InterMat Staff

MANHEIM, Pa. -- In conjunction with the National Wrestling Coaches Association and the Wrestlers in Business Network, USA Wrestling will host a special Google+ Hangout On Air on Friday, October 24 at 2 p.m. Eastern featuring five athletes who will compete in the 49th edition of the NWCA All-Star Classic. The 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic is presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network and is hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia. The event will take place on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The Hangout will be streamed live and archived via USA Wrestling's YouTube channel and on TheMat.com, the official website of USA Wrestling. NCAA Division I champions Logan Stieber of Ohio State, Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State and Nick Gwiazdowski of N.C. State headline the call. Stieber is wrestling in the event for the second straight year and aims for his fourth NCAA championship, while Dieringer and Gwiazdowski, both juniors, look for their second straight title. It'll be the first time the two compete in the event. A pair of Pennsylvania natives will also join the Hangout as NCAA finalist Josh Kindig of Oklahoma State and Lehigh All-American Mason Beckman will participate. Beckman will be competing in his second straight All-Star Classic. Richard Immel, Coordinator of Broadcasting, Social Media and Grassroots Marketing for USA Wrestling will facilitate the Hangout and will also be joined by Jason Bryant, representing the NWCA. This will be the first Google Hangout of the season for USA Wrestling. Fans and media can RSVP for the live event by clicking this link: https://plus.google.com/b/113615705500360692997/events/c9qekd3l03viohasas844l12lc4 "This Google Hangout is just another way wrestling has been embracing the new technologies people use every day," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "We're appreciative and gracious for USA Wrestling to host this live streaming event and it's not only a way to drum up support for the All-Star Classic, but a chance to hear from the athletes themselves in a roundtable discussion." Fans can also ask questions via Twitter by using the #NWCAClassic hashtag. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Penn Athletic Ticket Office website. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps.

