InterMat Staff

Saturday’s DI Dual Results Michigan State 20 American 12 125 - Coen Bailey (American) dec Caleb Weiland (Michigan State) 18-17 133 - Andrew Hampton (Michigan State) dec Shamil Kalmatov (American) 2-0 141 - Jack Maida (American) dec Jaden Crumpler (Michigan State) 6-4 149 - Clayton Jones (Michigan State) dec Gage Owen (American) 10-9 157 - Braden Stauffenberg (Michigan State) dec Jack Nies (American) 3-1 165 - Kaden Milheim (American) dec DJ Shannon (Michigan State) 7-3 174 - Ceasar Garza (Michigan State) dec Caleb Campos (American) 18-12 184 - Lucas Daly (Michigan State) dec Lucas White (American) 2-0 197 - Remy Cotton (Michigan State) tech Liam Volk-Klos (American) 21-6 285 - Will Jarrell (American) dec Max Vanadia (Michigan State) 6-4 Pittsburgh 35 Navy 3 125 - Nick Babin (Pittsburgh) fall Nick Treaster (Navy) 6:59 133 - Vince Santaniello (Pittsburgh) tech Hunter Heflin (Navy) 17-1 141 - Josh Koderhandt (Navy) dec Anthony Santaniello (Pittsburgh) 5-4 149 - Finn Solomon (Pittsburgh) dec Kaemen Smith (Navy) 16-9 157 - Dylan Evans (Pittsburgh) dec Jonathan Ley (Navy) 7-3 165 - Kelin Laffey (Pittsburgh) dec Tyler Sagi (Navy) 4-2 174 - Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh) dec Danny Wask (Navy) 4-3 184 - Reece Heller (Pittsburgh) maj Zyan Hall (Navy) 11-2 197 - Mac Stout (Pittsburgh) dec Payton Thomas (Navy) 11-5 285 - Dayton Pitzer (Pittsburgh) tech Alistair Larson (Navy) 15-0 Illinois 41 SIU Edwardsville 3 125 - Drew Davis (SIU Edwardsville) dec Ramazan Attasauov (Illinois) 8-5 133 - Lucas Byrd (Illinois) maj Marcel Lopez (SIU Edwardsville) 12-3 141 - Danny Pucino (Illinois) maj Danny Martinez (SIU Edwardsville) 14-2 149 - Kannon Webster (Illinois) tech Hayden Whidden (SIU Edwardsville) 18-3 157 - Jason Kraisser (Illinois) fall Brock Woodcock (SIU Edwardsville) 2:18 165 - Braden Scoles (Illinois) tech Bradley Gillum (SIU Edwardsville) 17-2 174 - Danny Braunagel (Illinois) tech Griffin Ray (SIU Edwardsville) 19-4 184 - Edmond Ruth (Illinois) dec Deron Pullium (SIU Edwardsville) 7-4SV 197 - Zac Braunagel (Illinois) tech Nick Nosler (SIU Edwardsville) 23-7 285 - Luke Luffman (Illinois) maj Bryson Buhk (SIU Edwardsville) 14-3 Missouri 25 Northern Colorado 14 125 - Stevo Poulin (Northern Colorado) dec Gage Walker (Missouri) 7-1 133 - Dominick Serrano (Northern Colorado) maj Kade Moore (Missouri) 15-5 141 - Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) maj Josh Edmond (Missouri) 12-2 149 - Logan Gioffre (Missouri) dec Benji Alanis (Northern Colorado) 7-4SV 157 - Vince Zerban (Northern Colorado) dec J Conway (Missouri) 8-4 165 - Cam Steed (Missouri) fall Daishun Powe (Northern Colorado) :29 174 - Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) tech Ayden Rix-McElhinney (Northern Colorado) 20-4 184 - Colton Hawks (Missouri) maj AJ Heeg (Northern Colorado) 9-1 197 - Aeoden Sinclair (Missouri) maj Franklin Cruz (Northern Colorado) 19-11 285 - Seth Nitzel (Missouri) dec Remington Peterson (Northern Colorado) 11-4 Iowa 30 Oregon State 7 125 - Maximo Renteria (Oregon State) dec Joey Cruz (Iowa) 7-3 133 - Drake Ayala (Iowa) tech Damian Elliott (Oregon State) 27-10 141 - Ryder Block (Iowa) dec Nash Singleton (Oregon State) 5-4 149 - Kyle Parco (Iowa) dec Victor Jacinto (Oregon State) 5-1 157 - Ethan Stiles (Oregon State) maj Caleb Rathjen (Iowa) 12-3 165 - Michael Caliendo (Iowa) tech Kekana Fouret (Oregon State) 18-3 174 - Nelson Brands (Iowa) dec Sean Harman (Oregon State) 2-1 184 - Gabe Arnold (Iowa) tech TJ McDonnell (Oregon State) 20-5 197 - Stephen Buchanan (Iowa) dec Trey Munoz (Oregon State) 9-5 285 - Ben Kueter (Iowa) dec Brett Mower (Oregon State) 10-4

The theme of the last couple of years with the Maryland Terrapins has been how young and talented they were. Now, for the first time in Alex Clemsen’s tenure with the program, he has his best wrestlers as veterans in the lineup. This season will not be devoid of youth though, as he intends to start a couple of true freshmen in his lineup to go along with the seasoned vets. Additionally, you’ll get new weight classes for some of their stalwarts, as Kal Miller bumps up to 149 and brother Ethen bumps up to 157. Jaxon Smith, who has had highlight reel wins in his career at 197, has dropped down to 184 for this season in pursuit of an All-American finish. Those of us waiting to see Dario Lemus might have to be patient a little longer, as he will be recovering from an injury in the early part of the season, but this team has the veteran leadership and experience to take things to the next level, and some real depth in the room to push everyone that much further. Potential Lineup 125: Tyler Garvin, Presden Sanchez, or Abram Cline 133: Braxton Brown 141: Dario Lemus 149: Kal Miller 157: Ethen Miller 165: Ryan Money or John Martin Best 174: Branson John 184: Jaxon Smith 197: Chase Mielnik 285: Seth Nevills Listen to Maryland head coach Alex Clemsen discuss this year’s team: Biggest Duals 12/20/24 – vs Pittsburgh 1/12/25 – at Michigan State 1/17/25 – vs Wisconsin 2/7/25 – vs Rutgers New additions to the lineup 125: Whoever lands the spot at 125 between Tyler Garvin, Presden Sanchez, or Abram Cline 141: Dario Lemus 165: Ryan Money 174: Branson John Summary: Maryland will look to lean into the depth in its room this season, as well as the competition results, to see where the cream rises to the top at 125. The wrestle-offs were very close matches, and as such this will be a continuing development as the season progresses. Additionally, Branson John has shown that he is ready to jump into the lineup and compete right away at 174. Coach Clemsen spoke about Branson’s maturity and focus in our interview, and I am excited to see how this kid jumps out of the gates, as well as the improvements he makes as the season goes on. Ryan Money will also get a chance to get into the lineup at 165 as he likely battles to hold the spot for most of the season. Dario Lemus has shown not only is he a tremendous wrestler, but evidently a great leader as well, so I’m excited to see how that measures out in competition. Key Returners 133: Braxton Brown 149: Kal Miller 157: Ethen Miller 184: Jaxon Smith HWY: Seth Nevills Summary: It’s wild to think that these guys we were so high on as young studs have now become crafty veterans. With age and experience comes perspective, and perspective is important in knowing yourself, your journey, and how to achieve your goals. These guys have seen a lot, including conference duals, conference championships, NCAAs, and just about anything you could be thrown into during a season. They all will be great assets for the young guys named above, and they certainly expect to win. I look for the upperclassmen on this team to help lead them to the next step in their journey as a team, and for that success to culminate with more than one All-American in Philadelphia this coming March.

