InterMat Staff

One of the major trends in interscholastic athletics is that of "specialization." High school student-athletes tend to shrink their involvement down to one, at most two, sports so they can focus their efforts toward success in that sport. Much of the time, this can be due to outside pressures and the commitment level involved with interscholastic sports participation -- especially during the summer months, when every sport program wishes they are your first priority. Much was made of two-time National Prep champion Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.), who is ranked second overall in the Class of 2014, and his decision to pass on playing football this fall despite playing a key role on WCAC champion football teams during his freshman and sophomore seasons. In those seasons, with Snyder contributing significantly at the nose tackle position, the Falcons went a combined 22-2; including an undefeated 2011 season, when they finished sixth in the final RivalsHigh 100 ranking. This year, without Snyder, Good Counsel is ranked No. 26 in the nation. The opening assertions about "specialization” are prescient, especially in a skill-based sport such as wrestling. An additional reason, in some cases is wrestlers may not have the prototypical size (height, weight, etc.) profile that aligns with other sports. However, it is not nearly universal, as there are some students able to achieve rather high levels of success in wrestling and a second sport. The following is a six-pack of elite Class of 2013 wrestlers, who are also major contributors on their high school football team. Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich.) Wrestling: Ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2013, three-time state champion, Junior National Triple Crown (folkstyle, Greco-Roman, and freestyle) champion this offseason at 285 pounds, and FILA Junior National Greco-Roman champion. Football: Four-year starter on both sides of the football (left guard and linebacker), for a team that made the playoffs in 2009 and 2010; was named to the Associated Press All-State second team, and was selected by local media as Defensive Player of the Year in his county. J'den Cox (Hickman, Missouri) Wrestling: Ranked No. 6 in the Class of 2013, three-time state champion, NHSCA Junior National champion at 220 pounds, and Junior National double All-American (third Greco-Roman, freestyle champion) at 220 pounds. Football: Starts on both sides of the football, as an offensive lineman and linebacker; was named an all-state coaches’ selection at the linebacker position last year. This year, the Kewpies are off to a 4-0 start, which is their best since 2000 when the squad started with five consecutive wins. During week three, Cox scored two defensive touchdowns in the first quarter: forcing a fumble and running in the recovery for 38 yards, as well as a pick six returned for 48 yards. Brian Murphy (Glenbard North, Ill.) Wrestling: Ranked No. 11 in the Class of 2013; two-time state runner-up, three-time placer; and two-time Junior National freestyle All-American (runner-up in 2011, seventh in 2012). Football: Is in his second season as the starting quarterback, after leading his Panther squad to the state semifinals in 2011 despite playing much of the season with a broken foot. During a 3-1 start to the season, Murphy has rushed for 250 yards (on 21 carries) and 1 TD; and has a passing line of 20-for-37, 378 yards, with 5 TD and 3 INT. Oliver Pierce, one of the nation's top senior wrestlers, also shines on the football field as the starting quarterback for nationally ranked Allen, Texas (Photo/Jim Hom)Oliver Pierce (Allen, Texas) Wrestling: Ranked No. 14 in the Class of 2013; three-time state placer, state champion as freshman in 2010; two-time Junior National double All-American (runner-up and champion in Greco-Roman, fifth and third in freestyle); and Junior National folkstyle champion. Football: Played wide receiver as a junior, with 50 receptions for 601 yards and six touchdowns; and moved to the quarterback position this year, but also serves as both a kick and punt returner. This season the Eagles are 3-0, ranked second in the state for their classification, and No. 17 in the RivalsHigh 100 national ranking. Pierce has served as catalyst with three touchdown runs and three touchdown passes to date. Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio) Wrestling: Ranked No. 20 in the Class of 2013; two-time state champion; won NHSCA grade level titles as freshman, sophomore, and junior; and was a Walsh Ironman champion in December 2011. Football: In his second year as a starter at safety, was third-team all-state last year per the Associated Press, and is a team captain this year. His Eagle squad has made the playoffs in ten of the last twelve years, winning a state title in 2010 when Abounader was a contributor on special teams. This year, St. Edward is off to a 4-0 start, and ranked third statewide in Division I per the Associated Press poll. Mikey Racciato (Pen Argyl, Pa.) Wrestling: Ranked No. 26 in the Class of 2013; two-time state champion and three-time state placer. Football: Was the second-string tailback last year with close to 900 yards from scrimmage and 17 total touchdowns, while the team went 13-1 losing in the state quarterfinals. As the primary running back, Racciato is the anchor of the Green Knights offense during their 3-0 start. He has run for 420 yards (74 carries) and six touchdowns.