Ten years ago this month, at a studio in Los Angeles, 70 wrestlers, a number of coaches, and hundreds of fans participated in the filming of Season One of Real Pro Wrestling, a new venture designed to provide former college wrestlers an opportunity to continue to compete in the sport they love, on TV, and earn money doing it. What happened in that LA studio on October 7-9, 2004 was later shown on cable TV the following spring, over the course of eight weeks. The Real Pro Wrestling telecasts from March to May 2005 generated considerable buzz within the amateur wrestling community, and decent ratings. RPW planned a Season Two, and, in fact, conducted some preliminary qualifying events ... but then the enterprise seemed to vanish without a trace -- not even a press release. (Later, sportswriter Matt Krumrie conducted a two-part interview with the two principals. More on that later.) So, why write about Real Pro Wrestling now? Beyond the fact Real Pro Wrestling telecasts were filmed almost exactly a decade ago, there are other reasons why InterMat is looking back at RPW. For starters, RPW featured highly accomplished amateur wrestlers -- most coming off impressive college mat careers, or freestyle and Greco-Roman experience. At least a trio of RPW participants went on to make a name for themselves in mixed martial arts. Others have gone on to become coaches at major college wrestling programs. There's another timing issue: Earlier this month, the amateur wrestling website Flowrestling.com announced it was launching Flo Premier League, a professional wrestling venture featuring former college athletes which will have a handful of events to coincide with the 2014-15 college wrestling season. Flowrestling.com caught the attention of wrestling fans by announcing the first Flo Premier League match would feature recent collegians Chris Perry, a two-time NCAA champ for Oklahoma State, taking on Robert Hamlin, a two-time NCAA finalist for Lehigh at its Who's Number One showcase for top high school mat talent on October 18 ... and that the commissioner and matchmaker for FPL would be none other than Ben Askren, two-time NCAA champ for Missouri, 2008 Olympian, and undefeated MMA fighter who recently won the ONE FC welterweight crown. For those reasons -- and more -- the time seems right to look back at Real Pro Wrestling. A very quick history of pro wrestling Real Pro Wrestling wasn't the first attempt at professional wrestling without the scripted outcomes, soap opera-ish storylines and other showbiz elements that seem to be as much a part of today's pro wrestling as wrestling rings and trunks. And, it isn't the last. For those whose understanding of pro wrestling is limited to today's WWE, there was a time when athletes climbed into a wrestling ring without costumes, managers or a backstory, and used holds and moves that any amateur wrestling fan would immediately recognize today. One wrestler would come out the winner through honest competition, not what was written in a script. (See for yourself; check out silent films of a couple pro matches from a century ago -- a 1920 Madison Square Garden bout between Earl Caddock of Iowa and Nebraska native Joe Stecher, and a 1913 match featuring Gustav Fristensky and Josef Smejkal in Prague that is believed to be the oldest existing film of professional wrestling.) A hundred years ago, pro wrestling was viewed as legitimate sport, covered by major newspapers in the same way as baseball or boxing or other significant sporting events of the time. The two world championship matches between George "the Russian Lion" Hackenschmidt and Frank "the Iowa Plowboy" Gotch in Chicago in 1908 and 1911 received extensive front-page coverage akin to today's Super Bowl or World Series. At some point, however, pro wrestling changed into something more familiar to today's fans. Historians who study professional wrestling can't seem to agree on when this changeover took place. Some contend that pro wrestling always had predetermined outcomes; however, a number of historians believe most matches were legitimate until the 1920s, when theatrical aspects started to take hold with the introduction of clearly identified "bad guys" and time-limited matches, among other developments. These changes accelerated in the 1940s and 50s with the advent of TV coverage that turned up the theatrical aspect a few notches, with flamboyant costumes and personalities, and more acrobatics. Even as pro wrestling started to become more theatrical and look less like what takes place on college mats, a number of collegiate wrestling champs found fame and fortune in the pro ring, starting with Columbia's Nat Pendleton, Oklahoma State's Earl McCready and Michigan's Ed Don George in the 1920s and 30s ... Minnesota's Verne Gagne and Oklahoma State's Dick Hutton in the 1950s ... and Oklahoma's Dan Hodge and Oklahoma State's Jack Brisco in the 1960s. In the past decade or so, we've seen collegians like Brock Lesnar, Shelton Benjamin, and Jake Hager (now Jack Swagger) enter the WWE. As pro wrestling became less about actual wrestling, the past couple decades have seen the rise of new ventures featuring former amateur wrestlers, competing in a way that looked more like amateur wrestling, and getting paid for it. Twenty-five years ago, there was the National Wrestling League. This venture, launched in 1989 by Chicago businessman and former high school wrestling coach Wayne Gerenstein, failed because investors didn't come through as promised, so wrestlers -- some of the biggest names in college and Olympic style wrestling of the 1980s -- could not be paid as originally promised, according to Matt Krumrie in his 2006 feature about NWL for TheWrestlingMall.com. Fifteen years after NWL, Season One of Real Pro Wrestling was recorded in that LA studio. In the decade since RPW came and went, there have been other similar ventures. During the 2013-14 amateur wrestling season, at least three new ventures came to life: Agon Wrestling Championships (which held four events at various locations around the country) ... a test event for Tour ACW (Association of Career Wrestlers) in Pittsburgh last October ... and, in November 2013, Victory Wrestling Challenge in Omaha. And, just a few weeks ago, the announcement that Flowrestling.com was entering the new pro wrestling arena with its Flo Premier League. What was Real Pro Wrestling? First, it might make sense to describe what Real Pro Wrestling wasn't. RPW did not have the showbiz elements that are a hallmark of WWE and other brands of pro wrestling: no roped-off ring, no costumes, no managers or valets, no soap-opera storylines ... and, perhaps most importantly, no scripted, predetermined outcomes. What's more, no one was hit over the head with a chair ... nor did anyone from the audience interfere with the action. In a 2009 article for the online news service Examiner.com, I described Real Pro Wrestling as "amateur-style wrestling where the athletes were paid." It was a venture launched by two former Northwestern University wrestlers, Toby Willis and Matt Case. A premiere event -- essentially a pilot TV show, to attract sponsors and be used to pitch the venture to networks that might be interested in showing Real Pro Wrestling -- was filmed in 2002. With some changes, that 2002 pilot served as the template for what was called Season One of Real Pro Wrestling which was filmed in October 2004 and shown on two cable TV networks -- Fox Sports, and PAX-TV (now ION) -- in the spring of 2005 over the course of eight consecutive weeks. A look at the arena for RPW's pilot event in 2002Both the 2002 pilot and 2005's Season One were filmed on a set that looked something like a Roman gladiator arena. Here's how the original Real Pro Wrestling website described the setup: "In RPW, classic meets the future as the matches are conducted in a specially designed coliseum which showcases a raised circular mat to facilitate better camera angles and to afford the live audience a better viewing experience. The circular mat allows for 360 degree camera angles and aids in covering the close quarters that wrestlers frequently find themselves in as they maneuver for position." Fans sat in stands which surrounded a raised, round wrestling mat where the action took place. Beyond the edge of the mat, there were padded sides that sloped down approximately four feet to the studio floor, with the space between the mat and the audience serving much like a dry moat. The wrestlers' coaches were situated in the "moat" during the actual wrestling action; they came up onto the mat to provide instruction and encouragement during the downtime between the two three-minute periods. The rules were a hybrid of folkstyle (the style used in high school and college wrestling), freestyle, and Greco-Roman; Wikipedia's description of Real Pro Wrestling said, "The rules were similar to freestyle wrestling but were modified to encourage risk and intensity." A couple aspects of RPW's rules were new to amateur wrestling of a decade ago. A wrestler who pushed his opponent out-of-bounds (off the mat and perhaps down into the moat) earned one point. There was a bonus for a wrestler who managed to stay in the center of the mat and remain active, as measured by a "bonus meter" -- the aggressive wrestler would assume a special position that allowed him to earn additional points by throwing his opponent. What's more, there was a TV Challenge -- one per wrestler -- to officially question any call by having it reviewed by off-the-mat officials, somewhat like today's video review process. As for the format ... the 2002 pilot could be described as a dual meet between the Red Team and the Black Team. The 2005 edition of Real Pro Wrestling was conducted more like a tournament, with eight teams of wrestlers, each with seven team members, one for each of the weight classes -- 121, 132, 145, 163, 184, 211 and 264 pounds. Each week's episode featured competition for one weight class in an eight-man bracket, with the eight competitors "seeded" for a preliminary-round match. The four winners advanced to a semifinals round ... with the two winners of that round later competing for his weight-class title on a finals program shown during the eighth week. Wrestlers were not only competing for individual glory; they were also earning points for their team. Not to mention a $25,000 prize for the champ in each weight class. Teams and Participants In Season One of Real Pro Wrestling, there were eight teams, each with seven wrestlers, one per weight class. While the teams had geographical names, it wasn't as if all the wrestlers on a particular team had actual ties to that particular state or city. Here are the competitors, listed by weight class, in alphabetical order by team name: 55 kilos/121 pounds: Matt Azevedo, California Claw ... Lindsey Durlacher, Chicago Groove ... Mike Mena, Iowa Stalkers ... Tim Dernlan, Minnesota Freeze ... Jeff Prescott, New York Outrage ... Teague Moore, Oklahoma Slam ... Sammie Henson, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Eric Akin, Texas Shooters. 60 kilos/132 pounds: Dennis Hall, California Claw ... Scott Schatzman, Chicago Groove ... Zach Roberson, Iowa Stalkers ... Ryan Lewis, Minnesota Freeze ... Tony DeAnda, New York Outrage ... Joe Warren, Oklahoma Slam ... Jim Gruenwald, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Danny Felix, Texas Shooters. 66 kilos/145 pounds: Tony Davis, California Claw ... Chris Bono, Chicago Groove ... Doug Schwab, Iowa Stalkers ... Jared Lawrence, Minnesota Freeze ... Jesse Jantzen, New York Outrage ... Jared Frayer, Oklahoma Slam ... Mike Ellsworth, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Eric Larkin, Texas Shooters. 74 kilos/163 pounds: Darryl Christian, California Claw ... Joe Williams, Chicago Groove ... Joe Heskett, Iowa Stalkers ... TC Dantzler, Minnesota Freeze ... Ramico Blackmon, New York Outrage ... Tyrone Lewis, Oklahoma Slam ... Donny Pritzlaff, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Sean Harrington, Texas Shooters. 84 kilos/185 pounds: Markus Mollica, California Claw ... Andy Hrovat, Chicago Groove ... Lee Fullhart, Iowa Stalkers ... Brandon Eggum, Minnesota Freeze ... Brad Vering, New York Outrage ... Mo Lawal, Oklahoma Slam ... Quincey Clark, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Aaron Simpson, Texas Shooters. 96 kilos/211 pounds: Garrett Lowney, California Claw ... Dawid Rechul, Chicago Groove ... Chad Lamer, Iowa Stalkers ... Damion Hahn, Minnesota Freeze ... Tommy Rowlands, New York Outrage ... Daniel Cormier, Oklahoma Slam ... Nick Preston, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Ryan Tobin, Texas Shooters. 120 kilos/264 pounds: Tolly Thompson, California Claw ... Kevin Hoy, Chicago Groove ... Wes Hand, Iowa Stalkers ... Khoren Papoyan, Minnesota Freeze ... Angelo Borzio, New York Outrage ... Brian Keck, Oklahoma Slam ... Pat Cummins, Pennsylvania Hammer ... Kellan Fluckiger, Texas Shooters.Real Pro Wrestling participants had amateur wrestling backgrounds and were already out of college. Most were NCAA All-Americans, some were national collegiate champs, and at least one -- former University of Minnesota heavyweight Garrett Lowney -- was an Olympic medalist, having earned a bronze medal in Greco-Roman competition at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Other Real Pro Wrestling participants went on compete for the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, including Doug Schwab, T.C. Dantzler, Daniel Cormier, and Brad Vering. At least three RPW competitors -- Cormier, Mo Lawal, and Patrick Cummins -- have gone on to successful pro MMA careers. What did the Real Pro Wrestling participants wear into combat? In the 2002 pilot, there were two uniform styles -- singlets, or trunks, without shirts. Within in a particular match, the two wrestlers agreed to wear the same type of uniform -- in other words, it was singlet vs. singlet, or trunks vs. trunks -- based on the preferences of the individual wrestlers. For the 2005 edition, all wrestlers within the first six weight classes wore fight shorts with their team colors and logo, without shirts ... while heavyweights in the 264-pound class wore singlets. ("If I remember correctly, some of the heavyweights were actually disappointed that their weight class was assigned singlets and they couldn't don the fighter shorts like the other weights," according to Danielle Hobeika, respected wrestling photographer hired for Real Pro Wrestling.) All but one of the 70 wrestlers competed without headgear; Jesse Jantzen, 2004 NCAA champ for Harvard who went on to serve as wrestling trainer and choreographer for the movie "Foxcatcher", wore earguards. The one-hour episodes of Real Pro Wrestling shown in the spring of 2005 were fast-paced, with what I would describe as engaging, professional-quality production values, including clear graphics, excellent camera work, and an announcing crew consisting of Tim Johnson -- who provided play-by-play -- along with 2000 Olympic gold medalist and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Rulon Gardner and 1988 Olympic bronze medalist Nate Carr providing commentary, analysis and opinions. A typical episode provided a lightning-fast review of the previous week's action and results, followed by an equally quick introduction to the eight wrestlers featured that week. The show then provided a highly edited version each of the four preliminary-round matches, followed by the two semifinals matches shown in their entirety. These semi bouts were preceded by two-minute profiles for each of the four wrestlers, usually incorporating workout footage, actual college or international match action, and fun "slice-of-life" footage that provided a bit more of a portrait of each of the competitors at home with their families or engaged in their favorite off-the-mat activities ... all with voice-over commentary from that particular athlete. You may be wondering ... because the Season One matches for Real Pro Wrestling were filmed in October 2004, and not shown on TV until spring, 2005, so ... didn't the fans in the stands at the filming divulge the match outcomes? Amazingly, the fans were incredibly tight-lipped. On the various online wrestling forums -- including one at the official Real Pro Wrestling website -- I never saw any posts hinting at match outcomes. To my knowledge, no scores were revealed. (At their website during the course of the 2005 broadcasts, RPW founders Matt Case and Toby Willis repeatedly thanked those who had been at the filming for keeping results a secret.) A friend of mine who was lucky enough to be in the studio audience a decade ago told me immediately afterwards how exciting the event was ... without disclosing any results or other inside information, other than to comment that he was surprised at the "spare tire" one of the wrestlers was sporting. (We won't name any names here.) A wrestler and a photographer remember RPW Getting the call One of the 70 contestants at Season One of Real Pro Wrestling was Teague Moore, who was a three-time NCAA All-American for Oklahoma State, winning the 118-pound title at the 1998 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Pennsylvania native was also a two-time Big 12 conference champ. Moore is now head wrestling coach at American University in Washington, D.C. In addition, he is the founder of Tour ACW, one of the newer pro wrestling ventures which had a test event in October 2013. A decade ago, as a participant in Real Pro Wrestling, Moore competed for the Oklahoma Slam at 55 kilos/121 pounds, where he made it to the finals. When asked how he got involved in Real Pro Wrestling, Moore said, "I got a phone call about the opportunity from one of the owners. He asked if I would be interested and I said yes. It sounded like a unique situation. At the time I was recovering from knee surgery sustained at the '04 (Olympic) Trials and RPW gave me something to train for." Moore said there was no tryout or audition, saying, "They said I would be competing in LA so I assumed I would be able to take part without having to prove my worth." Getting started with promotional photos and videos "I remember being in LA for a few days," Moore recalled. "We were scheduled for a photo and video shoot followed by a long interview session on camera. It was a lot of fun and it felt good to be a part of something new." "We filmed the whole production in an LA studio," the former Cowboy mat champ continued. "We were allowed to see the video shoots so that we could get action movements that we liked and that the director thought would work well for the final cut. The photos were set in a weight training and wrestling environment. Something that could be used to promote us individually. " Danielle HobeikaDanielle Hobeika was one of the photographers who captured images for Real Pro Wrestling, working on promotional shots like those described by Teague Moore which were used at the RPW website and on the telecasts, as well as the actual matches. Experienced in various types of photography, Hobeika has made a name for herself as a photographer of amateur wrestling and mixed martial arts events, especially for the website AmateurWrestlingPhotos.com. In fact, from Hobeika recalled, that was how RPW founder Toby Willis was aware of her photography when he contacted her as he was assembling a team of photographers to cover the event, as well as to shoot some artistic images a couple days beforehand. "The artistic images were shot by myself as well as the other three photographers," according to Hobeika. "We traveled to Los Angeles two days ahead of the actual event -- the first day was dedicated to photographing the lighter weights, while the second day was dedicated to the heavier weights. These images were shot in a studio in downtown LA adjacent to the studio where the actual competition took place." "There were two types of artistic images that Toby wanted us to capture," Hobeika continued. "The first type of pictures were posed portraits which were taken on a set that was configured to look like a locker room/weight room. To be honest, these photographs came out a bit cheesier than we had wanted, partially because they were so posed, and partially because I think we went a little overboard with some of the special effects we had at our disposal. Note: smoke machines might seem like a really good idea at the time, but don't come out quite as well as planned." Chad Lamer in an action shot (Photo/Danielle Hobeika) "The second type of pictures were choreographed action shots which were photographed in a dark room with a black backdrop and on a black mat. The only lighting in the room was pointed directly on the wrestlers for a dramatic effect. The wrestlers would partner up with someone from their weight class and would drill dynamic throws and take downs. We encouraged them to use the types of moves that would look amazing when captured on film, but to be mindful that no one got injured. These shots came out much better than the first type of pictures." "Some of the wrestlers really got into the pre-event photo shoots," Hobeika recalled. "The most memorable was a duo who worked as assistant coaches at the same university. They had been assigned by RPW as partners for the choreographed action shots segment of the photo shoot, and really enjoyed coming up with new, exciting ideas of how to toss each other around. As they repeatedly threw each other on their heads, the clock was fast approaching midnight, and we had to kick them out so we could get out of there and prepare for another day of shooting. But it made for some really great pictures!" Geared up for action From what this writer recalls from a decade ago, the initial reaction of the amateur wrestling community as the Real Pro Wrestling matches filmed in October 2004 were shown in spring 2005 was mostly positive, in terms of TV ratings, and in comments posted in various online wrestling forums, including the one at the official RPW website. Beyond some negative reactions to specific incidents during the matches, the one issue that seemed to rankle more than a few fans was the gear worn by the contestants -- trunks without shirts for all but the heavyweights, who wore singlets. Some of the comments said the RPW gear looked too much like what WWE pro wrestlers wear ... while a good number of posts used words like "queer" and "gay" to describe the RPW uniforms. Tommy Rowlands battled Daniel Cormier in Real Pro Wrestling (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)This reaction may seem strange now, given that trunks/fight shorts worn without shirts is the standard gear for the vast majority of MMA competitors. (Then again, maybe not, having seem negative comments about the fight shorts/no shirt gear worn at Flo Premier League and Who's Number One high school showcase this month.) However, realize that a decade ago, MMA was just coming into its own as a popular sports activity, in the process of being legalized in more and more states, and overcoming a widely-held perception of being bloody and barbaric. Years ago, Sen. John McCain, himself a wrestler in high school and at the US Naval Academy, described MMA as being "human cockfighting." In fact, UFC -- Ultimate Fighting Championships -- which had been in existence for about a decade before Real Pro Wrestling, at one time seemed to play on that perception with its slogan "There are no rules!" Fans who disapproved of Real Pro Wrestling's trunks/no shirt look may not have realized that this was what wrestlers at a number of Midwest and western college programs wore up until about 50 years ago. Thumb through old college yearbooks from University of Iowa, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State or other schools -- or watch old films such as the 1962 NCAA finals on YouTube, for instance -- and there's not a singlet to be seen. (Singlets started making their appearance in high school and college wrestling in the late 1960s.) Because the wrestler uniforms was a major sticking point with some Real Pro Wrestling fans a decade ago, InterMat had to ask about the wrestler reactions. "I remember most of the guys being happy to lose the singlet," according to Teague Moore. "Most of us trained in spandex shorts every day. Training for freestyle also had many of us lose the shirt while in practice so it wasn't much of a change for us." "I don't recall anyone having an issue with no shirts and for the most part everyone liked the idea of competing without a singlet. We did it every day in practice." Photographer Danielle Hobeika weighed in with a concurring opinion, saying, "The wrestlers actually seemed to prefer wearing shorts as opposed to singlets while competing." RPW: A training ground for MMA? At least three of the competitors in Season One of Real Pro Wrestling have gone on to successful MMA careers: Daniel Cormier, Mo Lawal, and Patrick Cummins. InterMat asked if there might have been something about RPW that helped prepare these guys for that success. Mo Lawal dances before competing (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)"Some wrestlers really embraced the entertainment value of what RPW was doing," according to Danielle Hobeika. "I remember Mo Lawal dancing up high on his platform before making his grand entrance and descending onto the wrestling mat. (For those that don't remember, wrestlers entered from above via a long ramp to a raised mat area.) But I suppose 'King Mo' is the consummate entertainer, seeing that he has made a name for himself in the MMA world, and always has very unforgettable entrances. " Teague Moore agreed, saying, "Daniel and Mo were wanting to blow up their 'characters'. They had an idea of taking RPW into an almost 'pro wrestling/WWE' setting. They were sure that fans wanted more than a boring wrestler persona. In those days, Daniel and Mo entertained most of us with their everyday stories and banter. Sometimes they would start telling stories or picking on someone who had a bad practice and everybody in the room or van would be laughing, including the guy getting picked on. Rarely was it done in bad taste. They could always lighten the mood!" Behind-the-scenes perspective Both Moore and Hobeika have positive memories of their experience working on Real Pro Wrestling a decade ago. For the most part, the wrestlers were really enjoying themselves behind the scenes," said Hobeika. "Toby (Willis) waned to ensure they were treated like celebrities -- he had made accommodations for them in a luxury hotel, the wrestlers arrived to the finals in a limo and walked a red carpet, and were given a lot of benefits that many professional athletes are used to having, but wrestlers usually never have the luxury of experiencing." "I suppose this is true of most sporting events, but watching RPW in person definitely had a much more profound effect on its audience than watching it on TV," the photographer continued. "It was an amazing product -- the lighting, the atmosphere, the excitement -- it was the complete package that any sports junkie could ask for, and I thought it was destined for success. Unfortunately, I don't think the televised episodes had the exact same impact after production, but I was spoiled by seeing the live event, so my reactions might not have the same magnitude as someone experiencing RPW for the first time." What happened to RPW? As mentioned earlier in this article, what was called Season One of Real Pro Wrestling was aired on two cable networks in spring 2005. A Season Two was in the works, with discussions of using a dual-meet format rather than the weight-by-weight tournament format that was a hallmark of RPW's first official season. Preliminary qualifying events were held in various locations around the country, again featuring recent college grads as well as some freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers. Then RPW seemed to vanish, without any formal explanation. The official website remained operational for a time, with a message that hinted that Season Two was still in the works. So ... what happened? Matt Krumrie of TheWrestlingMall.com conducted interviews with the founders in 2009, putting that question to Matt Case, who responded, "RPW had to shut down for two reasons. For one, there was a specific deal that went bad just before Season Two was supposed to launch. One of our salesmen decided he wanted to do his own league, and consequently decided to lead our probable sponsor and investor money away so he could finance his own venture. But on a macro level, and a second reason, was that RPW was simply too much for just a few creative guys to handle. It really takes a team of businessmen in addition to creative people to see something like this launched. I think we got very close, but there was just too much for us to get done. Just like wrestlers, we wanted to take on the world." Tony Davis poses for a photo (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)When asked by Krumrie why Real Pro Wrestling didn't offer an official explanation for why they shut down operations, "Well, we continued to hold out hope that our business deal would come through for Season Two. We'd already launched a preseason qualifier series where we had four separate qualifying events. These would have led to the creation of the new teams for that second season. So, we prolonged any sort of final decision until we knew the outcome of our potential sponsorship, which took four months of waiting (December 2006 - March 2007). Case continued, "Needless to say, the guy working the sponsorship side of things couldn't close the deals (or wouldn't close), and so instead of closing up shop then, Toby and I continued to fight for possible ways to keep RPW running, until we just had no more energy left in the tank. In hindsight, maybe we should have formally made an announcement. However, we continued to hope that we'd find more interested parties to help us, even until this day." RPW: A roadmap for other pro wrestling ventures? In the course of their separate interviews about Real Pro Wrestling, both Teague Moore and Danielle Hobeika mentioned specific new professional wrestling opportunities for former college wrestlers. Teague Moore, who now serves as head wrestling coach at American University, competed in Real Pro Wrestling (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)Moore, who developed Tour ACW (Association of Career Wrestlers) which had a test event one year ago in a Pittsburgh airport hotel ballroom, said, "RPW taught me a number of things about the concept of wrestling. It allowed me to think of wrestling outside of the collegiate or Olympic mindset. It has always been my opinion that our rules system in college and Olympic style has actually held the action back. RPW really proved to me that with some creative thinking and some dedicated people, wrestling could be presented in a new way. "I appreciate my experience with RPW because it gave me the inspiration and confidence to try and implement a new set of rules and scoring for Tour ACW which we call 'First2Ten'," Moore continued. "The team concept was good but I'm not sure wrestling would survive in a dual meeting setting for RPW. Its appeal was in the mixture of talent and personalities that seem to come out better in the tournament format. Had RPW tried dual meets, I believe it would have faltered like the IFL (International Fight League). "RPW has its place in wrestling history and if the timing were different, it could have taken off." "I recently learned about the Flo Premier League, and it seems to be quite a hot topic," said Hobeika. "I recently had conversations with a couple of wrestling's prominent coaches and leaders who are very excited about this endeavor, and think it has a great chance of success." "I believe that one of the main reasons why RPW didn't achieve as much success as we hoped was due to timing. It launched at nearly the same time as the first season of the UFC's 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality TV series, which catapulted the UFC's resurgence, and provided direct competition for the target demographic," Hobeika continued. "Had RPW launched a year earlier, it might have captured this audience first, and could possibly still be on air today." "Currently MMA is very popular, but almost to the point of over-saturation. The UFC has bought out most of its competition, and while they used to put on one amazing fight card per month that would kill yourself if you missed, they now hold events nearly every week, and most of them lack the appeal and firepower of the more stacked cards of days past. Perhaps it's the perfect time to re-introduce a professional wrestling league, and if Flo's Premier League lives up to expectation and delivers a lot of excitement, it might be able to convert many MMA fans who are unhappy with recent lackluster fight cards to wrestling fans." "Should the Flo league succeed, it will provide wrestlers with a financially viable option to continue wrestling at a professional level instead of turning to MMA after their college careers are over," concluded Hobeika. "All around, it sounds like a winning idea for everyone involved in the sport wrestling, so let's do what we can to help it succeed." Back in 2009, despite the collapse of Real Pro Wrestling, Matt Case still thought that there was a place for a professional wrestling venture such as RPW, telling TheWrestlingMall.com's Matt Krumrie, "Toby (Willis) and I both still believe a league can succeed. In today's age of TV and media, there's a possibility that anything can succeed with the right ingredients. However, it takes a ton of work and more specifically the right contacts. RPW looked great. We packaged the best of what wrestling has to offer. However, if you don't convince the right people, it doesn't matter how good it looks." More Real Pro Wrestling photos can be found on Danielle Hobeika's website.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- The Virginia wrestling team will conduct its Saturday practice (Oct. 25) outside on the grassy area next to the Observatory Hill Dining Hall (O-Hill). The Cavaliers' outdoor practice will start at approximately 3:45 following the conclusion of the Virginia-North Carolina football game and run until 5 p.m. It is free of charge and open to the student body and general public. Coaches and players will be available to meet with the public and sign autographs throughout the event. Virginia returns 25 letterwinners from its 2013-14 squad, including two-time All-American Nick Sulzer, who placed fourth at 165 pounds at the 2014 NCAA Championships, and ACC champions Blaise Butler and George DiCamillo. Ranked No. 13 in the InterMat preseason dual-meet rankings, the Cavaliers have a strong home schedule upcoming in 2014-15, featuring nine home duals. The home schedule highlighted by matches against No. 2 Ohio State (Nov. 24 at John Paul Jones Arena), No. 15 Pitt (Jan. 25 at Mem Gym) and No. 22 North Dakota State (Nov. 15 at Mem Gym).

