InterMat Staff

With the high school wrestling season's start nearing, InterMat is taking readers across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From mid-August until mid-November, InterMat is introducing readers to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. In this installment, Ross Halford looks at the top senior wrestlers in Nebraka. Without question, it's a banner season for talent in the Cornhusker state, led by a group of seniors that ranks collectively as one of the best in Nebraska history. College coaches should find a multitude of talent to fill their rosters from the Class of 2014 1. Colton Adams (Scottsbluff) Projected High School Weight Class: 132-145 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Colton Adams placed third at the Walsh Ironman last season (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Analysis: When mid-February rolls around, Nebraska commit Adams should finish out his glorious high school career as one of the most decorated high school wrestlers the state has ever produced. The three-time state champion and 2011 Cadet freestyle All-American is on track to eclipse nearly every state record imaginable, including career wins and pins. His only loss a year ago was during the semifinals of the Ironman to now-graduated No. 1 national Joey Dance. He owns convincing victories in just the past year over national standouts, such as Michael Kemerer o Pennsylvania, Keegan Moore of Oklahoma, and Fredy Stroker of Iowa, along with NCAA Division I qualifier Kevon Powell of Ohio. Adams nearly took down NCAA round of 12 finisher Nathan Kraisser during the FILA Juniors in Las Vegas in April, a testament to the level he's currently competing at entering his senior season. A broken hand suffered at Junior Duals in Oklahoma sidelined Adams for Fargo (although he did win one match before withdrawing). Look for Adams to reestablish his name nationally during the preseason fall circuit which will include trips to the Michigan Grappler Fall Classic and Super 32 Challenge. He will also seek to become the first wrestler to ever win four Preseason Nationals championships. Adams will cut to 132 for the early portion of the scholastic season and then move to 145 after the Walsh Ironman. 2. JaVaughn Perkins (Omaha North) Projected High School Weight Class: 160-182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Three-time state champion Perkins could well be the most talented wrestler in the state. In fact he may be one of the most talented wrestlers I've seen come through Nebraska in the past 15 years. His mat resume is a distant second to Adams' though, because he's a multi-sport athlete. He did win the tough FloNationals in the spring, defeating Penn State signee Cody Law in the finals. Perkins was also a Cadet National freestyle runner-up in 2011, finishing second to Dylan Milonas of Blair Academy. He will step back into the national spotlight in December when he is supposedly registered to compete at the prestigious Walsh Ironman tournament in Ohio, along with teammate Jacobi Jones. Perkins' Omaha North football team should make a deep run into the playoffs so it's unknown for sure what kind of shape or what weight he may compete at in Ohio but my understanding is he weighed as much as 185 during the summer. His college plans are a bit of a mystery and he could end up playing football, a sport he apparently likes every bit as much as wrestling. 3. Will Schany (Blair) Projected High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 165-174 Analysis: Another wrestler seeking a fourth state championship during the upcoming season, the powerful Schany burst on to the national scene last spring, rolling through the NHSCA Junior Nationals at 170, beating multiple state champions and future Division I opponents in the process. Like Perkins, Schany is a multi-sport athlete and has the potential to skyrocket once he hits a college room. He dominated at the UNL summer camp, including going even with Joel Dixon of Oklahoma despite giving up nearly 10 pounds. He has taken official visits to Nebraska, Iowa State, and Virginia … and a decision on his future plans is expected within the next few weeks. An intriguing side note is that he and Perkins could end up meeting in epic showdown at the Flatwater Fracas in Grand Island. I would fully expect both wrestlers to be around 182 for the season and I've been told the tournament organizers will place the two teams in the same pool to make this titanic match happen. 4. Harrison Phillips (Millard West) Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: Football (Stanford) Analysis: Like Schany, two-time state champion and Stanford football commit Phillips put his name in national lights at the NHSCA Junior Nationals in Virginia Beach, rolling to a national title and defeating the likes of standout Jesse Webb of Vermont en route to winning the heavyweight bracket. What's more amazing is Phillips didn't train one second for the NHSCA -- a tribute to his raw talent and incomparable desire to win. Phillips isn't the biggest heavyweight, measuring in the neighborhood of 6'1" and 245, but his quickness, agility and athleticism is simply too much for most high school heavyweights to contend with. He's rated in the top five heavyweights in the country entering his senior season and is perhaps the best overall athlete in the state of Nebraska right now. 5. Brett Velasquez (Bennington) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: The less heralded Velasquez is one of five wrestlers in the Class of 2014 from Nebraska who will be seeking their fourth state title in February. He doesn't have the national resume of the four previously mentioned wrestlers but does own a solid win over Illinois standout Jon Marmolejo and fellow in-state standout Dante' Rodriguez in the past calendar year. Despite never competing in freestyle, he acclimated himself well in Fargo, going toe-to-toe with standouts Sean Cannon of Nevada and Ronnie Bresser of Oregon. Velasquez has received looks from several Division I programs, including Nebraska, but will make whatever college he chooses a very solid career 125 at the next level. Honorable Mention: Dante' Rodriguez (Kearney) Vincent Thatcher (Crete) Chance Helmick (Beatrice) Chase Reis (Grand Island) Josh Coyle (West Holt) Jacob Sebade (Pender) Jacobi Jones (Omaha North) Nick Hollins (Omaha Skutt) Brian Peska (Omaha Skutt) Jake Anderson (Omaha Creighton Prep)

