaleo, 7-0 74 kilos: Mark Hall dec. Jason Nolf, 13-8 79 kilos: Chandler Rogers pinned Dominic Scalise, 1:20 84 kilos: Zahid Valencia dec. Myles Martin, 7-0 96 kilos: Anthony Cassar dec. Jacob Seely, 8-3 120 kilos: Nathan Butler tech. fall Jeramy Sweany, 11-0

LAS VEGAS -- Jesse Thielke may have not have finished his collegiate wrestling season how he wanted, going 1-2 at the NCAAs, but on Saturday he started his Greco-Roman season strong. Thielke won four matches in the opening session to advance to tonight's finals of the U.S. Open in Greco-Roman at 59 kilos. "I'm hungry," Thielke told USA Wrestling's Gary Abbott. "I want to win every single match, every single tournament I go into. I've had a lot of setbacks folkstyle-wise, but I've made leaps and bounds in Greco, so I just keep trying to push forward." In the finals Thielke will meet Spencer Mango, a two-time Olympian and five-time World Team member. At 75 kilos, Dillon Cowan reached the finals by pinning past World Team member Jake Fisher. "I got lucky, I guess," Cowan shortly after the match. Tonight he will face returning World bronze medalist Andy Bisek in the finals. Courtney Myers and Patrick Martinez reached the finals at 80 kilos. Meyers won a high-scoring affair, 17-10, over Brock Gutches in the semifinals. Martinez edged off top-seeded Joe Rau in the semifinals, 2-2. "I've been dreaming about this day since I started wrestling," said Myers. "Now it's here. It's time to make my mark. This is where I look to start it. It's been a long road. I'm just going to keep improving from here on out." At 98 kilos, two-time World Team member Caylor Williams advanced to the finals. He will meet sixth-seeded Kevin Beazley in the finals. Finals matchups 59 kilos: Spenser Mango vs. Jesse Thielke 75 kilos: Andy Bisek vs. Dillon Cowan 80 kilos: C.J. Myers vs. Patrick Martinez 98 kilos: Caylor Williams vs. Kevin Beazley

48 kilos: 1st: Victoria Anthony vs. Alyssa Lampe 3rd: Clarissa Chun tech. fall Erin Golston, 10-0 5th: Amy Golding tech. fall Sarah Allen, 10-0 7th: Allene Somera pinned Harmonie Roberts, 2:09 53 kilos: 1st: Whitney Conder dec. Carlene Sluberski, 5-3 3rd: Michaela Hutchison tech. fall Amy Fearnside, 19-9 5th: Haley Augello tech. fall Rachel Archer , 12-2 7th: Laura Anderson dec. Darlene Julian, 4-2 55 kilos: 1st: Sharon Jacobson dec. Jacarra Winchester, 12-9 3rd: Sarah Hildebrandt dec. Hanna Grisewood, 4-0 5th: Hailee Lilly dec. Samantha Klingel, 8-6 7th: Alyssa Gonzalez tech. fall Vergillia Amaya, 20-10 58 kilos: 1st: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Kelsey Campbell, 10-0 3rd: Alli Ragan dec. Teshya Alo, 9-1 5th: Trinity Griffin tech. fall Maya Nelson, 12-2 7th: Melissa Apodaca dec. Carla Ponce, 7-1 60 kilos: 1st: Leigh Jaynes-Provisor dec. Jenna Burkert, 6-1 3rd: Jennifer Page pinned Lauren Louive, 2:40 5th: Brandy Green pinned Arian Carpio, 1:39 7th: Olivia Seppinni 63 kilos: 1st: Erin Clodgo dec. Amanda Hendey, 9-3 3rd: Randyll Beltz pinned Jessica Kee, 2:04 5th: Forrest Molinari pinned Koral Sugiyama, 1:27 7th: Marina Briceno 69 kilos: 1st: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Randi Miller, 4-3 3rd: Veronica Carlson dec. Kayla Aggio, 10-8 5th: Lisa Gonzalez pinned Lorie Ramos, 4:50 7th: Monica Ramirez tech. fall Christina Schmidt, 10-0 75 kilos: 1st: Adeline Gray tech. fall Victoria Francis, 15-4 3rd: Victoria Francis dec. Iris Smith, 2-1 5th: Niauni Hill tech. fall Courteney Tompkins, 12-2 7th: Clarc Walker by injury default over Brittney Roberts

57 kilos: 1st: Tony Ramos dec. Andrew Hochstrasser, 7-3 3rd: Nick Simmons tech. fall Joe Colon, 10-0 5th: Matt McDonough pinned Dan Mitcheff 7th: Tyler Graff by injury default over Angel Escobedo 61 kilos: 1st: Reece Humphrey dec. Kendric Maple, 7-6 3rd: Coleman Scott tech. fall Daniel Dennis, 11-1 5th: Jon Morrison tech. fall Alan Waters, 11-0 7th: Darrius Little dec. Kyle Hutter, 6-3 65 kilos: 1st: Brent Metcalf vs. Jordan Oliver 3rd: Kellen Russell tech. fall Logan Stieber, 12-2 5th: Frank Molinaro dec. Jason Chamberlain, 4-1 7th: Jayson Ness tech. fall Robbie Mathers, 10-0 70 kilos: 1st: Nick Marable dec. Dustin Schlatter, 4-2 3rd: James Green tech. fall Kevin LeValley, 13-0 5th: Derek St. John dec. Moza Fay, 11-6 7th: Adam Hall dec. Vladyslav Dombrovskiy, 7-2 74 kilos: 1st: David Taylor dec. Andrew Howe, 2-0 3rd: Anthony Valencia tech. fall Tyler Caldwell, 10-0 5th: Colt Sponseller dec. Quinton Godley, 6-1 7th: Nestor Taffur by injury default over Dan Vallimont 86 kilos: 1st: Jake Herbert dec. Keith Gavin, 5-2 3rd: Ed Ruth tech. fall Deron Winn, 12-2 5th: Jon Reader tech. fall Ryan Loder, 10-0 7th: Richard Perry dec. Nathaniel Brown, 10-9 97 kilos: 1st: Kyle Snyder dec. Jake Varner, 2-1 3rd: J.D. Bergman by injury default over J'den Cox 5th: Cayle Byers dec. Wynn Michalak, 5-4 7th: Enock Francois dec. Micah Burak, 4-1 125 kilos: 1st: Tervel Dlagnev dec. Zack Rey, 3-1 3rd: Dom Bradley by forfeit over Nick Gwiazdowski 5th: Tyrell Fortune dec. Chad Hanke, 4-1 7th: Eric Thompson by injury default over Tony Nelson

LAS VEGAS -- Jake Herbert is back. World silver medalist and Olympian Jake Herbert returned to competition this season after missing the past two seasons (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The 2009 World silver medalist and 2012 Olympian reached the U.S. Open finals at 86 kilos in men's freestyle in his first season back from a two-year layoff from competition. Herbert won a 13-11 thriller over returning World Team member Ed Ruth in the semifinals on Friday night at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas. "I always train to peak for this tournament this weekend, and I'm going to get ready to peak again in Madison at the World Team Trials," said Herbert. "This is a good start." After the first period ended 2-2, the 30-year-old Herbert and 24-year-old Ruth had a wild flurry in the second period, which resulted in Herbert taking a 7-4 lead. He continued to pour it on and increased his lead to 13-4, nearly picking up a technical fall. Ruth, though, kept attacking in the final minute and quickly put himself back in the match, but was unable to complete the comeback. Herbert's finals opponent will be Keith Gavin, who topped Deron Winn, 8-4, in the semifinals. Olympic champion Jake Varner needed to dig deep, but found a way to beat longtime rival J.D. Bergman in the semifinals at 97 kilos. Bergman led virtually the entire match and seemed to be on his way to the finals. With 10 seconds left and Bergman leading 2-0, Varner executed a misdirection duck under for a takedown, which gave him the victory on criteria. "Sometimes that's how you've got to win. I had to do something. I was down 2-0. I knew a takedown would win. It wasn't pretty. It wasn't the way I wanted to, but I got the job done." It will be a battle of experience versus youth in the finals at 97 kilos as Varner will face 19-year-old Kyle Snyder. Snyder, a two-time Junior World medalist, edged fellow collegian J'den Cox, 4-3, in the semifinals. This marks Snyder's first U.S. Open. "We've wrestled a little in practice," Varner said of Snyder. "He's a tough kid. He's a young kid. I'm the old guy, I guess. But once you get on the mat it doesn't really matter." Six of the eight No. 1 seeds advanced to the finals, with five of those wrestlers being returning World Team members. At 57 kilos, Tony Ramos came from behind to defeat Joe Colon and put himself in a position to win his first U.S. Open title. Colon used a takedown and gut wrench to race out to a 4-0 lead. Ramos battled back with a takedown and turn of his own to knot the score at 4-4. Then, with just under 30 seconds left, Ramos scored a takedown to make it 6-4, which is how the match would end. Ramos will now meet seventh-seeded Andrew Hochstrasser, a returning U.S. Open runner-up, who continued his impressive run through the bracket at 57 kilos. In the semifinals he dominated Danny Mitcheff, 11-0. Hochstrasser, a Pan American Championships gold medalist, has won all four of his matches by technical fall or pin. "He's really solid, and I know he likes the re-shot," Hochstrasser said of Ramos. "So when I attack I'm going to make them crisp. I plan to beat him. That's the plan." Reece Humphrey advanced to the finals at 61 kilos with a 10-0 first-period technical fall over Daniel Dennis. Humphrey used a throw and consecutive gut wrenches to roll to the technical fall victory. Humphrey's finals opponent will be Kendric Maple, who pinned Alan Waters in 30 seconds in the semifinals. Jordan Oliver edged Kellen Russell in the semifinals at 65 kilos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Three-time World Team member Brent Metcalf won a hard-fought match over Frank Molinaro, 6-2, to advance to the finals at 65 kilos. Metcalf will meet Jordan Oliver in a rematch from last year's World Team Trials finals. Oliver, who now trains under Zeke Jones in Tempe, Arizona, edged Kellen Russell, 4-3, in the semifinals. The top two seeds at 70 kilos, Nick Marable and Dustin Schlatter, reached the finals. Marable found himself in a 4-2 hole in the first period after giving up a four-point feed-to-back takedown off a foot sweep. But the returning World Team member responded with a late first-period takedown to knot the score at 4-4, and then added another takedown in the final period. Schlatter