InterMat Staff

UFC, World Series of Fighting, Bellator ... you have plenty of options for MMA viewing this weekend. And if you put all of the best fights together, they might even add up to one semi decent card. The fact that this weekend's UFC showing is anchored by a main event between Andrei Arlovski and Antonio Silva (ugh) doesn't stop Richard and John from analyzing all of the fights. And continuing to be thankful that they didn't buy Fight Pass. Let the countdown to UFC 178 begin. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

48 kilos: Gold: Eri Tosaka (Japan) Silver: Iwona Matkowska (Poland) Bronze: Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Hyon Gyong Kim (North Korea) 53 kilos: Gold: Saori Yoshida (Japan) Silver: Sofia Mattsson (Sweden) Bronze: Myong-Suk Jong (North Korea) Bronze: Jillian Gallays (Canada) 55 kilos: Gold: Chiho Hamada (Japan) Silver: Irina Ologonova (Russia) Bronze: Helen Maroulis (USA) Bronze: Iryna Khariv (Ukraine) 58 kilos: Gold: Kaori Icho (Japan) Silver: Valeria Koblova (Russia) Bronze: Elif Jale Yesilirmak (Turkey) Bronze: Anastassia Huchok (Belarus) 60 kilos: Gold: Tserenchimed Sukhee (Mongolia) Silver: Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Natalia Golts (Russia) Bronze: Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria) 63 kilos: Gold: Yulia Tkach (Ukraine) Silver: Elena Pirozhkova (USA) Bronze: Valeria Lazinskaya (Russia) Bronze: Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia) 69 kilos: Gold: Aline Focken (Germany) Silver: Sara Dosho (Japan) Bronze: Laura Skujina (Latvia) Bronze: Natalia Vorobeva (Russia) 75 kilos: Gold: Adeline Gray (USA) Silver: Aline da Silva (Brazil) Bronze: Zhou Qian (China) Bronze: Burmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia)

57 kilos: Gold: Kyong-Il Yang (North Korea) Silver: Vladimir Khinchegashvili (Georgia) Bronze: Hassan Rahimi (Iran) Bronze: Vladislav Andreev (Belarus) 61 kilos: Gold: Haji Aliev (Azerbaijan) Silver: Masoud Esmailpoorjouybari (Iran) Bronze: Nyam-Ochir Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia) Bronze: Yowlys Rodriguez (Cuba) 65 kilos: Gold: Soslan Ramonov (Russia) Silver: Sayed Ahmad Mohammadi (Iran) Bronze: Mihail Sava (Moldova) Bronze: Mandakhnaran Ganzorig (Mongolia) 70 kilos: Gold: Khetik Tsabolov (Russia) Silver: Yakup Gor (Turkey) Bronze: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan) Bronze: Ali Shabanov (Belarus) 74 kilos: Gold: Denis Tsargush (Russia) Silver: Sohsuke Takatani (Japan) Bronze: Jordan Burroughs (USA) Bronze: Livan Lopez (Cuba) 86 kilos: Gold: Abdul Rashid Sadulaev (Russia) Silver: Reineris Salas (Cuba) Bronze: Selim Yasar (Turkey) Bronze: Askari Mohammadian (Iran) 97 kilos: Gold: Abdusalam Gadisov (Russia) Silver: Khetag Gazyumov (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Valeri Andriitsev (Ukraine) Bronze: Samil Erogran (Turkey) 125 kilos: Gold: Taha Akgul (Turkey) Silver: Komeil Ghasemi (Iran) Bronze: Khadshimourad Gatsalov (Russia Bronze: Tervel Dlagnev (USA)

Helen Maroulis captured bronze (Photo/Larry Slater)TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Helen Maroulis displayed the type of resiliency and determination that has established her as one of the best wrestlers on the planet. Maroulis shook off a tough semifinal setback and came back to capture a bronze medal at the World Championships on Wednesday night at the Gymnastics Palace. Maroulis charged out aggressively in rolling to a 10-0 technical fall over Poland's Katarzyna Krawczyk in the bronze-medal match in women's freestyle wrestling at 55 kilos. "I've been working on my mental game," Maroulis said. "I was really disappointed I lost in the semifinals, but I tried to come back strong in the bronze-medal match. It was important to win that medal and I went after it." Maroulis won her second career World medal. She captured a World silver medal in 2012. Read full story ... Team USA Results (Wednesday) Alyssa Lampe (48 kilos) Round of 32: Won by pin over Narangel Erdenesukh (Mongolia), 5:50 Round of 16: Won by pin over Hyun-Young Oh (Korea), 3:48 Quarterfinals: Lost by tech. fall to Eri Tosaka (Japan), 14-4 Repechage: Won by pin over Silvia Felice (Italy), 1:15 Bronze-medal match: Lost by dec. to Hyon Gyong Kim (North Korea), 4-4 Helen Maroulis (55 kilos) Round of 16: Won by pin over Elverine Jimenez (Nicaragua), 2:12 Quarterfinals: Won by pin over Battsetseg Altantsetseg (Mongolia), 2:21 Semifinals: Lost by dec. to Chiho Hamada (Japan), 6-2 Bronze-medal match: Won by tech. fall over Katarzyna Krawczyk, 10-0 Jenna Burkert (60 kilos) Round of 16: Lost by tech. fall to Katsuki Sakagami (Japan), 10-0 Randi Miller (69 kilos) Round of 32: Lost by pin to Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus (Poland), 2:27 Medalists (Wednesday) 48 kilos: Gold: Eri Tosaka (Japan) Silver: Iwona Matkowska (Poland) Bronze: Mariya Stadnyk (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Hyon Gyong Kim (North Korea) 55 kilos: Gold: Chiho Hamada (Japan) Silver: Irina Ologonova (Russia) Bronze: Helen Maroulis (USA) Bronze: Iryna Khariv (Ukraine) 60 kilos: Gold: Tserenchimed Sukhee (Mongolia) Silver: Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Natalia Golts (Russia) Bronze: Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria) 69 kilos: Gold: Aline Focken (Germany) Silver: Sara Dosho (Japan) Bronze: Laura Skujina (Latvia) Bronze: Natalia Vorobeva (Russia)

Jordan Burroughs claimed bronze (Photo/Larry Slater)TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- Nobody is going to ever question the grit, moxie and heart that American star Jordan Burroughs displays whenever he steps on a wrestling mat. Competing with a heavily wrapped left knee, Burroughs capped a courageous performance by winning a bronze medal at the World Championships on Tuesday night at the Gymnastics Palace. Burroughs suffered a left knee injury in his first match of the day, but still managed to win four of five matches. The final win was a first-period pin over Ukraine's Rustam Dudaev in the bronze-medal freestyle bout at 74 kg/163 lbs. Burroughs, a 2012 Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion, is now a remarkable 92-2 in his international career. Burroughs gave up the opening takedown against Dudaev before storming back with a strong attack to take a 7-2 lead. His final takedown put Dudaev on his back and Burroughs recorded a fall at the 2:48 mark of the first period. Read full story ... Team USA Results (Tuesday) Jimmy Kennedy (61 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Hamka (INA), 10-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Andrei Perpelita (Moldova), 6-4 Brent Metcalf (65 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Park Seoungun (Korea), 11-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Mustafa Kaya (Turkey), 7-4 Jordan Burroughs (74 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Augusto Midana (Guinea Bisau), 4-3 Round of 16: Won by tech. fall over Lee Yun-seok (Korea), 13-2 Quarterfinals: Won by dec. Rashid Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 5-0 Semifinals: Lost by dec. to Denis Tsargush (Russia), 9-2 Bronze-medal match: Won by pin over Rustam Dudaiev (Ukraine) Jake Varner (97 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over William Harth (Germany), 7-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Valerii Andriitsev (Ukraine), 5-3 Medalists (Tuesday) 61 kilos: Gold: Haji Aliev (Azerbaijan) Silver: Masoud Esmailpoorjouybari (Iran) Bronze: Nyam-Ochir Enkhsaikhan (Mongolia) Bronze: Yowlys Rodriguez (Cuba) 65 kilos: Gold: Soslan Ramonov (Russia) Silver: Sayed Ahmad Mohammadi (Iran) Bronze: Mihail Sava (Moldova) Bronze: Mandakhnaran Ganzorig (Mongolia) 74 kilos: Gold: Denis Tsargush (Russia) Silver: Sohsuke Takatani (Japan) Bronze: Jordan Burroughs (USA) Bronze: Livan Lopez (Cuba) 97 kilos: Gold: Abdusalam Gadisov (Russia) Silver: Khetag Gazyumov (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Valeri Andriitsev (Ukraine) Bronze: Samil Erogran (Turkey)

Tervel Dlagnev (Photo/Larry Slater)TASHKENT, Uzbekistan -- American Tervel Dlagnev was tired of taking fifth. Fifth at the 2011 and 2013 World Championships, and fifth in the 2012 Olympics, Dlagnev came through to capture a bronze medal at the 2014 World Championships on Monday night at the Gymnastics Palace. Dlagnev scored a first-period takedown en route to edging 2011 World champion Alexei Shemarov of Belarus 2-1 in the freestyle wrestling bronze bout at 125 kilos. Dlagnev won his second World bronze medal after placing third at the 2009 Worlds. "I knew I had to get out quickly, get my points and stay in the fight," Dlagnev said. "I was real fired up to have another shot at a medal. I obviously wanted to win a gold medal and that’s what I trained for, but I’m so pumped to win a bronze medal." Read full story ... Team USA Results (Monday) Tony Ramos (57 kilos) Round of 64: Lost by dec. to Bekhbayar Erdenebat (Mongolia), 7-4 Nick Marable (70 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Akzurek Tantarov (Kazakhstan), 2-1 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Grigor Grigoryan (Armenia), 4-2 Quarterfinals: Lost by dec. to Ali Shabanau (Belarus), 5-2 Ed Ruth (86 kilos) Round of 64: Won by tech. fall over Yusup Melejaev (Turkmenistan), 12-2 Round of 32: Lost by dec. to Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (Iran), 7-4 Tervel Dlagnev (125 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Aleksandr Romanov (Moldova), 11-1 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Soslan Gagloev (Slovakia), 5-0 Quarterfinals: Lost by dec. to Taha Akgul (Turkey), 4-2 Repechage: Won by dec. over Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan), 3-1 Bronze-medal match: Tervel Dlagnev (USA) dec. Alexei Shemarov (Belarus), 2-1 Medalists (Monday) 57 kilos: Gold: Kyong-Il Yang (North Korea) Silver: Vladimir Khinchegashvili (Georgia) Bronze: Hassan Rahimi (Iran) Bronze: Vladislav Andreev (Belarus) 70 kilos: Gold: Khetik Tsabolov (Russia) Silver: Yakup Gor (Turkey) Bronze: Bekzod Abdurakhmonov (Uzbekistan) Bronze: Ali Shabanov (Belarus) 86 kilos: Gold: Abdul Rashid Sadulaev (Russia) Silver: Reineris Salas (Cuba) Bronze: Selim Yasar (Turkey) Bronze: Askari Mohammadian (Iran) 125 kilos: Gold: Taha Akgul (Turkey) Silver: Komeil Ghasemi (Iran) Bronze: Khadshimourad Gatsalov (Russia Bronze: Tervel Dlagnev (USA)