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 184-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Ed Ruth of Pennsylvania State University against Jimmy Sheptock of the University of Maryland, a matchup pitting conference champions and All-Americans against one another. Ruth's collegiate wrestling career began during the 2009-2010 season when he elected to take a redshirt year and compete unofficially at 184 pounds. During the season Ruth experienced success and claimed a title at the Hitchcock open. As a redshirt freshman, Ruth entered the Nittany Lion starting lineup and competed both at 174 and 184 pounds. During the season while competing at 174 pounds Ruth recorded a 38-2 overall record, and a perfect 19-0 dual record and 8-0 record against Big Ten competition. At his first Big Ten Championships Ruth completed the day undefeated, 3-0, and claimed his first Big Ten individual title and bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Ruth, who was suffering from an injury, completed the day 6-1, earning a third place finish and All-American honors at 174 pounds. For his success at the championships Ruth was awarded the 2011 Gorrarian Award. As a redshirt sophomore, Ruth continued to win and build upon the momentum he generated during the prior season at 174 pounds. Ruth completed the season with a perfect record overall, 31-0, in dual competition, 11-0, and against Big Ten competition, 8-0. Ruth remained undefeated in the post season, as he claimed his second consecutive Big Ten Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Championships after wrestling to three dominating wins. Ruth continued to lead the field of collegiate wrestlers at 174 pounds at the national championships, where he wrestled to a 5-0 record, logging two pins, one technical victory and one major decision victory, on his path to winning his first national title. For his success Ruth was named InterMat's 2012 National Wrestler of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten first team. Most recently as a redshirt junior, Ruth began competing consistently at 184 pounds. Despite advancing in weight class, Ruth continued to dominate, logging a second perfect season with a 33-0 overall record. Competing in the post season at 184 pounds for the first time, Ruth for a third consecutive year wrestled to a Big Ten Championship and earned an automatic bid to the national championships. At the championships Ruth did not deviate from perfection, claiming his second national individual title and third All-American honors. For all his success during the 2012-2013 season Ruth was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Penn State Male Athlete of the Year. Ruth currently holds a 68 match win streak and has not suffered a loss since March of 2011. Sheptock, like Ruth, began his collegiate career as a redshirt. During the 2009-2010 season Sheptock competed unofficially at 165 pounds claiming two individual titles and winning 11 of his first 12 collegiate matches. During his first official year as a Terrapin, Sheptock continued to compete at 165 pounds as well as at 174 pounds. Sheptock saw limited action during his first season, recording a 6-4 overall record. As a redshirt sophomore Sheptock entered the fulltime starting lineup for Maryland at 174 pounds. During the season Sheptock logged a 27-6 overall record, and 12-0 dual record. In his first trip to the post season Sheptock earned his first ACC Championship title and an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. For his post season success, Sheptock was named to the All-ACC Team. During the 2012-2013 season Sheptock continued to build momentum and enjoyed greater success. As a redshirt junior Sheptock advanced a weight class and competed at 184 pounds, wrestling to a 40-6 overall record and perfect, 21-0 dual record. Sheptock led his team in most win, 40, and major decisions, 10. In the post season, Sheptock claimed his second consecutive ACC Championship title, All-ACC honors and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the national championships Sheptock wrestled to several key upset victories to finish sixth and earn All-American honors for the first time. To date, Sheptock has competed against Ruth twice, with each time Ruth emerging the victor. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. Let's get to the bacon, wrestle-heads. There is only one month until the NCAA wrestling begins, and we need to start picking the horses we think will trot away from Oklahoma City with an NCAA title. Forget the long-winded prognostications, here are my picks: David Taylor with Cael Sanderson during the NCAA semifinal round (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Individual: 125: Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) 133: Tony Ramos (Iowa) 141: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) 149: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 157: Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) 165: David Taylor (Penn State) 174: Andrew Howe (Oklahoma) (Matt Brown!) 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) 197: Travis Rutt (Oklahoma) 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) Team: 1. Penn State (110) 2. Oklahoma (103.5) 3. Oklahoma State (101) InterMat Wrestler of the Year: David Taylor (Penn State) InterMat Freshman of the Year: Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) Name yours in the comments and we'll check back in March. Can anyone go 10/10? To your questions ... Q: With the Southern Scuffle getting bigger every year, what does the Midlands have to do to regain its form as the toughest in-season tournament for a college/open? -- Tony G. Foley: The Scuffle has definitely seen a growth in popularity over the past several years. Though much of the change has to do with big teams wanting to avoid Midwest mingling until absolutely necessary, some of it has to do with weather and presentation. Add-in Cornell, Minnesota and Penn State and you have an attraction equivalent to a fully-charged bug-zapper during the Costa Rican rainy season. I live in Chicago and can tell you that our winters, though not as climatically severe as nearby cities like Minneapolis and Milwaukee, could break a blue-faced William Wallace. The steel skies, dirty snow and mind-numbing traffic jams are enough, but the stiff lake-blown breezes and slush-soaked parking lots multiply the misery to a level exponentially higher than most anyone can rationally withstand. Why do so many people live here, you ask? Summertime bar hopping and the best restaurant scene in America. That's it. And maybe the Blackhawks. Chicagoans love hockey. Compare Evanston's snow-banks with the verdant hills and rolling rivers of Chattanooga and you can see why a weekend spent shoveling your car out of pay-for-parking is comparatively miserable. But there are several incentives that Midlands offers that the Scuffle can't replicate, primarily the ability for post-grads to enter the tournament, MUCH better television distribution via the Big Ten Network and a top-down "tougher" event. Northwestern University head wrestling coach Drew Pariano is a great salesman. He's managed some pretty fine recruits over the past several years (Welch, McMullan, Tsirtsis), and just as he coerced those talented young brutes to scrap in the misery of a northern Illinois' winter, he's managed to keep some big teams away from the Scuffle and maintain the integrity of the event. When you compare the top four team finishes from both tournaments there is a decided edge for the Southern Scuffle (NCAA team placement in parenthesis): Southern Scuffle: Penn State (1), Oklahoma State (2), Missouri (7), Minnesota (3). Midlands: Illinois (9), Virginia Tech (10), Oklahoma (12), and Oregon State (8). However, when you look at how many All-Americans (post-grad included) competed in the two tournaments, the numbers favor Midlands, 43-31. Or a full 1.2 more All-Americans wrestling in the Midlands bracket. What I think you'll start to see is a balance built between the two tournaments. There are plenty of wrestlers to go around and the two tournaments can share the talent and provide fans with a week filled with great wrestling. We are lucky to have these two tournaments in competition with each other, and the ability to watch them on our television and online. Q: Which wrestling program has the most Division I All Americans? -- Steve H. Foley: You made me do math. I don't like math. I went through some trouble to scrounge this up for you, only to realize halfway through my second pot of coffee that there is definitely someone else in the wrestling universe who has these numbers certified and posted on their wall. For now, these are my numbers: Oklahoma State: 430 Iowa: 302 Iowa State: 284 Oklahoma: 265 Q: Does FILA have any plans to expand on wrestling's popularity in Asia? India, Korea and Japan are the future? -- @zachjanderson Foley: FILA has done an excellent job expanding their international reach over the past several years. In 1992 there were roughly 110 national governing bodies for the sport of wrestling, and today there are 177 with a few more possibly ready to launch in 2014. Not only are there more NGB's but there is also a much wider variety of countries who are earning medals -- 29 in 2012 and 28 in 2008. That is up from 22 in 2004 and 2000. These are important numbers to keep in mind when considering FILA's expansion. Korea and Japan have always had strong programs and will always compete well in the lighter weights. The only expansion Koreans would make is in focusing on creating a stronger women's program who have yet to win an Olympic medal. The Japanese could try to pour more money into their Greco program before the Tokyo Games in 2020, but otherwise have a fairly balanced and dependable program. FILA can't expand much within India, as it's only one country, but the forces inside India are being encouraged by the government and private business to fund men's and women's wrestling. This year India won it's first-ever medal in Greco-Roman wrestling when Sandeep took bronze at 66 kilos in Budapest. Where in some countries there is only funding for one style, in India there is funding for all three. When Sandeep realized he'd never start in front of World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar he chose to transition to Greco-Roman. The Indians support the growth of the program, and now have a result to show for their efforts. FILA's greatest potential for influence will be in southeast Asia, South American and Africa, where wrestling is the second-most popular sport on the continent and there are millions of underprivileged youth waiting for the opportunity to compete. The leadership at FILA has realized Africa's potential and taken the first steps at creating a legitimate Olympic style program by establishing a FILA Training Center in Thies, Senegal. Though a start, the current system of picking 18-year-old raw athletes for development isn't sustainable or effective in the long-term. However, should a country like Senegal find the economic support to create 30 well-coached clubs along their populated coastline, I'm one-hundred percent confident that they'd be winning Olympic medals at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Other parts of Africa could experience similar results, too. Nigeria, Niger, The Gambia, and Cameroon all value wrestling as a culturally acceptable choice for work. With some financial and coaching support these communities could see the rapid growth and improvement of their Olympic-style wrestlers. There is no sales job to make within the local communities -- Africans love wrestling. The sales job comes in finding men and women willing to share their talents on the continent. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME What the sport can look like to kids, when you make it fun ... And WOW. American highlights from the 2013 World Championships Yeah, I guess this guy works hard for what he's got ... Q: You have given your opinion about Win Win and your hopes for Foxcatcher. After reading your mailbag last week, I feel like I now have the courage to write this email. For years I have felt like a guy living in Boston wearing a Yankee's cap. Why? Because I think Vision Quest is a dumb movie. Protagonist cuts weight, antagonist carries a log up bleachers, protagonist stalks transient woman who is crashing in his house, protagonist cuts more weight, uncomfortable scene involving a hotel guest, nose bleed due to cutting weight, beating the quiet guy who carried said log, close to credits. In fact, the only enduring scene is that movie is when the cook breaks down retelling a story about Pele, the soccer player! Am I missing something? Is there an Aesop's-fable-storyline that has sailed over my head all of these years? -- Bob in Atlanta Foley: The book was better. Vision Quest might not be the story you wanted to watch, but it remains the most accurate representation of what happens to a wrestler during the high school wrestling season. There are villains, obscene weight cuts and transient 31-year-old trollops in every American wrestling town (that last bit was a joke). The difference between Win Win and Vision Quest was that the former is a story about family and belonging, while the latter is about the sub-culture of wrestling and sex. There aren't many, if any, other quality Hollywood movies that have focused so plainly on our odd world, and though the 80s aspect of it might be goofy now, it meshes in principle with the behavior of modern wrestlers. For better or worse our guys are still not eating enough and spending too much time in saunas. They have single-minded focus on becoming the best in their town, their city and their state. They sacrifice booze and bad food for the chance to win a medal. There's a lot of every wrestler in Louden Swain. Though the enduring legacy of the movie might be the homoerotic shoe salesman telling stories about a soccer player, or Brian Shute trudging up a set of stairs with a telephone pole on his back, the emotional truth of the movie is true to the sport and its participants. You sold me. Who wants to see a sequel? Tyrell FortuneCOMMENT OF THE WEEK By PK I'm glad to see that the NWCA All-Star Classic has been better promoted in recent years. The out of weight class matches are the latest attention-grabbing wrinkle that will only help to grow the event. However, given the recent focus on upgrading the media attention to our sport, why was Tyrell Fortune of Grand Canyon not included in the matchups? Fortune may be the biggest special interest story of the year in college wrestling and the All-Star Classic could have been the springboard to drawing in even the non-wrestling media. IN CLOSING I'm excited to announce that the Wrestling Roots Foundation I founded in 2011 (still waiting for the tax-exempt paperwork back from the IRS) has landed its first major partnership! We will be working with the Fetzer Institute to promote "love and forgiveness" among warring tribes in South Sudan. We will be hosting a 12-day Wrestling for Peace tournament in mid-December featuring four tribes with a history of conflict, cattle rustling, and, of course, a mutual love for traditional wrestling. Planning for the project has been underway for more than a year, but next week should mark the first few days of money wiring and firming up of transportation details. As you well know, I'm always looking for ways to spread the word about wrestling's redemptive qualities and think that this project, if a success, will be the first of many around the world. My hope is that we can change the attitudes about wrestling by showing it as something more than barbarism, and something more akin to a necessary form of communication among members of a functioning society. In addition to my scribbling on InterMat we are hoping for some national print and magazine coverage to help spread the message. We've brought on Ben Lowy, an award-winning war and conflict photographer with plenty of hours covering mixed-martial arts, boxing, and even traditional wrestling in Turkey. You can check out his portfolio here. We are facing a tough challenge in heading to such a young country, and one that has been in conflict for so long, but we're hopeful that our mutual love for wrestling will be at center of everything we accomplish together. Wish us luck!