dominated Minnesota Storm teammate Kevin LeValley, 10-0, in the semifinals. The former Gopher was able to put the match away in par terre by scoring multiple turns consecutively off an ankle lace. At 74 kilos, David Taylor continued his dominance with a 12-2 technical fall victory in the semifinals over University World champion Tyler Caldwell. Taylor will meet Andrew Howe in the finals. Howe found himself in a 4-0 hole early in his semifinals match against high school senior Anthony Valencia after giving up a takedown and turn. Howe responded with seven unanswered points to take the match 7-4 over the Arizona State signee. Tervel Dlagnev, a two-time World bronze medalist, looked strong in advancing to the finals at 125 kilos with an 8-2 victory over two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski. Dlagnev's finals opponent will be Zack Rey, who came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Tyrell Fortune, 4-3. Semifinal results 57 kilos: Tony Ramos dec. Joe Colon, 6-4 Andrew Hochstrasser tech. fall Danny Mitcheff, 11-0 61 kilos: Kendric Maple pinned Alan Waters, 0:30 Reece Humphrey tech. fall Daniel Dennis, 10-0 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf dec. Frank Molinaro, 4-2 Jordan Oliver dec. Kellen Russell, 4-3 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Moza Fay, 6-4 Dustin Schlatter tech. fall Kevin LeValley, 10-0 74 kilos: David Taylor tech. fall Tyler Caldwell, 12-2 Andrew Howe dec. Anthony Valencia, 7-4 86 kilos: Jake Herbert dec. Ed Ruth, 13-11 Keith Gavin dec. Deron Winn, 8-4 97 kilos: Jake Varner dec. J.D. Bergman, 2-2 Kyle Snyder dec. J'den Cox, 4-3 125 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev dec. Nick Gwiazdowski, 8-2 Zack Rey dec. Tyrell Fortune, 4-3 Lester, Saddoris, Holm, Smith win Greco titles Robby Smith defeated Toby Erickson to claim his second U.S. Open title (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The Greco-Roman competition on Friday at the U.S. Open saw very few surprises. All four No. 1 seeds competing, Justin Lester, Bryce Saddoris, Jordan Holm and Robby Smith, won titles. Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, claimed his sixth U.S. Open title by defeating Pat Smith, 7-2, in the finals at 71 kilos. It was a rematch from last year's U.S. Open finals, also won by Lester. "I'm really feeling good this tournament," said Lester. "No major injuries. I'm not hurting at all. The weight cut went excellent. I feel good. It was a good tournament to wrestle in. I didn't get that many matches, but the matches I did get I made count. I got some moves in that I wanted to try." Saddoris edged Alejandro Sancho, 1-0, in the finals at 66 kilos to win his first U.S. Open title. Holm captured his fourth U.S. Open crown with a 9-0 technical fall victory over Jon Anderson in the finals at 85 kilos. Robby Smith, who placed fifth at the World Championships in 2013, electrified the crowd in Las Vegas with big moves in a dominating 9-0 technical fall victory over Toby Erickson in the finals at 130 kilos. The 2015 U.S. World Team Trials for Greco-Roman are set for June 4 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Unlike previous years, the World Team Trials will not be a tournament, only a best-of-three finals in each of the eight weight classes. The 16 finalists from this weekend's U.S. Open advance to the best-of-three finals. The U.S. Open champion in each weight class will enter the Trials with a 1-0 match lead. Finals results 66 kilos: Bryce Saddoris dec. Alejandro Sancho, 1-0 71 kilos: Justin Lester dec. Pat Smith, 7-2 85 kilos: Jordan Holm tech. fall Jon Anderson, 9-0 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Toby Erickson, 9-0 Top U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers advance to finals Alyssa Lampe defeated Clarissa Chun in the semifinals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)World champions Adeline Gray and Elena Pirozhkova, along with multiple-time World medalists Alyssa Lampe and Helen Maroulis, are among the women's freestyle finalists at the U.S. Open. In one of the most anticipated matchups on Friday, Lampe pinned World champion and Olympic bronze medalist Clarissa Chun in the semifinals. "She is still one of my favorites," Lampe said of Chun. "I have always looked up to her. We have wrestled a lot of matches. I haven't beat her very many times, so it's good." Maroulis won by technical fall, 11-0, over Cadet World champion Teshya Alo in the semifinals, and will now face 2012 Olympian Kelsey Campbell in the finals. Semifinal results 48 kilos: Victoria Anthony tech. fall Erin Golston, 12-0 Alyssa Lampe pinned Clarissa Chun, 2:56 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Michaela Hutchison, 2-0 Carlene Sluberski pinned Haley Augello, 4:21 55 kilos: Jacarra Winchester dec. Hanna Grisewood, 7-1 Sharon Jacobson dec. Sarah Hildebrandt, 3-2 58 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Teshya Alo, 11-0 Kelsey Campbell dec. Alli Ragan, 3-1 60 kilos: Leigh Jaynes-Provisor dec. Jennifer Page, 7-4 Jenna Burkert dec. Lauren Louive, 8-2 63 kilos: Erin Clodgo tech. fall Koral Sugiyama, 10-0 Amanda Hendey dec. Jessica Kee, 4-2 69 kilos: Randi Miller dec. Kayla Aggio, 6-0 Elena Pirozhkova dec. Veronica Carlson, 5-0 75 kilos: Adeline Gray pinned Victoria Francis, 2:45 Jackie Cataline dec. Iris Smith, 2-1

LAS VEGAS -- Returning Greco-Roman World Team members Justin Lester, Jordan Holm and Robby Smith cruised to the finals of the U.S. Open with dominating quarterfinal victories. Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, earned a 10-0 technical fall shutout over Alec Ortiz in the quarterfinals. Lester, in search of his sixth U.S. Open title, will now meet Pat Smith in a rematch of last year's U.S. Open finals. Smith, who wrestles for the Minnesota Storm, pinned second-seeded Kendrick Sanders in the semifinals. Holm, also a Minnesota Storm athlete, was unscored upon in his road to the finals. His finals opponent tonight is Jon Anderson. If Holm comes out on top tonight, it will be his fourth U.S. Open title. Robby Smith, who placed fifth at the World Championships in 2013, handled 2014 Junior World bronze medalist Adam Coon in the semifinals. He will now face Toby Erickson in the finals. Semifinal results 66 kilos: Bryce Sadoris tech. fall Brian Graham, 8-0 Alejandro Sancho dec. Joe Betterman, 2-2 70 kilos: Justin Lester tech. fall Alex Ortiz, 10-0 Pat Smith pinned Kendrick Sanders, 3:39 85 kilos: Jordan Holm tech. fall Marcus Finau, 9-0 Jon Anderson dec. Mark Stenberg, 4-0 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Adam Coon, 8-0 Toby Erickson dec. Erik Nye, 6-2

LAS VEGAS -- Six returning World Team members in men's freestyle advanced to tonight's semifinals of the U.S. Open in Las Vegas. Four of those wrestlers, Brent Metcalf (65 kilos), Nick Marable (70 kilos), Ed Ruth (86 kilos) and Tervel Dlagnev (125 kilos), registered technical falls in all of their matches in the opening session. Tony Ramos (57 kilos) was unscored upon in three matches, which included a 4-0 win over past World Team member Nick Simmons in the quarterfinals. Olympic champion Jake Varner (97 kilos) outscored his three opponents 20-1. Varner will meet longtime rival J.D. Bergman in the semifinals tonight. David Taylor (74 kilos) had perhaps the most dominating performance in the first session, picking up two pins in under 30 seconds and a 10-0 technical fall in the quarterfinals over Nestor Taffur. The biggest upset of the opening session came at 61 kilos, where Ali Naser shocked 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott, 6-4, in the round of 16. Collegians Kyle Snyder (97 kilos), J'den Cox (97 kilos) and Nick Gwiazdowski (125 kilos) advanced to the semifinals. Snyder, an NCAA Runner-up this past season as a true freshman, dominated Dustin Kilgore, 12-3. Snyder and Kilgore were training at the Olympic Training Center. Snyder will now face rival J'den Cox for a spot in the U.S. Open finals. The two met in NCAA semifinals in March, with Snyder coming out on top 3-2. Four-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber fell in the quarterfinals to Kellen Russell, 5-4, at 65 kilos. High school senior Anthony Valencia, the nation's No. 1 recruit, cruised to the semifinals at 74 kilos. The Arizona State signee will face a stern test in the semifinals when he meets Andrew Howe. The lowest seed to reach tonight's semifinals is eighth-seeded Alan Waters at 61 kilos. Waters edged the aforementioned Naser in the quarterfinals, and will now face fourth-seeded Kendric Maple. Quarterfinal results 57 kilos: Tony Ramos dec. Nick Simmons, 4-2 Joe Colon dec. Angel Escobedo, 4-1 Danny Mitcheff dec. Tyler Graff, 6-4 Andrew Hochstrasser pinned Matt McDonough, 2:40 61 kilos: Alan Waters dec. Ali Nasar, 11-9 Kendric Maple dec. Jon Morrison, 4-2 Daniel Dennis dec. Joey McKenna, 6-4 Reece Humphrey tech. fall Darrius Little, 12-1 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf tech. fall Chase Pami, 10-2 Frank Molinaro dec. Jason Chamberlain, 3-1 Kellen Russell dec. Logan Stieber, 5-4 Jordan Oliver dec. Jayson Ness, 5-0 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Vladyslav Dombrovskiy, 3-1 Moza Fay tech. fall Jason Welch, 14-4 Kevin LeValley dec. James Green, 5-5 Dustin Schlatter tech. fall Adam Hall, 11-0 74 kilos: David Taylor tech. fall Nestor Taffur, 10-0 Tyler Caldwell tech. fall Quinton Godley, 12-0 Anthony Valencia dec. Colt Sponseller, 10-5 Andrew Howe tech. fall Dan Vallimont, 12-2 86 kilos: Ed Ruth tech. fall Ryan Loder, 10-0 Jake Herbert pinned Richard Perry, 4:29 Deron Winn dec. Chris Perry, 7-3 Keith Gavin dec. Jon Reader, 4-1 97 kilos: Jake Varner dec. Enock Francois, 3-0 J.D. Bergman dec. Wynn Michalak, 4-1 Kyle Snyder tech. fall Dustin Kilgore, 12-3 J'den Cox dec. Cayle Byers, 4-0 125 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev tech. fall Eric Thompson, 10-0 Nick Gwiazdowski dec. Dom Bradley, 4-4 Tyrell Fortune dec. Tony Nelson, 4-4 Zack Rey dec. Chad Hanke, 3-1