Day 7 (Sunday): Greco-Roman Spenser Mango (59 kilos): Round of 32: Won by dec. over Fatih Ucuncu (Turkey), 2-2 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Peter Modos (Hungary), 4-0 Quarterfinals: Won by tech. fall over Kazuma Kuramoto (Japan), 10-0 Semifinals: Lost by dec. to Mingiyan Semenov (Russia), 9-1 Bronze-medal match: Lost by dec. to Stig Andre Berge (Norway), 1-0 Justin Lester (71 kilos): Round of 32: Won by dec. over Mindia Tursumia (Georgia), 5-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Rasul Chunayev (Azerbaijan), 9-7 Caylor Williams (98 kilos): Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Marthin Nielsen, 3-0 Day 6 (Saturday): Greco-Roman Bryce Saddoris (66 kilos): Round of 64: Won by pin over Loiqi Amirkhanzode (Tajikistan), 1:26 Round of 32: Lost by dec. to Revaz Lashkhi (Georgia), 1-0 Joe Rau (80 kilos): Round of 32: Lost by pin to Jonas Bossert (Switzerland), 4:11 Robby Smith (130 kilos): Round of 16: Won by dec. over Jon Won Hwang (Korea), 8-2 Quarterfinals: Lost by tech. fall to Lyubomir Dimitrov (Bulgaria), 9-0 Day 5 (Friday): Greco-Roman Andy Bisek (75 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Petros Maoulidis (Greece), 5-0 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Ramon Vlasov (Russia), 6-6 Quarterfinals: Lost by dec. to Neven Zugaj (Croatia), 1-0 Repechage: Won by dec. over Veli-Karri Suominen (Finland), 6-5 Bronze-medal match: Won by tech. fall over Hiroyuki Shimizu (Japan), 8-0 Jordan Holm (85 kilos) Round of 64: Lost by dec. to Rustam Assakalov (Uzbekistan), 5-0 Day 5 (Friday): Women's freestyle Elena Pirozhkova (63 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Anastasia Grigorjeva (Latvia), 5-4 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Battsetseg Soronzonbold (Mongolia), 6-4 Quarterfinals: Won by dec. over Danielle Lappage (Canada), 2-1 Semifinals: Won by dec. over Monika Michalik (Poland), 3-0 Gold-medal match: Lost by dec. to Yulia Tkach (Ukraine), 4-2 Day 4 (Thursday): Women's freestyle Whitney Conder (53 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Tatiana Debien (France), 6-0 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Sumiya Erdenechimeg (Mongolia), 4-4 Quarterfinals: Lost by pin to Sofia Mattson (Sweden), 1:40 Repechage: Lost by dec. to Myong-Suk Jong (North Korea), 8-2 Alli Ragan (58 kilos) Round of 16: Won by dec. over Aisylyy Tynbekova (Kyrgyzstan), 7-6 Quarterfinals: Lost by tech. fall to Kaori Icho (Japan), 10-0 Repechage: Won by tech. fall over Asem Seydametova (Uzbekistan), 10-0 Bronze-medal match: Lost by dec. to Anastassia Huchok (Belarus), 4-4 Adeline Gray (75 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Zhou Qian (China), 11-10 Round of 16: Won by pin over Yasemin Adar (Turkey), 4:43 Quarterfinals: Won by dec. over Hiroe Suzuki (Japan), 2-1 Semifinals: Won by dec. over Epp Mae (Estonia), 5-1 Gold-medal match: Won by dec. over Aline da Silva (Brazil), 2-1 Day 3 (Wednesday): Women's freestyle Alyssa Lampe (48 kilos) Round of 32: Won by pin over Narangel Erdenesukh (Mongolia), 5:50 Round of 16: Won by pin over Hyun-Young Oh (Korea), 3:48 Quarterfinals: Lost by tech. fall to Eri Tosaka (Japan), 14-4 Repechage: Won by pin over Silvia Felice (Italy), 1:15 Bronze-medal match: Lost by dec. to Hyon Gyong Kim (North Korea), 4-4 Helen Maroulis (55 kilos) Round of 16: Won by pin over Elverine Jimenez (Nicaragua), 2:12 Quarterfinals: Won by pin over Battsetseg Altantsetseg (Mongolia), 2:21 Semifinals: Lost by dec. to Chiho Hamada (Japan), 6-2 Bronze-medal match: Won by tech. fall over Katarzyna Krawczyk, 10-0 Jenna Burkert (60 kilos) Round of 16: Lost by tech. fall to Katsuki Sakagami (Japan), 10-0 Randi Miller (69 kilos) Round of 32: Lost by pin to Agnieszka Wieszczek-Kordus (Poland), 2:27 Day 2 (Tuesday): Men's freestyle Jimmy Kennedy (61 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Hamka (INA), 10-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Andrei Perpelita (Moldova), 6-4 Brent Metcalf (65 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Park Seoungun (Korea), 11-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Mustafa Kaya (Turkey), 7-4 Jordan Burroughs (74 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Augusto Midana (Guinea Bisau), 4-3 Round of 16: Won by tech. fall over Lee Yun-seok (Korea), 13-2 Quarterfinals: Won by dec. Rashid Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 5-0 Semifinals: Lost by dec. to Denis Tsargush (Russia), 9-2 Bronze-medal match: Won by pin over Rustam Dudaiev (Ukraine) Jake Varner (97 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over William Harth (Germany), 7-0 Round of 16: Lost by dec. to Valerii Andriitsev (Ukraine), 5-3 Day 1 (Monday): Men's freestyle Tony Ramos (57 kilos) Round of 64: Lost by dec. to Bekhbayar Erdenebat (Mongolia), 7-4 Nick Marable (70 kilos) Round of 32: Won by dec. over Akzurek Tantarov (Kazakhstan), 2-1 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Grigor Grigoryan (Armenia), 4-2 Quarterfinals: Lost by dec. to Ali Shabanau (Belarus), 5-2 Ed Ruth (86 kilos) Round of 64: Won by tech. fall over Yusup Melejaev (Turkmenistan), 12-2 Round of 32: Lost by dec. to Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (Iran), 7-4 Tervel Dlagnev (125 kilos) Round of 32: Won by tech. fall over Aleksandr Romanov (Moldova), 11-1 Round of 16: Won by dec. over Soslan Gagloev (Slovakia), 5-0 Quarterfinals: Lost by dec. to Taha Akgul (Turkey), 4-2 Repechage: Won by dec. over Aslan Dzebisov (Azerbaijan), 3-1 Bronze-medal match: Tervel Dlagnev (USA) dec. Alexei Shemarov (Belarus), 2-1