Friday's DI Dual Results Edinboro 55 Pitt-Bradford 0 125 - Chris Vargo (Edinboro) fall Cade Stern (Pitt-Bradford) 2:51 133 - Colton Camacho (Edinboro) tech Jacob Rodgers (Pitt-Bradford) 19-4 141 - Colin Roberts (Edinboro) tech Dylan Slovick (Pitt-Bradford) 16-1 149 - Ryan Burgos (Edinboro) FFT 157 - Ryan Michaels (Edinboro) fall Raymond Worsen (Pitt-Bradford) 5:24 165 - Max Kirby (Edinboro) FFT 174 - Brody Evans (Edinboro) FFT 184 - Hunter Hutcheson (Edinboro) maj DJ Slovick (Pitt-Bradford) 15-4 197 - Nick Lodato (Edinboro) fall Alec Kapacs (Pitt-Bradford) 1:18 285 - Aden Roe (Edinboro) tech Gavin Thompson (Pitt-Bradford) 21-5 Edinboro 47 Seton Hill 0 125 - Chris Vargo (Edinboro) fall Don Lindsey (Seton Hill) 3:50 133 - Colton Camacho (Edinboro) tech Jacob Braun (Seton Hill) 22-6 141 - Colin Roberts (Edinboro) dec Niko Ferra (Seton Hill) 7-3 149 - Ryan Burgos (Edinboro) maj Ty Linsenbigler (Seton Hill) 14-3 157 - Ryan Michaels (Edinboro) fall Christian Hirak (Seton Hill) 3:57 165 - Max Kirby (Edinboro) maj Collin Hearn (Seton Hill) 9-1 174 - Brody Evans (Edinboro) maj Kane Kettering (Seton Hill) 10-1 184 - Hunter Hutcheson (Edinboro) fall Landon Christie (Seton Hill) 2:13 197 - Nick Lodato (Edinboro) dec Brendan Finntery (Seton Hill) 6-5 285 - Aden Roe (Edinboro) fall Ethan Cain (Seton Hill) 6:09 Virginia 31 North Dakota State 6 125 - Keyveon Roller (Virginia) dec Tristan Daugherty (North Dakota State) 4-2 133 - Gable Porter (Virginia) dec Kyle Burwick (North Dakota State) 4-2 141 - Kyren Butler (Virginia) dec Kellyn March (North Dakota State) 5-4 149 - Max Petersen (North Dakota State) dec Erik Roggie (Virginia) 6-3 157 - Michael Gioffre (Virginia) maj Boeden Greenley (North Dakota State) 12-1 165 - Nick Hamilton (Virginia) dec Brendan Howes (North Dakota State) 7-3 174 - Rocco Contino (Virginia) tech Devin Wasley (North Dakota State) 22-6 184 - Aidan Brenot (North Dakota State) dec Hadyn Danals (Virginia) 9-4 197 - Max Shulaw (Virginia) fall Michael Baker (North Dakota State) Fall 3:31 285 - Gabe Christenson (Virginia) maj Andrew Blackburn-Forst (North Dakota State) 9-1 Purdue 34 Gardner-Webb 10 125 - Matt Ramos (Purdue) fall Tyson Lane (Gardner-Webb) 4:51 133 - TK Davis (Gardner-Webb) maj Dustin Norris (Purdue) 14-4 141 - Todd Carter (Gardner-Webb) dec Greyson Clark (Purdue) 8-7 149 - Isaac Ruble (Purdue) dec Joseph Giordano (Gardner-Webb) 7-6 157 - Joey Blaze (Purdue) tech Drew Pepin (Gardner-Webb) 20-4 165 - Stoney Buell (Purdue) maj Tyler Brignola (Gardner-Webb) 15-5 174 - Brody Baumann (Purdue) fall Andrew Wilson (Gardner-Webb) 4:17 184 - James Rowley (Purdue) fall Brixan Burgess (Gardner-Webb) 4:40 197 - Joshua McCutheon (Gardner-Webb) dec Ben Vanadia (Purdue) 4-3 285 - Hayden Filipovich (Purdue) maj Peyton McComas (Gardner-Webb) 10-0 Virginia Tech 36 Chattanooga 6 125 - Eddie Ventresca (Virginia Tech) tech Ty Tice (Chattanooga) 21-5 133 - Connor McGonagle (Virginia Tech) fall Easton Cooper (Chattanooga) 1:26 141 - Sam Latona (Virginia Tech) dec Isaiah Powe (Chattanooga) 5-1 149 - Dayne Dalrymple (Chattanooga) dec Hunter Mason (Virginia Tech) 3-0 157 - Rafael Hipolito (Virginia Tech) tech Tavian Camper (Chattanooga) 22-6 165 - Mac Church (Virginia Tech) dec Jackson Hurst (Chattanooga) 11-4 174 - Sergio Desiante (Chattanooga) dec Ty Finn (Virginia Tech) 4-2 184 - Sam Fisher (Virginia Tech) dec Kamdyn Munro (Chattanooga) 4-1 197 - Sonny Sasso (Virginia Tech) fall David Harper (Chattanooga) 1:23 285 - Jimmy Mullen (Virginia Tech) fall Ethan Vergara (Chattanooga) 1:16 Utah Valley 25 CSU