InterMat Staff

Frank Molinaro after winning the Olympic Team Trials title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Three days after failing to qualify for the Olympic Games in the 2nd World Olympic Qualifier in Turkey, Frank Molinaro received news that he was awarded a spot in the Rio Olympics. On Wednesday, United World Wrestling announced doping violations at the European Olympic Games Qualifier for 65-kilo wrestlers Magomedmurad Gadzhiev of Poland and Andriy Kvyatkovskyy of Ukraine. Their results have been wiped and Olympic licenses revoked. The doping violations resulted in Molinaro earning an Olympic berth at 65 kilos following a bronze-medal finish at the 2nd World Olympic Qualifier. The United States has now qualified all six men's freestyle weight classes for the Olympic Games.

The national title team for Penn State from this past season yet again speaks to the impact that recruiting high-end talent can have in creating, as well as maintaining and bolstering, the necessary culture and environment to foster team success on a year-to-year basis. The Nittany Lions had five finalists in this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, all of whom were top ten overall recruits coming out of high school. Four of those were rated as top five recruits, including national champions Nico Megaludis and Zain Retherford. In addition, the Penn State lineup featured two other top ten recruits, Jimmy Gulibon and Nick Nevills; Gulibon fell just short of All-American honors in 2016, while Nevills failed to qualify for the national tournament after missing almost all of the season due to injury. On the other side of the ledger, Penn State got a second All-American finish from Jordan Conaway, who was not a top 100 recruit when he graduated from high school; Conaway was ranked nationally in the 112-pound weight class. This shows two additional important points of collegiate wrestling programs and recruiting: the ability to develop and improve the prospects brought into your program, along with the ability to project success for productive prep wrestlers (Conaway won state in Pennsylvania's big-school division as a senior) that might enter college slightly less touted. As emphasized the last year, having the type of roster talent that is present at Penn State 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 into key contributors. While there are some excellent recruiting hauls here in 2016, 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. InterMat Recruiting Class Rankings 1. North Carolina State 2. Penn State 3. Iowa State 4. Iowa 5. Lehigh 6. Nebraska 7. Purdue 8. Minnesota 9. Rutgers 10. Ohio State 11. Stanford 12. Cornell 13. Virginia Tech 14. Lock Haven 15. Virginia 16. Wisconsin 17. Oklahoma State 18. Illinois 19. Pittsburgh 20. Central Michigan 21. Princeton 22. Northern Iowa 23. Drexel 24. Utah Valley 25. Michigan State Below is a breakdown of each ranked recruiting class. Hayden Hidlay is one of five top 100 recruits for North Carolina State (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)1. North Carolina State Top 100 recruits: No. 9 Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), No. 13 Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.), No. 18 Trent Bullard (Archer, Ga.), No. 42 Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) and No. 75 Tariq Wilson (Steubenville, Ohio) Other ranked recruits: Tommy Cox (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Chris Diaz (Archer, Ga.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state champion Kellen Devlin (Amherst, N.Y.), NHSCA Senior Nationals champion Codi Russell (Collins Hill, Ga.) and Super 32 placer Wade Cummings (Downington East, Pa.) Commentary: This is the second straight year that a non-traditional program has earned the top recruiting class ranking, following Arizona State last year. The Wolfpack have the momentum of a most excellent 2015-16 regular season that included dual meet wins at Oklahoma State and Iowa. This recruiting haul further validates the work that Pat Popolizio and his assistants have done in Raleigh over a short period of time. Middleweights are abound with Hidlay, Reenan and the Bullard's; while lowerweights are addressed by Wilson, Cox, and the three lesser heralded but notable recruits. 2. Penn State Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), No. 2 Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), No. 7 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) and No. 92 A.J. Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) Commentary: Penn State just won a national title, their fifth in six years, and has three of the nation's top ten recruits coming to Happy Valley in the fall. Somehow I think things will be just fine for the Nittany Lions despite not getting the No. 1 recruiting class, which was driven by the quantity of quality recruits in the haul that North Carolina State brought in. Suriano will probably be called into immediate service at 125 where he becomes an All-American contender, Hall and Manville will become assets in the middle of the Penn State lineup sooner rather than later, and Nevills provides quality depth in the upperweights. Penn State returns three of their five national finalists in 2016-17, and will replace Conaway in the lineup at 133 with impact transfer Jered Cortez. Read analysis for all 25 teams. Not an InterMat Platinum subscriber? Subscribe now!