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 174-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Andrew Howe of the University of Oklahoma and Matt Brown of Pennsylvania State University, a matchup pitting Big Ten Champions against one another for the first time. Andrew Howe is coming off two redshirt seasons (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Howe began his collegiate wrestling career during the 2008-2009 season at the University of Wisconsin wrestling at 165 pounds. Competing as a true freshman Howe logged 19 consecutive wins on his way to a 30-5 overall record, 13-0 dual record and 8-0 Big Ten record. In his first post season, Howe won his first Big Ten Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Howe wrestled to a second place finish and earned All-American honors. For his success during the season Howe was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Team. That summer Howe competed at the Junior World Championships at 163 pounds, where he placed third, and World Team Trials, where he placed fourth in the freestyle 163 pounds competition. As a sophomore, Howe recorded a perfect season at 165 pounds with a 37-0 overall record and 8-0 Big Ten record. In the post season Howe again claimed the Big Ten Championship and earned a bid to the NCAA National Championships, where he claimed his second consecutive All-American honors and his first individual national championship. During the 2010-2011 season Howe again competed in the Wisconsin starting lineup at 165 pounds, competing once at 174 pounds. Howe logged a 27-3 overall record at 165 pounds and a perfect, 1-0 record at 174 pounds. At the Big Ten Championships, Howe claimed his third title and automatic bid to the national championships. Howe wrestled to a third place finish at the national championships and earned his third All-American honor. Howe elected to take an Olympic redshirt during the 2011-2012 season, and will make his first appearance as an Oklahoma Sooner at the All-Star Classic. Brown, like Howe, did not begin his collegiate wrestling career at the school he will be representing at the All-Star Classic. During the 2008-2009 season Brown elected to take a redshirt while attending Iowa State where current Penn State Head Coach, Cael Sanderson, was coaching at the time. As a redshirt Brown competed at both 157 pounds and 165 pounds. Brown then took a two year hiatus from collegiate wrestling while he completed his mission. During that time, Brown transferred and followed Sanderson to become a Nittany Lion. Brown returned to collegiate wrestling for the 2011-2012 season and competed for the Nittany Lions at 174 pounds. During the season Brown competed at both 197 pounds at 174 pounds, recording notable wins against ranked opponents and a second place finish at the Southern Scuffle. Brown logged a 27-2 overall record, 5-0 dual record and 2-0 Big Ten record. Matt Brown is coming off a runner-up finish at 174 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)During the 2012-2013 season Brown entered the Penn State starting lineup full time. Brown recorded a 29-5 overall record and claimed his first individual Big Ten title at 174lbs. As a result of his Big Ten conference finish, Brown earned his first automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Brown made a 4-1 run to claim second place and earned his first All-American honors. For his wrestling success, Brown was named to the First Big Ten team. The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- With the All-Star Classic a little over a month away, the lineup got another boost today when the NWCA and George Mason announced the addition of two All-Americans, Devin Carter of Virginia Tech and Tony Ramos of Iowa, agreeing to an “out of weight class” match-up at 141 pounds. After redshirting as a true freshman, Ramos entered the starting Hawkeye lineup during the 2010-2011 season wrestling at 133 pounds. During his first official season Ramos logged an overall record of 25-6, wrestling to an undefeated 12-0 dual and 8-0 Big Ten record. In his first post season, Ramos finished third at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. As a redshirt sophomore, Ramos' success continued to build. Ramos wrestled to a 33-4 record, with a near perfect record in both duals, 17-1, and Big Ten competition, 7-1. During the regular season Ramos scored a team high 74 points in dual competition and logged the most dual wins, 17, and technical falls, 7, for all Iowa wrestlers. For his success during the regular season Ramos was twice named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week. Tony Ramos is coming off a runner-up finish at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)At the Big Ten Championships, Ramos once again earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships after finishing second. At the championships Ramos earned All-American honors after finishing third. During the 2012-2013 season Ramos continued to experience mounting success at 133 pounds, winning 26 consecutive bouts at the start of the season. Ramos completed the season with an overall record of 30-2, logging a perfect record in dual competition, 23-0, and in Big Ten competition, 8-0. He again led the Hawkeyes in most dual points scored, 114, and recorded a team high 14 pins. In the post season Ramos finished second at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships, where he finished second and earned All-American honors for a second time. Carter began his career as a Hookie competing officially as a true freshman at 133 pounds. During the 2010-2011 season Carter wrestled to a 35-7 overall record, 21-3 dual competition record and 5-0 ACC competition record. Carter was named ACC Wrestler of the Week after just his first weekend of competition. During the regular season Carter recorded a team high pins, 11, and team points in dual matches, 98. In the post season Carter earned his first ACC Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships, Carter began the day with a nine seed and made the round of 12 before being eliminated. Carter was named ACC Co-Rookie of the year for his success. As a sophomore Carter completed the season with a 36-5 overall record, 11-3 dual record and 5-0 ACC competition record. Like his freshman season, Carter again earned ACC Wrestler of the Week honors after the first week of competition. In the post season, Carter again claimed the ACC Championship at 133 pounds, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Carter bested his freshman year performance, finishing fifth and earning All-American honors. The ACC named Carter ACC Wrestler of the Year for his success. During the 2012-2013 season Carter redshirted. Competing unofficially, Carter wrestled at 141 pounds winning titles at the Hokie Open and Nittany Lion Open. Carter additionally competed internationally at 60 kilos in freestyle and captured gold and bronze medals at the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitation and the Cerro Pelado International. The NWCA All-Star Classic will be the first official matchup between Ramos and Carter at 141 pounds. The rivalry currently stands at 2-1 in favor of Ramos. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The heavyweight match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Mike McMullan of Northwestern University and Tony Nelson of the University of Minnesota, a fierce rivalry contested twice during the 2012-2013 season for a conference and national championship title. McMullan, a redshirt Junior who is a two-time All-American, enters the match hoping to turn the tables on Nelson, whom he suffered a 6-2 decision loss to at the NCAA Championships and 4-1 loss to at the Big Ten Championships. During the 2011-2012 season, McMullan entered the Northwestern starting lineup as a redshirt freshman. McMullan wrestled to a 29-11 overall and 11-3 dual record, with four of his wins earned against top-10 heavyweights. In the post season McMullan finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. At the championships, seeded tenth, McMullan earned All-American honors via his third-place finish, which was the best finish for any Northwestern freshman since 2005. As a redshirt sophomore, McMullan continued the momentum he generated the prior season. McMullan began the season wrestling at the 2012 NWCA All-Star Classic against Missouri's Dom Bradley, whom he suffered a 3-2 decision loss to, and completed the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record in duals, 3-0 in conference matches, and 22-4 overall season record. Tony Nelson defeated Mike McMullan in the NCAA finals at heavyweight (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)At the Big Ten Championships McMullan took home a runner-up finish and earned a number five seed at the NCAA Championships. At the championships McMullan finished second to Minnesota's Nelson after upsetting the number one seed Bradley via a 3-1 sudden victory in the semifinals. For his finish McMullan earned All-American honors and became only the 16th Northwestern athlete to earn the honor twice. Nelson will enter the All-Star Classic matchup fresh from earning his second back-to-back NCAA Championship, with his most recent title earned over McMullan. In his first official season as a Gopher Nelson logged a 33-8 overall record, 13-4 record in duals and 4-3 record in the Big Ten. Nelson additionally earned championships at the Bison Open and Kaufman-Brand Open prior to finishing second at the Big Ten Championships. At the NCAA Championships Nelson finished seventh earning All-American honors. As a redshirt sophomore, Nelson completed the season with a 32-2 overall record, 15-2 dual record and perfect 8-0 record against Big Ten competition. Throughout the season Nelson outscored his opponents 150-55 and accrued a 25 match win streak. Additionally Nelson won titles at the Bison Open and Southern Scuffle. In the post season Nelson earned his first Big Ten Championship title and his second-consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships. At the championships Nelson gave up a mere four points on his way to a NCAA individual national title. For his success, Nelson was named the Best Male Athlete of the Year at the Minnesota Athletic Awards, the Golden Goldy's. During the 2012-2013 season Nelson achieved even greater success. Nelson once again finished the season undefeated against Big Ten opponents, 8-0, and logged an undefeated dual meet record, 17-0, suffering only one loss to Missouri's Bradley, with a 33-1 overall record. In the post season Nelson earned his second consecutive Big Ten Championship title and his third trip to the NCAA Championships after defeating McMullan 4-1 in the final match. At the championship Nelson again met McMullan in the finals, where he claimed victory, a national title and All-American honors. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

It has been a long seven months following and writing about the trials and travails of international wrestling. We've seen politicking, posturing, radical rule changes and high drama. We just watched a World championship packed with thrills, amazement paired with a good bit of confusion and disappointment. As the international wrestling season effectively comes to a close, I have many conflicting feelings, but the one which most predominates is fatigue. Frankly, I am tired of freestyle, and weary of Greco, and I badly need, and welcome, the rejuvenation that comes with the arrival of the new college wrestling season. College wrestling provides a simpler brand of enjoyment, one which never befuddles and always satisfies. The rules just seem to make sense. If you take a person from his feet to his back and hold him there in college wrestling, you get points for the back exposure and the takedown. There isn't this goofy thing where you get more points for securing a takedown then getting the turn. Freestyle advocates may get tired of hearing it, but it's true: the absence of instant exposure points in college wrestling make for better mat wrestling. College wrestling obliges the bottom man to do more than remain stationary. He must move. He must seek to create points on his own. Conversely, the best riders have a vastly more varied arsenal of moves at their disposal. A college match awards points in scrambles which usually make sense. If ten people watched a video replay of an ambiguous scoring situation in a college wrestling match, most of the time nine of the viewers would agree on the call. In freestyle you see multiple exposure situations which receive scores that defy consensus. Often times I don't understand why some situations get scored the way they do, and frankly, I am pretty certain that in many cases the small army of officials who rules on the scores do not know either. Which brings me to another thing I look forward to about college wrestling: two refs per mat, one has final say, and that's it. Sure these refs will make bad calls, but for some reason, bad calls in college wrestling seem just a bit more sincere then they do on the international scene; they disappoint me, but they don't leave me with an incredibly foul taste in my mouth, as well as serious questions of the motivations of those making the bad calls. Speaking of questionable calls, college refs do not do a great job administering the current system of stalling penalties, but seven days a week I'll take college wrestling's stalling to the mystifyingly pattern of seemingly arbitrary passivity calls in Greco and freestyle. At least college referees seem to understand that they don't need to inject themselves into a match simply because the scoreboard has yet to show a big number. NCAA finals mat (Photo/Larry Slater)I'm looking forward to college wrestling because of the emotion of big rivalry dual meets, but also because of big tournaments which follow a reasonable schedule. Nothing beats a college wrestling tournament with a multi-day format with a morning session, and and an evening session. These allow wrestlers to rest properly, and it allows tournament spectators time to sojourn to a local establishment and treat themselves to a frosty ale or two. Even better, college tournaments give us each weight at the same time, and each round in order; a situation not unlike unwrapping one set of Christmas presents after another. The first round is great, but what could top it, oh tonight is the quarters, nothing can beat that, oh wow, tomorrow brings us the semis, etc. Best of all, college wrestling brings as the emperor of all wrestling tournaments, the perfectly cut luminous diamond in the crown of all college sport: The Division I Wrestling Championships. The best part of the tournament is no doubt the anticipation, anticipation fueled by the fact that I know exactly who will compete in the tournament long before the competition starts. After a season of watching wrestlers compete across the nation, and after a slightly flawed but fairly sensible qualification proceeding, the field is set well in advance. We don't arrive the night before the wrestling starts to find that Minnesota's NCAA champion 197-pounder from two years ago, who has been out of action for a year, has been suddenly plugged into their lineup. We know this can't happen because before we hop in our cars and drive across seven states to make it to the arena, we already have a set of printed-off brackets in our hands. And oh, what wonderful brackets they are. Ten beautiful (twenty if you count consis) pages of parallel and perpendicular lines, meeting at right angles, dividing by two from left to right until only one remains-the national champion. The best thing about the pages aren't the lines, nor are they the names; the best part of the brackets is the numbers. The NCAA tournament gives us sensible seeds with the intent to reserve the best matches for later in the tournament. Sure some people get seeded improperly, but for the most part the seeding works fairly as each wrestler has a season's long body of work to take into account. I think my favorite part about the NCAA championship might be the regard it shows to the wrestlers who don't make the finals. Lose at NCAAs, and no matter who beats you, you get a chance to keep wrestling. NCAAs also praises you if you place as low as eigth. Do you know who placed fourth in the world this year at 66 kilos in freestyle wrestling? The answer is nobody. You cannot place fourth in the world in wrestling, because of the double bronze, a loss in the consolation semifinals leaves you tied for fifth. World championships don't really seem too interested in anyone other than the wrestlers in the finals. The NCAA tournament goes to the trouble of really figuring out the order of the best wrestlers in the nation -- first through eighth. Those wrestlers in the consolation bracket don't just wrestle for individual accolades; oftentimes team national championships are won in the wrestlebacks. The NCAA tournament seems to take its team championship much more seriously than than any world championship. This year's team race should be hotly contested, and the means by which wrestlers win will make a big difference in the outcome. I hope I make it to Oklahoma City this year to watch the NCAA tournament, maybe more so than I'd like to go to Tashkent for next year's World Championships. Things at the NCAA tournament just seem to mesh better with my humble American sensibilities. Luckily, even if I don't make to the arena in March, everything will still be alright; at NCAAs, all the finals get wrestled at once, live on ESPN, and I can just sit back and watch it in my living room. Here's to simpler times. Here's to college wrestling.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 197-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature All-Americans Scott Schiller of the University of Minnesota and Taylor Meeks of Oregon State University. chiller began his career with Gopher Wrestling as a redshirt freshman in 2010. During his first collegiate season Schiller won the North Country Open and placed second at both the Husky Open and Kaufman-Board Open, notching upsets in all three competitions. The following year, in addition to winning titles at the UNI Open, Husky Open and North Country Open, Schiller made his debut as a Gopher during the Purdue duals where we earned a 21-6 victory via a technical fall. In his redshirt sophomore season, Schiller saw a more consistent position in the Gopher starting lineup. Throughout the season Schiller wrestled to a 29-6 overall record, 16-1 dual meet record and 8-0 undefeated Big Ten record. During his first trip to the post season Schiller finished second at the Big Ten Championships and earned a bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Schiller finished fifth after notching several upsets, earning All-American honors. Taylor Meeks defeated Scott Schiller at the 2013 NCAAs in Des Moines (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)As a redshirt freshman Meeks competed unattached during the 2010-2011 season at 184 pounds Meeks wrestled to two open titles at the Mike Clock Open and Cal Open and a second place finish at the Southern Oregon Open. During his first official season as a Beaver, Meeks competed at both 184 and 197lbs in a starting position. Meeks began his debut season notching 11 consecutive victories. During the season Meeks recorded a 20-11 overall record and qualified for the NCAA Championships after a second place finish at the Pac-12 Championships. As a redshirt sophomore Meeks competed at 197 pounds and continued his success from the past season. During the regular season Meeks logged six and eight match winning streaks on his way to a 36-7 overall record, going 14-1 in dual competition. In the post season Meeks won his first Pac-12 Championship and earned his second trip to the NCAA Championship. At the championship Meeks wrestled to a fourth place finish, earning All-American honors. The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

