InterMat Staff

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.

Fredy Stroker recently watched a replay of the Minnesota-Penn State dual meet from Feb. 9 broadcast on the Big Ten Network. The Bettendorf (Iowa) High School senior saw Dylan Ness of Minnesota pin Dylan Alton and electrify the Gopher faithful in Minneapolis. The Gophers would go on to defeat the Nittany Lions, 18-17, in front of 5,600 fans at the Sports Pavilion. "I'm hoping to have a moment like that in the future," said Stroker, a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist with a career record of 144-3. Fredy Stroker after winning his second state titleThat could soon become a reality. On Tuesday, Stroker gave a verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota. He becomes the second top-15 recruit from the Class of 2015 to commit to the Gophers, joining Junior National freestyle champion Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.), who committed last fall. "Minnesota has everything I've wanted," said Stroker. "The Carlson School of Management is a really prestigious college within the university. I like Minneapolis and I feel like can go right from college to a job and transition pretty smoothly. The Minnesota wrestling program has been pretty consistent and been in the running for an NCAA title the past couple years. I feel like at Minnesota I have the best chance of winning an individual title and team title." Stroker has developed relationships over the years with many of the current and future Gopher wrestlers, including Tommy Thorn, Bobby Steveson, Ethan Lizak and Jack Bass, among others. "It's just going to be a really fun time with my friends," said Stroker, who finished his junior season with a perfect 52-0 record. "At Minnesota I felt like I fit in with the guys and I could see myself being around them for the next five years." Fredy Stroker won Flowrestling's Who's Number One event last fall, which included victories over Seth Gross and Michael Kemerer (Photo/Rob Preston)Stroker also cited wrestling in the Big Ten Conference as one of the determining factors in his college decision. The Big Ten is widely considered to be the elite wrestling conference in NCAA Division I wrestling. Of the 10 NCAA Division I champions in 2014, six came from Big Ten programs. Thirty-four of the 80 All-Americans were Big Ten wrestlers. "The Big Ten Network does a great job of broadcasting the matches," said Stroker. "It's the toughest conference in the country. A lot of times the guys that win the Big Tens get the top seeds at NCAAs. It definitely gives you some great preparation wrestling the best guys in the country all season. It will definitely prepare you for March." Stroker, a four-time Fargo All-American, was recruited by many of the top collegiate wrestling programs. His initial list of college choices included 15 different colleges. As the summer months wore on, he continued to narrow that list. Ultimately it came down to five schools: Minnesota, Missouri, Penn State, Cornell and Lehigh. After returning home from a FILA Junior camp in Columbus, Ohio, Stroker sat down and wrote a pros and cons list for each of the colleges. He told his dad, "Minnesota just feels right." He then took one more trip to Minnesota, which confirmed those feelings. Stroker said it was "tough" making the phone calls to college coaches informing them that he would not be wrestling in their program. The phone call to Missouri coach Brian Smith was especially difficult. "You build relationships with these coaches," said Stroker. "Coach Smith is literally someone I've known since sixth grade. He is a really great guy. Missouri was probably my second choice behind Minnesota. I have a lot of respect for Coach Smith." Fredy Stroker with his sisters Cecelia and Demaris on the campus of the University of MinnesotaStroker said despite the tough phone calls and stressful times, the recruiting process was enjoyable. "It was definitely a little bit stressful, but it was really fun experience," said Stroker. "It's not every day that you have Olympians in your living room. It was pretty fun just having coaches call me, but there is definitely a stress factor to it." Stroker projects at 149 pounds and/or 157 pounds in college. He currently tips the scale at 155 pounds, but says he is still "skinny and immature." "I definitely see myself as a 157-pounder once I grow and get stronger, maybe a true freshman 149-pounder when I redshirt." Fredy Stroker finished fourth in the Junior National freestyle competition (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Last month Stroker finished fourth in the Junior National freestyle competition in Fargo at 145 pounds. He was initially planning on competing at 138 pounds, but shortly before the tournament he made the decision to wrestle at 145 pounds because he thought he would feel better at the higher weight class. "There's definitely some room for improvement, which is always a good thing," Stroker said of his performance in Fargo. "If you peak too early and have no room for improvement that's probably not a good thing. But I'm excited because I still have one more year to go back and try to win it next year." Stroker is an Army brat who was born in Panama and moved frequently as a child because of his father's military duties. He lived in Pennsylvania in junior high before moving to Iowa as a high school freshman. Stroker is looking forward to the opportunity to return to Iowa and compete against the Hawkeyes as a college wrestler. "I literally have dreams of coming back to Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a maroon and gold singlet," said Stroker. Stroker has been a state champion on a state championship team at Bettendorf. In college he's hoping to become an NCAA champion on an NCAA championship team at Minnesota. "My ultimate goal is to win an NCAA title," said Stroker. "There aren't that many places where you have a chance to also win a team title. Minnesota is a pretty special place where I can win both." So what can Gopher fans expect to see when Stroker steps on the mat? "They're going to see a lot of points on the scoreboard and hopefully some pins too."