The national title team for Penn State from this past season yet again speaks to the impact that recruiting high-end talent can have in creating, as well as maintaining and bolstering, the necessary culture and environment to foster team success on a year-to-year basis. The Nittany Lions had five finalists in this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, all of whom were top ten overall recruits coming out of high school. Four of those were rated as top five recruits, including national champions Nico Megaludis and Zain Retherford. In addition, the Penn State lineup featured two other top ten recruits, Jimmy Gulibon and Nick Nevills; Gulibon fell just short of All-American honors in 2016, while Nevills failed to qualify for the national tournament after missing almost all of the season due to injury. On the other side of the ledger, Penn State got a second All-American finish from Jordan Conaway, who was not a top 100 recruit when he graduated from high school; Conaway was ranked nationally in the 112-pound weight class. This shows two additional important points of collegiate wrestling programs and recruiting: the ability to develop and improve the prospects brought into your program, along with the ability to project success for productive prep wrestlers (Conaway won state in Pennsylvania's big-school division as a senior) that might enter college slightly less touted. As emphasized the last year, having the type of roster talent that is present at Penn State 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 into key contributors. While there are some excellent recruiting hauls here in 2016, 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. InterMat Recruiting Class Rankings 1. North Carolina State 2. Penn State 3. Iowa State 4. Iowa 5. Lehigh 6. Nebraska 7. Purdue 8. Minnesota 9. Rutgers 10. Ohio State 11. Stanford 12. Cornell 13. Virginia Tech 14. Lock Haven 15. Virginia 16. Wisconsin 17. Oklahoma State 18. Illinois 19. Pittsburgh 20. Central Michigan 21. Princeton 22. Northern Iowa 23. Drexel 24. Utah Valley 25. Michigan State Below is a breakdown of each ranked recruiting class. Hayden Hidlay is one of five top 100 recruits for North Carolina State (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)1. North Carolina State Top 100 recruits: No. 9 Nick Reenan (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), No. 13 Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.), No. 18 Trent Bullard (Archer, Ga.), No. 42 Daniel Bullard (Archer, Ga.) and No. 75 Tariq Wilson (Steubenville, Ohio) Other ranked recruits: Tommy Cox (Deer Park, N.Y.) and Chris Diaz (Archer, Ga.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state champion Kellen Devlin (Amherst, N.Y.), NHSCA Senior Nationals champion Codi Russell (Collins Hill, Ga.) and Super 32 placer Wade Cummings (Downington East, Pa.) Commentary: This is the second straight year that a non-traditional program has earned the top recruiting class ranking, following Arizona State last year. The Wolfpack have the momentum of a most excellent 2015-16 regular season that included dual meet wins at Oklahoma State and Iowa. This recruiting haul further validates the work that Pat Popolizio and his assistants have done in Raleigh over a short period of time. Middleweights are abound with Hidlay, Reenan and the Bullard's; while lowerweights are addressed by Wilson, Cox, and the three lesser heralded but notable recruits. 2. Penn State Top 100 recruits: No. 1 Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), No. 2 Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), No. 7 Mason Manville (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) and No. 92 A.J. Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) Commentary: Penn State just won a national title, their fifth in six years, and has three of the nation's top ten recruits coming to Happy Valley in the fall. Somehow I think things will be just fine for the Nittany Lions despite not getting the No. 1 recruiting class, which was driven by the quantity of quality recruits in the haul that North Carolina State brought in. Suriano will probably be called into immediate service at 125 where he becomes an All-American contender, Hall and Manville will become assets in the middle of the Penn State lineup sooner rather than later, and Nevills provides quality depth in the upperweights. Penn State returns three of their five national finalists in 2016-17, and will replace Conaway in the lineup at 133 with impact transfer Jered Cortez. 3. Iowa State Top 100 recruits: No. 14 Samuel Colbray (Hermiston, Ore.), No. 43 Gannon Gremmel (Dubuque Hempstead, Iowa), No. 45 Kanen Storr (Leslie, Mich.), No. 72 Ian Parker (St. Johns, Mich.) and No. 76 Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) Additional notable recruits: State champion Trey Meyer (East Valley, Wash.) and three-time state champion Zemua Baptista (Friend, Neb.) Commentary: With the slight scrutiny that the Cyclones coaching staff is facing on a year-to-year basis, bringing in strong recruits is one way to head it off. The other is obviously strong dual meet performances and success at the NCAAs in terms of All-Americans and team finish. Five top 100 recruits is joint most for 2016 with North Carolina State. Colbray and Gremmel have the potential to be cogs in the Cyclones' machine at 197 and 285 for a few years, Vega the same as a career 125, while Storr and Parker provide potential in the lower-middleweights. 4. Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 3 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), No. 26 Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney, Pa.), No. 36 Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa) and No. 83 Jack Wagner (Bettendorf, Iowa) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state champion Brock Rathbun (Cedar Point-Urbana, Iowa) and state champion Matt Malcom (Glenwood, Iowa) Commentary: Falling outside of the top four trophies for the first time in the Tom Brands era stoked the fire for fans across the sport of wrestling about the Hawkeyes' program, regardless of where one falls in the Iowa spectrum (fan, non-fan, etc). Since the top-ranked recruiting class in 2012, it has been three successive recruiting years outside the top ten prior to this one. This group -- along with the verbal commitments of elite 2017 and 2018 prospects -- provides a clear marker that Iowa remains a collegiate wrestling force to be reckoned with. Of interest here is that Marinelli and Happel are both four-time state champions. 5. Lehigh Top 100 recruits: No. 10 Jordan Wood (Boyertown, Pa.), No. 15 Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), No. 19 Chris Weiler (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) and No. 80 John Jakobsen (Stroudsburg, Pa.) Additional notable recruits: Junior National freestyle All-American Nick Farro (Delbarton, N.J.) and two-time state placer Kyle Gentile (Pennridge, 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. Five of the six core recruits in this Mountain Hawks recruiting class are in-state wrestlers, while the other is from across the river in New Jersey; this includes two wrestlers from District XI itself (Karam and Jakobsen). 6. Nebraska Top 100 recruits: No. 5 Chad Red (New Palestine, Ind.), No. 12 Beau Breske (Hartford Union, Wis.) and No. 40 Eric Schultz (Tinley Park, Ill.) Other ranked recruits: Luke Weber (Forsyth, Mont.) and Taylor Venz (Owatonna, Minn.) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state champion Johnny Blankenship (Platte County, Mo.) Commentary: In recent years, Mark Manning's Huskers have been noted for having a very balanced lineup, which culminated in all ten wrestlers qualifying for the NCAA tournament based on finish in the Big Ten tournament; furthermore each and every wrestler won two or more matches at the NCAA tournament. In order to achieve that type of lineup, it takes strong recruiting. This class is another example of that; Red is an elite lower-middleweight, while Breske and Schultz fit that description for upperweights. The other three core recruits have strong potential as well. 7. Purdue Top 100 recruits: No. 17 Griffin Parriott (New Prague, Minn.), No. 27 Shawn Streck (Merrillville, Ind.) and No. 84 Christian Brunner (Dundee-Crown, Ill.) Other ranked recruits: Devin Schroder (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) and Kobe Woods (Penn, Ind.) Commentary: Rebuilding a program in college wrestling is a process that takes time, especially at a relatively off-brand program, a billing that describes the Boilermakers. They are competing in the nation's toughest conference, Big Ten, and face a tough battle in terms of talent procurement. However, in two years at the helm Tony Ersland has laid a solid foundation. This year's recruiting class a crucial tone setting piece of that. The three top 100 recruits need to reach their potential and beome lynchpin pieces if the Boilermakers are going to creep into the upper half of the Big Ten and get to earning multiple All-Americans at the NCAA tournament yearly. 8. Minnesota Top 100 recruits: No. 20 Mitch McKee (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.), No. 48 Owen Webster (Shakopee, Minn.) and No. 50 Hunter Marko (Amery, Wis.) Other ranked recruit: Lucas Jeske (St. Michael-Albertville, Minn.) Commentary: The Gophers' 2010 recruiting class was the top-ranked group of that year, and then there were four straight groups outside the top ten. This somewhat explains the relative struggles of the 2015-16 season, finishing in the lower half of the Big Ten tournament standings, and a finish outside the top 15 at the NCAA tournament. However, a second straight top ten recruiting class should enable the Gophers to return to their perennial status of the upper reaches of the Big Ten standings and the top ten at the NCAA tournament. 9. Rutgers Top 100 recruits: No. 34 Matt Correnti (Holy Cross, N.J.), No. 44 Kevin Mulligan (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) and No. 62 Joe Grello (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) Other ranked recruits: Alex Mackall (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), Mike Van Brill (Clearview Regional, N.J.) and Brett Donner (Wall Township, N.J.) Additional notable recruit: Two-time state runner-up Brandon Paetzell (Phillipsburg, N.J.) Commentary: The Garden State provides a fertile in-state recruiting base for head coach Scott Goodale and his Scarlet Knights. Three consecutive seasons with an All-American, and now a season with multiple All-American finishers, helps to validate the development work that has went into the program during Goodale's reign. Of the seven core wrestlers in this class, six are in-state wrestlers. In addition, the six weight class ranked recruits is the second most this year (North Carolina State has seven). 10. Ohio State Top 100 recruits: No. 4 Isaiah White (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), No. 8 Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe, Pa.) and No. 68 Elijah Cleary (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Additional notable recruit: Three-time National Prep placer Kevin Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.) Commentary: More of the same for head coach Tom Ryan and the Buckeyes. Three very high-end prospects come in as part of this class, one that is ranked within the top 12 for the seventh time in the last eight years. Look for White to be called upon immediately at 165 pounds for a Buckeyes team that will be contending for yet another trophy at the NCAA tournament; Pletcher fits into the lower middleweight area after a likely redshirt, while Cleary is an upper middle weight. 11. Stanford Top 100 recruits: No. 29 Nathan Traxler (Marmion Academy, Ill.), No. 31 Brandon Dallavia (Blair Academy, N.J.) and No. 71 Requir van der Merwe (Blair Academy, N.J.) Additional notable recruit: Three-time state placer Gabe Townsell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) Commentary: Yet again, head coach Jason Borrelli has brought in a high-end recruiting haul to The Farm, as it's the sixth top 20 class in eight years at the helm. The question remains when this will translate into a top ten finish at the NCAA tournament, maybe 2016-17 will be that year; the Cardinal return a pair of All-Americans in Joey McKenna and Connor Schram, along with round of 12 finisher Jim Wilson. This recruiting group further affirms the positive strides for Stanford with prospects coming in from some of the nation's strongest prep wrestling programs. 12. Cornell Top 100 recruits: No. 28 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio), No. 63 Max Dean (Lowell, Mich.) and No. 89 Noah Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio) Other ranked recruit: Trence Gillem (Helix Charter, Calif.) Additional notable recruit: Three-time state champion Foster Karmon (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) Commentary: A pair of NCAA champions anchored a ninth straight top ten finish for the Big Red at this year's NCAA tournament. Key to their success has been the recruiting of highly talented wrestlers with strong character, which is yet again reflected in this class. All three top 100 recruits won a pair of state titles as high school wrestlers, while nationally ranked Gillem was a state champion this past season. Dean and Darmstadt address the upperweights, while Baughman and Gillem fit in the lower weight classes. 13. Virginia Tech Top 100 recruits: No. 51 Kyle Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.), No. 53 Brent Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and No. 86 Jarrett Degen (Belgrade, Mont.) Other ranked recruit: Cody Amos (Cave Spring, Va.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time National Prep finalist Joey Prata (St. Christopher's, Va.) and three-time state champion Anthony Helm (Matoaca, Va.) Commentary: The 11th season of Kevin Dresser being the head coach at Virginia Tech concluded with a fourth consecutive top ten finish, which is an impressive leap, given where things were when he took the job. Furthermore, momentum for Hokie wrestling has never been stronger, as they finished fourth in the NCAA tournament this past season and won the ACC regular season title. This recruiting group is yet again excellent with three top 100 recruits coming into the fold, along with some solid in-state wrestlers as well. 14. Lock Haven Top 100 recruit: No. 46 Tyshawn White (Central Dauphin, Pa.) Impact transfers: Chance Marsteller (Oklahoma State/Kennard Dale, Pa.), Thomas Haines (Ohio State/Solanco, Pa.), and Patrick Duggan (West Virginia/Cumberland Valley, Pa.) Other ranked recruits: Tyson Klump (Nazareth, Pa.) and Jonathan Ross (Northern York, Pa.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state placer Colin Glorioso (Huntingdon, Pa.) and two-time state placer Trey Hartsock (Mifflin County, Pa.) Commentary: In three seasons at Lock Haven, head coach Scott Moore has helped to stabilize the program and provide growth. The recruiting haul -- both in terms of high school graduates and college transfers -- is one that can help buoy the Bald Eagles back towards their glory years of the past. Four-time state medalist White is the type of wrestler that Lock Haven had not been getting for many years, which is a positive reflection on Moore's work. Marsteller and Haines were top 10 overall prospects in the 2014 class; should they show that type of potential, it would be a huge coup, though transfers are always a crap shoot in terms of resultant performance. Each has three years of eligibility remaining. 15. Virginia Top 100 recruits: No. 22 George Phillippi (Derry Area, Pa.) and No. 25 Jack Mueller (Trinity Christian Academy, Texas) Other ranked recruits: Louie Hayes (Carl Sandburg, Ill.) and Jay Aiello (Westfield, Va.) Additional notable recruits: Four-time state champion Michael Murphy (Baylor School, Tenn.), three-time state placer Jake Shaffer (Greater Latrobe, Pa.) and state champion Edwin Rubio (John Glenn, N.Y.) Commentary: Steve Garland and staff followed up last year's fifth-ranked recruiting class with yet another solid recruiting group, one that is ranked nationally for a fourth straight year. Elite lowerweights Phillippi and Mueller anchor this class, while Aiello and Rubio provide potential talent in the upper two weight classes. 16. Wisconsin Top 100 recruits: No. 37 Zander Wick (San Marino, Calif.), No. 39 Evan Wick (San Marino, Calif.) and No. 100 Jacob Covaciu (Merrillville, Ind.) Additional notable recruit: State champion Brady Wetter (Dodgeville, Wis.) Commentary: Out of state recruiting again had to be key for the Badgers, as they failed to get commitments from either of the pair of top 50 (and 100) recruits in this class from the state of Wisconsin. A pair of talented twins from California are excellent prospects in the middle-weights; with two-time state champion and Junior National freestyle All-American Covaciu, also a middleweight prospect. 17. Oklahoma State Top 100 recruits: No. 47 Keegan Moore (Jackson County Central, Minn.), No. 57 Ethan Andersen (Southeast Polk, Iowa) and No. 59 Wyatt Sheets (Stilwell, Okla.) Commentary: The Cowboys' recruiting continues to be excellent. The previous two years saw a combined eleven top 100 recruits come into the fold, and with class ranked second overall. While this group is ranked lower, it's due more to a lower quantity than it is the lack of quality. All three commits are highly talented and accomplished; Moore and Andersen represent out-of-state upperweights with strong potential, while Sheets is an excellent in-state middleweight with strong genetic stock (father was multiple-time NCAA champ). 18. Illinois Top 100 recruits: No. 38 Dylan Duncan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), No. 49 Mike Carr (South Fayette, Pa.) and No. 77 Travis Piotrowski (Prairie Ridge, Ill.) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state third Jacob Silzer (St. Rita, Ill.) and three-time state placer Dylan Thurston (Washington, Ill.) Commentary: Another year, yet again the Fighting Illini bring in multiple top 100 recruits to Champaign-Urbana. Head coach Jim Heffernan has again found solid in-state talent in two-time state champion Duncan and state champion Piotrowski. However, a concern does remain in that eight of the ten top 100 recruits from Illinois are not ending up at the state's flagship institution; this follows last year when the Illini only landed two of the nine top 100 recruits from their own state. In terms of this class, the lower half of the lineup is the clear focus. 19. Pittsburgh Top 100 recruits: No. 33 Jake Wentzel (South Park, Pa.), No. 67 Austin Bell (Belle Vernon, Pa.) and No. 82 Christian Dietrich (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) Commentary: Given the geographic footprint that the Panthers operate within, strong recruiting classes should be a consistent pattern. However, that is not the case, as only the Panthers' third-ranked group from 2013 was ranked in the top 25 from the previous seven years. Wentzel and Bell come from right around Pittsburgh, and are extremely accomplished wrestlers. Wentzel is a two-time state champ and four-time state placer, while Bell placed third twice at the state tournament; both wrestlers placed third at the Super 32 Challenge in 2014, and each has also placed at the FloNationals. This pair addresses middleweight needs, while Dietrich is a talented upperweight. 20. Central Michigan Top 100 recruits: No. 16 Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio) and No. 56 Landon Pelham (Tecumseh, Mich.) Other ranked recruits: Drew Hildebrandt (Penn, Ind.) and Dresden Simon (Dansville, Mich.) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state champions Reiley Brown (Whitehall, Mich.) and Blake Montrie (Bedford, Mich.) Commentary: The five years after the Chippewas' No. 2 recruiting class in 2011 have been a mixed bag to say the least. 2015 saw a 12-year run for Central Michigan earning an All-American at the NCAA tournament come to an end. However, Justin Oliver's seventh-place finish this March is the potential start to a new streak for the Chippewas. Four of the six core recruits are two-time state champions, while Pelham and Hildebrandt each have a state title in their own right. A plethora of weight classes are covered with this group; however, an unfortunate note is that the two best recruits of the group are probably both projected heavyweights. 21. Princeton Top 100 recruits: No. 61 Ty Agaisse (Delbarton, N.J.), No. 64 Christian Araneo (Ward Melville, N.Y.) and No. 93 Riley DeMoss (Marmion Academy, Ill.) Other ranked recruit: Kevin Parker (Shenendehowa, N.Y.) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state champion Matteo DeVincenzo (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) and National Prep runner-up Leonard Merkin (Poly Prep, N.Y.) Commentary: Yet another nationally ranked recruiting haul for Chris Ayres and the Tigers, who are building positive momentum. They are recruiting their region very well, with Agaisse coming from the Garden State, and four others coming from right across the Hudson River in New York. Agaisse and DeVincenzo are lowerweights; Merkin is a middleweight; while DeMoss, Parker, and Araneo fit in the back third of the lineup. 22. Northern Iowa Top 100 recruits: No. 24 Rudy Yates (Carl Sandburg, Ill.) and No. 58 Carter Isley (Albia, Iowa) Additional newcomer: Tyler Hoffman (Iowa Central/East Buchanan, Iowa) Commentary: The last two seasons have been setbacks for the Panthers following the banner 2014 season, in which they went undefeated in dual meets and saw three wrestlers earn All-American finishes. However, the positive culture is still there. The No. 4 ranked recruiting class from 2015 is likely to start making an even stronger impact, though Bryce Steiert already qualified for the NCAA tournament this year as a true freshmen. Three very strong assets come into the Northern Iowa program from this class: elite lowerweight Yates; elite heavyweight Isley; and 2015 NJCAA champion Hoffman, a projected 184. 23. Drexel Top 100 recruit: No. 41 Josh Hokit (Clovis, Calif.) Impact transfer: Garrett Hammond (Penn State/Chambersburg, Pa.) Additional notable recruits: State placer Devan Turner (Dixon, Calif.), four-time state placer Julian Flores (San Marino, Calif.) and three-time state placer Justin Demicco (Brecksville, Ohio) Commentary: The California ties of head coach Matt Azevedo helped the Dragons procure much of the core talent in this year's recruiting class, most notably state champion Hokit and 2015 state champion Flores. If Flores shows the form of 2014-15, he is a clear top 50 to 100 wrestler in this graduating class, which would be very good news for Drexel. The transfer Hammond has two years of eligibility remaining, and is a probable top 15-20 wrestler at either 157 pounds or 165 pounds immediately. 24. Utah Valley Top 100 recruits: No. 23 Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) and No. 87 Durbin Lloren (Buchanan, Calif.) Additional notable recruits: Three-time state champion Tanner Cox (Maple Mountain, Utah), two-time state champion Koy Wilkinson (Pleasant Grove, Utah) and three-time state champion Gary Jantzer (Marshfield, Ore.) Commentary: Considering the geography and limited resources facing the Wolverines, it's been a relatively positive seven-year run as a postseason eligible Division I program. Jade Rauser earned the second All-American honor in program history this past March. In addition, this is another solid year in recruiting with a pair of top 100 commits, along with three additional wrestlers from the western third of the country with many credentials. LaMont has been one of the best age group wrestlers throughout his career, and thrived in all the major events, while Lloren was a four-time state placer in California with the 2015 state title. 25. Michigan State Top 100 recruit: No. 32 Drew Hughes (Lowell, Ind.) Other ranked recruit: Shane Tucker (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) Additional notable recruits: Two-time state champion Lucas Hall (Lowell, Mich.), three-time state finalist Matt Santos (Swan Valley, Mich.), state champion Austin Hiles (Brecksville, Ohio), two-time state runner-up Nick May (Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, Mich.) and state runner-up Christian Rebottaro (Monta Vista Christian, Calif.) Commentary: The transition from Tom Minkel to Roger Chandler as head coach is upon us. Enough words have been written about the struggles of Spartans wrestling under Minkel. The first recruiting class for Chandler's program is one that offers solid roster depth/talent across the weight classes, something that is of genuine need. There is also a potential program lynchpin in Hughes (two-time state champion, two-time fourth place at the Super 32 Challenge). Hall and Santos help the lower weights, Hiles and Tucker help the middle-weights along with Hughes, while May and Rebottaro help the top two weights. Honorable Mention (alphabetical): Indiana, Missouri, Northwestern and West Virginia

Chance Marsteller battles Edwin Cooper at Grapple on the Gridiron (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)One of Pennsylvania's most dominant high school wrestlers ever is leaving Oklahoma State and returning to the Keystone State. Chance Marsteller announced Tuesday on Twitter that he would be attending Lock Haven to wrestle for Scott Moore. Marsteller becomes the second four-time Pennsylvania state champion to transfer to Lock Haven, joining Thomas Haines. Marsteller posted 6-5 record this past season as a redshirt freshman at 157 pounds. He compiled a 14-4 record during his redshirt campaign in 2014-15. A graduate of Kennard-Dale High School, Marsteller amassed a perfect high school record of 166-0 on his way to winning four state championships. In 2014, he received the National Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award presented by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and also earned a Junior Hodge Trophy. Marsteller was the nation's No. 2 recruit in 2014 behind only Kyle Snyder.

