InterMat Staff

Men's freestyle 57 kilos: 1st: Sam Hazewinkel tech. fall Andrew Hochstrasser, 11-0 3rd: Danny Mitcheff dec. Tyler Graff, 7-4 5th: Zach Sanders dec. Ryan Mango, 6-2 7th: Mark McKnight dec. Josh Heinzer, 15-12 61 kilos: 1st: Jimmy Kennedy dec. Coleman Scott, 7-2 3rd: B.J. Futrell tech. fall Matt McDonough, 10-0 5th: Joe Colon tech. fall Conor Beebe, 19-8 7th: Brandon Precin dec. Kyle Jahn, 9-3 65 kilos: 1st: Brent Metcalf dec. Kellen Russell, 9-0 3rd: Logan Stieber dec. Frank Molinaro, 4-2 5th: Reece Humphrey forfeit over Jordan Oliver 7th: Nick Dardanes dec. Jason Chamberlain, 2-1 70 kilos: 1st: Nick Marable dec. Moza Fay, 5-1 3rd: Kyle Ruschell dec. Kevin LeValley, 6-4 5th: James Green injury default over Jason Welch 7th: Adam Hall dec. Hunter Stieber, 10-3 74 kilos: 1st: Jordan Burroughs dec. David Taylor, 7-6 3rd: Tyler Caldwell dec. Quinton Godley, 3-1 5th: Taylor Massa dec. Thomas Gantt, 9-6 7th: Jesse Stafford tech. fall Connor Keating, 13-3 86 kilos: 1st: Keith Gavin dec. Clayton Foster, 7-4 3rd: Ed Ruth dec. Jon Reader, 12-11 5th: Robert Hamlin injury default over Phillip Keddy 7th: Quentin Wright by forfeit over Raymond Jordan. 97 kilos: 1st: Jake Varner dec. Wynn Michalak, 4-0 3rd: J.D. Bergman tech. fall Deron Winn, 10-0 5th: Micah Burak dec. David Zabriskie, 7-1 7th: Cam Simaz, tech. fall Evan Brown, 10-0 125 kilos: 1st: Tervel Dlagnev tech. fall Dom Bradley,10-0 3rd: Tyrell Fortune dec. Zack Rey, 4-1 5th: Jarod Trice dec. Matthew Meuleners, 6-3 7th: Justin Grant dec. Kyle Massey, 5-1 Greco-Roman 59 kilos: 1st: Spenser Mango dec. Joseph Betterman, 1-1 3rd: Jermaine Hodge dec. Max Nowry, 6-0 5th: Nikko Triggas tech. fall Nathan Engel, 10-2 7th: Dmitry Ryabchinskiy dec. Julian Gunnels, 10-5 66 kilos: 1st: RaVaughn Perkins pinned Ellis Coleman, 4:30 3rd: Bryce Saddoris dec. Jamel Johnson, 5-0 5th: Brian Graham dec. Marco Lara, 12-10 7th: Nick Alvarez dec. Thrasher Porcher, 10-5 71 kilos: 1st: Justin Lester tech. fall Pat Smith, 12-3 3rd: Bo Beckman dec. Santiago Martinez, 4-1 5th: Dillon Cowan dec. Anthonie Linares, 17-16 7th: Christopher Gonzalez dec. Robby Neill, 4-0 75 kilos: 1st: Andrew Bisek dec. John Anderson, 3-1 3rd: Geordan Speiller dec. Jake Fisher, 5-4 5th: John Stefanowicz injury default over Dylan Reel 7th: Alec Ortiz dec. Matthew Gray, 11-8 80 kilos: 1st: Kendrick Sanders dec. Aaron Sieracki, 2-1 3rd: Terrence Zaleski dec. Tarrence Williams, 13-9 5th: Jake Waste dec. Josh Greer, 9-2 7th: Joseph Uccellini pinned Patrick Martinez, 2:16 85 kilos: 1st: Jordan Holm tech. fall Zac Nielsen, 8-0 3rd: Peter Hicks dec. Mark Stenberg, 1-0 5th: Easton Hargrave dec. Courtney Myers, 10-5 7th: Lee Wildes by forfeit over Eugene Komissarov 98 kilos: 1st: Caylor Williams dec. John Wechter, 2-0 3rd: Daren Burns pinned Marcus Finau, 1:12 5th: Pete Gounaridis tech. fall Patrick Carey, 9-0 7th: Tyler Lehmann tech. fall Roy Nash, 8-0 130 kilos: 1st: Robby Smith tech. fall Toby Erickson, 8-0 3rd: Erik Nye pinned Nikola Bogojevic, 2:38 5th: Sam Stoll by injury default over O'Kala Makaiau 7th: Jake Kettler dec. Parker Betts, 5-3 Women's freestyle 48 kilos: 1st: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Victoria Anthony, 10-0 3rd: Clarissa Chun tech. fall Erin Golston, 12-2 5th: Emily Webster dec. Cody Pfau, 14-12 7th: Amy Hou pinned Vanessa Smith, 2:19 53 kilos: 1st: Whitney Conder dec. Katherine Fulp-Allen, 2-0 3rd: Jessica Medina dec. Carlene Sluberski, 2-1 5th: Amy Fearnside pinned Laura Anderson, 3:24 7th: Sarah Allen pinned Madison Tung, 1:33 55 kilos: 1st: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Sarah Hildebrandt, 11-0 3rd: Jacarra Winchester dec. Hanna Grisewood, 6-0 5th: Rachel Archer dec. Cassidy Jasperson, 9-1 7th: Cara Romeike tech. fall Vanessa Gonzalez, 10-0 58 kilos: 1st: Alli Ragan pinned Trinity Griffin, 2:21 3rd: Michaela Hutchison dec. Othella Feroleto, 6-3 5th: Sally Roberts dec. Kayla Miracle, 4-2 7th: Melissa Apodaca tech. fall Areana Villaescusa, 11-0 60 kilos: 1st: Jennifer Page pinned Jenna Burkert, 1:53 3rd: Brieana Delgado dec. Shauna Isbell, 8-2 5th: Kristin Yamasaki dec. Beatrize Martinez, 9-3 63 kilos: 1st: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Erin Clodgo, 3-0 3rd: Leigh Jaynes tech. fall Olivia Seppinnedni, 12-1 5th: Shai Mason by forfeit over Amanda Hendey 7th: Deanna Betterman tech. fall,14-1 69 kilos: 1st: Randi Miller dec. Veronica Carlson, 3-1 3rd: Tamyra Mensah tech. fall Brittany David, 12-1 5th: Demi Strub dec. Amy Spafford, 14-9 7th: DeAngela Castex, by forfeit over Angelica Hernandez 75 kilos: 1st: Jackie Cataline pinned Iris Smith, 2:54 3rd: Julia Salata tech. fall Mary Westman, 10-0 5th: Lorrie Ramos pinned Kiaya Van Scoyoc, 5:57 7th: Anastasia Lobsinger dec. Heather O'Connor, 8-2

Related: Brackets | Placers | Champion Interviews LAS VEGAS -- USA Wrestling saved the best for last on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Jordan Burroughs after defeating David Taylor in the finals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)In the final match of the U.S. Open, Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs found himself in a 6-3 hole late in his finals match against David Taylor at 74 kilos. But the 25-year-old Burroughs dug deep, picking up two takedowns in the final 30 seconds, including the go-ahead takedown with 17 seconds remaining on the clock, to win 7-6 in dramatic fashion. He was named Outstanding Wrestler of the men's freestyle competition. Burroughs, a three-time World level champion, has a bye to the best-of-three finals of the U.S. World Team Trials. He will face the winner of the challenge tournament at 74 kilos, which is expected to include Taylor and potentially Kyle Dake and Andrew Howe. Another 2012 Olympic champion, Jake Varner, came through to win a U.S. Open title on Saturday night at 97 kilos. Varner, who did not compete in 2013, controlled Wynn Michalak from the opening whistle and won 4-0 in match that was never in doubt. Of the eight champions crowned in the men's freestyle competition on Saturday night, only Burroughs and Keith Gavin (86 kilos) were U.S. Open champions a year ago. Gavin, a U.S. World Team member last year, came in as the top seed and topped a red-hot Clayton Foster in the finals at 86 kilos, 7-4. Foster, a World Cup champion, started quickly, scoring two takedowns in the opening period to lead 4-0. But it was all Gavin the rest of the way as he scored seven unanswered points. Returning U.S. World Team members Brent Metcalf (65 kilos) and Tevel Dlagnev (125 kilos) claimed titles on Saturday night to put them in a strong position to get back on the U.S. World Team this year. Both beat returning U.S. Open champions. Metcalf came through arguably the deepest weight class in the men's freestyle competition, 65 kilos, which included past U.S. World Team members and Junior World medalists. Metcalf dominated Kellen Russell in the finals, 9-0, to win his first U.S. Open crown. The former University of Iowa wrestler led 1-0 after the opening period, but broke it wide open in the second period by scoring a variety of different ways. It was a rematch from last year's U.S. World Team Trials championship at 66 kilos, also won by Metcalf. Dlagnev, a four-time World or Olympic team member, earned a 10-0 technical fall victory over past Junior World champion Dom Bradley in the finals at 125 kilos. Dlagnev scored quickly with a low level attack, and then immediately followed up the takedown with a series of tilts to finish the match in the first period. Jimmy Kennedy (61 kilos) and Nick Marable (70), both ranked in the top 10 in the world, claimed their first U.S. Open titles. Kennedy, who trains at the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club in Ann Arbor, Mich., defeated 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott, 7-2, in the finals at 61 kilos. The match was tied 2-2 at the end of the first period, but Kennedy pulled away in the second period, scoring two takedowns to secure the victory. It was Kennedy's first win ever over Scott. Marable, who is best known in international wrestling for being the wrestler who snapped the 69-match win streak of Jordan Burroughs, grinded out a 5-1 victory over Moza Fay in the finals at 70 kilos. Sam Hazewinkel won his second U.S. Open title at 55 kilos, coming through as the No. 4 seed, which was the lowest seeded of any of the eight freestyle champions. He blanked Andrew Hochstrasser, 11-0, in the finals. The Titan Mercury Wrestling Club finished with the team championship in the men's freestyle competition. Spenser Mango defeated longtime teammate Joe Betterman (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)In the Greco-Roman competition, six of the eight titlists on Saturday night were U.S. World Team members last year. Those wrestlers include Spenser Mango (55 kilos), Justin Lester (71 kilos), Andy Bisek (74 kilos), Jordan Holm (86 kilos), Caylor Williams (98 kilos), and Robby Smith (130 kilos). Mango won his sixth U.S. Open title, edging four-time U.S. Open champion and U.S. Army teammate Joe Betterman in the finals on criteria. The match ended 1-1, but Mango won by scoring last. Betterman had beaten Mango in a previous meeting earlier this year at the Dave Schultz Memorial. Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, captured his fifth U.S. Open title with a dominating 12-3 victory in the finals at 71 kilos over Pat Smith of the Minnesota Storm. Smith, a past University Nationals champion, scored with a takedown and pushout to lead 3-0 early. But Lester dominated the rest of the way, scoring with a series of takedowns and throws to run away with the victory. Bisek, a two-time U.S. World Team member, won a low-scoring battle over Jon Anderson of the U.S. Army, 3-1, in the finals at 74 kilos. Bisek was pushed in multiple matches throughout the tournament, but was able to find ways to win and come through as the No. 1 seed. Holm won his third U.S. Open title by blanking Minnesota Storm teammate Zac Nielsen, 8-0, in the finals at 85 kilos. He finished the competition with two shutout victories and a fall. Williams and Smith both won their first U.S. Open titles. Williams topped John Wechter, 2-0, in the finals at 98 kilos. Smith rolled to a 12-0 shutout victory over Toby Erickson in the finals at 130 kilos. Perhaps the biggest surprise in the Greco-Roman competition came at 66 kilos, where RaVaughn Perkins earned a fall over 2012 Olympian Ellis Coleman. Perkins trailed 4-1 in the second period before using a body lock to put Coleman on his back and earn the fall. Perkins earned Outstanding Wrestler honors in the Greco-Roman competition. Rising star Kendrick Sanders broke through to win his first U.S. Open title, beating Greco-Roman veteran Aaron Sieracki, 2-1, in the finals at 80 kilos. Last year Sanders was a runner-up at the U.S. Open and finished third at the U.S. World Team Trials. The team titles in Greco-Roman went to the U.S. Army in Division I and the Minnesota Storm in Division II. Alyssa Lampe proved to be too much for Victoria Anthony (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)World medalists Alyssa Lampe, Helen Maroulis, and Elena Pirozhkova were among the eight champions crowned in the women's freestyle competition on Saturday night. Lampe, who is currently ranked No. 1 in the world, proved to be too much for two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony in the finals at 48 kilos. Lampe, a two-time returning World bronze medalist, earned a 10-0 technical fall victory over Anthony, who advanced to the finals by defeating Clarissa Chun, an Olympic bronze medalist and World champion. Maroulis, a World silver medalist, also won by technical fall in the finals without surrendering a point. Her finals victory came over WCWA national champion Sarah Hildebrandt, 11-0. She was named Outstanding Wrestler in the women's freestyle competition. Pirozhkova, a World champion and 2012 Olympian, shut out Erin Clodgo, 3-0, in the finals at 63 kilos. It was Pirozhkova's sixth U.S. Open title. Randi Miller claimed her first U.S. Open title since 2008 with a 3-1 victory in the finals over 2013 World Team member Veronica Carlson at 69 kilos. Miller was an Olympic bronze medalist in 2008, but stepped away from the sport for five years and competed in MMA. Jennifer Page (60 kilos) and Jackie Cataline (75 kilos) both became first-time U.S. Open champions with falls in the finals, and both were dominant throughout the two-day competition. Page, competing at 60 kilos, won her first match by technical fall, and then followed it up with 5-0 shutout in the semifinals, before earning a fall over Jenna Burkert in the finals. Cataline had two technical fall shutout victories en route to reaching the finals at 75 kilos. In the finals she pinned Iris Smith, a past World champion and five-time U.S. Open champion, with a half nelson. Whitney Conder (53 kilos) and Alli Ragan (58 kilos) both won their second U.S. Open titles. Conder edged Katherine Fulp-Allen, 2-0, in the finals at 53 kilos. Ragan, a returning World Team member, won by fall in the first period over Trinity Griffin in the championship match at 58 kilos. Team championships in the women's freestyle competition went to the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club in Division I and the Sunkist Kids in Division II. The top seven finishers in the Olympic weight classes qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials. This year's Trials for men's freestyle and women's freestyle take place May 31-June 1 in Madison, Wis. The Trials for Greco-Roman are set for June 12-13 in Daytona Beach, Fla. Finals Results Men's freestyle: 57 kilos: Sam Hazewinkel tech. fall Andrew Hochstrasser, 11-0 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy dec. Coleman Scott, 7-2 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf dec. Kellen Russell, 9-0 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Moza Fay, 5-1 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs dec. David Taylor, 7-6 86 kilos: Keith Gavin dec. Clayton Foster, 7-4 97 kilos: Jake Varner dec. Wynn Michalak, 4-0 125 kilos: Tevel Dlagnev tech. fall Dom Bradley, 10-0 Greco-Roman: 59 kilos: Spenser Mango dec. Joe Betterman, 1-1 66 kilos: RaVaughn Perkins pinned Ellis Coleman, 4:30 71 kilos: Justin Lester tech. fall Pat Smith, 12-3 75 kilos: Andy Bisek dec. John Anderson, 3-1 80 kilos: Kendrick Sanders dec. Aaron Sieracki, 2-1 85 kilos: Jordan Holm tech. fall Zac Nielsen, 8-0 98 kilos: Caylor Williams dec. John Wechter, 2-0 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Toby Erickson, 8-0 Women's freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Victoria Anthony, 10-0 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Katherine Fulp-Allen, 2-0 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Sarah Hildebrandt, 11-0 58 kilos: Alli Ragan pinned Trinity Griffin, 2:21 60 kilos: Jennifer Page pinned Jenna Burkert, 1:53 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Erin Clodgo, 3-0 69 kilos: Randi Miller dec. Veronica Carlson, 3-1 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline pinned Iris Smith, 2:54