After two years away from competition, Jake Herbert is back. The 29-year-old Herbert announced that he will compete this fall for the first time since the 2012 Olympic Games in London. "I really can't wait to show the world what I can do in 2015 and 2016," Herbert said Saturday on Takedown Radio." Herbert, a two-time NCAA champion at Northwestern, claimed a World silver medal in 2009, and represented the U.S. at the World Championships in 2010 and the Olympic Games in 2012 before stepping away from competition. He will compete at 86 kilos, and is looking forward to the opportunity to compete against 23-year-old rising star Ed Ruth, who made his first U.S. World Team this year. "Ed Ruth is looking fantastic," said Herbert. "I'm very, very, very excited to wrestle him because he's going to bring out the best in me. He's a three-time NCAA champion. He's a Pennsylvania boy. I couldn't be more proud of what he's done at Penn State and what he's looking to do. I'm hoping that he comes away with gold this year." Herbert, along with Andy Hrovat, founded Double Leg Ninja Clothing, and the two developed a BASE Wrestling system. Herbert is training at the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club in Ann Arbor, Michigan. "I want to help the sport," Herbert said. "I want to make sure that it's around when I'm 50, when I'm 60, when I have kids and grand kids. I want to make sure that wrestling is in the Olympics, that wrestling is succeeding." Listen to the full interview from Saturday's episode of Takedown Radio.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan wrestling head coach Joe McFarland announced Friday (Aug. 15) the addition of Kellen Russell to the coaching staff. Russell, a two-time NCAA champion during his career at Michigan (2008-12), will serve as the Wolverines' volunteer coach. Kellen Russell (Photo/Michelle Wick, Tech-Fall.com)"Kellen will be a great addition to our coaching staff," said McFarland. "As a student-athlete, he was incredibly driven and focused and a tremendous role model and leader in the program. I think he'll bring those same attributes as a coach. He loves Michigan wrestling, and he knows what it takes to be successful. I'm looking forward to him being a big contributor this year." "I've been lucky enough to have had really good coaches throughout the years, from youth to high school to college," said Russell. "It's something I've always wanted to do and something I'm passionate about. I feel like I can add something from the standpoint of having confidence in yourself and knowing what it takes to be at the top -- what it takes to win Big Ten and national titles. I've been part of the wrestling family here at Michigan for a while; this feels like home, and I'm happy to start this new chapter here. We are definitely on the rise as a program, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to help out and see that through." Russell was a two-time NCAA 141-pound champion (2011, '12) and three-time All-American, also placing seventh as a sophomore (2009). He became the sixth multiple champion in U-M program history with a 6-4 sudden-victory decision over Iowa's Montell Marion at the 2012 NCAA tournament. He defeated Cal Poly's Boris Novachkov, 3-2, in the 141-pound final the previous year to complete a perfect 38-0 junior campaign. Russell, who redshirted prior to his junior season, claimed 71 of 72 matches over his final two seasons. He boasted a perfect 14-0 record in collegiate overtime matches. Russell also claimed four Big Ten titles at 141 pounds, becoming just the 11th four-time Big Ten champion in conference history and the first in Michigan history. He was named the Co-Most Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships as a senior (2012) and Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2008. Twice named Michigan's Male Athlete of the Year (2011, '12), Russell completed his collegiate career with a 134-12 record, tying for eighth place on Michigan’s all-time wins list. His career win percentage of .918 ranks second in program history. Off the mat, he twice earned Academic All-Big Ten and NWCA All-Academic honors. Since his graduation, Russell has enjoyed a successful freestyle career as a member of the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club. He captured the 66kg/145.5-pound title at the 2013 U.S. Open and claimed runner-up honors at the 2013 World Team Trials. Internationally, he has won medals at the Guelph Open (gold, 2013) and Cuba's Cerro Pelado Tournament (bronze, 2014). He is currently training for the 2016 Olympic Games. Originally from High Bridge, N.J., Russell graduated from Michigan in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in physical education. He lives in Ann Arbor with his fiancé Kristyne Cole, a former Wolverine swimmer (2009-12).

Former UCLA basketball star Ed O'Bannon's recent court victory against the NCAA was only the start of the NCAA's weakening grip on "amateur" athletics. Last week the Indianapolis-based organization announced a plan to give autonomy to the five major conferences, especially in how they regulate athlete pay in the major sports. The fallout is unknown, and that uncertainty has fueled speculation on the fallout for at-risk sports like wrestling. The questions all run in a similar vein. Will wrestling suffer due to limited funding? Will Title IX be applied to player pay rates and therefore double the expected impact and further jeopardize Olympic sports on campus? Will our sport die? Who knows? But also ... Who cares? The wrestling community spends far too much time worrying about outcomes or trying to change instituted laws. We don't hold any cards, and we can't influence the courts. The only way to prove our worthiness is to become, in the public eye, the sport we claim to be -- action-packed and egalitarian. Division I wrestling programs need to become more media savvy in packaging their content. Wrestling is a perfect fit for the online generation. Just last week an Iranian flipped over his head to score a defensive takedown at the Junior World Championships in Zagreb. The 25-second clip was put on YouTube and in a matter of 48 hours had been seen by a quarter-million people online and aired on ESPN and FOX Sports. Every wrestling dual meet has a moment that impresses. Film it, post it, promote it and keep the administration interested in the product. Yes, there are another 100 items on the checklist, but without incredible self-promotion there is no team to protect. Coaches need to make multimedia content (not just social media) a cornerstone of their program. But to protect our programs is also to grow new ones and show the world the meritocracy of wrestling. There is a famous T-shirt that says "AnyBODY can wrestle!" And we've seen the success of bodies ranging from Anthony Robles to Stephen Neal succeed on the mat. Well, if anybody can wrestle then why haven't we started Division I programs for more women? Where is the independent leadership from the sport's greats when it comes to gender equality? If you want to defend wrestling, if you truly love the sport of wrestling, then where are the women? Wrestling cannot waste a moment worrying about the NCAA and it's changing amateur structure. A moment spent moaning is a moment that could have been spent building. We won't stop the change, or even misdirect it at a macro-level, but we can promote our sport and its values. That is all we can do, and with our passion and work ethic we should be able to do that with more efficacy and impact than other sports. We can survive, but to do so will take leadership and hard work from now until ... well, forever. To your questions ... Q: Who showed up for camp in Colorado Springs? Those who didn't? Would like to know why. Men's freestyle is area of interest. -- @Eagle_Fan Foley: The entire starting men's freestyle team showed up to team camp in Colorado Springs. When he took over