Bakersfield 15 125 - Richard Castro-Sandoval (CSU Bakersfield) dec Bridger Ricks (Utah Valley) 7-6 133 - Kase Mauger (Utah Valley) tech Romeo McNeil (CSU Bakersfield) 18-1 141 - Haiden Drury (Utah Valley) tech Hayden Zinkin (CSU Bakersfield) 16-1 149 - Brock Rogers (CSU Bakersfield) maj Q’Veli Quintanilla (Utah Valley) 8-0 157 - Ryker Fullmer (Utah Valley) maj Devyn Flores-Che (CSU Bakersfield) 9-1 165 - Terrell Barraclough (Utah Valley) maj Guillermo Escobedo (CSU Bakersfield) 11-1 174 - Mark Takara (Utah Valley) dec Chris Neal (CSU Bakersfield) 10-3 184 - Caleb Uhlenhopp (Utah Valley) maj Braden Smelser (CSU Bakersfield) 10-0 197 - AJ Ferrari (CSU Bakersfield) tech Kael Bennie (Utah Valley) 22-6 285 - Jake Andrews (CSU Bakersfield) dec Jack Forbes (Utah Valley) 8-2 Stanford 29 Utah Valley 12 125 - Bridger Ricks (Utah Valley) FFT 133 - Tyler Knox (Stanford) fall Kase Mauger (Utah Valley) 1:44 141 - Haiden Drury (Utah Valley) dec Jack Consiglio (Stanford) 7-4 149 - Jaden Abas (Stanford) tech Tanner Frothinger (Utah Valley) 18-3 157 - Grigor Cholakyan (Stanford) maj Ryker Fullmer (Utah Valley) 16-7 165 - Terrell Barraclough (Utah Valley) dec Hunter Garvin (Stanford) 11-9 174 - Lorenzo Norman (Stanford) tech Mark Takara (Utah Valley) 22-5 184 - Luke Duthie (Stanford) dec Caleb Uhlenhopp (Utah Valley) 8-3 197 - Nick Stemmet (Stanford) dec Kael Bennie (Utah Valley) 11-7 285 - Jackson Mankowski (Stanford) dec Elijah Stafford (Utah Valley) 13-9 Stanford 29 CSU Bakersfield 12 125 - Richard Castro-Sandoval (CSU Bakersfield) FFT 133 - Tyler Knox (Stanford) dec Santino Sanchez (CSU Bakersfield) 8-2 141 - Jack Consiglio (Stanford) maj Hayden Zinkin (CSU Bakersfield) 10-0 149 - Jaden Abas (Stanford) dec Brock Rogers (CSU Bakersfield) 6-3 157 - Grigor Cholakyan (Stanford) fall Devyn Flores-Che (CSU Bakersfield) :21 165 - Hunter Garvin (Stanford) dec Guillermo Escobedo (CSU Bakersfield) 8-5 174 - Lorenzo Norman (Stanford) tech Chris Neal (CSU Bakersfield) 21-6 184 - Luke Duthie (Stanford) tech Braden Smelser (CSU Bakersfield) 19-4 197 - AJ Ferrari (CSU Bakersfield) dec Nick Stemmet (Stanford) 5-0 285 - Jake Andrews (CSU Bakersfield) dec Jackson Mankowski (Stanford) 1-0 Ohio 25 Wisconsin 14 125 - Nicolar Rivera (Wisconsin) fall Ryan Meek (Ohio) 4:19 133 - Zan Fugitt (Wisconsin) tech Kolten Barker (Ohio) 16-1 141 - Kaden Jett (Ohio) dec Brock Bobzien (Wisconsin) 5-2 149 - Derek Raike (Ohio) tech Royce Nilo (Wisconsin) 16-1 157 - Peyten Kellar (Ohio) dec Luke Mechler (Wisconsin) 8-7 165 - Cale Anderson (Wisconsin) dec Jack Lledo (Ohio) 8-2 174 - Garrett Thompson (Ohio) dec Lucas Condon (Wisconsin) 4-2 184 - Max Ray (Ohio) dec Dylan Russo (Wisconsin) 8-3 197 - Austin Starr (Ohio) maj Nico Colucci (Wisconsin) 15-1 285 - Jordan Greer (Ohio) maj Gannon Rosenfeld (Wisconsin) 13-4 Indiana 34 California Baptist 4 125 - Jacob Moran (Indiana) maj Mitchell Neiner (California Baptist) 14-4 133 - Angelo Rini (Indiana) dec Hunter Leake (California Baptist) 6-3 141 - Eli Griffin (California Baptist) maj Henry Porter (Indiana) 16-7 149 - Anthony Bahl (Indiana) fall Paul Kelly (California Baptist) 3:23 157 - Bryce Lowery (Indiana) dec Jeremy Ginter (California Baptist) 10-4 165 - Tyler Lillard (Indiana) dec Drayden Morton (California Baptist) 5-2TB 174 - Nick South (Indiana) dec Carter Schmidt (California Baptist) 4-2 184 - Sam Goin (Indiana) dec Nathan Haas (California Baptist) 4-2 197 - Gabe Sollars (Indiana) fall Eli Sheeran (California Baptist) 1:15 285 - Jacob Bullock (Indiana) dec Tristan Kemp (California Baptist) 4-3