Jordan Burroughs published a piece in WIN Magazine this week that offered a number of recommendations on how to improve NCAA wrestling. Some of the ideas were ones readers here have read before -- including the need for a pushout rule. However, one item that Burroughs harped on that I haven't touched on too often is the lack of effective refereeing at the NCAA tournament. In his piece the Olympic and NCAA champion bemoaned situational stall calls and consolation stall calls -- both are items largely absent from the international stage, but ingrained in refereeing culture at the NCAA level. The situational stall call, as described by Burroughs, would be when one wrestler is the aggressor for six minutes against a defensive wrestler, only to have his opponent come to life with only seconds remaining. Referees note this action and call the once-offensive wrestler for stalling. That call is similar to Burroughs' other complaint -- that referees often make conciliatory stall calls with 10 seconds left with no intention of ever calling the second and pushing the match to overtime, or deciding the match. Burroughs posits this hesitation is due to a strong reaction from the crowd. We are fortunate to have referees write into the mailbag with some consistency and Burroughs' comments remind me of their constant complaint: that the wrestling officials are too scared to help create action because they are fearful of looking as though they are getting too involved. The truth is there isn't much action in a typical NCAA wrestling match, another point made by Burroughs in his article. Right now the typical NCAA match strategy is to avoid any points in the first period, escape quickly in the second period and then earn a riding time point in the third. With this as your typical match the NCAA obviously NEEDS the referee to get involved and shake up the formula. Wrestlers have to choose to wrestle once they step on the mat. Burroughs has seen on the international stage that the rules promote action and that referees are forced to have one wrestler come out of the first period with a point. The referee is a constant presence in the match because otherwise the wrestlers would choose to limit risk -- a losing proposition for fans. The time for change has come to NCAA wrestling and that will start with rules, but needs to continue with the increased presence of referees in the match. More stalling calls earlier in the match will create much more action -- something that should have taken precedent over the new initiative to have four points for a four count on your back (Why are we rewarding double the points for the same action that only lasts two seconds longer?) Burroughs has seen what an active referee can do, and it's time that the rest of the American wrestling community sees it as well. NCAA wrestling fans deserve more action, not snore rides and conciliatory stall calls. To your questions ... Q: What do you make of high school freshman Cade Olivas committing to Arizona State? Do you see a problem with a wrestler that young committing to a college? -- Mike C. Cade Olivas (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: I don't think it's all that surprising when you consider the context. Cade Olivas is a hugely talented lightweight who enjoys a positive relationship with the former national team head coach who happens to now be the head coach at an up-an-coming college program littered with California friends. Who wouldn't make that decision? The bigger fear is if we see too many freshmen making the choice to wrestle somewhere in college. That might not become an issue since most coaches want to see how their wrestlers develop in high school before handing out the promise of a large scholarship. Olivas' case is probably not indicative of a widening trend, and is much more likely to be an outlier making a pretty calculated decision about his college path. Q: Is Logan Stieber the only wrestler to win four high school state titles, four NCAA titles and the Dave Schultz award? Or did Cael Sanderson do it before him? If he is the only one how does that rank him among the other four-time college champs? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Yes. Cael Sanderson was a four-time Utah state champions, but was not a Dave Schultz High School Excellence winner. The winner in 1997 was Jeff Knupp, who wrestled at Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. So Logan Stieber is the only four-time NCAA champion to win four state titles and become a Dave Schultz Excellence winner. As far as ranking the four-time NCAA champions, there are arguments to be made for 2-4, but the top spot is almost certainly secured by Cael. My order would be Cael Sanderson, Logan Stieber, Kyle Dake and Pat Smith. Obviously the fact that Cael was undefeated makes him an easy No. 1. When choosing between Stieber and Dake, I went with the more aggressive and offensive wrestler. Dake won at four weight classes and bested a talented David Taylor, but Stieber was consistently more aggressive in big matches and owns an NCAA finals victory over Jordan Oliver, who like Taylor was a two-time NCAA champion. Q: Should we be concerned that men's and women's wrestling in college use completely different rules? Are there any other college sports that the genders play by completely different rules? The only one I can think of is baseball/softball, but even there the scoring is the same, balls and strikes are the same, etc. If we are going to advance the sport, we need to have a united front and push for women's programs as well. I'm not sure how easy it is when the sports use such different rules. -- Josh C. Foley: No. I don't think that the differences in rules would be considered by any administration thinking of adding women's wrestling. The USA has plenty of coaches and referees who understand the freestyle rules and the media at large wouldn't focus on the difference in rules as much as the addition of new female sport to the Division I level. The push for women's wrestling at the NCAA Division I level has to come from a major program, or a program that is looking to be reinstated. The NCAA may never sanction the sport at the Division I level, but until a major wrestling powerhouse has a team and an administration pushing for equal coverage the change won't happen. Not many people remember the story now, but Mike Burch was fired from UC Davis in the 90s for trying to give scholarships to women. He later won a Title IX lawsuit, but by the time everything was processed the momentum for change had been suffocated by the courts and UC Davis eventually lost their program. We need a leader like Burch, at a secure national powerhouse, to make the stand for women's wrestling to appear at the NCAA Division I level. Q: South Dakota State landed a top 25 recruiting class this year. A.J. Schopp was recently hired as an assistant coach. Chris Bono really seems to have that program moving in the right direction. What's the ceiling for South Dakota State's wrestling program? Top 15? Top 10? Trophy team? -- Mike C. Foley: I'm way too intimidated by Chris Bono to put a limit on what his team might accomplish. However, as a betting man I'd think that you'll start to see the trickling out of All-Americans by 2017 and a top-15 finish by 2020. Good luck to Coach Bono! MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Death to the singlet Get More: Comedy Central,Funny Videos,Funny TV Shows Fun back-and-forth match this morning in Doha. Zhou Feng is ranked No. 2 in the world at 75 kilos but has cut down to compete at 69 kilos. Q: From best team in years to dropped to reinstated to a new Junior World Team member, @CSUWrestling is riding a crazy storyline. #Mailbag -- @NHoughSnee Foley: Yes! The Cleveland State saga has turned into a feel good story that should serve as a warning to other athletic administrators about doing what is in the best interest of your school. The personal agendas of college administrators shouldn't be allowed to take hold at the Division I, II or III level. There needs to be more institutional equality, not less. Q: Gabe Dean won a silver medal at the Pan American Championships in Greco-Roman. Do you expect Dean to focus on Greco as opposed to freestyle on the senior level? -- Mike C. Foley: Not necessarily, but I think that diversifying has probably improved his wrestling significantly. I don't know Dean, but having watched him in Santiago it was apparent that he's a good natured guy who loves to wrestle. Having Dean's energy around the USA program, Greco or freestyle, is nothing but a net positive for the Stars and Stripes.