Mark Branch

New York, NY, -- Four-time NCAA national champion Kyle Dake will face off against 2011 NCAA national champion Bubba Jenkins in a much-anticipated freestyle wrestling main event on December 1 at the second annual Grapple at the Garden, presented by Suplay.com, MSG Sports announced today. In a unique senior level showcase match promoted in association with X-Cel Worldwide, Dake, the former Cornell standout who became the first wrestler in NCAA history to win the national championship in four different weight classes, will square off against Jenkins, the former NCAA wrestling national champion and a current mixed martial arts fighter. Tickets start at $20.00 and can be purchased at the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.thegarden.com/grapple. "It is very exciting to once again compete on one of the greatest stages in the world, in one of the greatest cities in the world," said Dake. "Personally, I am also really excited to compete against Bubba Jenkins. As a two-time NCAA national finalist, all wrestling fans know he is a great competitor. This year's Grapple at the Garden event will be groundbreaking for the sport of wrestling, and promises to inspire thousands of young athletes as they chase their dreams." Jenkins added, "I am super excited about taking my wrestling talents to the biggest and baddest city in the world to showcase my skills under the bright lights of the illustrious Madison Square Garden. It is a tremendous honor to have been chosen to wrestle in the Grapple at the Garden event, and one which I take with immense pride and will never forget. As my fans and friends already know, I am a big match, big move athlete. Come December 1, while wrestling one of the greatest wrestlers our sport has ever seen, Kyle Dake, New York City sports fans will learn that about me as well. I am humbled to compete in this historic freestyle wrestling match in The World's Most Famous Arena." "X-Cel Worldwide is honored to be associated with the promotion of such a great event in the most famous arena in the world," said Nick Garone President, X-Cel Worldwide. "Kyle Dake vs. Bubba Jenkins is match-up certain to be filled with fireworks. The Grapple at the Garden will make history with the first ever Freestyle Wrestling main event in Madison Square Garden." Joining Army, Bloomsburg, Boston University, Cornell, Drexel, George Mason, Hofstra, Illinois, Maryland, Penn, Princeton and Rutgers will be four local wrestling programs including Stevens Institute of Technology and NYU in an NCAA Division III matchup, as well as a match between the men�s club teams from Stony Brook University and Westchester Community College. This will bring the total to an unprecedented 16 teams for the one-day dual-meet event. In addition to the action-packed collegiate matchups, the second annual Grapple at the Garden, presented by Suplay.com, will also feature the finals of the Beat The Streets PSAL Thanksgiving Dual Meet Invitational. All 16 participating high schools including Horace Mann, Monsignor Farrell, Brooklyn Tech, Poly Prep, Benjamin Cardoza, Martin Luther King, Eagle Academy, Fordham Prep, James Madison, New Utrecht, Petrides, Martin Luther, Mt. St. Michael, Wingate, Grand Street, and Curtis will compete in dual meets. Moreover, the finals of the inaugural Grapple at the Garden middle school championship, produced in association with the Metropolitan Wrestling Association, will take place prior to the high school matches. For all middle school wrestlers interested in registering to compete, please visit www.wrestlereg.com on or after October 1. Valid tournament registration includes two tickets to all Grapple at the Garden festivities. All competitors must have a current USA Wrestling card. The full day of wrestling on December 1 will include two dual meet sessions with the first starting at 10:00 a.m. with Maryland vs. Cornell, Rutgers vs. George Mason, Illinois vs. Bloomsburg, Hofstra vs. Army, Boston U. vs. Penn, Drexel vs. Princeton, and Stony Brook vs. West Chester CC. Session two will begin at 12:00 p.m. and will feature Cornell vs. Illinois, Rutgers vs. Maryland, Princeton vs. Army, Bloomsburg vs. Penn, George Mason vs. Drexel, Hofstra vs. Boston U, and NYU vs. Stevens. Suplay.com, the world renowned wrestling gear supplier, has once again signed on as presenting partner of the premier Grapple at the Garden wrestling event. Collegiate wrestling debuted at Madison Square Garden on December 16, 2012 with the inaugural Grapple at the Garden which featured 14 teams; six No. 1 ranked NCAA wrestlers; five returning National Champions and six of the top 10 teams in the country. You can now relive the historic event through INSIDE TRIP: GRAPPLE AT THE GARDEN. This special 30 minute DVD is now on sale via www.XCELONLINESTORE.com for $24.95, which includes an official event program from the live event. INSIDE TRIP is your exclusive all-access, behind-the-scenes pass to this historic first-ever event. See the big names that attended the event, hear from some of the greatest past and present wrestlers of all-time, and watch the greatest sport take place at The World�s Most Famous Arena with INSIDE TRIP: GRAPPLE AT THE GARDEN. INSIDE TRIP: GRAPPLE AT THE GARDEN was produced by X-CEL Worldwide in association with MSG Sports. COACHES QUOTES Army Head Coach, Joe Heskett: "Last year the Garden hosted one of the greatest collegiate events I have ever seen outside of the NCAA Championships. Our team is excited to compete and to win at MSG. This season's Grapple at the Garden will be another outstanding day of collegiate wrestling in the world�s greatest city." Bloomsburg Interim Head Coach, Danny Song: "After falling to then #7 Missouri in last year�s inaugural event, Bloomsburg is hungry to get back to the Garden. We look forward to competing with a very high-level opponent in Illinois, and also renewing our rivalry with Penn. The Garden is among the world�s most famous venues, and has proven to be ideal for an American wrestling showcase." Boston University Head Coach, Carl Adams: "The Boston University wrestling team is looking forward to the competition at the Garden. We feel very fortunate to be able to face two very tough teams in Hofstra and Penn. Competing at the Garden amongst some of the elite wrestling programs in the country will be exciting, and it provides us an opportunity to showcase what the Boston University wrestling program is all about." Cornell Head Coach, Rob Koll: "It was an incredible experience for our Cornell wrestlers to compete in the world�s most iconic arena in front of our NYC fans and alumni. The fans, wrestlers and I had a chance to be a part of history and for that, I am extremely grateful." Drexel Head Coach, Matt Azevedo: "Drexel University Wrestling is thrilled to be a part of the Grapple at the Garden once again this year. We have a lot of alumni that live and work in the NYC area. This will be a great opportunity for them to see our student-athletes compete in 'The World's Most Famous Arena' against two outstanding universities in Princeton and George Mason." George Mason Head Coach, Joe Russell: "We were able to participate in the Grapple at the Garden last year. Everyone on the team spoke of the event as a highlight of their season. I am elated to have the team compete at the event again on December 1, 2013. We will come prepared to put on an exciting show for the wrestling fans in New York City. Go Patriots." Hofstra Head Coach, Rob Anspach: "Last year was a great event and we were honored that we were a part of the first Grapple at the Garden. The team was able to wrestle in front of 10,000 people which was amazing and something they will remember for the rest of their lives. We look forward to being a part of many future events at Madison Square Garden." University of Illinois Head Coach, Jim Heffernan: "We are very fortunate to have the chance to participate in the Grapple at the Garden event. It will be a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes to compete at Madison Square Garden, one of the greatest sport venues in the world. The environment and level of competition will certainly play a role in preparing us for the post season, and will be great exposure for our program. It is an honor for Illinois Wrestling to be chosen to showcase our great sport in New York City at this unique event." University of Illinois Associate Head Coach, Mark Perry: "This event truly is something our athletes and coaching staff will remember for many years to come. It is an honor to come into the Garden, and put on a great show for all the wrestling fans." Maryland Head Coach, Kerry McCoy: "I am very excited to return to the Grapple at the Garden. Last year�s event was so awesome; everyone connected with our program could not wait to get back. This year will be another exciting event and we look forward to participating again in what is quickly becoming one of our sports premiere marquee events. Special thanks to everyone who made it possible." NYU Head Coach: Bruce Haberli "It is an honor to have been invited to participate in the Grapple at the Garden event. Not only is it a great opportunity for our NYU wrestlers to compete against one of our biggest rivals, but it is also a special privilege to do so at one of America�s greatest and most storied venues, Madison Square Garden, right here in NYU�s own back yard! My wrestlers and I look forward to adding to the excitement and energy of this incredible wrestling event." Penn Head Coach, Rob Eiter: "This event is a great opportunity for Penn and we are excited to participate in the Grapple at the Garden. Madison Square Garden is known as �The World's Most Famous Arena�, and it will be an amazing experience for our team to be a part of this unique atmosphere. We have a very strong alumni base in New York City, and I know they will be excited to support Penn wrestling in a venue like MSG." Princeton Head Coach, Christopher Ayres: "To be included in such a fabulous event in such a historic athletic venue is an exciting opportunity for our program and athletes. We look forward to competing against and alongside some of the best programs in the country as we showcase the greatest sport in world in the greatest city in the world!!!" Rutgers Head Coach, Scott Goodale: "Rutgers University is very excited to be back wrestling in the Garden! The inaugural Grapple at the Garden event was a great experience last year. Our student-athletes loved the competition, our fans enjoyed the atmosphere and the event was perfect. Wrestling at MSG!!" Stevens Head Coach, Mike Clayton: "Our program is excited to be a part in such an exciting event. Madison Square Garden is one of the top performance venues in the world, and being part of the first Division III college wrestling match in the venue is truly an honor for Stevens Wrestling!" Stony Brook Head Coach, Shaun Lally: "Stony Brook University, our wrestlers and I are extremely thankful and appreciative of this amazing opportunity. Representing the University and the NCWA at the �World�s Most Famous Arena� is just incredible. I have been to Madison Square Garden for countless Big East games, Rangers vs. Islanders games, Knicks games and much more. To be on this hallowed floor with this team in front of Stony Brook fans and all wrestling fans is a dream come true. This event and venue creates winners out of our teams, fans, schools and most of all our beautiful sport, wrestling!" Westchester Community College Head Coach, Joe Regan: "As we continue to grow wrestling at Westchester, competing in Grapple at the Garden is a huge step for our program. We are honored to be part of such a unique event in The World�s Most famous Arena. Our wrestlers will have the experience of a lifetime, competing on the big stage in front of their family, friends, and fans." About The Madison Square Garden Company The Madison Square Garden Company is a fully-integrated sports, media and entertainment business. The Company is comprised of three business segments: MSG Sports, MSG Media and MSG Entertainment, which are strategically aligned to work together to drive the Company's overall business, which is built on a foundation of iconic venues and compelling content that the company creates, produces, presents and/or distributes through its programming networks and other media assets. MSG Sports owns and operates the following sports franchises: the New York Knicks (NBA), the New York Rangers (NHL), the New York Liberty (WNBA), and the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL). MSG Sports also features the presentation of a wide variety of live sporting events including professional boxing, college basketball, bull riding and tennis. MSG Media is a leader in production and content development for multiple distribution platforms, including content originating from the Company�s venues. MSG Media�s television networks consist of regional sports networks, MSG Network and MSG+, collectively referred to as MSG Networks; and Fuse, a national television network dedicated to music. MSG Networks also include high-definition channels, MSG HD and MSG+ HD, and Fuse includes its high-definition channel, Fuse HD. MSG Entertainment is one of the country's leaders in live entertainment. MSG Entertainment creates, produces and/or presents a variety of live productions, including the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes. MSG Entertainment also presents or hosts other live entertainment events such as concerts, family shows and special events in the Company�s diverse collection of venues. These venues consist of Madison Square Garden, The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre, the Forum in Inglewood, CA, The Chicago Theatre, and the Wang Theatre in Boston, MA. More information is available at www.themadisonsquaregardencompany.com.