The long-awaited return of intercollegiate wrestling to Fresno State came one step closer as the California school announced the hiring of Troy Steiner - former Iowa Hawkeye wrestling great and a decade-long member of the Oregon State coaching staff -- as head coach of the reinstated mat program, the Fresno Bee reported Tuesday. Troy Steiner coaching at the Pac-12 Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Troy Steiner has been associate head coach at Oregon State since 2006. Prior to joining the Beavers coaching staff, Steiner had worked as an assistant coach at three Big Ten schools: University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin, and his college alma mater, University of Iowa. Over the course of his coaching career, Troy helped coach 22 NCAA Division I All-Americans, 10 Big Ten champions, and 6 NCAA Division I champs, according to his biography at the SteinerWrestling.com website. Prior to becoming a collegiate coach, Steiner wrestled for the Iowa Hawkeyes and head coach Dan Gable from 1990-93, where he was a four-time NCAA All-American, winning an NCAA championship in 1992. The native of Bismarck, North Dakota won three Big Ten titles at Iowa, compiling a 148-13 career record at 134 and 142 pounds. While at Iowa, Troy and his twin brother, Terry, were part of three national and four Big Ten championship teams. In post-collegiate competition, Steiner was a nine-time U.S. national team member, winning the 1992 World Cup and 1996 Pan-American Games titles. He placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1992 and 1996 and fifth in 2000. Steiner was inducted into the North Dakota Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in 2013. He received his bachelor's in social work from Iowa in 1993 and his master's in kinesiology with a sports management emphasis from Minnesota in 1998. The wrestling program at Fresno State was first established in 1962. It was eliminated in 2006. In the decade since the Bulldog wrestling program was axed, there has been a concerted effort to bring the sport back to the school within the wrestling community in California and beyond. The idea of reinstating the California State University, Fresno mat program gained extra traction in November 2013, when school president Joseph Castro said in a speech to mark his first 100 days in office, "I think there is a compelling case that's being made for wrestling, and I want to make sure that information is all part of the review and the discussions." Fresno State made it official on March 1, 2016 -- it would be adding men's wrestling and women's water polo to its roster of intercollegiate sports, effective in the 2016-17 season. The school had posted the head coaching position in March, stating at the time it hoped to have a person in place within three months.

LOS ANGELES -- The group pairings for the 2016 Men's Freestyle World Cup in Los Angeles, Calif. were released by United World Wrestling on Tuesday. The 2016 Men's Freestyle Wrestling World Cup will be held at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., June 11-12. The United States is slated to face Iran, Azerbaijan and India in Group B competition. Iran was second in the 2015 World Championships and is the defending World Cup champion. The United States was seventh at the 2015 World Championships and second in the 2015 World Cup. Azerbaijan was fifth at the 2015 World Championships and third at the 2015 World Cup. India was 10th at the 2015 World Championships. Russia headlines a tough Group A pool that also includes Georgia, Turkey and Mongolia. Russia was the champion at the 2015 World Championships and was fourth at the 2015 World Cup. Georgia was third at the 2015 World Championships. Mongolia was fourth at the 2015 World Championships and fifth at the 2015 World Cup. Turkey was sixth at the 2015 World Championships and eighth at the 2015 World Cup. At the conclusion of group competition countries will cross bracket and compete in one additional dual to determine final placements. The top eight teams from last year's World Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. qualified for this year's World Cup. India was invited after Bulgaria, which was eighth at the 2015 World Championships, could not attend. The full U.S. lineup for the World Cup will be announced shortly, as will lineups for the other seven teams coming to compete. Los Angeles star Aaron Pico has confirmed that he will be one of the American athletes competing in the World Cup. This is the last chance for fans to see these world-class athletes in action one more time before the Summer Olympics. Attendees can purchase tickets for the popular international competition through Ticketmaster. The local organizing committee benefits from the talent and membership of Beat the Streets Los Angeles, California USA Wrestling, the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club and other premiere Los Angeles-based sports organizations. 2015 Men's Freestyle World Cup Draws Group A Russia Georgia Turkey Mongolia Group B Iran United States Azerbaijan India 2015 Men's Freestyle World Cup Results 1. Iran 2. United States 3. Azerbaijan 4. Russia 5. Belarus 6. Mongolia 7. Cuba 8. Turkey 2015 World Championships Results 1. Russia -- 61 pts 2. Iran -- 48 pts 3. Georgia -- 44 pts 4. Mongolia -- 41 pts 5. Azerbaijan -- 39 pts 6. Turkey -- 33 pts 7. United States -- 29 pts 8. Bulgaria -- 23 pts 9. Ukraine -- 20 pts 10. India -- 14 pts

NEW YORK -- Beat the Streets is pleased to announce that it will be presenting its 2016 Man of the Year award to champion international wrestler Kyle Snyder and its Lifetime Achievement Award to former NFL star Ray Lewis at its annual Gala celebration in Times Square on Thursday, May 19. Kyle Snyder battles Jake Varner in the finals of the Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Kyle Snyder became the youngest American to win a Senior World title when he captured the 97 kg gold medal at the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas at age 19. Snyder came out of Olympic redshirt and won the 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Madison Square Garden as a sophomore for Ohio State, defeating two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski of NC State in a classic heavyweight finals. In April, Snyder defeated 2012 Olympic champion Jake Varner in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials to earn a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team at the age of 20. In 2014, Snyder was selected to represent Team USA as the youngest-ever member of the Beat the Streets All-Star team. Ray Lewis is the former linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, two-time Super Bowl Champion, and 2000's Super Bowl MVP. He was an All-American linebacker and a wrestling star at Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Florida. He has received numerous awards and honors throughout his 17-year career with the Ravens, becoming the team's all-time career leader in tackles. Lewis will be the Honorary Coach of the USA team at United in the Square. Beat the Streets will also be awarding a number of New York City wrestlers and coaches in recognition of their achievements in the past year: Junior League Girls Wrestler of the Year: Chloe Cabrera, MS 129, Bronx Cabrera is a three-year middle-school wrestler who has stood out every season. Her accomplishments include her three times as Junior League Champion and being a member of the National Junior Honor Society for the past two years. She attends clinics at Beat the Streets and travels in the spring with Head Girls Coach Jacque Davis to out-of-state tournaments. As one of her supporters puts it, "she is always trying to better herself as a wrestler and has a bright future." Junior League Boys Wrestler of the Year: Jayden Cardenas, MS 582, Brooklyn Cardenas is from MS 582 Upper Ten Eyck and has been wrestling for five years. He was the NYC City Champion and USA Wrestling Kids State Champion this year. Cardenas credits his family, coach, and supporters with giving him the drive to stay committed to the sport. He aspires to compete on his high school team and eventually wrestle in the Olympics, winning many more gold medals. Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Dennielle Phillip, Wingate Educational Campus, Brooklyn Phillip has been wrestling for almost three years and already made quite an impact. She placed first at the Mohawk Valley tournament and also won the coveted PSAL Yankee Award. Phillip says that wrestling has opened many doors for her and helped her to become a more confident person. She plans to continue wrestling in college and pursue her studies in criminal justice. Male Student-Athlete of the Year: Evan McFarland, Tottenville High School, Staten Island McFarland is an Eagle Scout and captain of his wrestling team at Tottenville High School. He is a member of the National Honors Society and involved in numerous volunteering activities, including Habitat for Humanity and the March of Dimes walk. "'Resilient' might be the best word to describe Evan," said his Coach, John Cichon. "Leadership, character, dedication, and time management are some of Evan's best qualities that he shares unknowingly with everyone he comes in contact with." He hopes to become an engineer to best make a positive change in the world. GRIT Award: Rachel Koltsov, The Bronx High School of Science Koltsov is the captain of the Bronx Science Blended and female wrestling team and has been a member of the team for four years - dating back to when it was an all-boys team. She was instrumental in the team's victory at the PSAL Blended Wrestling Championship. From her three years wrestling, she finds that the sport has helped teach her a great deal of discipline and responsibility. Koltsov is known for being a hard worker and having an outstanding, personable character. She plans to continue wrestling in college while pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering. LADY LIBERTY Award: Aileen Gonzalez, Brooklyn Technical High School As a NYC high school boys coach said of this Brooklyn Tech veteran, "I'm glad my boys do not have to wrestle her next year." Gonzalez won the Girls City Championship and placed fourth in Boys City Championship. Gonzalez likes to be pushed to the limit and aspires - after winning the team city championships -- to attend and graduate college. The Lady Liberty Award is specifically given to a senior NYC female wrestler who has stood as a beacon of opportunity and promise, representing all that is strong and proud about the city's women's wrestling culture. ATLAS Award and Become Your Own Dream Scholarship: Leonard Merkin, Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn Merkin has made his mark at Poly Prep Country Day School by becoming a four-time NYS Private School Champion. The Atlas Award is given to a senior NYC wrestler who has picked up wrestling on his back and carried it into new territory, set new standards, and advanced the legacy of Beat the Streets. He has received All-American honors and will soon be wrestling for Princeton. Merkin is also the winner of the Become Your Own Dream Scholarship, which is given annually to a New York City student-athlete who has overcome obstacles, felt hardship, and plans to continue wrestling in college. Junior League Coach of the Year: Michael Wurmbrand, MS 582, Brooklyn Wurmbrand is the head coach of MS 582 Upper Ten Eyck and has been involved in the sport for ten years. He's committed to wrestling because it shows clear transformations in students' behavior, attitude, and leadership with their teammates and in the classroom. Wurmbrand has done a good job maintaining a sizable team at a small school and looks forward to future changes now that he's able to start training younger student-athletes in elementary school. High School Assistant Coach of the Year: Anthony Mirra, Tottenville High School, Staten Island Mirra has been actively involved in Tottenville's wrestling program since he was a student-athlete himself. He admits the sport for helping to make kids tougher mentally, emotionally and physically. As the lightweight coach, Mirra has helped to produce at least one Mayor's Cup champion and at least one city champion every year. This past season, he saw six individuals crowned at the city championships and represent Tottenville at the state tournament in Albany, which has never been done by a large school's team before. As one supporter said of Mirra, "his dedication does not end when practice ends...he is the coach that wrestlers confide in when they are struggling." Girls High School Coach of the Year: Theodore Cook, Harry S. Truman High School, Bronx A veteran of wrestling with over twenty years of experience, Cook has inspired a number of students with his coaching abilities. He's widely respected for pushing his girls on the team that he started out of their comfort zones and daring them to try their hardest. "He is not afraid to go above and beyond to make sure his team reaches their full potential," said one student. Another writes: "I can honestly said Coach Cook is probably the most trustworthy and reliable person I know." Several of his supporters praise him as a father figure who helps lift everyone's spirits and inspires the girls with life lessons. Boys High School Coach of the Year: Peter Cardone, William Cullen Bryant High School, Queens Coach Cardone has made the most of having a dedicated wrestling room at WC Bryant High School and turned a program on the brink into city champions. Cardone's leadership, with the help of coaches Joe Goetz and Joseph Weinstein, grew his team from fifteen wrestlers to fifty-five. Cardone has overseen numerous accomplishments during his time with the school, including the NYC Freshman and Sophomore Title and becoming undefeated Region 4 Division Champions. "He has changed the lives of many wrestlers in the school by being with them through both good and hard times as a friend and a coach." Volunteer of the Year: David Prado Prado has been involved in wrestling since he was in elementary school and attended Arizona State on an athletic scholarship. He is committed to the sport because it has given him so much success and opportunity throughout his life that he seeks to "pay it forward" to other kids whenever possible. He shows tireless dedication to the cause of Beat the Streets, volunteering at practices several days a week. The Beat the Streets gala is an annual fundraiser that raises money to support New York City student-athletes, having previously been hosted in such iconic locations as Times Square and Grand Central Terminal. The gala helps provide wrestling equipment and opportunities to 3,000 kids across the five boroughs every year. This year's celebration, "United in the Square," will see some of America's top wrestlers, including Jordan Burroughs and Adeline Gray, going up against world-class competition from Iran, Canada, and South Korea. The gala begins at 3:45 PM on Thursday, May 19 with exhibition matches featuring young wrestlers from NYC before the world class wrestling matches begin at 6:00 PM. Tickets for seating in Times Square and attendance at the post-match reception are available on the Beat the Streets website. The event will be streaming live on FloWrestling.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Harvard regained the top spot in the annual Division I All-Academic Team and Individuals release on Monday by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. The Crimson sported an overall team grade-point average of 3.4122 and earned top honors for the third time in the last four years. Last year, coach Jay Weiss' squad was second. Awarded annually, the NWCA All-Academic team is comprised of 116 student-athletes. For the second year in a row, half of the Division I champions made the team, while two additional runner-ups were included. In all, 36 All-Americans were All-Academic selections, which is up from last year's 28. Of the 116, 101 of the student-athletes qualified for the NCAA Division I championships, up from 96 in 2014-15 and an increase of 24 since 2013-14. Link: 2016 NWCA Division I All-Academic Individuals Link: 2016 NWCA Division I All-Academic Top 30 teams Penn State, which led all teams with six individual selections, had NCAA Division I champions Nico Megaludis (125 pounds) and Zain Retherford (149 pounds) represented, while other champions included Dean Heil of Oklahoma State (141 pounds), Gabe Dean of Cornell (184 pounds) and Kyle Snyder of Ohio State (285 pounds). Sacred Heart checked in second, the highest in school history. The Pioneers, the only Catholic Division I school with wrestling and the only Division I program in the state of Connecticut, earned a 3.3845 GPA followed by Brown (3.36), Duke (3.3481) and Kent State (3.3254). "One of the rigors of Division I athletics and wrestling specifically are the physical and mental demands," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "It's a testament to our sport that we have academically excelled in a variety of different educational environments. We know how tough the Ivy League schools are and the service academies and research universities all around the country, but to see our wrestling student-athletes thrive in those situations continues to show the value of our sport and the determination these young men have." "The job Jay Weiss has done at Harvard, with three out of the last four years being the top academic team, it's outstanding. Harvard's reputation surely lends itself to fine academics, some of the best in the world, but Coach Weiss' teams have been consistently at the top for nearly a decade," said Moyer. Harvard had three individuals selected as All-Academic - Devon Gobbo, Jeffrey Ott and Josef Johnson. The EIWA dominated the overall Top 30, with 12 of its 16 member schools included. The Southern Conference had four teams in the Top 30, which comprised the second-most from any one conference. Penn, American, Gardner-Webb, Penn State and Eastern Michigan rounded out the top 10. Harvard, Brown, Duke American, Gardner-Webb and Eastern Michigan all were in the top 10 for the second straight season. The team GPA was determined using a system that includes 12 student-athletes from each program. A total of 10 of these came from the wrestlers that were entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. Individually, in addition to Penn State's two NCAA individual champions, the NCAA Division I team champions added Jordan Conaway, Jason Nolf, Geno Morelli and Matt McCutcheon. "Coach Cael Sanderson has done a remarkable job in not just recruiting fine wrestlers, but recruiting outstanding student-athletes," said Moyer. "It's something we as a sport can point to when we see our championship programs not just bringing home hardware on the wrestling mat, but doing it in the classroom as well." Oklahoma State had the second-most individuals selected with five as Cowboys Gary Wayne Harding, Anthony Collica, Nolan Boyd and Preston Weigel joined Heil on the All-Academic Team. Fifty-two different schools had at least one athlete selected while 37 programs had multiple selections. American, Lehigh, Ohio State, South Dakota State and Stanford each had four wrestlers represented. North Dakota State's Clayton Ream, this year's Elite 90 winner from the NCAA, was one of two Bison wrestlers selected as All-Academic. He was joined by teammate Hayden Zillmer. "The NWCA All-Academic Team and Individual Team is one of the best acknowledgements that we can give to our coaches and athletes at the end of a physically grueling season" said Moyer. "The NWCA Board of Directors and staff look forward to watching these student-athletes continue their success at the collegiate level and eventually as the leaders of the future once they earn their college degrees."