Mat A Mat B Mat C

The World Championships start Monday. Read up, tune in and take part in the discussion on Facebook and Twitter. What an incredible sport ... Q: Henry Cejudo missed weight at UFC 177. I just can't ... -- Kevin F. Foley: I'm no fan, and much of the world has seen his behavior turn from good-natured, hard-working Olympic champion to shampoo salesman. Though I like giving him a solid ribbing, sometimes you have to step back and listen when someone close to Henry cuts him deep ... From an interview with Terry Brands: "I don't see the Henry Cejudo who was balls in, who would give his life to whatever he committed himself to. But I'm not his coach and it's not my job to tell him this stuff." Q: I was looking at Okie State roster and did not see Eddie Klimara. Any idea what's going on there? -- Raed K. Foley: The word is Klimara is back at Oklahoma State, but a possible redshirt is being discussed. However, if he does redshirt that might put Oklahoma State in a bind at 125. Q: What did you think of Ben Askren's win at OneFC? He should be in the UFC. -- Jake D. Foley: Brutal. I'm actually kinda thinking I wouldn't want him to punch me in the face. Before his punches looked like white-gloved slaps from a spurned lover, but now they look back-filled with rage. The new more violent Ben, is probably more marketable, but a part of me loved watching him smother other humans. Something about that seemed so mentally defeating. Askren is a dominant welterweight, and were MMA an international sport rather than a spectacle we'd have our answer of just how good he can be in the cage. I think he's top three, but until he gets a superfight against someone in the UFC, or a new contract we'll be left to guess if he could beat the likes of Johnny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler. What Askren does better than any other fighter is something without his fists or his legs ... he tells the truth. There aren't many people who are wise and forthwith, but Askren is both. In a sport full of scumbags and crooks, hearing his spin-free take on the state of MMA, doping and Dana White is refreshing. Check out this interview for the details of just how honest he can be when given a microphone. Team Askren. Q: In your response to the private school questions (and the fact that you are in Chicago), how can you not reference the program that Mike Powell has built at Oak Park? They have top-tier coaching and a travel schedule that allows for increased competitiveness. And Oak Park High School is one of the most diverse in the country. -- DMZ Foley: Correction: I moved to Hong Kong in April ... The OPRF program is one of the best in the country, and also one of the most diverse. In terms of wrestling knowledge my biggest gap comes at the high school level. As I've gone to cover more international events, I tend to miss out on more of the prep action. What makes Powell an exceptional coach isn't just his ability to coach kids to win at the high school level. There are coaches around the country who can get results from their wrestlers, but to also create a combination of attitude and skill level that allows his athletes to succeed in college and in international competition. Team Mike Powell. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME World Championships trailer Link: World Championships broadcast schedule Link: Journalist predictions for World Championships Q: I know questions about Pat Downey have come up on your mailbag. Just wanted to let you know (assuming you haven't heard) Pat Downey is at Iowa Central Community College. Looks like one hell of a workout partner for my little brother. -- Justin H. Foley: I did not know, and I very much appreciate you sharing that information. You read it here first! Q: Who from the States is coming away with a medal next week at the World Championships? -- Eric H. Jake Varner, who did not compete in 2013, will be looking for his third World-level medal on Tuesday after winning a World bronze medal in 2011 and Olympic gold medal in 2012 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: Prognostication is certain to incite pushback, but I think four men's freestyle wrestlers will capture medals: Jordan Burroughs, Brent Metcalf, Jimmy Kennedy and Jake Varner. Three women's freestyle wrestlers will medal: Helen Maroulis, Elena Pirozhkova and Adeline Gray. The Greco-Roman team has an outside chance at winning one medal from Justin Lester or Robby Smith. I wrote an InterMat Platinum article on the odds for all these wrestlers, which you're welcome to read here, but know that everything -- as always -- has to do with the draw. It's conceivable that Tony Ramos can catch Viktor Lebedev in the first round and be drug into the repechage where he wins one match and heads into a bronze-medal match. It's equally as likely that Jordan Burroughs gets put into the same side of the bracket as Denis Tsargush and Jabrayil Hasanov. When it comes to the World Championships anything is possible, which is why we love this week of wrestling! I've always considered America's top asset to be its optimism for outperforming the odds. Our medalists over the past ten years are a mixture of stone cold champions (Burroughs and Cael) and over-performing underdogs (Varner and Cejudo). That half of our Olympic gold medalists since 2004 were long shots to win a match is unique. Few countries have similar track records. Anything is possible. Nick Marable could make the finals, Varner could lose first match. For me those limitless possibilities is what makes the week so much fun.

Obviously UFC 177 didn't go as planned. And even if it had, it still would've been a weak pay per view. But as professionals, Richard and John prefer to look ahead rather than piling on and critiquing last week's debacle. Except for calling it a debacle right there. On this week's show the guys break down Friday's Bellator and UFC shows going down in Connecticut. Each card is headlined by a rematch, with Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza vs. Gegard Mousasi and Pat Curran vs. Patricio Pitbull Freire. One fighter has a better chance of replicating their previous victory. (Spoiler alert: it's Curran). For all of that and picks for both main cards, click the link. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Scholastic wrestling is an ever-evolving beast. The in-season campaign has always started in November with the official beginning of preparatory practice, and ended with the state tournament in either late February or early March. Around just one generation ago, an offseason would consist of some local spring tournaments, maybe some open mats in the spring and summer, then maybe an out-of-town camp and/or national type tournament in the summer. However, for better or worse, that ship has obviously left for sea -- and how. There are the national folkstyle tournaments in late March/early April, and then the summer brings about big national tournaments in both folkstyle and the Olympic styles. Even with the rising prevalence of Fargo, Junior/Cadet Duals, Disney Duals, and Junior Olympics -- the late summer and fall period was still mostly a "cool off period" for most wrestlers. While a limited group would be year-round wrestling specialists, there seemed to be more wrestlers that involved themselves with a fall sport (football, soccer, cross-country, or whatever). However, in the last ten years there has been a significant shrinkage of that "cool off period" and a significant increase in "wrestling specialists". To be fair, this is not just a wrestling-related trend, as the trend within all of youth/scholastic sports is toward single sport specialization -- with successful participation in two sports somewhat of a minor miracle, and three-sport athletes turning into the dodo bird. While the local -- creeping into regional -- prior to the preseason tournament was not a foreign language about ten years ago, certainly the "critical mass" of regional creeping into national events would fit as such. The rise and growth of the Super 32 Challenge from a local creeping into a regional event held at Morehead High School in North Carolina to a regional/national event now in its 10th year at the Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center would change the narrative. This event has maintained a late October date throughout its history. Many of these regional/national events occupy a spot on the wrestling calendar at present. They vary in terms of the extent to which it is a regional event as opposed to a national event. The talent quality within each of these fields will vary as well. Furthermore, the preseason calendar has crept into the earlier fall period. The following is an inventory of such events. Sunday, September 21: Iron Horse Invitational (South Plainfield, New Jersey) The event is about a decade old, and employs a round-robin format. Wrestlers are invited and/or accepted into the event based on the combination of past production and future potential. Weight classes are relatively arbitrary, with wrestlers grouped together more on ability and/or matchup interest in mind. Competition entails round-robins of four-to-five wrestlers (last year there were just over 25 groups contested). The field is primarily made up of New Jersey wrestlers, with other wrestlers mostly coming from New York, Pennsylvania, or other parts of the east coast. Wrestle in My Shoes is the non-profit sponsoring partner for the event. Sunday, October 5: Journeymen Classic (Niskayuna, New York) This event pretty much replicates the Iron Horse Invitational in terms of format and structure. In its fourth year, the tournament will again reach its just over 200 person capacity, and include wrestlers from between 25-to-30 states. The core of the field will come from New York State, along with the surrounding Northeast and Mid-Atlantic locales (additional top wrestlers are expected to attend from outside the core area). Per the tournament flyer, the event is targeting about 15 round-robin competitions to entail elite level competitors across the board; while the other half to two-thirds of the field will vary in terms of competition. Sunday, October 12: Conflict at Carver (Iowa City, Iowa) Last year the Hawkeye Wrestling Club decided to enter the preseason tournament business, with this event, as they would open up the opportunity to wrestle on the Carver-Hawkeye Arena floor to all. The initial edition of the event was a relatively local one, with the core of the field coming from Iowa, and the rest filling in from surrounding states. While one would expect the event to grow in its second year, and the second year tends to be better than the first year, the first year returns for this event showed a relatively small and weak field -- given the context of these events. Saturday, October 18: Who's Number One, presented by Flowrestling (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) Last year Flowrestling presented the inaugural edition of this invitational event with the intent of being an all-grade Dapper Dan of sorts in the preseason. In addition, they also had a matchup of two post-collegiate athletes to create further attention (in 2013 it was Bubba Jenkins vs. Jordan Oliver). The event is back this year on the campus of Lehigh University, and will employ a similar format -- star matchups across the weight spectrum of highly ranked high school wrestlers with a featured bout. Saturday, October 18: Grappler Fall Classic (Grand Rapids, Michigan) In its fifth year, this event has youth and junior high divisions in addition to the high school competition. College rules are in effect for this event as well. The field is primarily wrestlers from Michigan, with competitors from surrounding states filling out the field, along with isolated wrestlers from other parts of the country. Saturday, October 18: Blue Chip Fall Brawl (Kansas City, Missouri) This event is among the older tournaments of the regional type. Now held at Staley High School in suburban Kansas City, the tournament features wrestlers from Missouri, Kansas, and other neighboring states. The featured match of last year's tournament was one in the final at 182 pound between Bo Nickal and Michael Pixley, both wrestlers having won Junior National freestyle titles in the summer of 2013. Saturday, October 25 (and Sunday, October 26): Preseason Nationals (Cedar Falls, Iowa) In the mold of the Super 32 Challenge, this is a national event, though the core of the field is from the middle third of the country; as opposed to the Super 32, whose core participants are from the eastern third of the country. High school boys' competition will be on Saturday; while the middle school and elementary school boys along with the high school girls event will be held on Sunday. Both the grade-school and high school events sold out last year, and capacity for each event has increased slightly to 1,500 this year (high school girls capacity at 200). Friday, October 31 through Sunday, November 2: Southwest Kickoff Classic (Las Vegas, Nevada) Similar to the Preseason Nationals and Super 32 Challenge, this is a relatively national event, though the core of the field is from the western third of the country. The event features a high school elite and high school varsity division, along with multiple age divisions for junior high and elementary wrestlers. Saturday, November 1 and Sunday, November 2: Super 32 Challenge presented by Flips Wrestling (Greensboro, North Carolina) The Super 32 Challenge is held in Greensboro, N.C.The elite event, with the deepest and most diverse field, of the preseason tournament circuit is this one in its 16th year overall, and 10th in the Greensboro Coliseum Special Event Center. Last year's field featured close to 90 wrestlers that earned weight class rankings at the end of the 2013-14 season; while just over 20 percent of the 1,250 tournament participants won a state, New England regional, or National Prep title. In addition the high school tournament, there is also a middle school tournament, which will feature many of the nation's top junior high prospects; an elementary school tournament with two divisions has also been added for the first time this year (both the middle school and elementary school events sold out in about 48 hours). Flips Wrestling was added as the event's title sponsor this year. Sunday, November 9: InterMat JJ Classic (Rochester, Minnesota) This event is among the newer preseason tournaments in its fifth year. The event is held at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota, and is open to wrestlers in grades 7 through 12. The tournament is held in memory of Justin "JJ" Kukowski, and proceeds of the event go toward the fight against cancer. The field primarily features wrestlers from the Midwest, along with a smattering of competitors from across the country. Registration for this year's event opens on September 15.