LAS VEGAS -- Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs came from behind to defeat David Taylor, 7-6, at 74 kilos, in the final match, and main event, of the U.S. Open on Saturday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Twenty-four U.S. Open champions were crowned across three styles of wrestling. Check back later for a recap of the finals. Men's freestyle: 57 kilos: Sam Hazewinkel tech. fall Andrew Hochstrasser, 11-0 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy dec. Coleman Scott, 7-2 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf dec. Kellen Russell, 9-0 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. Moza Fay, 5-1 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs dec. David Taylor, 7-6 86 kilos: Keith Gavin dec. Clayton Foster, 7-4 97 kilos: Jake Varner dec. Wynn Michalak, 4-0 125 kilos: Tevel Dlagnev tech. fall Dom Bradley, 10-0 Greco-Roman: 59 kilos: Spenser Mango dec. Joe Betterman, 1-1 66 kilos: RaVaughn Perkins pinned Ellis Coleman, 4:30 71 kilos: Justin Lester tech. fall Pat Smith, 12-3 75 kilos: Andy Bisek dec. John Anderson, 3-1 80 kilos: Kendrick Sanders dec. Aaron Sieracki, 2-1 85 kilos: Jordan Holm tech. fall Zac Nielsen, 8-0 98 kilos: Caylor Williams dec. John Wechter, 2-0 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Toby Erickson, 8-0 Women's freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Victoria Anthony, 10-0 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Katherine Fulp-Allen, 2-0 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Sarah Hildebrandt, 11-0 58 kilos: Alli Ragan pinned Trinity Griffin, 2:21 60 kilos: Jennifer Page pinned Jenna Burkert, 1:53 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova dec. Erin Clodgo, 3-0 69 kilos: Randi Miller dec. Veronica Carlson, 3-1 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline pinned Iris Smith, 2:54

Mat 1 53 kilos: Whitney Conder dec. Katherine Fulp-Allen, 2-0 58 kilos: Alli Ragan pinned Trinity Griffin 69 kilos: Randi Miller dec. Veronica Carlson, 3-1 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Victoria Anthony, 10-0 66 kilos: RaVaughn Perkins pinned Ellis Coleman 57 kilos: Sam Hazewinkel tech. fall Andrew Hochstrasser, 11-0 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Sarah Hildebrandt, 11-0 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy vs. Coleman Scott 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf vs. Kellen Russell 125 kilos: Tevel Dlagnev vs. Dom Bradley 70 kilos: Nick Marable vs. Moza Fay 86 kilos: Keith Gavin vs. Clayton Foster 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova vs. Erin Clodgo 71 kilos: Justin Lester vs. Pat Smith 97 kilos: Jake Varner vs. Wynn Michalak 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor Mat 2 59 kilos: Spenser Mango dec. Joe Betterman, 1-1 75 kilos: Andy Bisek dec. John Anderson, 3-1 85 kilos: Jordan Holm tech. fall Zac Nielsen, 8-0 60 kilos: Jennifer Page pinned Jenna Burkert 80 kilos: Kendrick Sanders dec. Aaron Sieracki, 2-1 98 kilos: Caylor Williams dec. John Wechter, 2-0 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline pinned Iris Smith 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Toby Erickson, 8-0

LAS VEGAS -- Three past Cadet or Junior World champions now stand one best-of-three series away from getting another chance to compete for a World title. Aaron Pico blanked Zain Retherford in the finals, 7-0 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Returning World champions Aaron Pico and Kyle Snyder, along with past Cadet World champion Adam Coon, claimed titles in the FILA Junior National freestyle competition on Saturday afternoon in Las Vegas. Pico, a high school sophomore and full-time freestyle wrestler, was unscored upon throughout the competition, racking up 61 points against his six opponents. He had five technical falls leading up to the finals. In the finals he won 7-0 over Zain Retherford in a battle of Cadet World champions. Pico won a Cadet World title last year, while Retherford won his World gold in 2012. Pico used three first-period takedowns to race out to 6-0 lead after the first period against Retherford, and then added a pushout in the second period. Snyder, a 2013 Junior World champion, registered five technical falls in five matches to win the title at 96 kilos. His finals victory came over Old Dominion wrestler Kevin Beazley, 10-0. Snyder has signed with Ohio State. Coon claimed the title at 120 kilos two days after winning the FILA Junior Greco-Roman competition. Like Snyder, Coon won each of his five matches by technical fall. In the finals he blanked OTC resident athlete Garrett Ryan, 11-0. Anthony Valencia edged Isaiah Martinez in the finals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The wildest and most controversial finals match took at place at 74 kilos between two California wrestlers, Anthony Valencia and Isaiah Martinez. Valencia, a high school junior at St. John Bosco, found his offense early and jumped out to an 8-1 lead. Martinez, a freshman at the University of Illinois, battled back and found himself down 10-6 in the final 30 seconds of the match. Martinez then took down Valencia and transitioned to a turn for a four-point move to knot the score at 10-10 with 16 seconds remaining. Valencia had the lead based on criteria, which in this case was number of two-point moves. Neither wrestled scored in the final 16 seconds and Valencia took the 10-10 victory on criteria. InterMat All-American Joey McKenna, a Stanford signee, won his first FILA Junior National title at 63 kilos after finishing fourth in the same weight class a year ago. He finished the competition with four technical fall victories and a 44-second pin in the semifinals. His finals victory came over University of Iowa wrestler Topher Carton, 10-0. Ohio State wrestler Nathan Tomasello made his first Junior World team at 55 kilos after finishing runner-up at both the FILA Junior Nationals and FILA Junior World Team Trials last year. Tomasello was untested up to the finals where he met InterMat All-American Stevan Micic, a Cadet World Team member last year. Micic, a Northwestern signee, scored the first point of the match on Tomasello with a pushout to go up 1-0. But Tomasello responded with a late first-period takedown and another takedown early in the second period to go up 4-1. Micic was able to cut the deficit to 4-3 after countering a Tomasello gut wrench attempt. However, Tomasello would eventually pull away with two late takedown for a five-point victory. Logan Massa, one of the nation's top wrestlers in the Class of 2015, crushed Junior National freestyle champion Ryan Blees, 10-0, in the finals at 70 kilos. Illinois natives Kirk Johansen, Zane Richards, and Ricky Robertson won titles. Johansen won by technical fall, 13-2, over Michael Beck in the finals at 50 kilos, scoring with a fireman's carry twice, and finishing the match with a bow-and-arrow turn. Richards, an NCAA qualifier this past season at the University of Illinois, rolled to a 12-0 technical fall victory in the finals at 60 kilos over Blair Academy wrestler Matthew Kolodzik. Robertson, who attends the University of Wisconsin, earned an 11-8 victory in the in the finals at 84 kilos over T.J. Dudley, an NCAA qualifier at the University of Nebraska. Pete Renda, an NCAA qualifier this past season at North Carolina State, captured the title at 79 kilos with a 13-2 technical fall victory in the finals over Army wrestler Brian Harvey. Renda won each of his matches throughout the tournament by technical fall. The champions earned the No. 1 position for the 2014 U.S. Junior World Team Trials, which take place on May 30 in Madison, Wis. That event will determine which wrestlers represent the United States at the 2014 FILA Junior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, Aug. 5-10 Finals Results: 50 kilos: Kirk Johansen dec. Michael Beck, 13-2 55 kilos: Nathan Tomasello dec. Stevan Micic, 10-5 60 kilos: Zane Richards tech. fall Matthew Kolodzik, 12-0 63 kilos: Joey McKenna tech. fall Topher Carton, 10-0 66 kilos: Aaron Pico dec. Zain Retherford, 7-0 70 kilos: Logan Massa tech. fall Ryan Blees, 10-0 74 kilos: Anthony Valencia dec. Isaiah Martinez, 10-10 79 kilos: Pete Renda tech. fall Brian Harvey, 13-2 84 kilos: Ricky Robertson dec. T.J. Dudley, 11-8 96 kilos: Kyle Snyder tech. fall Kevin Beazley, 10-0 120 kilos: Adame Coon tech. fall Garrett Ryan, 11-0

Men's freestyle: 57 kilos: Andrew Hochstrasser vs. Sam Hazewinkel 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy vs. Coleman Scott 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf vs. Kellen Russell 70 kilos: Nick Marable vs. Moza Fay 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor 86 kilos: Keith Gavin vs. Clayton Foster 97 kilos: Jake Varner vs. Wynn Michalak 125 kilos: Tevel Dlagnev vs. Dom Bradley Greco-Roman: 59 kilos: Joe Betterman vs. Spenser Mango 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman vs. RaVaughn Perkins 71 kilos: Justin Lester vs. Pat Smith 75 kilos: Andy Bisek vs. John Anderson 80 kilos: Kendrick Sanders vs. Aaron Sieracki 85 kilos: Jordan Holm vs. Zac Nielsen 98 kilos: Caylor Williams vs. John Wechter 130 kilos: Robby Smith vs. Toby Erickson Women's freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe vs. Victoria Anthony 53 kilos: Katherine Fulp-Allen vs. Whitney Condor 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis vs. Sarah Hildebrandt 58 kilos: Alli Ragan vs. Trinity Griffin 60 kilos: Jennifer Page vs. Jenna Burkert 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova vs. Erin Clodgo 69 kilos: Randi Miller vs. Veronica Carlson 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline vs. Iris Smith

LAS VEGAS -- Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner, along with Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott, were among the 48 wrestlers to advance to the finals of the U.S. Open at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Jake Varner defeated Deron Winn in the semifinals (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Burroughs was completely dominant on Friday, winning all four of his matches by technical fall to reach the finals at 74 kilos in men's freestyle. In the semifinals he blanked Quinton Godley, 10-0. Burroughs will face David Taylor in the finals in a rematch of last year's U.S. Open finals match at 74 kilos. Taylor earned a 4-0 shutout in the semifinals over Tyler Caldwell less than a month after the two wrestlers met in the NCAA finals at 165 pounds. Varner, who entered the event seeded No. 2, punched his ticket to the finals at 97 kilos in men's freestyle with a technical fall shutout, 11-0, over Deron Winn. The former Iowa State Cyclone outscored his opponents 24-2 on Friday. Varner will face Wynn Michalak in the finals. Michalak came from behind to earn a fall, by cradle, over top-seeded J.D. Bergman in the semifinals. The third-seeded Scott reached the finals by edging B.J. Futrell, 4-3, avenging a loss from the Dave Schultz Memorial. Futrell scored a late takedown to get within a point, but was unable to score in par terre. Scott will meet top-seeded Jimmy Kennedy in the finals. The two have a rivalry that dates back several years. Scott defeated Kennedy in the NCAA semifinals in 2008 en route to winning his NCAA championship. Clayton Foster and Ed Ruth battled at 86 kilos in arguably the most thrilling match of the semifinal round. Ruth raced out to a 5-0 lead early, but Foster responded with seven unanswered points to lead 7-5 after the opening period. The second period was back-and-forth, and Ruth took a 12-10 lead with a takedown in the final 20 seconds. Then, in the closing seconds, Foster attacked and scored a takedown as time expired. The call was challenged but upheld, and Foster took the 13-12 victory. Every No. 1 seed advanced to the finals in the Greco-Roman and women's freestyle competitions. Victoria Anthony came from behind to defeat Clarissa Chun (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Past World Team members Joe Betterman and Spenser Mango both cruised to the finals at 59 kilos in Greco-Roman. Betterman had two technical falls, and a first-period pin over Nikko Triggas in the semifinals. Mango was unscored upon in four matches, picking up three technical falls and a 5-0 victory over Jermaine Hodge in the semifinals. Four-time WCWA national champion Victoria Anthony mounted a late comeback to defeat Olympic bronze medalist and World champion Clarissa Chun, 6-3, in the semifinals at 48 kilos in women's freestyle. Chun controlled the action until late in the match when Anthony scored with a headlock to take the lead. Anthony will meet world No. 1 Alyssa Lampe, a two-time returning World bronze medalist, in the finals. The finals are scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. PT. Semifinal Results Men's Freestyle 57 kilos: Sam Hazewinkel dec. Zach Sanders, 9-7 Andrew Hochstrasser pinned Tyler Graff, 5:04 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy tech. fall Matt McDonough, 10-0 Coleman Scott dec. B.J. Futrell, 4-3 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf tech. fall Reece Humphrey, 10-0 Kellen Russell dec. Jordan Oliver, 4-2 70 kilos: Nick Marable dec. James Green, 5-1 Moza Fay tech. fall Kevin LeValley, 14-4 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs tech. fall Quinton Godley, 10-0 David Taylor dec. Tyler Caldwell, 4-0 86 kilos: Keith Gavin dec. Jon Reader, 5-0 Clayton Foster dec. Ed Ruth, 13-12 97 kilos: Wynn Michalak pinned J.D. Bergman, 5:20 Jake Varner tech. fall Deron Winn, 11-0 125 kilos: Tevel Dlagnev tech. fall Matt Meuleners, 10-0 Dom Bradley dec. Tyrell Fortune, 6-1 Greco-Roman 59 kilos: Joe Betterman pinned Nikko Triggas, 1:56 Spenser Mango dec. Jermaine Hodge, 5-0 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman tech. fall Jamel Johnson, 8-0 RaVaughn Perkins dec. Bryce Saddoris, 10-6 71 kilos: Justin Lester tech. fall Santiago Martinez, 9-0 Pat Smith dec. Bo Beckman, 2-0 75 kilos: Andy Bisek dec. Geordan Speiller, 10-7 John Anderson dec. Jake Fisher, 2-1 80 kilos: Aaron Sieracki tech. fall Josh Greer, 8-0 Kendrick Sanders dec. Tarrence Williams, 7-0 85 kilos: Jordan Holm pinned Mark Stenberg, 4:33 Zac Nielsen tech. fall Peter Hicks, 8-0 98 kilos: Caylor Williams dec. Daren Burns, 9-4 John Wechter dec. Marcus Finau, 4-1 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Sam Stoll, 10-0 Toby Erickson tech. fall Nikola Bogojevic, 8-0 Women's Freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Erin Golston, 11-1 Victoria Anthony dec. Clarissa Chun, 6-3 53 kilos: Katherine Fulp-Allen tech. fall Carlene Sluberski, 13-0 Whitney Condor dec. Jessica Medina, 10-2 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Hanna Grisewood, 10-0 Sarah Hildebrandt dec. Jacarra Winchester, 6-4 58 kilos: Alli Ragan dec. Michaela Hutchison, 6-4 Trinity Griffin tech. fall Othella Feroleto, 13-2 60 kilos: Jennifer Page dec. Shauna Isbell, 5-0 Jenna Burkert pinned Brieana Delgado, 1:38 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova tech. fall Shai Mason, 10-0 Erin Clodgo tech. fall Amdanda Hendey, 10-0 69 kilos: Randi Miller tech. fall Brittany David, 10-0 Veronica Carlson tech. fall Tamayra Mensah, 10-0 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline tech. fall Mary Westman, 12-0 Iris Smith dec. Julia Salata, 12-4