LAS VEGAS -- The seeds have been released for the U.S. Open, which takes place Friday and Saturday at South Point Arena in Las Vegas. Men's freestyle seeds 57 kilos: 1. Tony Ramos, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Tyler Graff, Dublin, Ohio (New York AC) 4. Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Angel Escobedo, Ames, Iowa (New York AC) 6. Dan Mitcheff, Cornwall, N.Y. (New York AC) 7. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 9. Nick Simmons, Bloomington, Ind. (Sunkist Kids) 61 kilos: 1. Coleman Scott, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 3. Joey McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC) 4. Kendric Maple, Norman, Okla. (Sooner WC) 5. Kyle Hutter, Virginia Beach, Va. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Daniel Dennis, Iowa City, Ia. (Hawkeye WC) 7. Connor Beebe, Western Springs, Ill. (Beebe Trained) 8. Alan Waters, Kansas City, Mo. (Sunkist Kids/Missouri RTC) 9. Jon Morrison, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC) 65 kilos: 1. Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (NYAC/Hawkeye WC) 2. Jordan Oliver, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 4. Frank Molinaro, South Plainfield, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC) 5. Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) 6. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) 7. Jayson Ness, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 8. Chase Pami, Champaign, Ill. (Sunkist Kids) 70 kilos: 1. Nick Marable, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Dustin Schlatter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 3. James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) 4. Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Chicago RTC/Wrestling Prep) 5. Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 6. Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 7. Adam Hall, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Cyler Sanderson, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 9. Vlad Dombrovsky, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 10. Derek St. John, Fargo, N.D. (Titan Mercury WC) 74 kilos: 1. David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 2. Andrew Howe, Norman, Okla. (New York AC) 3. Colt Sponseller, Edinboro, Pa. (New York AC) 4. Tyler Caldwell, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Quinton Godley, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack WC) 6. Anthony Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif. 7. Dan Vallimont, Long Beach, N.Y. (Blue and Gold WC) 86 kilos: 1. Ed Ruth, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Keith Gavin, Charlottesville, Va. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC) 4. Chris Perry, Stillwater, Okla. (Cowboy WC) 5. Richard Perry, Washington, D.C. (New York AC) 6. Jake Herbert, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) 7. Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Jon Reader, Brookings, S.D. (Sunkist Kids) 9. Austin Trotman, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC) 97 kilos: 1. Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 2. Cayle Byers, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Dustin Kilgore, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC) 4. J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 5. Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC) 6. Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Ohio RTC) 7. J'den Cox, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri Wrestling Foundation) 8. Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC) 9. Enock Francois, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC) 10. David Zabriskie, Northampton, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 125 kilos: 1. Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Zach Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 3. Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (Wolfpack WC/New York AC) 5. Dom Bradley, Morgantown, W.Va. (Sunkist Kids) 6. Tony Nelson, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 7. Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) 8. Matthew Meuleners, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) 9. Eric Thompson, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 10. Justin Grant, Buffalo, N.Y. (New York AC/Buffalo WC) Women's freestyle seeds 48 kilos: 1. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Clarissa Chun, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Erin Golston, Lake In The Hills, Ill. (NYAC/USOEC) 5. Amy Golding, Duanesburg, N.Y. (ATWA) 53 kilos: 1. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 2. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC/King University) 3. Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Michaela Hutchison, Lebanon, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Amy Fearnside, Morgan Hill, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 55 kilos: 1. Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King University) 3. Sharon Jacobson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 4. Hanna Grisewood, Warsaw, N.Y. (King University) 58 kilos: 1. Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (NYAC/King University) 3. Kelsey Campbell, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Trinity Griffin, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Teshya Alo, Honolulu, Hawaii (Titan Mercury WC) 60 kilos: 1. Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Lauren Louive, Williamsburg, Ky. (UC Women's Wrestling) 3. Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Leigh Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 63 kilos: 1. Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Amanda Hendey, San Gabriel, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/King University) 3. Jessi Kee, Laurinburg, S.C. (King University) 69 kilos: 1. Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 2. Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Kayla Aggio, Rohnert Park, Calif. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 5. Lorrie Ramos, Orlando, Fla. (Titan Mercury WC) 75 kilos: 1. Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2. Jackie Cataline, Alhambra, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 4. Brittany Roberts, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Victoria Francis, Litchfield, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Lindenwood) Greco-Roman seeds 66 kilos: 1. Bryce Saddoris, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 2. Michael Hooker, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 4. Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 5. Brian Graham, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 6. Bo Beckman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 7. Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/USOTS) 8. Jamel Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 9. Hayden Tuma, Boise, Idaho (Suples WC) 71 kilos: 1. Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (NYAC/USOTS) 3. Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Alec Ortiz, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 85 kilos: 1. Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Mark Stenberg, Lockport, Ill. (NYAC) 4. Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (NYAC) 5. Ryan Hope, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOTC) 6. Khymbakhy Johnson, Sacramento, Calif. (NYAC) 130 kilos: 1. Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 2. Erik Nye, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Toby Erickson, East Helena, Mont. (NYAC) 4. Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) 5. Nikola Bogojevic, Superior, Wis. (Minnesota Storm) 6. Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 7. Jake Kettler, Anoka, Minn. (Patriot Elite WC) 8. Matt Lamb, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)

FERRUM, Va. -- Director of Athletics Abe Naff has announced the hiring of Chris Michael as Ferrum College's new head women's wrestling and men's club wrestling coach. Michael was instrumental in creating Virginia Women's Wrestling in 2013 to help build opportunities in Virginia for girls and woman wrestlers. He also serves as Virginia Amateur Wrestling Coaches Director. Michael was born and raised in Ohio and is a Graduate of Northern Michigan University, where he was a resident athlete at the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) from 2010-12. He earned All-America in Greco Roman wrestling in the 2011 Senior Nationals at 96Kg. In 2009 and 2011 he placed 3rd at the Armed Forces Championships in both Freestyle and Roman Greco. Michael also served as assistant coach for the Virginia Women's National Team and the Virginia Greco Roman National Team. Michael will join Ferrum coaches Nate Yetzer and Brandon Bradley. The men's wrestling program just completed its second season of intercollegiate competition, highlighted by hosting the NCAA Div. III East Regional March 1, 2015 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia. "We're so excited to have Chris join the staff here," said Yetzer. "His experience in working with women wrestlers will be so valuable as we get ready to launch year one of the program." A 10-year veteran of the United States Navy, Michael recently worked as a Lead Steel Worker and Underwater Construction Demolition Expert. He has served multiple humanitarian missions, including Hurricane Katrina, the Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Hurricane Sandy recovery projects. Wrestlers interested in Ferrum's new women's collegiate program or the men's club program are encouraged to contact Coach Michael at (757-705-4586 or chris.michael.vawa@gmail.com. Interested wrestlers should also complete the recruiting questionnaire below.