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Longstanding New Jersey wrestling rivals Rutgers and Princeton will add a new chapter to their history at the first ever "Battle at the Birthplace" on Saturday, Nov. 19 inside High Point Solutions Stadium, announced Monday by Rutgers Athletics. The historic dual-meet event will occur at 11 a.m. prior to Rutgers football versus Penn State in the evening, as the Scarlet Knights look to shatter their total attendance of 17,464 from the 2015-16 season in a single match. High Point Solutions Stadium"We look forward to providing our fans, students and alumni a very special and unique double header on November 19th," said Director of Athletics Patrick Hobbs. "Wrestling in the afternoon in front of what we hope will be a record crowd, combined with prime time Rutgers football that night. What could be better that that." "I'm really excited that the 'Battle at the Birthplace' will take place. We will always try to push the envelope and create an atmosphere that is special. This event provides not only Rutgers fans but the great fans of New Jersey an opportunity to see two programs with some talented wrestlers compete," said head coach Scott Goodale. "For this to work, we will need the support of the whole state, the coaches on all levels, and the Rutgers and Princeton alumni to really jump on board. Both Chris Ayres and I see this is as a great opportunity to show off our programs on a national stage and that has the both of us excited." The individual ticket price for the event is $10 for adults and $8 for children. Group tickets will be available for $6 apiece for parties of 20 or more. Tickets for the "Battle at the Birthplace" will go on sale at a later date; however, with a $50 deposit for 2016-17 wrestling season tickets, fans will secure a seat in the first few rows for the first outdoor dual meet in Rutgers wrestling history. 2015-16 wrestling season ticket renewals will have the ability to place a deposit starting Wednesday, May 11. Beginning Wednesday, May 18 deposits will be open to the general public. If the deposit is placed and season tickets are not purchased, the $50 credit can be used toward individual match tickets in another location. Space is limited, and deposits are nonrefundable. To make a deposit, call the ticket office at 1-866-445-GORU (4678) or visit ScarletKnights.com. Please note, tickets to Rutgers football vs. Penn State will not grant admission to the wrestling match. For those attending the wrestling match without a football parking pass, parking will be available at the Rutgers Athletic Center lots (Orange) and shuttles will provide transportation to and from High Point Solutions Stadium. Football season ticket holders can use their already purchased football parking passes in the surrounding lots outside the stadium. For more information on football gameday parking, click here. Click on the following links for High Point Solutions Stadium facility policies and bag policies. In the event of inclement weather, the first 8,000 tickets purchased will be guaranteed a seat at the match's alternate location inside the Rutgers Athletic Center. The final determination on location, dependent on weather, will come in the days leading up to the match. Rutgers University, chartered in 1766 as Queens College, celebrates its 250th Anniversary in 2016. The Rutgers and Princeton wrestling programs have met 79 times since 1931, with the Scarlet Knights winning 20 consecutive matches in the rivalry. All-time, RU holds the slight edge over the Tigers, 41-33-5. The rich athletic tradition between the two schools extends to the gridiron, with Rutgers and Princeton meeting in the first ever collegiate football game on Nov. 6, 1869 on the current site of the College Ave. Gym, dubbing Rutgers "The Birthplace of College Football." "Being from New Jersey, I am so grateful to be a part of this event," said Princeton head wrestling coach Chris Ayres. "This is not really about Rutgers or Princeton; this is about New Jersey wrestling and about our fans. I am excited for our fans to show that New Jersey has among the strongest, if not the strongest, wrestling following in the country. I can't see a reason why we can't break the record for the most fans at a wrestling event in New Jersey, and we will be prepared to put on a show. It only seems fitting that we do an event this monumental at the birthplace of college football, with the two teams that got it all started." Rutgers' 2016-17 slate of Big Ten opponents will be released later this week. Check back into ScarletKnights.com for more information about upcoming B1G matches at the RAC. The Scarlet Knights (16-5) ended last season ranked No. 10 in the USA Today/NWCA Division I Coaches Poll after topping No. 7 Lehigh, 18-15, in the 2016 NWCA National Duals Championship Series at the RAC. All 10 Scarlet Knights qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history. Once there, RU finished with two All-Americans and placed 15th overall with 30 points - the best team finish ever. Nine NCAA Championships qualifiers return to the lineup next season. "Battle at the Birthplace" Rutgers Wrestling vs. Princeton DATE: Nov. 19, 2016 TIME: 11 a.m. LOCATION: High Point Solutions Stadium TICKETS: $10 adults, $8 children, $6 groups (20+) PURCHASE: 1-866-445-GORU (4678) | ScarletKnights.com *with a 2016-17 wrestling season ticket deposit of $50, fans will guarantee a seat in the first few rows for the match* Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling) and Instagram (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.

The U.S. will be sending its smallest number of wrestlers to the Olympics in over six decades, having failed to qualify wrestlers in a total of five classes for the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August, NBC reported Saturday. U.S. Olympic Team Trials champions pose for a photo (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)According to NBC -- the official broadcast network for the 2016 Rio Games -- the U.S. had qualified 13 of 18 classes across men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman competition as of Saturday. The one hope for an additional weight class -- 65 kilograms/143 pounds freestyle -- fell by the wayside as Frank Molinaro lost in the quarterfinals at the final Olympic qualifying tournament held in Istanbul, Turkey Sunday, eventually placing third and earning a bronze medal. (Had the former Penn State mat champ made it to the finals, he would have qualified his weight for this summer's Olympics.) The U.S. has not sent fewer than 16 wrestlers to the Olympics since 1952, when it didn't send a Greco-Roman team to the Helsinki Games. In the past 64 years, the U.S. had never failed to qualify more than two classes at one Olympics. In its article, NBC did not point out some aspects which provide some additional historical perspective. From the 1948 London Olympics through the Mexico City Olympics in 1968, the Games had 16 weight classes, evenly divided with eight weights each in men's freestyle and men's Greco-Roman. In 1972, opportunities for wrestlers opened up, as there were ten weight classes each for free and Greco, for a total of 20 weight classes, all for men. This age of greater opportunity ended with the 2000 Sydney Games, which reverted back to the eight-and-eight structure prior to the '72 Munich Olympics. In 2004, the Athens Olympics welcomed women's freestyle wrestling for the first time… and a new weight class structure: seven weights for men's freestyle, six for Greco, and four for women's freestyle. This structure endured through the 2012 London Games. In February 2013, the Executive Committee of the International Olympic Committee eliminated all wrestling from the Olympics, effective in 2020. This decision was reversed by the entire IOC in August 2013. United World Wrestling -- the Olympic governing body for wrestling -- then implemented a new weight class structure consisting of 18 weight classes, six each in men's and women's freestyle, and men's Greco-Roman, for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Frank Molinaro fell short in his bid for a spot in the Olympic Games on Sunday. Frank Molinaro (Photo/Mark Lundy)Competing in the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifier at 65 kilos, Molinaro reached the quarterfinals before losing 5-2 to former Cal Poly wrestler Boris Novachkov, who wrestles for Bulgaria. He came back to win two more matches and claim a bronze medal. Only the top two wrestlers in each weight class qualify for the Olympic Games. It was the final Olympic qualifying event. The 27-year-old Molinaro opened with a 3-2 victory over 2013 World champion David Safaryan of Armenia. In his second match he came from behind to defeat 2015 Junior World silver medalist Yuhi Fujinami of Japan 7-6. After losing to Novachkov, Molinaro defeated Dauren Zhumagazyyev of Kazakhstan 4-1 to advance to the bronze-medal match. He then topped Azamat Nurykau of Belarus 5-2 to secure the bronze medal. Molinaro is the lone U.S. Olympic Team Trials champion in men's freestyle to fail to qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On Saturday, U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers Kelsey Campbell (58 kilos) and Tamyra Mensah (69 kilos) fell short of qualifying for the Olympic Games. U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler Jesse Thielke (59 kilos) earned his spot in the Olympic Games on Friday by earning a silver medal, while RaVaughn Perkins (66 kilos) and Joe Rau (98 kilos) failed to qualify. The U.S. qualified 13 of the 18 weight classes for the Olympic Games.

Steve Powell, long-time wrestling coach at Easton High School in Pennsylvania, announced his retirement at the program's annual awards banquet Friday night. Steve PowellAs a coach at Easton for 40 years -- 32 of those as head coach of one of the legacy programs in the Lehigh Valley -- Powell had coached 19 state champs, which tied him for No. 3 all-time in Pennsylvania. Powell guided the Rovers to 534 dual-meet wins, making him the winningest coach in District 11 history. His teams won 13 league championships and nine District 11 tournament titles... and, at the state level, since Powell took the helm in 1985, the Easton program won four PIAA state team championships and four state dual-meet titles. In revealing his plans to step down in an email, coach Powell wrote, "Bottom line, I am old…40 years of coaching at Easton, 32 as head coach, have been awesome. The Journey Truly is the Reward." Powell, a 1972 graduate of West Chester Henderson, arrived at Easton upon graduating from West Chester University in 1976, building a successful, enduring career in one place. "I got the job teaching and I never went on another interview," Powell said. "The community support for wrestling in Easton has always been huge. One thing that makes the Easton fans so special is their passion and knowledge of the sport. A huge 'thank you' to the parents and the fans and especially the wrestlers. The support I have received from the community here exceeded all my expectations." When asked about his four decades of coaching at one high school, Powell replied, "(I have) no regrets. I couldn't have had better people to work with. The other high school coaches were awesome to work with. And this community -- when kids are born at Easton Hospital and it's a boy, he's a wrestler. It's expected, with all the community support there is for wrestling. The people here have been amazing." Powell was widely hailed for focusing his instruction on technique. "My job as a coach is, ideally, to have my wrestlers coach themselves," Powell said. "You give them ideas, they know the routine and they believe in it." As Brad Wilson wrote in his tribute to coach Powell for LehighValleyLive.com, "Powell makes his wrestlers students of the sport, not automatons just carrying out rote moves. This may help explain why Easton always seems to be improving: season to season, month to month, week to week. Some teams' wrestlers hit a plateau of achievement and stay there; Powell's keeping marching up the ladder of success."

Three-time state champion Danny Vega (Ironwood Ridge, Ariz.) committed to Iowa State on Saturday afternoon. The nation's No. 76 ranked Class of 2016 prospect was on the open market after Grand Canyon dropped its wrestling program about two months ago. Vega was victorious in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic in late March and won his second consecutive Junior National folkstyle title the next week. This past summer Vega placed sixth in both styles at the Junior Nationals in Fargo after winning titles in both styles during the 2014 summer. He projects to compete at 125 pounds in college, and joins No. 14 Samuel Colbray (Hermiston, Ore.), No. 43 Gannon Gremmel (Dubuque Hempstead, Iowa), No. 45 Kanen Storr (Leslie, Mich.), and No. 72 Ian Parker (St. Johns, Mich.) as part of the Cyclones 2016 recruiting haul.

A GoFundMe.com webpage has been established for Jon Llewellyn, 1991 NCAA heavyweight champ for the University of Illinois, and his family, as the former Illini wrestler battles with early-onset dementia. Jon Llewellyn with wife KaraAs of Friday afternoon -- less than 24 hours after the GoFundMe.com page was set up -- approximately $12,000 of the $24,000 goal had been raised for the Llewellyn family. Llewellyn, 47, has been diagnosed with Frontal Temporal Lobe Dementia, which is characterized by rapid progressive brain atrophy. According to the Llewellyn GoFundMe.com page, "FTD causes dramatic changes in personality, continual decline in behavior and/or language; becoming socially inappropriate, impulsive, and emotionally indifferent (with memory usually relatively preserved). As the disease progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult for people to plan or organize activities, interact with others, and care for oneself. There is no known cure for FTD and doctors can only focus on easing the symptoms. The disease inevitably gets worse and eventually patients require 24-hour care. Caregivers need assistance from family members, friends, community, and support groups." Originally from Illinois, Jon Llewellyn has a family now living in suburban Toledo: wife Kara, and four children -- Killian (24), pursuing a medical degree; Kaitlin (22), enrolled in a Physician's Assistant program; Kadin (19), currently enrolled at Ohio State, and Kimber (17), a Perrysburg High School senior who will be attending Ohio State this fall. The GoFundMe.com page, created Thursday, describes the situation now faced by Jon Llewellyn and his family. "After supporting his family for years, Jon has lost his job and is now unable to work," according to the fundraising website. "He has also had to surrender his driver's license and is increasingly reliant on Kara and others for support. Although Kara has always worked, while raising their children, her employment has been part-time. Jon has applied for social security disability benefits but because he is so young, he's not likely to receive approval anytime soon. Jon is unable to work and his condition is worsening. Kara is seeking full-time employment. The entire family is in desperate need of your prayers and any assistance you can provide." Jon Llewellyn was a one-time Illinois state championships qualifier at Hinsdale Central High School outside Chicago. He then headed south to Champaign-Urbana, where he wrestled for the University of Illinois while earning a Master's degree in Civil/Structural Engineering. He became the program's first three-time NCAA All-American, placing third at 275 pounds in 1989 (losing to eventual champ Carlton Haselrig of Pitt-Johnstown in the semifinals) and 1990 (falling to David Jones of CSU-Fullerton in the quarterfinals). In 1991, Llewellyn won the heavyweight title by defeating defending champ (and future Olympic gold medalist and pro wrestler) Kurt Angle of Clarion, 6-3, in the finals. That made Llewellyn the first Fighting Illini NCAA champ since Robert Norman who won heavyweight titles in 1957 and 1958. Llewellyn's other on-the-mat accomplishments at Illinois included winning three straight Big Ten heavyweight titles (1989-91), and beating Kurt Angle at the 1990 All-Star Classic. He also placed third at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials in 1992 and 1996.