Note: Semifinal matches get underway at 5 p.m. PT Mat 1 Women's freestyle: Katherine Fulp-Allen vs. Carlene Sluberski (Women's freestyle, 55 kilos) Alli Ragan vs. Michaela Hutchinson (Women's freestyle, 58 kilos) Jennifer Page vs. Shauna Isbell (Women's freestyle, 60 kilos) Jenna Burkert vs. Brieana Delgado (Women's freestyle, 60 kilos) Amanda Hendey vs. Erin Clodgo (Women's freestyle, 63 kilos) Veronica Carlson vs. Tamayra Mensah (Women's freestyle, 69 kilos) Jackie Cataline vs. Mary Westman (Women's freestyle, 75 kilos) Julia Salata vs. Iris Smith (Women's freestyle, 75 kilos) Men's freestyle: Sam Hazewinkel vs. Zach Sanders (Men's freestyle, 57 kilos) Andrew Hochstrasser vs. Tyler Graff (Men's freestyle, 57 kilos) Coleman Scott vs. B.J. Futrell (Men's freestyle, 61 kilos) Nick Marable vs. James Green (Men's freestyle, 70 kilos) Moza Fay vs. Kevin LeValley (Men's freestyle, 70 kilos) Women's freestyle: Alyssa Lampe vs. Erin Golston (Women's freestyle, 48 kilos) Elana Pirozkhova vs. Shai Mason (Women's freestyle, 63 kilos) Men's freestyle: Jimmy Kennedy vs. Matt McDonough (Men's freestyle, 61 kilos) Brent Metcalf vs. Reece Humphrey (Men's freestyle, 65 kilos) Kellen Russell vs. Jordan Oliver (Men's freestyle, 65 kilos) Jordan Burroughs vs. Quinton Godley (Men's freestyle, 74 kilos) David Taylor vs. Tyler Caldwell (Men's freestyle, 74 kilos) Keith Gavin vs. Jon Reader (Men's freestyle, 86 kilos) Clayton Foster vs. Ed Ruth (Men's freestyle, 86 kilos) J.D. Bergman vs. Wynn Michalak (Men's freestyle, 97 kilos) Tervel Dlagnev vs. Matt Meuleners (Men's freestyle, Mat 2 Women's freestyle: Jessica Medina vs. Whitney Condor (Women's freestyle, 53 kilos) Sara Hildebrandt vs. Jacarra Winchester (Women's freestyle, 55 kilos) Othello Feroletto vs. Trinity Griffin (Women's freestyle, 58 kilos) Greco-Roman: Spenser Mango vs. Jermaine Hodge (Greco-Roman, 59 kilos) Bryce Saddoris vs. Ravaughn Perkins (Greco-Roman, 66 kilos) Bo Beckman vs. Pat Smith (Greco-Roman, 71 kilos) Andy Bisek vs. Geordan Speiller (Greco-Roman, 75 kilos) John Anderson vs. Jake Fisher (Greco-Roman, 75 kilos) Kendrick Sanders vs. Tarrence Williams (Greco-Roman, 80 kilos) John Wechter vs. Marcus Finau (Greco-Roman, 98 kilos) Caylor Williams vs. Darren Burns (Greco-Roman, 98 kilos) Robby Smith vs. Sam Stoll (Greco-Roman, 130 kilos) Toby Erickson vs. Niko Bogojevic (Greco-Roman, 130 kilos) Women's freestyle: Victoria Anthony vs. Clarissa Chun (Women's freestyle, 48 kilos) Helen Maroulis vs. Hanna Grisewood (Women's freestyle, 55 kilos) Randi Miller vs. Britney David (Women's freestyle, 69 kilos) Greco-Roman: Joe Betterman vs. Nikko Triggas (Greco-Roman, 59 kilos) Ellis Coleman vs. Jamel Johnson (Greco-Roman, 66 kilos) Justin Lester vs. Santiago Martinez (Greco-Roman, 71 kilos) Aaron Sieracki vs. Josh Greer (Greco-Roman, 80 kilos) Jordan Holm vs. Mark Stenberg (Greco-Roman, 85 kilos) Peter Hicks vs. Zach Nielsen (Greco-Roman, 85 kilos) Men's freestyle: Jake Varner vs. Deron Winn (Men's freestyle, 97 kilos) Tyrel Fortune vs. Dom Bradley (Men's freestyle, 125 kilos)

Men's Freestyle 57 kilos: Sam Hazewinkel vs. Zach Sanders Andrew Hochstrasser vs. Tyler Graff 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy vs. Matt McDonough B.J. Futrell vs. Coleman Scott 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf vs. Reece Humphrey Kellen Russell vs. Jordan Oliver 70 kilos: Nick Marable vs. James Green Moza Fay vs. Kevin LeValley 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs vs. Quinton Godley David Taylor vs. Tyler Caldwell 86 kilos: Keith Gavin vs. Jon Reader Clayton Foster vs. Ed Ruth 97 kilos: J.D. Bergman vs. Wynn Michalak Jake Varner vs. Deron Winn 125 kilos: Tevel Dlavnev vs. Matt Meuleners Tyrell Fortune vs. Dom Bradley Greco-Roman 59 kilos: Joe Betterman vs. Nikko Triggas Spenser Mango vs. Jermaine Hodge 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman vs. Jamel Johnson Bryce Saddoris vs. RaVaughn Perkins 71 kilos: Justin Lester vs. Santiago Martinez Bo Beckman vs. Pat Smith 75 kilos: Andy Bisek vs. Geordan Speiller John Anderson vs. Jake Fisher 80 kilos: Aaron Sieracki vs. Josh Greer Kendrick Sanders vs. Tarrence Williams 85 kilos: Jordan Holm vs. Mark Stenberg Zac Nielsen vs. Peter Hicks 98 kilos: Caylor Williams vs. Daren Burns John Wechter vs. Marcus Finau 130 kilos: Robby Smith vs. Sam Stoll Toby Erickson vs. Nikola Bogojevic Women's Freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe vs. Erin Golston Victoria Anthony vs. Clarissa Chun 53 kilos: Katherine Fulp-Allen vs. Carlene Sluberski Jessica Medina vs. Whitney Condor 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis vs. Hanna Grisewood Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Jacarra Winchester 58 kilos: Alli Ragan vs. Michaela Hutchison Othella Feroleto vs. Trinity Griffin 60 kilos: Jennifer Page vs. Shauna Isbell Jenna Burkert vs. Brieana Delgado 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova vs. Shai Mason Erin Clodgo vs. Amdanda Hendey 69 kilos: Randi Miller vs. Brittany David Veronica Carlson vs. Tamayra Mensah 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline vs. Mary Westman Julia Salata vs. Iris Smith

LAS VEGAS -- The 2014 U.S. Open kicked off on Friday morning at the Las Vegas Convention Center with preliminary round matches in men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's freestyle, and the session concluded with quarterfinal matches. Zach Sanders, seeded No. 8, registered the biggest upset in the men's freestyle competition as he earned a second-period fall over top-seeded Angel Escobedo, a returning U.S. World Team member, in the quarterfinals at 57 kilos. Escobedo was the lone No. 1 seed to fall. In one of the most anticipated matches of the first session, Jordan Oliver edged Logan Stieber, 5-3, at 65 kilos in a rematch of the NCAA finals match in 2012 at 133 pounds. Late in the match Stieber was in on a shot and close to scoring the go-ahead takedown, but was only awarded a pushout point and Oliver held on for the victory. The semifinals are set for 5 p.m. PT. Men's Freestyle 57 kilos: Zach Sanders pinned Angel Escobedo, 3:16 Sam Hazewinkel dec. Ryan Mango, 9-4 Tyler Graff dec. Mark McKnight, 4-1 Andrew Hochstrasser pinned Dan Mitcheff, 4:36 61 kilos: Jimmy Kennedy tech. fall Kyle Jahn, 10-0 Matt McDonough pinned Joe Colon, 2:41 Coleman Scott tech. fall Brandon Precin, 10-0 B.J. Futrell tech. fall Conor Beebe, 10-0 65 kilos: Brent Metcalf tech. fall Chase Pami, 10-0 Reece Humphrey tech. fall Frank Molinaro, 10-0 Jordan Oliver dec. Logan Stieber, 5-3 Kellen Russell dec. Jason Chamberlain, 8-4 70 kilos: Nick Marable tech. fall Hunter Stieber, 11-0 James Green dec. Jason Welch, 10-10 Kevin LeValley dec. Dan Vallimont, 5-2 Moza Fay tech. fall Kyle Ruschell, 18-8 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs tech. fall Taylor West, 12-2 Quinton Godley dec. Taylor Massa, 7-3 Tyler Caldwell tech. fall Thomas Gantt, 10-0 David Taylor pinned Paul Rademacher, 0:14 86 kilos: Keith Gavin dec. Austin Trotman, 8-2 Jon Reader dec. Raymond Jordan, 3-0 Ed Ruth dec. Phil Keddy, 14-10 Clayton Foster tech. fall Quentin Wright, 10-0 97 kilos: J.D. Bergman tech. fall David Zabriskie, 10-0 Wynn Michalak dec. Jack Jensen, 14-7 Deron Winn dec. Chris Pendleton, 9-5 Jake Varner dec. Micah Burak, 5-1 125 kilos: Tevel Dlavnev tech. fall Ross Larson, 10-0 Matt Meuleners tech. fall Connor Medbery, 12-1 Dom Bradley tech. fall Zach Merrill, 11-0 Tyrell Fortune tech. fall Jahsua Marsh, 11-0 Greco-Roman 59 kilos: Joe Betterman tech. fall Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, 9-0 Nikko Triggas tech. fall Nate Engel, 8-0 Jermaine Hodge dec. Max Nowry, 4-2 Spenser Mango tech. fall Paul Tellgren, 10-0 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman tech. fall Carter Mcelhany, 8-0 Jamel Johnson dec. Austin Morrow, 6-1 RaVaughn Perkins tech. fall Marco Lara, 10-1 Bryce Saddoris tech. fall Nick Alvarez, 8-0 71 kilos: Justin Lester tech. fall Christopher Gonzalez, 9-1 Santiago Martinez tech. fall Dillon Cowan, 9-1 Pat Smith dec. Anthonie Linares, 4-0 Bo Beckman tech. fall Sean O'Malley, 8-0 75 kilos: Andy Bisek tech. fall Bobby Yamashita, 8-0 Geordan Speiller dec. John Stefanowicz, 6-2 Jake Fisher tech. fall Camden Grimes, 8-0 John Anderson dec. Alec Ortiz, 5-0 80 kilos: Aaron Sieracki tech. fall Aiseah Achesah, 8-0 Josh Greer dec. Nate Hartley, 2-1 Tarrence Williams tech. fall Patrick Martinez, 9-0 Kendrick Sanders tech. fall Adam Carey, 8-0 85 kilos: Jordan Holm dec. Courtney Myers, 5-0 Mark Stenberg tech. fall Anthony Gardner, 8-0 Peter Hicks dec. Easton Hargrave, 6-4 Zac Nielsen tech. fall David Irish, 8-0 98 kilos: Caylor Williams dec. Patrick Carey, 12-6 Daren Burns pinned Roy Nash, 1:26 Marcus Finau tech fall. Tyler Lehmann, 9-0 John Wechter dec. Pete Gounaridis, 3-2 130 kilos: Robby Smith tech. fall Donny Longendyke, 8-0 Sam Stoll tech. fall Zach Merrill, 9-0 Nikola Bogojevic dec. Erik Nye, 2-0 Toby Erickson dec. Parker Petts, 5-2 Women's Freestyle 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe tech. fall Emily Webster, 10-0 Erin Golston tech. fall Amy Hou, 10-0 Clarissa Chun tech. fall Vanessa Smith, 11-0 Victoria Anthony pinned Cody Pfau, 1:30 53 kilos: Katherine Fulp-Allen tech. fall Samantha Klingel, 11-0 Carlene Sluberski tech. fall Sarah Allen, 11-0 Whitney Condor pinned Samantha Montoya, 0:07 Jessica Medina tech. fall Laura Anderson, 11-0 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis tech. fall Rachel Archer, 10-0 Hanna Grisewood pinned Cara Romeike, 0:36 Jacarra Winchester tech. fall Vanessa Gonzalez, 10-0 Sarah Hildebrandt tech. fall Cassidy Jasperson, 10-0 58 kilos: Alli Ragan tech. fall Kayla Miracle, 10-0 Michaela Hutchison pinned Mayleen Soto, 1:41 Trinity Griffin tech. fall Areana Villaescusa, 10-0 Othella Feroleto dec. Tarkyia Mensah, 8-8 60 kilos: Jennifer Page tech. fall Beatrize Martinez, 10-0 Shauna Isbell received a bye Brieana Delgado received a bye Jenna Burkert tech. fall Kristin Yamasaki, 10-0 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova tech. fall Leigh Jaynes, 12-1 Shai Mason dec. Deanna Betterman, 8-1 Amdanda Hendey tech. fall Olivia Seppinni, 12-2 Erin Clodgo tech. fall Rachel Young, 10-0 69 kilos: Randi Miller tech. fall Valerie Rosales, 11-1 Brittany David pinned Angelica Hernandez, 0:46 Tamayra Mensah tech. fall Amy Spafford, 10-0 Veronica Carlson tech. fall DeAngela Castex, 12-2 75 kilos: Jackie Cataline tech. fall Heather O'Connor, 10-0 Mary Westman tech. fall Kiaya Van Scoyoc, 10-0 Iris Smith tech. fall Lorrie Ramos, 10-0 Julia Salata tech. fall Anastasia Lobsinger, 12-2

The NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee this week suggested experimental rules recommendations for the 2014-2015 season. The initial reaction of many fans was to welcome the changes even as few details were given about the interpretations of the rules. According to the NCAA's release, these are the rules they'll be asking for coaches to discuss at their annual meeting this summer: 1. "... wrestlers who step out of bounds with both feet while in a neutral position. In this scenario, the referee will call stalling on that wrestler." 2. "... from a kneeling starting position on the mat, the wrestler in the top position drops to a lower extremity or uses a side headlock. In either of these situations, the referee will make a visual five-second count using his arm. If the wrestler who started in the top position doesn't make an attempt to engage in action before the referee reaches the count of five, the referee will call stalling." 3. "... a wrestler earning a position of control, such as a takedown or a reversal to earn the top position, and the action comes to a natural stoppage. An example of a natural stoppage would be when the wrestlers go out of bounds. In the proposed experimental rule, instead of beginning in a kneeling position on the re-start, the wrestler who earned the top position can indicate to the referee that he elects for the next action to begin in the neutral position. (No point would be awarded for the escape)" Nahshon Garrett and Jesse Delgado battle in the NCAA finals (Photo/Simon Jimenez, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)There are plenty of scenarios to suss out, and many, many ways for craftier wrestlers to exploit the rule changes. It's not too difficult to see there will be some belly-aching should a wrestler make an attempt at a takedown on the edge, but end up being pushed out for a stall call. What happens if both feet go out during a scramble? Will restarts where the top wrestler pushes out the bottom wrestler be called stalling? A discussion of what might happen is sure to progress through the comments section, but what about the bigger questions? Why are we not addressing what it is we want the wrestlers to accomplish on the mat? We're missing the bigger picture on what we want from the sport of American wrestling. Do we want takedowns and points? Or do we want falls? Do we want action? Or do we want the illusion of "fairness?" It's obvious (to me) that in order to please more coaches and fans, the committee has intentionally blurred boundary lines -- both physical and temporal -- to compensate for a lack of desire to make concrete decisions. The 32-foot circle use to be the steadfast out-of-bounds demarcation, as in literally out-of-bounds, but recently the committee sought to create action by making that line irrelevant and extending wrestling to virtually all wrestle-able surfaces. There is still an out-of-bounds, but now it's sort of an amorphous conglomeration of judgmental boundaries that includes hardwood floors, other mat space, scorer's table and simple referee discretion. Compare this to the international set of rules which treats the out-of-bounds line like a ring of fire. That hardened approach to the boundary has created massive action in the center of the mat. Scoring is up by almost 200 percent across all styles and though pushouts occur regularly, they do so mostly as a penalty to defensive wrestlers and draws them into creating scoring actions. The NCAA's rules want to address this problem, but instead of getting to the heart of any matter, they simply come up with a patchwork of solutions -- each as susceptible to gamesmanship as the rules that preceded their implementation. The NCAA has also grayed the lines with the idea of what a match has become in terms of time. International rules don't have overtime, and that's because at some point wrestling -- when decided by points, not pin -- must come down to some criteria or else simply run into perpetuity. The calculation of the international community was to make athletes compete in the time given and level out the time of the match so that everyone knows what to expect. No gamesmanships is available to a wrestler who doesn't have the one shot miracle takedown in overtime. Remember the ball draw? The elimination of overtime also eliminates playing for coin flips in OT or riding out a leg. Six minutes, get it done or don't. The NCAA is trying to address their own failures in creating definitive ends to boundaries and matches by eliminating the side headlock and dropping to the leg. These are without question the two most popular moves in rideout scenario, and yet instead of addressing the problem that rideouts exist at all, the committee chose to quasi-eliminate the overuse of popular moves. At the center of the rules interpretation is something much more disturbing. The NCAA Wrestling Committee is now the head for all wrestling rules in the United States and yet they have no oversight and accept very little influence sans annual reports from the convention. Scholastic style is the traditional wrestling style of the American people and whether or not we like it, the NCAA has hijacked our ability to determine what type of matches we want to see. The NCAA takes a beating for a lack of transparency (as they should) but instead of just restricting food intake, they are now leading a traditional sport in whichever direction they choose without clearly stating their guiding principles or intentions. What is their operating motivation? TV Ratings? Scoring? Pinning? What do they wish to accomplish in changing the rules each year? The NCAA doesn't govern the universal rules of football, basketball, baseball or soccer. Their rules are mostly static. Why should we let wrestling's largest stakeholders and those deciding the future of the sport be appointed and approved through a largely opaque process with no accountability? Why can't there be an independent body able to look at these matters with clear eyes and a bent towards the history of the sport? Say for example these rules fail, or more accurately that the last set of rule changes proved to be a detriment to the sport. What is the fallout for those who manipulate the rules? Are they kicked from the board? Are they asked to resign their post? Also, just how diverse is this committee? Are there any student-athletes on the committee? Any press? Anybody who lives outside the oligarchy of Oz? What does the NCAA Rules committee handle, and what does the Championship committee cover? Who is the overseer of both? Nothing about the organization is clear, and the more power they assume the less that the coaches and those invested in the sport can provide influence. Our fans have great ideas on what wrestling can become and though we live in a democratic society the rulers of our sport are appointed. Why? Look around the world and you'll find traditional wrestling styles that have been unchanged for hundreds and even thousands of years. The outfits, rules and dance that surround their style have importance within the culture. The choices they made, the people they've become, the people they want to be. Wrestling is a mirror on their cultures. I hope that's not true in America. The America I enjoy is one that elects decision-makers, that opens the floor to debate and that sets out clearly-defined goals. Right now the America that I see reflected in our wrestling style is soulless, profit-focused, reactionary and exploitative bureaucracy accountable to nothing and nobody. The rules will change. People will either enjoy them, or hate them, but at the end of the day the process is run by the same dozen people, none of whom are elected and none of whom are accountable. To your questions ... Q: Can anyone stop Logan Stieber from becoming a four-time NCAA champ? If so, who? -- Gregg Y. Foley: No. The other answer is "Logan Stieber" but he doesn't strike me as self-destructive. The only things keeping Stieber from winning four straight titles is an injury. That's about it. Q: Do you think Jason Tsirtsis has the skills to be a four-time NCAA champ? -- Gregg Y. Greg Jones (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)Foley: Having the skills to win it as a freshman guarantees that you have the skills to win it three more times. However, the odds of him winning three more titles are pretty slim. Look at Greg Jones, arguably the most dominant freshman wrestler to win a title in the past 20 years. Jones looked like he'd cruise to four titles after an impressive freshman campaign, but he failed to place as a sophomore, losing to Ralph Everett (Hofstra) and Rashad Evans (Michigan State). His junior and senior seasons were laughable. He was hardly challenged en route to rattling off back-to-back titles. In addition to the odds working against Tsirtsis, the middleweights see a lot of talent get trafficked through and for Tsirtsis that means guys like Hunter Stieber who come off redshirt seasons hungry to win a title. Q: What are your feelings on the job Bob Patnesky is doing at Davidson? He's had four NCAA qualifiers in the past four years compared to two the previous 40, and three SoCon champs compared to zero since the late 60's. As an alum, I'm thrilled with the progress the team has made under his leadership. What, in your opinion, will it take to get Davidson from the bottom tier of the SoCon to consistently getting NCAA qualifiers? -- Jason D. Bob PatneskyFoley: I think it's likely that Davidson will stay near the bottom for a few years to come. Finding recruits is difficult at every school, and though Davidson is having more success, the separation between the haves and have nots is only widening. As you noted, Coach Patnesky is doing a great job with what he has, but for now that'll be the pace of growth until he gets a big star to help draw in more interest, fans and alumni support. There is hope. Take a look at Franklin & Marshall and what they've been able to accomplish over the past couple of years. With the addition of Richard Durso's All-American plaque the program is likely to see more support both financially and in support from high school coaches sending their athletes to college. Prove you can win and the talent will follow. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Highlight film from the European Championships Citadel Highlight Film (Go, Turtog!) Q: What are you hearing on the coaching search at West Virginia? Who would be a good fit? -- Jim A. Foley: There have been whispers of it staying in-house, but since it's a national search I'd expect to see at least a few big names to apply and think that Virginia Tech's Tony Robie would be a regional selection with some pop. Sammie Henson is the best coach in the country and though he seems cozy in Mizzou could be compelled to make the move for the type of head coaching position he deserves. Also keep any eye out on some of these Big Ten assistants who might be looking to start their own program. Q: I'm looking at the new weight classes for this year's Worlds, and my basic takeaway is that there is really just one new weight class, which is 70 kilos (154 pounds). So what do you know about who will be competing at the different weights this freestyle season? Anyone you think was a tweener before, but might break out at a new weight class this year? -- Brandon J. Foley: The big name for the American side is Nick Marable at 70 kilos. He's shown that he can beat anyone in the world at 74 kilos, so having him at 70 kilos, I think, makes him a favorite to place at the World Championships. How to populate that weight class is still being figured out by coaches around the world, but early gold medal contenders include Turkey's GOP and Ruslan Dibirgadzhiyev of Azerbaijan. Q: I have been licking my chops at the potential showdown between J'den Cox and the human cyborg known as Kyle Snyder. This rivalry is Dake vs. Taylor in its potential for epic-ness, and as fans we could get to see play out three times! Do you think J'den will make the jump to heavyweight next year? If this ends up happening I feel that the wrestling community should ban together, not unlike they did with the Save Olympic Wrestling campaign, and petition to make sure we see this Goliath vs. Goliath matchup at least once over the next three years. -- Craig F. J'den Cox defeated Nick Heflin in the NCAA finals (Photo/Simon Jimenez, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Foley: I hope you're right. To see those two battle all season long would be something for fans to follow all season. They're tremendous talents and pushing each other will not only make them better wrestlers. Remember, it's Cox who owns the last victory over Snyder. Though Snyder is certainly training to win an NCAA title, it's his freestyle that has been the most impressive part of his young development. I actually favor Cox in the matchup. He's the right mixture of talent and poise and having already been in the college ranks he gets the idea of how to escape and ride when necessary. Still, this could be a three-year battle for supremacy and if the wrestling stays exciting, it would be a treat for the fans.

Jordan Holm claimed a title at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler Jordan Holm of the Minnesota Storm is currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S. at 85 kilos. In 2013, Holm won the U.S. World Team Trials and represented the U.S. at the World Championships, after being a runner-up at the Trials the two previous years. InterMat catches up with the 32-year-old Holm. Over the past few months you won both the Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and Dave Schultz Memorial, and placed third at the Granma Cup. You were also undefeated at the Pinto Cup. How do you do you feel about the way you're wrestling this season? Holm: The season is going well, but everything up to this point doesn't really matter. My focus is on doing well at the Open and World Team Trials and then getting ready for the playoffs, the important part of the season. Being that you have your sights set on winning a World medal this year, how do you prevent yourself from not looking ahead too far? Holm: I just tell myself that I have to love the process of improving. It's hard. Wrestling is a challenging sport. As you get up to the senior level it takes a lot of effort to make small improvements. You put in several hours to just improve a little bit. You just have to really appreciate that process. That's what I try to focus on, instead of the fact that I'm currently No. 1 and then start thinking ahead and overlooking opponents. I try take everything one moment at a time. What do you like about your training situation at the Minnesota Training Center? Holm: The Minnesota Training Center is awesome. We have a bunch of guys here who are committed full time to training Greco-Roman. We get on the mat eight to ten times a week. We have a legendary coach in Dan Chandler, a three-time Olympian. We have Brandon Paulson, who brings a different dynamic to the room. He's very enthusiastic, bouncing off the walls with energy. He's just a great technician. I think we're doing a good job of keeping the sport fun. I think we enjoy the atmosphere in the room as a team, and that's a big element. I really try to pay attention to how people are getting along with each other, where they're at, how much they want to be here or not be here, and we address it right away. Dan Chandler (Photo/The Guillotine)You have been with Dan Chandler for several years. What do you like about Chandler? Holm: Chandler is unlike any coach I've ever had. I've had a number of coaches, as is expected at this level. Chandler is very relaxed. He's kind of empowering in the sense that he communicates and demonstrates his faith in the athlete's ability to improvise and develop their own style. He's able to work with each athlete individually on their particular styles and kind of bring that out by just kind of demonstrating his faith in what they're doing. Chandler is very chill and relaxed in his overall approach. When we're going live he's on the whistle and he's yelling at us, pushing us, and telling us to go hard and he certainly has moments of intensity. But he does a great job of communicating his faith in the athlete to pick up on what he's teaching and is very encouraging. You competed in your first World Championships this past September, going 1-1, after being a runner-up at the Trials the previous two years. What did you take away from your experience at the World Championships that will help you in future world level competitions? Holm: Taking second two years in a row at the World Team Trials and Olympic Trials was tough. Coming back in 2013 was not a slam-dunk decision. I'm very glad at this point that I did, and that the Minnesota Training Center was able to be revived to the level that it is and that I'm committed through 2016. Like a lot of wrestlers, I don't really remember my wins very well compared to my losses. My performance at the World Championships has certainly been on my mind a lot. Just being able to be there in that atmosphere and get out onto the mat, just knowing this has been on my mind all season keeps my focus on winning World and Olympic medals. For an athlete that hasn't been on the national team and had opportunities to go overseas and train and compete in international tournaments and to make it to the World Championships, it might be a lot more difficult for them to set their goals appropriate to what it is we're trying to accomplish on the senior level. Since I've been there it just becomes all the more realistic in my mind that I would return and contend for a medal. The weight classes were changed this year in Greco-Roman. Did the weight class changes have much of an impact on you? Holm: When I heard the weights were changing I was hoping that it would go up and I'm glad it did. I would jokingly say that if it goes down one kilo that I would have to go up one weight class. So I'm glad we got the extra kilo. As far as making weight, it's part of the sport and the reality is I don't care what they make the weight classes, I'm just going to go out there and compete as hard as I can. I think there's an overemphasis on the importance of cutting weight and how you will perform, especially in younger age groups. I really think as you get up to the senior level, all that washes out and people just get the attitude, 'I don't care what weight you are. I'm going to compete and wrestle you.' So that's kind of the approach I've developed as I've gotten into the senior level. The reality is 98 kilos is a huge weight class. 85 kilos is a little better for me than 84 kilos. I was hoping for about two or three kilos, but I'll take 85 kilos. I looked back through past World Championship results and the history of Minnesota's club, and we've had quite a few guys who have gone to the World Championships at 187.25 pounds. So the weight class has been out there before I see. Hopefully we will keep representing it well. When you first started getting back into wrestling a few years ago, you were competing in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, but then decided to focus strictly on Greco-Roman. What went into that decision? Holm: It was a decision that wasn't easy. I really like the freestyle program at the University of Minnesota. They really help us out. I didn't finish my college wrestling career like I expected to finish it. I fully expected to be a national champion wrestling for Northern Iowa. I know that I had a lot of good offense that would help me transition to freestyle much easier. I actually performed better at my first World Team Trials in freestyle than I did in Greco-Roman. But there were several things that went into my decision to focus on Greco-Roman. I'm very thankful that Jake Clark brought me along as a training partner to the World Championships in 2010, along with the Greco team. Obviously, I was around Chandler and Paulson, and knowing the history of success that Greco has had here in Minnesota I decided to go that direction. But I'm not going to say I haven't thought, 'I want to wrestle freestyle too.' I would love to be able to do both, but at my age I'm not able to do that and compete at the level I need to in one if I'm doing both. Greco-Roman wrestling in the U.S. does not receive as much attention from fans as the other wrestling styles. Does that bother you? Holm: I take a lot of personal responsibility for that as an athlete in Greco-Roman. There's nobody to point a finger at except for ourselves. So it doesn't really bother me. Here in Minnesota we're launching a new website very soon. It's going to be put together by Basch Solutions. He's very good at putting together websites, particularly for the sport of wrestling. He put together websites for David Taylor and Jordan Burroughs. We have been working with him to put together a site for the Minnesota Training Center for people to follow our athletes, both Greco-Roman and freestyle. I've been having fun putting that together. I'm trying to do my part as a club leader here in Minnesota and helping our fans become more informed about what it is we're doing, and to try to get them to appreciate the level of commitment that we have. We're coming in two to three times a day all week long. The same basic things that draw people to the sport of wrestling will draw them to the sport of Greco-Roman if they have a better understanding of the level of commitment we have. You can't fault the fans when we're barely doing our job promoting our sport. I'm not going to be one of the guys who gets on message boards and becomes super critical without any real direction. I want to be one of the guys who takes action and ownership for the promotion of our sport here in Minnesota. We're trying to accomplish that through the Minnesota Training Center and building up our base of participants with the Minnesota Storm and having a website to keep people informed of where it is we're going as we build toward this year's World Championships, next year's World Championships in Las Vegas, and the 2016 Olympic Games. You wrestled in college at Northern Iowa. This past season UNI was the only undefeated dual meet team in Division I. Do you take pride in seeing that program have success? Holm: I do. I'm very excited about how Northern Iowa performed this year. I'm very proud of the turnaround that Northern Iowa has had … back to the form that they were when I was there in a sense, where I think we were headed when I left. Three of my teammates and I were ranked in the top five. We were headed in a strong direction. I'm very proud of Doug Schwab. I go down there and see Tolly Thompson and Randy Pugh. They're still on staff. I have a great relationship with them. I have been down there to train with them a few times. But, yeah, I'm very proud of how they performed this past season. I like the direction they're going. Jordan Holm gets his hand raised after winning the 2014 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)What do you need to do to finish with a World medal this year? Holm: There's not a big gap. There's not a big disparity. Jordan Burroughs went 69-0, which is such an incredible feat. Very few people have any real understanding of how amazing that is at the highest level of the sport. I look at the European Championships as a great example. You go in there and everybody gets their draws and they go out there and compete. I think if that tournament was wrestled five times in a row, you would have different champions and different medalists. I think the same is true for the World Championships. I think I'm ready to medal in the World Championships right now. It's a matter of putting it together on the day of competition. All I can do to better ensure that happens is to continue to focus on improving in every position. That's what I try to do. I try to get better particularly in pummeling, par terre offense, and par terre defense. Those three things. It really comes down to believing that I can do it, being ready to go, and putting it together on the day of competition. This story also appears in the April 18 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