With the high school wrestling season's start nearing, InterMat is taking readers across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From mid-August until mid-November, InterMat is introducing readers to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. In this installment, Steve Elwood looks at the top senior wrestlers in Minnesota. There's no argument nationally about the talent of Minnesota wrestling. Every year there are superstars coming from the land of 10,000 lakes and this year is no exception. This top 10 list overall is not quite on par with previous Minnesota lists, which mirrors the scene from a national perspective. It's led by two of the top recruits in the nation and has several that are under the radar. Are there potential national NCAA All-Americans here? I think there's a few. All told, there are 20 state titles won so far by these 10 wrestlers. I would be quite surprised if that number is not sitting at 30 by the first weekend of March. Bobby Steveson (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)1. Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley) Projected High School Weight Class: 182/195 Projected College Weight Class: 184/197 Analysis: No rational fan would have had Steveson at the top of the list a year ago. But this late-blooming senior has shot up the rankings with high-caliber wins over Sam Colbray, Johnny Sebastian and Lance Benick in the last 12 months. There may not be a tougher wrestler to score on and his style wears out most opponents by the third period. Steveson won a Junior National freestyle title in Fargo, Pan American titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman, and a Junior National folkstyle title. He is a two-time state champion with a 120-3 record during his prep career in Minnesota. Lance Benick (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)2. Lance Benick (Totino-Grace) Projected High School Weight Class: 195 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Analysis: A year ago Benick was the No. 1 overall wrestler in the Class of 2015. He slips a little here as a result of a few unexpected losses to Sam Colbray and Bobby Steveson. But it would be a mistake to overlook this high profile talent. Benick is a multiple-time national champion in Fargo as well as a FILA Cadet National champion and a member of the FILA Cadet World Team. Benick is a three-time state champion who has gone 125-4 over the past three seasons. He has committed to Zeke Jones at Arizona State. Cameron Sykora (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)3. Cameron Sykora (Border West) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125/133 Analysis: Sykora has a rare opportunity to be in the elusive five-time state championship club by year's end. If accomplished, he will be one of only five wrestlers in Minnesota to pull this off. Sykora is deserving of a national ranking and I am predicting a banner senior season. He has taken gold at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in Virginia Beach, as well as the Grappler Fall Classic in Michigan. He has compiled a record of 177-13. Sykora committed to North Dakota State. Maolu Woiwor (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)4. Maolu Woiwor (Apple Valley) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: It's hard to imagine a potential four-time state champion from Apple Valley not getting much national attention, but that's the case with Woiwor. He is my pick for the most underrated wrestler in Minnesota. Woiwer is the defending Rumble on the Red champion, as well as a multiple-time Minnesota Christmas Tournament placewinner. His older brother Daniel is looking to start at Iowa State this season. He has a career record of 144-16. Woiwor has not yet committed to a college. Andrew Fogarty (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine)5. Andrew Fogarty (Scott West) Projected High School Weight Class: 160/170 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Fogarty surprised the wrestling world when it surely looked like he pinned one of the nation's top recruits, Ryan Blees, last season in the finals at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament. It wasn't meant to be and he took a close loss. He is no longer overlooked as this multiple-sport athlete proved as he walked through the field for his second Rumble on the Red championship. He then went on to win the state championship after a 48-1 season. Louie Sanders (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)6. Louie Sanders (LCWM) Projected High School Weight Class: 138/145 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Analysis: Sanders, a first cousin to four-time All-American Zach Sanders, enters his senior season with a shot at becoming the first three-time state champion in his school's history. Sanders is another underrated, but very explosive wrestler. His accolades include being a multiple-time freestyle state champion, as well as runner-up at the InterMat JJ Classic. He has amassed 135 career wins. Sanders gave a verbal commitment to North Dakota State. Alex Hart (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)7. Alex Hart (Prior Lake) Projected High School Weight Class: 220/285 Projected College Weight Class: N/A (Football) Analysis: Hart was involved in three epic matches with Apple Valley's Paul Cheney last season, and the Prior Lake wrestler came out on top to win a state title. The two wrestlers also hooked up at the Minnesota Christmas tournament where Hart won that meeting as well. This highly sought after football recruit will be moving between 220 pounds and heavyweight this season. Hart plans on playing football in college, but has not yet committed to a college. Paden Moore (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)8. Paden Moore (JCC) Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157/165 Analysis: Moore has been in the shadow of his two talented brothers throughout his career. His brother Cooper wrestles at Northern Iowa, while his younger brother Keegan is a teammate at JCC. But it would be a mistake to dismiss this hardworking wrestler. Moore is a multiple-time state champion in both summer styles and is a Northern Plains champion. He has an impressive 96 pins and 181 wins entering his senior season. He is undefeated at The Clash. Moore is undecided on his college plans. Austin Anderly (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)9. Austin Anderly (Le Sueur-Henderson) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Analysis: This talented two-time state champion competes for the same high school as the well-known Pfarr family. (Brett Pfarr will be the 184-pound starter for the University of Minnesota.) Anderly has a way of showing up for big matches and is very explosive offensively. Anderly is a former Northern Plains champion as well as a multiple-time state freestyle champion. He remains uncommitted for college. Quinten Berres (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)10. Quinten Berres (Kimball Area) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Analysis: Berres has a chance to become the first three-time state champion from his high school. He is a four-time state placewinner. His state placements have been 6-3-1-1. His most impressive moment may have been his sophomore run when he wrestled the state tournament with only one healthy arm. Berres also excels on the baseball field, but plans on wrestling in college. He has not yet announced his college plans.

This week Josh Shaw, a standout collegiate football player for USC, was caught in a lie. The 22-year-old senior claimed he injured his ankles in the midst of rescuing his drowning nephew. A few days later Shaw admitted that there was no rescue and that he's injured himself in a separate incident. Just what type of incident has yet to be determined. Not knowing what occurred hasn't slowed the investigation into Shaw's behavior. Newsweek, once a venerable national magazine, had respected journalist John Walters report an exclusive about how the young, unpaid college athlete went about casting his web of deceit. Walters, a middle-aged man with absolutely zero known lies in his past, describes Shaw's dishonesty as "pathological" and uses a true-crime, minute-by-delicious-minute structure to take readers inside Shaw's actions:It was now Monday afternoon. Students and others might soon be noticing one of the Trojans' star players traversing USC's sun-dappled campus in a motorized cart. The next practice was scheduled for Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. With the Trojans just four days away from their season-opener and Sarkisian's debut as head coach against Fresno State at home on Saturday, reporters would definitely notice Shaw's absence. How else was USC supposed to explain Shaw's bizarre injury when the only version it knew of was Shaw's? There was no mention of Shaw in any criminal activity; no incident reports from the campus police.Sensational reporting! What could the university with a multi-million dollar endowment and 100-plus athletic staff do to ward off reporters? They were left no choice ... Maybe now it is best to note that USC had zero obligation to report the details of Shaw's injury. There are strict HIPAA laws in place to ensure that medical matters aren't shared with the media. Shaw's story, however, proved irresistible, and rather than just divert comments and allow speculation USC chose to run the story on the front page of their sight. Enter "inveterate" USC sports information director Tim Tessalone. The only reason that Shaw's story would go public is because Tessalone made a decision to run the story on Monday at 3:30 p.m. By his own admission Tessalone states in Walter's piece that, "We knew it was a feel-good story, but it was also going to be a news story." Again: USC was under no obligation to release a story on Shaw's injury. The SID and AD Pat Haden chose to run the story because it could result in great PR. According to honest John Walters, the school "interrogated" Shaw for several hours in what amount to a vetting of his story for publication. Shaw's deception, which until this point had been kept a university matter, was now blasted into the Twitterverse sparking a flood of doubters and eventually a myriad stories about Shaw's character and his supposed crimes of propaganda -- none more self-righteous and grandstanding than Walters'. The real bad guys of this story are the USC administration and the reporter who clumsily laid out their CYA media campaign. The men, all of whom are paid for their work, pointed fingers at a scared 22-year-old kid with sprained ankles and called him a liar. They called him "pathological." Honest John Walters and inveterate Tim Tessalone violated the ethical underpinnings of journalism and education in general. They lost sight of who deserves their care and protection and who deserves their scorn. Tessalone failed Shaw for publishing his story, and Walters failed in reporting on Shaw's lies rather than USC's breach of ethics. But nobody will take Walters and SID Tessalone to task. They're incubated by their relative irrelevance and emboldened by their distance from the action. Walters might move on to dissect a new pathological manipulation of another underprivileged, scared kid who lied to get out of trouble, and then he'll beat his chest once more, raise his chin to the world and know for certain that he is above the fray, that he and Tessalone are the honest gentleman, the best of the best, the infallible, the just, the purveyors of indisputable truth. That Shaw and his ilk are the scorn-worthy, the breakables, the ones who deserve the full might of a national magazine to expose their character flaws for the deserving masses. Or maybe Walters and the media who covered this episode with brazen disregard for who holds power, are just scandalmongers picking off the weakest in the crowd, fearful of the big story and who it might alienate. Maybe they've lost sight of the media's role in comforting the weak and powerless, to stick up for the little guy and the hard truths, rather than conduct exclusive stories with the powerful in hopes of covering their asses and moving copy. To your questions ... Q: What were the biggest contributing factors to reinstating Fresno State's wrestling program and what can we take away from their feat? -- @RobbyBobbi Foley: Dennis Deliddo. That man has not given up his fight to reinstate the Fresno State wrestling program. A fantastic coach who has an impressive lineage of athletes and coaches, Deliddo has been laser-focused on doing whatever he can to get wrestling back in the Valley. After more than eight years his hard work has paid off. There are many, many others who have played an influential role, but from my understanding Deliddo's connections and leadership have always been at the forefront of the reinstatement campaign. What a great moment for wrestling. I'm getting teary-eyed just thinking about the first time a Bulldog wrestler steps on the mat. Redemption is a powerful story and reading that President Castro was committed to the sport's reinstatement was an assurance that administrations can and do recognize the power and profitability of passion. Q: I do have a question about high school wrestling. In general it seems to me that the more successful programs in the country come from pretty affluent communities. For a high school to be continually dominant must they be private with a great coach or if they are public must they come from an affluent area as well? I look at my home state of California and the top teams consistently come from really resourced areas ... Gilroy, Vacaville and Bakersfield being the exceptions. Nationally the high school programs tend to be very affluent and as result can limit opportunities for kids of color who may not be able to afford the same opportunity as say an East on, a Blair, or St. Paris Graham. So is money a key factor in the success of dominant programs? -- Marcus R. Foley: Access to resources is a huge factor in the future success of athletes. More money often means better coaching and a travel schedule that allows for increased competitiveness. However, that's a soft line since the majority of successful wrestlers in America come low to middle/low income households. Blair and St. Ed's are private schools with enrollments not limited by geography. They are magnet schools for wrestling talent and have a coaching infrastructure and booster program that supports the development of their athletes from a young age. The other restriction for minority athletes from disadvantaged upbringings is early attention to their talent and proper relationship building by coaches to find the extra resources necessary to move them along to the next level. Ed Ruth was once a Susquehanna-only wrestler, but was able to create a relationship with Blair that landed him in State College, and on the U.S. World Team. The part-time coaching structure of the public school system is not the most efficient means for developing young wrestlers. That system is even more complicated in areas of restricted resources and who battle larger issues that develop is socio-economic disadvantaged communities. Wrestling can grow in these communities. It will take time, but we can already see that the Beat The Streets model is creating some college athletes. There hasn't been an Ed Ruth yet, but given time, exposure and expertise the NYC and affiliated programs around the country will create someone of his caliber and talent. Q: Having been a Division I coach and recruiter yourself, how much emphasis is put on getting to know a wrestler on a personal level before committing scholarship money to that student-athlete? There are many accomplished wrestlers coming into college, but not all of them pan out and achieve at a high level. Some even fizzle out and quit wrestling within a year or two. Can coaches pick up on how motivated a kid is during the recruiting process? -- Mike C. Foley: The character of a young student-athlete is very important, though often it's difficult to suss out the truth before they arrive on campus. I was fortunate to help Brendan Buckley recruit a lot of quality kids to his program at Columbia. Some were excellent wrestlers, but all were smart and engaging. Not all of them made it through four years of college wrestling, but often that had to do a with a variety of difficult-to-predict factors. College kids are trying out different personalities all the time. If done well, very few 22-year-old college graduates are the same person they were at 18. They are wiser, and have made hundreds of decisions, and often difficult decisions. Good coaches try to find kids with whom they can communicate with on a personal level. Things will go wrong. There will be disappointments and lies told, but in the end if there is communication and trust a coach can help their athlete grow on and off the mat, the latter part of which is more important. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME FILA Wrestling World Championships trailer Newest Foxcatcher trailer Q: Why does Illinois dominate in high school freestyle, but can't touch Pennsylvania in All-Americans at NCAAs? They just like summer? -- @alliseeis_ Foley: Maybe they just like freestyle. Pennsylvania youth wrestlers have dozens of Division I programs in state, which means more are making starting lineups and earning opportunities to become All-American wrestlers. Illinois has four Division programs, SIU-Edwardsville, Northern Illinois, Northwestern and Illinois. (Northwestern has a very limited roster.) Pennsylvania also attracts plenty of recruiting attention because of past results and population density. The majority of Division I wrestling programs are on the East Coast and therefore more coaches see the athletes and recruit them to their schools. The competitiveness within the state allows for mid-range kids with huge potential to find their way onto a program. Illinois has a spectacular set of youth programs and their top, top guys tend to be close to on par with many in Pennsylvania. When summertime tournaments come along the margin that appears later in their development hasn't yet taken shape, giving the Illinois kids opportunities to excel. Q: When is women's college folkstyle going to happen? -- @koatig Foley: Never. American folkstyle has very little history with women. There were no barnstorming leagues, or mega-attraction matches in the 1940's. When female wrestling was promoted by the NWCA it was done so as freestyle precisely because there was no established traditional form of the sport in America. Q: In the past few years we have seen some foreign wrestlers make an impact in Division I. Ganbayar Sanjaa was a two-time All-American at American University. Ugi was an All-American for the Citadel, as was Turtogtokh. Any foreign wrestlers we need to keep an eye on in Division I? -- Mike C. Foley: You should always keep an eye out for more Mongolians making an appearance in Charleston. Once the pipeline is opened and process known it's easier for coach and athlete to meet the enrollment standards and compete for the university. No confirmation on if they have more coming, but it's always a possibility. Prior to The Citadel was Steve Lampe's Colby Community College program that would find foreign athletes and bring them to the states. Though if my notes are correct, much of that was also by chance. There are plenty of foreign wrestlers looking for new opportunities. The problem has always been getting them at an early enough age where they can still train in their home country but also work on English and pass the TOEFFL entry exams. If today's Division I college coaches are able to entice foreign athletes into following a program that prepares them for college, then we might see an influx. However, it's much more likely that we will see older athletes come to JUCO before making brief appearances at the NCAA level, a la Ganbayar.