ISTANBUL, Turkey -- Jesse Thielke is headed to Rio. Jesse Thielke (Mark Lundy, LutteLens.com)On Friday, the 23-year-old Wisconsin native claimed a silver medal at the 2nd World Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament to secure his spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team at 59 kilos. He becomes the fourth and final U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler to qualify for the Rio Games, joining Andy Bisek (75 kilos), Ben Provisor (85 kilos) and Robby Smith (130 kilos). Thielke's tournament started with a technical fall shutout victory, 8-0, over Olympic medalist Peter Modos. He followed that up with a 13-6 win over another Olympic medalist, Revaz Lashkhi of Georgia, 13-6. In the quarterfinals Thielke faced Frunze Harutyunyan of Sweden. Thielke used a throw to go up 2-0, but Harutyunyan responded with two points of his own to make the score 2-2 at the break. Harutyunyan then took a 4-2 lead in the second period before Thielke reversed the action and put the Swede on his back and secured the fall. In the semifinals -- and the match to qualify for the Olympic Games -- Thielke faced 2012 World University champion Donior Islamov of Moldova. The first period saw 17 points put on the scoreboard, which included two four-point throws from Islamov, but Thielke led 9-8 at the break. In the second period Thielke used a body lock to go up 13-8, and then put the match away with a takedown and turn to earn the 17-8 technical fall. With his Olympic spot already secured, Thielke faced six-time World champion and Olympic champion Hamid Soryan of Iran in the gold-medal match. Soryan proved to be too much for Thielke on Friday, earning an 8-0 technical fall. Two other American Greco-Roman wrestlers, RaVaughn Perkins (66 kilos) and Joe Rau (98), competed on Friday but fell short of qualifying for the Olympic Games. Perkins opened with an 11-2 technical fall victory over Pan Zheng of China. Zheng led 2-0 after the opening period, but Perkins came back strong in the second period, scoring with multiple gut wrenches in a row to earn the technical fall. In his second match Perkins came from behind to defeat Vladimiros Matias of Greece 9-4 to reach the quarterfinals. His Olympic dream was shattered in the semifinals when he was edged 4-3 by Ruslan Tsarev of Kyrgyzstan. Perkins was then placed in repechage for a chance at a bronze medal, where he fell 8-0 to Armen Vardanyan of Ukraine. Rau dominated Narek Setaghyan of Spain 9-0 in his first match. He dropped his second match to Kevin Mejia of Honduras 8-0. U.S. women's freestyle wrestlers Kelsey Campbell (58 kilos) and Tamyra Mensah (69 kilos) will attempt to qualify for the Olympic Games on Saturday in Turkey.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced that Mark Hall II of Apple Valley, Minnesota has been chosen as the 2016 recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA) and Katie Brock of Whitwell, Tennessee has been chosen as the 2016 recipient of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). Coach Brandon Slay talks to Mark Hall at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)"Selecting the winners of these two awards is always difficult for our committee because we receive so many deserving nominees, who have all excelled on and off the wrestling mat," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "We are pleased to name Mark and Katie as our national winners and believe that they are great representatives, who will continue to achieve athletically and academically at the next level." Hall is the first six-time Minnesota High School state champion, finishing with a career record of 277-4, including 171 consecutive wins. The son of Mark Hall and Melissa Warren, he helped Apple Valley High School win six team state titles to become the only wrestler in state history to earn 12 combined titles. "Winning the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award is a tremendous honor. When I think of the company that I am in, it makes it that much better," said Hall. "Dave Schultz is a name that rings through the wrestling world and to receive an award named after him is something that I will always remember." Brock is a four-time Tennessee state champion for Sequatchie County High School in Dunlap, Tennessee, capturing more state championships than any team or individual in school history. The daughter of Scotty and Marsha Brock, she had a career record of 113-2 and earned Best Wrestler honors at the regional and state tournaments as a senior. "It is so exciting just to have my name mentioned in the same sentence with Tricia Saunders, who is not only known for being an amazing female wrestler but also an outstanding coach. If it were not for her dedication and perseverance I would not have had the opportunity to be where I am today," said Brock. "She made impossible dreams possible for so many young women. From the beginning, my teammates and coaches have viewed me as a wrestler, not as a girl, and have pushed me to give my best in each and every match. They would give up their Saturdays and go to a tournament just to support me. They are my extended family. "Despite having a very small team, the school and community have been very supportive and stood behind us 100 percent," she added. "It is a privilege that someone from a small town in Tennessee would be honored with such a prestigious award as the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award." Hall won his second consecutive UWW Junior National title and was named Outstanding Wrestler at the 2016 UWW Junior Freestyle Nationals on April 27-30 in Las Vegas. He captured a Pan American cadet title and a FILA cadet world championship, and competed in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials where he advanced to the quarterfinals. Hall has a GPA of 3.72 and has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Mary's Place, which offers transitional apartments for homeless families with children. He has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for national champion Penn State University. Brock was captain of the wrestling team all four years while also lettering four years in volleyball and serving as team captain as a senior. She has a GPA of 3.54 and has worked as a volunteer with the Sequatchie County Fair as well as being involved with Junior Health Council, Beta Club, and Connect Crew. She has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Campbellsville University. The Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January of 1996. He was inducted as a Distinguished Member into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1997. Hall was chosen from the five regional winners - Taylor LaMont of Mapleton, Utah (West Region), Jack Mueller of Dallas, Texas (Central Region), Nick Suriano of Paramus, New Jersey (Northeast Region), and Kyle Norstrem of Valrico, Florida (Southeast Region) - which were selected from the winners chosen from the 49 states that sponsor boys' high school championships. Past winners of the DSHSEA include Logan Stieber, who became the fourth wrestler to win four NCAA Championships, and Coleman Scott, who won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics. In addition to Stieber, DSHEA winners have won 10 NCAA titles with Steven Mocco, Teyon Ware, and David Taylor each winning two championships. First presented in 2014, the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award is named for Saunders, a four-time World champion and women's wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2006, and is also a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame. Brock was chosen from the winners from the seven states that sponsor an all-female girls' high school championship - Roberta Christopher of New Stuyahok, Alaska, Gabby Garcia of Anaheim, California, Teshya Alo of Honolulu, Payton Rigert of Hood River, Oregon, Brianna Holcomb of El Paso, Texas and Jordyn Bartelson of Puyallup, Washington. The awards recognize and celebrate the nation's most outstanding high school seniors for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship and community service. The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. Nominations for the DSHSEA award are accepted from the 49 states that sponsor boys' high school championships while nominations for the TSHSEA are accepted from the seven states that sponsor an all-female girls' high school championship. Winners are determined by a committee with input from National Wrestling Hall of Fame State Chapters, where applicable. Five regional winners are chosen for the DSHSEA, and the national winner is selected from those winners. The inaugural recipient of the TSHSEA in 2014, Marina Doi won the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association championship and was 30-1 as a sophomore in 2016 after a runner-up finish to four-time national champion Emily Webster as a freshman. All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award 2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota 2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California 2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania 2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan 2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California 2010 - Logan Steiber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio 2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio 2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah 2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellog High School, Wabasha, Minnesota 2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida 2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York 2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania 2003 - C. P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio 2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma 2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey 2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina 1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas 1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah 1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio 1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award 2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Dunlap, Tennessee 2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington 2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. With museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa, the Hall of Fame has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world including the Hall of Honors in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where wrestling legends are enshrined at the national, regional, and state level. The rich heritage and diversity of the sport will be highlighted throughout the newly-renovated museum. There is also a library featuring historical documents and books on the sport as well as a theater. The Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, is currently closed to visitors while undergoing an entire interior renovation. It is scheduled to re-open on June 3-4, 2016, just in time to celebrate its 40th anniversary at the annual Honors Weekend induction ceremonies. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

The United States, along with wrestling nations around the world, will make their last attempt to qualify for Rio 2016 this weekend in Istanbul. The Last Chance Qualifier advances two wrestlers per weight to the Olympics, with no true second. That means only finalists will be granted tickets to the Games. The American side will feature Frank Molinaro attempting to qualify 65 kilos on Saturday, while Tamyra Mensah (69 kilos) and Kelsey Campbell (63 kilos) look to lock up the remaining berths for Team USA on the women's side. Though not decided as of this writing on Thursday night, Greco-Roman wrestlers Jesse Thielke (59 kilos), RaVaughn Perkins (66 kilos) and Joe Rau (98 kilos) will have likely already decided their fate by the time you read this sentence. To watch how they perform, you can watch for free at UnitedWorldWrestling.org. Follow the action on social media by searching and using the hashtag #lastchance2rio. To your questions … Q: With the recent commitments of Spencer Lee and Gavin Teasdale to Iowa, I started to wonder about the difficulty in receiving one-hundred percent full-ride scholarships at the top flight programs. Do wrestlers who are top tier recruits like Mark Hall, Spencer Lee, Gavin Teasdale, David Taylor, etc. receive one-hundred percent full rides, or is it more of an eighty or ninety percent scholarship to allow for money to pull lesser touted wrestlers? -- Derek O. Foley: Every school handles the allocation of scholarships differently. I know some that say they never move off a top opening bid of sixty percent, but there are other grants that could supplement a kid's education, which makes that number a bit disingenuous. If you're asking me if Hall, Lee or Teasdale is paying for college then the answer is "no, they are not paying for college." What percentage comes from scholarship and what percentage comes from other means I wouldn't know, but the value of those particular athletes seems indisputable. Remember also that until 2015 scholarships had been subject to annual review based on athletic performance. The NCAA recently moved to have the performance distinction eliminated. The NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships return to St. Louis in 2017 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Q: Any inside track or thoughts on the next cycle of NCAA tournament host cities after Cleveland? -- Frank C. Foley: The NCAA has shown no interest in changing direction and hosting the event in one location over several years. Assuming they stick to their tradition of moving the championships I could imagine another visit to NYC, possibly Atlanta and then the same Midwestern characters with St. Louis, Kansas City and Des Moines all making bids. There is profit in hosting the event so I also predict we'll get a number of new cities down south willing to show serious bids. Q: I find myself continually frustrated with only six Olympic weight classes per style. There is too much talent left out of the Olympics. I think you've covered this in the past. But, instead of six double bronzes, why doesn't the UWW work with the IOC to shift the six extra bronze medals to two new weight classes? This doesn't increase the total number of medals for wrestling. What are the barriers? -- Mark H. Foley: My first contention would be that there is "too much talent left out of the Olympics." When you look at the number of countries qualifying wrestlers it looks as though none will qualify all their weight classes in 2016, just as they didn't in 2012. To conclude that there is too much talent being kept at home you'd have to show me that several countries (or at least one) suffered from this problem. Take the United States as an example of a country with boundless resources, a strong wrestling tradition and solid support from their National Olympic Committee. There are currently six Olympic positions still not qualified, despite three opportunities. One of these openings is at 65 kilos, a weight class most in the USA would argue has the depth you describe as being left out of the Olympics. I'd disagree, but were there THAT much talent at 60-70 kilos wouldn't just one of those guys gotten the job done by now? Six weight classes may not seem like enough, but it's already too much for most national federations to support. If you want a robust and growing sport you need to make participation reachable for young national federations. As is countries like Palau, Indonesia, Namibia and others have trouble supporting one style of the sport. Adding weight classes for them to fill would not solve anyone's problems. In regards to the medals, that has never been an issue. The real issues is number of participants and with wrestling hosting 19 per weight in Greco-Roman and freestyle along with 18 in women there is almost no room for contraction in a way that would allow for a competitive event and for robust participation from wrestlers around the world. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Link: Back to the Sand Q: Will the May 19 Beat the Streets match event be televised? -- @Gyonekura Foley: Yes. FloWrestling.org. Q: InterMat's article about Jake Clark said that a Minnesota native has been in every Olympics since 1968. What other states have long streaks sending representatives to the Olympics? -- Jeff S. Foley: From our man Mark Palmer … I did some quick research, and found a string of Oklahoma natives as members of U.S. Olympic teams running unbroken from `1924 thru 1976 (no Olympics in 1940 or '44). Here we go: 1924: Guy Lookabaugh, Charles Strack 1928: Clarence Berryman 1932: Bobby Pearce, Jack VanBebber 1936: Harley Strong, Frank Lewis, Ross Flood 1948: Bill Jernigan, Dick Hutton (born in Amarillo, but moved to Tulsa as a baby) 1952: Bill Borders, Joe Henson, Dan Hodge 1956: Myron Roderick, Dan Hodge, Tommy Evans, Dale Lewis 1960: Shelby Wilson, Doug Blubaugh, Dale Lewis 1964: Wayne Baughman 1968: Baughman, Wayne Wells 1972: Wells 1976: Bruce Thompson As for Iowa natives … Allie Morrison was first, in '28, then I believe the next from the Hawkeye state was in '48, with Bill Koll and Glen Brand, so that's a long absence. Without looking up hometowns of other U.S. Olympians, I would think California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York would not be in contention RE the streak as would be Minnesota or Oklahoma.