the program in 2009 Zeke Jones established a no-questions-asked, must-attend team camp policy that applied to every wrestler equally. This was a departure from Kevin Jackson's leadership model, which had allowed for exceptions of athletes and personal situations. Jackson's model was his prerogative, but the feedback had been that it led to occasional spats of angst among teammates. Creating the expectation of camp attendance seems to have eliminated that sniping. Bruce Burnett is extending Jones' method and ideology. Burnett knows exactly what he is doing. This training camp thing is old hat for the legendary coach, and all members of the team showed up in shaped and are headed next week to the acclimation camp in Italy. Their individual workout partners and coaches will also make the trip. Q: What's the deal with takedowns/exposure on the edge of the mat? Didn't see a lot of consistency from refs on that. Some gave points. Others just gave one for a pushout. And when is it OK to call out of bounds and not award a point, or should it be a point very time? -- Don C. Foley: The judgment of the referee dictates many of the scoring calls on the edge of the mat. There are times when the athlete first "flees" the mat and steps out (one point) only to then give up the takedown (two points) or takedown with exposure (four points). This is similar to NCAA rules in terms of continuation of the move. The fleeing isn't wiped out just because the end result was a scoring action. However, some referees, or head officials, don't see the need for the fleeing call if there is a large scoring action. That's complicated because it's a judgment on whether or not the defensive wrestler was engaging at the time they stepped out, or was avoiding action, but that's just the nature of refereeing and being granted some leeway for interpretation. But you know that the REAL lesson is WRESTLE ON THE EDGE!! Q: Am I crazy to think Aaron Pico's losses this summer might have been just what he needed? It seemed like the hype train was out of control. Pico seems like a really great kid who is mature beyond his years. He takes defeat like a true champion. Athletes young and old could learn a lot from him how about how to handle setbacks. These losses not only take some pressure off him, but also should motivate him even more. Thoughts? -- Mike C. Foley: You do learn more from a loss than you do from a win and that applies to fans as much as it does Aaron Pico. One of the recent realizations of the "Pico Generation" of wrestling fans is that the American side is not always the best in the world, and that countries have wrestlers who can inspire and cause reason for cheer. Respect for international competitors is a huge lesson for the young American wrestling fan who can quickly fall back of national alliances in celebrating the sport, whereas fans in Iran, Japan and other wrestling-fueled nations respect athletic performance regardless of the flag on the singlet. Pico, as an individual, does lose with graciousness and that makes me immensely proud. (He still loses with passion. Don't get it flipped. He HATES losing.) The Ugly American is a tough image to shake, but seeing Pico (and most of our athletes) lose with honor is something that I (and other fans around the world) note. Jordan Burroughs is as much loved for his double leg and dominance as he is for his respect for fans and opposing wrestlers. There was a small moment after defeating the Iranian at the World Cup in Los Angeles when Burroughs bowed and covered his heart in looking at the Persian fans. Intentional or not (I think it was), his actions were a subtle sign of respect that melted the hearts of the Persian fans in attendance. Kinda reminiscent of Dave Schultz and his legacy of international popularity. In pure wrestling terms, of course Pico will get better from these losses. There are some incredible talents around the world and Pico will have seen them dozens of times before he takes the mat at his first Senior World Championships or Olympics. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Programs around the country can mimic these types of videos and create sharable content with little work. The beauty is a beast. This week Marwa Amri became the first female wrestler from Africa to earn the worldwide No. 1 ranking. She was raised Muslim and has become a hero in her local Tunisia. She deserves your attention, and as long as she's not wrestling the USA, your support. Marwa Amri (Photo/T.R. Foley) Q: Can we please keep the Angry Birds as the official wrestling "challenge flag?" It made me giggle. -- Tom B. The Angry Bird is being used for challengesFoley: Outside of the action those stuffed birds are my absolute favorite thing about international wrestling. Hysterical to see an angry Romanian coach wing a stuffed bird at the referee. How serious can you be when you're tossing a fuzzy animal at a man in a yellow tie and suit jacket? The Angry Birds were first used at the European Championships in Helsinki, as a shout-out to Rovio, the creator of the video game whose headquarters are in the region. The Commonwealth Games used red, blue and white flannel-covered rectangles in homage to the kilted designs of the countrymen. Cute, but not nearly as comical as Angry Birds getting tossed and tumbled across the mats. Love it. Q: Kyle Snyder now has two Junior World medals before he even wrestles his first college wrestling match. What's your early prediction on where Snyder finishes this season at NCAAs? -- Mike C. Foley: Right now I'm predicting Snyder is a national semifinalist. From that position he can make it to the national finals where he's 50/50 to win the title. At worst he busts out and places sixth as a freshman. Remember that there are seven returning All-Americans at 197 pounds and another who reached the round of 12. We will know much more about Snyder's success on the college scene after two months. He will be adjusting to mat wrestling, successive weight cuts and the added grind of schoolwork. He may even get a shot at J'den Cox, who does own a win over the Ohio State wrestler and is the defending NCAA champion. Q: I know that Jon Jones is out of the fight with Cormier until January, but did the whole press tour seem staged to you? I don't recall any rumbles at UFC staredowns in the past, especially over a month out from the scheduled fight, but then the thing on ESPN's hot mike seemed a bit far-fetched to me. Your thoughts? -- Curt H. Foley: I don't think the duo's tete-a-tete was a "work." More likely, there is some bad blood that exists, much of which is driven by Jones's personal insecurity, but also some that comes from Cormier's (understandable) provocation. Cormier is a good man. He's honest, hard working and has an enormous heart. I would never suspect him to do anything that misled his family and friends, especially something as questionably crass as threatening to spit in someone's face. That emotion, raw and disgusting as it seemed, came from a place of true anger and resentment. I had a journalism professor once tell me that readers can always tell the truth. You can try to hide facts with fancy language, or mislead with tone, but in the end the reader can detect the hidden message. Don't underestimate the reader's ability to sniff bullshit and read between the lines. The Jones and Cormier spat extends that idea for me. Jon Jones is not well-liked and that truly bothers him, but he's not liked because he's largely just an unlikable guy. In honest off-camera moments or in social media rages he comes across selfish, dishonest, and two-faced. The façade -- his attempts to mask his unlikable side -- has always fallen flat with fans, who have an innate ability to sense earnest behavior. Cormier told Jones to drop the "church voice" act and that touched a nerve in Jones, as the truth told by our adversary often bothers us more than lies told by our friends.