Guests: Eric Keller Luke Eustice Mike Juby Coyte Cooper Mark Branch Nate Hansen Hour 1 Hour 2

With UFC 165 in the rear view mirror, it's time to go over the biggest stories from the event. Perhaps no fight on the card had people more on the edge of their seats than..... Mike Ricci vs. Myles Jury? Yeah, not really. But where does it rank on the list of most boring fights ever? On the important happenings. Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustaffson obviously delivered. Richard and John break down what happened and what will happen next in the light heavyweight division now that the champion looks human. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. If you took a quick glance at the results from last week's World Championships you might assume that Russia is currently throwing a ticker tape parade through the Red Square for their young heroes. You'd be wrong. While Mongolian government officials and television crews greeted their second-place women's team at the Chinngis Khan Airport in Ulannabaatar, the Russian team that took home a total of 11 medals last week in Budapest, including three gold medals, were all but ignored. Better still, if you read the blog post of Michael Mamiashvili the team has plenty of improvements to make, primarily to their training regiments and to not blaming the referees for their mistakes. No parade, no government envoy, just more work. Mamiashvili doesn't just go Khrushchev. He actually takes his space to blame the past ten years of bad rules under Raphael Martinetti for the Russian side's improper and ineffectual strategies. The rules were bogus, and Russians forgot how to wrestle with strategy. This from a side with 11 medals. Mamiashvili does believe that these failures of the Russian side will be cleared up once the coaches have time to work on proper techniques and develop strategies. The women's side in his opinion is woefully inadequate when compared to the "system of Asia." Natalia Vorobieva's loss to China's Zhang Fengliu, the rise of Mongolia and domination of Japan influencing the Olympic champion's must-improve outlook for 2014. In short, Mamiashvili is down on the Russian performance, and wondering where this leaves his countrymen going forward. He's confident, but by positing the question shows that he's unsure how the new rules and Russian dominance will play out. His is the type of institutional uncertainty that plays itself out in every country around the world in the weeks after the World Championships. It's silly, but it's wrestling. Wrestling is back in the Olympics, but that means business as usual: Everything is amazing and nobody is happy. To your questions ... Q: Is the new Foxcatcher movie good for wrestling? -- Rob H. A still from the movie FoxcatcherFoley: Steve Carell just won my Oscar vote for best performance in a movie trailer. The voice is hollow and monotone, the nose plays, and his pigeon-toed stance and triumphant self-aggrandizing posture tells you more about the character of John du Pont. Foxcatcher is a movie about a deranged heir to a billionaire estate influenced the lives of several wrestlers, including Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), and ultimately committed a heinous murder. Like Win-Win wrestling is the backdrop for the plot, a familiar place for complex characters to take root and grow in front of the audience. The wrestling community has cause to be concerned. This was a dark period in the history of wrestling, and feelings are certain to be hurt. Some will be disgusted, others proud, but ultimately this is a dramatic interpretation of an event, not a judgment on the sport. Wrestling has been through its adjudication -- more public than anything in its past, or that could be imagined in the future. Villains were exposed; weaknesses in production value noted and some of the sport's dustiest skeletons found time to tan. And still, after six and a half months of mainstream media attention and hashtag-driven social media outcry, the modern world absolved wrestling of its sins -- the boredom, possible corruption and shiny spandex weren't enough to keep the people from supporting the sport. Foxcatcher is a movie meant to entertain by showing fans the sickness of one individual and the lengths he would go to find validation. Wrestling is apart from that completely, and it's time to feel grateful that Bennett Miller saw the beauty in our sport, and was able to tell a story, no matter how awful, from that existing foundation. Q: I'm a freshman here at Penn State, and I've been going through the process of walking on to the team here. There's four of us. One is a fifth-year senior coming in from some other college, another is a junior who did club wrestling his first two years. The other kid, another freshman, is around my weight, so we've been wrestling a bit in the intramural building every day in order to get ourselves ready for the "tryouts" next week. In comparison to the state, national and world-level wrestlers that Penn State recruits, we aren't much. I was a couple matches away from states, and he went 1-2 at states. My main question/comment for you: How do you judge two average kids trying to be a part of a dynasty? The energy inside the wrestling room is absolutely electric. 30-plus studs all trying to be national champions. Cael and his staff are focused on turning great into amazing, while we're trying to go from good to amazing. I've heard that our attempts are either short-sighted and futile, or ambitious and fruitful. Are we worthy of the time and effort necessary to be a part of the team, or are we a waste of space? -- Davon C. Foley: No wrestler is a waste of space, and every effort -- if made with sincerity and dedication -- is worthy of time and effort. Maybe you won't win a national title, or even start, but you can be a productive member of the team. Being part of a dynasty is self-serving. If you're hopping on to be part of a poster that will be shown in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for decades to come, then you're pursuing the sport for the wrong reasons. But if the sincerity of your email is mirrored in how hard you work on the mats and in the classroom, then you will earn your sport as a team member by helping those in front of you improve. And don't let anyone tell you what can and can't be done. These are long odds, but men have faced longer. Do your job and do it well. Be consistent, kind and dependable. Be a trustworthy teammate. Do all those things and it won't matter if you step onto the podium in March, because you'll have already earned your reward. Good luck and stay positive, I'm pulling for you. Q: How come they have never held the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Madison Square Garden or somewhere on the West Coast? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Word on Broadway is that New York City made a bid to host the 2015 NCAA Championships. Unclear how that bid will be received since profit and cost are at the center of the NCAA's decision-making tree and NYC is an expensive host city with limited green space for a fan zone. The West Coast doesn't have a population concentration sufficient enough to accommodate the driving population. The NCAA did a study a few years ago and basically said that our crowds are old to quite old and that keeping tournaments within their reach would be beneficial. Also, it would be counterproductive to move the tournament away from the vast majority of collegiate wrestling fans from the Midwest and mid-Atlantic region. However, I think that San Francisco is bidding for the 2024 Olympics and that could be a great place to hold an international sporting event, including wrestling. Q: A simple question. Why don't other countries use Resilite mats? When I watch international matches I see a mat system that the U.S. stopped using when I was in high school. -- Ken S. Foley: Too heavy, too expensive, and you can't change the cover of the mat without totally replacing it. The international mat is easy to make and easy to ship. Now with the proposed changed to the color of the mats (yellow is awful for photos and television) teams, countries and events can simply order a new cover rather than new mats. Q: I know you have been against this previously, but what are your thoughts about overtime now? Watching the Worlds this week I think we need it. The rules are still a bit confusing overall and FILA refs are painful, but most importantly how is the casual fan going to understand someone winning 8-8? Sudden-death overtime would be exciting and is easy to understand and explain. If a match goes too long we could do a shot clock after two minutes, or have a smaller circle on the mat that could be used for overtime so pushouts are more common. What do you think? Or any better ideas? -- Rob H. Foley: Still not into the idea of overtime, but there needs to be a more pronounced way of showing wrestlers, fans and coaches who is winning when the score is in fact tied. At the Worlds they used a small -- and I mean tiny -- triangle in the box of the winning wrestler. Not only was it very difficult to see but the clock workers had trouble putting the triangle in the right box. The worst instance of the triangle happened in the 66-kilo semifinals Mongolia's Mandrakhnaran had the triangle in his box for the final 30 seconds and cruised to the win over Cuba's Lopez. Unfortunately when the hands went to get raised it was Cuba who'd moved into the finals. It was bad. Overtime also isn't workable in a one-day format. Would Dake have been able to beat Burroughs if he hadn't endured that epic overtime match with Howe? Maybe. Maybe not. But that type of exhaustion is an issue. The other is that limitless overtimes are not welcome by television. Overall, if the fans immediately know who is winning while the score is tied, then the score isn't really tied and there is no problem. Q: When I think of dominant wrestling countries, India does not come to mind! What do you attribute their rise in freestyle wrestling to become a world wrestling power? Are they importing athletes or do they have a strong grassroots program that is developing top level talent? -- Les C. Foley: India has a long and rich wrestling tradition embedded into daily life. The recent increase was part the government's effort to become a more successful competitor in international competitions. There are millions of wrestlers in India, and now with more funding for training, travel and coaching they've had the opportunity to showcase their talents on the international stage. My guess? They'll win four medals in Rio. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Foxcatcher Trailer No. 1 ... I show this in Russian because it helps deliver the message of international inclusiveness. Q: I know there is some support in the U.S. and from you in particular for eliminating Greco-Roman from the Olympics in order to save freestyle. Coming from the U.S. it seems like a decent idea, but that's because not a lot of Americans compete in Greco and because we are not very good at it. But is this even a plausible idea internationally? And worldwide, does Greco approach (or even exceed) the popularity of freestyle? -- Daniel A. Foley: The crowds in Budapest loved Greco-Roman. As the days went along more people showed for the Greco days than the freestyle days. Partly based on the success of the home wrestlers, and partly due to the fact it was the weekend. They sold beer in the arena, too. Greco has moments of excitement, but can still be excruciatingly boring to watch. There are few international coaches and wrestling thinkers who deny that Greco is in trouble due to a lack of consistent action, tough to witness skills, and a mind-boggling set of rules including "appreciation points." Greco is safe, but with gender equality as a developing issue, I'd expect those that want to ensure its longevity and relevance will be looking to make changes that are both relevant and exciting. *Note: Canada recently voted to start a junior-level girls Greco-Roman competition. Q: Who do you think will start for Nebraska at 149? McCauley or Sueflohn? -- Andy H. Foley: McCauley. Both have redshirts, but McCauley needs the structure of the collegiate season to ensure that he ends buying into the system. I don't know if McCauley is prone to distraction, but the smart play would be to get him focused, and delay the head-to-head with Sueflohn for 2015. COMMENT OF THE WEEK By Nick D. After the extremely successful ratings on this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, ESPN's newly announced expanded coverage of next year's event, and the IOC's decision to reinstate wrestling to the Olympics, don't you think now is the time to start pressuring major Division I school to pick up wrestling. For as long as I can remember all we talk about is wrestling programs getting cut, but with this new spotlight that has been put on wrestling isn't now a great time to strike while the iron is hot. Superstars like Jordan Burroughs and Kyle Dake have become larger than just wrestling stars they are becoming household names. This is a huge uphill battle but to at least get the conversation going can only be a positive. Of course there is a lot that goes into adding wrestling to a Division I school both financially and politically but it's hard to imaging schools like Texas, USC, or Oregon (bring the sport back) not having the funding to add wrestling as a Division I sport. These schools already have access to wrestling conferences and have the ability to promote the sport at premier sport institutions. I just feel now is a good time to start bring up expanding the sport instead of always having to fight for its survival.