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. -- The Hofstra Wrestling team will conduct their first wrestle-off under first-year coach Dennis Papadatos on Wednesday, October 22 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. The first match is slated for 7 p.m. Admission is free The Pride team will be split into two squads with assistant coaches Dan Vallimont (Blue team) and Jake Patacsil (Gold team) directing the two teams. In addition, Hofstra Wrestling alumni Neil Duncan, ’72 will serve as the honorary coach for the Blue team while Nick Gallo, ’77, the Pride’s only NCAA national champion, will serve as honorary coach for the Gold team. While Papadatos is anxious to see his grapplers competing for a possible starting position, he is quick to state that the wrestle-offs are just a small part in the process of selecting starters for Hofstra’s season opener against Lock Haven on Sunday, November 2 at 2:30 p.m. “I want to see how our guys compete in the match situation,” Papadatos said. “I will take into consideration everything that is done during the preseason and select the starters who I feel we have the best chance of winning with. We will be constantly evaluating everyone’s progress throughout the year as well.” The tentative match-ups for the wrestle-offs are as follows: Match 1 - 184 – Jermaine John and Cory Damiana Match 2 - 125 – Bryan Damon and Travis Passaro Match 3 - 133 – Kyle Krasavage and Maverick Passaro Match 4 - 141 – Jamel Hudson and Connor Muli Match 5 - 149 – Aaron Hartman and Cody Ruggirello Match 6 - 157 – Bobby Fehr and Cory Goshkagarian Match 7 - 165 – Jay Lysne and Nick Terdick Match 8 - 197 – Mike Oxley and DJ Zissimos Match 9 - EXB – 174 Frank Affronti vs Loser of Match 1 - Jermaine John/Cory Damiana

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Three Philadelphia-based athletes and a pair of world medalists highlight five showcase matches at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Host Penn will have All-American Lorenzo Thomas and senior C.J. Cobb competing, while Drexel's Kevin Devoy will represent the Dragons one of the showcase matches. New Jersey schools Rider and Princeton will also have local participation as Rider's Clint Morrison and Princeton's Jordan Laster will also take to the mat. 2014 World bronze medalists Helen Maroulis (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) and Jillian Gallays of Canada will compete in a women's freestyle match. Maroulis won her 2014 World bronze medal at 55 kg/121 lbs., while Gallays was a 2014 World bronze medalist at 53 kg/116.5 pounds. In the final UWW World rankings this season, Maroulis is ranked No. 3 in the world at 55 kg while Gallays is ranked No. 4 in the world at 53 kg. Maroulis, 23, is a two-time World medalist, with a 2012 World silver medal on her resume. Maroulis has been on five U.S. Senior World Teams, also placing fifth in 2011, seventh in 2013 and eighth in 2008. She was a 2011 Pan American Games champion and a three-time Junior World medalist. A native of Rockville, Md., Maroulis won four WCWA women's college national titles competing for Simon Fraser University in Canada. Gallays, 28, has been on three Canadian Senior World Teams, placing eighth at the 2010 World Championships and also competing at the 2013 World Championships. She was a 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist. She won international titles in 2014 at the Canada Cup, the Austrian Ladies Open and the Grand Prix of Germany. Gallays was fifth at the 2006 Junior World Championships. Their last meeting was at the 2014 Klippan Lady Open in Sweden in March, where Maroulis defeated Gallays 10-4 at 55 kg. It is the second straight year Maroulis has competed in a match as part of the NWCA All-Star Classic. In 2013, Maroulis scored an 8-0 first-period technical fall victory over Marcia Andrades of Venezuela. Penn's Lorenzo Thomas, a senior from Pittsburgh, went 30-11 last year en route to a sixth-place finish at the 2014 NCAA Division I Championships last year in Oklahoma City at 184 pounds. Thomas was the runner-up at the EIWA championships and entered last year's national championship as the 11th seed. Thomas beat Iowa's Ethen Lofthouse, Michigan State's John Rizqallah and Arizona State's Blake Stauffer in the consolation rounds to earn All-American honors and topped Brown All-American Ophir Bernstein to reach the consolation semifinals. Rider's Clint Morrison, from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, went 1-2 at the NCAA championships at 184 pounds and went 19-6 during the 2013-14 season. Morrison's father Tim, an All-American for Rider during his career, participated in the All-Star Classic back in 1982. Clint Morrison and Thomas have not met collegiately. Penn's C.J. Cobb is returning to the Penn lineup after sitting out of competition last season. In 2012-13, Cobb was an NCAA qualifier, going 25-9 at 141 pounds. The Williamstown, New Jersey native enters the season ranked 20th at 149. He'll face Virginia Tech's Devin Carter, the returning runner-up from 141 pounds, who like Cobb, is moving up to 149 pounds. Carter competed in the main event last year, falling to eventual NCAA champion Tony Ramos of Iowa in overtime. Drexel's Kevin Devoy, a sophomore from Burlington, New Jersey, moved up to 133 pounds midway through last season and worked his way into the finals of the EIWA Championships. Devoy went 19-10 and starts the season ranked 17th in the nation. He'll face Ithaca's Alex Gomez, the runner-up at last year's NCAA Division III championships at 133 pounds. Gomez went 30-4 last season. He'll start the year ranked No. 1 in Division III. Ryan Diehl, a West Virginia native who won four state championships in his high school career in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, won the NCWA national championship last season at 133 pounds for Liberty University. Diehl will face Illinois native Jordan Laster, who went 23-21 as a true freshman for the Tigers last season. It'll be the third straight year a wrestler from the NCWA has competed in the showcase portion of the event. West Chester's Luke Bilyeu faced George Mason's Sahid Kargbo last year, while MIT's Sam Shames wrestled in the event in 2012. Diehl topped Shames 15-10 in the finals of the 2014 NCWA championships. To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups: 125: #2 Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. #4 Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: #1 A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. #2 Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: #1 Logan Stieber, Sr. (Ohio State) vs. #2 Mitchell Port, Sr. (Edinboro) 149: #1 Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. #3 Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: #2 James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. #3 Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: #1 Alex Dieringer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. #2 Nick Sulzer, Sr. (Virginia) 174: #2 Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. #1-NAIA Brock Gutches, Sr. (Southern Oregon) 184: #1 Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. #2 Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: #1 J'den Cox, So. (Missouri) vs. #2 Scott Schiller, Sr. (Minnesota) 285: #1 Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. #2 Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase Matchups Women's FS 55 kilos: World #3 Helen Maroulis (United States) vs. World #4 Jillian Gallays (Canada) 133: #1-Division III Alex Gomez, Sr. (Ithaca) vs. #20 Kevin Devoy, So. (Drexel) 141: #1-NCWA Ryan Diehl, So. (Liberty) vs. Jordan Laster, So. (Princeton) 149: #2 Devin Carter, Sr. (Virginia Tech) vs. #16 C.J. Cobb, Sr. (Penn) 184: #4 Lorenzo Thomas, Sr. (Penn) vs. Clint Morrison, Sr. (Rider) About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term “Marine” has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional “Top Docs,” the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

In September, Andy Bisek became the first U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler since 2009 to win a medal at the World Championships. Bisek, a native of Chaska, Minnesota, claimed the bronze medal at 75 kilos with a technical fall victory over Hiroyuki Shimizu of Japan. His World bronze-medal performance capped a season in which he won gold medals at five international tournaments. InterMat caught up with Bisek and talked to him about his performance at the World Championships, what he needs to improve on to win gold, future plans and much more. Andy Bisek, a Minnesota native, competes for the Minnesota Storm (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Did you take a break from wrestling after the World Championships? Bisek: I took some time off. I was able to get back to Minnesota for a week and spend time with family. Since then I've had a few days off. I started getting back into it slowly last week. This was your third time competing at the World Championships. In previous years you came up short of a medal. What was different about this year that allowed you to medal? Bisek: I think just building off past years and getting more confidence. Not this past January, but the January before I was able to wrestle the Russian in a tournament. That helped. With the success I had winning five tournaments, it was definitely a good year and I had a lot of momentum. In the second round you knocked off World and Olympic champion Roman Vlasov of Russia. You rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 5-2. What was the key to defeating Vlasov? Bisek: Definitely the conditioning was a factor. Obviously, we train to be in the best shape, but we were doing a sprint-type pummel go after every match we were wrestling to get like a seventh or eighth minute of wrestling, expecting to have to wrestle a whole match or more. In par terre I'm always very confident on top. But on bottom I was able to defend him and then when he ended up going for the lift I was able to float it and get on top. That's a situation that just comes from tons of time wrestling in par terre, practice and doing a bunch of live goes. Andy Bisek defeated Petros Maoulidis of Greece in his opening match at the Worlds (Photo/Larry Slater)In the quarterfinals you dropped a 1-0 decision to Neven Zugaj of Croatia. What did you take away from that loss? Bisek: That's just something where I didn't really create any opportunities for myself to score, and I think that's what I was missing. I just have to score on my feet. I can have a good par terre game, but if I can't score on my feet it's not really going to matter. You can get him put down, but you can't leave that to chance. Did your mindset change after your quarterfinal loss? Did you feel more pressure to win a medal? Or were you more relaxed? Bisek: I don't feel like there was any more pressure. There may have been less, actually. I played the waiting game to see if I was going to wrestle and then planned for whoever I was going to wrestle. You have been able to score a lot in par terre. How have you developed your confidence in your par terre game? Bisek: Just getting a lot of time with foreign wrestlers and doing numerous par terre goes with them, stopping and asking what they're doing, trying to get as many looks and feels as I can. Someone might be really good at defending something, and then you find out where they're not good. Matt Lindland replaced Steve Fraser as the National Greco-Roman coach. You have spoken highly of Coach Fraser in the past. But what has Coach Lindland brought to the U.S. Greco-Roman program? Bisek: At the end of every match we have a fresh guy who didn't wrestle in the match come in and pummel with you for another minute. We started dong that this summer. We also do five or six minutes on the Airdyne bike and then a minute of either pushups or rope slams, and then you go right into six one-minute goes with a fresh partner every day. Those are things that have definitely helped with conditioning and things that seem new this year. Andy Bisek won a U.S. Open title in Las Vegas this year (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Lindland won an Olympic silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2000. You were 14 years old at the time. Do you have any recollection of him winning a medal in Sydney? Or were you not following wrestling on the world stage back then? Bisek: I was following it, but at the same time I wasn't paying close attention or waiting to hear the results. I usually found out information when I got the next issue of USA Wrestler magazine. The rules have changed a few times during your career. What do you think of the current set of rules for Greco-Roman? Bisek: They're good. They've definitely helped it improve. When they had it a minute on the feet and then each person had 30 seconds on top, nothing was really happening on the feet. And then even when they moved it to a minute and a half, a lot of people would just try to wait to have their chance. Now you can get a chance on top, but you really have to earn it or push for it. Coming out of high school you originally committed to wrestle at the Division II level for Minnesota State Mankato, but instead chose to attend Northern Michigan and wrestle Greco-Roman in the USOEC program. Do you ever think about how your life would have been different if you continued your folkstyle career after high school? Bisek: Yeah. It definitely would have been different in a lot of different aspects. I don't know that I would still be wrestling. The college season is so demanding for just such a short period compared to what I'm doing where I have a tournament every month or two months. I'm able to take things a little slower and focus on things. After a tournament I have more time to focus on things. Going to Northern Michigan I had a great coach, Ivan Ivanov, and I was able to understand the international scene of wrestling. I don't think I would be wrestling Greco or freestyle if I had gone to Mankato. You are living and training in Colorado Springs. What do you like about your current training situation? Bisek: It's good. I like my coach Momir a lot. I like my day-to-day routine. I get to spend time with my wife and kid and still have time to train full time. You have continued to compete for the Minnesota Storm despite not living and training in Minnesota. This year three members of the Storm wrestled on the U.S. World Team. How much pride do you take in your Minnesota roots and wrestling for the Storm? Bisek: A lot. I never had any desire to wrestle for any other club. When I was in youth wrestling I was in the HiFlyers with guys like Brandon Paulson, who won an Olympic silver medal. He was wrestling with the Storm. So that's what I grew up with. I'm definitely glad to be wrestling with the Storm still. Andy Bisek and Pat Smith attended the same high schoolOne member of the Minnesota Storm, Pat Smith, wrestled at Chaska High School with you. Pat was a U.S. Open runner-up this year and won a silver medal at the University Worlds. What's it like for you to see another wrestler from your high school have success in Greco-Roman? Bisek: It's awesome. I remember my first few years at Northern Michigan I would come back over Christmas or after the high school season and wrestle with Pat to help get him ready for Fargo and Junior Duals. I have always been trying to push him to the possibilities of competing on the international circuit at the senior level. You have been wrestling on the senior level for over a decade. Now you have a family. Have you thought about how much longer you plan to compete? Bisek: I have thought about it, but I don't want to make any definitive plans. I kind of think I'll be done after 2016, but you never know. About this time in the last quad I made the decision to go another quad after 2012. So we'll see what happens. Obviously, you have proven that you are one of the best Greco-Roman wrestlers in the world by your performance in international events and at the World Championships. What is it going to take to go from a World bronze medalist to a World or Olympic gold medalist? Bisek: I need to score on my feet. It doesn't matter who I'm wrestling, I just have to be able to score every time on my feet. My par terre game has been successful for me. If I can score on my feet I feel like I can beat anybody. This story also appears in the October 17 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