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson announced two additions to his coaching staff this afternoon in Trent Paulson and Angel Escobedo. Both Paulson and Escobedo bring impressive resumes to the Cyclone staff. “I’m really excited to have these two outstanding young men on our staff,” Jackson said. “They have great experience at the NCAA and world-class level, both being NCAA champions and world team members. Together they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our program and are going to continue to push our program to be the very best.” Paulson comes to Iowa State boasting a highly-decorated resume, having established himself as an elite competitor at both the collegiate and professional levels. Paulson spent his collegiate career wrestling for the Cyclones and compiled a career record of 116 wins, 20 losses en route to becoming a three-time All-American and two-time Big 12 Champion, also claiming the 157-pound NCAA title in 2007. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native is also one of 11 wrestlers in program history to become a three-time All-American, capture a national title and tally over 115 career victories. As a professional athlete, Paulson was a four-time member of the USA National Team, also competing as a member of the 2009 World Team. Paulson was the 2009 US Open champion and picked up numerous titles in international competition throughout his career. Paulson is ready start work with this one-of-a-kind staff. “I’m excited to transfer into this role with the college athletes,” Paulson said. “I think between Kevin, Travis, Angel and myself, all being world team members, we can’t be matched as a staff. We’ve got youth and the experience of Coach Jackson. We’re going to attack this with a high intensity and I’m very excited.” Escobedo comes to Iowa State as a volunteer assistant and will continue his training as a senior level athlete for the Cyclone Wrestling Club. As a collegian, Escobedo garnered All-America honors four times, taking the national title in 2008 at 125 pounds. The former Indiana Hoosier was also a three-time Big Ten champion from 2008-10. He ended his collegiate career with 137 victories. Escobedo is eager to join the program and add to its history. “I’m very excited to come to Iowa State,” Escobedo said. “There is a lot of tradition and a lot of winning in this program. I’m looking forward to continuing to build on that and work with the guys on the team, while also continuing my training towards becoming a world champion.” On the professional circuit, Escobedo picked up a fifth-place finish at the 2013 World Championships as a member of the United State National Team, notching the second-highest finish among the American grapplers. In his three years on the professional tour, the Griffith, Indiana, native has picked up several top-five finishes, including two national team honors. Adding Paulson and Escobedo to the Iowa State staff makes the Cyclones one of, if not the only program in the NCAA with four former senior-level world team members. The duo adds to the already highly decorated staff at Iowa State that now holds an Olympic gold medalist, two World gold medals, eight world team members, 17 national team spots, five US Open titles, two NCAA titles and 14 NCAA All-America accolades. All the pieces are in place to keep the program moving forward and train athletes that excel in academics and all levels of wrestling.

Join Scott Casber, Tim Harms, Paul Bird, Corey Lathrup and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9 a.m.to 11 a.m., 10 a.m. to noon ET on KXNO.com, TakedownRadio.com and iHeart Radio. Win our Super Sunday Singlet giveaway! Win a singlet every Sunday of the year by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/TakedownWrestling and on Twitter at @Takedownradio This week's guests include Jim Heffernan, Mark Schwab, John Licata, Jim Zalesky, Dan Wirnsberger, Tony Ersland and guest host Paul Bird 9 a.m. Jim Heffernan 9:15 a.m. Mark Schwab 9:35 a.m. John Licata 10 a.m. Jim Zalesky 10:15 a.m. Dan Wirnsberger 10:35 a.m. Tony Ersland Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation live. Ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app. (Click on KXNO under Sportsradio.)