Pittsburgh head coach Keith Gavin sits down with Robbie to talk about his 2024-25 squad. The Panthers had a veteran team last year and generally have a younger group this season. It's a good mix of youth with a couple of veterans mixed in. Coach Gavin goes through a potential lineup and also discusses what Lou Rosselli brings to the program. Rosselli and him have a relationship that dates back to his competitive career at the Ohio RTC. Gavin and Robbie also highlight some important dates on the schedule. For the full interview:

Williamstown

Williamstown

The college wrestling season is already underway! Last night, after doling out some Halloween candy, we got a treat of our own as Campbell traveled west once again to meet Wyoming in a showcase dual. Cheyenne Frontier Days was the site for the “Dual at the Daddy” where the host team posted a dominant 28-12 win. Early in the dual, you could tell Campbell was in trouble after ranked wrestlers were upset at 133 and 141 lbs. The “Dual at the Daddy” was a great way to start the 2024-25 season and there’s more to come over the next three days. Even though this isn’t a jam-packed schedule, there’s still plenty to see. Unfortunately, some duals, individual matches, or tournaments could go overlooked. We’ve highlighted some storylines to monitor over the next three days. They are below and as follows: Virginia Tech’s young upperweights In his recent talk with Robbie Wendell, Virginia Tech Associate head coach Jared Frayer disclosed that the Hokies will start Sonny Sasso (197) and Jimmy Mullen (285) at the final two weights in Virginia Tech’s season debut against Chattanooga. Both were very highly-touted recruits for the Hokies and had strong redshirt seasons. Frayer went on to say that the battles between the two and the incumbents (Andy Smith/Hunter Catka) are extremely close at this point of the season. The return of AJ Ferrari CSU Bakersfield has a pair of duals on Friday night and the infamous AJ Ferrari is slated to make his debut for the Roadrunners. As you might expect, this has already taken on a life of its own as Ferrari and Nick Stemmet of Stanford have exchanged words over social media. The two have done this in the past and Ferrari ended up majoring Stemmet (16-3). Aside from any trash talk, this is a good barometer to see where Ferrari stands at 197 lbs after the long layoff. Adam Hall’s Head Coaching Debut Also in Stanford on Friday is Utah Valley who is set to dual CSUB and the Cardinal. The two duals will be the first for Adam Hall as head coach of the Wolverines. He has brought a new sense of excitement to the program with strong work on the recruiting trail. It might take some time to catch up on the match, but it should be fun to watch. I have a potential matchup between #3 Hunter Garvin (Stanford) and #7 Terrell Barraclough (Utah Valley) with an imaginary circle on my hypothetical calendar. Can the MAC get a B1G “W”? Friday night, Ohio heads to La Crosse, Wisconsin for a dual with the flagship school of the state, the Wisconsin Badgers. Injuries have sidelined Wisconsin’s two most experienced grapplers (Joey Zargo/Braxton Amos). With that in mind, can Ohio take out a young Wisconsin squad? This is an Ohio team that was tabbed as fourth in the preseason MAC poll and features a pair of wrestlers ranked in the top-eight in their respective weights (Peyten Kellar/157, Garrett Thompson/165). Who gets the nod at 165 for Indiana? We mentioned the Hoosiers 165 lb battle as one of the most interesting lineup fights in the nation. National qualifiers Tyler Lillard and Derek Gilcher recently squared off at Indiana’s intersquad match and Lillard was victorious, 4-2. Last year, the two met at the Keystone Classic and Gilcher won, 4-1. We know that most coaches put very little stock into wrestle-off results and would rather make their starting lineup based off of what happens in the room or against outside competition. With that in mind, does Lillard get the first crack at the starting role against California Baptist on Friday night? Indiana also wrestles Cal Poly on Sunday. 149 lb All-Americans at the Southeast Open In Frayer’s conversation, he mentioned that NCAA champion Caleb Henson will be out of the lineup for a few weeks, so we shouldn’t expect him at the Southeast Open. That being said, maybe we see another matchup between returning All-Americans in the 149 lb bracket? North Carolina’s Lachlan McNeil was a two-time AA at 141 lbs, but has moved up this year to 149. He’s registered for the tournament. As of now, no West Virginia entries are public. Could we see him against sophomore Ty Watters, who starts the year ranked third in the nation at 149? Strap in for Navy/Pittsburgh Last year, the dual between Navy and Pittsburgh was one of the best of the year! They’ll meet this time on the opening weekend of the season, in Pittsburgh. The dual itself isn’t loaded with ranked versus ranked matchups, but just features two teams that bring it. I’m looking forward to seeing redshirt freshman Anthony Santaniello (Pittsburgh) against EIWA champion Josh Koderhandt (Navy) at 141 lbs. Also, the ranked matchup at 174 with Danny Wask (Navy) and Luca Augustine (Pittsburgh). The New Look Illini Saturday we’ve got a non-conference but in-state matchup between Illinois and host SIU Edwardsville. This will be the first opportunity to see what could be a very tough Illinois lineup. It will look drastically different from the 2023-24 version. Transfers Ramazan Attasaouv (125) and Jason Kraisser (157) are aboard. The Braunagel twins are back from Olympic redshirts. Lucas Byrd (133) and Luke Luffman (285) are back from injuries. Redshirt freshman Kannon Webster (149) is ready to be unleashed upon the nation. All-American Edmond Ruth (184) is at a new weight. There’s plenty of reason to be excited in Champaign. Plenty of fun matchups in Greeley #14 Missouri will travel to Greeley to take on a Northern Colorado team that just missed the national dual rankings, but could move into the top-30 soon. This dual has the potential for some fun matchups. The first three weights could be ranked-versus-ranked; though Mizzou has already had a few injuries, so I wouldn’t expect all of them to take place. I’m also eager to see some of Northern Colorado’s transfers - Clayton Ulrey at 165 and AJ Heeg at 184. If they develop, Northern Colorado could be a tough out! The Hawkeyes 174/184 Situation…and more. Iowa basically has three studs (Nelson Brands, Gabe Arnold, and Patrick Kennedy) for two weights. Conventional wisdom was that the oldest of the bunch, Nelson Brands, might be best served at 184 lbs, where he wouldn’t have to cut as much weight. He may very well end up there but is still in the mix at 174. Brands has been good at both weights, but made the podium at 174 and would be slightly undersized at 184. Arnold had some big wins at 184 last year, though he ended up redshirting and is best suited to 174. Kennedy tried to win the 165 lb spot last year, before moving up to 174. He’d probably be the smallest of the three at 184. You also have top recruit Angelo Ferrari in the mix; however, he’s a true freshman with a redshirt available. With all of that out of the way, #2 Iowa travels west to take on #24 Oregon State. How does the Hawkeye lineup look against the Beavers? Apparently, we’ll get Brands at 174 and Arnold at 184. Is that an indication of things to come? In addition, Iowa has talented redshirt freshmen at 125 (Kale Peterson) and 141 (Ryder Block) who are expected to cut down to a weight lower than you’d typically expect both to compete at. How do they fare? Peterson will have to contend with #25 Maximo Renteria, who picked up a win over the eventual NCAA champion Richie Figueroa (Arizona State) last season. Block has a solid opponent in Nash Singleton. Oh yeah, the best match of the dual, on paper. 197 lbs. #2 Stephen Buchanan makes his Iowa debut against #7 Trey Munoz. Munoz is coming up to 197 lbs after making the podium twice at 184. Buchanan is the highest-placing returner at 197 lbs from the 2024 national tournament. Pay Attention Austin! Our Austin Sommer has the Ivy League and EIWA locked down in his coverage. The Princeton Open will have plenty of action for him to consume and make sense of. While an Ivy League school is hosting the event, there will be wrestlers expected from Army West Point, Drexel, Hofstra, and Lehigh, so actually more from the EIWA. Trying to crack the top ten at 133 lbs Maryland will host a tri-meet with Bucknell and Kent State on Sunday afternoon. In his 13 Questions for the EIWA article, Austin wondered aloud if Bucknell could break into the top two in the conference. There’s certainly a world where that’s possible. They’ll get an early-season test with #27 Maryland. The best individual matchup of the dual should take place at 133 lbs with #11 Kurt Phipps (Bucknell) and #15 Braxton Brown (Maryland). Both have advanced to the NCAA bloodround at least once in their collegiate careers. A win by either will be a great way to start the season and potentially plant seeds for a move into the top ten. Another quality match in that dual takes place right after 133 - at 141 lbs. Bucknell boasts two-time EIWA runner-up #25 Dylan Chappell, while Maryland counters with unranked redshirt freshman Dario Lemus. We’ve heard good things about Lemus from the Maryland staff, so I’d expect a close match here. Maybe Lemus pulls the upset, as Chappell typically is best late in the year.

Believe it or not, the 2024 World Championships for non-Olympic weights have already concluded! With only four weights per style, the tournament moves pretty quickly. Here are the final match-by-match results for all 12 of the weight classes contested in Tirana, Albania. Men's Freestyle 61 kg 70 kg 79 kg 92 kg Women's Freestyle 55 kg 59 kg 65 kg 72 kg Greco-Roman 55 kg 63 kg 72 kg 82 kg

New Prague

Butler

Warren Central

Herriman

Crown Point

Hope

Westmoore

Lake Gibson

SPIRE Academy

Virginia Tech's Associate Head Coach Jared Frayer discusses how the Hokie lineup could look in tonight's debut against Chattanooga. Slightly different that you might expect. The two talented redshirt freshmen will get the call at 197 and 285 lbs. He also talks about the team's new faces and the great team chemistry that continues to develop in Blacksburg. For the full interview:

The final day of the 2024 World Championships proved to be the best day of the event from an American standpoint. There weren’t any new weight classes that started so it was just the repechage and medal round matches for the men’s freestyle weights. That meant that only two Americans were in action on the day. Vito Arujau had already secured a spot in a bronze medal match at 61 kg, while David Taylor needed to win a pair of repechage bouts to advance to a bronze medal contest. Not only did both wrestlers pull through and come away with bronze medals, but each had to defeat a past world champion. Arujau’s bronze medal opponent was 2020 Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Zavur Uguev of Russia. Arujau struck within the first minute of the bout with a sweep single for a takedown. A step-out point accounted for Uguev’s only offensive output in the first period. In the second stanza, Arujau also struck late in the first minute of the period with an outside leg attack that he ran around of a takedown. During that exchange, the former Cornell star appeared to injure his hand or fingers and was in a significant amount of pain. Arujau shook off the pain and continued to initiate the offense with a low double leg for a takedown. Uguev was able to get his lone takedown of the bout with about :45 seconds remaining in the final period after a wild exchange. The Russian continued to try for a comeback and ended up jumping into an Arujau double leg during the waning seconds of the bout. The final score was 8-3 in favor of Arujau. Arujau has now earned Senior world medals in back-to-back years. He won a world title at 61 kg in 2023. Taylor strung together a hard-fought win over Abubakr Abakarov (Azerbaijan) and a dominant performance over Lars Schaefle (Germany) to advance to the bronze medal matchup against Kamran Ghasempour (Iran). Though a bronze medal was on the line and Ghasempour wasn’t exactly Abdulrashid Sadulaev - it was a gigantic bout. One that could have taken place in a world final, under different conditions. Ghasempour is a two-time world champion at 92 kg with his most recent gold medal (2022) coming at the expense of American J’den Cox in the world finals. Sadulaev narrowly escaped with a 5-3 win over Ghasempour in a semifinal that was determined in the closing seconds of the bout. The Iranian was responsible for the only scoring in the opening period of his bronze medal match with Taylor. A lefty high-crotch to a double led to a takedown and a 2-0 lead at the break. As is usually the case with Taylor against international foes, his offensive barrage was way too much to sustain in the second period. Taylor grabbed a takedown early in the second period to knot the match at 2-2 and then shot and scored immediately on the ensuing restart to suddenly go ahead 4-2. Late in the bout, Ghasempour was desperate to score and got out of position. Taylor simply bull-rushed the Iranian for a final takedown and a 6-2 win. As suspected, in a post-match interview, Taylor confirmed that this was his final match. It was truly a fitting end to a remarkable career. Taylor rarely ever had to wrestle in a consolation or repechage, but he was able to respond to a crushing loss by defeating a multiple-time world champion for a final world medal. Taylor’s final medal count is as follows. He has a 2020 Olympic gold medal to go with three world titles, a silver medal, and this bronze. There’s no time for Taylor to celebrate and reflect on his competitive career as he stated that he’ll fly home and participate in recruiting visits on Friday as he prepares for his first season as head coach of Oklahoma State University.

And just like that, the start of the 2025 season is here. Teams are drafted and lineups are ready to roll. The first Weekly Outlook of each wrestling season is usually one of the harder ones to compile. Many teams have just finished, or are still holding, Wrestle-Offs or have held scrimmages to help coaches gauge who will be the probable starter. In the next few weeks, teams will start to settle into a consistent starting lineup and projections/probables become more clear for each competition. But you can't win your league if you don't take every week seriously. This guide is meant to help with lineup decisions and create the most optimal lineup each week. Plug & play options will be critical in helping bridge the gap in those weeks where most of your high ranked wrestlers have empty schedules. Don’t forget to follow my “Tips and Tricks” to make sure you are staying one step ahead of your league-mates. On to Week 1: Several duals and a few important tournaments start the season with the Clarion Open, Princeton Open, Battle at The Citadel, and the Menlo Open all providing an opportunity for you to jump out to a point-heavy head start (though Menlo will have limited D1 competition available). Entries are still trickling in, so keep those twitter notifications on and check out the Fantasy Wrestling page on the InterMat Forums. A reminder of some important rules: Wrestlers entered at a weight must compete at that weight or else their results will not be counted. Wrestlers in the “Floater” spots can compete at ANY weight and accumulate Fantasy points. A wrestler will LOCK on your roster at 12pm ET on the day of their first competition for the week. (refer to the SHP’s Week Preview) Only results against D1 competition (starters, backups, and redshirts) will count towards Fantasy Points. Check your league settings to know how many add/drops are permitted per week. Have a