If you listen to the messages coming from the professional sporting world, there is a new message that is being made clear to athletes, fans and owners: Less is more. The NBA this week experimented with shorter games, knocking four minutes off total game time by making quarters 11 minutes as opposed to 12. The talk of the experimental quarters and the announcement that the NBA signed a mega-billions TV deal spurred discussion among players that they also want a shorter season. The length of the MLB game is also under close scrutiny, with internal suits and outside consultants all trying to figure out how to sharpen the presentation of a game that once took roughly two hours to complete, now gobble up more than three hours. Wrestling should take note. The NCAA wrestling season is far too long, running a full five months of the year (November-March). That number of matches is unique to America, and in many ways harmful to the athletes (weight management, injuries, distraction from school) and the sport (diluted importance of matches). To what ends? What's the benefit? We know the costs are higher departmental expenses, increased injuries and less interest in the sport throughout the regular season. The NCAA competition committee should move to institute a one-semester competition calendar by 2018, if not sooner. Athletes should only compete in one academic semester, a move that will improve school performance, and give many the ability to connect with their families rather than starve their way to a few extra W's for their coaches. To your questions ... Virginia's Nick Sulzer finished fourth at the NCAAs at 165 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Q: Alex Dieringer vs. Nick Sulzer at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Who you got? -- Mike C. Foley: Please ... Nick Sulzer has doubled in technical improvements every year. He's got Coach Garland and two NCAA champion wrestling partners in Keith Gavin and Jordan Leen. I've always been a Dieringer fan, but when it comes to a matchup against my fellow University of Virginia alumnus, I keep it loyal. Sulzer, 4-2. Go Hoos! Q: Are there any videos online about how the rule changes helped save wrestling in the Olympics and why they made changes? -- @mattg197 Foley: Yes. Q: When will redshirt announcements occur? So damn frustrating trying to find out who will be taking a redshirt! Why so secretive? -- @Eagle_Fan Foley: College wrestling coaches are like international wrestling coaches who are like high school wrestling coaches. There is a strong belief that withholding information will somehow give them an advantage -- that a wrestler unleashed without warning is like an extra queen on their chess board. Wrestling coaches don't do a ton of lineup management. The sport is mostly based on a meritocracy and lineups, through weight classes, don't allow for too much arrangement -- there is no pinch-hitting, pinch-running, designated hitters, etc. My theory is that coaches withhold these nuggets of information because it allows them some managerial oversight and for many that feels like control and work. I don't know for sure if Nico Megaludis is redshirting, though I've heard rumblings that he will. Does it matter to know now? Maybe. Is it annoying that we have to guess? A touch. Q: Anthony Valencia vs. Mark Hall this weekend. Who are you taking? -- Mike C. Foley: Valencia, 7-6. Q: What is your opinion on the public vs. private debate? -- @Prlab1 Foley: In terms of high school participation, I don't see why there would need to be any side. The debate isn't about if your child should wrestle at a private school, as there is nothing inherently wrong with wrestling at a private school. Same applies to public. The argument -- and this has been going on for as long as I've been in wrestling -- is about the accumulation of talent at private schools and the perception of recruitment. Like many wrestlers I attended a public school with no defined wrestling tradition. My coaches were great at motivation and keeping me focused on my goals, and though we produced Division I wrestlers on occasion, we were not considered a wrestling school. Though my path didn't include specialization, I can understand why some parents and students would seek that experience -- even at the expense of the greater desire for competitiveness or the ever-slippery perception that is competitive equality. As with top-level students who excel at the violin or chemistry, wrestlers should be allowed to pursue their talents at a young age, so long as they retain balance and perspective. The other issue, and this is more a problem today than even ten years ago, is the cost of college tuition. Sometimes paying a little for high school could save you 100s of thousands of dollars in college tuition in the form of a scholarship and prevent a lifetime of student loan debt. Maybe it's just as plausible to earn a scholarship from a public school, but when the motivation is saving 500k dollars in loan repayments the choice to go private can seem like an intelligent, calculated risk. Multimedia Halftime Foxcatcher Trailer No. 4 Link: Bennett Miller and Channing Tatum talk playing through the pain Link: The Brands bros. do comedy and it works Link: Sumo school is a magical place Q: 2015 is wide open, but right now is Cornell the favorite for 2016? -- @Rob_SwagginU Foley: How are you so confident in jumping ahead one season?! The 2015 season will help dictate who can compete for the team title in 2016 as the growth and stagnation of current sophomore and juniors comes into focus, and the hype of incoming freshman receives a reality check (or not). Anything can happen in 2015 and those outcomes will help dictate who is in contention in 2016. I don't think Cornell is in any better shape than Penn State, Ohio State or Minnesota. They are all reloading and in 2015 could have individual successes that change the argument and leave the field as open in 2016 as it is in 2015. Q: Who finishes higher on the podium in March, J'den Cox or Kyle Snyder? -- Mike C. Foley: Damn. I haven't seen Snyder wrestle an entire NCAA season, but on the flip side I don't know if Cox will be affected by the loss of Sammie Henson to West Virginia. I'm going (very tentatively) with Cox. He's seen the season, overcome its grind and proven himself a champion. Snyder will need to show the ability to make it through a very long, very difficult season. Q: I saw that Brock Gutches replaced Tyler Wilps at the NWCA All-Star Classic. I remember reading a Joey Davis interview on InterMat where he talked about wanting to wrestle in the All-Star Classic. No disrespect toward Gutches, but why would he go instead of Davis? Was Davis not asked? -- Mike C. Foley: Davis was asked, but declined because he won't be wrestling until the second semester. Really, really wish we could have seen him wrestle in the event!

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State wrestling team took to the mat for the first time in the 2014-2015 season, holding its annual wrestle-offs on Thursday evening before a large crowd at French Field House. Head coach Tom Ryan and his staff will watch their preseason consensus top-five program battle it out prior to the season-opening Michigan State Open on November 2 in East Lansing, Mich. The evening was highlighted by a pair of pins – the first coming from three-time defending NCAA champion Logan Stieber at 141 pounds and the second by Bo Jordan at 165 pounds. Redshirt freshman Nathan Tomassello opened the event by defeating Mike Manuche in a 20-4 tech fall win the 125-pound class. Stieber needed less than two minutes to get the win in the 141-pound class against Sal Marandino on a pin. Randy Languis edged Micah Jordan in a tight 3-2 match to take the 157-pound class. Next, Micah’s brother, Bo, needed only 1:46 to pin Justin Kresevic in the 165-pound match. Next, the higher weight classes then took the mat, as Kenny Courts took down Josh Fox in full time 11-3 in the 184-pound match. Freshman Kyle Snyder showed off his talent in his first appearance as a Buckeye, defeating Matthew O’Hara by tech fall 19-5 in the 197-pound bout. The heavyweights then took the mat in the 285-pound class, as Nick Tavanello defeated Ray Gordon 5-2. Next, the 149-pound match was won by Jake Ryan, as he defeated Cody Burcher 11-4. The 174-pound class rounded out the night, as Mark Martin defeated Dominic Prezzia 12-4. The Buckeyes will return to action in Columbus to take on Kent State on November 13 at St. John Arena. Ohio State Wrestle Offs Columbus, Ohio French Field House Oct. 16, 2014 125: Tomassello won by tech fall over Manuche 20-4 141: Stieber pinned Marandino 1:58 157: Languis won by decision over M. Jordan 3-2 165: B. Jordan pinned Kresevic 1:46 184: Courts won by major decision over Fox 11-3 197: Snyder won by major decision over O’Hara 19-5 285: Tavanello won by decision over Gordon 5-2 149: Ryan won by decision over Burcher 11-4 174: Martin won by major decision over Prezzia 12-4

MANHEIM, Pa. -- For the first time since 2004, a wrestler from the NAIA will be in the main event at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Due to an injury to Pittsburgh All-American Tyler Wilps at 174 pounds, Southern Oregon's three-time NAIA national champion Brock Gutches has been named as a participant at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The last time an NAIA wrestler competed in the main event was when Montana State-Northern's Emmett Willson took to the mat at 197 pounds in Cedar Falls, Iowa in February of 2004. Willson won that match, beating Northern Iowa's Sean Stender 7-3. Gutches, a Central Point, Oregon native, started his career at Division I Boise State before heading back to his home state to wrestle for coach Mike Ritchey. Southern Oregon wrestlers have competed in the showcase matches, with 125-pounder Trevor Lofstedt competing at the 2007 event in Eugene, Oregon. Gutches will face two-time Division I All-American Robert Kokesh of Nebraska. In the finals of last season's Reno Tournament of Champions, Kokesh defeated Gutches 3-1. Gutches placed fourth at the Division I-heavy Midlands championships last season. He ended his season 30-3. Gutches brings a career record of 72-11 into the match with 47 career falls. He holds a 38-0 record against NAIA competition and is 15-9 against Division I opponents in his career. Gutches is also currently on the U.S. Greco-Roman national team. "It's an outstanding opportunity for both the NAIA to be represented and for us as a university," said Southern Oregon coach Mike Ritchey. "I think it's a heck of a compliment to Brock and his abilities and I feel he's capable of wrestling at that level. So it's an opportunity for him to show you can be an NAIA guy and wrestle at a really high level. He's pretty pumped up." "While we never want to see any of our athletes get hurt, injuries do happen," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Coach Mike Ritchey jumped at the opportunity to have Brock Gutches compete in the event. It brings a lot of exposure to the NAIA. The Gutches family is synonymous with wrestling in Oregon and worldwide. Brock is an aggressive competitor and will be able to show the wrestling community the talent level that competes in the NAIA." Gutches inclusion brings the total number of All-American medals won by the competitors to 36, with 14 finals apperances and 10 total championships across the NCAA and NAIA levels. To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: Logan Stieber, Sr. (Ohio State) vs. Mitchell Port, Sr. (Edinboro) 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: Alex Dieringer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Nick Sulzer, Sr. (Virginia) 174: Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Brock Gutches, Sr. (Southern Oregon) 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: J'Den Cox, So. (Missouri) vs. Scott Schiller, Sr. (Minnesota) 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