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 125-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Jarrod Patterson of the University of Oklahoma and Nahshon Garrett of Cornell University, a matchup between two highly ranked All-Americans. Despite redshirting during the 2012-2013 season, Patterson is a three-year starter and NCAA qualifier for the Sooners and no stranger to the NWCA All-Star Classic. Patterson began his collegiate career as a redshirt, but was quickly transitioned to the active list during a match against Oklahoma State. From his first match, where he recorded an upset win against Chris Notte, Patterson amassed 30 overall wins, the third highest on his team, a Big 12 Championship and a bid to the NCAA Championships, where he went 2-2. In his sophomore season Patterson built on the momentum from his freshman season recording 29 wins, the second highest number of wins on his team, finishing second at the Big 12 Championships and seventh at the NCAA Championships, subsequently earning him All-American honors. Patterson began his junior season with an appearance in the 2011 NWCA All-Star Classic, where he fell to Kent State’s Nic Bedelyon. During the remainder of the season, Patterson wrestled to 28 season victories, logging 53 takedowns in the process, a second place finish at the Big 12 Championships and earned a bid to the NCAA Championships where he narrowly missed earning All-American honors. To date Patterson has wrestled to an 84-26 overall career record. As a true freshman, Garrett broke team records and won numerous championships and opens en route to the NCAA Championships, and will look to use this momentum to defeat Patterson. Garrett began the 2012-2013 season with a 17 match win streak and championship titles at both the Binghamton Open and New York State Intercollegiates. Garrett’s success continued throughout the season as he logged 43 overall wins, breaking the record for most wins in a season, and an undefeated 5-0 record in Ivy League competition. During the post season, Garrett continued to log impressive victories including those that led him to earn the championship title at the EIWA Championships. At the NCAA Championships, Garrett earned the number six seed and upset both the number one and three seeds during his path to All-American honors and a third place finish. For his efforts during the season Garrett warned EIWA Freshman of the Year, Ivy League Rookie of the Year, an honor a Big Red wrestler had not won since Kyle Dake in 2010, and First Team All-Ivy honors. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

Jason Tsirtsis was the nation's No. 1 high school wrestling recruit in the Class of 2012. After redshirting last season at Northwestern, Tsirtsis is expected to step in the Wildcat lineup this season at 149 pounds and make an immediate impact. InterMat catches up with Tsirtsis and talks to him about his performance at the Junior Worlds, transitioning from freestyle to folkstyle, studying greats, goals, and much more. You competed at the Junior World Championships this summer. You won your first two matches before being eliminated by the wrestler from Iran. What did you take away from that experience at the Junior Worlds? Jason Tsirtsis defeated Zain Retherford to win the FILA Junior World Team Trials at 66 kilos in Stillwater, Okla. (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Tsirtsis: There was so much to look at and to analyze. But probably the biggest thing I took away from it is sticking to my strengths and training schedule throughout the whole training camp. This is no knock on Coach Zadick or Coach Bormet, but it wasn't what I was doing before and I didn't compete to what I should have on the mat. So the biggest thing I took out of it is to stay consistent with what I was working on and be somewhat selfish and make sure that I'm doing the right things every single day to make sure I'm prepared. It's really awesome going to the Worlds at the junior level. At the senior level you know the top guys in the world. But at the junior level everything is kind of unknown. I had Zadick in my ear just telling me to stay focused. I had no idea what to expect. That was kind of cool. I can't wait to compete on the world level again. You have had a lot of success in freestyle and I'm sure you have goals of wrestling on future World and Olympic teams. Describe your emotions when you heard the news that wrestling was voted back in the Olympic Games. Tsirtsis: As soon as I heard the news it was a great feeling. Obviously, the whole wrestling community all over the world was happy. But I think it's just the beginning, to be honest. It's great that we have two more Olympics after 2016. But I think we just have to keep improving our sport and making it the best sport in the world ... and there's no doubt we'll be here to stay in the Olympics. Now you're transitioning into the college wrestling season. Is it difficult transitioning from a freestyle mindset to a folkstyle mindset? Tsirtsis: Last year when I redshirted I did a lot of freestyle competitions even during the NCAA season. So I've been wrestling freestyle for a while. But I've been on the mat for probably three weeks now since the World Championships, and I'm right back to being very comfortable with folkstyle. I've done it my whole life. So it's not too big of a transition. If anything, freestyle helped me on my feet and helped me understand certain positions on my feet. So it's not too big of a transition. You competed at 141 pounds last season and 145.5 pounds in freestyle. Now you're going to be competing up a weight class at 149 pounds as a redshirt freshman in college. Do you feel comfortable in the weight class right now? Tsirtsis: I do feel comfortable in the weight class. The reason I'm doing it is because I really want to put all my attention toward getting better and being the best wrestler I can be. I think if I went 141 I would have to take away from that a little bit and foucs on cutting weight. I'm definitely big enough for the weight class. Jason Tsirtsis was a four-time state champion and the nation's No. 1 recruit (Photo/Paul Tincher, IndianaMat)You came in as the No. 1 recruit in the country and obviously expectations are high. Do you feel pressure going into your freshman year to perform at a high level? Tsirtsis: I really don't have any pressure right now. I think I'm an underdog. I'm not the No. 1 guy in the country. The pressure is on those types of guys. I'm just going to go out there and wrestle confidently and relaxed because I believe I can be the best in the country this year. No pressure, really ... Just trying to be confident. At the World Championships I felt maybe just a little pressure. I didn't perform as well as I should have in the match that I lost. I think I've learned a lot from that. I'm just relaxed and excited for the year. You defeated an NCAA champion, Darrion Caldwell, as a high school senior in 2012. What did that victory mean to you at the time? Tsirtsis: I think I was probably the only person in the UNI-Dome that thought I was going to win that match. I was training with my brother for a few months, and I believe my brother is one of the best wrestlers out there. Going into that match I was very confident actually, which people probably wouldn't think. That match wasn't the finals, and I ended up not making it to the Olympic Trials. But winning that match was cool. It was cool to know that I beat a top-level guy. I know he probably wasn't training as hard as he could have, but that wasn't my fault. It was a cool experience. That was probably one of my favorite tournaments because I was able to wrestle some older guys as a high schooler. You went 18-3 last year during your redshirt season, with all three of your losses coming at the Midlands. What did you learn from that tournament? Tsirtsis: I learned a lot from that tournament. I didn't cut my weight too well. I performed lower than where I expected myself to perform. The Midlands is almost like a little NCAA tournament. There are so many tough guys there. I just kind of realized that every match is going to be a grind. There are no easy matches. I just learned that I have to cut my weight right. It's not going to be easy to reach my goals, and I have to get tough. Jason Tsirtsis won a Junior National freestyle title in Fargo in the summer of 2011 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Your first loss came to Oklahoma's Kendric Maple, the eventual NCAA champion. Like you, Maple is moving up to 149 pounds this season. Is he someone you are looking forward to wrestling? Tsirtsis: Yeah, definitely. I'm not putting all my focus on him. I think there are going to be a lot of tough guys at 149 this year, and he's definitely one of them. When that time comes, and if I get the opportunity to wrestle him at the Midlands or wherever it may be, I'm definitely going to be excited to hopefully avenge that loss from last year. I have heard you say in the past that you watch online video of wrestlers. Who are some of the wrestlers you have studied? Tsirtsis: I watch a lot of John Smith. He's probably the most technical wrestler I've ever seen. So I picked up a lot from him. I watch a lot of Buvaisar Saitiev and Arsen Fadzayev ... I watch a lot of matches. I watch the Brands.' You get so much from different wrestlers. If you watch Tom and Terry Brands you see that they're just relentless and you see how mental toughness can win you matches. You watch John Smith and you see how slick and fast he is. You watch Fadzayev and he's just so consistent. I just try to be a student of the sport and realize what those successful people had, and why they were successful. Your brother Alex, who was an All-American at Iowa, is eight years older than you. Describe your relationship with him. Tsirtsis: He's probably the biggest reason I've gotten to this point in my wrestling career. He's just an unbelievable person to work with and look up to. I have always looked up to him my whole life. He's not only my coach, but also my brother, so we have a very close bond. We have a lot of the same interests, so we're always talking and communicating. I'm very grateful to have a close bond with him. Has your relationship with Alex changed at all since you started college? Tsirtsis: If anything, our relationship has gotten stronger. He wants me to succeed and do everything right. He has already been through it. He likes to stay on top of what I'm doing and that I'm making all the right choices and doing all the right things. So I think it has gotten stronger since I've gotten into college. Jason Tsirtsis won by technical fall over Connor Ryan in the finals of the FILA Junior National competition at 66 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)You were recruited by the nation's top college wrestling programs. Why did Northwestern win out? Tsirtsis: My final two choices were Northwestern and Oklahoma State. Northwestern just stood out to me. The academics were a big draw. It's basically like an Ivy League school in the Midwest. Being close to home was a very big draw ... with not only having Alex close to me, but my whole family, and having them be close to support me. I really like the coaching staff. I think each of our coaches is a little different, which is what I like about it ... with Storniolo, Timmy, Drew, and Borschel ... They all have different personalities and different styles. I like that variation. I like the guys on the team too. There are a lot of things that went into it. What are your goals for this coming season? Tsirtsis: My goal is to be an NCAA champion. If I set anything shorter than that I would be lying to myself. I'm just a very competitive person. I always want to win and be the best I can be. Setting my goals high is how I have to approach it. I honestly believe I can do it. I just have to make sure I do everything right from now until March, and I think I will have a very good shot to accomplish that. But nothing is going to be easy, that's for sure.