Being an All-American has tremendous importance on the lives of most collegiate wrestlers. For many NCAA Division I wrestlers it's an achievement that can help define their athletic careers and open up future opportunities in athletics. To stand on the podium even once means to fulfill a lifelong goal. Failing to take home an All-American placard can (unfortunately) lead to a lifetime of second-guessing work ethic, weight class decisions and a myriad of near-misses. Given the disparity of outcomes, wrestlers put a tremendous amount of psychological stress on themselves in order to find the podium in March. This season there are 10 seniors who have been closer than most to reaching All-American honors and will have only one more season to fulfill their dream. Max Thomusseit (Pitt) One of the best upperweights in the NCAA for the past several seasons, Max Thomusseit has been one win short of All-American honors the past two seasons. The three-time conference finalist finally made it over the division hump in 2013 to win a title. The round of 12 is not a curse for Thomusseit as much as it is luck. He has drawn tough characters each year, but in 2015 will look to complete his season with another conference championship, a first All-American honor and maybe more. Nebraska's Jake Sueflohn is a three-time NCAA qualifier (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Jake Sueflohn (Nebraska) An accomplished mat wrestler with a grind-first attitude, Jake Sueflohn is a three-time NCAA qualifier who has yet to step on the scales for the third day of the NCAA tournament. The Cornhusker has been ranked in the top 10 for most of career and his expectations have been accelerated by the success of teammate James Green and the addition of Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs to the coaching staff. Though he only went 2-2 in 2014, one of those losses was to eventual NCAA runner-up Josh Kindig of Oklahoma State by two points. He was also 2-2 in 2013 with losses to Jordan Oliver and Dylan Ness. Now surrounded by greatness the five NCAA wins in his previous three years should be a great launching point for Sueflohn's success in 2014-2015. Taylor Walsh (Indiana) A three-time NCAA qualifier who set all-time school record with 25 pins last season, Taylor Walsh has the horsepower and firepower to make a run at the NCAA tournament. However, as of yet his talent and growth have not translated into an All-American plaque. Walsh has been lackluster in March, going 1-2 in 2014, 1-2 in 2013 and 1-2 in 2012. It goes without saying that he will need to improve his performance in order to turn his regular season success into postseason hardware. Nick Moore (Iowa) Nick Moore entered the 2014 NCAA Wrestling tournament as the No. 5 seed after finishing runner-up at the Midlands and Big Tens. A four-time Iowa state champion, Moore underperformed in Oklahoma City in 2014 going 2-2, losing to Josh Veltre (Bloomsburg) and Dylan Palacio (Cornell). One of his wins came against a tough Corey Mock. In 2013 he was 1-2, which also included a loss to Veltre. Mike Ottinger (Central Michigan) A two-time MAC champion, Mike Ottinger carried the No. 10 seed into the 2014 NCAAs, but failed to earn the coveted All-American honor. A three-time NCAA qualifier, Ottinger has had his chances to excel. The former Pennsylvania state champion carried an impressive 27-7 record into the NCAA tournament and went 2-2, a marked improvement over his first two seasons where he failed to win a match. Still, with a 73-32 career record and a 15-2 MAC record in 2014, it's likely he will earn another seed and shot at the All-American plaque that has been evading him. Josh Demas (Ohio State) Listed as a senior for Ton Ryan, Josh Demas is a two-time NCAA qualifier who has always displayed massive potential. The potential has meant big wins during the year, but when the end of the season rolls around Demas has been unable to follow teammates like the Stieber bros. and Nick Heflin to the podium. Corey Mock (Chattanooga) The son of UNC-Chapel Hill head wrestling coach and 1982 NCAA champion C.D. Mock, Corey is coming off an impressive 31-5 season. The No. 6 seed at NCAAs in 2014 Corey was unable to translate his strong regular season into an All-American plaque, losing to Southern Conference opponent and All-American Turtogtokh Luvsandorj for the chance to become an All-American. Nick Soto (Chattanooga) Mock's teammate Nick Soto is a three-time NCAA qualifier and was the No. 10 seed at 2014 NCAAs where he went 2-2 in 2014. The rising senior has an 84-25 career record was 1-4 in two previous trips to the NCAAs. Though he hasn't made the podium, he has shown the ability to beat top-level competition through out the season, which is something he will need to achieve in order to take home hardware. Among his big wins are All-Americans Ryan Mango, David Thorn, B.J. Futrell and Jarrod Garnett. However, he does have head-scratching losses and has failed to continue a single trajectory and build consistency. Braden Atwood (Purdue) Though his most important career win was a comeback win against Tim Foley at the 2011 Midlands, Braden Atwood is a three-time NCAA qualifier (2012, 2013, 2014). He's done decent at the NCAAs, earning a 3-6 overall record, including 2-2 in 2014. Atwood knows how to win and stylistically falls into a category of an upperweight that has traditionally found success with high mobility and stamina. He's also a three-time Big Ten placewinner. Andrew Alton was pinned by Eric Grajales last season in a wild, back-and-forth match (Photo/GoBlue.com)Andrew Alton (Penn State) Expectations have been high for Andrew Alton ever since he stepped foot in Happy Valley. As a true freshman, Alton dazzled in a deep weight class (141) in the Big Ten. He won 30 matches that season, picking up some big wins along the way, but ultimately fell in the round of 12 at the NCAAs. After a redshirt season in 2011-12, Andrew came back to go 27-6 as a redshirt sophomore, but a disappointing NCAA tournament (1-2) kept him off the podium. Last year he had shoulder surgery, and though he tried to come back mid-season, Alton was not able to regain his form, and ultimately was replaced by fifth-year senior James English, who became an All-American. As a senior Andrew Alton will look to join his brother Dylan as an All-American for the Nittany Lions. Others: Tommy Gantt (North Carolina State) Joe Spisak (Virginia) Kory Mines (Edinboro) Josh Dziewa (Iowa) Jimmy Lawson (Penn State)

Wayne Baughman will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, August 27. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on theopenmat.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments. Baughman was a 16-time national champion who made eight World teams and three Olympic teams. He was also the head wrestling coach of the 1976 freestyle Olympic team.

South Dakota State head wrestling coach Chris Bono announced the hiring of Jon Reader as an assistant coach. "I am extremely fired up that Jon will be joining our program," Bono said. "He brings a work ethic and passion for our department that is unmatched. His personality and lifestyle fits perfect with what we are trying to accomplish at SDSU." Jon Reader battles Clayton Foster at the U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)A Davidson, Mich., native, Reader comes to Brookings following a two-year stint as a volunteer coach at his alma mater, Iowa State. In his time on staff, he coached three All-Americans and saw the Cyclones place 11th at the 2013 NCAA Championships. "Jon's relationships and ties across the country is exactly what we need to keep Jackrabbit wrestling on the move," Bono said. While at ISU, Reader wrestled a pair of seasons with current SDSU head coach Chris Bono on staff. A three-time All-American (2008, 09, 11), he added an NCAA championship in 2011 to his resume, capping off his senior season a perfect 39-0. During his title campaign, he held the No. 1 ranking in every major poll the entire year. Of his 39 wins, 27 came by bonus points. Reader compiled a 124-23 career record in a Cyclone singlet. His 124 career wins is tied for eighth all-time at ISU. "I can relate to the guys achieving their NCAA dreams, as well as those who come up short," Reader said. Reader continues to train for international competition, as he is competing for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team. A two-time World Team member, Reader represented the U.S. at the 2012 University World Championship in Kuortane, Finland. "I have a passion for the sport and am excited about the opportunity Coach Bono is giving me at South Dakota State," Reader said. "I am coming to Brookings to help build a program that will compete for All-Americans and national championships. I have been there and know what it takes Reader will join Bono leading a Jackrabbit roster that went 6-8 last season and qualified three wrestlers for the NCAA Championships, the most in school history. "You will not find a person more respected in our sport than Jon Reader," Bono added. SDSU will open its season by hosting the 22nd Annual Warren Williamson/Daktronics Open on Nov. 2.

Ned Shuck has been hired as head wrestling coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the institution announced Monday, Aug. 25. Shuck begins his tenure with the Warhawks after serving as head wrestling coach at Heidelberg University, an NCAA Division III institution in Tiffin, Ohio. During his three years at Heidelberg, Shuck led the Student Princes to consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference championships (2012-13, 2013-14) and mentored 22 All-OAC selections, four academic all-conference honorees, seven National Wrestling Coaches Association Academic All-Americans and six individual NCAA qualifiers, including one All-American. He was selected OAC Coach of the Year last season. "We are excited to welcome Ned and his family to UW-Whitewater," director of athletics Amy Edmonds said. "We are very impressed with his level of expertise and the success he has had in coaching at the Division III level. We are confident that Ned will continue our wrestling program's success while fostering the best possible environment for our student-athletes to succeed both on and off the mat." While at Heidelberg, Shuck managed all facets of the wrestling program, including academic performance, fundraising, marketing, camps, alumni relations and community service. Shuck served as an assistant coach at perennial national power Augsburg (Minn.) from 2009-11. He helped lead the Augies to the 2010 NCAA Division III championship and a runner-up performance at the 2011 national championships. Shuck helped coach 13 All-Americans, four national finalists and one national champion during his tenure at Augsburg. "I would like to thank chancellor Richard Telfer, director of athletics Amy Edmonds and associate director of athletics Bob Lanza for their confidence in me to lead the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater wrestlers to excellence in the classroom, on the mat and in life," Shuck said. "My family and I are thrilled to be members of the UW-Whitewater family and the Whitewater community. The wrestling program has a tremendous tradition of excellence and I look forward to honoring that by building men of character as we strive for national championships." During his career, Shuck also served as an assistant coach with the Ohio Cadet/Junior National Team (2012-14) and as head coach for the Minnesota Storm Freestyle Cadet team (2009-11). He was a full scholarship recipient for the NWCA Leadership Academy in 2011. Shuck wrestled at the University of Iowa from 2000-05. He was a four-time letter winner and three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection for the Hawkeyes. Shuck inherits a Warhawks program that has finished among the top 10 in NCAA Division III in each of the last three seasons. UW-Whitewater won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title for the third straight year and finished as the national runner-up, the program's best-ever finish, in 2013-14. Five student-athletes earned All-America accolades. In addition to his coaching duties, Shuck will be an instructor for UW-Whitewater's Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Coaching department. He begins in September. Shuck and his wife, Jennifer, have two children, Lukas (4 years old) and Micah (1).