Osawaru Odighizuwa won a Cadet National freestyle title in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.), a Cadet National freestyle champion and two-time state champion, has committed to UCLA for football prior to the end of his junior school year. Odighizuwa is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals, and his older brother Owamagbe just finished his college football career at UCLA and was drafted by the New York Giants. He is ranked No. 40 in the Class of 2016 as a wrestler, and finished the 2014-15 season as the nation's No. 10 wrestler at 285 pounds.

The U.S. Open takes place Friday and Saturday in Las Vegas. Here are six storylines to watch. Pico going Juniors The second-most recognizable name in the sport of wrestling in the United States, Aaron Pico, has registered for the Junior division at the U.S. Open event, not the senior-level Open despite a year on the senior circuit. Why? Pico is likely trying to focus on limiting his competitions while optimizing the amount of technical work he can garner between two tournaments. Though the junior level in the USA might not be as difficult to master as the senior level, on the world scene an incredible number of Junior World champions go on to World and Olympic medals -- many more than half. The reason might be innate talent, but the other is that they are going through the developmental phases. Pico is hoping to face those competitors in Brazil later this year. For Pico to washout in the senior tournament, then refocus his energies on winning the Junior World Team Trials is disingenuous. After Agon he must know that right now there is little chance of beating Brent Metcalf. On the contrary, there is an opportunity to experience some of the same world talent at Junior Worlds. While Pico's absence causes some dismay for fans of the sport and those that enjoy the back-and-forth with Metcalf, Pico's choice to sit out was intelligent and a smart investment in his competitive future. Can Ramos stay on top at 57 kilos? Tony Ramos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)After putting together an impressive year on the international circuit, and showing improvement on the mats, returning World Team member Tony Ramos will have to defend his position at 57 kilos against one of the deepest entry lists in Vegas. Ramos will be facing Andrew Hochstrasser, Angel Escobedo, Zach Sanders, Joey Dance, Matt McDonough, Nathan Tomasello, Nick Simmons and Tyler Graff. That's a lot of talent to slice through, including a former teammate in McDonough who showed the ability to score (and be score on) during a 26-point match at the Ivan Yarygin in Krasnoyarsk. Watch for Ramos to bury much of the competition with more ease than many expect. His growth since Tashkent has been significant, and though he might have learned an Iowa style, he's shown to be adaptable and flexible in scoring positions. Cox and Snyder challenge Varner Jake Varner has an Olympic gold medal, but the two-time NCAA champion hasn't done much since 2012 and is currently ranked No. 17 in the world. Some disappointing results at international events might not mean much when balancing Varner's accomplishments against those of youngsters Kyle Snyder and J'den Cox, but it does reveal some vulnerability. Olympic gold medals motivate people to train and with one hanging in the foyer of his home that motivation might not be as accessible to Varner as it is to hungry challengers. Cox could actually pose the biggest threat to Varner. He can be explosive and, as was shown all season, is near-impossible to take down -- something even more beneficial when considering that freestyle rules are more forgiving. One technical weakness exposed by Snyder in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament, was an ankle pick. Varner loves the ankle pick. Snyder might also pose a threat to Varner and the rest of the 97-kilo field. He's strong, agile and has put together some big wins at the junior level. He's still learning the sport and how to wrestle opponents with particular strengths. Will there be a changing of the guard? Unlikely this year, but the U.S. Open will help us gauge the time it'll take for Snyder and Cox to take over at the top of 97 kilos. Victoria Anthony vs. Alyssa Lampe Victoria Anthony and Alyssa Lampe are expected to renew their rivalry this weekend at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Has this become the most interesting back-and-forth competition in USA Wrestling? Maybe. For several years Alyssa Lampe had seemed to figure out Victoria Anthony. Lampe had won the U.S. World Team Trials a few times, held a significant lead in overall wins and losses and won two World bronze medals. But then Anthony made a big jump against Lampe earning a fall against her during the semifinals of the Cerra Pelado in Havana. Add-in Anthony's Dave Schultz title, great performance at the Women's World Cup and her past Junior World titles and the gap between her and Lampe is seemingly closed. This also might be the most competitive of the big matches at the U.S. Open and later at the World Team Trials. Where most matchups end up causing eyes to bleed from boredom and tactical heft, these women have a habit of letting the action fly. Watch. This. Match. Brent Metcalf vs. Logan Stieber vs. Jordan Oliver vs. Awesome The best American wrestler not named Burroughs, Brent Metcalf has shown spectacular growth over the past two seasons on the mat. He has yet to win a World medal, but a runner-up finish at the 2015 Ivan Yarygin showed that Metcalf could navigate a crowded field of competitors and come out on the medal stand. He's also taken bronze in Paris and had two straight years of World Cup dominance to pad the resume. Navigation of a crowded field will be a great skill to have come the U.S. Open. In addition to Jordan Oliver -- who has shown flashes of brilliance in recent years -- Metcalf will have to deal with the likes of Jimmy Kennedy. Kennedy, who trains in Ann Arbor, Michigan, had a brilliant run at 61 kilos the past two years and took bronze at this year's Yasar Dogu in Istanbul at 65 kilos. Kennedy's style doesn't do as much to threaten Metcalf as an offensive explosion from Oliver might seem to, but he can keep the match close and squeeze out a late takedown. Given his familiarity with Metcalf he'll be less susceptible to his left-side high crotch. But the big question mark for Metcalf, and all of the 65-kilo field, is the impact of Logan Stieber. The four-time NCAA champion has a win over the current second-ranked wrestler in the world Magomed Kurbanaliev and a Junior World silver medal in his back pocket. That Stieber has been out of freestyle is not a disadvantage, especially when looking at the track record of other multiple-time NCAA champions like Herbert and Ruth in their first post-collegiate freestyle efforts. Herbert earned a silver medal at the 2009 World Championships and Ruth stepped right in to make the World Team in 2014. Stieber could make a major impact on this weight heading into the 2016 Olympics. Will that push Metcalf to an even higher level? Or will Stieber surpass Metcalf midway through his gains? That has yet to be seen, but much more will be known after the U.S. Open. Effect of new Greco-Roman rules For many American wrestling fans, Greco-Roman is not a huge priority. Some of this is tradition and some of this has to do with a sport that is complicated and often times pretty boring at the highest levels. To change the course of the sport, United World Wrestling readjusted the rules for Greco-Roman wrestling to help increase action and keep the wrestlers wrestling. One frustration with the old rules was that offensive wrestlers were getting penalized for stepping out of bounds, there was too much pushing, and cautions were too easily gained, though points were not. The new rules are seeking to fix that issue by negating the pushout issues and increasing the penalties for leg fouls and failure to open from the bottom. For the casual fan this should mean a few more throws throughout the competition as wrestlers will have to chase points. It's much too early to tell if the changes benefit one wrestler or wrestling style more than another, but the U.S. Open will be a showcase for how well the adjustments will work to improve the popularity of the sport on American soil.

Dan Gable to go "On the Mat" is this Wed., May 6. "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 from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments. Dan Gable is the namesake of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. He coached the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA wrestling titles from 1977-1997 and won the 1972 Munich Olympics without surrendering a point. Gable discusses the upcoming Dan Gable Celebrity Golf Tournament, the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa induction class, and the current state of wrestling.