Manheim, Pa. -- Building off of last year's star studded line-up, the All-Star Classic will feature another anticipated "Dream Match-Up" to kick off the college wrestling season on Nov. 2 at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University. Logan Stieber will face Kendric Maple at 149 pounds on Nov. 2 (Photos/WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Two of the biggest names in college wrestling, Logan Stieber of Ohio State and Kendric Maple of Oklahoma, have accepted invitations to participate in the event at 149 pounds and are slotted to match-up at the event. "You will only see this match up in the All-Star Classic as they won't be in the same weight class at the national tournament," said George Mason head coach Joe Russell. "My hat goes off to these two great competitors for agreeing to put it on the line at the NWCA All-Star Classic." Maple and Stieber are coming off of nearly identical seasons where both wrestlers were undefeated and capped perfect seasons with NCAA championships. Maple posted a 31-0 record at 141 pounds while Stieber posted a 27-0 record at 133 pounds. Steiber, who has a 60-2 career record, is a two-time NCAA champion who earned a spot on the U.S. National Team at 60 kilos this offseason after placing third at the World Team Trials. Maple enters his final season at Oklahoma as a two-time All-American with a career record of 102-18. In addition to an NCAA Championship this past year, Maple earned All-American honors in 2011-12 with a fourth-place finish at 141 pounds. "We believe wrestling fans deserve to see stars square off" said Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan. "Logan is a leader in the sport as is Maple. We are all looking forward to watching these two elite athletes wrestle in the All-Star meet. The new concept of out of weight class match-ups is expected to create excitement for wrestling fans across the nation to start the college wrestling season. "I appreciate the vision of Wade Schalles for originally pitching the idea of out of weight class matches, Tom Brands for helping push the idea forward, Tom Ryan and Mark Cody for encouraging and allowing their wrestlers to compete in a true All-Star bout," said Russell. "Nov. 2 will be an electric night in the Patriot Center." The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

WATERLOO, Iowa -- Two former NCAA wrestling champions, a four-time Iowa high school state wrestling champion, a standout heavyweight, and a legendary coach will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on June 7, 2014. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The Class of 2014 includes Pete Bush, Joel Greenlee, Al Nacin, Mack Reiter, and Finn Eriksen (posthumously). The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa was established in 2002 to honor the people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school. Pete Bush was an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1982 at 190 pounds. He was also a three-time Big Ten champion (1981, 1982, and 1984). Bush is currently the head wrestling coach at Davenport Assumption where he led his team to a traditional state title in 2011 and state dual team titles in 2011, 2012, and 2013. He won an individual Iowa high school state wrestling championship for Davenport Assumption in 1979. Joel Greenlee wrestled for the University of Northern Iowa from 1986-1989 where he was a two-time All-American. He never lost a collegiate dual meet, putting up a 58-0-3 record during his career as a Panther. Greenlee’s 127-16-4 career record gives him the best career winning percentage (minimum of 50 wins) in program history (.878). A state champion for Waverly-Shell Rock High School in 1985 at 185 pounds, Greenlee is the current head wrestling coach at Ohio University. Al Nacin was Iowa State’s first four-time All-American in wrestling. He placed second at the 1971 NCAA tournament as a freshman followed by finishes of fifth and third in 1973 and 1974. Nacin won the 190 pound weight class at the 1975 NCAA tournament as a senior. He was also a three-time Big Eight champion. A native of Burbank, Ill., Nacin won the 175-pound Illinois state prep title for Reavis High School in 1970. Mack Reiter wrestled for Gilbertville-Don Bosco and was the 13th person to win four Iowa high school state wrestling championships (2000-03). His career high school record was 182-3 with 135 pins. Reiter was a three-time All-American for the University of Minnesota, placing fourth at the NCAA wrestling tournament as a freshman and as a sophomore (2005-06), and fifth as a senior (2008). He also won an individual Big Ten title in 2005. Finn Eriksen wrestled for the University of Northern Iowa (then known as Iowa State Teachers College) before becoming one of the most successful high school wrestling coaches in the state of Iowa. He led New Hampton to a state team title in 1933 before accepting a teaching and coaching position at West Waterloo. Eriksen led the Wahawks to state team championships in 1942 and 1943. Eriksen died on August 8, 1992. Three other special awards will be given during the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. The Gibbons family will receive the Family Legacy Award. Bill and Bea Gibbons had four sons—Jim, Joe, Jeff, and Tim—who wrestled. Their oldest son, Jim, was a three-time state wrestling champion for Ames High School (1975-77). He was a three-time All-American (1980-82) for Iowa State, which included an individual NCAA championship in 1981. Jim was the head wrestling coach at Iowa State from 1986 through 1992. He coached the Cyclones to an NCAA team title in 1987. Joe was a four-time Iowa high school state wrestling champion and an NCAA champion (1985) for Iowa State. He won two state championship for Waterloo Columbus (1978-79) and two for Ames (1980-81). Joe was also a four-time All-American (1982, 1984-86) for the Cyclones. Jim and Joe are members of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. Jeff was a state champion for Ames High School in 1983 and 1984, and a second place finisher in 1982. He was a two-time All-American for Iowa State, placing third at the 1987 NCAA tournament and sixth at the 1988 NCAA tournament. Tim was a state champion for Ames in 1976. He wrestled at Iowa State for one season before becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Chris Krueger will receive the Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. The award is given to an Iowa high school wrestling coach who exhibits the high standards that Bob Siddens set during his legendary coaching career. Siddens coached West Waterloo to 11 state team titles and a 327-26 dual meet record. Krueger has been the head wrestling coach at Denver-Tripoli since 2000. He has led the Titans to 2A state championships in 2010 and 2012, and a state dual team title in 2010. His teams were runners-up at the traditional state tournament in 2009 and 2011. Over the past six seasons Denver-Tripoli has had 21 state finalists and 12 state champions. Included in that list are three four-time state finalists: Dylan Peters (2-1-1-1), Brandon Sorenson (1-1-1-1), and Levi Wolfensperger (2-2-1-1). Steve and Linda Wachal will receive the Russ Smith Community Impact Award. The award is given to individuals demonstrating exceptional local impact on wrestling within the state of Iowa. The Wachals are board members for the Iowa Wrestling Federation (USA Wrestling-Iowa) and were the editors of the Iowa Wrestling Federation Newsletter. They have also served as tournament directors for USA Wrestling regional and national events. In addition to their work as directors, Steve has served as a USA Wrestling official while Linda has been a pairer. A banquet honoring all inductees and award winners will be held at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo on Saturday, June 7. For more information contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a not-for-profit organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations.