LAS VEGAS -- The athletes have weighed in for all three of the Olympic styles at the 2014 ASICS/Las Vegas Senior Open Wrestling Championships, which will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nev., April 18-19. A final seeding meeting was held for men's freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's freestyle to determine the seeds after weighins concluded. The number of athletes seeded in each weight class were determined by the committees. Greco-Roman and women's freestyle have chosen to seed four athletes in each weight class. The men's freestyle committee seeded a different number of athletes in each weight, based upon the depth in that weight class. Men's Freestyle 57 kilos: 1. Angel Escobedo, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 2. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Tyler Graff, Loveland, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Kyle Hutter, Norfolk, Va. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Steve Mytych, Coplay, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 7. Frank Perrelli, Itahca, N.Y. (New York AC) 8. Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 9. Brad Pataky, West Point, N.Y. (New York AC) 10. Dan Mitcheff, Kent, Ohio (NEORTC) 11. Mark McKnight, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 12. Ryan Mango, Palo Alto, Calif. (Cardinal WC) 61 kilos: 1. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 2. B.J. Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) 3. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) 4. Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 5. Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC) 6. Brandon Precin, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 65 kilos: 1. Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 3. Jordan Oliver, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) 4. Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 5. Frank Molinaro, New Brunswick, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC) 6. Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 7. Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) 8. Chase Pami, Champaign, Ill. (Sunkist Kids/Illinois RTC) 9. Montell Marion, College Park, Md. (Titan Mercury WC) 70 kilos: 1. Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids/Missouri RTC) 2. Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 3. Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Chicago RTC) 5. James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) 6. Dan Vallimont, Long Beach, N.Y. (Blue & Gold WC) 7. Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (Badger WC) 8. Adam Hall, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) 9. Hunter Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (Ohio RTC) 10. Nate Carr Jr., College Park, Md. (Titan Mercury WC) 11. Vladyslav Dombrovskiy, Rocklin, Calif. (U.S. Army) 12. Bubba Jenkins, Corona, Calif. 74 kilos: 1. Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) 2. David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (Nittany Lion WC) 3. Tyler Caldwell, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Quinton Godley, Greenville, N.C. (Wolfpack WC) 5. Taylor Massa, St. Johns, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) 86 kilos: 1. Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (Cowboy WC/GRIT Athletics) 3. Phil Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) 4. Jon Reader, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC) 5. Raymond Jordan, Atlanta, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) 6. Ed Ruth, Harrisburg, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 7. Robert Hamlin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 8. Enock Francois, New Windsor, N.Y. (West Point WC) 9. Austin Trotman, Boone, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Quentin Wright, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 11. Tyrel Todd, Chandler, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 12. Bryce Hasseman, Cheektowaga, N.Y. (New York AC) 13. Matt Brown, West Valley City, Utah (Nittany Lion WC) 97 kilos: 1. J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 3. Chris Pendleton, Laramie, Wyo. (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Jack Jensen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 5. Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC) 6. Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 7. Cam Simaz, Ithaca, N.Y. (Finger Lakes WC) 8. David Zabriskie, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Evan Brown, Dubuque, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 10. Micah Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 11. Cayle Byers, Chugiak, Alaska (Titan Mercury WC) 12. Ryan Flores, Norman, Okla. (Sooner WC) 125 kilos: 1. Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC) 2. Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Dom Bradley, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Zach Rey, Hopatcong, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC) 5. Matt Meuleners, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Kyle Massey, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 7. Jarod Trice, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (New York AC) Greco-Roman 59 kilos: 1. Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Max Nowry, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (NYAC) 66 kilos: 1. Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Bryce Saddoris, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 3. Ravaughn Perkins, Omaha, Neb. (RRPN) 4. Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling) 71 kilos: 1. Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Bo Beckman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 3. Patrick Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Robbie Neil, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 75 kilos: 1. Andrew Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Geordan Speiller, Oviedo, Fla. (Florida Jets) 80 kilos: 1. Aaron Sieracki, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (NYAC) 3. Jake Waste, Apple Valley, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Terrance Zaleski, Jacksonville, N.C. (YES Wrestling) 85 kilos: 1. Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Zac Neilson, Zimmerman, Colo. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC) 3. Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Mark Stenberg, Lockport, Ill. (NYAC) 98 kilos: 1. Caylor Williams, Greensboro, N.C. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 3. Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Haw. (NYAC) 4. Daren Burns, Boone, N.C. (App State RTC) 130 kilos: 1. Robby Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 2. Toby Erickson, East Helena, Mont. (NYAC/USOEC) 3. Erik Nye, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Sam Stoll, Kasson, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) Women's Freestyle 48 kilos: 1. Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Clarissa Chun, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Erin Golston, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC) 53 kilos: 1. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2. Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids), 3. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Co (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (Brock WC) 55 kilos: 1. Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King University) 3. Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Missouri Valley College) 4. Hanna Gricewood, Warsaw, N.Y. (King University) 58 kilos: 1. Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (New York AC/King University) 2. Othella Feroleto, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Melissa Apodaca, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 4. Michaela Hutchison, Lebanon, Ill. (Bearcat WC) 60 kilos: 1. Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Jenna Burkert, Rocky Point, N.Y. (New York AC) 3. Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (OKCU Gator RTC) 4. Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Titan Mercury WC) 63 kilos: 1. Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) 2. Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Shai Mason, Gardenia, Calif. (Jimmie Wrestling Club) 69 kilos: 1. Randi Miller, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 3. Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Wayland Baptist University) 4. Brittany David, Brentwood, Calif. (Lindenwood) 75 kilos: 1. Jackie Cataline, Alhambra, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (New York AC/King University) 3. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Mary Westman, Cattaraugas, N.Y. (Jimmie Wrestling Club)

Lance Benick is the nation's No. 1 junior (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) InterMat released updated high school grade rankings on Thursday morning. All five No. 1-ranked wrestlers remain unchanged. Junior World champion Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.), an Ohio State signee, is on top of the senior rankings. Three-time state champion Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.) leads the junior class. Four-time state champion Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) anchors the sophomore class. Undefeated state champion Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.) is the nation's No. 1 freshman. Cade Olivas (California) is the top junior high wrestler. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. InterMat ranks the top 100 seniors, top 50 juniors, top 50 sophomores, top 25 freshmen, and top 15 junior high wrestlers. Sneak Peek Senior Rankings (Top 10): 1. Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.) -- Ohio State 2. Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.) -- Oklahoma State 3. Bryce Brill (Mount Carmel, Ill.) -- Northwestern 4. Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) -- Penn State 5. Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas) -- Penn State 6. Micah Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) -- Ohio State 7. Jason Nolf (Kittanning, Pa.) -- Penn State 8. Joey McKenna (Blair Academy, N.J.) -- Stanford 9. Thomas Haines (Solanco, Pa.) -- Ohio State 10. Sam Stoll (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) -- Iowa Junior Rankings (Top Five): 1. Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.) 2. Logan Massa (St. Johns, Mich.) 3. Anthony Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) 4. Ke-Shawn Hayes (Park Hill, Mo.) 5. Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.) Sophomore Rankings (Top Five): 1. Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) 2. Mason Manville (Blair Academy, N.J.) 3. Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe, Pa.) 4. Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) 5. Jordan Wood (Boyertown, Pa.) Freshman Rankings (Top Five): 1. Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.) 2. Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) 3. Nick Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.) 4. Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) 5. Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) Junior High Rankings (Top Five): 1. Cade Olivas (California) 2. Ryan Thomas (Ohio) 3. Gavin Teasdale (Pennsylvania) 4. Gable Steveson (Minnesota) 5. Rocky Jordan (Ohio)

Chance Marsteller finished as an undefeated four-time state champion (Photo/Bill Rudick) State tournaments across the country came to an end just over one month ago, and in some cases close to two months ago. Even so the last few weeks were pretty stock full of high-level competition with all-star matches and the various postseason national tournaments. With all of that in the books, the 2013-14 season/cycle has come to an end, and it's time to wrap things up with a pretty little bow. InterMat does so by naming its All-American team, a listing of the top-ranked wrestler at each weight class, along with the selection of the High School Wrestler of the Year. It marks the fourth such year of this end of season presentation format for InterMat. 2014 InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year Chance Marsteller (Kennard-Dale, Pa.), 170 Pounds, Senior Many words have been written about this young man since he competed in a college open while in seventh grade, and actually won a match in the event. While in eighth grade, Marsteller was one match away from placing at the Super 32 Challenge in the 130 pound weight class. This would set up one of the seminal high school careers in Keystone State history. When all was said and done, Marsteller would finish 166-0 over four seasons, including a 41-0 mark during his senior campaign. It was a campaign in which only three matches would go the distance: an 8-1 decision in the final of the POWERade, a 14-2 major decision victory over that same wrestler (Kyle Coniker) in the state final, and a 16-5 major decision victory in the South Central regional final. InterMat Wrestler of the Year Winners 2014: Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania) 2013: Kyle Snyder (Maryland) 2012: Jason Tsirtsis (Indiana) 2011: Morgan McIntosh (California)When Marsteller won the title at POWERade, he became a four-time champion in that event. In the preseason, he dominated through a solid field at the Super 32 Challenge on the way to a second such title with a pin, two technical falls, major decisions against an Ohio and New York state champion, and then a decisive 9-3 decision over No. 13 Taylor Lujan in the championship bout. During his sixteen match state tournament career at the GIANT Center, only the semifinal and final match from his freshman year were not bonus point outcomes: a 9-2 decision over Lorenzo Thomas and a 9-4 decision over Mark Havers. Elevating the quality of the accomplishment was the fact he beat defending state champions by major decision in the state final during his sophomore and junior seasons -- Brian Brill (Central Mountain) and Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin), both of those coming at 160 pounds. Marsteller will be wrestling at Oklahoma State University in the fall. Rounding out the All-American Team … 106: Yianni Diakomihalis, Hilton (N.Y.), Freshman Diakomihalis won major national tournaments in the preseason (Super 32 Challenge) and postseason (FloNationals). In between, he capped off an undefeated scholastic season with three major decisions and a technical fall on the way to his second state title in as many seasons; Diakomihalis won state as an eighth-grader in New York State's 99-pound weight class. 113: Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional (Pa.), Freshman It would probably be easier to list what Lee did not accomplish during this cycle than what he did accomplish. Noneth less, let's list the c.v. for this freshman phenom: FILA Cadet National freestyle champion at 110 pounds, Disney Duals All-Star Division gold medalist at 106 (+5), Super 32 Challenge champion at 113, Walsh ronman champion at 113, POWERade champion at 113, and was state champion at 113 to cap off an undefeated 49-0 freshman campaign. Lee was named the Outstanding Wrestler at both the Super 32 Challenge and Walsh Ironman this past season. In fact his dominance was so profound that 48 of 49 victories came by bonus points, and 44 were either pins, forfeits (three total), or technical falls. He was one of two runners-up for InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year, along with Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), a senior at 170 pounds. 120: Nick Piccininni, Ward Mellville (N.Y.), Junior This past season added a third straight state title for Piccininni, with this one coming via an undefeated season that reflected profound levels of dominance. During the state tournament, Piccinnini gave up two points from four matches in amassing a pair of technical fall victories and a pair of 3-0 decisions. Then in the postseason, he would upend previous No. 1 Luke Pletcher (Greater Latrobe, Pa.) by 10-2 major decision in the FloNationals final. This was a second such win for Piccininni during the cycle, as he had defeated Pletcher at the Disney Duals on the way to a gold medal in the 113 (+5) weight class this summer. 126: Stevan Micic, Hanover Central (Ind.), Senior When Micic won his third straight state title in late February at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, it finalized a 138 consecutive match winning streak that started after a loss in the state semifinals as a freshman. The future Northwestern Wildcat would end his career with an overall record of 180-5, and added to that with a 13-4 major decision victory in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Additional accomplishments for Micic include a Cadet National freestyle title and a FILA Cadet National freestyle title. 132: Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco (Calif.), Junior Valencia has lost one match in three seasons of high school wrestling, that being a loss that came out of nowhere during the state semifinal his sophomore year. Other than that, it's one hundred percent perfect: two state titles and three Walsh Ironman titles the most notable of those accomplishments. Should Valencia win the Ironman this coming fall, he would join David Taylor (St. Paris Graham/Penn State) as the only four-time champions in the 20-year history of that prestigious event. Valencia has won Junior National folkstyle titles the last two years, and was a FloNationals champion in 2011. He is also a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion, and was a Cadet Greco-Roman champion last summer. 138: Joey McKenna, Blair Academy (N.J.), Senior Despite not competing at the National Prep Championships, which precluded McKenna the chance to be a four-time champion in the event, he still had a superlative senior campaign. The Stanford-bound wrestler was undefeated with titles at the Walsh Ironman, Beast of the East, and Escape the Rock tournaments. Last summer, McKenna earned his third Fargo Greco-Roman title (two coming at the Cadet level in 2010 and 2011) and a second straight runner-up in Junior freestyle. 145: Micah Jordan, St. Paris Graham (Ohio), Senior Jordan became a four-time state champion this year; joining older brother Bo, father Jeff, and uncle Jim in achieving that distinction. Over the last two years, the Ohio State-bound wrestler went 99-1, losing only a 4-3 decision to Aaron Pico in the 2012 Walsh Ironman final along the way. Micah won the Ironman this year as part of a 48-0 campaign, which capped off a four-year career mark of 187-9. 152: Bryce Brill, Mt. Carmel (Ill.), Senior Like Micic before, Brill finishes his high school career with a record of 180-5 and as a three-time state champion. Also like Micic, Brill will be attending Northwestern University in the fall, and also beat a Pennsylvania state champion in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic last month. After losing in the state final as a sophomore, Brill -- a 2012 Junior National freestyle champion -- ran off 94 straight wins to end his high school career. 160: Dylan Milonas, Blair Academy (N.J.), Senior After missing all the second half of last season, Milonas bounced back with an undefeated senior season, even though he missed a one month stretch of competition from after the Massillon Perry dual meet until the Prep State tournament. While on the mat, Milonas would win titles at the Ironman and Beast of the East, something he also did during his sophomore season. In addition, Milonas would earn a National Prep championship to go with runner-up finishes from his freshman and sophomore seasons. The Lehigh-bound wrestler amassed seven wins over nationally ranked opponents during 2013-14. 182: Johnny Sebastian, Bergen Catholic (N.J.), Senior Sebastian is the third of the trio of Northwestern-bound top-ranked wrestlers in their respective weight classes. During the last three years of his high school career, Sebastian amassed a record of 114-5 on the way to becoming a three-time state champion (placing fifth at state as a freshman). He also won a title at the Beast of the East in December, after placing second and third in the previous two seasons. Also on the resume are a FloNationals title from 2013, and a win at this fall's Who's Number One event over Junior National freestyle champion Michael Pixley (Blue Springs, Mo.) 195: Lance Benick, Totino-Grace (Minn.), Junior Benick has gone 84-1 over the past two seasons. The nation's top-ranked Class of 2015 prospect compiled a 51-0 record this past season en route to winning his third state championship. He has swept Greco-Roman and freestyle titles at the Cadet Nationals each of the previous two summers, earned Folkstyle Nationals titles in 2012 (Cadet) and 2013 (Junior), and was a FILA Cadet National freestyle champion last year at 220 pounds. 220: Roy Nash, Taylorsville (Utah), Senior The Utah Valley University-bound wrestler has been an undefeated state champion in each of the last two seasons, amassing a record of 88-0 along the way. In addition Nash was a Junior National double champion this past summer in Fargo, N.D. at 220 pounds; and also was a Cadet National double champion in the summer of 2012 at 220 pounds. He was also a FILA Cadet National double finalist at 220 pounds last spring, upending Benick in Greco-Roman, but falling short against Benick in freestyle. 285: Nick Nevills, Clovis (Calif.), Senior The three-time state champion Nevills ended his career on a winning streak of 105 matches dating back to a state semifinal loss during his sophomore year, which came after he had already won a state title as a freshman. During his senior season, Nevills went 50-0 with 44 pins, 2 forfeits, 1 technical fall, and 3 major decisions. This would cap off a career in which the Penn State-bound wrestler went 200-5. At the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, Nevills would upend No. 2 Thomas Haines (Solanco), a four-time Pennsylvania state champion 5-3. He also has a 2013 FloNationals title and a 2012 FloNationals runner-up finish on the resume.