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. Dan Ransick looks at the top senior wrestlers in Ohio. The Class of 2015 for Ohio is anchored by a strong group of state champions and a Junior National freestyle champion. There is some debate within the Ohio wrestling community as to who is the best wrestler, but after this summer one wrestler cleared his way to the top. Austin Assad defeated Sean Russell to win a Junior National freestyle title in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)1. Austin Assad (Brecksville) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 College: Michigan Analysis: Assad has yet to stand on top of the podium at the state tournament. He has been second, second and third in some of the toughest weight classes in Division I. However, Assad broke out this summer in Fargo, winning a Junior National freestyle title at 120 pounds. This year he will look to capture that elusive state title in his senior year before heading to Ann Arbor to wrestle for Michigan. 2. Jose Rodriguez (Massillon Perry) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 133 College: Ohio State Analysis: Rodriguez comes into his senior year as a state champion and two-time state finalist. Last year Rodriguez fell in the finals to Hayden Lee of Marysville, 5-2. He owns a victory over Assad in the 2013 state finals. Rodriguez, who has a quick shot, will be staying in state for college and attending Ohio State to wrestle for the Buckeyes. 3. Cameron Kelly (Bellbrook) Projected High School Weight Class: 132 Projected College Weight Class: 133/141 College: Ohio Analysis: Kelly is a three-time state finalist and 2012 state champion. He won the state title as a freshman, but has come up short the past two years. This year he looks to add another state title to make bookends for his great high school career before enrolling at Ohio University and wrestling for the Bobcats. 4. Eli Seipel (St. Paris Graham) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 133 College: Pittsburgh Analysis: Seipel is a three-time state placer and 2013 state champion. He had an excellent junior season, finishing runner-up at the Walsh Ironman, losing to Matthew Kolodzik in the finals. He had a hiccup at state as he was upset in the quarterfinal match but rebounded to take third. This year he looks to add another state title to his resume before wrestling for the Pitt Panthers. 5. Eli Stickley (St. Paris Graham) Projected High School Weight Class: 120 Projected College Weight Class: 125 College: Wisconsin Analysis: Stickley finally broke through last season winning his first state title with a dominant major decision victory in the finals. Earlier in the season he placed third at the Walsh Ironman. This year Stickley will move up a weight class for St. Paris Graham. He continues the line of Graham wrestlers going on to wrestler for Wisconsin that started with Jim Jordan and Jeff Jordan in the 80s. 6. Ben Schram (Bellbrook) Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 165 College: Old Dominion Analysis: Schram is a two-time state third-place finisher in Division II. This year he looks to win his first state title. Schram will wrestle for the Monarchs of Old Dominion next year and projects as a 165-pounder in college. 7. Jared Ganger (Covington) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125/133 College: Kent State Analysis: Ganger, already a two-time state champ and three-time state finalist, will be after his third consecutive state title. Last year he came back from Tommy John surgery to win his second state title. This year a healthy Ganger should be a heavy favorite to win a third state title before he heads to Kent State. 8. Nate Hagan ( Toledo Central Catholic) Projected High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 141 College: Undecided Analysis: Last year Hagan pulled off a huge upset in the state finals when he defeated FloNationals champion Brent Moore of St. Paris Graham. He scored an overtime takedown to win. He will face stiff competition this season as he looks to win another state championship. 9. Kade Kowalski (Dresden Tri-Valley) Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 157 College: Open Analysis: Kowalski came through last year, winning his first state title after finishing third as a sophomore. He became his school's first state champion in wrestling. Kowalski is currently undecided on his college choice. 10. L.J. Bentley (St. Edward) Projected High School Weight Class: 120 Projected College Weight Class: 125 College: Pittsburgh Analysis: Bentley is a state placer who has had big wins in the past, including a win over Stickley. He pushed Rodriguez to the brink in the state semifinals last year before falling 8-6. I would not be surprised to see him on top of the podium this year.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Ohio State's Logan Stieber is looking to join a very exclusive group. The senior from Monroeville, Ohio looks to join Pat Smith, Cael Sanderson and Kyle Dake as the only four-time NCAA Division I wrestling champions in the sport's history. He'll face one of his top competitors in Edinboro's Mitchell Port at 141 pounds at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Logan Stieber (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Stieber's participation puts the 49th annual event at five returning NCAA Division I champions as Northwestern's Jason Tsirtsis, Oklahoma State's Alex Dieringer, Missouri's J'Den Cox and N.C. State's Nick Gwiazdowski will also take part in the dual. The final lineup totals 34 total All-American medals, 11 finals appearances and seven total titles. It'll be the second straight year Stieber has appeared in the event. Last year, Stieber bumped up to 149 pounds to face returning NCAA champion Kendric Maple of Oklahoma. The match ended with an exciting 6-4 tiebreaker win by Stieber. "Anytime you get to showcase a wrestler like Logan Stieber in an event like the All-Star Classic, it's a win for the sport of wrestling," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "You can literally count on one hand, without even using all your fingers, the number of times we've seen a four-time Division I wrestling champion. We all know there is nothing certain in our sport, seeing a potential NCAA finals preview with Stieber and Edinboro's Mitchell Port is a fantastic way to kick off the wrestling season. Mitchell Port is a tremendous wrestler. He's well-coached and any opportunity for him to get to see Stieber before March will suit him well." In 2013-14, Stieber went 30-1 en route to his third NCAA Division I title. He topped Virginia Tech's Devin Carter in the finals. Stieber's record stands at 90-3 and he's avenged every single loss during the last three seasons. He's also been one of the most dominant, racking up 75 bonus victories in 90 wins -- good for 83.3 percent. Port's career has been impressive. The Tyrone, Pennsylvania native went 32-1 last season en route to a third-place finish at 141 pounds. His lone loss on the season was an upset loss in the quarterfinals to North Carolina's Evan Henderson, an outcome he would later reverse in the third-place bout. In 2013, Port was an NCAA runner-up and comes in with a 96-14 career record with 51 bonus victories. Of those 51 bonus wins, 23 are by fall and 14 of those came last season. The two have never met in collegiate competition. As Stieber steps on the mat at the event for the second time, it'll be Ohio State's 19th overall appearance in the event. Buckeye wrestlers have gone a combined 9-9, with Stieber picking up the most recent win last year. The first Ohio State wrestler to compete in the event was current Notre Dame College head coach Frank Romano, who wrestled at 118 pounds in 1970. Port is one of two Edinboro wrestlers in the event. Teammate A.J. Schopp will make his third straight appearance in the event when he faces Lehigh's Mason Beckman at 133 pounds. The first Edinboro appearance came in 1987 when Dean Hall competed at heavyweight. Fighting Scot wrestlers have combined to go 7-7 in 14 total matches at the All-Star Classic. "We're super pleased to have every single wrestler in the main portion of the event is an All-American," said Moyer. "This truly is a special class of wrestlers and we're honored they're going to take the opportunity to showcase this amazing sport in the All-Star Classic in a building that literally means house of wrestling." To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: Logan Stieber, Sr. (Ohio State) vs. Mitchell Port, Sr. (Edinboro) 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: Alex Dieringer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Nick Sulzer, Sr. (Virginia) 174: Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Tyler Wilps, Sr. (Pittsburgh) 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: J'Den Cox, So. (Missouri) vs. Scott Schiller, Sr. (Minnesota) 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

The first Who's Number One event was held on Nov. 2, 2013, at Grace Hall (Photo/Rob Preston) The second edition of Who's Number One, an event organized by Flowrestling, will be held on Saturday at Grace Hall on the campus of Lehigh University. The event places wrestlers projected to be among the nation's best during the 2014-15 scholastic season against one another. Below is an overview of each matchup. 106: Cade Olivas (St. John Bosco, Calif.) vs. Gavin Teasdale (Jeff.-Morgan, Pa.) This match places wrestlers ranked No. 1 and No. 3 overall in the Class of 2018. Each incoming freshman represented the United States in the FILA Cadet World Championships in freestyle this summer; Olivas at 101 pounds, and Teasdale at 92.5 pounds. During the previous off-season, Olivas competed in Greco-Roman at the FILA Cadet World Championships, while Teasdale was a Cadet National freestyle champion at 88 pounds. Predicted winner: Olivas 152/160: Larry Early (OPRF, Ill.) vs. Joseph Smith (Stillwater, Okla.) This match pairs up elite Class of 2015 prospects in No. 34 Early and No. 13 Smith. This past year Early won his first state title, after placing second and third during his previous two campaigns. During this summer, Early placed third in Junior Greco-Roman at 145 pounds; while last summer Early was fourth in FILA Cadet freestyle and a Cadet National double All-American (Greco-Roman champion). Smith is a two-time state champion, and three-time state finalist, during his high school career. This past summer, he finished fourth in Junior freestyle at 152 pounds; while in the 2013 off-season, he was third in Junior freestyle and fifth in FILA Cadet freestyle. Predicted winner: Smith 120: Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) vs. Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) This is a rematch of the FILA Cadet Nationals final in freestyle at 119 pounds this past spring, a 1-1 match won by Fix on criteria, as the wrestlers traded points after their opponent was unable to score when put on the shot clock. Ranked No. 4 in the Class of 2016, Suriano is undefeated during two high school campaigns, and a two-time Super 32 Challenge finalist (champion in 2012). Fix counters with the No. 4 ranking in the class of 2017, and was an undefeated state champion during his freshman high school season. He is also a two-time Cadet National folkstyle champion, and was a Cadet Triple Crown winner in 2013. Predicted winner: Suriano 195: Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) vs. Hunter Ritter (John Carroll, Md.) Like the second match on the docket, this is also a match placing elite Class of 2015 prospects against one another; Steveson is No. 10 overall, while Ritter is No. 35. This summer, the two-time state champion Steveson won a Junior National freestyle title at 195 pounds. Ritter counters with a FILA Cadet National freestyle title this spring at 187.5 pounds, and a pair of top three finishes at the National Prep Championships. Predicted winner: Steveson 138: Ke-Shawn Hayes (Park Hill, Mo.) vs. Matthew Kolodzik (Blair Academy, N.J.) This match places wrestlers both ranked within the top ten of the Class of 2015 against one another. Ranked No. 4 Hayes brings a pair of state titles into this match, and was also a Junior National freestyle runner-up at 132 pounds this summer. Kolodzik, ranked No. 7 in this senior class, has three state tournament/National Prep titles in as many seasons; and was a FILA Junior National freestyle runner-up at 132 pounds this spring. Each wrestler won a Walsh Jesuit Ironman title last season; Hayes at 120 pounds, Kolodzik at 126. Predicted winner: Hayes 152/160: Isaiah White (OPRF, Ill.) vs. David McFadden (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) This match places Junior National freestyle finalists from the summer against one another. White, presently ranked No. 7 in the Class of 2016, won the title at 145 pounds; while McFadden, ranked No. 18 in the Class of 2015, finished runner-up at 152 pounds. Each wrestler won their first state title this past season; White was third as a freshman in Illinois, while McFadden was sixth and second during previous campaigns in New Jersey. Predicted winner: White 132: A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa.) vs. Mitchell McKee (STMA, Minn.) Both wrestlers in this match were top three finishers in Junior freestyle this summer. Headlee, ranked No. 23 in the Class of 2015, was third at 132 pounds; while McKee, ranked No. 19 in the Class of 2016, was an unexpected champion at 126. Headlee has placed sixth and third each of the last two years in the Pennsylvania state tournament, and finished third this past spring at the Flo Nationals. McKee, who is expected to compete down one weight class (at 126) during the 2014-15 season, won an initial state title this past season after placing third and second in previous seasons. Predicted winner: Headlee 126: Nick Piccininni (Ward Mellville, N.Y.) vs. Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.) This match pairs up future college teammates, as the pair of Oklahoma State commits both reside within the top 35 overall in the Class of 2015; Piccininni sits at No. 9, while Brock is positioned No. 33 overall. Piccinnini is a three-time state champion in New York, who placed fourth at the Super 32 and was a Flo Nationals champion during the 2013-14 season; while Brock is a two-time state champion in Oklahoma, and a two-time Junior National freestyle All-American (5th in 2014, 2nd in 2013). Predicted winner: Piccininni 145: Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh CC, Pa.) vs. Fredy Stroker (Bettendorf, Iowa) This is a rematch of a semifinal bout from the Junior National freestyle tournament, one that was won by Joseph on the way to a runner-up finish at 145 pounds; Stroker went on to place fourth in that bracket. Each wrestler is positioned within the top 15 of the 2015 class; Joseph at No. 8, Stroker at No. 15. Both wrestlers are now two-time Junior National freestyle All-Americans; Joseph is a three-time state placer (7th/3rd/1st), and Stroker a three-time state finalist (two-time state champion). Predicted winner: Joseph 182: Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.) vs. Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) This match showcases a pair of top five prospects within the 2015 recruiting class, Martin at No. 4 and Valencia at No. 5. In the December 2013 Ironman final, Martin lost to Zahid's older brother (by birth date) Anthony at 170 pounds; while Zahid won his third Ironman title down at 132. During the most recent summer, Martin won a Junior National freestyle title at 182 pounds in dominant fashion; while Zahid was a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion, winning titles in 2012 and 2013. Predicted winner: Martin 170: Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) vs. Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) Here is a bout that places the top recruit in the Class of 2015 against the top recruit in the Class of 2016. When these two wrestlers met in October 2013, it was Valencia coming out on top in the final of the Southwest Kickoff Classic. Since then, Valencia won a second California state title and a FILA Junior Naitonal freestyle title; while Hall won a fourth state title in Minnesota and a FILA Cadet World freestyle title. Predicted winner: Valencia