Ohio State's national title team from this past year speaks to the impact that recruiting high-end talent can have to creating a confidence/culture and expectations for a team, as well as to the ultimate success of that team. In examining the five Ohio State wrestlers who earned All-American honors this year, all were ranked in the top 16 for their recruiting class. Logan Stieber was the top recruit in the Class of 2010, Bo Jordan the same in 2013, and Kyle Snyder for 2014, while Nathan Tomasello was 15th in 2013 and Kenny Courts was 16th in 2011. Four of the other five starters were ranked within the top 42 of their recruiting class, while the remaining starter was a three-time state champion and ranked in his weight class. Johnni DiJulius, seeded fourth at the NCAA tournament, went 2-2; he was ranked 33rd in the Class of 2011. Hunter Stieber, an All-American in 2012 and 2013, went 0-2 at the national tournament primarily due to his injury situation; he was ranked 7th in the Class of 2011. Josh Demas, seeded sixth at the NCAA tournament, went 1-2; he was ranked 42nd in the Class of 2010. Mark Martin went 1-2 at the NCAA tournament; he was ranked 40th in the Class of 2012. Nick Tavanello went 0-2 at the national tournament; he was not among the top 100 recruits in the Class of 2012. The high school accomplishments of this lineup were abundant; each was at least a multiple-time state champion. The ten wrestlers combined for 31 state titles (or in the case of Kyle Snyder, National Prep championships), including four that were four-time state champions. Said talent level in the lineup created the preseason hype and expectation around the Buckeyes as being a true national title contender, and in some corners the national favorite, though this group's collegiate accomplishments may not have suggested such a position. What can be learned from the Ohio State roster of this year as a tool to apply for programs going forward? There are many points to consider, depending on perspective. The recruiting class rankings for Ohio State in the previous five years were the following: 4th (2014), 11th, 16th, 1st (2011), and 12th. Those are all good rankings; however, beyond the 2011 class, none was a true "load up." Interestingly, within that load up, only three of the six core pieces are still part of the Ohio State wrestling puzzle: Hunter Stieber, Courts, and DiJulius; Andrew Campolattano, Cam Tessari, and Derek Garcia have all moved on for different reasons. The other four classes were more "quality over quantity" when it comes to core pieces. The Buckeyes have generally chosen to target bigger names, leaving the depth of their roster in question. One could see the impact of that when starters were missing during dual meet competition, especially this past year. Having such a collection of talent creates a "higher margin" for program success should top prospective wrestlers fail to meet pre-conceived expectations. The more stars a team brings into the program, the more likely it is for the proper number of them to emerge as key contributors. While there are some excellent recruiting hauls here in 2015, let's not overreact and say that it guarantees program success. What is more accurate to say is that strong recruiting hauls create positive momentum for a program, but ultimate end-game results may end up being a different story. Even though the high performers in college generally come from the subset of high-profile prospects, being a high-profile recruit entering college is no guarantee of strong collegiate performance -- especially when considering the full career. Below is this year's breakdown of how Division I programs performed in procuring future talent in their recruiting Classes of 2015. 1. Arizona State Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), No. 3 Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), No. 5 Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.), No. 29 Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, Pa.), and No. 77 Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) Additional newcomers: Chance Eskam (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho/USOTC) Commentary: On the job for just about a year, head coach Zeke Jones has totally shifted the paradigm for Arizona State wrestling. His pedigree as a wrestler, along with tactical acumen and leadership/vision shown during his stint at USA Wrestling speaks for itself. Zeke and staff bring in a group of high end prospects, including three of the top five in the 2015 class, which should be able to thrive in relative short order. Eskam graduated in 2014, and was a two-time state placer; while Hall was an elite prospect in the 2011 class, training at the USOTC for the next year, then going on his Mormon mission to Uganda for two years, and training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this year. Read analysis for all 25 teams Not an InterMat Platinum subscriber? Subscribe now! 2. Oklahoma State 3. West Virginia 4. Northern Iowa 5. Virginia 6. Ohio State 7. Minnesota 8. Wisconsin 9. Missouri 10. Michigan 11. Oklahoma 12. Iowa 13. Lehigh 14. Virginia Tech 15. Princeton 16. Penn State 17. Oregon State 18. Northwestern 19. Maryland 20. Rutgers 21. Navy 22. Illinois 23. South Dakota State 24. Edinboro 25. North Dakota State

Ohio State's national title team from this past year speaks to the impact that recruiting high-end talent can have to creating a confidence/culture and expectations for a team, as well as to the ultimate success of that team. In examining the five Ohio State wrestlers who earned All-American honors this year, all were ranked in the top 16 for their recruiting class. Logan Stieber was the top recruit in the Class of 2010, Bo Jordan the same in 2013, and Kyle Snyder for 2014, while Nathan Tomasello was 15th in 2013 and Kenny Courts was 16th in 2011. Four of the other five starters were ranked within the top 42 of their recruiting class, while the remaining starter was a three-time state champion and ranked in his weight class. Johnni DiJulius, seeded fourth at the NCAA tournament, went 2-2; he was ranked 33rd in the Class of 2011. Hunter Stieber, an All-American in 2012 and 2013, went 0-2 at the national tournament primarily due to his injury situation; he was ranked 7th in the Class of 2011. Josh Demas, seeded sixth at the NCAA tournament, went 1-2; he was ranked 42nd in the Class of 2010. Mark Martin went 1-2 at the NCAA tournament; he was ranked 40th in the Class of 2012. Nick Tavanello went 0-2 at the national tournament; he was not among the top 100 recruits in the Class of 2012. The high school accomplishments of this lineup were abundant; each was at least a multiple-time state champion. The ten wrestlers combined for 31 state titles (or in the case of Kyle Snyder, National Prep championships), including four that were four-time state champions. Said talent level in the lineup created the preseason hype and expectation around the Buckeyes as being a true national title contender, and in some corners the national favorite, though this group's collegiate accomplishments may not have suggested such a position. What can be learned from the Ohio State roster of this year as a tool to apply for programs going forward? There are many points to consider, depending on perspective. The recruiting class rankings for Ohio State in the previous five years were the following: 4th (2014), 11th, 16th, 1st (2011), and 12th. Those are all good rankings; however, beyond the 2011 class, none was a true "load up." Interestingly, within that load up, only three of the six core pieces are still part of the Ohio State wrestling puzzle: Hunter Stieber, Courts, and DiJulius; Andrew Campolattano, Cam Tessari, and Derek Garcia have all moved on for different reasons. The other four classes were more "quality over quantity" when it comes to core pieces. The Buckeyes have generally chosen to target bigger names, leaving the depth of their roster in question. One could see the impact of that when starters were missing during dual meet competition, especially this past year. Having such a collection of talent creates a "higher margin" for program success should top prospective wrestlers fail to meet pre-conceived expectations. The more stars a team brings into the program, the more likely it is for the proper number of them to emerge as key contributors. While there are some excellent recruiting hauls here in 2015, let's not overreact and say that it guarantees program success. What is more accurate to say is that strong recruiting hauls create positive momentum for a program, but ultimate end-game results may end up being a different story. Even though the high performers in college generally come from the subset of high-profile prospects, being a high-profile recruit entering college is no guarantee of strong collegiate performance -- especially when considering the full career. Below is this year's breakdown of how Division I programs performed in procuring future talent in their recruiting Classes of 2015. 1. Arizona State Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), No. 3 Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), No. 5 Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.), No. 29 Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, Pa.), and No. 77 Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) Additional newcomers: Chance Eskam (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho/USOTC) Commentary: On the job for just about a year, head coach Zeke Jones has totally shifted the paradigm for Arizona State wrestling. His pedigree as a wrestler, along with tactical acumen and leadership/vision shown during his stint at USA Wrestling speaks for itself. Zeke and staff bring in a group of high end prospects, including three of the top five in the 2015 class, which should be able to thrive in relative short order. Eskam graduated in 2014, and was a two-time state placer; while Hall was an elite prospect in the 2011 class, training at the USOTC for the next year, then going on his Mormon mission to Uganda for two years, and training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center this year. 2. Oklahoma State Top 100 recruits: No. 16 Joe Smith (Stillwater, Okla.), No. 23 Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.), No. 26 Nick Piccininni (Ward Melville, N.Y.), No. 38 Boo Lewallen (Yukon, Okla.), No. 57 Austin Marsden (Crystal Lake Central, Ill.), and No. 62 Lincoln Olson (Davison, Mich.) Additional notable recruit: Four-time state finalist Tristan Moran (Stillwater, Okla.) Commentary: One year after bringing in five top 100 recruits, head coach John Smith procures six, which is the most for any class this year. It marks back-to-back recruiting classes for the Cowboys ranked second nationally. Four of the six top 100 recruits address the lighter four weights, after two of last year's five did the same. The six top 100 recruits and Moran combine for 21 state titles from 25 state tournament appearances. 