The pre-seeds have been announced for the men's freestyle competition at the 2014 U.S. Open, which takes place Friday and Saturday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. 57 kilos: 1. Angel Escobedo, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 2. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Tyler Graff, Loveland, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Brandon Precin, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 6. Frank Perrelli, Itahca, N.Y. (New York AC) 7. Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 8. Brad Pataky, West Point, N.Y. (New York AC) 9. Kyle Hutter, Norfolk, Va. (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Steve Mytych, Coplay, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 11. Dan Mitcheff, Kent, Ohio (NEORTC) 12. Mark McKnight, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 13. Ryan Mango, Palo Alto, Calif. (Cardinal WC) 61 kilos: 1. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 2. B.J. Futrell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Titan Mercury WC/Cliff Keen WC) 3. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) 4. Matt McDonough, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 5. Joe Colon, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC) 65 kilos: 1. Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC) 2. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 3. Jordan Oliver, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy RTC) 4. Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 5. Frank Molinaro, New Brunswick, N.J. (Nittany Lion WC) 6. Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 7. Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska RTC) 8. Chase Pami, Champaign, Ill. (Sunkist Kids/Illinois RTC) 9. Montell Marion, College Park, Md. (Titan Mercury WC) 70 kilos: 1. Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids/Missouri RTC) 2. Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 3. Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Jason Welch, Evanston, Ill. (Chicago RTC) 5. James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) 6. Dan Vallimont, Long Beach, N.Y. (Blue & Gold WC) 7. Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (Badger WC) 8. Adam Hall, New York, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) 9. Hunter Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (Ohio RTC) 10. Nate Carr Jr., College Park, Md. (Titan Mercury WC) 11. Vladyslav Dombrovskiy, Rocklin, Calif. (U.S. Army) 74 kilos: 1. Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska Wrestling Training Center) 2. David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (Nittany Lion WC) 3. Tyler Caldwell, Stillwater, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Quinton Godley, Greenville, N.C. (Wolfpack WC) 5. Taylor Massa, St. Johns, Mich. (Cliff Keen WC) 86 kilos: 1. Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (Cowboy WC/GRIT Athletics) 3. Phil Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC) 4. Jon Reader, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/OTC) 5. Raymond Jordan, Atlanta, Ga. (Sunkist Kids) 6. Ed Ruth, Harrisburg, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 7. Robert Hamlin, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 8. Enock Francois, New Windsor, N.Y. (West Point WC) 9. Austin Trotman, Boone, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Quentin Wright, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 11. Tyrel Todd, Chandler, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 12. Bryce Hasseman, Cheektowaga, N.Y. (New York AC) 13. Matt Brown, West Valley City, Utah (Nittany Lion WC) 97 kilos: 1. J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Jake Varner, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 3. Chris Pendleton, Laramie, Wyo. (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Jack Jensen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 5. Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC/Illinois RTC) 6. Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 7. Cam Simaz, Ithaca, N.Y. (Finger Lakes WC) 8. David Zabriskie, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Evan Brown, Dubuque, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 10. Micah Burak, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 11. Cayle Byers, Chugiak, Alaska (Titan Mercury WC) 12. Kyven Gadson, Waterloo, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 13. Ryan Flores, Norman, Okla. (Sooner WC) 125 kilos: 1. Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC) 2. Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Dom Bradley, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Zach Rey, Hopatcong, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC) 5. Matt Meuleners, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Kyle Massey, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 7. Jarod Trice, Mount Pleasant, Mich. (New York AC)

The NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee recommended three experimental rules, including two that involve stalling, be implemented at the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic Nov. 1 at the University of Pennsylvania. The committee met this month in Indianapolis. All rules proposals, including rules used on an experimental basis, must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss wrestling recommendations during a conference call June 25. The first experimental rule focuses on wrestlers who step out of bounds with both feet while in a neutral position. In this scenario, the referee will call stalling on that wrestler. The other experimental rule will result when, from a kneeling starting position on the mat, the wrestler in the top position drops to a lower extremity or uses a side headlock. In either of these situations, the referee will make a visual five-second count using his arm. If the wrestler who started in the top position doesn’t make an attempt to engage in action before the referee reaches the count of five, the referee will call stalling. The protocol for all stalling calls includes a warning for a first offense and a point awarded to the opponent on the next offense. The stalling penalty sequence is warning, one point, one point, one point, disqualification. Both of the rules are being looked at on an experimental basis because the Wrestling Rules Committee wants to encourage the wrestlers to create action and not use stalling tactics to preserve a lead. "The Wrestling Rules Committee is trying to be forward-thinking in their approach to potential new rules," said Ron Beaschler, the NCAA secretary-rules editor for wrestling and the head coach at Ohio Northern. "The committee is looking at ways to ensure there is action during matches to make it fun and exciting to watch and easier to understand to the casual fan, yet easier for the officials to officiate." The final experimental rule involves a wrestler earning a position of control, such as a takedown or a reversal to earn the top position, and the action comes to a natural stoppage. An example of a natural stoppage would be when the wrestlers go out of bounds. In the proposed experimental rule, instead of beginning in a kneeling position on the re-start, the wrestler who earned the top position can indicate to the referee that he elects for the next action to begin in the neutral position. Currently, the referee awards a point to the opponent of a wrestler who makes this choice. Under the experimental rule, the point will not be awarded. In positions of control that are not earned – for example, at the start of the second or third periods -- a wrestler can elect to release his opponent after a break in the action, and the opponent will receive a point. Committee members want to gather data on the matches at the NWCA All-Star Classic, a one-day event featuring one all-star matchup in each of the 10 weight classes, to see if the experimental rules should be something they consider for permanent changes in the future.

A lot has changed in international wrestling since last year's U.S. Open. Wrestling is back in the 2020 Olympic Games. There have been rule changes, format changes, and FILA redistributed its weight classes to provide more opportunities for female wrestlers. There are now six weight classes in each of the three styles in Olympic years. Previously there were seven weight classes in both men's freestyle and Greco-Roman, and four weight classes in women's freestyle. In non-Olympic years, like this year, there are eight weight classes in all three divisions at the World Championships. Each weight class at the U.S. Open is now contested over two days (Friday and Saturday), as opposed to one day in previous years. Wrestlers who finish in the top seven in each of the six Olympic weight classes will qualify for the U.S. World Team Trials on May 30-June 1 in Madison, Wis. The winners in that event will compete at the World Championships, which take place Sept. 8-14 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. I have compiled a list of what I see as the 10 most intriguing matchups that could happen at this year's U.S. Open in Las Vegas. Obviously, none of the matchups listed below are assured to happen, but most, if not all, should could happen. Men's Freestyle Jordan Burroughs topped David Taylor at the 2013 U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor Jordan Burroughs vs. David Taylor is arguably the most anticipated matchup of this weekend's U.S. Open. Kyle Dake will not be competing, and Burroughs and Taylor will likely be on a collision course to meet in the finals at 74 kilos. Burroughs, an Olympic gold medalist and two-time World champion, has never lost at the U.S. Open and will be looking to win his fourth straight World (or Olympic) title in September. His remarkable 69-match win streak was snapped earlier this year by Nick Marable (who is now competing at 70 kilos), but Burroughs has been nothing short of dominant since. He went 5-0 at the World Cup, which included two technical falls, two pins, and a 7-1 victory. Taylor is fresh off winning his second NCAA title in his senior season at Penn State. He was recently named InterMat Wrestler of the Year and also earned his second Dan Hodge Trophy. Burroughs and Taylor met in the U.S. Open finals a year ago, with Burroughs winning in two periods, 3-1, 1-0. Logan Stieber edged Jordan Oliver in the NCAA finals in 2012 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Jordan Oliver vs. Logan Stieber In 2012, Logan Stieber edged Jordan Oliver in the NCAA finals at 133 pounds, and at the time many believed it would be the last time the two wrestlers would compete against each other since they were wrestling in different weight classes in freestyle. Stieber, a student-athlete at Ohio State, was competing at 60 kilos, while Oliver, a 2013 graduate of Oklahoma State, was settling in at 66 kilos. However, now that FILA has changed the weight classes, both Stieber and Oliver are back in the same weight class, 65 kilos, at least this weekend. Oliver and Stieber are both past Junior World medalists looking to get on their first senior World Team this year. Brent Metcalf vs. Reece Humphrey While Oliver and Stieber are two of the young, rising stars at 65 kilos, Brent Metcalf and Reece Humphrey are the established veterans looking to earn their first World hardware. Both have represented the United States at the World Championships on multiple occasions. Humphrey was on the U.S. World Team in 2011 and 2013 at 60 kilos, while Metcalf represented the red, white and blue at the Worlds in 2010 and 2013 at 66 kilos. Metcalf was unbeaten at this year's World Cup in Los Angeles. Humphrey competed down a weight class at 61 kilos for the World Cup, where he went 1-1. He opened with a win over Valodya Frangulyan of Armenia. In his second match he faced World bronze medalist Masoud Esmailpoor Jouybari of Iran, and raced out to a 7-1 lead before surrendering that lead and eventually losing 10-8. Coleman Scott is looking to regain his form from 2012 when he won bronze in London (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Jimmy Kennedy vs. Coleman Scott Jimmy Kennedy and Coleman Scott have a rivalry that goes back several years. In 2008, Scott defeated Kennedy in the NCAA semifinals at 133 pounds en route to winning his NCAA championship. The two wrestlers have met numerous times since in freestyle. Kennedy has begun to blossom as a freestyle wrestler under the guidance of Andy Hrovat at the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club in Ann Arbor, Mich. He was a runner-up at the U.S. World Team Trials last year. In October, Kennedy claimed a gold medal at the Intercontinental Cup in Russia, and won a new Lada Granta car in the process. He also captured a gold medal at the Yasar Dogu International in February. Scott is looking to regain his form from 2012 when he was an Olympic bronze medalist in London. He struggled with an arm injury in 2013 that hindered his performance and caused him to bow out of the U.S. World Team Trials early. Scott wrestled in the Dave Schultz Memorial, where he finished fourth, losing to Amit Kumar of India and Kennedy's teammate B.J. Futrell in the bronze-medal match. Scott and Futrell could meet again in Las Vegas, with the winner facing Kennedy in the finals. Jake Varner vs. J.D. Bergman Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner has returned to competition this year after a long layoff. He competed in the Yasar Dogu International in mid-February, where he won his first match over Faruk Akkoyun of Turkey, but early in his second match was forced to withdraw from the competition due to injury. Bergman, a two-time U.S. World Team member, is currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S. at 97 kilos. Last year he made the U.S. World Team for the first time since 2010 after battling injuries in 2011 and 2012. Bergman went 2-2 at this year's World Cup. There is no denying the fact that Varner is the more accomplished wrestler of the two on the world stage, but interestingly J.D. Bergman has had the upperhand in the series. In 2010, Bergman defeated Varner in the finals of the U.S. Open, U.S. World Team Trials, and New York AC International Open. Keith Gavin earned victories over Clayton Foster in the finals of both the U.S. Open and U.S. World Team Trials last year (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Clayton Foster vs. Keith Gavin Clayton Foster has emerged as not only a favorite to make the U.S. team at 86 kilos, but also a serious threat to win a medal at the World Championships in September. He opened a lot of eyes last year by finishing runner-up at both the U.S. Open and U.S. World Team Trials. But it was Foster's performance at this year's World Cup that has U.S. wrestling fans excited about his potential on the world stage. At the World Cup, Foster went undefeated in four matches. He crushed two-time World champion Ibragim Aldatov of Ukraine, 7-2, and also notched a win over Olympic and World bronze medalist Ehsan Lashgari of Iran. It's Keith Gavin, though, that currently holds the top ranking in the U.S. at 86 kilos. Last year he defeated Foster in the finals of both the U.S. Open and U.S. World Team Trials. Gavin is savvy veteran who is looking to stay on top. He was a runner-up at the Grand Prix of Paris earlier this season, but saw action in only one of five matches at the World Cup, with Foster getting the other four matches. Greco-Roman Justin Lester defeated Kendrick Sanders last June (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Justin Lester vs. Kendrick Sanders The 30-year-old Justin Lester and 23-year-old Kendrick Sanders are two of the most explosive and dynamic Greco-Roman wrestlers in the U.S. Both are expected to compete at 71 kilos this weekend in Las Vegas and will likely meet in the finals on Saturday night. Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, has bounced between 66 kilos and 74 kilos, and many believe 71 kilos will be a perfect fit for him. Sanders has been on fire, winning both the Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and Dave Schultz Memorial, and finishing undefeated at the Jack Pinto Cup. The two wrestlers met at last year's U.S. World Team Trials, with Lester winning that match 2-1. Joe Betterman vs. Spenser Mango Joe Betterman and Spenser Mango have been two of the most consistent U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers over the past five years. The two wrestlers have combined to win nine U.S. Open titles. Betterman's four titles have come at 60 kilos, while Mango's five titles have come at 55 kilos. Their careers have followed similar paths. They were teammates in the USOEC program at Northern Michigan University, and now both are in the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program (WCAP). With the weight class changes, Betterman and Mango now find themselves in the same weight class, 59 kilos, competing for the same spot. Earlier this year Betterman and Mango faced each other in the finals of the Dave Schultz Memorial. In that match Betterman overcame an early deficit to win a 4-2. Women's Freestyle Clarissa Chun defeated Alyssa Lampe in the best-of-three finals at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Clarissa Chun vs. Alyssa Lampe Clarissa Chun, a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and 2008 World champion, missed all of last year because of an injury, but has returned to competition this year. She won a bronze medal at the Grand Prix of Paris, with her lone loss coming to World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Mariya Stadnik of Azerbaijan. Chun is the most accomplished woman in the competition, but is not the favorite in the U.S. in her weight class based on world rankings. Two-time returning World bronze medalist Alyssa Lampe is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. Chun and Lampe have met several times throughout their careers. Chun edged Lampe at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the best-of-three finals, two matches to one. Randi Miller vs. Veronica Carlson Both Randi Miller and Veronica Carlson are ranked in the top 15 in the world at 69 kilos in women's freestyle. Miller stepped away from wrestling after capturing an Olympic bronze medal in 2008. During her time away from wrestling she dabbled in MMA and won a match in the Invicta organization in April of 2012. The 30-year-old Miller returned to wrestling this season and seems to be getting better each time she steps on the mat. Miller was a runner-up at the New York AC International in November, and then won gold medals at both the Minnesota Storm Holiday Cup and Dave Schultz Memorial. In 2013, Carlson was a U.S. Open champion and also represented Team USA at the World Championships. Carlson seems to be coming into her prime as a wrestler at age 23, which makes a possible showdown between Miller and Carlson very intriguing.