J'den Cox celebrates after winning the NCAA title (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) MANHEIM, Pa. -- After an impressive season-long performance as a true freshman in 2013-14, Missouri 197-pounder J'den Cox is ready to defend his NCAA Division I championship. Cox will face a stern test in two-time All-American Scott Schiller of Minnesota at 197 pounds at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Cox is the fourth returning national champion set to compete in the event, joining Northwestern's Jason Tsirtsis, Oklahoma State's Alex Dieringer and N.C. State's Nick Gwiazdowski. A Columbia, Missouri native, Cox ended his freshman season with a 38-2 record, winning the last 20 matches of the season and upending top-seeded Nick Heflin of Ohio State in the finals at the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City. His last loss came on January 2. Schiller, a native of West Fargo, North Dakota, will wrestle in the event for a second-straight year. The two-time All-American fell in overtime last year in Fairfax to Oregon State's Taylor Meeks. Schiller comes in as a two-time All-American, taking third last season, and holds a career record of 94-15. The two have never met in collegiate competition, but Schiller does have four wins over Iowa State's Kyven Gadson, who was one of only two wrestlers to beat Cox last season. Missouri's participation in the All-Star Classic dates back to 1979 where Dave Miller first represented the Tigers at 167 pounds. The last time a Tiger wrestler took to the mat in the All-Star Classic came in 2012 when heavyweight Dom Bradley defeated Northwestern's Mike McMullan 3-2. Minnesota has been active in the All-Star Classic throughout the program's history. The Gophers' first appearance in the event came in 1967 when Jim Anderson wrestled at 115 pounds. Overall, Gopher wrestlers hold a 14-17-1 record with Tony Nelson picking up the last victory in last year's event. "The University of Missouri is proud to have J'Den Cox representing Missouri at the NWCA All-Star Classic," said Missouri head wrestling coach Brian Smith. "The NWCA does an amazing job promoting this event and it is always a great honor for the athletes who participate in it. The All Star Classic is wrestling's annual kick-off event and features today's best college wrestlers. This event also provides a platform to communicate what the NWCA stands for; growing the sport of wrestling, being the voice for wrestling coaches, helping develop strong leadership within our coaches ranks through its leadership Academy and most of all looking out for the welfare of our student athletes. Again, we are very proud to have J'den taking part in this very prestigious event." To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: Alex Dieringer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Nick Sulzer, Sr. (Virginia) 174: Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Tyler Wilps, Sr. (Pittsburgh) 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: J'Den Cox, So. (Missouri) vs. Scott Schiller, Sr. (Minnesota) 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

Clinics from some of the greatest wrestlers on earth will be included in the exciting program at the 2014 Bill Farrell International, held at Hofstra University’s Mack Arena in Hempstead, N.Y., November 8-9. Featured clinicians will include four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake, NCAA champion and World Team member Tony Ramos, two-time World champion Adeline Gray and two-time World medalist Helen Maroulis. The longest running international tournament in the United States, the New York Athletic Club International changed its named to the Bill Farrell International this year, to honor the late NYAC Wrestling Chairman and 1972 Olympic Head Coach Bill Farrell. As part of this change, the event has been moved to Long Island and many new exciting activities have been added to the schedule. The women’s freestyle clinic featuring Adeline Gray and Helen Maroulis will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, between sessions of the women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman divisions of the Bill Farrell International. Adeline Gray is a two-time World champion in women’s freestyle, winning gold medals in 2012 and 2014. She boasts four career World medals, with bronze medals in 2011 and 2013 to go along with her golds. Gray has also won a University World gold medal and a Junior World gold medal. Helen Maroulis has won a pair of World medals, a silver medal in 2012 and a bronze medal in 2014. She was a Pan American Games champion in 2011. Maroulis was a four-time WCWA women’s college national champion for Simon Fraser University. She boasts three Junior World medals, a silver and two bronzes. The men’s freestyle clinic featuring Kyle Dake and Tony Ramos will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 9, between sessions of the men’s freestyle divisions at the Bill Farrell International. Kyle Dake made history when he became the first wrestler to win four NCAA Div. I national titles in four different weight classes during his record-setting career at Cornell University. He joined Cael Sanderson and Pat Smith as the only four-time NCAA champions. Dake is also a top Olympic hopeful in freestyle wrestling at 74 kg, placing second at the 2013 World Team Trials and winning the 2014 Cerro Pelado Tournament in Cuba. He boasts a win over three-time World champion Denis Tsargush of Russia. Tony Ramos was a 2014 NCAA Div. I champion for the University of Iowa. He quickly became No. 1 in the USA at 57 kg in men’s freestyle, winning the 2014 U.S. World Team Trials and competing at the 2014 World Championships. At Iowa, he was a three-time All-American, also placing second in 2013 and third in 2012 for the Hawkeyes. Many international wrestling stars from the United States and a number of nations are expected to compete at the Bill Farrell International, including past World and Olympic medalists. This is a must-see event for wrestling fans and Olympic sports fans. Ticket holders for the Bill Farrell International will be able to attend the clinics on both days of the competition. Tickets cost $20 for students and $30 for adults, with special VIP seating available for $100. Order your tickets today at: http://www.billfarrellinternationaltournament.ticketleap.com/tickets The clinic will be well attended, so those attending the clinic are asked to arrive 30 minutes prior to the clinics. The event will also feature the Hofstra University wrestling team. For Senior athletes wishing to compete, online registration is available at www.trackwrestling.com. Deadline for online registration is 5:00 p.m. (MST), Wednesday, November 5, 2014. Many other exciting wrestling events and activities will be included in the program at the Bill Farrell International. Watch for additional announcements shortly. For more information, visit the official website at: http://usawevents.sportngin.com/page/show/974543-bill-farrell-international-open BILL FARRELL INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE At Mack Arena, Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. Friday, November 7 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle registration 2:45 – 3:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle skin checks 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. – Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle weighins (+2kg) Saturday, November 8 9:00 a.m. – Greco-Roman and Women’s freestyle Session I 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. – Men’s freestyle registration 2:45 – 3:00 p.m. – Men’s freestyle skin checks 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. – Men’s freestyle weighins (+2kg) 4:00 p.m. – Women’s freestyle clinic featuring Adeline Gray and Helen Maroulis 6:00 p.m. – Greco-Roman and Women’s freestyle Championships and Medal Matches Sunday, November 9 9:00 a.m. – Men’s freestyle Session I 2:00 p.m. – Men’s freestyle clinic featuring Kyle Dake and Tony Ramos 4:00 p.m. – Section XI vs. Section VIII All-Star Classic 6:00 p.m. – Men’s freestyle Championships and Medal Matches Note: Additional exciting activities to be added to the schedule. Visit TheMat.com for more details.

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. Gerald Walsh looks at the top senior wrestlers in Wisconsin. Wisconsin high school wrestling for 2014-2015 looks to be very competitive. The wrestlers selected are strangely bunched between 126 pounds and 152 pounds. There will be seven of the top ten within that range on the list because every one of them earned their spot. Wisconsin lacks the dominant big men that peppered the heavier ranks the last five years. The depth is in the middleweights and it shows. Five of the wrestlers represent the largest school division, Division I. One wrestler represents the next division, Division II. Four very good wrestlers come from the small school division, Division III. Robert Lee (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)1. Robert Lee (Kaukauna) Projected High School Weight Class: 138/145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Lee is a two-time state champ, winning state titles as a junior and freshman, sandwiched around a runner-up finish as a sophomore. He is a young senior who is extremely competitive and is driven to excel. Lee takes great pride in who and what he represents. He has accumulated a 142-14 career record through his junior year wrestling the toughest schedule in Wisconsin. Kaukauna hosts the Cheesehead and travels to the toughest tournaments that they can enter. From going to Fargo for the Rumble on the Red to the Minnesota Christmas Tournament, Lee has wrestled the best. 2. Cole Martin (Lancaster) Projected High School Weight Class: 138-145 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Martin, who competes in Division III, won state championships the last two seasons at 132 pounds and 120 pounds, and was a runner-up as a freshman at 106 pounds. He excels in the classroom with a 3.99 GPA. Martin only had 23 matches in 2014 after breaking his ankle in football. He is an excellent all-around wrestler that is especially nasty on his feet. Martin's coach describes him as the ultimate student-athlete. 3. Kal Gerber (Reedsville) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: As a junior, Gerber won his second state championship in Division III, compiling a record of 45-2. His high school career record is 130-10. Gerber is an all-around athlete. He was all-conference three times in baseball and two times in cross-country. Gerber plans on majoring in pre-med and is leaning towards Iowa State. He has a GPA of 4.0 and is ranked first in his class. 4. Dewey Krueger (Oconto Falls) Projected High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 141/149 Krueger is a two-time state finalist, winning a state championship as a sophomore at 132 pounds. His high school career record is 119-12. Krueger has had the opportunity to face many of the top wrestlers in Wisconsin his first three years and has always been competitive. 5. Joe Ziolkowski (D.C. Everest) Projected High School Weight Class: 152/160 Projected College Weight Class: 157 Analysis: Ziolkowski claimed a state championship in Division I last season at 145 pounds, compiling a season record of 49-3. His high school career record is 138-16. Ziolkowski wrestles in a very tough conference in middle Wisconsin that has produced many past state champions. He was a first team Academic All-State wrestler last year. Ziolkowski has warmed up to the idea of wrestling in college and is looking forward to that opportunity. He plans on majoring in business in college. 6. David Chadd (Lancaster) Projected High School Weight Class: 195 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Analysis: Chadd earned a state championship last season in Division III at 182 pounds, a year after finished third in the state tournament as a sophomore. He enters his senior season with a high school career record of 112-20. Chadd is a physical wrestler who likes to mix it up. He is also a talented Greco-Roman wrestler. Chadd has gone from a gangly 170-pounder as a freshman to a beast 195-pounder this year. He is very good on his feet and an excellent thrower. Chadd carries a 3.488 GPA. 7. Mason Reinhardt (Merrill) Projected High School Weight Class: 170-182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Reinhardt is a three-time state placewinner, finishing as a state runner-up last season after state tournament finishes of third as a sophomore and fifth as a freshman. He has been in a very tough weight class in his conference and state his first three years of high school competition. His high school career record is 134-12. Reinhardt has earned his No. 7 spot based on competition and without a state championship. 8. Kasey Caelwaerts (Pulaski) Projected High School Weight Class: 160 Projected College Weight Class: 157/165 Analysis: Caelwaerts was injured last season as a junior, but was a state runner-up as a sophomore to Beau Breske at 152 pounds. He has a high school career record of 109-8. Caelwaerts captured an InterMat JJ Classic title at 145 pounds in 2012. He has also been a Mid-States champion. He will be very tough at whatever weight he wrestles. Caelwaerts is a hammer on top and is looking to score whenever he steps on the mat. 9. Grant Wiedopohl (Reedsville) Projected High School Weight Class: 170-182 Projected College Weight Class: 184/197 Analysis: Wiedopohl is coming off a state championship season at 170 pounds after going 43-1. He was a state fifth-place finisher as a sophomore at 152 pounds. Wiedopohl has compiled a high school career record of 122-18. He is a tough, aggressive upperweight from one of the smallest schools in Wisconsin with an up-and-coming program. 10. Eric Schmidt (Verona) Projected High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Analysis: Schmidt has been a state runner-up in each of his last two seasons. As a junior, Schmidt fell to Joe Ziolkowski, and a sophomore lost to Jared Scharenbrock. Schmidt is a very tough, fluid wrestler who will be a handful for anyone who faces him.