If you're interested in staying in all weekend and watching fights nonstop, you're in luck. Among all of the events, the UFC is holding two shows on Saturday. At the crack of dawn on the east coast, Michael Bisping will take on Cung Le, while Rafael Dos Anjos faces Ben Henderson in the evening. Richard and John preview the most interesting fights on the two cards, which adds up to a whopping total of five. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

This week's protests in Ferguson almost certainly have nothing to do with the sport of wrestling. The shooting of an unarmed teenager, treatment of minorities, racism in general and the militarization of police are all leading discussions in the national media, and none of those have a lot to do with man's oldest sport. I'm a man of strong opinions, but the only one I can muster is a growing disgust for the Twitter reporters who desire to make their name by inflating and over-analyzing mundane activities. These reporters are a professional journalist's nightmare -- an unholy mixture of star-obsessed half-wits who think in 140 characters, don't verify information use the cover of "press" badges to behave like spoiled teenagers defying a parent's request to turn off their bedroom light. The ethical and moral acrobatics of live streaming hacks aside, the Ferguson fiasco did prompt, for me, some positive thoughts about the nature of wrestling and interpersonal communication. During the Save Olympic Wrestling campaign one of the main points made in the press was that wrestling is the ultimate egalitarian sport. Muslim, Christian, Shinto; Black, White, Brown; Rich, Poor, Middle-Class: There is nothing between the sport of wrestling, an interested athlete and success. FILA has never attempted to promote inner-connectivity, but when compared to FIFA's desperate clamor at the 2014 World Cup to "end racism" the goodwill chants of Iranian fans for opposing wrestlers is all the more inspirational, if for nothing else than its organic origins. Staying loyal to meritocracy, wrestling has produced, in many ways, the most harmonious mixture of individual athletes on the planet, without any contrived attempt to create that outcome. Wrestling teams are not appointed or chosen, they have become an example of multiculturalism based on the requirements of the sport. One place you can see that very clearly are in the team photos for the U.S. men's freestyle, Greco-Roman and female wrestling teams. For anyone to say they are blind to race is obnoxious, but most American wrestling fans would likely need to be reminded of the national team's interesting ethnic and racial composition. Jordan Burroughs, Ed Ruth, Tony Ramos and Tervel Dlagnev all come from something other than the American majority ethnicity and yet we don't read articles about their transcendence of race, because wrestlers have to do what the world only attempts -- wrestlers value each other based on individual merit, ability and personality. There is no room for half-truths and impressions on a wrestling team. When you spend hours every day locked in the same room, bodies in contact and trust being formed ("Please don't drop me on my head") the concern for race is muted by the responsibility of cooperation. Wrestling is the most enlightened form of interpersonal communication because it produces the most desirable outcomes. No doubt there is need for high-level discussions of race, and though the mailbag isn't that format, Americans should engage in meaningful dialogue. Still, if you're a wrestling fan, looking at our men's freestyle, Greco-Roman and female wrestling team you probably won't sit around pondering the race issues of America. You will just see the Stars and Stripes -- captivated by the Red, White, Blue ... and hopefully, Gold. To your questions ... Q: Aside from Logan Stieber, who do you see as the most likely returning NCAA champion to finish undefeated in 2014-15? Options: Jesse Delgado, Jason Tsirtsis, Alex Dieringer, J'den Cox or Nick Gwiazdowski. -- Mike C. Foley: For me the most impressive finalists last year were Nick Gwiazdowski and Alex Dieringer, but with heavyweight as competitive as it's ever been, it's only Dieringer up at 165 pounds who has the chance to make an undefeated run. But I really don't like anyone to go undefeated outside of the aforementioned Stieber brother. The NCAA season is very long and with tightening talent gaps we can no longer expect years in which multiple wrestlers make it to the top of the podium sans blemish. Q: Been thinking more about wrestling versus other team sports and it seems like we are adapting their models more. Any idea why the increased focus? -- John F. Foley: The outsized importance of team sports was put in focus this month by the New York Times. Though they don't implicate individual sports as much (likely because it's largely a meritocracy for starting spots) it's worth adding this article to the reading list of less is more in youth athletics. The professionalization of tyke-sized sports has to be curbed. There is nothing more corrosive to the fabric of a balanced home than the 11-year-old who can't be scheduled into a family holiday for fearing of conflicting with a family vacation. Take a look around the world and you will see that our wrestling community is the outlier. Other cultures simply don't professionalize their sports programs at such a young age. High-level, win you live, lose you die competitions are for many in Japan, Mongolia, Russia, China and Turkey a foreign (to say, USA) idea. Kids are supposed to be kids, and at the time when they are capable of becoming young adults, they spend more time in their craft. That's not to say that some tracking is bad. Germans use academic tracking to match students with their skill sets from an early age. However, the German school system takes a gradual approach. Series of tests taken early help the school select individualized curriculums that will help each student maximize its potential. Broad-ranging liberal arts educations aren't the norm, but replacing that cafeteria of options is not a single-serving of math from age six. Q: Who do you see having a more successful wrestling career, Bo Jordan or Chance Marsteller? -- Mike C. Foley: It's tough to compare at this point, so every prediction is sheer conjecture. From first blush I think Chance Marsteller is the more talented wrestler, but their individual performances will be based on how they respond to the systems they enter. Part of what made Marsteller such a well-known wrestler in 2014 was his unexpected de-commitment to Penn State and abrupt signing with Oklahoma State. There might be nothing more that some personal relationships at play. However, when you look back at wrestlers who have jumped programs for seemingly personal reasons, or had trouble sticking to one place, they have never fared well. Destin McCauley is of course the most recent example of this behavior. Jordan comes from a long line of wrestling greats, which gives me some confidence that he will be supported both in the system and at home. He's young, but he has spent his life around the collegiate wrestling scene, and as much as a second-year college student can be he seems stable and focused. He also had an incredible redshirt season. John Smith is sure to have a significant and dramatic impact on Chance's development, too. How much is yet to be seen, but that caliber coach and athlete often find hardware. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Not getting enough Ice Bucket Challenges on Facebook? AWESOME, here's some more! Bill Gates Oh, c'mon the guy is handsome ... Can we get one of these for wrestling? Q: I feel that it is going to take at least six All-Americans to win a team national title. What teams have six or more potential All-Americans? -- @CodyOcho5 Foley: Penn State, Cornell, Ohio State, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. How can I already be this excited for March?! Q: What can we expect to see from Tony Ramos in his first World Championships? He seems pretty confident, but you need a heck of a lot more than confidence to be successful at that level. Can we expect anything from him? -- Mike C. Tony Ramos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: Tony Ramos has a lot of promise. He's unquestionably good enough to compete at the World Championships, but in 2014, with little freestyle training, he's still a few years from contending for a gold medal. You must remember that most of Ramos' competition has been wrestling freestyle, and only freestyle, since they took up the sport of wrestling. The strategies and minor techniques that mat experience builds is a valuable asset at the World Championships. Ramos will compete to win, and with the right draw could win some matches, but until he gets more experience under his headgear it will be difficult to predict tremendous success in his first trip to the World Championships.

Over the past week social media sites have been flooded with videos of people dumping buckets of frigid ice water on themselves all in the name of charity. The Ice Bucket Challenge phenomenon was started to help raise awareness for ALS, the neurological disease commonly known as Lou Gehrig Disease. The ALS Association reports that approximately 740,000 people have donated nearly $42 million just this month to the organization, largely due to the success ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Once again, the wrestling community has accepted the challenge, with the sport’s top stars participating and donating to the ALS cause, and having a little fun along the way, arctic style. All eight members of the 2014 U.S. Women’s Freestyle World Team, along with one of their coaches, took the plunge for ALS by jumping in a cold tub bearing a chilling temperature of 10 degrees Celsius. The team is going through its training camp prior to the 2014 World Wrestling Championships. Each of the women challenged another person to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge before jumping into the ice-cold tub. These women will compete at the World Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, September 10-12. Other notable names in the wrestling world accepting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge were two-time World Champion and Olympic Champion Jordan Burroughs, USA Wrestling Greco-Roman National Coach Matt Lindland, USA Wrestling Women’s Freestyle World Team Terry Steiner, 2012 Olympic bronze medalists Coleman Scott and Clarissa Chun and many, many more. For more information on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and how to participate in the cause to find a cure for ALS please visit http://www.alsa.org/. U.S. Women’s World Team members doing the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 53 kg/116.5 lbs. - Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) 58 kg/128 lbs. - Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) 69 kg /152 lbs. - Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 75 kg/165 lbs. - Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) World Team Coach – Afsoon Johnston, San Diego, Calif.