EDMOND, Okla. -- Kutztown heavyweight Ziad Haddad has been selected the 2013-14 NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year, it was announced Monday by the Division II Wrestling Coaches’ Association. Ziad HaddadThe junior from Orefield, Pa. was ranked No. 1 all year and capped a perfect 25-0 season with a 5-4 victory over previously unbeaten Jacob Mitchell of California Baptist in the national tournament finals March 15 in Cleveland, Ohio. Hadded had seven major decisions, five falls and two technical falls while not giving up a takedown all season. “I am very blessed,” Haddad said. “This is a very prestigious award that holds great magnitude in our sport. I am a product of not giving up and people not giving up on me. Not only to achieve my dream of winning a national title, but everything that has come along since then is more than I could have every imagined.” Haddad is the seventh recipient of the award that is voted on by eight coaches from around the country – two from each region -- and the third heavyweight winner, including the second straight. He edged Central Regional Wrestler of the Year Casy Rowell of Central Oklahoma by one point for the top honor. Haddad spent two years at North Carolina and was a Division I national qualifier for the Tar Heels in 2012 before transferring to Kutztown. He’s 51-5 in two years with the Golden Bears and placed fourth in the national tournament as a sophomore in 2013 before winning the title this season. Previous winners of the award were Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev (2008), Nebraska-Omaha 157-pounder Todd Meneely (2009), Pittsburgh-Johnstown 133-pounder Shane Valko (2010), Western State 197-pounder Donovan McMahill (2011), Upper Iowa 133-pounder Trevor Franklin (2012) and Grand Canyon heavyweight Tyrell Fortune (2013).

Guests: Tony Ersland, Matt Azevedo, Joe Warren, Ralph Winnie, Kevin Ward Hour 1: Hour 2:

Participants of the 2014 Dream Team Classic pose for a photo (Photo/Cliff Keen Athletic) MARIETTA, Ga. -- On Sunday afternoon, Team USA handled Georgia, 37-15, at the 2014 Wrestling USA/Cliff Keen Dream Team Classic held at Lassiter High School in Marietta Ga. Team USA won nine of the 13 matches. However, Team Georgia had two of the highlight victories in the dual meet, both coming from Collins Hill wrestlers. At 120, No. 3 Sean Russell topped No. 5 Scott Parker (Pennridge, Pa.), 5-2. At 126, No. 7 Ryan Millhoff edged No. 3 Zeke Moisey (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), 5-3. Anchoring Team USA's victory was a pin from No. 11 Billy Miller at 285 pounds, and four major decision victories, including the one earned by No. 2 Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas) in the featured match of the dual meet at 182 pounds. Results: 220: No. 19 Matthew Moore (Apalachee) pinned Sage Hecox (Machesney Park Harlem, Ill.) 285: No. 11 Billy Miller (Perry, Ohio) pinned M.J. Couzan (Archer) 113: Alonzo Allen (Rockdale County) dec. No. 7 Brian Rossi (Lockport, Ill.), 9-4 145: No. 2 Jason Nolf (Kittanning, Pa.) dec. Jason Alfau (Camden County), 14-8 132: No. 11 Tyler Smith (Franklin Regional, Pa.) maj. dec. Tyler Marinelli (Jefferson), 15-7 152: No. 3 T.C. Warner (Cumberland Valley, Pa.) maj. dec. Matthew Moody (Lowndes), 14-6 160: No. 3 Garrett Peppelman (Central Dauphin, Pa.) maj. dec. Jake Henson (Pope), 15-6 138: No. 6 Seth Gross (Apple Valley, Minn.) dec. Cameron Perry (Gilmer), 8-4 126: No. 7 Ryan Millhof (Collins Hill) dec. No. 3 Zeke Moisey (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), 5-3 195: No. 3 Nathan Rose (Sibley East, Minn.) vs. No. 3 at 220 Chance McClure (Commerce), 5-4 170: No. 6 Chandler Rogers (Stillwater, Okla.) pinned Damarko Dixon (Appling County) 120: No. 3 Sean Russell (Collins Hill) dec. No. 5 Scott Parker (Pennridge, Pa.), 5-2 182: No. 2 at 170 Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas) maj. dec. No. 4 at 195 Chip Ness (Buford), 12-3

Joe Warren

The Friday Mailbag turns 2 years old today. Thank you to the readers, emailers and commenters who have helped make this weekly discussion of wrestling topics so popular. I would have expected writing a weekly column would be mind-numbing repetitiveness, but you have kept it fresh and provided adept insight into our sport's biggest issues. Thanks again for all your support and loyalty. -- Tim Zeke Jones shook up the wrestling world this week when he left his post as head freestyle coach for USA Wrestling to take over the head coaching job at Arizona State. The move made sense for Jones, but for USA Wrestling it left an uncertain future. Jones deserves a lot of praise for the job he did with the USA Wrestling men's freestyle program. A 1991 World champion and silver medalist at the Barcelona Olympics, Jones used his passion and insight into international freestyle to help revamp and retool a struggling USA program. His 2012 Olympic team was one of the country's most successful, earning two gold medals and a bronze. Jones oversaw the development of Jordan Burroughs and was brilliant in giving Mark Manning the space to coach his wrestler the way he saw appropriate. He leaves Colorado Springs with America as the No. 3 freestyle squad in the world. ASU coach Zeke Jones and wife Renee have four children (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)I ran into Jones a few months ago at the Yariguin tournament in Krasnoyarsk and he was open about the challenges of running the national team. As you might expect, bi-weekly international travel is taxing physically and emotionally. The work takes you away from your family and the home life that we often take for granted. With four children, Jones wanted to spend more time at home, but he also wanted to win. College coaching won't mean a ton of free time for Jones. But after pushing hard for several years, Jones was fortunate to be presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to coach at his alma mater. Even the most die-hard USA Wrestling fans would find it tough to blame Jones for making the move. But those same fans might also see the danger of making a switch mid-Olympic cycle. Jones was a master organizer and did well to get his wrestlers into a system where they knew what to expect and what was expected of them. With a coaching change the attitude and direction of the team are sure to change. Some wrestlers will enjoy and progress, while others will resist and leave. The balance between the former and the latter will depend on the transition team and how well the rules are carried over. Since Jones did such a great job, it's likely that much of his system will remain. So who's next? That's tough to predict since the job COULD appeal to any coach in the country. I would like to see Cael Sanderson take a shot at coaching the international team. He's proven that he can win several consecutive NCAA titles as a wrestler and coach, and can even lead an individual Olympic wrestler to gold. Could he also lead a team to the freestyle title? John Smith, Tom Brands, Mark Manning, Sammie Henson, Lou Rosselli, and Sean Bormet are all great names from the college ranks. Then there are those already on staff like Bruce Burnett (who is heading the transition), Brandon Slay, and Bill Zadick. Whoever USA Wrestling chooses they'll have an uphill climb in 2014. The world is getting more competitive with teams like India, Mongolia, Georgia and Azerbaijan reloading for the upcoming World Championships in Tashkent. Then there is an Iranian team that is arguably the best freestyle team to take the mat since the USSR teams of the 1970's. The Russians are deep enough to field four top-ten teams. The new freestyle coach will have to play a head-spinning game of catch-up on scouting likely opponents and figuring out which of our wrestlers are best suited for competition. He'll have to play politics, travel 200k miles a year and work his butt off just to keep the team at the level it's enjoyed during Jones' tenure. I'm cautiously optimistic that everything will be ironed out by early summer, but if it's not, that's just our luck. To your questions ... Q: I would love to see a postseason all-star/charity event that brings in one or two top-ranked wrestlers at each weight class from Division I, Division II, Division III, and NAIA to compete against each other. I think it would be exciting to see them go at it. -- Jared W. Foley: Agreed, though I'm sure that after five months of knocking heads that some of these guys just want to relax and enjoy college life. As many fans remember, the NCAA tournament once invited the best from Division II and Division III. Probably made for an interesting event, but the NCAA hates fun and segregated the tournaments. Q: Rank all the Big Ten programs (1-14) in terms of most desirable head coaching position. -- Mike T. Foley: There was only one way to make the list with any slant towards equality, and that was to create the scenario in which every position was open and you were asked to bid on becoming the coach. To do this you also have to assume their current statue within the league, the possibility of adding funding and support, and all other options I'm sure a coach weighs when choosing a job. In essence, this is as much about how I think everyone else would rate the jobs, as it is my own read. 1. Penn State 2. Iowa 3. Michigan 4. Minnesota 5. Ohio State 6. Nebraska 7. Illinois 8. Wisconsin 9. Northwestern 10. Michigan State 11. Maryland 12. Indiana 13. Rutgers 14. Purdue Q: How does the University of Texas not have a wrestling team? The Big 12 could really use another team and that athletic department has money to burn, plus I've read where high school wrestling is getting better in Texas. -- Tim J. Foley: High school wrestling in Texas is improving. The teams are performing better at the national level and the Division I talent produced seems to indicate there is more on the way. The biggest battle for wrestling in a state like Texas (and the entire Deep South) is to overcome the popularity of football and the pervasiveness of the NFL-type protect-the-shield culture. Football will always be legal in the state of Texas. Long after Connecticut moves over to flag football leagues, Texas will still allow their 9-year-old sons to ram head-first into each other. This affects wrestling because the more the sport is attacked, the more a place like Texas is likely to double-down on their love for their sport and push away anything that seems like a threat. Also, with the recent developments of student-athletes getting closer to earning a paycheck from their work, schools like Texas are going to be much more careful about how and where they spend their monies. I think that when we talk about adding Division I college programs we have to look first at the schools with proud traditions whose teams were lost to Title IX in the 90's, or to budget cuts in the Aughties. For me it's easier to imagine the reinstatement of a program because the alumni base -- which is significant in raising funds and awareness -- is already in place and motivated to achieve. Places like Clemson, Syracuse, Fresno State, Notre Dame and even Yale are the lead candidates for navigating the difficult task of reviving a lost program. Q: I read on InterMat (interview with Drew Pariano) that Jason Tsirtsis and Aaron Pico are going to wrestle at Beat the Streets on May 7. How do you see that match playing out? -- Mike C. Foley: Whoa. Love it. This is (I think) going to be freestyle so I give the edge to Pico. If he does win that also means that fans will be yapping for months about how the California Kid would have been the world's greatest ever collegiate wrestler. Except I'm choosing him because he's really, really good and been training exclusively in freestyle for more than a year. Pico's win over Russia's Emeev was impressive, especially after the latter's runner-up performance at Yariguin in January. His progression will be vital to showing the next generation of American high schoolers that they don't have to wrestle in college to win the Olympics. Should be a fantastic match. Q: In freestyle, with all the recent changes to the rules and scoring again and again ... and finally again, and with the U.S. Open just around the corner, is there a link you could share that shows the current freestyle wrestling rules as they apply today? -- Randy B. Foley: The freestyle rules are more-or-less unchanged since the end of last year. Here is the quick and dirty. 2-point takedowns 1-point reversals 1-point pushout 2-point shoulder exposure, 1-point hand-to-hand exposure All exposures from feet are now counted as point (no 5-point or 3-point) 10-point technical superiority First criteria is highest scoring maneuver As most people came to see with the World Cup in Los Angeles, the new rules have created plenty of action. No more ball draws and clinches and very few matches decided by criteria. To set the record straight on the perceived awfulness of criteria, there is criteria in college wrestling. It's just that international wrestling doesn't add a point to the winning side at the end of the match, like what happens at the end of a double OT rideout. I know we all hate the idea of no overtime, but what is gained far outweighs whatever you think is lost. If wrestling wants to get tournaments on television it needs to control the times of the matches. Though a lack of overtime might feel unfair, there is no way to implement the addition of a period without de-motivating the wrestlers from action. When the score is tied late the action is incredible, but when there is overtime, wrestlers often cruise -- choosing instead to have a quick rest and sudden victory scenario. Q: Do you reckon David Taylor of Penn State is the best four-time finalist/two-time champion in NCAA history. He's a Cyborg. Who were some other four-time finalists/two-time champions or three-time finalists/two-time champions? -- Big Iron Foley: Reckon so. The domination of opponents and only tripping up against the two opponents for a total of three losses makes Taylor and Ben Askren the top two choices. For what it's worth, I think of Taylor as a Gumby not a Cyborg. He's loose and long, where as a Cyborg is someone who can cause internal damage with a single look. Like ... Roberto "Cyborg" Abreau. This man is a Cyborg. Roberto "Cyborg" Abreau Q: I just got finished watching Boris Novachov's match against Toghrul Asgarov and I was wondering if to solve this new type of top ride/stall and to increase our success on the Olympic level (I acknowledge that we are steadily improving) do you see the NCAA ever instituting the standup rule like in freestyle if the top man is not working for the turn? I know it might sound like an extreme change but maybe one to consider! -- Jim D. Foley: Big win by Boris. When you watch the match you can FEEL Asgarov getting more and more tired. Boris' stuff was working and his four-point double leg was one of the best techniques of the weekend. Asgarov was wrestling in his first tournament since winning the 2012 Olympics, where the rules were still a little funny. He was up to a new weight and rusty, but when all was done is was Boris's training that proved the difference. The NCAA does need to consider the standup rule. Here is the history lesson on why America has mat wrestling. Ready? Set. Go! The current form of American traditional wrestling came from Irish collar-and-elbow style that showed up first in the northeast but eventually trickled across the country. Early matches would happen during March meetings when farmers and associated businessman would meet in rural New England locations to talk logistics and pricing, but would be entertained by the meeting of each town's best wrestlers. There were no points. Pin to win and on the ground wrestlers could use a variety of catch wrestling holds to incapacitate opponents. Eventually the talent gap shrank and the sport split off into two avenues: Professional and amateur wrestling, with a third much smaller catch wrestling which combined elements of both, but allowed for submissions. Amateur wrestling still wanted to see the fall, but over the years began to shed some of the more painful ways to turn over an opponent. Just like guillotines are a recent exclusion due to the pain inflicted, there are several dozen maneuvers used in the barns and backyards of the early 20th century which are now illegal. Without those holds and with points mattering more wrestlers began to feel satisfied with points victories. Pins have always been sexy, desirable and incentivizes, but as time has ticked past the 6-2 match is more common than the 62-second fall. That seems to have reached a pinnacle in 2014 with riding time playing the slim margin in an increasing number of matches. By gaming the system using maneuvers that allowed top wrestlers to move perpendicular without really trying for a fall, there were 100s of hours of college wrestling that looked like a man vs. man rodeo. Riding time dulled the action, but was ever-important in deciding the victor of razor thin matches. (Side note: riding time is also technically a criterion since no points are being scored.) The NCAA needs to address the riding time issue and the dearth of scoring in general. Though I dislike the idea, I'm willing to trust that they will find a solution to create scoring. Wrestling is a difficult sport to manage because the very essence of the sport asks for gamesmanship. Rule alterations are necessary to keep up the action on the mat. The only question left will be "how" they decide to incentivize action. I'm with you in thinking that a few more standups might not be a bad idea. Q: Do you think Nick Sulzer will become Virginia's first national champion next season? The top three placewinners at 165 pounds are graduating, clearing the way nicely for Sulzer. However, I have heard that Dieringer is moving up to 165 pounds. Sulzer vs. Dieringer in the NCAA finals perhaps? Also, supposedly J'den Cox is moving up to heavyweight next year. How do you think he will fare against guys like Adam Coon, Nick Gwiazdowski, Bobby Telford, and Mike McMullen? -- Dave T. Nick Sulzer (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Foley: Sulzer has the talent to make the NCAA finals and with an offseason of improvements comparable to gains he made last summer, he should be in the hunt. He didn't finish the season well, and wrestled tentatively at NCAAs. As an alum it's my hope that he takes a killer's attitude into next year's tournament and doesn't stop until he wins the national title. I hadn't heard much about his move up to heavyweight. Will he be big enough? I think that Gwiazdowski would have world's more trouble with Cox than he would with a heavyweight like Telford. What I like overall is that the division is getting more athletic. NCAA wrestling is better when our heavyweights are moving around and scoring points. COMMENT(S) OF THE WEEK By Brian W. Regarding stalling at the college level, if it's going to be called more often (which I absolutely agree, as a high school and college official myself, needs to be done), one major thing needs to be done. A great deal of power needs to be taken away from coaches in terms of who officiates their matches. At all levels, coaches have way too much pull with assigners with regard to blackballing officials from their duals, or keeping them off their mats in tournaments. Should a coach have an assigner/commissioner as a recourse to vent frustrations and call attention to potential errors or issue? Of course, but to be able to say that a referee will not work your matches? It's cherry-picking your own guys on some level, and it also means that the referees who work the matches are very cognizant of not pissing off the wrong guy. Has to stop, or else it's not going to get better. By Clint W. You had a few defensive pin topics/arguments in your mailbag as of late ... I have a rule that I feel would solve that inequity. If you have control (i.e. are in the top position), a pin is one-second. All other positions, it is two seconds. This would eliminate the injustice when a superior wrestler gets touch falled on a roll-through or when scrambling, etc. If you take somebody down to their back, you are awarded a two-point takedown before backs are counted, so this would not change that as you would have control, so this would just apply to scrambles and pins from the bottom position, which you should need to demonstrate an extra level of control for.