InterMat's T.R. Foley and Mike Riordan discuss the upcoming NCAA wrestling season and more. The hosts have high praise for Tim Flynn and the Edinboro Fighting Scots. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Board of Directors met in August at the 2012 NWCA Convention at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. where President Brian Smith finished his two year term and handed over the role of President to Rob Koll, which began effectively on Sept. 1, 2012. Koll, who is currently the head coach of Cornell University, will serve as the 60th President in NWCA history. The NWCA President serves a two-year term and must be elected from the NWCA Board of Directors. University of Oklahoma Head Coach Mark Cody has been elected to serve a two-year term as President-Elect for the association. Following his two-year term as President-Elect, Cody will assume the duties of President for two years. In addition, the NWCA is pleased to announce seven new board members have been elected to serve on the NWCA Board of Directors. The new board members include: NCAA Division II: Kevin Ward, Head Coach - Ouachita Baptist University NCAA Division III: Lonnie Morris, Head Coach - Johnson & Wales University NCAA Division III: Nathan Shearer, Head Coach - Washington & Lee University Women: Archie Randall, Head Coach - Oklahoma City University At-Large: Tricia Turley-Brandenburg, Senior Associate AD for Compliance and Student Services - Ohio University Retired Coaches: Jack Childs, Former Head Coach - Drexel University Scholastic: Dennis Stromie, Head Coach - Wesleyan School (Norcross, Ga.) Scholastic: Alan Clinton, Head Coach, Servite High School (Anaheim, Calif.) The NWCA Board of Directors is comprised of 38 members consisting of scholastic and college coaches, collegiate administrators, business leaders, and affiliated governing bodies. "We would like to first thank Brian Smith for his dedication to the sport of wrestling and to the NWCA as he has worked with us so closely the past few years. The NWCA is looking forward to the leadership that Rob Koll will bring to the organization along with the other new coaches and administrators who are joining the NWCA Board of Directors. This is truly a group of people who genuinely care about the sport of wrestling and collectively, they have the broad perspective necessary to overcome our sport�s greatest challenges," said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCAare: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

CLEVELAND -- The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced today the addition of the University of Missouri, the University of Northern Iowa and Old Dominion University as affiliate members in the sport of wrestling. All three universities have joined the MAC with five-year agreements, with Missouri and Northern Iowa joining the MAC for the conference tournament only for the 2012-13 season and then participate fully in regular season and tournament action for the next four consecutive years (2013-14 season thru 2016-17 academic season). Old Dominion will join the MAC for the regular season and tournament action in the 2013-14 season through the 2017-18 academic season. The addition of the three affiliate members will increase the MAC wrestling membership to nine members with Buffalo, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois and Ohio. With this increase in wrestling membership, the MAC will become the third largest Division I wrestling league in the nation only behind the Big Ten and the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA). This move will also provide the conference extended recruiting opportunities from across the Midwest towards the East Coast into Virginia. "After significant study and discussion by our member institution's coaches and administrators the Mid-American Conference has made a move that will take what is already a very strong wrestling conference and make it one of the elite wrestling conferences in the country," said Dr. Jon A. Steinbrecher, Commissioner of the Mid-American Conference. "I am pleased to welcome Missouri, Northern Iowa, and Old Dominion, their student-athletes, coaches and fans to the MAC in the sport of wrestling." Last season, Kent State won the MAC regular season title and the previous season witnessed a three-way tie for the MAC regular season title between Kent State, Central Michigan and Ohio. In 2012, the MAC sent 24 wrestlers to the 2012 NCAA Championship Tournament in St. Louis, where MAC Champion Central Michigan finished tied for 13th and Kent State ended 27th in the NCAA Championship standings. The MAC witnessed three wrestlers earn All-American honors as Central Michigan's Ben Bennett (184 lb.) earned his third, Kent State's Nic Bedelyon (125 lb.) earned his second and Ohio's Jeremy Johnson (Hwt.) earned his first All-American honor. In 2011, the MAC last witnessed an individual national champion when Kent State's Dustin Kilgore won the 197 lb. National Championship as he pinned Oklahoma State's Clayton Foster. Kilgore became the eighth MAC wrestler to win a national championship in conference history. Central Michigan has won the last 11 consecutive MAC Wrestling Championships dating back to the 2002 season. In the last five consecutive years, the MAC has witnessed a program finish in the Top 20 at the