Twelve freshmen in Division I took home All-American honors in 2014, with two of those wrestlers becoming NCAA champions: Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern and J'den Cox of Missouri. Never before has the impact of the "Diaper Dandies" been more immediate. Which of the NCAA's first-time wrestlers will find the podium in 2015? How did last year's results sway their ranking on this list? Here is a look at the top 10 freshmen heading into the 2014-15 season. Kyle Snyder fell to Russian wrestling legend Gatsalov at the Beat the Streets event (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) A three-time undefeated state champion in Maryland before moving his senior year to Colorado Springs to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Kyle Snyder was the most decorated high school talent two years ago when he committed to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Today, he has a wealth of international wrestling experience, including a Junior World championship, Junior World bronze and a match against Russian wrestling legend Khadzhimurat Gatsalov. In his first year back on the mats he will be facing a crowded 197-pound weight class that features seven returning All-Americans and a wrestler who reached the round of 12. The only wrestler not in the mix is Nick Helfin, the man he intends to replace. Buying Snyder to win an NCAA championship before he leaves Columbus is like purchasing Google at the IPO price of $85. You almost can't lose. Bo Jordan (Ohio State) The Jordan family business of winning NCAA hardware will continue with newest NCAA stud Bo. The son of St. Paris Graham head wrestling coach Jeff Jordan, Bo eschewed the family allegiance to Wisconsin and matched up with Ohio State head wrestling coach Tom Ryan. On the mat, the four-time Ohio state champion crushed his competition during his redshirt campaign, going an impressive 23-0 en route to winning five tournaments. His wins included five major decisions, four technical falls and 11 falls. He was arguably the most impressive redshirt in the nation last season. Bo's only setback came at University Nationals where he took fourth place, losing to Kent State's Ian Miller and Boston University's Nestor Taffur. Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) Expectations couldn't be higher for 2013 mega recruit Isaiah Martinez. The California native took 2014 to redshirt and racked up an impressive 13-2 record, which included a win over Wisconsin All-American Isaac Jordan. Outside of the collegiate scene, Martinez has found both success and frustration. He's made the finals of both the FILA Junior Nationals and FILA Junior World Team Trials, but dropped both gold medals to fellow Californian Anthony Valencia. He is expected to premier at 157 pounds, and under the close eye of Mark Perry -- who helped usher in the success of two-time NCAA champion and California native Jess Delgado -- Martinez is in a prime position to challenge for the podium as a freshman. After an undefeated redshirt season at Ohio State, Nathan Tomasello cruised to a FILA Junior National title this past spring (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Nathan Tomasello (Ohio State) The 125-pounder has a bevy of workout partners rotating through the Ohio RTC and little excuse to not make an immediate and oversized impact on the Buckeye program. Tomasello was a perfect 18-0 as a redshirt last year for Coach Ryan, beating Kory Mines of Edinboro, 11-1, in their only meeting. Mines went 2-2 at the NCAA tournament. An unblemished redshirt season only adds promise to a high school campaign that included three Junior National freestyle titles and four high school state championships. Despite a FILA Junior World Team Trials loss to Thomas Gilman, the expectations for Tomasello couldn't be higher heading into the 2014-15 season. Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) The biggest recruit to ever head to Scott Goodale's Rutgers program, Anthony Ashnault can, and will, win at the NCAA level. The Scarlet Knights have struggled to earn All-American honors during Goodale's tenure. But after an unexpected NCAA tournament run by Anthony Perrotti in 2014, that drought has officially ended. With Ashanult coming in at 141 pounds in 2015 it will be a season filled with promise for the Garden State. Ashnault was the first-ever undefeated four-time state champion from New Jersey. At the collegiate level he is 15-3 and won the National Collegiate Open, but it was his work at University Nationals where he beat defending NCAA champion Jason Tsirtsis of Northwestern that signaled his ability to compete -- and win -- at the highest level of Division I. Ashnault's semifinal win over Tsirtsis was followed up with a finals triumph over All-American Michael Mangrum. Though Ashnault would go 0-1 at the University Worlds, the young Jersey stud made a statement in 2014. He has shown the ability to dispatch some of the nation's top lightweights. Expect him to see the podium multiple times in his career, including at least one shot at the NCAA title. Jake Short (Minnesota) With the Dardanes brothers expected to make the slog back to their more natural weights of 141 pounds and 133 pounds, Minnesota native Jake Short looks to move into the Minnesota lineup at 149 pounds in 2014-2015. Short, whose father Will was an All-American for the Gophers, was a four-time state champion coming out of high school and went 25-8 as a redshirt. He's a tough, hard-nosed wrestler with strong defense. Short took eventual NCAA champion Tsirtsis the distance before dropping a 2-0 match at the Midlands. Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) The Hawkeye's big recruit from two years ago, Brandon Sorensen will look to build on an impressive redshirt campaign. The four-time Iowa state champion put up an impressive 24-4 record as a redshirt, finishing third at Midlands and had wins over All-American Zach Neibert of Virginia Tech and teammate Brody Grothus. He will be in a weight class that is quickly filling with young talent and proven winners. Finding the podium in 2015 will mean that the youngster has made even more strides. He's talented, disciplined and in all the best ways a ready-made Iowa wrestler. Zach EpperlyZach Epperly (Virginia Tech) Virginia Tech head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser has literally known Zach Epperly since he was born. The former head wrestling coach at Christiansburg High School, Dresser is now set to coach a wrestler in Epperly who has only ever known the Dresser-Weber system. Expectations are high for Epperly, who was a four-time Virginia state champion, high school All-American and the No. 26 overall recruit. Last season he wrestled an impressive 31 matches, going 29-2 as a redshirt. He also racked up four tournament titles, including the Hokie Open title where he defeated All-American Turtogtokh Luvsandorj of The Citadel in the finals. Epperly still projects at 174 pounds where he will have plenty of opportunity to make the podium in 2015 and an NCAA title before (if ever) he leaves Blacksburg. Mitch Sliga (Northwestern) Drew Pariano's recruiting talents weren't just unleashed with his monster 2014 class. Mitch Sliga amassed a high school record of 178-4 and won four Fargo titles. Last year as a redshirt Sliga posted an admirable 26-5 record, though many of those wins were expected. Should he find his rhythm at 184 pounds in 2015 Sliga could be a contender to make the podium. However, he struggled a bit at the FILA Junior Nationals and FILA World Team Trials and will need to have made significant gains from 2014. That improvement is something Coach Pariano and the Wildcat program are counting on heading into several seasons of high expectations in Evanston. Kevin NorstremKevin Norstrem (Virginia Tech) A five-time state champion from storied Florida powerhouse Brandon High School, Kevin Norstrem is another lightweight the Hokies expect to make an impact in the coming years. As a redshirt in 2014 Norstrem clocked three tournament titles and went 5-1 at the National Collegiate Open to place third. Overall, he put up a 21-4 record. He will have to battle for a starting spot at 133 pounds where ACC champion Dennis Gustafson will look to retain his position as the Hokie starter. Honorable Mention: Brooks Black (Illinois) Zach Beard (Wyoming) Mitch Bengtson (North Dakota State) Matt McCutcheon (Penn State) Cody Wiercioch (Pitt) Ricky Robertson (Wisconsin) Nick Wanzek (Minnesota)

There is much conversation about how skills, abilities, and dispositions from the sport of wrestling can be transferred to many other aspects of life. That includes all sort of other sports, especially football, and in particular along the interior lines. Hand-fighting, leverage, physical conditioning, and just knowing how to compete would be among the specific skills. A pair of top 100 rated Class of 2015 wrestlers are likely to have their collegiate futures in major college football. Kenneth Brinson (Marist, Ga.) Ranked No. 14 nationally as a wrestler in the Class of 2015, Brinson has won state titles in each of the last two seasons after finishing runner-up as a freshman. After each of those seasons he also won a grade-level title at the NHSCA Nationals in Virginia Beach (195 as a freshman and sophomore, 220 this past season). In addition to the wrestling exploits, Brinson is a three-sport star, nationally ranked for his age in the javelin and discus and a three-star football recruit. Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, he has interest from at least three ACC schools as a weakside defensive end. Gage Cervenka (Emerald, S.C.) The nation’s No. 72 ranked wrestling prospect in the Class of 2015 has won state titles in all three of high school seasons at 285 pounds. In addition, he was champion at the NHSCA Sophomore and Freshman Nationals. However, Cervenka is also a three-star recruit at the defensive tackle position per 247Sports, and rated as a top 40 player nationally at the position. He has committed to Clemson University to play football. Here is a list of ten other players that project to be major college football players, and have been relatively productive in their scholastic wrestling careers to date. Tevis Bartlett (Cheyenne East, Wyo.) Like Cervenka, Bartlett has won state titles in each of his three high school wrestling seasons; 182 as a freshman, 195 as a sophomore, and 220 this past year. After his freshman and sophomore seasons, he also won grade-level titles at the NHSCA Nationals in the 182 pound weight class; while this past season he placed third at 195 pounds. He also earned Cadet National All-American honors in Greco-Roman in the summers of 2012 and 2013. Bartlett is rated as a three-star multiple position athlete by 247Sports, as he has been recruited as both a quarterback and linebacker. He has offers from multiple Pac-12 schools including Oregon. Wyatt Cook (McDonogh School, Md.) Cook has placed twice at the National Prep Championships, taking seventh as a freshman at 220 pounds and third this past season at 285, while not wrestling during his sophomore campaign. Rated as a three-star recruit at the inside linebacker position by 247Sports, Cook has already committed to Purdue. Marquise Copeland (Bedford, Ohio) Copeland made his debut state tournament appearance this past season at 220 pounds, where he won his opening round bout before losing the next two. However, should Copeland wrestle during his senior season, he will be rated as a legit state title contender in the big-school division. Like Brinson, he is rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports projecting to the weakside defensive end position. Copeland committed to the University of Cincinnati, passing on offers from multiple “Power Five” conference schools. Kevin Feder (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.) Partnering with a top 50 Class of 2015 wrestling recruit in Zack Chakonis, who competed at 220 pounds for the Ironmen, Feder qualified for the state tournament at 285 pounds during his junior season. He finished one match of placement at the state wrestling tournament. As a football prospect, 247Sports rates Feder as a three-star offensive tackle, while the future Ohio State Buckeye is rated as a four-star by Rivals. Jordan Fox (St. Peter’s Prep, N.J.) The two-time New Jersey state placer, fourth this past year at 220 pounds, has an older brother James who qualified for the NCAA tournament this past year at 197 pounds for Harvard. However, it looks like Jordan will be pursuing Division I college football in his future. Fox is rated as a three-star outside linebacker by 247Sports, and considered as a top 40-to-50 prospect at the position. Most recruiting media predict he will choose Stanford over most notably Miami (FL) and Virignia. Alex Hart (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Alex Hart (Prior Lake, Minn.) Hart won a state title this past season at 220 pounds after placing third at 195 pounds as a sophomore. However, it may be football that looms in his future, being rated as either a two-or-three star at the inside linebacker position (though Hart has also been projected by some as a fullback). So far the offers have been limited to the lower reaches of FBS (formerly Division I-A) as well as multiple FCS schools (I-AA). Adam Lemke-Bell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) An extreme novice to the sport of wrestling, as he started competing in the ninth grade, Lemke-Bell has made excellent strides with his athleticism and the excellent coaching in the OPRF program. While yet to qualify for the state tournament, he was a Cadet National double All-American in the summer of 2013, and a FILA Cadet National champion in freestyle. Before heading off to Northwestern as an offensive tackle, where 247Sports rates him as a three-star within the top 100 nationally at the position, he’ll play a potentially key role as the Huskies seek a national wrestling title in 2014-15. Norman Oglesby (Benjamin Davis, Ind.) This past season Oglesby was a state runner-up at 285 pounds in Indiana. Come August of 2015, he can share his common wrestling experience with future defensive line-mate Marquise Copeland, as the three-star defensive tackle will also be attending the University of Cincinnati. Oglesby is ranked around 100th nationally at the position by 247Sports, and chose the Bearcats over multiple Mid-American Conference offers. Landon Paulsen (Woodbury Central Moville, Iowa) On the wrestling mats, Paulsen is a two-time state placer at 285 pounds, placing third as a sophomore and finishing runner-up this past season. Come next fall, he’ll be playing football for the home-state Hawkeyes, where he is rated as a three-star offensive guard by 247Sports. The outlet ranks him as around the 25th best player at his position nationally. Brady Reiff (Parkston, S.D.) Reiff, a multiple-time state wrestling champion in South Dakota, will join Paulsen as a future Iowa Hawkeye. Older brother Riley had an excellent career on the offensive line, which has parlayed into NFL experience; however, Brady is rated as a three-star weakside defensive end by 247Sports.