LEXINGTON, Va. -- The interim tag is off for Chris Skretkowicz. After spending the 2013-14 season as the interim head coach for the Virginia Military Institute wrestling team, athletic director Dr. Dave Diles has promoted Skretkowicz as the newest head coach for the program. “I am excited to have the opportunity to guide the VMI wrestling program into the future, said Skretkowicz. “As countless great coaches have done before me, I look forward to developing young men to become successful wrestlers as well as leaders in all walks of life. I would like to thank Dr. Diles, General Peay, and the Institute for this opportunity.” Skretkowicz becomes the 15th head coach since the program earned varsity status in 1921. “I'm very pleased to appoint Chris as our permanent head coach. He has an exceptional competitive background, a proven track record as an assistant coach, and he demonstrated excellent leadership during his interim tenure,” said Dr. Diles. “In addition, Chris' values and integrity make him a great match for VMI. The team responded very well to his coaching style and I'm looking forward to working with him to advance our wrestling program.” Skretkowicz concluded his eighth season on Post as a coach, spending his first seven years in Lexington as an assistant. This past season, he served as the interim head coach, stepping in for John “Rocky” Trudgeon, who guided the team for 28 years and logged more than any other coach in program history. In his season as an interim head coach, Skretkowicz saw red-shirt junior Juan Adams reach the podium at the 2014 Southern Conference Wrestling Championships as the heavyweight finished third overall, just missing a berth in the NCAA Tournament. During his time on Post, Skretkowicz mentored the program’s most recent Southern Conference champion, Josh Wine, who won the heavyweight title three times at VMI (2008, 2009, 2011). A 2005 graduate of Hofstra, Skretkowicz earned CAA Tournament Outstanding Wrestler honors as a senior, along with CAA Rookie of the Year honors as a freshman. Among individual tournaments, Skretkowicz was a three-time placewinner at The Midlands, while also capturing the 197 pound championship at the 2004 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Skretkowicz brings a prestigious wrestling background to the Institute, placing sixth at the NCAA tournament in 2003 and fifth in 2004. His 140-24 career record was accompanied by a perfect 26-0 mark against CAA opponents in his four years in the league. He qualified for the NCAA Championships each of his four seasons, and continues to help train Keydet wrestlers to do the same.

The Northwestern Wildcats are trending upward. They are coming off a top-10 finish at the NCAAs and return all five NCAA qualifiers, including three All-Americans. Northwestern also signed three of the nation's top 20 recruits from the Class of 2014. InterMat catches up with Northwestern coach Drew Pariano and talks to him about this past season, Jason Tsirtsis, incoming recruits, NCAA championship proposal, and more. Drew Pariano celebrates after Jason Tsirtsis wins the NCAA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Northwestern is coming off a ninth-place finish at the NCAAs. Overall, were you and your staff pleased with the team's finish this past season? Pariano: Pleased is probably a good way to put it. But we're never satisfied. We had several guys wrestle above their seeds. Obviously, we were in some tight spots with the seeding. I feel like we're not totally taking into consideration the grind of the Big Ten tournament anymore when it comes to the seeding. We had our work cut out for us and tough guys all the way through. I'm very proud of the guys. My assistant coaches Jay Borschel, Matt Storniolo, Conor Beebe, and Tim Cysewski were instrumental to our team's success at the NCAAs. Mike McMullan coming back for third after he was disappointed, and then Pierce Harger getting his first All-American status was great. He worked really hard with Borschel and got it done, but he's not satisfied. He wants to win a national title. When the NCAA brackets were you released and you saw that Jason Tsirtsis was seeded No. 5 after winning the Big Ten title, what was your reaction? Pariano: A little bit of confusion. He had just beaten Nick Dardanes head-to-head. He lost to him in the dual. I get that. But when you beat him at Big Tens on a bigger stage that should carry a little more weight. I felt like Dardanes was sitting down there in a pretty good spot. Jason ends up getting a national champion in the quarters, and even Busler in the first round. That's a tough match. Then English in the second round, and that kid was wrestling great. Jason just really earned that championship. He beat Houdashelt in the semis, the No. 1 guy. Jason Tsirtsis defeated top-seeded Drake Houdashelt of Missouri in the NCAA semifinals at 149 pounds in Oklahoma City (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)What kind of impact has Tsirtsis had on your program since he arrived? Pariano: He's a guy that you knew was going to be very good. I think there are a lot of guys like him now that you just know are going to very good. You knew David Taylor was going to be very good, Kyle Dake ... Some of these younger guys you just know they're going to be very good. But at the same time, you have to make some adjustments. Many of those adjustments he made this season were just getting acclimated to the grind of the long season. A redshirt season doesn't necessarily prepare you for the grind of the Big Ten season. He did a good job toward the end of the year doing everything right ... dieting right, sleeping right, studying right, watching video, doing extra workouts. He did it right. Tsirtsis mentioned after winning his NCAA title that he's going to start training for freestyle. What are his competition plans for this spring and summer? Pariano: He just took a match with Aaron Pico at the Beat the Streets event in New York City on May 7, which I know is going to be heavily talked about. Then probably University Nationals, and then the Senior World Team Trials. So he has a full docket. Mike McMullan dropped a tight match in the second round to Austin Marsden, but came all the way back to finish third. What was your takeaway from his performance in Oklahoma City? Pariano: Just toughness. He knows he didn't wrestle a good match against Marsden. Marsden did what he had to do to win. There was so much frustration there. But at the same time he took it in ... and took it literally one match at a time, beats Medbery, pins Chalfant in 18 seconds, and then beats Telford, who is a hard guy to beat. He just did a great job coming back through. He did not have an easy road. You look at that heavyweight bracket ... there aren't too many easy spots in there. Stevan Micic recently won his third straight state title (Photo/Paul Tincher, IndianaMat.com)You have signed three of the nation's top 20 recruits in Bryce Brill, Johnny Sebastian, and Stevan Micic. What kind of impact do you expect those wrestlers to have on your program? Pariano: It just continues to build. I give credit to my assistant coaches and the current guys on the team for creating that environment. I think they've created an environment where we now expect to challenge for a trophy. The days of just wanting to finish in the top 15 are long gone, and I think the recruits see the vision. Another thing the recruits said is they like the fact that they can be a part of something special here at Northwestern, kind of like what we had in 2007 when we were fourth with Herbert, Lang, Tamillow, and Fox. That was a very special time for our program. Those guys felt like they earned that. They had some ownership in that. I think these guys feel the same way. I think they feel like they can make a difference. They were recruited by everybody ... Oklahoma State, Ohio State, Michigan, whoever. But they just decided that Northwestern was the place for them academically and athletically, and we're excited to get them up here as soon as possible. Do you expect the incoming recruits to challenge for spots in the lineup next season? Pariano: It's a case-by-case situation. We have to look at who we have coming back at the weight class, but at the same time we want to put our best team out there. Sometimes redshirting isn't always the best answer. Redshriting sometimes takes you out of your element. It takes you away from competing every weekend. I think we do a really good job of sitting down with the guys and figuring it all out. It's not like a dictatorship where the coach just says, 'Hey, you're going in there.' We sit down collectively as a staff with the student-athletes and decide what's best for them. Maryland and Rutgers are both competing in the Big Ten starting next season. What are your thoughts on the addition of those two programs? Pariano: I think they're both on the rise. Kerry McCoy and Scott Goodale are both doing a great job. Rutgers had an All-American this season, and then they're getting Ashnault off resdshirt and a lot of other good guys. Maryland had a national finalist this year. You're just adding two more hammers to the conference. It's going to make the conference tournament that much tougher. Now we're doing nine duals a year. There's no easy road in the Big Ten. How are plans coming along for the 52nd Ken Kraft Midlands Championships? Pariano: It's going well. I think we're going to have some teams back ... obviously, we have the mainstays. I think teams are bouncing back and forth between the Scuffle and Midlands, and for me that's OK. We're going to get a lot of East Coast teams this year and Big Ten teams. We would like to get Iowa State back. Adding Michigan a few years ago was great because they had taken kind of a long hiatus from the Midlands. It's kind of a rotating thing. We would love to see independent guys enter. I would love to see Joey Davis from Notre Dame College come in and put it on the line. That would be awesome. That's what Midlands is all about. The Division I Wrestling Committee released a recommended proposal that the championships include a team component and an individual component. Where do you and your coaching staff stand on that proposal? Pariano: People are glued to the team race at the NCAAs. If you give the top teams 50 points, 42 points, 35, whatever the break down was, I think that takes away some of the unsung heroes ... programs like Clarion, Binghamton, and Appalachian State that want to break into the top 20. I just don't see how that works. I know people say change is necessary, well, I do believe that. But let's go back to the model where we were having some success with National Duals. It was a big event at Northern Iowa. Most of the top teams were going, and then you include the other divisions. And then what I think you could do is with the Virginia Duals invite teams 17 through 32, and then that event becomes viable. I don't want to call it like the NIT, but it would still be a great national event. What's your opinion of the mat-side review and challenge system in place in college wrestling? Very few calls were overturned by challenges at the NCAAs. Pariano: Refs don't want to overturn themselves. It's like a professor admitting they're wrong after giving an exam. Who wants to overrule themselves? If that's truly going to work they need an independent ref that's watching the match, or you just take the assistant official out of there and they watch the review and make an educated decision. It's all about the kids. We want the calls right. I'm not against video review in any way, shape, or form, I just feel like we have to find a better way to do it. If you're the ref making that call and you get overturned six times in the tournament, that's going to get back to Pat McCormick and you might not be reffing the NCAA tournament the next year. Mike Mullan earned his third straight All-American honor (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Obviously, next season you return all five of your NCAA qualifiers, including three All-Americans. What's the team goal? Pariano: The team goal is to challenge for a trophy. Once you set that goal I think you even set the goal higher once you get to the tournament. This year we were in like 20th place, then 17th place, then 11th place ... We didn't get into the top 10 until after Jason won in the NCAA finals. I think that shows great resiliency on our team's part. But at the same time, after the first round next year we want to be in the top four. We want to be in a place where we can do a lot of damage. We need to qualify eight or nine guys next year. Thanks for making time to do the interview, Drew. Is there anything else you want to add? Pariano: We're very excited about the future. Alex Tsirtsis does a great job with our club. The Chicago Regional Training Center is going to be growing. Jason Welch is still training with us. My assistant coach Conor Beebe is as well. We're hoping to get more guys to move to Chicago. I think a lot of the major programs need that. We have Aaron Anspach training at the Chicago Regional Training Center. He's not necessarily competing, but he's a great resource and role model for Mike McMullan. I think that's an aspect of our program that's really going to grow. We want World teams to conduct their camps at Northwestern. We don't start school until late September, so in August that room is completely open for our guys to work out, and then also have Cadet, Junior, and senior level World teams come on in and do their thing in Chicago.