question, concern, suggestions, or just want to chat about Fantasy Wrestling? Hit us up on Twitter or head over to the InterMat Forums where we have a Fantasy Wrestling dedicated Forum page. Wrestlers I Like This Week Wrestler (School)- competition for the week [Proj Score]* 125: Vincent Kilkeary (OHST)- Clarion Open Brendan McCrone (OHST)- Clarion Open Charlie Farmer (ARMY)- Princeton Open Matty Lopes (LEH)- Princeton Open Sheldon Seymour (LEH)- Princeton Open Dean Peterson (RUT)- Princeton Open Ayden Smith (RUT)- Princeton Open Spencer Moore (UNC)- Southeast Open Nick Babin (PITT)- Vs Navy, Clarion Open Jacob Moran (IND)- @ Cal Baptist , @ Cal Poly [+8] Nico Provo (STAN)- Vs CSU Bakersfield, Vs Utah Valley [+8] Matt Ramos (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+5] Nicolar Rivera (WISC)- Vs Ohio [+5] Eddie Ventresca (VT)- Vs Chattanooga [+3] 133: Nic Bouzakis (OHST)- Clarion Open Ethan Berginc (ARMY)- Princeton Open Dylan Shawver (RUT)- Princeton Open Mason Leiphart (F&M)- Southeast Open Ethan Oakley (UNC)- Southeast Open Jett Strickenberger (WVU)- Southeast Open Tyler Knox (STAN) Vs CSU Bakersfield, Vs Utah Valley [+8] Domenic Zaccone (CAMP)- @ Wyoming [+4] Drake Ayala (IOWA)- @ Oregon State [+4] Zan Fugitt (WISC)- Vs Ohio [+4] Lucas Byrd (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+3] 141: Jesse Mendez (OHST)- Clarion Open Nathan Higley (BELL)- Clarion Open Kai Owen (COL)- Princeton Open Carter Bailey (LEH)- Princeton Open Malyke Hines (LEH)- Princeton Open Joey Olivieri (RUT)- Princeton Open Jordan Titus (WVU)- Southeast Open Joshua Koderhandt (NAVY)- @ Pittsburgh , Clarion Open Danny Pucino (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Andrew Alirez (UNCO)- Vs Missouri [+3] 149: Dylan D’Emilio (OHST)- Clarion Open Trae McDaniel (ARMY)- Princeton Open Kelvin Griffin (LEH)- Princeton Open Lachlan McNeil (UNC)- Southeast Open Ty Watters (WVU)- Southeast Open Jaden Abas (STAN) Vs CSU Bakersfield, Vs Utah Valley [+8] Kal Miller (MARY)- Vs Bucknell, Vs Kent State [+6] Chance Lamer (CP)- Vs Indiana [+4] Kyle Parco (IOWA)- @ Oregon State [+4] Kannon Webster (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Isaac Ruble (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+4] Gabe Willochell (WYO)- Vs Campbell [+3] 157: Conner Harer (RUT)- Princeton Open Rafael Hipolito (VT)- Southeast Open Caleb Dowling (WVU)- Southeast Open Zach Hanson (STAN) Vs CSU Bakersfield, Vs Utah Valley, Menlo Open Ethen Miller (MARY)- Vs Bucknell, Vs Kent State [+6] Garrett Thompson (OHIO)- @ Wisconsin [+5] Legend Lamer (CP)- Vs Indiana [+4] Vince Zerban (UNCO)- Vs Missouri [+4] Peyten Kellar (OHIO)- @ Wisconsin [+4] Joey Blaze (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+4] Jason Kraisser (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+3] Jacori Teemer (IOWA)- @ Oregon State [+3] 165: Bryce Hepner (OHST)- Clarion Open Gunner Filipowicz (ARMY)- Princeton Open Cesar Alvan (COL)- Princeton Open Peyton Hall (WVU)- Southeast Open Terrell Barraclough (UVU)- @ Stanford, Vs CSU Bakersfield, Menlo Open Mac Church (VT)- Vs Chattanooga, Southeast Open Noah Mulvaney (BUCK)- @ Maryland, Vs Kent State [+7] Braeden Scoles (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Stoney Buell (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+4] Connor Brady (VT)- Vs Chattanooga [+4] Cameron Steed (MIZZ)- @ Northern Colorado [+3] 174: Rocco Welsh (OHST)- Clarion Open Sammy Starr (NAVY)- Clarion Open Dalton Harkins (ARMY)- Princeton Open Jackson Turley (RUT)- Princeton Open Myles Takats (MARY)- Vs Bucknell, Vs Kent State [+6] Keegan O’Toole (MIZZ)- @ Northern Colorado [+5] Brody Baumann (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+5] Danny Braunagel (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Caleb Campos (AMER)- Vs Michigan State [+3] 184: Ryder Rogotzke (OHST)- Clarion Open Reece Heller (PITT)- Vs Navy, Clarion Open Nick Fine (COL)- Princeton Open Brian Soldano (RUT)- Princeton Open Gavin Kane (UNC)- Southeast Open Braxton Lewis (VMI)- Southeast Open Denis Robin (WVU)- Southeast Open Tye Monteiro (STAN) Vs CSU Bakersfield, Vs Utah Valley, Menlo Open Jaxon Smith (MARY)- Vs Bucknell, Vs Kent State [+9] Donnell Washington (IND)- @ Cal Baptist , @ Cal Poly [+7] James Rowley (PUR)- @ Gardner-Webb [+5] Edmond Ruth (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Colton Hawks (MIZZ)- @ Northern Colorado [+4] 197: Luke Geog (OHST)- Clarion Open Mac Stout (PITT)- Vs Navy, Clarion Open John Poznanski (RUT)- Princeton Open Sonny Sasso (VT)- Vs Chattanooga , Southeast Open AJ Ferrari (CSUB)- @ Stanford, Vs Utah Valley [+9] Gabe Sollars (IND)- @ Cal Baptist , @ Cal Poly [+9] Zac Braunagel (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Kael Wisler (MSU)- @ American [+4] Rocky Elam (MIZZ)- @ Northern Colorado [+4] Austin Starr (OHIO)- @ Wisconsin [+4] Andy Smith (VT)- Vs Chattanooga [+4] 285: Lucas Stoddard (ARMY)- Princeton Open Yaraslau Slavikouski (RUT)- Princeton Open Nick Feldman (OHST)- Clarion Open Jamier Ferere (NAVY)- Clarion Open Dayton Pitzer (PITT)- Vs Navy, Clarion Open Michael Wolfgram (WVU)- Southeast Open Jimmy Mullen (VT)- Vs Chattanooga , Southeast Open Seth Nevills (MARY)- Vs Bucknell, Vs Kent State [+6] Taye Ghadiali (CAMP)- @ Wyoming [+4] Luke Luffman (ILL)- @ SIU-Edwardsville [+4] Ben Keuter (IOWA)- @ Oregon State [+4] Seth Nitzel (MIZZ)- @ Northern Colorado [+4] See a name not listed? Have questions about lineups, add/drops, or trades? Contact us on Twitter and keep those notifications on for tournament entry updates!