NCAA Wrestling Championship and twice had two programs finish in the Top 20 -- 2009 (Central Michigan tied-14th; Kent State 18th) and 2011 (Central Michigan tied-13th; Kent State 17th). The last Top Ten finish by the MAC in the NCAA Wrestling Championship was Central Michigan's seventh place finish in 2008. Missouri Tigers: Missouri finished the 2011-12 season ranked 26th in the NCAA final rankings and under head coach Brian Smith captured the Big 12 Tournament Championship, the first title in program history. The Tigers produced four individual Big 12 Champions and head coach Brian Smith was named Big 12 Coach of the Year. Missouri led the nation and set a program record by sending ten grapplers to the 2012 NCAA Championship Wrestling Tournament Head coach Brian Smith is the winningest coach in program history (173-83-3), entering his 15th season. Under Smith's direction, Missouri has produced four National Champions (Ben Askren in 2006 and 2007; Mark Ellis in 2009 and Max Askren in 2010), 14 wrestlers have earned 26 All-America honors and three top-10 NCAA finishes (2007-third; 2009-seventh; and 2010-tenth). Missouri's wrestling program started in 1923-24 and competed in the Missouri Valley Conference from 1928-1932 and the Big 6 Conference from 1932-37. There was no program from 1938-58 and wrestling returned in 1959. Missouri competed in the Big 8 from 1964-96 and the Big 12 from 1996-2012. Quote from Missouri Director of Athletics Mike Alden: "We're honored that the University of Missouri will have an opportunity to compete in the Mid-American Conference as an affiliate member. The MAC is a highly respected conference and this provides our program the opportunity to continue competing at a very high level. Head Coach Brian Smith has built one of the nation's elite programs and we look forward to seeing them continue towards a National Championship as a member of the MAC." Quote from Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith: "I think the Mid-American Conference is a great fit for our program. Over the past several years, some of the nation's top teams and best wrestlers - both on an academic and athletic level - have come from the MAC, and we are excited to help continue that tradition. The league has been proactive in expanding themselves on the wrestling side, and we think our program will help enhance the overall prestige of the conference. We've already built some great rivalries with some of these teams over the past few years, and competing with schools from that area will help us expand our reach on the recruiting trail. We look forward to being part of this great conference." Northern Iowa Panthers: Northern Iowa ended the 2011-12 season ranked 34th in the NCAA final rankings and finished second in the Western Wrestling Conference with a 8-7 record in duals and a 5-1 conference record under head coach Doug Schwab. The Panthers sent five grapplers to the 2012 NCAA Championship Wrestling Tournament, including Joe Colon (133 lbs.), Levi Wolfensperger (141 lbs.), David Bonin (157 lbs.), Ryan Loder (184 lbs.) and Blayne Beale (HWT). Colon seeded No. 5 at 133 lbs., and Loder seeded No. 8 at 184 lbs. Northern Iowa has a strong history of success in the sport of wrestling. Northern Iowa captured the 1950 NCAA Division 1 Wrestling National Championship. The Panthers have crowned 21 NCAA Division I individual national champions, the latest being Tony Davis at 149 lbs. in 2000, and have tallied 115 NCAA Division I All-Americans. Northern Iowa's Bill Smith captured an Olympic Gold Medal at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. Since rejoining the Division I ranks in 1981, Northern Iowa notched 20 Top-20 finishes at the NCAA Championships. Quote from Northern Iowa Director of Athletics Troy Dannen: "The transition of our wrestling program to the Mid-American Conference will serve our student-athletes well. With a history of 21 Division I individual national champions and a Division I team champion, the ability of Northern Iowa wrestling to associate with schools committed to national prominence is important to our institution and our student-athletes. We look forward to expanded post-season qualification opportunities and dual meet competition with the other eight programs in the league. Mid-American Conference institutions are well known to our fan base, and we eagerly look forward to competing in the league. The ability to make this announcement marks a great day in the history of Panther wrestling." Quote from Northern Iowa Head Coach Doug Schwab: "Northern Iowa wrestling looks forward to the opportunity to compete in the MAC. We are excited to make new and lasting rivalries for our athletes and fans. With the teams that exist and the ones joining the conference, it will make the MAC one the premier wrestling conferences in the country. The student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans look forward to building on Northern Iowa's wrestling's history with the MAC." Old Dominion Monarchs: Old Dominion concluded the 2011-12 season ranked No. 24 in the final regular season NCWA poll and ranked third in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) under head coach Steve Martin. The Monarchs earned a school record seven bids to the 2012 NCAA Championship Wrestling Tournament, which was tied for fourth nationally and