Just two years after moving to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, the Southern Scuffle, presented by Defense Soap and Flips Wrestling, has grown into the top in-season collegiate tournament in the nation. Year three looks to be even better as the Mocs welcome 33 teams, the biggest field yet, to the Scenic City. Action takes place at McKenzie Arena on the UTC Campus on Jan. 1-2. The lineup includes four of the top five, and six of the top 10, finishers at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Defending NCAA Champion Penn State highlights the list as the Nittany Lions look to make it three straight team wins at the Scuffle. “This event continues to grow each year and we continue to attract the top teams in the nation” stated UTC head coach Heath Eslinger. “We are always going to try to put together a top-flight field that features some of the best wrestlers at the collegiate level.” Other top-5 teams joining Penn State include 2013 NCAA runner-up Oklahoma State, third-place Minnesota and fifth-place Cornell. No. 7 Missouri and No. 8 Oregon State also finished in the top-10 at last year’s NCAAs and will be in the Scuffle field in January. Four national champions and eight finalists are among the individuals who will be competing at the Scuffle. All totaled, 135 NCAA qualifiers and 34 All-Americans are scheduled to take the mat for the 2014 event. “The wrestling community in Chattanooga and throughout the region has really gotten behind what we are trying to do with the Scuffle. I think that support shows in the type of experience we are providing for the student-athletes and the spectators” added Eslinger. “It is our goal to continue to improve the Scuffle and make it bigger and better each year.” Tickets for the 2014 Southern Scuffle go on sale on Oct. 1. Daily admission is $15 for adults and $5 for youth. Tickets can be purchased online on GoMocs.com or by calling the UTC Ticket Office at (423) 266-MOCS (6627). 2014 Southern Scuffle Participants (by finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships): 1. Penn State 2. Oklahoma State 3. Minnesota 5. Cornell 7. Missouri 8. Oregon State 11. Iowa State 15. Pittsburgh 18. Central Michigan 20. The Citadel 21. Virginia 22. North Carolina 24. Kent State 29. Ohio 35. Penn 38. Air Force 38. Stanford 41. Arizona State 46. Bucknell 46. Hoftstra 49. Navy 49. Appalachian State 51. American 55. Chattanooga 57. Drexel 60. Duke 60. Old Dominion 63. N.C. State 66. Army 66. Campbell 66. Cleveland State 66. South Dakota State Northern Colorado

Jason Bryant and Scott Siepker will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, Sept. 25. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on theopenmat.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments. Bryant is the editor for Amateur Wrestling News. He will provide a report on the 2013 World Championships that took place in Budapest, Hungary. Known as the Iowa Nice Guy, Siepker provides weekly football updates for ESPN. He made a video about wrestling’s inclusion in the Olympics called “Wrestling Nice” prior to the International Olympic Committee’s decision in August.

Guests: Kevin Jackson Bryan Hazard Geno Zannetti Jack Roller Brian Smith Jake Agnitsch Glen Lanham Hour 1 Hour 2

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- The United States fell short of the medal round on the final day of the World Wrestling Championships on Sunday at Papp Laszlo Sports Arena. U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers Ellis Coleman, Andy Bisek and Robbie Smith each fell short of the medal round on the final day of the seven-day event in Budapest. U.S. heavyweight Robbie Smith reached the quarterfinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Smith, appearing at his first Senior Worlds, dropped a 7-0 quarterfinal match to World champion Riza Kayaalp of Turkey in the quarterfinals. Kayaalp hit two quick arm throws to end the match in the first minute. Smith opened with a 3-1 win over Xiaoming Nie of China at 120 kilos/264.5 pounds. Smith pushed the pace and wore Nie down, putting it away with a second-period takedown. Smith was eliminated when Kayaalp was upset by Iran’s Amir Aliakbari in the semifinals. Kayaalp needed to reach the finals to pull Smith back in for the repechage. Smith charged out strong with an early three-point arm throw en route to defeating Iosif Chugoshvili of Belarus 5-0 in the second round. Chugoshvili was fifth in 2012 Olympics. Read complete story ...

BUDAPEST, Hungary -- The United States fell short of the medal round at the World Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Papp Laszlo Sports Arena. Jesse Thielke (Photo/Larry Slater)American Greco-Roman wrestlers Jesse Thielke, Jordan Holm and Caylor Williams suffered losses and were not pulled back in for the repechage. All three wrestlers were competing in their first Senior Worlds. Thielke overcame an early 3-0 deficit to roll to a 9-4 win over Greece's Christos Theodorakis in his opening match at 60 kilos/132 pounds. Thielke followed by building a 3-0 lead before headlocking and pinning India's Ravinder Singh in the second period of the second round. Thielke then dropped a 7-4 decision to Korea's Jae-Seung Woo in the quarterfinals. Thielke took a brief 4-3 lead with a gut wrench midway through the first period before Woo came back to regain the lead. Thielke tried two headlocks late in the match, but was unable to score. Read complete story ...

55 kilos: Gold: Won Choi Yun (North Korea) Silver: Gyu-Jin Choi (Korea) Bronze: Roman Amoyan (Armenia) Bronze: Peter Modos (Hungary) 5th: Spenser Mango (USA) 5th: Ivan Tatarinov (Russia) 60 kilos: Gold: Ivo Angelov (Bulgaria) Silver: Ivan Kuylakov (Russia) Bronze: Jae-Seung Woo (Korea) Bronze: Elmurat Tasmuradov (Uzbekistan) 5th: Edward Barsegjan (Poland) 5th: Almat Kepispayev (Kazakhstan) 66 kilos: Gold: Han Su-Ryu (Korea) Silver: Islam-Beka Albiev (Russia) Bronze: Tulsia Yadan Sandeep (India) Bronze: Frank Staebler (Germany) 5th: Aleksandar Maksimovic (Serbia) 5th: Hasan Aliyev (Azerbaijan) 74 kilos: Gold: Hyeon-Woo Kim (Korea) Silver: Roman Vlasov (Russia) Bronze: Arsen Julfalakayan (Armenia) Bronze: Emrah Kus (Turkey) 5th: Mark Madsen (Denmark) 5th: Veli-Karri Suominen (Finland) 84 kilos: Gold: Taleb Nematpour (Iran) Silver: Saman Ahman Tahmasebi (Azerbaijan) Bronze: Javid Hamzatau (Belarus) Bronze: Viktor Lorincz (Hungary) 5th: Damian Janikowski (Poland) 5th: Rami Hietaniemi (Finland) 96 kilos: Gold: Nikita Melnikov (Russia) Silver: Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) Bronze: Balasz Kiss (Hungary) Bronze: Shalva Gadabadze (Azerbaijan) 5th: Mahdi Aliyarifeizabadi (Iran) 5th: Norikatsu Saikawa (Japan) 120 kilos: Gold: Amir Aliakbari (Iran) Silver: Heiki Nabi (Estonia) Bronze: Numakhan Tinaliyev (Kazakhstan) Bronze: Riza Kayaalp (Turkey) 5th: Mihaly Deak-Bardos (Hungary)

48 kilos: Gold: Eri Tosaka (Japan) Silver: Mayellis Castillo (Venezuela) Bronze: Alyssa Lampe (USA) Bronze: Cheng Xu (China) 5th: Anna Lukasiak (Poland) 5th: Melanie LeSaffre (France) 51 kilos: Gold: Yanan Sun (China) Silver: Erdennechimeg Sumiya (Mongolia) Bronze: Sim Hyang So (North Korea) Bronze: Jessica MacDonald (Canada) 5th: Victoria Anthony (USA) 5th: Yuliya Blahinya (Ukraine) 55 kilos: Gold: Saori Yoshida (Japan) Silver: Sofia Mattson (Sweden) Bronze: Emese Barka (Hungary) Bronze: Valeria Koblova (Russia) 5th: Maya Hristova (Bulgaria) 5th: Iryna Husyak (Ukraine) 59 kilos: Gold: Marianna Sastin (Hungary) Silver: Taybe Yusein (Bulgaria) Bronze: Muhktuya Tungalag (Mongolia) Bronze: Yuliya Ratkevich (Azerbaijan) 5th: Ayaka Ito (Japan) 5th: Tetyana Lavrenchuk (Ukraine) 63 kilos: Gold: Kaori Icho (Japan) Silver: Battsetseg Sornzobold (Mongolia) Bronze: Elena Pirozhkova (USA) Bronze: Yekaterina Larionova (Kazakhstan) 5th: Anastasia Bratchikova (Russia) 5th: Jackeline Renteria (Colombia) 67 kilos: Gold: Alina Stadnik (Ukraine) Silver: Stacie Anaka (Canada) Bronze: Nasanburmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia) Bronze: Sara Dosho (Japan) 5th: Zhangting Zhou (China) 5th: Aline Focken (Germany) 72 kilos: Gold: Fengliu Zhang (China) Silver: Natalia Vorobeva (Russia) Bronze: Adeline Gray (USA) Bronze: Burmaa Ochirbat (Mongolia) 5th: Yasemin Adar (Turkey) 5th: Svetlana Saenko (Moldova)

Related: Schedule STILLWATER -- John Smith and the Oklahoma State wrestling squad announced their opponents for the 2013-14 season, which is highlighted by visits to Penn State and the University of Iowa. “I believe, in every way, that this year’s schedule will help develop and prepare us for the best regular season and postseason that we can have,” Smith said. The Cowboys, coming off a 20-1 season and a second-place finish at NCAAs, will begin the season at home on Nov. 17 against Bucknell. The Pokes will make a trip to Norman to take on in-state rival Oklahoma on Dec. 1 before returning to Stillwater for a battle against Minnesota on Dec. 8. The 2013 Big 12 champions will be on the road from Dec. 14 through Jan. 19 to visit Wyoming, Northern Colorado, Iowa, West Virginia and Pittsburgh, respectively. During that time, the Pokes will make their second appearance at the Southern Scuffle in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Cowboys return to Gallagher-Iba Arena on Jan. 24, beginning a four-dual home stand, including duals against Iowa State, former Big 12 rival Missouri, Cal State-Bakersfield and Oklahoma. Traveling to State College, Pa., for the first time since 1996, the Cowboys will take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State led by Cael Sanderson on Feb. 16. They will also wrestle Clarion that same weekend. The Pokes will return home to finish the dual season in Stillwater with matchups against Arizona State on Feb. 21 and American University on March 2. For the postseason, the Cowboys will stay close to home as they compete for their 47th conference championship in Norman, Okla., and their 35th national title in Oklahoma City at the Chesapeake Energy Arena.