State champion and Junior National freestyle runner-up Navonte Demison (Bakersfield, Calif.) committed to Arizona State on Wednesday evening. The nation's No. 26 overall junior was ranked 12th nationally at the end of the 2015-16 season in the 138 pound weight class. In addition to his runner-up finish last summer in Fargo, Demison also has earned national titles at the Junior Folkstyle tournament in Cedar Falls the last two years during the month of April. In state tournaments prior to this year, Demison was runner-up as a sophomore and third as a freshman. He projects to compete at 149 pounds in college.

Arnold Plaza, one of the most accomplished wrestlers in a century of the sport at Purdue University, passed away April 1 in Phoenix, Arizona. He was 90. Arnold PlazaPlaza owns some significant historical distinctions for his wrestling career with the Boilermakers from 1947-1950. Plaza is not only the program's only two-time NCAA champion, as well as the only four-time Big Ten conference champion. Competing in four consecutive Big Ten championships, Plaza claimed a pair of 114.5-pound titles in 1948 and 1949, then two more at 121 pounds in 1947 and 1950. His individual title-winning success helped propel the wrestling program at the West Lafayette, Indiana-based school to three straight Big Ten team titles from 1948 to 1950. Plaza qualified for the NCAA Championships each of his four seasons at Purdue and remains the only grappler in program history to advance to the title match three times. He became the Boilermakers' first-ever national champion, winning the 114.5-pound crown as a sophomore in 1948. The following year, Plaza found himself winning his second title, this time at 121 pounds. As a senior, Plaza made it to the finals for a third time ... but came up one point shy of yet another NCAA title, suffering a 7-6 loss to Tony Gizoni of Waynesburg in the 121-pound championship match at the 1950 NCAAs. Despite that loss, Plaza's performance at that Nationals helped the Boilermakers finish as the national runner-up in the team standings, which is the program's highest-ever finish. After graduating from Purdue, Plaza served in the United States Army from 1950 to 1952. Arnold Jesse Plaza was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming but grew up in Chicago. He later moved to El Paso, Texas in 1970 and spent nearly 40 years living in the La Union community. "He was well known for his big heart and willingness to help his neighbors and anyone who needed a hand," according to his obituary in the El Paso Times. "He was instrumental in leading an initiative to bring public water lines to the La Union community. A devoted Catholic, Arnold was active at Our Lady of Refuge Catholic Church where he served as choir director for over 20 years. He was a teacher for 35 years, 17 in Chicago and 18 in El Paso. Students had great respect for "Coach Plaza," a firm but engaging teacher with an endearing sense of humor. Arnold had a passion for the outdoors and traveled throughout the Southwest sharing his love for camping, hiking and bonfires with his large family." In 1994, Plaza was inducted into the inaugural class of the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in alongside legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden and Miami Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese, among others. Plaza was also selected for the Helms Amateur Wrestling Hall of Fame. Arnold Plaza is survived by his wife of 39 years, Irene Plaza; his children Marc Plaza, Melissa Ryan, Andrea Plaza, Marisusan Plaza, and Arnold Anthony Plaza; his step children, Ruben, Richard, Martin, Robert, Freddy and Ray Labrado and Trinidad Garcia; 25 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and their respective families. Plaza would have been at the vanguard of Latino collegiate wrestlers in the U.S., launching his collegiate wrestling career at Purdue just as Rometo "Rummy" Macias of University of Iowa and Joseph Garcia of University of Illinois were completing their mat careers, and nearly a decade before Dick Delgado won two NCAA titles for the Oklahoma Sooners. Services have already been held.

NEW YORK -- The Senior-level matches have been finalized for the 2016 Beat the Streets international competition, which returns to New York City's Times Square on Thursday, May 19. Competing against tough opponents from Iran in men's freestyle will be 2012 Olympic champion, three-time World champion and 2016 Olympian Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg and 2016 Olympian and two-time NCAA champion J'Den Cox at 86 kg. Two-time World bronze medalist and 2016 Olympian Andy Bisek will battle an Olympic and World champion from Korea at 75 kg. Burroughs will face 2105 Asian champion Peyman Yarahmadi, who won bronze medals at the 2013 Junior World Championships and 2012 Cadet World Championships. Yarahmadi won the highly respected Takhti Cup held in Iran in 2015 and has also won a silver and a bronze at that tournament in other years. Burroughs is considered one of the greatest wrestlers on the planet, and one of the most successful in U.S. history. He won World titles in 2011, 2013 and 2015, to go with his Olympic gold medal at the 2012 Games in London, England. Burroughs was a 2014 World bronze medalist, overcoming a leg injury in his first match. His career record is a remarkable 124-2. He is a four-time World Cup champion (2012-15) and two-time Pan American Games champion (2011, 2015). He was a two-time NCAA champion for Nebraska and won the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's best college wrestler in 2011. He hails from Sicklerville, N.J. and was a New Jersey high school champion. Burroughs has wrestled in the Beat the Streets international events five previous times and won all of his matches. Four of those events were in Times Square, where he beat Aniuar Gedeuv of Russia in 2011 (1-0, 2-1), Kamal Malikov of Russia in 2012 (8-0, 5-0), Atsamaz Sanakoev of Russia in 2014 (pin, 5:58) and Luis Quintana of Cuba (pin, 4:50). In 2013, when the event was held in Grand Central Terminal, Burroughs beat Saba Khubezhty of Russia (1-1, 5-0, 7-3). Cox will be tested by Meisam Mostafa Joukar, who won both the Asian Games and the Asian Championships in 2014. Mostafa Joukar was a 2012 World University champion, and has won the respected Takhti Cup three times (2013-15). Cox burst onto the Senior freestyle scene in the last month, after winning his second career NCAA title as a junior for the University of Missouri. He came into the U.S. Olympic Team Trials as a No. 9 seed in the Challenge Tournament, winning three matches to reach the championship finals, where he defeated four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake in a memorable three match series. Two weeks later, in his first international event ever, Cox won five matches to claim the gold medal at the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Mongolia, qualifying the USA and himself for the Rio Olympic Games. This will be Cox's first Beat the Streets appearance. Bisek has drawn 2012 Olympic champion and 2013 World champion Kim Hyeon-Woo of Korea in the featured Greco-Roman match. Kim was also a 2011 World bronze medalist and 2006 Junior World silver medalist. Kim boasts a 2014 Asian Games title and three Asian Championships gold medals. Bisek won World bronze medals in both 2014 and 2015, and qualified for his first Olympic Games in April. He has been on four U.S. World Teams. Bisek won a gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games and boasts two Pan American Championships title. He competed for the USOEC program at Northern Michigan University before moving on to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. This will be his first Beat the Streets event appearance. There will be five 2016 U.S. Olympians competing in Times Square. Previously, the two women's freestyle matches were announced, as 2016 Olympian and three-time World champion Adeline Gray will face Canada's Justina Distasio at 75 kg, while 2016 Olympian and 2015 World champion Helen Maroulis will battle Canada's Samantha Stewart at 53 kg. There will also be four Junior-level matches between the United States and Iran in men's freestyle, the first age-group international matches in Beat the Streets event history. These Junior matchups, as well as additional youth competition, will be announced at a later date. Billed as "United in the Square," this will be the second time that Iran has been featured as part of the Beat the Streets Gala competition. In 2013, the event dubbed "The Rumble on the Rails," was hosted in historic Grand Central Terminal and featured dual meets between Team USA, Russia and Iran. The world-class competition has been hosted in Times Square four 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 kg/132 lbs. position on the U.S. Olympic Team in men's freestyle. In 2014, Team USA defeated a World All-Star Team in Times Square, 8-3. In 2015, "Salsa in the Square" featured a meeting between Team USA and Team Cuba in the three Olympic styles, held shortly after the historic change in USA and Cuban political relations. This will be the seventh 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. Top Beat the Streets youth wrestlers will take the mat showcasing their skills in exhibition matches beginning at 3:45 p.m to start the evening. A new feature to be held is the PSAL Girls Freestyle Dual Meet Championships finals, featuring the two top New York City girl's freestyle wrestling high school teams from the spring girl's freestyle season. Then it's Team USA vs. Iran and other guests at 6 p.m., followed by the Beat the Streets Gala Celebration. The Beat the Streets competition 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 Celebration at the PlayStation Theater. More details are available at http://www.btsny.org/gala. The Gala Celebration will follow the wrestling competition. 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. "United In The Square," Beat the Streets Matchups In New York City, May 19, 2016 Men's freestyle 74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs (USA) vs. Pehman Yarahmadi (Iran) Men's freestyle 86 kg/189 lbs. - J'Den Cox (USA) vs. Meisam Mostafa Joukar (Iran) Greco-Roman 75 kg/165 lbs. - Andy Bisek (USA) vs. Kim Hyeon-Woo (Korea) Women's 53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Helen Maroulis (USA) vs. Samantha Stewart (Canada) Women's 75 kg/165 lbs.- Adeline Gray (USA) vs. Justina Di Stasio (Canada) Note: Four USA vs. Iran Junior freestyle matches to be announced next week. Wrestling Schedule 3:45 p.m. - Beat the Streets Youth Exhibition Matches between 42nd and 43rd Streets 4:45 p.m. - New York City Girl's Freestyle Dual Meet Championships Finals between 42nd and 43rd Streets 6:00 p.m - World Class Wrestling: Team USA vs. Team Iran, Canada, Korea between 42nd and 43rd Streets Followed by Gala Celebration 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 summer camps. 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.