I remember the first time I saw The Big Lebowski. My Dad and I rented it from a Hollywood Video and watched it on our own while my Mom was out of town. I don’t think I got it. I remember it was funny, but I remember being way more confused than I was laughing. I was maybe 13 at the time. Since then my sense of humor has become more developed, and I now regard this as one of my favorites and one of the funniest movies ever made. The timing, layering of the jokes, uniqueness of the characters, and plot. It’s one of one, and it’s funny every time. A couple of years ago I hit some storylines headed into the NCAA season by using Vision Quest quotes. This year I’m doing the same, but with the masterpiece that was at one point the vision of the Coen Brothers. Join me as we roll like tumbling tumbleweeds into some of the exciting things to look for in the NCAA 2024-2025 wrestling season. “It’s down there somewhere, let me take another look” - The Dude as he gets his head dunked in a toilet by a goon asking for the money. What a great way to start a movie and introduce us to an icon. With respect to this season though, this was a lot of us waiting for the wrestling schedules before they finally dropped. Finally, though, they are out and we can begin planning the excitement we are about to watch. I was picturing myself sitting on a couch with some snacks and a tasty beverage as I watch some of our favorite wrestlers go to work. Whether it’s Michigan and Minnesota, Ohio State against Iowa, or Penn State against Nebraska, we are ready to go! It’s set and we are ready to rock! “The rug really tied the room together” - The Dude, Walter, and Donnie at various points. Sadly the rug is gone, and so are some of the greats we had from last season. Vito Arujau, Aaron Brooks, Trent Hidlay, Daton Fix, David Carr, Shane Griffith, they’re gone. They really tied the room together, but now we have other options. It’ll be fine though, we have returning champions in Richie Figueroa, Greg Kerkvliet, Parker Keckeisen, Levi Haines, Caleb Henson, Jesse Mendez, and Carter Starocci going for his fifth NCAA title. Though the rug tied the room together, sometimes an old man tells you to take any room in the house, and you get a new rug. “Over the line!” - Walter regarding a lane violation in a league bowling game from Smokey. Sometimes people take things too far, like Walter did in this iconic scene. You know what’s over the line? When a program is threatened by the institution that they represent. In this instance, Campbell wrestling has been notified that they will cut their scholarships from 9 to 3 and that their athletes currently on scholarship will be pressured to not compete for the University beginning next season. In all instances of dealing with Campbell coaches and athletes, I’ve never had anything but a great experience. They represent the University and themselves with class, and even better, they win a lot also. It’s the most successful program that Campbell has, and yet it finds itself in trouble. The other reason this is scary is that this is likely just the first of many institutions trying to find ways to save money and cut scholarships and funds from sports like wrestling. “Smokey, this is not Nam, this is bowling. There are rules” - Walter continuing to explain the rules of bowling and the significance of the lane violation. The rule changes last season had a lot of people up in arms initially, but I feel that it’s been pretty fun. A nice piece from Richard Mann on InterMat shows that the scoring and attacks (in the small sample size at least) haven’t been all that different. The main thing for me though is that the matches are far from over with a lead of a couple points. The simple fact that scoring in neutral means more emphasizes the gas tank. When wrestlers run out of steam, it changes the complexion of the match. Pair that with the additional nearfall points and no lead is safe. It might not change the approach of the athletes as much from a match-to-match standpoint, but I love the idea that no lead is safe. Sometimes rules are important, and the changes made last season are an improvement. “Yeah, well you know, that’s just like your opinion man.” - The Dude responding to Jesus Quintana’s assertion that they will beat them in bowling. We at InterMat have 10 guys currently ranked number 1 in their respective weight classes. Other outlets have their lists as well. For the rest of the field, get pissed off. Rankings are fun and certainly serve a purpose, but they can also be a powerful tool for motivation. I have always been motivated in part by spite, and I would love to see some of the guys coming in doing the same. We have two defending national champions who are coming into the season without number 1 rankings (3 if you include Levi Haines bumping up two weight classes), and I like to think that they are even more motivated to go get to work every day as a result. I often attribute the qualities that I possess to the wrestlers that I watch, and for that reason, I’m excited to see what guys like Jesse Mendez and Parker Keckeisen will do to improve on their already stellar careers despite where they see themselves in the rankings in October. “You’re not wrong Walter, you’re just an asshole” - The Dude succinctly clarifying Walter's general demeanor to Walter. This requires a disclaimer. Walter is a beloved and important character. Also, I’m not directly or indirectly calling anyone names. It’s simply a reference to a great movie line about a great movie character. What makes Walter great? He watches his ex-wife’s dog while she and her new husband go on vacation. Also, John Goodman’s portrayal of him is hilarious and legendary. Do you know what else is hilarious? Some of the trash talk we’ve seen between wrestlers this season. For the most part, some of the posts we’ve seen have been in good taste. I also believe that they’re done with a sense of flair and panache. This is an important distinction, because social media trash talk can get out of hand. In the cases we’ve seen thus far, it appears to be in favor of promoting the sport and upcoming matches rather than much else. I like that. Keep it up! “You’re lucky they left the tape deck though, and the Creedence” - Cop as he gets the Dude back his car from the impound after they recover it from the car thieves. We, as wrestling fans, are very lucky. Perspective is key as well. I found myself just the other day reminiscing about what Midlands used to be. I was quickly reminded that more tournaments are not always a bad thing. Do we always get to see the same big matches that we were used to, actually yes we do. It’s not always in the same place, but most great teams seek out great competition, and it’s just in another location. Also, we can watch just about any dual that’s taking place from the comfort of our homes. I can’t always make it to Mount Pleasant to watch my beloved Chippewas, but I can go on ESPN+ and watch most of their duals. Sometimes your car gets stolen while you’re bowling, but sometimes they don’t take the Creedence. “Is this your homework Larry?” - Walter confronts the suspected car thief with his homework to prove that he stole the Dude’s car. Rhetorical questions are defined as questions asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer. As we got closer to the season, I found a lot of the questions around Penn State have been around who will be starting, redshirting, etc… Now that we are on the verge of the season starting, I’m realizing that it’s exactly what we thought it was going to look like. What will always happen with this program is that they will start their top guys, and very infrequently do we see some of their top recruits transfer out, even if they are on the bench. They do such a crazy good job of getting long-term buy-in from their guys, that we routinely see guys stick it out in the hopes of getting their shot back in the lineup. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last time. “I’m sorry I wasn’t listening” - The Dude replies to the chief of police of Malibu after being berated for being a ‘jerk off’. Haters are going to hate. Especially on wrestling forums. Whether it’s towards coaching staffs, specific wrestlers, officiating, or schedules, people love to hate on things. But it’s hard to take offense if you aren’t listening. I’m not advocating for people being completely unaware of themselves or the situations that they’ve put themselves in, and fans of programs are going to be justifiably upset when someone transfers away for whatever reasoning that they had. All that being said, not reading the forums and focusing on what’s in front of you is generally the best way to move past this. The landscape of college sports is different now than it’s ever been, and we have to get used to it to a certain degree. For the athletes, it’s important for them to remember why they made the decisions they make, and to remain focused on their goals. Achieving them is going to be more important than a forum post blasting their motivations. “Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you” - The Stranger (Sam Elliot) to The Dude. Pressure is a privilege. This is a phrase that we hear all the time in wrestling. I tend to agree, and it’s clear that theoretically having that approach and mindset is more optimal than shying away from the big moments. The reality though, is that sometimes pressure is a lot to deal with and can get the best of even the most prepared wrestlers and athletes. Being excited to wrestle for the first time at Carver-Hawkeye Arena is one thing, but then experiencing it can be a completely different thing. It’ll be interesting this season to see how some of the true freshman competitors will rise to the occasion. Teams with young lineups, especially in the B1G, could look great or they could be eaten alive. This is the time of year when everyone is optimistic about what could be, but sometimes the bar eats you. Alive. “The Dude abides” - The Dude replying to Sam Elliot’s character, The Stranger, as he walks back to bowling. A fantastic way for a journey like The Dude’s to end was his parting words. We’ve been through so much with him to this point and watched him rise to the occasion repeatedly, in the face of tremendous adversity. We’ll see at the end of this season which of our favorite wrestlers “abide” in that sense. In the meantime, we just need to enjoy the ride. Like the Big Lebowski, there will be turmoil and a series of ups and downs to enjoy throughout this season. Our job as fans will be to appreciate the journey and embrace the chaos. One week your favorite team could look like world beaters, and the next week be completely embarrassed. Your favorite wrestler could be dealing with injuries throughout the season, only to show up in March and surprise and impress everyone in his path. The season, and the sport, abides. They always have. Be patient, be present, and enjoy the ride. Hope to see you all in March. The Dude abides.