This weekend's UFC Fight Night doesn't have a ton of star power, but it does have intriguing style match-ups that should make for a fairly exciting event. The inclusion of Shawn Jordan vs. James May and Seth Baczynski vs. Alan Jouban seems head scratching with potential flyweight and female contenders on the undercard, but we digress. For Richard and John's full fight card breakdown, click the link thingy! Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

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, Eric Johnson looks at the top senior wrestlers in Kansas. Kansas applauded as the state sent four wrestlers in 2014 to Division I programs: Dustin Williams (Nebraska), Tagen Lambotte (Iowa), Preston Weigel (Oklahoma State) and Andrew Millsap (Bucknell). Kansas welcomed in a gem of a freshman class and have a talented group competing in 2015. The class includes three Fargo All-Americans and two favorites to join the elite four-time state champion fraternity. It is my pleasure to introduce to you Kansas' top 10 and honorable mention for the Class of 2015! 1. Sean DeShazer (Wichita Heights) Projected High School Weight Class: 132 Projected College Weight Class: 125/133 Sean DeShazerAnalysis: DeShazer cemented his elite place in Kansas wrestling history by finishing as a double All-American in Fargo, placing third in Greco and fourth in freestyle. This effort was on the heels of his folkstyle national runner-up finish. With a career record of 97-6 and three state titles under his belt, DeShazer also has his sights set on his third undefeated season. His last two seasons, he finished 36-0 in both campaigns while only allowing a single takedown (at a higher weight class)! His quickness and agility make him a phenom on his feet. He also has the pedigree of two nationally ranked wrestlers in his extended family. Division I coaches and national rankings are moving Sean way up the list! Words from the corner: "Sean has really stepped his training up these past two seasons. He is a wrestler and wrestling is his passion. He has only given up one takedown in the past two seasons and has dominated! He wants to be the champ at everything he does. Whether it is on the wrestling mat or a cup cake eating contest, he wants to win! After this past summer, I have no doubt he will end up at a good Division I program who will take him to the next level." -- Coach Mike Church 2. Isaac Dulgarian (Olathe North) Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Isaac DulgarianAnalysis: Isaac is a highlight reel to watch. This two-time state champion and Fargo All-American has a career record of 128-5. He has made the All-Tournament Team in both styles at the Junior Duals the last two years with a record of 24-1! In 2013, he was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Rocky Mountain Nationals. He has wins over many nationally ranked wrestlers, is a true technician and has an unlimited upside. Coaches and ranking services from around the country have noticed and will be watching closely this season. Words from the corner: "One the best talents I have seen from the neutral position, having already broke the all-time Kansas takedown record going into his senior year. He is the favorite to bring home his third state title this season." -- Coach Josh Carroll 3. Jared Langley (Newton) Projected High School Weight Class: 195 Projected College Weight Class: 184/197 Jared LangleyAnalysis: Langley is a Fargo All-American with a career 111-21 record. He is a two-time state finalist and stood atop the podium last season. He is a veteran on Kansas' National dual teams and has that rare athletic length that makes him a legitimate college recruit. Langley is also a star in the classroom with a 3.857 GPA. This kid will have many choices next fall! 4. Ben Ewing (St. Thomas Aquinas) Projected High School Weight Class: 220 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Ben EwingAnalysis: Ewing is a three-time state placer and one-time champion with a 111-17 career record. He is a multi-sport star with plenty of college choices in front of him. If he chooses wrestling, this kid has a huge upside on the mat. His strength and speed make him a crowd pleaser. He has been one of my favorite wrestlers on the All-Class dual teams, winning the Rocky Mountain National title twice. Words from the corner: "Ben has devoted himself to the weight room each summer, working out three days a week to help with his performance in football and wrestling. Ben's wrestling technique on his feet is exceptional. His aggressive attacks on his feet scored 67 takedowns. In the top position Ben uses tilts and constantly applies pressure from the top. He is also a prolific pinner (30 out of 38 matches)." -- Coach Lorne Parks 5. Emilio Fowler (Olathe North) Projected High School Weight Class: 195 Projected College Weight Class: 184/197 Emilio FowlerAnalysis: When the bright lights come on, Fowler goes into battle mode. He has made a name for himself on the national stage. In 2013 he was the FILA Cadet folkstyle national champion. He followed that up with a double All-American accomplishment in Fargo! This summer he was named to the Junior Dual All-tournament Team, finishing 7-0 in freestyle. This kid is a flat-out athlete! Words from the corner: "Emilio has a personality that all coaches want around the room. He is a hardworking, talented, two-sport athlete that loves competing. He has had great success in his short amount of time wrestling, having started in the eighth grade. I expect big things from him this season." -- Coach Josh Carroll 6. Brandon Ball (Hoisington) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Brandon BallAnalysis: With a career record of 124-2, Ball is the favorite to join the four-time state champion fraternity in Kansas. He carries a 3.85 GPA while finishing the last two seasons at 44-0 and 43-0. He is a workhorse in the practice room and weight room. Any college program would be fortunate to have this kid, as the sky is the limit! 