What do Cael Sanderson, Dan Gable and Dan Hodge have in common? Dan Gable in letter jacket, congratulating Cael Sanderson in robe, at Hilton Coliseum in 2002Before stepping onto the mat, these legendary college wrestling champs -- and thousands of mat stars of the past -- wore robes over their wrestling uniforms. Nowadays, most college wrestlers wear warmups or sweat suits before and after matches. That has not always been the case. In the early 1900s, wrestlers at a number of schools wore sweaters while on the sidelines. As for robes ... that tradition of wrapping wrestlers in robes goes back decades at a number of colleges and high schools in the past, roughly from the 1930s into the 1960s and early 70s when they were largely replaced by warmups. The idea of resurrecting robes may be gaining some traction, as at least one major college wrestling program is openly discussing the idea. In the past, Iowa State wrestlers came out into the arena decked out in robes of cardinal and gold -- the school colors. At the 2013 NCAAs, Kyven Gadson -- 2015 NCAA Division I champ at 197 pounds -- wore the robe of his late father Willie Gadson, an NCAA All-American for the Cyclones in the 1970s. In the past couple weeks, there's been discussion at Iowa State about bringing back the classic look of robes, with some Cyclone wrestlers -- and head coach Kevin Jackson -- weighing in with their opinions. That discussion appears to have carried over at other wrestling websites and online forums. Could Iowa State resurrect the robe? A couple weeks ago, the Iowa State Daily student newspaper had a feature story titled "ISU wrestling considering bringing back wrestling robes." The article opened with the story of Kyven Gadson talking about his father's Cyclone wrestling robe. Willie, a two-time All-American for Iowa State in 1975 and 1976 after transferring from Nassau Community College in New York, went on to coach his son to two undefeated seasons at Waterloo East High School in Waterloo, Iowa. Kyven Gadson wearing a robe (Photo/Iowa State Daily)Three years ago, Willie Gadson was battling Stage IV bone and lung cancer. As he was about to be transported to the hospital having been given hospice care at home, Kyven asked his dad if he might want to put on that prized robe one last time. "I was like, 'Dad, do you want to put on the robe?'" Kyven Gadson told Iowa State Daily. "Because [ISU wrestling] was something he was really prideful about. We put him in his robe, and that was the last thing he had on before they changed him." After battling cancer for more than a year, Willie Gadson passed away in early March 2013. Less than two weeks later, Kyven wore his dad's robe at the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Des Moines. "It was a very emotionally charged moment for Kyven," the Iowa State Daily's Ben Visser wrote. "Growing up, Willie wouldn't let Kyven wear his robe. After Willie's passing, Kyven's mom, Augusta, gifted the robe to Kyven with a few adjustments. "'Willie' was embroidered on the right sleeve, and 'Kyven' was embroidered on the left sleeve. "Gadson Legacy" is embroidered right under the big block "Iowa State" lettering on the back of the robe." Once Kyven wore his dad Willie's robe, that got Iowa State's coach Jackson thinking about having his Cyclones wear robes ... following in the footsteps of one of his predecessors, Harold Nichols. Nichols, who guided Iowa State to six NCAA team titles during his tenure from 1954-1985, came up with the idea of enrobing his wrestlers in terrycloth robes. (It certainly helped that the entrepreneurial Nichols owned a fabric business in Ames that made the team's robes.) That said, Iowa State wrestlers weren't the first to wear robes instead of warmups before and after matches. From Cowboys to Crims, wearing robes Oklahoma State head wrestling coach Ed Gallagher takes off the robe of Lloyd Ricks, 1937 NCAA heavyweight champ (Photo/1936 Redskin yearbook)It would be nearly impossible to declare that a particular wrestling team was the first to wear robes in a specific year. Thumbing through my own archives of college wrestling images going back nearly a century, about the oldest photo I have of a wrestler in a robe is from the 1936 Redskin yearbook at Oklahoma State. The image shows Cowboy wrestling coach Ed Gallagher pulling a knee-length robe off the shoulders of Lloyd Ricks, 1937 NCAA heavyweight champ. Ricks is wearing the Oklahoma State uniform of that era: wool trunks, with no shirt. (This was decades before today's one-piece singlets were OK'd as a uniform by the NCAA.) Interestingly, this is the only image I can find of an Oklahoma State wrestler in a robe from my collection of wrestling images from the Redskin from roughly World War I through modern times. (By contrast, there are a number of photos of Cowboy wrestlers from the 1920s and '30s dressed as, um, Cowboys -- complete with Stetsons, flannel shirts, and chaps -- as they sometimes wore those clothes on trips back East to reinforce the notion that they were from what was then the American frontier.) Cornell College of Iowa It appears Iowa State weren't even the first college wrestling program in the state of Iowa to wear robes. During the 1946-47 season -- the first year college wrestling was "back to normal" after a good number of wrestlers were away from school, serving in World War II -- an unlikely team from a tiny college located about a half-hour from Iowa City and Cedar Rapids upset the top programs of the era, including Lehigh and Illinois. That school was Cornell College of Mount Vernon, Iowa. With a total enrollment of approximately 700 students at the time, Cornell of Iowa was the smallest college to ever win an NCAA team title, in 1947. (This was back before college wrestling programs were organized into NCAA Division I, II and III.) Photo from Arno Niemand's "Dream Team of 1947" book shows Cornell College wrestlers in robesDuring that Cinderella season -- and in other years as well -- Cornell College wrestlers made an impressive showing before even stepping onto the mat. On the road or at home, the Cornell Purple (that was the team name back then -- now the Rams) wore what The Cornellian student newspaper described as "purple boxing robes." Under the boxing robes, Purple wrestlers wore purple tights with a white stripe on the side of each leg, running from waist to foot, with white shorts that fit snugly over the tights. Normally, the Cornell of Iowa wrestlers competed bare-chested. (Wrestlers at many colleges and high schools in the Midwest and West wrestled stripped to the waist; shirtless wrestling was allowed by NCAA rules until the mid 1960s.) University of Oklahoma It appears the Oklahoma Sooners were another program that had robes for its wrestlers when they weren't engaged in mat combat. One OU wrestler who was photographed more than once all wrapped up in a robe was none other than Dan Hodge. The man whose name now graces the Hodge Trophy presented each year to the best college wrestler was arguably the greatest collegiate mat star of the 1950s. Dan Allen Hodge was a three-time Big Seven conference champion and three-time NCAA titlewinner at 177 pounds from 1955-57. (In Hodge's day, freshmen were not able to compete for conference and national titles.) Hodge had earned the nicknames of "Dangerous Dan" and "Homicide Hodge" -- and for good reasons. As a Sooner, Hodge compiled a perfect 46-0 record. Of those wins, 36 were by fall, for a pinning percentage of 78%, one of the all-time highest in NCAA history. He is also one of only two three-time NCAA champs to have won all three title matches by pin (the other being Oklahoma State heavyweight Earl McCready, 1928-30). Hodge defeated the studs of the era who had won (or would win) conference and national titles, including Oklahoma State's Ned Blass and Jim Gregson, and Iowa's Gary Kurdelmeier. Oklahoma Sooner wrestler Dan Hodge holding infant son Dan Jr.When he wasn't on the mat making short work of his opponents, Hodge was often wearing an Oklahoma Sooner robe. There's a photo of the Perry, Oklahoma native on the sidelines with Sooner head coach Port Robertson (in a business suit) along with teammate and 1956 NCAA heavyweight champ Gordon Roesler (ready to wrestle in white trunks, no shirt). And there's the classic image of Hodge the nurturing daddy in his mid-20s, sitting on the bleachers, enwrapped in a robe, with his infant son on his lap. Yuma Criminals The athletic programs at Yuma High School in Yuma, Arizona all wear the unusual name of the Criminals (reportedly because the community is home to a major state prison). In the early 1960s, Yuma wrestlers wore silky, boxing-style robes while on the sidelines. Arguably the most famous of those robe-wearing wrestlers at Yuma High was Curley Culp. Three years ago, Culp was welcomed into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, having completed a stellar NFL career as a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Oilers and Detroit Lions. However, prior to being drafted into the NFL, Culp was a genuine two-sport athlete, excelling at both football and wrestling, first at Yuma High, then at Arizona State. As a wrestler at Yuma High, Culp was a two-time Arizona high school state champion at heavyweight in 1963 and 1964. After graduating from Yuma, Culp enrolled at Arizona State, where, as a Sun Devil wrestler, Culp won three WAC (Western Athletic Conference) titles and was a two-time NCAA qualifier, winning the heavyweight title at the 1967 NCAAs by pinning his finals rival in just 51 seconds. (In case you were wondering, Culp and his ASU teammates wore warmup suits, not robes.) 1963 Yuma High school wrestling teamYuma wrestlers of the early 1960s weren't the only robe-wearing wrestlers at the high school level. This writer has found more recent examples of prep programs such as Detroit Central Catholic wrestlers entering the gym in robes in a 2011 video ... and, in 2015, when Rutgers mat alum Scott Winston became coach at Camden Catholic High in his native New Jersey, he waxed nostalgic about the program he was about to join: "When I was a young wrestler, I always looked up to the kids at Camden Catholic. They had the robes, the tradition and pretty much ran New Jersey wrestling when I was a kid. I want to return them to that level." Gable, Cael = robe-wearing Cyclones As mentioned earlier in this article, Iowa State had a long history of having their wrestlers wear robes during the 30+ years that Harold Nichols was head coach. That era included some all-time great Cyclone mat champs, including Les Anderson, Ron Gray, Larry Hayes, Tom Peckham, Veryl Long, Jason Smith, Ben Peterson, and Chris Taylor, to name a few. Arguably the greatest of the Nichols era was Dan Gable. While at Iowa State, Dan Mack Gable put up some impressive stats. In three years wrestling varsity for the Cyclones (he was among the last collegians not allowed to wrestle varsity as a freshman), Gable racked up 118 wins, 83 of those by fall, for an impressive pinning percentage of 70.3%. He also claimed three Big 8 conference titles (1968-1970) and back-to-back NCAA championships -- the 130-pound title at the 1968 NCAAs, and, the following year, the 137-pound crown at Nationals. When he wasn't on the mat, Gable was on the sidelines, wrapped in a cardinal and gold robe. Fast forward three decades, to a guy from Heber City, Utah that rewrote the book on college wrestling, achieving a level of perfection rarely seen. Cael Norman Sanderson came to Ames to wrestle for head coach Bobby Douglas, and proceeded to rack up win after win. In four years as a Cyclone (1999-2002), Sanderson tallied a flawless 159-0 record, four conference titles, and four NCAA individual championships, becoming only the second wrestler in NCAA history to win a quartet of National titles. As part of Cael's quest for perfection and a fourth title, Sanderson was often seen wearing an old-school wrestling robe that would have made him look right at home back in the Harold Nichols era. Any chance that Iowa State wrestlers will go back to wearing robes like previous generations of Cyclone matmen? If ISU head coach Kevin Jackson had his way, the answer would be yes. Jackson told the Iowa State Daily that he wants to keep the robe as classic as possible -- a cardinal-color, terrycloth robe with cardinal trim. The only gold on the robe would be the belt and the lettering. "We need the cardinal color," Jackson told the student paper. "The cardinal color is hard to produce." The Iowa State Daily featured design ideas and artist sketches for robe proposals from coach Jackson, as well as wrestlers Kyven Gadson, and Earl Hall. There was significant variation among the three designs in terms of color and material, with Hall preferring a silk robe. All three did agree on one element: the robe must have a hood. "I definitely want to bring [the robes] back with a little different twist," Jackson said. "Maybe put a hood on them and make it a current robe that's going to be good for our fans to see. Bring back some old memories. I'd absolutely love to bring back the robes." So what's stopping Iowa State from a throwback look? As of now, they can't find a company to produce the robes. "If you're aware of any company out there that can produce a cardinal robe with a hood, let me know and we'll invest some money in your company," Jackson said. If that happens, it could launch a whole new trend for college and high school wrestling programs that brings together nostalgic respect for the past ... and a bit of contemporary swagger, too. Want to know more about what wrestlers once wore? Check out these InterMat articles on old-school wrestling gear ... and how that gear affected wrestler strategy.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- One of the world's top young wrestling stars, 19-year-old Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Titan Mercury WC), will compete in his native Southern California for the United States at the 2016 Men's Freestyle Wrestling World Cup at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., June 11-12. Aaron Pico (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The Freestyle Wrestling World Cup is one of the most important international events each year. Alongside Pico, members of the U.S. Olympic freestyle team will be on the U.S., in their final competition before heading to the Rio Olympic Games. "I am super excited to be competing on the World Cup team. Anytime you can represent your country internationally is an honor," said Pico."The fact that this will be held in the USA is awesome. I will be part of a great team which will have members of the Olympic Team on it. I am going to focus on getting ready for the World Cup and putting on a great show." The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championships, as the eight best men's freestyle teams will compete against each other. At the 2016 World Cup, the United States will be up against (alphabetically): Azerbaijan, Georgia, India, Iran, Mongolia, Russia and Turkey. Pico has been one of the nation's best young stars, winning a Cadet World title in 2013, a Junior World silver medal in 2014 and a Junior World bronze medal in 2015. He has also won numerous medals on the Senior level, competing against many of the best Olympic-caliber wrestlers in the world. Pico also boasts USA Wrestling age-group national titles on the Cadet and Junior levels. Pico is coming off an impressive second-place finish at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City, Iowaat the 65 kg/143 lb. weight class. Seeded seventh, Pico knocked off three of thetop wrestlers - Jayson Ness, Jordan Oliver and Reece Humphrey - to reach the finals. He dropped an extremely close three-match Championship Series to Frank Molinaro (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC) to finish as the runner-up. "I came up short at the Olympic Trials, butI wrestled my heart out and put on a great show," said Pico."I still have Olympic goals. As the Olympic alternate, I am ready to go at all times. I will stay in great shape and be ready, in case something happens and I get to go to Rio." Pico will compete at 70 kg/154 lbs. at the World Cup, a non-Olympic weight class where he has won a number of international medals. This will be his first World Cup appearance, although he was a member of the U.S. team and trained for the tournament at the 2015 World Cup also held at the Forum in Inglewood. This will be Pico'sfirst competition in California since 2013, when he won the California state high school title for St. John Bosco High School. Following the 2013 season, Picoceased competing in high school wrestling to concentrate full-time on international freestyle wrestling and his Olympic dream. "This is in my backyard. I'm a local kid, and it will be great to have my family and friends here to support me. I am excited to compete," said Pico."I have so many fans in California. I have done a lot of clinics all across the state. I expect a lot of these fans to be there to support me and the USA team." The rest of the U.S. team is being finalized at this time, and will be announced when available. This is the last chance forfans to see these world-class athletes in action one more time before the Summer Olympics. Attendees can purchase tickets for the popular international competition through Ticketmaster. Teams will be randomly drawn into the two pools, which will be announced prior to the start of the competition. For more information, visit: www.wrestlingworldcup.com The local organizing committee benefits from the talent and membership of Beat the Streets Los Angeles, California USA Wrestling, the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club and other premiere Los Angeles-based sports organizations. The Freestyle World Cup was developed in 1973 in the United States, which has hosted the event 28 times since its inception - more times than any other nation. FREESTYLE WRESTLING WORLD CUP SCHEDULE Saturday, June 11 Session I - Round 1 &2 of Pools (3p.m.-7:30p.m.) Sunday, June 12 Session II - Round 3 of Pools, 5th& 7th Place Matches (11a.m.-2:30p.m.) Session III - 3rd Place Match, followed by 1st Place Match (5p.m.-7:30p.m.) General admission for both the Saturday and Sunday sessions are just $60 total or $35 for individual days. Preferred seating options are available for $85 for both Saturday and Sunday, or $55 individually.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association has named Pat Simpson of Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Tenn. as Head Coach of the Year, and Doug Tovey of Hermiston High School in Hermiston, Ore. as selected Assistant Coach of the Year, the organization announced . Winners were selected from a pool of state and regional winners by the NWCA's Scholastic Board of Directors. "Both Coach Simpson and Coach Tovey have long careers in coaching at the high school level and have served as tremendous mentors for our next generation of teachers and coaches," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "One of the hardest things about recognizing great scholastic coaches is there are so many viable and deserving coaches to consider." Simpson has coached at Father Ryan for 38 years. The long-time coach had considered the 2015-16 team his best, having posted a 22-0 record and claimed state championships at the Division II individual and dual tournaments, having topped another state power, Baylor, was the second largest margin in state duals history. Tovey has served as a coach for 27 years, with the last four at Hermiston. This past season, the Bulldogs went 17-2, including a 5-1 record at The Clash National Wrestling Duals in Minnesota. Tovey helped Hermiston claim the 5A state championships, with eight individual placewinners, seven finalists and four state champions. NWCA Scholastic Head Coach of the Year Sectional Winners Section 1: John Stout, Southern Regional H.S., Manahawkin, N.J. Section 2: Bill Swink, Colonial Forge H.S., Stafford, Va. Section 3: Pat Simpson, Father Ryan H.S., Nashville, Tenn. Section 4: Travis Young, Valley H.S., West Des Moines, Iowa Section 5: Tyler Herman, Amherst H.S., Amherst, Neb. Section 6: Matt Surber, Tuttle H.S., Tuttle, Okla. Section 7: Troy Tirapelle, Buchanan H.S., Clovis, Calif. Section 8: Craig Hanson, East Valley H.S., Spokane, Wash. NWCA Scholastic Assistant Coach of the Year Sectional Winners Section 1: Robert Zetzsche, Newark Valley H.S., Newark Valley, N.Y. Section 2: Chris Chidlaw, Elyria H.S., Elyria, Ohio Section 3: Caleb Myeers, Science Hill H.S., Johnson City, Tenn. Section 4: Dion Cobb, Valley H.S., West Des Moines, Iowa Section 5: Chad Olson, Kenyon-Wanamingo H.S., Kenyon, Minn. Section 6: Jimmy Filippo, Tuttle H.S., Tuttle, Okla. Section 7: Paul Vasquez, Ironwood Ridge H.S., Oro Valley, Ariz. Section 8: Doug Tovey, Hermiston H.S., Hermiston, Ore. NWCA Scholastic Head Coach of the Year State Winners Alabama: Steve Burrough, Oak Mt High School Alaska: Michael Kimber, Mt. Edgecumbe High School Arizona: Eric Brenton, Liberty High School Arkansas: Jayson Howard, Greenbriar California: Troy Tirapelle, buchanan high school Colorado: Eddie Soto, Pueblo County High School Delaware: Don Parsley, Milfor H.S. Florida: Kris Hayward, Riverdale High School Georgia: Kendall Love, Commerce High School Hawaii: Walden Au, Iolani School, HI Idaho: Jeff Klotzer, Caldwell High School Illinois: Keith Healy, Providence Catholic HS Indiana: Brett Smith, Prairie Heights H.S. Iowa: Travis Young, Valley High School (WDM) Kansas: Carlos Prieto, Garden City High School Kentucky: Aaron Riordan, Oldham County High School Louisiana: Rod Cusachs, De La Salle Maine: Temey S. Noyes + Brooks Thompson, Skowhegan High Maryland: Bryan Hamper, South Carroll Massachusetts: Bruce Rich, Chelmsford HS Michigan: Tim Roberts, Dundee High Schoo Minnesota: Matt Ryan, Kenyon-Wanamingo Missouri: Taylor Middleton, Smithville Montana: Bob Owen, Polson Nebraska: Tyler Herman, Amherst High School Nevada: Joe Imelli, Spanish Springs HIgh School New Hampshire: Bob Gannon, Campbell High School New Jersey: John Stout, Southern Regional High School New Mexico: Lee Chaves, Belen High School New Mexico: Corey Anderson, Cleveland High School New York: Brian Uvena, North Babylon High School North Carolina: Bill Edmundson, Rosewood High School Ohio: Todd Haverdill, Brecksville HS Oklahoma: Matt Surber, Tuttle HighSchool Oregon: Luke Cleaver, Nyssa High School Pennsylvania: Dave Klepfer, Brookville South Carolina: Chad Singleton, Dorman High South Dakota: Shawn Lewis, Riggs HIGH Tennessee: Patrick Simpson, Father Ryan H.S. Texas: Shane Seleznoff, Heath Utah: Jake Woolstenhulme, South Summit High School Vermont: Scott Legacy, Mt. Anthony Union HS Virginia: Bill Swink, Colonial Forge HS Washington: Craig Hanson, East Valley Spokane West Virginia: Cliff Warden, Independence Wisconsin: Jeff Matczak, Kaukauna Wyoming: Tom Seamans, Campbell County HS NWCA Scholastic Assistant Coach of the Year State Winners Alabama: John Daly, Athens High School Alaska: Michael "Bubba" Wells, Homer High School Arizona: Paul Vasquez, Ironwood Ridge HS Arkansas: Chuck Mackey, Har-Ber California: Buchannan HS Staff, Buchanan High School Colorado: Josh Weissman, Poudre High School Delaware: Luke Pierson, Milford H.S. Florida: William Hunter Hill, Clay High School Georgia: Rusty Transue, North Forsyth High School Hawaii: Wayne Ibarra, Idaho: Zach Horsley , Lakeland High School Illinois: Nich Miller, Washington Indiana: Ken Zuber, Evansville Memorial Iowa: Dion Cobb, Valley High School Kansas: Cade Blair, Andover High School Kentucky: Garret Headley, Henry Clay Louisiana: J P Pierre, Brother Martin Maine: Jim Smith, Biddeford High School Maryland: Ed Obendorfer, Damascus Massachusetts: Annie Staulo, Newton North Michigan: Scott Warren, Lakewood High School Minnesota: Chad Olson, Kenyon-Wanamingo Missouri: Kevin Durbin, Seneca Montana: Cody Turnquist, Billings Senior Nebraska: Scott DeLong, Filmore Central High School Nevada: Dan Shaw, Fallon High School New Hampshire: Jeff Sellars, Milford High School New Jersey: Dan Roy, Southern Regional High School New Mexico: Mark Pratt, Hobbs High School New York: Robert Zetzsche , Newark Valley High School North Carolina: Mike Turner, West Forsyth High School Ohio: Chris Chidlaw, Elyria HS Oklahoma: Jimmy Filippo, Tuttle Oregon: Doug Tovey, Hermiston High School Pennsylvania: Nick Deloia, Brookville South Carolina: Chris Pannebaker, Dorman High South Dakota: John Kalda, Riggs Tennessee: Caleb Myers, Science Hill H.S. Texas: Gabe Reyes, Prosper Utah: Bob Piscatelli, Wasatch High School Vermont: Nick Mayer, Mt. Anthony Union HS Virginia: Carlos Eason, Great Bridge Washington: Dave Laird, Ephrata West Virginia: Jory Whorton, East Fairmont Wisconsin: Joel Kuhl, Two Rivers Wyoming: Tim Flynn