Last week's mailbag included a question that launched an impassioned discussion about a female wrestler's right to take the mat against a boy. The back-and-forth was focused on Harrisburg dioceses decision to forbid boys to wrestle girls, but quickly ballooned into the right of any girl to wrestle. Readers on both sides were ardent in their defense about how the perceived gender roles -- and to an extent both were correct. Americans are guaranteed the opportunity to express personal opinions, and insomuch as it doesn't harm others, they are also allowed to live their lives by their own unique set of values. For example, the American government doesn't force Judeo-Christian religious doctrine into the everyday lives of the people, and that means we have a culturally diverse landscape of people, ideas and beliefs. As a parent, you are allowed to order your male children to not wrestle girls, and your female child can also be forbidden to wrestle boys. That's a prerogative American parents are given over a dependent. However, that in no way should be extended to a third party institution that exists outside of the family -- even if as a parent you agree with the ruling, the ruling itself limits the ability of the individual to make independent decisions. Yet there seems to be confusion over what exactly it means to have personal choice, versus willing institutional subjugation. In the case of the diocese, the freedom of the individual to make a choice has been supplanted by the power the diocese believes it wields over it's flock. In defense of the diocese many are quick to point to freedom of speech, or the general "Don't Tread on Me" right to free association and conduct -- that outlook confuses the right of the individual to pursue personal destiny, with the rights of an institution to make a ruling. The difference is vital and is where the diocese has made an error. Although a private school, the schools overseen by the dioceses all receive federal funds, which make them subject to laws governing the equal treatment of the sexes. This week news broke the Title IX laws, specifically the gender quotas applied to higher education around the country, would now be brought to the high school level. As the OCR lawyers sharpen their pencils and pull out the map of United States high schools, my hope is that they first aim for the wrestling programs controlled by the Harrisburg dioceses. Their willfulness in limiting the personal choice of their students on the basis of sex has no role within the wrestling community. Parents, not institutions, have the right to make decisions about their children's lives, and the dioceses' arrogance in thinking otherwise should make them first on the OCR's radar of gender discriminators. And if the OCR doesn't come knocking soon, I have a better idea for correcting this institutional injustice. I suggest that every school with a dual meet against a program overseen by the dioceses should field a team entirely of girls. From the lightest to the heaviest, with 10 years of experience, or none at all, each should take the mat and stand there in defiance of gender discrimination. As a few close-minded bureaucrats force their boys to forfeit the message will be sent: Women and the wrestling community won't be governed from the outside. We chose individual choice and inclusion over institutional rule and discrimination. The sooner that individuals and institutions accept this fact, the sooner the wrestling community can get on to the business of growing our sport in new ways. Until then we'll continue to fight Title IX gender quotas, live in fear of bad press and watch in anger as our programs are cut -- delusional enough to believe they are picking on us for no reason. Girls wrestle. To your questions ... Q: Gabe Dean was an impressive freshman who snapped Ed Ruth's long winning streak. Is it conceivable that Dean does what Ruth did over his final three seasons of college wrestling? -- Mike C. Cornell's Gabe Dean finished third at the NCAAs as a freshman (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: Not only did Gabe Dean look spectacular on the mat all of last season, he also competed in top form at the Junior World Championships in Zagreb this summer. Though he would lose on a bone-headed mistake in the quarterfinals, it was obvious that Dean possessed the ability, at a pretty young age, to command every match he wrestles. The NCAA tournament is a difficult tournament to dominate, but that's exactly what Ruth had done the past three seasons. For Dean to have a similar path as Ruth he will not only have to go almost flawless over his last three years of competition, but get through an NCAA tournament filled with talent. I'm a believer in Dean's ability, but I think we are looking at a two-time NCAA champion with one or two more losses. Not exactly modest expectations, but also not quite to the level of Ruth. Q: I do not know if you heard but the Indian Premier Wrestling League, which will start in November 2014, is a professional league with United World Wrestling rules. It will be in six cities around India each which will have teams. -- Dennis L. Foley: The IWL is being modeled after the "You-Almost-Can't-Conceive-How-Successful" Indian Premier Cricket League. That league, which takes the three-day cricket match and shortens it to three hours, has meant billions of dollars for that sport in India. Wrestling, though only the fourth most popular sport in India behind cricket, cricket and cricket, will have a large market by which to be successful. Indians crave entertainment and they love sports. With Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt having done so well, wrestling has been beamed into more living rooms than ever before. Previous to their success wrestling was limited to kushti (traditional wrestling) dangals (tournaments) hosted by politicians and local celebrities. These were also wildly popular but didn't have the same cross-country effect. Almost all are hyper-local events. The IWL could be a big hit. The organizers have talked about bringing in foreign talent to add some intrigue, and the presentation is absolutely sure to be spectacular. If you've ever seen IPL you'd know that a good portion of the game is spent with cameramen in the stands looking for excited fans and pretty women. The latter is a standard operating procedure among cameraman worldwide. I'll email some friends and see if we can get even more information before the start of the league, including how to watch! Multimedia Halftime Bill Farrell Invitational (formerly NYAC) commercial No.1 Japanese drilling session Post by Alaa Hussin AL Abidi. Don't lat drop a lineman Q: I noticed the Doi twins were both ranked at 101 pounds in the women's college rankings. What's the likelihood they face each other in the national championship match? Who would you give the edge to? -- Mike C. Marina Doi earned a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships this summer (Photo/Martin Gabor)Foley: The Doi twins have been progressing well through USA Wrestling's Cadet and Junior programs. This past summer Marina earned bronze at the Junior World Championships, while Regina didn't compete. Marina also placed third at the 2013 Cadet World Championships, won a Cadet World title in 2012 and earned a silver medal at the Cadet Worlds in 2011. Regina earned a silver medal at the 2013 Cadet Worlds. Who is better? The edge might be to Marina, though that could change on a daily basis. They are both a little too small to compete at the senior 48-kilo limit, which means that until that time they will need to work on getting in as much competition as possible and bulking up. This year that might mean rolling against each other!

MANHEIM, Pa. -- After representing the U.S. on two Junior World Teams in 2012 and 2013, returning NCAA champion and 2013 Junior World silver medalist Alex Dieringer of Oklahoma State is set for his next challenge -- a new weight class. Oklahoma State's Alex Dieringer defeated Minnesota's Dylan Ness in the NCAA finals last season at 165 (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Dieringer, a two-time All-American and the 157-pound NCAA Division I champion in 2014, will move up to 165 pounds this season and he'll get tested right away with a match against two-time All-American Nick Sulzer of Virginia at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Dieringer, originally from Port Washington, Wisconsin, went 32-1 last season en route to the NCAA championship. His career mark is a sterling 67-4. He finished third at 157 pounds during his freshman season. Dieringer is also known for his wide-open style. He has 12 falls last season and a total of 19 victories by fall, technical fall or major decision. Sulzer, a two-time All-American from Ohio high school powerhouse St. Edward in Lakewood, Ohio, comes in with a 90-23 career record. He went 36-3 last year and finished fourth at 165 pounds. He was eighth as a sophomore, also at 165 pounds. Sulzer is also known for his ability to put points on the board. While not the most prolific pinner, Sulzer earned 17 major decisions last year. The two have never met in collegiate competition. Oklahoma State has put wrestlers in the event more than any other wrestling program. Cowboy wrestlers have appeared individually in the All-Star Classic 85 total times with an overall record of 42-37. Oklahoma State has appeared in 38 of the 48 previous events, but this will be the first time since 2011 the orange and black will compete as Dieringer joins teammate Josh Kindig in the event. Sulzer will be the first wrestler from Virginia since 2009 to compete in the event and just the fourth overall. Virginia head coach Steve Garland was the first Cavalier wrestler to compete in the event back in 2000 in East Lansing, Michigan. Scott Moore has the only win by a Virginia wrestler, beating Oklahoma's Teyon Ware in 2004 at 141 pounds. Chris Henrich competed in 2009 in Fullerton, California, falling to Stephen Dwyer 7-6 at 174 pounds. "This is a match I'm really looking forward to because both Alex Dieringer and Nick Sulzer love to score points," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Combined, these two wrestlers had 44 of their 68 victories end with a fall, technical fall or major decision. It's the type of matchup where the fans around the country will see what's great about wrestling – these two will get after it." To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These tickets will be distributed to regional schools by representatives of the United States Marine Corps. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: Alex Dieringer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Nick Sulzer, Sr. (Virginia) 174: Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Tyler Wilps, Sr. (Pittsburgh) 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- A pair of All-Americans will meet at 174 pounds at the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Nebraska's Robert Kokesh finished fourth at the NCAAs, with his only two losses coming to Minnesota's Logan Storley (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Nebraska's two-time All-American Robert Kokesh will meet Pittsburgh's All-American Tyler Wilps in the seventh match released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. A senior from Wagner, South Dakota, Kokesh comes in with a stellar 105-14 career record to go along with a third and fourth-place finish at the past two NCAA Division I championships. Kokesh finished fourth last year, losing only to Minnesota's Logan Storley in two matches that went to the tiebreaker. From Oakdale, Pennsylvania, Wilps will be the second wrestler in his family to compete in the event and eighth Pittsburgh Panther wrestler overall. Panther wrestlers are 3-4 overall in the event with Wilps' older brother Matt last appearing in 2012 where he pinned Penn State's Quentin Wright at 197 pounds. Wilps comes in with a career record of 70-28 and he's a two-time NCAA qualifier. He was seventh at the 2014 NCAA Division I championships. Kokesh and Wilps have met twice during their college career, with Kokesh picking up both victories. Kokesh's first win came back in December of 2011 where he pinned Wilps in 20 seconds. The second time they met was much closer, as Kokesh defeated Wilps 2-1 in the tiebreakers in the consolation quarterfinals at last year's NCAA Division I Championships in Oklahoma City. Wilps won the Atlantic Coast Conference at 174 pounds last year, the first year Pittsburgh competed in the conference. Kokesh's participation in the All-Star Classic will mark the 23rd time a Husker has wrestled in the event. He'll join teammate James Green, who will wrestle Ian Miller at 157 pounds. It'll be the first time since 2009 a Husker has wrestled in the event. Nebraska holds an overall record of 11-10 individually with the two most recent wins coming in 2009 at Fullerton, California where Jordan Burroughs and Stephen Dwyer earned individual victories. Also in 2009, Craig Brester competed at 197 pounds. "So far, we've got seven matchups with a total of 14 All-Americans at the All-Star Classic," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Pittsburgh has been a rising program in the East the past several years and has a lot of great tradition, while Nebraska, as we know, is always a team pushing for a trophy at the end of the season." To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Sr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: 174: Robert Kokesh, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Tyler Wilps, Sr. (Pittsburgh) 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

The Fight Network presents Takedown Radio broadcasting from the Brute Studios as Kemin Industries and 04 Water/ Blue 04 Water introduces Takedown Wrestling Radio, taking the pulse of America's sport! Join Scott Casber, Tim Harms, Tony Hager and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET live on KXNO.com, TakedownRadio.com and iHeartRadio.com. Enter our Super Sunday Singlet giveaway for a chance to win a singlet every Sunday of the year by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/TakedownWrestling and on Twitter at @Takedownradio This week Takedown is on the road at Van Meter Iowa and the Legends Field House. Guests include: Tom Ryan, Barry Davis, Tom Scully, Kevin Dresser, Guy Sako, Teague Moore Note: All times Central 9:00 a.m. Tom Ryan 9:15 a.m. Barry Davis 9:35 a.m. Tom Scully 10:00 a.m. Kevin Dresser 10:20 a.m. Guy Sako 10:35 a.m. Teague Moore For contests and conversation use 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT Listen to the show on radio, computer, blackberry or iPhone on the iHRadio app, KXNO.com or on Takedownradio.com.

The UFC is being lazy and taking a week off (actually they need to take more weeks off, otherwise we might actively root for playoff baseball to preempt them). But the MMA Outsider isn't, reviewing the upcoming Bellator and World Series of Fighting shows. Most importantly Bellator bantamweight champion Eduardo Dantas is back in action. He's pretty good at the fighting thing, so tune in. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Jason Tsirtsis defeated Josh Kindig in the NCAA finals (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) MANHEIM, Pa. -- The NWCA All-Star Classic has historically been an event where potential NCAA championship previews take place. In 2014, the 149-pound matchup won't be just a preview, it'll be an NCAA finals rematch as Northwestern's Jason Tsirtsis will take on Oklahoma State's Josh Kindig. Tsirtsis and Kindig is the latest matchup released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association for the 2014 NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Tsirtsis, a sophomore from Crown Point, Indiana, went 32-3 last season defeated Kindig 3-1 in sudden victory to win the Division I title last season in Oklahoma City. It'll be the second time the two have met during their college career. As a freshman, Tsirtsis came into last year's NCAA Division I championships as the No. 5 seed and defeated four eventual All-Americans, including defending champion Kendric Maple of Oklahoma,, en route to the title. Kindig was a surprise finalist, emerging from the bottom bracket and the No. 11 seed to make the finals. From Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania, knocked off No. 6 Jake Suefolhn of Nebraska, No. 14 Scott Sakaguchi of Oregon State and No. 15 Mitch Minotti of Lehigh to make the finals. Kindig went 24-9 last season after redshirting in 2012-13. He's a three-time NCAA qualifier and his career mark stands at 65-29. "The fact we're starting off the season with a rematch of last year's final is remarkable,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "The matchup between Jason Tsirtsis and Josh Kindig isn't just a showcase of what's to come, it's a chance to see two of the top young wrestlers in the sport get reacquainted with a high-level, championship quality match.” Oklahoma State has put wrestlers in the event more than any other wrestling program. Cowboy wrestlers have appeared individually in the All-Star Classic 85 total times with an overall record of 42-37. Oklahoma State has appeared in 38 of the 48 previous events, but this will be the first time since 2011 the orange and black will compete. In 2011, Jordan Oliver and Jamal Parks won matches in Tempe, Arizona. Northwestern first appeared in the event in 1968 when Russ Schnieder competed at 160 pounds in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Overall, Wildcat wrestlers have appeared 14 times with a 5-9 overall record. Jason Welch was the last Wildcat to win a match at the All-Star Classic, beating American's Ganbayar Sanjaa 8-5 at 157 pounds in Tempe, Arizona in 2011. Tsirtsis will join teammate Mike McMullan in this year's event. To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. The event will be streamed live by the NWCA's live streaming partner Flowrestling. Fox College Sports will air the event on television via tape-delay no less than 10 times during the season, starting two weeks after the event has completed. These broadcasts are paid for by Rothschild, a leading global financial advisory based in New York City with offices in Washington, Los Angeles and Houston. Hibiclens and Resilite will again support the event as associate sponsors. The Rothman Institute and the United Association (UA) Group will also make 1,500 tickets available for local students (K-12) throughout southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. "Hibiclens and Resilite have long supported the NWCA and its events,” said Moyer. "We're pleased to have two true wrestling companies on board again. The donation of 1,500 tickets by Rothman and the UA Group will help us expand the reach of college wrestling to the local wrestling community.” Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced Matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: 149: Jason Tsirtsis, So. (Northwestern) vs. Josh Kindig, Jr. (Oklahoma State) 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: 174: 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be Announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine” has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation's foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs,” the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.