7. Zak Hensley (St. James Academy) Projected High School Weight Class: 132 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Zak HensleyAnalysis: Hensley is a two-time placer and 2014 state champion with a career record of 101-20. He is also a three-time varsity letterman in football. He has traveled well since kids wrestling and has many wins over nationally ranked wrestlers. He is a blast to watch with his unique athleticism and strength and was a huge help to his team's state title in 2014. Look for him to bring home another gold state medal this year. Words from the corner: "Zak had a breakthrough season. With the difficult schedule we had, including the Kansas City Stampede and Allen Texas Outlaw, Zak really stepped up for the competition. He understood that he needed to see the best competition he could, in order to reach his goal of being a state champion and to have a chance to wrestle at the next level. By placing at the Stampede, winning the Texas Outlaw and Garden City Invite against solid competition, he was prepared to win his first state championship. In the practice room, he is one of the hardest workers I have ever coached. I know that Zak will pay the price to have great success at the next level." -- Coach Mike Medina 8. Tevin Briscoe (Garden City) Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Tevin BriscoeAnalysis: Briscoe is a two-time state champion with a 97-13 career record, while carrying a 3.2 GPA in the classroom. After a highly successful kids career, he contributed greatly to his team's back-to-back state titles. His athleticism makes him a crowd favorite. I expect big things for him this season! Words from the corner: "Tevin is one of the most talented wrestlers that I've had the privilege to have coached. He is very explosive on his feet as he usually leads the team in total takedowns. His passion for the sport of wrestling has helped transform him into one of the best wrestlers of Garden City. He has a chance of becoming a three-time state champion, which would be a first for Garden City! Tevin plans on wrestling at the next level and I believe he has the talent to do so. I look forward to this coming wrestling season and watching him achieve his goals!" -- Coach Carlos Prieto 9. Taylor Watkins (Columbus) Projected High School Weight Class: 170 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Taylor WatkinsAnalysis: This kid is a beast and a scholar. He is a three-time state placer and 2014 state champion with a career 110-18 record as well as an All-State linebacker on the gridiron. Watkins carries a 3.97 GPA and was elected as class president this coming year. He took second last season at the Rocky Mountain Nationals and had some solid wins in Fargo this year. Words from the corner: "He was the 4A state champion last year in Kansas. He was 40-2 on the season, but more importantly he is a hard worker while also excelling in the classroom. He was chosen by Team Kansas for the Rocky Mountain Nationals after the season ended and had three quality wins including a victory over Spencer Heywood from Utah who wrestled at the FILA Pan Am Games. Heywood was ranked as the No. 9 recruit in the nation for juniors." -- Coach Eric Napier 10. Greg Tooley (St. Mary's) Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: Tooley is a 2014 state champion and two-time state finalist with a 112-7 career record, running the table last season at 46-0. He is a workout machine with solid skills on his feet with dynamic speed. The first look at Tooley tells you he's spent a lot of time in the weight room. His effort at the Rocky Mountain Nationals put him on the radar of many college coaches. Words from the corner: "Greg is an outstanding young man who absolutely has come to love the sport of wrestling. The thing I like about Greg the most is how he presents himself on and off the mat. He one of the hardest working and most respectful wrestlers I have ever been around. How much he has improved since his freshman year is a credit to how hard he works all year round. Greg is an exceptional wrestler who has just started to be recognized on the national level. It is exciting to see what Greg will be able to accomplish in his senior season and what college will pick him up." -- Coach Travis Van Vleck Honorable Mention: Austin Cook (Smoky Valley) Tyler Harris (St. James Academy) Kevin Kissane (Maize South) Nick Nolting (Bishop Carroll) Saul Ortiz (Wichita Northwest) Seth Pesek (Gardner-Edgerton) Matt Pratt (St. James Academy) Logan Terrill (Arkansas City)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland has assembled another piece of his staff with the hiring of Zach Tanelli as an assistant coach. Tanelli, who is no stranger to the Big Ten Conference as a 2009 All-American at Wisconsin, joins the Boilermaker wrestling program after a five-year coaching stint at Hofstra. "I was really impressed with Zach when he talked about the importance of being in a role of mentoring and guiding young men," Ersland said. "He's got the right mindset as a coach and we're very much in line with the school of thought in mentoring. A coaches' role goes beyond wrestling. With him, it's always about the student-athletes first. It's about serving them and I have a sense that is very important to him. "Zach has had to wear a lot of different hats at Hofstra and has done a lot of different things. He's been put in a lot of different situations and scenarios during his coaching career. That's what I also like about him. His experience is going to be invaluable to us moving forward. "We now have a staff with goals and expectations for this program to take it to the next level," Ersland said. "There's no doubt that Tyrel [Todd], Zach and I are all on the same page and are going to put in the work necessary to get there. I'm excited to get to work with these guys."