3. West Virginia Top 100 recruits: No. 18 Keegan Moore (Putnam City, Okla.), No. 22 Austin Myers (Campbell County, Ky.), No. 39 Patrick Duggan (Cumberland Valley, Pa.), No. 61 Connor Flynn (Francis Howell, Mo.), and No. 86 Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Zachary Moore (Putnam City, Okla.) Additional notable recruit: State runner-up Bailey Faust (Lexington, Ohio) and three-time state champion J.D. Gregory (Hanover, Va.) Commentary: Like Zeke Jones at Arizona State, head coach Sammie Henson has had a transformative impact on the Mountaineers wrestling program in his one year at the helm. Many cited Henson's work while an assistant at Mizzou as a reason why the Tigers had the roster quality to win the NWCA National Duals this past year. This recruiting class with five top 100 wrestlers, along with the national finals run for true freshman Zeke Moisey out of "left field," are further feathers in the cap of Henson. It addresses roster needs across the spectrum: a career 125 in Brown, middleweights in the Moore brothers, Duggan, and Flynn, and an upperweight in Myers. 4. Northern Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 14 Max Thomsen (Union, Iowa), No. 17 Taylor Lujan (Carrollton, Ga.), and No. 27 Bryce Steiert (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa) Other ranked recruits: Jacob Holschlag (Union, Iowa), Paden Moore (Jackson County Central, Minn.), Isaiah Patton (Dowling Catholic, Iowa), and Jacob Schwarm (Bettendorf, Iowa) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state champion Hunter Washburn (Alburnett, Iowa) Commentary: Though this past year was a relative setback for Northern Iowa in terms of on-the-mat performance, Doug Schwab has done an excellent job during his time as head coach in Cedar Falls. The 2014 season was a banner one for the Panthers, as they went undefeated in regular season duals. In addition, fan enthusiasm for the program over the last couple of years is very high. This recruiting class for the Panthers features seven weight class ranked wrestlers, which is the most for any program in the country. Six of eight core prospects are in-state wrestlers, an important part of the Panthers' identity; while Paden Moore is a "legacy" recruit, and Lujan comes from the "Georgia pipeline" that Northern Iowa has kind of established. 5. Virginia Top 100 recruits: No. 6 Fox Baldwin (Osceola, Fla.), No. 10 Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area, Pa.), No. 36 Cameron Harrell (McDonogh, Md.), and No. 97 Jabari Moody (Rich Central, Ill.) Other ranked recruits: Corbin Allen (Hanover, Va.) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state champion Tyler Love (Centreville, Va.) Commentary: This is the third straight recruiting class for the Cavaliers that is nationally ranked, 16th in 2013 and 14th in 2014. Their emergence into relevance on the mat goes hand-in-hand with this improved recruiting. Head coach Steve Garland hit the high water mark this year with four top 100 recruits, including true "blue chip" types in Baldwin and Krivus. 6. Ohio State Top 100 recruits: No. 4 Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.), No. 13 Ke-Shawn Hayes (Park Hill, Mo.), No. 32 Kollin Moore (Norwayne, Ohio), and No. 54 Jose Rodriguez (Massillon Perry, Ohio) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state champion Troy Caldwell (Jonathan Alder, Ohio) Commentary: More of the same in recruiting for head coach Tom Ryan and the national champion Buckeyes. They have brought in four high-end prospects, two in-state and two out-of-state that address roster openings across the spectrum of weight classes (Rodriguez a lower weight, Hayes a lower-middle, Martin and Moore are upperweights). These four recruits combine for nine state titles from 11 state finals appearances in their caeers; Martin and Hayes were Junior National freestyle finalists (Martin a champion) this past summer, while Moore and Rodriguez were Super 32 Challenge runners-up this past fall. 7. Minnesota Top 100 recruits: No. 8 Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.), No. 15 Fredy Stroker (Bettendorf, Iowa), and No. 42 Larry Early (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) Other ranked recruit: Ben Brancale (Eden Prairie, Minn.) Commentary: After four straight recruiting classes outside the top ten, this Golden Gophers' class ranks within the top ten. Considering the major graduations from the Minnesota roster this year, it was an important recruiting class. Three high-end prospects, Bobby Steveson, Fredy Stroker and Larry Early -- all Junior National All-Americans this past summer -- anchor the class. 8. Wisconsin Top 100 recruits: No. 37 Mason Reinhardt (Merrill, Wis.), No. 64 Hunter Ritter (John Carroll, Md.), No. 92 Daniel Chadd (Lancaster, Wis.), and No. 93 Eli Stickley (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) Other ranked recruit: Michael Cullen (Cary Grove, Ill.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state champion Cole Martin (Lancaster, Wis.) and Izaec Quintanilla (North Central, Wash.) Commentary: After a few years where the Wisconsin program was in a state of flux, with people wondering about the long-term viability of Barry Davis as head coach, things have stabilized within the program. The Badgers saw three wrestlers earn All-American honors at the national tournament this year, with all three returning to Madison next year; two other wrestlers that won multiple matches at nationals do the same. Three of the five ranked recruits are upper weights, the other two are lower weights, with the two notable recruits being middleweights. Yet again, solid out-of-state talent compliments solid in-state talent across the spectrum of weight classes. 9. Missouri Top 100 recruits: No. 48 Will Roark (Seneca, Mo.), No. 52 Jaydin Clayton (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.), and No. 85 Dylan Wisman (Millbrook, Va.) Other ranked recruits: Alexander Butler (Boylan Catholic, Ill.) Additional notable recruits: Junior National freestyle All-American Luke Fortuna (Montini Catholic, Ill.) and multi-time state champion Seth Pesek (Gardner Edgerton, Kansas) Impact transfers: Blaise Butler (Virginia/Boylan Catholic, Ill.) and Grant Leeth (Duke/Kearney, Mo.) Commentary: Five of the ten starters for the NWCA National Duals champion Tigers graduated this past year, so that leads to the abundance of room on the roster -- and available scholarship money -- for head coach Brian Smith. This is a very strong class for Mizzou, both in terms of quality and quantity, with three top 100 recruits along with a pair of impact transfers at the head of the class. Blaise Butler is a two-time NCAA qualifier; while Leeth, a top 100 recruit in 2014, returns home with four years left to compete (and either three or four years of eligibility depending on if he was released from Duke). 10. Michigan Top 100 recruits: No. 2 Logan Massa (St. Johns, Mich.), No. 40 Myles Amine (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), and No. 56 Austin Assad (Brecksville, Ohio) Other ranked recruit: Ben Lamantia (St. Anthony's, N.Y.) Additional notable recruits: Super 32 Challenge placer Sal Profaci (Monroe, N.J.) Commentary: The "identity crisis" seems over for Michigan wrestling. They qualified all ten weight classes to nationals, earning five All-Americans, which tied for the most among any program. Though it only yielded an 11th-place finish, a return to the top ten (with top five contention) should come in 2016. This is a fourth straight solid recruiting class for the Wolverines, with three top 100 recruits anchoring the class. 11. Oklahoma Top 100 recruits: No. 20 Davion Jeffries (Broken Arrow, Okla.), No. 43 Dylan Lucas (Plainview, Okla.), and No. 46 Sean Deshazer (Wichita Heights, Kansas) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state champion Christian Moody (Collinsville, Okla.) and two-time state runner-up Hayden Hansen (Norman North, Okla.) Impact transfer: Freddie Rodriguez (Holt, Mich./Iowa Lakes) Commentary: Another excellent year of recruiting, nabbing the No. 11 class for a second straight year. In-state prospects were once again at the core of the Sooners' haul, as four of the five notable high school signees come from within Oklahoma. The additional newcomer is the very talented Rodriguez, a two-time junior college national champion. Lower weight prospects are the core of this recruiting haul, with five of the six projecting into the lower half of the lineup. 12. Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 11 Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.), No. 51 Vincent Turk (Montini Catholic, Ill.), and No. 100 Cash Wilcke (OA-BCIG, Iowa) Other ranked recruits: Steven Holloway (Mediapolis, Iowa) Additional notable recruits: State runner-up Joey Gunther (Libertyville, Ill.); along with former state champions Jeren Glosser (Eddyville/Blakesburg-Fremont, Iowa) and Matt Wempen (Linn Mar, Iowa) Commentary: This is a third straight Hawkeyes' recruiting class that falls outside the top five. The clear anchor in this class is Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.), who won Super 32 Challenge, Walsh Ironman, and state tournament championships this past season; over his career, he was a four-time state tournament and Super 32 Challenge finalist, and a two-time Junior freestyle All-American. The class features two other top 100 recruits and a fourth nationally ranked wrestler, along with an abundance of depth type middleweights. 