The 2015-16 scholastic wrestling season marked the sixth year of the InterMat Fab 50 national high school wrestling team rankings. Even in what would seem like such a small sample size, one can make conclusions about the overall landscape of high school wrestling. One should take into consideration that six seasons reflects the full high school experience for three different graduating classes, and that nine graduating classes in all have participated in high school during those years. Coach Scott Green has guided Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) to national top-10 finishes in each of the past five seasons (Photo/Juan Garcia)Last year's longitudinal study of the Fab 50 national team rankings identified eleven schools that have appeared in the rankings each of the previous five seasons (2011-15) of the rankings' existence. From that group, eight teams ended this season ranked, which means they have now been ranked at the end of the last six seasons. Four additional teams have ended the last five seasons (2012-16) ranked within the Fab 50, which makes it twelve teams that have been ranked each of the last five seasons. Outside of the three teams that were ranked in the five previous seasons, but were not ranked at the end of this one, another pair of teams have appeared in the final rankings five times in the last six seasons. This reflects seventeen schools that have ended the season ranked five times in the last six years. The following eight programs have been ranked at the end of each of the last six seasons: Blair Academy, N.J. (2011: 2nd, 2012: 1st, 2013: 1st, 2014: 1st, 2015: 3rd, 2016: 1st) St. Paris Graham, Ohio (4th, 8th, 5th, 6th, 1st, 3rd) Wyoming Seminary, Pa. (11th, 9th, 2nd, 4th, 4th, 2nd) Clovis, Calif. (7th, 5th, 8th, 3rd, 5th, 9th) Apple Valley, Minn. (1st, 3rd, 13th, 5th, 17th, 14th) Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. (21st, 12th, 20th, 13th, 9th, 6th) St. Edward, Ohio (5th, 2nd, 4th, 50th, 15th, 7th) Montini Catholic, Ill. (28th, 26th, 12th, 18th, 16th, 39th) Six of the ten programs ranked in the top ten nationally this season have been nationally ranked in each of the last six seasons; Blair Academy, St. Paris Graham, and Clovis have been top ten in the country each of those seasons. These four additional programs have ended the last five seasons in the Fab 50: Oak Park River Forest, Ill. (2012: 31st, 2013: 11th, 2014: 3rd, 2015: 2nd, 2016: 8th) Southeast Polk, Iowa (13th, 17th, 22nd, 7th, 30th) Poway, Calif. (21st, 23rd, 32nd, 8th, 13th) Tuttle, Okla. (28th, 41st, 31st, 23rd, 11th) An additional pair of Illinois programs have ended five of the last six seasons within the Fab 50 rankings: Carl Sandburg (2011: 26th, 2012: 36th, 2013: 9th, 2014: NR, 2015: 19th, 2016: 16th) Marmion Academy (16th, NR, 26th, 27th, 32nd, 15th) Three teams saw their five-year runs of ending the season within the Fab 50 rankings come to an end this past season: Bettendorf (Iowa), Broken Arrow (Okla.), and Massillon Perry (Ohio) Two teams have been ranked in the Fab 50 at the end of each of the last four seasons: Bergen Catholic, N.J. (2013: 34th, 2014: 9th, 2015: 10th, 2016: 4th) Archer, Ga. (48th, 10th, 11th, 25th) Bergen Catholic and Oak Park River Forest have ended three straight seasons in the top ten of the national team rankings, while Wyoming Seminary has been top ten in the last five seasons, to join the three schools that have been ranked top ten in all six seasons. Basically demonstrating the monopolistic nature of the mega-programs in the national high school wrestling landscape. Three other teams were ranked at the end of this season, which made it four times ranked in the last six seasons: St. Michael-Albertville, Minn. (2011: NR, 2012: 42nd, 2013: 10th, 2014: NR, 2015: 21st, 2016: 19th) Allen, Texas (36th, 23rd, 15th, NR, NR, 26th) Lowell, Mich. (NR, 24th, NR, 16th, 25th, 48th) In addition, three schools were ranked from 2011-2014 but have not ended the last two ranked. Those being Brandon (Fla.), Detroit Catholic Central (Mich.), and St. Johns (Mich.). Look for Detroit Catholic Central to make a strong return to the national rankings in the coming season, as the Shamrocks return five wrestlers that won state titles in early March. During the past season, four programs saw their three-year strings of ending the season nationally ranked come to an end: Bound Brook (N.J.), Brecksville (Ohio), Don Bosco Prep (N.J.), and Franklin Regional (Pa.). Another pair of programs made it three consecutive years as nationally ranked teams: Buchanan, Calif. (2014: 39th, 2015: 12th, 2016: 5th) Delta, Ohio (46th, 31st, 24th) Three other teams appeared in the final rankings for the third time in six seasons: Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. (2011: 44th, 2012: NR, 2013: 24th, 2014: NR, 2015: NR, 2016: 27th) Nazareth, Pa. (32nd, NR, NR, 25th, NR, 21st) Neosho, Mo. (33rd, NR, NR, NR, 18th, 43rd) Early indicators suggest that Buchanan will be in top ten contention again next season, while Nazareth is likely to make the leap into that type of position. It should also be noted that eight other teams were not ranked this season, but also have ended three previous seasons in the InterMat Fab 50 national team rankings. Looking at the 26 other teams that appeared in this year's final Fab 50, three of them were ranked for a second straight season, another three teams were ranked for the second time in the six-year history of the Fab 50, while for 20 teams it was their first time ending the season as a nationally ranked squad. Those with back-to-back Fab 50 appearances were Belle Vernon (38th, 10th), Boyertown (43rd, 22nd), and Elyria (33rd, 20th). For No. 28 Camden County (40th in 2012), No. 36 Park Hill (3rd in 2013), and No. 50 Good Counsel (42nd in 2013) it marked a return to the rankings after some hiatus. Four of the 20 debut teams were within the top 25 of the national rankings (No. 12 Lake Highland Prep, No. 17 Washington, No. 18 Mt. Carmel, and No. 23 Malvern Prep); while the other 16 fit into the final 22 spots of the rankings (29th through 50th). In addition to identifying programs of excellence, a longitudinal analysis of the Fab 50 rankings can identify some trends, which can help provide an assessment of what to expect for the following year of the national team rankings. The presence of 20 debut teams in the final Fab 50 was the highest number in the history of the rankings, outside of the first year where every team was technically making its debut. The four seasons prior to this one saw anywhere from 13-to-18 schools making their first appearance in the end of season rankings, with the numbers on an overall downward trend, as one would expect on a year-to-year basis: 2012: 18, 2013: 15, 2014: 16, 2015: 13 The following is an exhibit showing the relative position for these debutant schools. Furthermore, the highest ranking for a school in its initial Fab 50 appearance was eleventh, achieved by Stillwater (Okla.) To illustrate further the extreme turnover within the national rankings during the 2015-16 season, here is a chart illustrating the number of schools that were ranked in certain tiers of the rankings in the previous season that did not return to the national rankings in the (following) listed season. The four seasons prior to this one saw either 18 or 19 schools that were ranked the previous season not end that next season in the rankings. On the other hand, 26 teams that were ranked in 2014-15 did not end the 2015-16 season in the final Fab 50. During the last five years of compiling the Fab 50 national team rankings, 132 different schools from 27 states have appeared in the season-end rankings. The following are some "by the numbers" observations about the rankings. 56 = schools that have been ranked at the end of just one season 34 = schools that have been ranked at the end of exactly two seasons 17 = number of different schools to end the season ranked from Pennsylvania, which is the most of any state (11 different New Jersey and Ohio are next in line) 1 = number of unique schools to be ranked from Arizona, Delaware, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, and Tennessee 0 = schools to appear in the end of season national team rankings from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi (doesn't have high school wrestling), Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Evan HendersonBUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Campbell wrestling head coach Cary Kolat announced a new addition to his coaching staff on Tuesday afternoon. Joining the Fighting Camels coaching ranks is UNC Chapel Hill graduate Evan Henderson. Henderson joins the Fighting Camels in his first assistant coach position after wrestling at North Carolina. He collected a 125-35 career record as a Tar Heel achieving All-American honors twice during his career. He qualified for the NCAA Wrestling National Championships all four years of his wrestling career. Henderson wrestled for the Tar Heels from 2011 to 2016 including a redshirt year (2014-15) in the 141 and 149-pound weight classes. He is a two-time ACC Champion claiming the 2016 ACC title at 149 pounds and the 2013 title at 141-pounds. "We are very happy to have Evan joining the coaching staff here at Campbell University," said head coach Cary Kolat. "He will be an asset for our middleweight athletes while he trains for the 2020 Olympic team and world teams in between. We are committed to helping Evan reach his competitive goals as much as he is committed to helping our team advance and succeed." The Johnstown, Pennsylvania native has a twin brother Robert who also wrestled at UNC and is the son of Allen and Lydia Henderson.