Six weeks into the official 2014-15 recruiting contact period, things seem to be going at a slower pace than they did with last year's recruiting class. At this point of the process, less than one quarter of the current top 100 Class of 2015 prospects have verbally committed to colleges. Zahid Valencia (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)During the last eight days, a pair of top 100 wrestlers in the Class of 2015 made verbal commitments. One week ago Tuesday, No. 86 Eli Stickley (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) committed to the University of Wisconsin as a projected 133/141; while this past Saturday, it was No. 29 Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) choosing to join the Arizona State program as a 149/157. The commitment of Maruca is a third top 30 prospect for the Sun Devils in their 2015 class. It further creates positive momentum for new head coach Zeke Jones, as he also has secured the services of the nation's No. 1 and No. 5 Class of 2015 prospects, with Anthony and Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) headed to Tempe next fall. In addition to those three commitments, Jones secured the transfer of the excellent Oliver Pierce (Allen, Texas) from the University of Oklahoma. Pierce was the nation's No. 9 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2013, and after a redshirt year will either have four years to compete over the next four, or lose the 2014-15 season and have three seasons to compete thereafter. That circumstance will depend on how he left the Sooners' program, as well as how the release was handled. Zeke Jones (Photo/Larry Slater)The ability of Arizona State to rise quickly in recruiting shows a couple of things. First and foremost is the relative cache that Zeke Jones brings to the table having just served as the national freestyle coach. Jones is a thoroughly prepared tactical and technical coach, and showed excellent administrative skills in his previous position. It will be very interesting to see how those skills translate to success at the Division I college level. Additional factors include the relative attraction of Arizona State as a campus, position as one of the very few wrestling programs in the western third of the country, as well as their "Power Five" status, and other monetary factors. The latter two issues probably will come into increasing play in the next few years at the NCAA navigates a “separate but equal” Power Five world, and the realities of governance post-O'Bannon ruling. The Sun Devils are one of five programs to have multiple top 100 commits so far in the Class of 2015. The University of Virginia also has three, with the commitments of No. 6 Fox Baldwin (Osceola, Fla.), No. 26 Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area, Pa.), and No. 42 Cameron Harrell (McDonogh, Md.). Oklahoma State technically has just a pair in No. 33 Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.) and No. 46 Boo Lewallen (Yukon, Okla.). However, one can surmise that the son of head coach John Smith, No. 13 Joe Smith (Stillwater, Okla.), will also end up as part of the Cowboys' wrestling roster come next fall. Oklahoma State loaded up during 2014 recruiting, and is well-positioned to do so again, as the in-state talent base is yet again excellent with eight ranked within the top 100. The other two programs with multiple top 100 commits at present are Michigan with No. 2 Logan Massa (St. Johns, Mich.) and No. 32 Austin Assad (Brecksville, Ohio), as well as Northern Iowa with in-state commitments coming from No. 40 Max Thomsen (Union) and No. 45 Bryce Steiert (Waverly-Shell Rock). Myles Martin (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Given more than three quarters of the top 100 has yet to commit, many high-end (at least in the context of this recruiting year) prospects remain to be procured by programs. This includes five within the top ten nationally: lightweight No. 4 Ke-Shawn Hayes (Park Hill, Mo.) and No. 9 Nick Piccinnini (Ward Mellville, N.Y.); lighter middle-weights in No. 7 Matthew Kolodzik (Blair Academy, N.J.) and No. 8 Vincenzo Joseph; and upper middleweight No. 3 Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.) The best middleweight prospect -- though the differences between a lighter middleweight and a middleweight may be somewhat minutiae -- remaining is No. 11 Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, Pa.). Among clear upperweights, No. 12 Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.) leads the way. There are five clear (uncommitted) heavyweight prospects right near the top 50 of the Class of 2015 rankings. However, one note of caution to consider with these types is if they will end up pursuing wrestling in college, or another sport instead. Names to watch would be: No. 13 Kenneth Brinson (Marist, Ga.), No. 17 Michael Johnson, Jr. (Montini Catholic, Ill.), No. 20 Austin Myers (Campbell County, Ky.), No. 47 Tate Orndorff (University, Wash.), and No. 52 Jake Marnin (Southeast Polk, Iowa).

MINNEAPOLIS -- A solid recruiting and transfer class of 17 student-athletes are expected to join the Augsburg College wrestling team this fall, interim head coach Jim Moulsoff has announced. Combined, this season's recruiting and transfer class has combined to win six high school state championships and 18 state tournament placings in their careers, along with numerous junior and cadet wrestling honors. Two are college transfers. The class joins an Augsburg wrestling program that lost just three seniors from a squad that finished fifth at the 2014 NCAA Division III National Championships -- the 27th straight year that Augsburg has finished in the top 10 in national tournament competition. Augsburg finished 8-5 in dual meets in 2013-14, finishing in fourth place at the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals. "We are excited to formally welcome this incoming class to the Augsburg wrestling family," Moulsoff said. "These young men are not only accomplished wrestlers, but also leaders in the classroom and in their communities. This class will make an instant contribution to our program, and we are looking forward to working with them for the next four years and in their future endeavors." Here is a look at the 2014 Augsburg wrestling recruiting and transfer class. The players listed have made deposits to attend Augsburg College this fall. Jameson Allen (Blaine, Minn.), 165 pounds: All-conference honorable mention in 2012-13. Ray Carter (Jordan, Minn./Scott West), heavyweight: 2014 Minnesota state tournament qualifier (182-AA) ... Finished 26-11 in 2013-14 ... Also competing in football at Augsburg as a linebacker. Gable Frandsen (Ellsworth, Wis.), 165 pounds: Two-time Wisconsin state champion (160-Division 2 in 2014 and 2013), state tournament qualifier in 2012 (170-Division 2) ... Finished 53-1 in 2013-14, 45-6 in 2012-13, 28-10 in 2011-12 ... Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at 2014 Cheesehead Tournament ... Ranked No. 9 nationally at 160 pounds by Intermat ... Ranked No. 10 in Wrestling USA magazine's Best 2013-14 High School Seniors at 160, No. 12 in all-class national rankings at 160 ... Finished fourth at 170 pounds in Greco-Roman at 2014 USA Wrestling Junior Nationals, seventh in 2013 ... Crossface magazine All-State Academic second team in 2013-14. Tone Fuenffinger (Hibbing, Minn.), 157 pounds: Four-time Minnesota state tournament qualifier (138-AA in 2014, 126-AA in 2013, 120-AA in 2012, 112-AA in 2011) ... Finished 37-4 in 2013-14, 34-4 in 2012-13, 26-6 in 2011-12 and 29-8 in 2010-11 ... Finished second in 152-Greco Roman and third at 152-freestyle at 2014 Minnesota/USA Wrestling Junior state tournament, 1st in 145-freestyle and third at 145-Greco-Roman in 2013, won state titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at 126 in 2012 ... Brother of Mike Fuenffinger, who won 125-pound national title for Augsburg in 2014. Joe Hoeve (Farmington, Minn.), 174 pounds: Finished 4th at 2014 Minnesota state tournament (182-AAA) ... Finished 37-8 in 2013-14 ... 2013 Minnesota state tournament qualifier (160-AAA), finishing 26-15 ... Finished third at 195 pounds at 2014 Minnesota/USA Wrestling Junior Freestyle state championships, placed sixth at 182 in 2013 ... Won more than 100 matches in high school career. Sean Jordan (Chaska, Minn.), 184 pounds: Transfer from Heidelberg (Ohio), where he competed in 2012-13 season. Sebastian Larson (River Falls, Wis.), 174/184 pounds: Finished fourth at Wisconsin state tournament in 2014 (182-Division 1) ... Finished 45-4 in 2013-14 ... Set single-season school record with 210 takedowns in 2013-14 ... Voted as team's Most Valuable Wrestler in 2013-14 ... Finished third in sectional tournament in 2013 ... Finished 28-9 in 2012-13. Jake Lehmann (Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd HS), heavyweight: Placed sixth at 2014 Minnesota state tournament (285-AA) for Dawson-Boyd/Lac Qui Parle Valley/Montevideo United ... 42-7 record in 2013-14 ... Won Section 3AA title at 285 in 2014 with pins in all three matches. Dylan Lesar (Cedarburg, Wis.), 133 pounds: Finished 36-12 in senior season ... Placed third at 120 pounds at WIAA Menomonee Falls Regional (Division I) in 2013-14 ... Finished 29-12 in 2012-13 season, placing fourth at regionals at 113. Donny Longendyke (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake HS), heavyweight: Transfer from University of Nebraska, where he redshirted in 2011-12 and competed as a redshirt first-year in 2012-13 ... Went 34-10 with 22 pins in redshirt season (2011-12) ... Went 6-11 in 2012-13 season ... Won Minnesota state titles in 2011 (285-AAA) and 2010 (285-AAA), while placing second in 2009 (285-AAA), qualified for state in 2009 (215-AAA) ... Went 46-1 in 2010-11, 47-0 in 2009-10, 39-2 in 2008-09 and 30-9 in 2007-08, compiling 189-25 high school career record ... Won title at 286 pounds in Greco-Roman at 2014 Northern Plains Senior Regional (Minnesota Storm) ... Won title at 285 in Greco-Roman and placed second in freestyle at 2011 Minnesota/USA Wrestling Junior state championships ... Finished second at 285 in Greco-Roman and sixth in freestyle at 2010 USA Wrestling Junior Nationals ... Won title at 285 freestyle and placed third at 285 Greco-Roman at 2009 USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals ... Claimed multiple All-America honors in USA Wrestling ... Ranked as No. 1 heavyweight recruit in nation by Intermat in 2011, No. 20 overall among Intermat's 2011 Top 100 Recruits. Reid Lyden (Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS), 133/141 pounds: Two-time Minnesota state tournament placewinner, finishing fourth in 2013 (120-AAA) and sixth in 2012 (106-AAA) ... Finished 32-6 in 2013-14, 38-9 in 2012-13 and 39-6 in 2011-12 ... Finished 182-49 in high school career ... Won state titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 132 pounds at 2013 Minnesota/USA Wrestling state tourney. Chase Nottestad (Westby, Wis.), heavyweight: Wisconsin state titlist (220-Division 3) in 2014 ... Finished in second place (220-Division 3) in 2013 ... Finished 47-1 in 2013-14, 42-9 in 2012-13, 29-14 in 2011-12 and 24-11 in 2010-11 ... 142-35 career record ... La Crosse Tribune All-Tribune first-team in 2014, second-team in 2013 ... Also an offensive lineman in football, competed in Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game in 2014, earning all-conference first-team, all-region and La Crosse Tribune All-Tribune first-team honors in 2013, all-conference second-team in 2012. Andrew Overstreet (League City, Texas/Clear Falls HS), 141 pounds: Two-time Texas state tournament placewinner ... Finished second in state tournament in 2014 (145-5A) and fourth in 2013 (145-5A) ... 45-1 record in 2013-14, 44-3 record in 2012-13 ... Placed 2nd at 160-pound freestyle at 2013 Texas-USA Wrestling state tournament ... Won both freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at 145 pounds at 2012 Texas-USA Wrestling state tournament ... Cadet state titlist at 152 freestyle at 2011 Texas-USA Wrestling state tournament. Jordan Reisinger (Tomah, Wis.), 197 pounds: Wisconsin state titlist (195-Division 1) in 2014 ... Placed fourth (182-Division I) in 2013 ... 45-1 record in 2013-14, 42-12 record in 2012-13, 29-13 record in 2011-12, 17-16 in 2010-11 ... 133-42 career record ... La Crosse Tribune All-Tribune first-team in 2014, second-team in 2013. John Reynolds (Andover, Minn.), 184 pounds: Placed third at 182 pounds in Section 7AAA in 2014 ... Finished 34-7 in 2013-14 ... Placed fifth in sectional tournament at 152 in 2013 ... Finished 21-14 in 2012-13. Dwayne Williams (St. Paul, Minn./Johnson HS), 165 pounds: Placed second at 152 pounds at St. Paul City Conference tournament in 2014 ... Placed third in Section 4-AA tournament at 152 ... Finished 23-15 in 2013-14 ... Team captain in 2013-14. Bryce Zdanovec (Little Chute, Wis.), 141 pounds: Three-time Wisconsin state tournament qualifier ... Finished fifth in 2014 (138-Division 2), fifth in 2013 (126-Division 2), state qualifier in 2012 (120-Division 2) ... 43-6 record in 2013-14, 44-6 record in 2012-13, 29-10 record in 2011-12, 28-10 record in 2010-11 ... Finished fourth at 145 pounds in Wisconsin Wrestling Federation Greco-Roman state tourney in 2013 ... Crossface magazine All-State Academic second team in 2013-14.