The wrestling portion of the Asian Games concluded this week, bringing an end to the 2014 competition calendar for many freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers. Eleman Dogdurbek Uulu launched Jang Myong-Song in a bronze-medal match in men's freestyle at the Asia Games (Photo/Sachiko Hotaka)The World Championships would normally signal the end, but the quadrennial games hosted in Asia are a powerhouse event where wrestlers are compensated handsomely for winning efforts. In Korea gold medalists earn $5,000 a month for the rest of their life and are eligible to skip compulsory military service. In North Korea gold medal wrestlers were rumored to receive apartments. With the end of the season comes my personal break from wrestling. I've been covering these tournaments and building the new United World Wrestling media department for several months, and haven't had much time to power down the engines. The upcoming rest period will be spent outside of the gymnasium and hopefully add some perspective to the season. Mostly I'm looking forward to a sun burn, fruity cocktails and napping. My time spent doing less will also give me an opportunity to contemplate the direction of the upcoming folkstyle season in America. The 2014-15 NCAA season is rotten with storylines, and though I could expound on any of them with zeal, I'm looking forward to your inquires and opinions. Send 'em over. Rooms open in one week. To your questions ... Was the Flo deal a total valuation or just this round of funding? And either way, congrats! -- @JaroslavWrestle Foley: I can't tell you much more than what was reported by Fortune and what ran on the PR Newswire. Flocasts, the parent company of Flowrestling, earned a round of funding for $8 million from the venture capital (VC) firm Causeway Media Partners. The capital is likely to be used for further development of deals in the works and an expansion of roles across all their platforms, including Flowrestling. As discussed last week (with no insight on this deal), Flowrestling is arguably the wealthiest wrestling entity in the United States. Their cash and existing distribution and acquisition deals gives them immense power in directing the future of our sport. As you, I love wrestling. My job is to critique all elements of the sport, and increasingly that will mean the influence exerted by Austin on the future of our sport. Wrestling has always stood on a precipice of obliteration with little tangible profitable future. The consequences of ignorance and error have been elimination and the reward for hard work, minimal. Flowrestling's income, media activity and desire for future growth have created an opportunity for them to change wrestling's famine or subsistence paradigm. Austin can help our sport establish further cultural legitimacy, and as with any thought leader or economic leader they will need, at times, redirection from fans and media. Congrats to Austin. Q: What do you think of the policy adopted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg, which requires that boys on its school wrestling teams forfeit matches to girls? -- Tim K. Foley: I'm not an astute enough theologian to have any biblical-based insight for or against boys wrestling girls. The structure for my opinion comes from personal experience. From that I firmly believe that inclusionary policies teach our youth more than policies that exclude, limit and discriminate based on race, gender or religion. The dioceses' reasons are borne of an institution and not the heart of the individuals interested in the actual competition. A personal choice is something I can understand and mostly support. I'm not supportive of institutional policies that promote segregation and exclusion. Q: What is the outcome of all these kids and their phones? Will we lose wrestling as life becomes easier? -- Terry H. Foley: My favorite quote about wrestling remains: "Almost certainly wrestling is the oldest sport of mankind ... It came to town with the Olympiads of Ancient Greece and went back to the country after the decline of Rome -- there to remain, at least in greatest part, for nearly two thousand years. Preponderantly in and because of the country the sport has lived on in the general manner of pasture bluets, or field daisies, or other more or less global and substantially invincible wildflowers. Time and time again pasture bluets can be and have been burned away by the heavy hoofs or close-grazing herds. Yet with mystic stubbornness and effectiveness the pasture bluets somehow rise and bloom again. Wrestling is like that. It thrives, meets apparent destruction or widespread abandonment only to rise again, taking resurrection from a good and folkish earth. This has come to pass in many nations and it keeps happening in our own." -- Charles Morrow Wilson, The Magnificent Scufflers, 1959 So ... no. While sports like wrestling that include touch and perceived combat will always be replaced within cultures sensitive to a perception of barbarism, there is a growing recognition of wrestling's fundamental goodness. That written, today's twenty-somethings grew up with a megaton of positive affirmation -- meaningless participation ribbons and self-confidence that tops the world rankings. The thought of struggle, and loss, isn't appealing to many who can simply tweet out their negative feelings and receive back a virtual hug. There is a fear among "thinkers" that our new culture is becoming almost irreperably wussified. In his now viral piece on Generation Wuss, Bret Eaton Ellis eviscerates this lackluster group of young men and women for their inability to cope, to work, to tough out anything they find mildly displeasing. Wrestling teaches an individual how to cope and self-soothe. There are a myriad other lessons, but at the center of American wrestling is how to survive a daily combat routine. There will always be those who want that lifestyle and struggle, but over the years, the swing youths have disappeared or marched to sports with less individualism and responsibility. Less coping. Coaches are at the forefront of this battle. It might be worth asking them how they've dealt with a generation dependent on Facebook and Twitter conversation that affirm their worst tendencies. I'm sure their responses would shock us all. Q: On the international level, do countries try to recruit wrestlers from other countries to compete for them? Is there like a free agency market for wrestlers at the international level? -- Elbridge G. Foley: Absolutely. The wrestlers in Dagestan and the Ossetias are a hot commodity among gold-hungry wrestling countries and are often shipped overseas. The country with the most transfers is Azerbaijan, but you see Uzbekistan, Georgia, Turkey and Moldova take in several wrestlers as well. The policy regarding international transfers was made more simple last year. One transfer only and it can be immediate. No waiting period, which used to be at least two years. Countries may only take in one wrestler from each style per year and they must have at least working papers. This is the norm established by the IOC. There are no more transfer fees. I think that more American wrestlers should look at the idea of competing overseas. Nationalism is appealing, but information has crumbled cultural borders and there is nothing wrong with learning to experience the world stage, even with a flag other than the United States' on your back. Multimedia Halftime Link: USA vs. Serbia *One match, with the first period freestyle and the second Greco-Roman. Total score. As evidenced by the video, I've never wrestled Greco-Roman ... Link: 98-year-old judo black belt Link: BJJ with a wrestling influence Link: Wrestling mania in Senegal Link: Koreans wrestle in Switzerland Link: Spread of sumo Q: What is behind your mind-numbing hatred of football? -- Paul S. Foley: The games are too long, there isn't enough action and I can't celebrate a sport that is so obviously unhealthy for the majority of its participants. Three high school football players died this week. When three wrestlers died in 1998 due to a mixture of supplements and extreme weight loss, a special council overhauled the sport and changes were made to help curb unhealthy behavior. What has football done? Nothing. We don't ask it to change because we've allowed it to become of our life stories. The thought of proceeding through our existence without the team colors and the Sunday rituals is a horrifying consideration for most Americans. The reams of evidence showing the game is made unnecessarily dangerous by greed haven't been able to overcome the fear of many Americans that they will lose that connection to their tribe. There is rampant and dangerous incompetence among the commissioner, owners and several players and yet every Sunday Americans line up at bars and in homes to take in 10-plus hours of head-smashing humans and Doritos commercials. When football takes off the pads, quickens the pace of play and addresses its health crisis (with more than a few PSA's on the Toledo regional channel), maybe I'll tune in for the afternoon. Until then it's all wrestling, and the occasional Tottenham Hotspur match. Six Nations Rugby, too. Just as a note, it might be time for the Washington football team and owner Dan Snyder to read the tea leaves. When South Park eviscerates you in their season opener it doesn't bode well for future sustainability. The name will not last past this season. (My mom is a Washington fan. Sorry, Mom!) Q: You travel a lot. Any travel tips? -- Brian D. Foley: Plenty. I'll write a travel column for you guys in a few weeks. In the meantime check out this flight. Yowza. $23k for a commercial airline ticket!

Two UFCs, one Bellator, and a Battleground MMA tournament. All of that will go down in just over a 24 hour period this weekend, and your favorite podcast previews the action for each event. In fact, there is so much action coming, we didn't have time to reflect on the much anticipated and very entertaining UFC 178 card. That's for the best, since Joe Rogan and company equaled any of the most biased and painful commentary episodes from Jim Lampley and HBO in their nonstop showering of praise for anything and everything about Conor McGregor. Seriously, it was bad. There was a Michael Jordan reference (nice job, Goldberg). I mean, McGregor is good, but settle down, folks. Not to mention we at the MMA Outsider have determined that McGregor probably didn't invent the glancing-elbow-behind-the-ear-because-the-punch-missed move. Also, for everyone pondering whether Conor McGregor is the second coming, MMA still isn't as big as we'd like to think. Otherwise Yoel Romero's stool would've been a front page meme on Reddit. Anyway, end rant, start podcast. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Jordan Oliver (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State wrestling head coach Zeke Jones announced on Thursday that two-time NCAA Champion Jordan Oliver will join the coaching staff for the 2014-15 season. “Jordan brings a tremendous amount of expertise to the program,” Jones said. “He is in contention to be a world and Olympic champion, and will be able to mentor our student-athletes at the highest level because of his experience working with the best athletes and coaches in the world.” Oliver, who will be a volunteer assistant for the Sun Devils, was a standout from the Oklahoma State wrestling program, where he won NCAA titles in 2011 and 2013 at 133 pounds and 149 pounds, respectively, going 38-0 during his senior campaign. A four-time All-American and Cowboy record holder for pins with 54, Oliver is in his second year with USA Wrestling, where he stands as the No. 2 wrestler at 65 kilos, and was sixth at the 2014 US Open. “He gives us a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience,” Jones added. “He wrestles in the middle weights, but he will be able to help mentor our wrestlers no matter the weight class. He’s an expert wrestler and I think he’s going to be a great addition to the program.” In 2013, Oliver finished third at the U. S. World Team Trials and second at the U.S. Open, and was third at the Junior World Championships in 2009. Oliver, a three-time Pennsylvania State Champion in high school, and four-time Pennsylvania Triple-A finalist, amassed a 175-5 record while competing for Easton High School. He was also a two-time National Freestyle Champion, once as a cadet and once as a junior. The first opportunity to see the Sun Devils in the 2014-15 season will be on Saturday, Oct. 25 with the Maroon and Gold Intersquad. Time and location are TBA.

Nick Gwiazdowski (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) MANHEIM, Pa. -- The fifth matchup released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association for the upcoming All-Star Classic will be a good one. Returning NCAA Division I heavyweight champion Nick Gwiazdowski of N.C. State will take on three-time All-American Mike McMullan of Northwestern at the NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the United States Marine Corps and the Wrestlers in Business Network hosted by Penn and WIBN-Philadelphia on November 1 at the Palestra on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. McMullan is looking to break an All-Star slump of sorts. The Easton, Pennsylvania native will be making his third straight appearance in the event. He lost to two-time NCAA champion Tony Nelson of Minnesota last season at George Mason University and fell to Missouri’s Dom Bradley by a point a year prior at American University. Gwiazdowski, a two-time All-American who redshirted in 2012-13 after transferring from Binghamton, where he finished eighth in 2012 at the NCAA Division I Championships, will be the third N.C. State heavyweight to wrestle in the event. Gwiazdowski hails from Duanesburg, New York. The pair have split matches against one another during their collegiate careers. McMullan took a 2012 matchup 5-3 in the consolation quarterfinals at the NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis, Missouri, while last season, Gwiazdowski topped McMullen 5-3 in sudden victory in a dual meet. McMullan comes in with a 71-20 overall record, including a 20-5 record last year. Gwiazdowski is 73-11 in two full seasons of college wrestling including a 43-2 record last season. "When you talk about the current crop of heavyweight wrestlers, you see a lot more athletic, active wrestlers around the mats. Nick Gwiazdowski and Mike McMullan are two of those gifted big guys," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Mike McMullan has been in the event on two other occasions, so it’s obviously a big deal for him to try to win, while Gwiazdowski comes in as the king of the mountain to start the year. Everyone’s going to want to try to knock him off." Wolfpack wrestlers have competed in the event on eight occasions, holding a 3-5 overall mark. But of the now nine appearances, it will be the fifth time an N.C. State heavyweight takes to the mat. The late Tab Thacker split to matches after he appeared in 1983 and 1984, while Sylvester Terkay was 2-0 in his career at the All-Star Classic, with a notable win coming over Olympic champion Rulon Gardner in 1993 when the event was held at Lehigh. Northwestern first appeared in the event in 1968 when Russ Schnieder competed at 160 pounds in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Overall, Wildcat wrestlers have appeared 14 times with a 5-9 overall record. Jason Welch was the last Wildcat to win a match at the All-Star Classic, beating American’s Ganbayar Sanjaa 8-5 at 157 pounds in Tempe, Arizona in 2011. To purchase tickets to the event, click here for the Penn Athletic Ticket Office. Follow on Social Media! For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit www.theallstarclassic.com and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. Fans can join the discussion with the #NWCAClassic hashtag. Fans should keep an eye on the discussion as there will be contests and interactive discussions about the event via Twitter and Facebook! Competing wrestlers will be eligible for the Outstanding Wrestler Award, presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network - Atlanta Chapter. Announced matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Joey Dance, So. (Virginia Tech) 133: A.J. Schopp, Sr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, Jr. (Lehigh) 141: 149: 157: James Green, Sr. (Nebraska) vs. Ian Miller, Jr. (Kent State) 165: 174: 184: Gabe Dean, So. (Cornell) vs. Jack Dechow, So. (Old Dominion) 197: 285: Nick Gwiazdowski, Jr. (N.C. State) vs. Mike McMullan, Sr. (Northwestern) Showcase matchups to be announced About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. www.nwcaonline.com NWCA on Facebook | NWCA on Twitter About the University of Pennsylvania Established in 1740, the University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League research university located in Philadelphia. Incorporated as The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn is one of 14 founding members of the Association of American Universities and is one of the nine original Colonial Colleges. The school was founded by Ben Franklin. Penn is ranked among the top research universities in the world. About Wrestlers in Business/Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org Wrestlers in Business Philadelphia is a newly formed group who will kick-off their Chapter events with a Social Event in September followed by All-Star Classic. A 14-member Board has been elected led by President Anthony Stagliano and he is joined by distinguished names in the wrestling and business community including four members who have long ties to the University of Pennsylvania; Roger Reina who is playing a prominent role in the promotion of the All-Star Classic, Gary Baker, Andy Matter and Chris Hanlon. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org/chapters/philadelphia-pa About the United States Marine Corps On November 10, 1775, the Marine Corps was established by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since then, the Marine Corps, through service on land, in air, and at sea, have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue. Whether facing our nation’s foes or conducting humanitarian relief and disaster recovery operations at home or abroad, today’s Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the same proud tradition of faithful service to the United States. For more information, visit www.Marines.com. About Rothman Institute Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at 20 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA. With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, the Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional "Top Docs," the Rothman Institute is proud to be official team physicians for several professional, college and high school teams. For more information about the Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.