With the collegiate wrestling season ready to kick off fans are once again excited to fill up the iconic arenas throughout the country such as Carver Hawkeye Arena, Hilton Coliseum, Rec Hall, or Gallagher-Iba Arena. However, it is becoming more and more common for high-level duals and other competitions to take place in other non-traditional venues. Could it be possible that these events outside of traditional campuses allow matches to air on more and more streaming services? The answer is likely yes. It also can create a different environment and hopefully stir up interest around the competition. Whatever the reason, it has led to matches taking place in some interesting spots. In the end, you only really need to roll out a mat and set up a scoring table for a collegiate wrestling match. The following looks at some of the unique venues that will host NCAA Division I wrestling this season. October 31st – The “Dual at the Daddy” Wyoming vs. Campbell Campbell has been at the forefront of avant-garde venues in the collegiate wrestling world. During the 2022-2023 season, the Fighting Camels wrestled Michigan and North Carolina in an airplane hangar at the military base formerly known as Fort Bragg. At one point it rained, and a match had to be delayed while they repositioned an aircraft and closed the hangar doors. Last year, they faced off against Wyoming in the aptly named “Battle in the Barn,” which, you guessed it, took place in a barn. Of course, it was a very nice barn at the Deerwood Ranch in Laramie, Wyoming. Per the website, the wedding venue features “rehearsal, ceremony and reception spaces” as well as a “bridal suite that features a queen bed, full bathroom and plenty of space to get ready!” Campbell and Wyoming are back at it this year with the “Dual at the Daddy.” I initially envisioned a match hosted by Alex Cooper of “Call Her Daddy” podcast fame, but apparently, this is not the case. The daddy in question here is, per the press release, “Frontier Park, the home of Cheyenne Frontier Days, the Daddy of 'em All.” For the uninitiated, the Cheyenne Frontier Days is the “World’s Largest Outdoor Rodeo and Western Celebration” and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2008. An outdoor rodeo sounds like a pretty awesome venue for a wrestling match. The event will air live on UFC Fight Pass. Speaking of UFC, I wonder if the MMA/rodeo reporter who wanted Dana White to help brand her will be in attendance. November 1st - Chattanooga vs. Virginia Tech at Roanoke College The Southeast Open has become one of the premier events of the opening weekend of the collegiate season. A few years ago, it moved to the campus of Roanoke College - which is about 40 miles away from Virginia Tech’s Blacksburg campus. Since most of the Hokies will be in town for the open, they figured you may as well have a dual, too. Roanoke is a DIII program that is led by former Virginia Tech assistant coach Nate Yetzer. November 8th – Throwdown on the Yorktown (Army West Point, Gardner-Webb, The Citadel, Virginia) The USS Yorktown is an aircraft carrier that was built during World War II for the U.S. Navy. The ship participated in several campaigns during the war and served as the recovery ship for the Apollo 8 space mission. Despite the long service, the ship was parked in Charleston in 1975 and eventually declared a National Historic Landmark in 1986. In a few weeks, the carrier will host eight collegiate teams for six duals: The Citadel vs Army, The Citadel vs Virginia, Gardner-Webb vs Army, Gardner-Webb vs Virginia, Lander v Newberry, Presbyterian vs Campbellsville (women’s match). However, this will not be the first attempt to host a collegiate sporting event on the Yorktown. In 2012 Marquette was scheduled to face off against Ohio State in a basketball game. The massive ship managed to hold over 8,000 spectators, but the game was ultimately canceled due to slippery conditions Hopefully, something can be done to keep the mats dry. Wrestlers are, by nature, resilient folk, but competing on a slick surface is exceedingly difficult. Perhaps Jordan Burroughs could provide the athletes with some pointers considering he pulled out a victory over rival Frank Chamizo on a slippery Manhattan pier at the 2018 Beat the Streets event. November 15th - Campbell vs. Nebraska at Jim Perry Stadium Campbell appears on the list again as the Camels will host Nebraska in a dual that takes place on their baseball field. This is something we’ve seen from Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech in recent years. Aside from wrestling, baseball is one of the most successful programs at Campbell and current major leaguers Zach Neto and Cedric Mullins both starred on the diamond for the Camels. November 16th – American vs. Maryland at Bullis School The annual DMV battle between American and Maryland will take place this year at The Bullis School, a private K-12 school in Potomac, Maryland (DMV stands for DC, Maryland, and Virginia, but it has been mislabelled as Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia by Bill Walton and Clay Sauertieg). Here are some interesting facts about Bullis. First, it was the high school home of Cadet world champion Meyer Shapiro before he transferred to Wyoming Seminary. It is the current school of Olympic gold medalist sprinter Quincy Wilson. I once wrestled so poorly at Bullis summer camp that a coach told me “Stalling is no way to go through life.” November 17th – Jersey Jostle (Long Island, NC State, Princeton Rutgers) at RWJBarnabas Health Arena InterMat’s Friday columnist Jagger and I absolutely love to come up with alliterative names for wrestling events. We often spend hours simply throwing out names like “Rumble at the Roulette Table,” “Combat in the Cab Line” or “Brawl at the Breakfast Buffet,” but I am not sure even we could come up with the name Jersey Jostle. Speaking of names, RWJBarnabas Health Arena is actually the fourth name of the nearly 3500-seat venue in Toms River, New Jersey. It was originally called the Ritacco Center after then-superintendent of Toms River Regional Schools Michael Ritacco. However, it was changed to the Poland Spring Arena after Ritacco got caught up in a bribery scandal and was arrested by the FBI in 2010. November 16th – Missouri vs. Northern Iowa at Arrowhead High School Arrowhead is one of the top high school wrestling programs in the state of Wisconsin. Per the school district website, the “Warhawks have claimed numerous individual and team conference titles throughout the years. At the state level, Warhawk wrestlers have boasted countless state qualifiers with many claiming medals, 31 state finalists, and 21 Individual state champions.” It is also the alma mater of Missouri’s two-time NCAA champion Keegan O’Toole, who will be having a homecoming of sorts later this month. Thanks to the Ben Askren pipeline, Missouri has had a lot of success recruiting from Arrowhead. Northern Iowa’s national champion Parker Keckeisen is also an Askren product and will also have his own set of fans. November 22nd - Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech at Moss Arts Center The Moss Arts Center dual is one of those that started this trend of wrestling in unique environments. The duals in this venue take place on a stage and feature acoustics and lighting options that typically aren’t available in typical wrestling gyms. Virginia Tech tends to have at least one dual per season in the Moss Arts Center. A dual in this environment is fun regardless, but having an opponent of Rutgers’ caliber makes it even better. December 15th – Cal Baptist vs. West Virginia at Oak Glen High School O’Toole won’t be the only current wrestler returning to their high school for a collegiate dual. West Virginia’s Peyton Hall, a two-time All-American, will also get that opportunity as the Mountaineers will wrestler Cal Baptist at Oak Glen High School. The West Virginia school, which sits about 40 miles west of Pittsburgh, has an enrollment of less than 600 students, and Hall is likely one of the most famous alumni. However, there is another grappler from Oak Glen who might be more well-known to the masses. Current WWE professional wrestler Joaquin Wilde also spent his high school days at the school before moving on to West Virginia for college. December 20th and 21st – Journeymen Collegiate Duals (Iowa State, Lock Haven, North Carolina, Ohio State, Binghamton, Little Rock, Missouri, Penn State) at the Ensworth Frist Campus For the last few years, the Journeymen Collegiate Duals was one of the top regular season events, and this year looks to be no different. I was actually all set to attend last year in New Orleans before realizing I bought flights and booked a hotel room for the wrong weekend. This year; the event heads to Nashville and will take place on the Frist Campus of The Ensworth School. While the school was originally only kindergarten to eighth grade, it expanded to a high school in 2004. The addition of the new grades resulted in the construction of the new Frist Campus. Since the school is in Nashville, it would be safe to assume it is named after Frist family, which includes former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist who represented Tennessee in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2007. While in Washington, Frist had a son who wrestled on the high school level and even faced off against my high school teammate in the DC-is-not-actually-a-state state tournament. January 10th and 11th – Virginia Duals (Bucknell, Iowa State and Rider) at the Hampton Coliseum This year will be the 44th annual edition of the Virginia Duals. It might not have very much high-level Division I star power, but there will still be the smaller college division and the multiple high school divisions. The Hampton Coliseum might not be the most up-to-date arena, but it is very rich with history. Dusty Rhodes wrestled 12 times in the venue and even successfully defended the NWA world heavyweight title over Roddy Piper in 1981. Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, and Grateful Dead all recorded live albums in the venue. (InterMat site editor Earl Smith took his now-wife, then-girlfriend to a Nickelback concert at the Coliseum). The Hampton Coliseum will always be special to me since I actually competed in the Virginia Duals when I was in college. Of course, when I say competed, I mean, I did my best to run the riding time clock while my team pulled out a 22-15 dual victory over the Apprentice trade school in the seventh-place match of the eight-team American College Division.

Green Farms Academy

Melissa

West Aurora