PHILADELPHIA -- Head Coach Matt Azevedo has announced the addition of Jimmy Sheptock to the wrestling coaching staff for the 2014-15 season. Sheptock will serve as Assistant Wrestling Coach while completing his master's degree in sport management at Drexel. Jimmy Sheptock finished as an NCAA runner-up in 2014 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"I am so excited to have Jimmy on staff!" Azevedo commented. "Jimmy will definitely help with recruiting and have an immediate impact with our current wrestlers. He has a strong work ethic and will be great mentor to our student-athletes." Sheptock comes to Drexel from the University of Maryland where he was a two-time All-American at 184 pounds. As a senior he placed second at the NCAA Championships, making him the first Maryland national finalist since Gobel Kline won the national championship at 152 pounds in 1969. The previous year, Sheptock placed sixth at NCAAs after leading the team in wins (40) and major decisions (10). He totaled 129 victories, 29 major decisions, 20 technical falls, and 18 pins over the course of his career as a Terp.

Aaron Pico captured a silver medal at the Junior Worlds (Photo/T.R. Foley) ZAGREB, Croatia -- It was a day full of success and challenges for the U.S. Junior World Freestyle Team, which entered the day tied in third in the team standings with two medals. With four talented and motivated wrestlers on the mat Sunday, the USA had its share of ups and downs, but came out of the day with four more medalists, bringing their total to six medals out of eight weight classes. In the final team standings, the United States took second place, behind only the champions from Iran. The team had a 16-4 record for the day. Claiming a silver medal at 66 kilos/145.5 pounds was Aaron Pico (Whittier, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) at 66 kilos/145.5 pounds, who dropped his finals bout to Hassan Yazdanicharati of Iran, 2-9. The match was close most of the way, with two key points that went the Iranian’s way. Late in the first period, Pico got behind Yazdanicharati and tried to score a takedown but stepped out instead, giving the Iranian a 3-2-lead. Early in the second period with the score still 3-2, the Iranian was put on the 30-second shot clock. Right off the whistle, Yazdanicharati shot in on Pico and ultimately converted the shot for a score. Had Pico emerged in those situations, the result may have been different. Read full story ... 55 kilos/121 pounds -- Thomas Gilman, Council Bluffs, Iowa (Hawkeye WC), 3rd WIN Abdelhak Kherbache (Algeria), tech fall, 10-0, 2:29 WIN Methodli Chadli (Tunisia), tech. fall, 10-0 WIN Reza Atri (Iran), 4-4 LOSS Michalan Hasan-Zada (Azerbaijan), 2-5 WIN Vladimir Kurdin (Kazakhstan), 11-6 66 kilos/145.5 pounds -- Aaron Pico, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC), 2nd WIN Deichi Takatani (Japan), 7-5 WIN Kyrillos Binembaoum (Greece), 10-0, 2:25 WIN SurkoRashitkhanov (Belarus), tech. fall 10-0, 3:42 WIN Mihail Georgie (Bulgaria), tech. fall 11-0, 5:52 LOSS Hassan Yazdanicharati (Iran), 2-9 84 kilos/185 pounds -- Gabe Dean, Lowell, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/FLWC), 3rd WIN Selimmuhamet Muhadeyyev (Turkmenistan), tech. fall, 10-0, 1:16 WIN Adris Ruhle (Latvia), tech. fall 12-2, 4:08 LOSS Azamat Dauletbekov (Kazakhstan), 6-7 WIN Pavlos Sotiriadis(Greece), tech. fall 14-3, 3:33 WIN Nuramagomed Gadzhiyev (Azerbaijan), injury default 120 kilos/264.5 pounds -- Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC), 3rd WIN Qiang Tao (China), tech fall 10-0, 1:17 WIN Rangi Roubaljeet (India), tech. fall 10-0, 2:48 WIN Oyan Nazaryani (Azerbaijan), pin LOSS Amar Dhesi (Canada), 6-7 WIN Yusuf Emre Dede (Turkey), pin 2:20

Joey McKenna earned a silver medal at 60 kilos (Photo/T.R. Foley) ZAGREB, Croatia -- The United States won a pair of medals on the first day of men's freestyle at the FILA Junior World Championships in Saturday. Claiming a silver medal at 60 kilos/132 pounds was Joseph McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC), with a bronze medal from Kyle Snyder (Woodbine, Md./Sunkist Kids) at 96 kilos/211.5 pounds. In the finals, McKenna fell to Iman Sadeghikoukandeh of Iran, 0-8, but the match was way closer than that. The Iranian took a lead in the first period, and added to it in the second, leading 4-0 until the final seconds when McKenna attempted a throw and was countered for four points. McKenna had difficulty getting his shots through the Iranian's defense. Read full story … U.S. men's Freestyle performances on Saturday 50 kilos/110 pounds -- Jabari Moody, Country Club Hills, Ill. (Harvey Twisters), 5th WIN Azamat Toibek (Kazakhstan), 16-12 WIN Tsedev Mandalsuren (Mongolia), pin 1:47 LOSS Maghudjon Shavkatov (Uzbekistan), tech. fall 8-19, 4:26 LOSS Saber Sharestani (Iran), 0-10, 1:39 60 kilos/132 pounds -- Joseph McKenna, Towaco, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC), 2nd WIN Burghum Aliyev (Azerbaijan), 10-2 WIN Yo Nakata (Japan), 6-2 WIN Giorgi Bregadze (Georgia), tech. fall 10-0 WIN Dzianis Maksimau (Belarus), pin 1:49 LOSS Iman Sadeghikoukandeh (Iran), 0-8 74 kilos/163 pounds -- Anthony Valencia, Pico Rivera, Calif. (Sunkist Kids), 9th WIN Tarzan Maisuradze (Georgia), tech fall 10-0 WIN Lawrence Jayden (Australia), tech. fall 10-0, 1:43 LOSS Murat Erturk (Turkey), pin 1:33 96 kilos/211.5 pounds -- Kyle Snyder, Woodbine, Md. (Sunkist Kids), 3rd WIN Alexios Kaousilidis (Cyprus), 12-1 4:42 WIN Said Gamidov (Azerbaijan), 9-2 LOSS Gergii Gogaev (Russia), 1-8 WIN Angel Gochev (Bulgaria), tech fall 10-0 WIN Pedram Jamshidi (Iran), 7-1