13. Lehigh Top 100 recruits: 21 Jordan Kutler (Blair Academy, N.J) and No. 71 Cole Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Christian Colucci (St. Peter's Prep, N.J.) and Ryan Pomrinca (North Hunterdon, N.J.) Additional notable recruits: State champion and three-time FloNationals medalist Kent Lane (Southern Columbia, Pa.) Commentary: Local recruiting is the lifeblood of Lehigh's program, and an excellent "base" has enabled Pat Santoro to bring in yet another ranked class. Two of the five "core" recruits come from the Keystone State, while the other three are from the neighboring Garden State. Pomrinca is a lower weight, Colucci is an upper weight, while the other three project to be middle weights. 14. Virginia Tech Top 100 recruits: No. 12 David McFadden (DePaul Catholic, N.J.), No. 44 Dayton Racer (Bettendorf, Iowa), and No. 55 Andrew Dunn (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state champion B.C. Laprade (New Kent, Va.) Commentary: It's hard to believe, but Kevin Dresser has already been at the helm in Blacksburg for ten years. In that time, he's turned a program that was rumored to be "in trouble" to one that has finished inside the top ten at the NCAA tournament for three straight years. Procuring high-level talent has been at the core of that success, and this year's recruiting class includes a trio of top 100 prospects. 15. Princeton Top 100 recruits: No. 9 Matthew Kolodzik (Blair Academy, N.J.) Other ranked recruits: Mike D'Angelo (Commack, N.Y.), Patrick D'Arcy (Holy Spirit, N.J.), and Joseph Tavoso (Delbarton, N.J.) Commentary: Blair Academy star Kolodzik anchors what is a pretty solid class for head coach Chris Ayres and the Tigers. The four-time state tournament/National Prep champion follows older brother Daniel onto the mats at Princeton, which also brought in three other nationally ranked wrestlers in this class. The core quartet of wrestlers in this class addresses key needs within the lower half of the lineup. 16. Penn State Top 100 recruits: No. 7 Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.) and No. 83 Kellan Stout (Mt. Lebanon, Pa.) Commentary: Not even Cael Sanderson and the empire he has built at Penn State -- national title winners in 2011 through 2014 -- can have mega recruiting classes every single year. It should be noted that all of last year's No. 1 recruiting class redshirted this past year (including the three top seven prospects in Nick Nevills, Bo Nickal, and Jason Nolf). Also redshirting last year for the Nittany Lions were All-Americans Nico Megaludis and Zain Retherford. Among those that started at the Big Ten Tournament, only national champion Matt Brown and All-American Jimmy Lawson graduate; they'll be replaced by Nickal and Nevills. Given said abundance on the roster, there just wasn't room for a big class this year; however, the two core pieces they brought in are strong. Joseph in particular is an elite prospect, a two-time state champion and Junior National freestyle runner-up. 17. Oregon State Top 100 recruits: No. 41 Bryce Parson (Lewiston, Idaho), No. 58 Tate Orndorff (University, Wash.), and No. 70 Alex Rich (Crescent Valley, Ore.) Additional notable recruits: Four-time state finalists Weston Dobler (West Fargo, N.D.) and Colbran Meeker (Crook County, Ore.) Impact transfer: Dylan Reel (Clackamas C.C./Minnesota/Washington, Ill.) Commentary: The four-time Pac-12 champion Beavers have brought in a strong recruiting class, as they seek to maintain supremacy in an increasingly competitive conference climate. Three top 100 recruits lead the way, as Parson was superlative in winning a title at the NHSCA Senior Nationals, while Orndorff is a very capable heavyweight (something that is not easy to find). Dobler and Meeker should provide depth in the middleweight area, while the transfer Reel seeks to reach his potential in a second opportunity at the Division I level. 18. Northwestern Top 100 recruit: No. 33 Zack Chakonis (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.) Other ranked recruit: Luke Norland (Jackson County Central, Minn.) Additional notable recruit: NHSCA Senior Nationals runner-up Anthony Rubinetti (Northern Valley, N.J.) Commentary: Consecutive ranked recruiting classes has not been the norm for Drew Pariano and the Wildcats, who have brought in strong groups in the even years (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014) and not as strong in the odd years. This year's group is anchored by the nation's best heavyweight, who is actually going to compete on the mats in college. Junior freestyle All-American Norland should be an asset in the middle-to-upper area of the lineup, while Rubinetti fits in nicely as an opening weight candidate. 19. Maryland Top 100 recruit: No. 74 Josh Ugalde (Bound Brook, N.J.) Other ranked recruits: Yousef Hemida (Mamaroneck, N.Y.), Wade Hodges (Wauseon, Ohio), Jakob Restrepo (Sachem East, N.Y.), and David-Brian Whisler (Warren Howland, Ohio) Commentary: The debut Big Ten season for the Terrapins was a struggle to say the least, winless in nine conference dual meets and last in the conference tournament. However, the move to the Big Ten seems to have broadened the reach of recruiting. The quantity of talented wrestlers in this class is strong, even though that high-end star is lacking. Five weight class ranked wrestlers are present here, addressing the middle and upper portions of the lineup. 20. Rutgers Top 100 recruit: No. 30 Ronnie Gentile (Paulsboro, N.J.) Additional notable recruits: State champion Kyle Kremiller (Perry, Ohio) and Junior National freestyle All-American Peter Lipari (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) Commentary: The Garden State provides a fertile in-state recruiting base for head coach Scott Goodale and his Scarlet Knights. Two consecutive seasons with an All-American has helped validate the development work that has gone into the program during Goodale's reign. Increased fan interest and engagement along with a robust roster should see Rutgers on the ascendancy going forward. Four of the five reported commitments are from in-state, led by 2014 state champion Gentile and Lipari; also signing on the dotted line are state placer Sam Cali (Don Bosco Prep) and two-time state placer William Povalac (Edison). 21. Navy Top 100 recruits: No. 26 Jared Prince (Palm Harbor University, Fla.) Additional notable recruits: Multi-time state champions Josh Roteman (Kotzebue, Alaska) and Marty Margolis (La Plata, Md.), along with three-time state placer Zach Elvin (Central Dauphin, Pa.) Commentary: Three-time state champion and two-time Super 32 Challenge placer Prince provide an anchor to what is a rather good initial recruiting class for head coach Joel Sharratt, who took over the Midshipmen wrestling program last spring. The rest of the class features some multi-time state champions, as well as multi-time placers in powerful state (level) tournaments. 22. Illinois Top 100 recruits: No. 34 Xavier Montalvo (Montini Catholic, Ill.) and No. 76 Eric Barone (Crystal Lake South, Ill.) Additional notable recruit: Three-time state champion Carver James (Dakota, Ill.) Commentary: Another year, yet again the Fighting Illini bring in multiple top 100 recruits to Champaign-Urbana. Head coach Jim Heffernan has again brought in solid in-state talent with the three state champions listed here. However, a slight concern for the program is that with nine Land of Lincoln natives among the top 100 recruits, seven of them chose schools other than the state's flagship institution. 23. South Dakota State Top 100 recruits: No. 49 Anthony Cefolo (Hanover Park, N.J.) and No. 81 Brett Bye (Vermillion, S.D.) Additional notable recruits: Five-time state champion Cameron Sykora (Border West, Minn.) and three-time state champion Louie Sanders (LCWM, Minn.) Commentary: Head coach Chris Bono has created a climate and culture for major improvement within the Jackrabbits program during his time at the helm, and this recruiting class is just another example. Cefolo and Bye were both double All-Americans at the Junior Nationals last summer in Fargo, while Sykora and Sanders are among the slew of state champions that have been signed by Bono and staff to compliment the two top 100 recruits. 24. Edinboro Top 100 recruit: No. 75 Patricio Lugo (South Dade, Fla.) and No. 78 Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Dylan Reynolds (Saegertown, Pa.) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state champion Nate Hagan (Toledo Central Catholic, Ohio) and New England champion Fritz Hoehn (North Andover, Mass.) Commentary: Even with the program success that Edinboro has had in recent years, nationally ranked recruiting classes have been the exception as opposed to the norm for head coach Tim Flynn and the Fighting Scots. However, they'll get a ranked class coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA tournament, and graduate three All-Americans (along with a fourth NCAA qualifier in Kory Mines). The group is anchored by a pair of top 100 recruits in Lugo and Myers and four other state (level) tournament champions. 25. North Dakota State Top 100 recruits: No. 67 Andrew Fogarty (Scott West, Minn.) Other ranked recruits: Carter Nielsen (Foley, Minn.), Cordell Eaton (North Scott, Iowa) and Vincent Feola (Walt Whitman, N.Y.) Additional notable recruit: Three-time state placer Nico Colunga (Oakdale, Calif.) and Junior freestyle All-American Dan Stibral (Bon Homme Scotland, S.D.) Commentary: Having completed four seasons as head coach, Roger Kish has led the Bison to consecutive West Regional titles as well as undefeated conference dual meet marks in 2013 and 2015. Talent procurement and talent development have been a key part of the puzzle, and the positives in talent procurement reflect in a nationally ranked recruiting class this year. Upperweight recruiting was a point of emphasis, as Eaton projects to either 197 or 285, while Feola and Stibral are both likely 285-pound wrestlers; Fogarty and Nielsen are middle-to-upper weight types as well. Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Indiana Nebraska North Carolina Northern Colorado Old Dominion