the most of any school from the CAA. During the 2011-12 season, Old Dominion had the fifth highest GPA, including Tristan Warner had the second highest cumulative GPA in the nation among all wrestlers. Under the direction of coach Martin, the Monarchs have earned an All-American in four of the last five years. Martin has the second-highest winning percentage (.640) in school history and has earned double-digit wins in seven of his eight seasons. Martin has directed 35 NCAA qualifiers, 13 individual CAA Champions and was named the CAA Coach of the Year in 2008. Also, 12 Monarch wrestlers have been named to the NWCA All-Academic National Honor Roll in the last five seasons. The Old Dominion wrestling program began in 1957-58 and were members of the CAA since the 1991-92 season. The Monarchs have produced three National Champions, 94 NCAA qualifiers all-time, 18 wrestlers have earned 25 All-America honors, 31 individual CAA Champions, six CAA Wrestler of the Year Awards and two CAA Rookie of the Year Awards in program history. Quote from Old Dominion Director of Athletics Dr. Camden Wood Selig: "Old Dominion is very pleased to be joining one of the nation's premier wrestling conferences in the Mid-American Conference," said Selig. "We are extremely grateful to the MAC Council of Presidents and league Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher for providing this wonderful, competitive opportunity to our student-athletes and coaches. Participating in the MAC will elevate the national and competitive profile of Old Dominion's wrestling program and we look forward to this new opportunity for our program." Quote from Old Dominion Head Coach Steve Martin: "We are extremely excited about joining the Mid-American Conference," said Martin. "This is a game changer for our program and will allow us to compete at the highest level in wrestling. The additions of Missouri and Northern Iowa, along with the strong base of current schools in the MAC, will make this one of the most formidable wrestling leagues in the country. I'd like to thank MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher for the opportunity as well Athletic Director Dr. Selig and Senior Associate Athletic Director Deb Polca for their work in making this happen for the Old Dominion wrestling program." Quotes from current MAC Head Wrestling Coaches: Jim Beichner, Head Coach, Buffalo: "Adding Missouri, Old Dominion and Northern Iowa to the Mid-American Conference is just another positive indicator that our conference office is leading our wrestling programs in the right direction. All three of these programs are excellent academic institutions with great history and traditions and are fully committed to the sport of wrestling. I believe that the strength of our conference is determined by the strength of our teams and I am happy to say that today, we have become one of the premiere wrestling conferences in the nation. As a coach, I am very happy to welcome all three programs to the Conference." Tom Borrelli, Head Coach, Central Michigan: "This is a great move forward for the Mid-American Conference. It is going to be nice to develop new relationships with universities and athletic departments. The addition will create more opportunities to get more athletes to the NCAA tournament and it will foster our development to do well in that tournament. Anytime competition gets keener, everyone rises to that level of competition." Derek Del Porto, Head Coach, Eastern Michigan: "I am very happy to welcome three top wrestling programs into our conference. Every MAC program will get stronger with the addition of these programs." Jim Andrassy, Head Coach, Kent State: "We're excited to bring in some new teams and have some new opportunities. It gives us more guaranteed home meets and it also helps us get more dual meets for the year, which is the direction the NCAA is going in as a whole. The MAC's been a tough conference over the past few years and this makes us even tougher." Ryan Ludwig, Head Coach, Northern Illinois: "I am pleased to see this conference expand the way it has with the interest of wrestling in mind. The Mid-American Conference has always had a strong and proud tradition and this move shows its commitment to our great sport. The MAC has grown in strength and depth every year and this move certainly solidifies that growth as this conference becomes one of the premier wrestling leagues in the country." Joel Greenlee, Head Coach, Ohio: "The Addition of Missouri, Northern Iowa and Old Dominion will make the Mid-American Conference one of the toughest wrestling leagues in the country. These three teams will also bring more national recognition to the MAC." MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE Founded in 1946, the Mid-American Conference is an NCAA Division I, 12-member conference that sponsors 23 championships and is one of 11 members of the Football Bowl Subdivison (FBS). With total enrollment of nearly 300,000 students, the league represents institutions of higher learning in six (6) states - Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, and Ohio. In addition a 13th school – University of Massachusetts in Amherst, MA. -- is an affiliate member for football only. Current MAC schools that hold full membership and the year they joined are -- East Division: University of Akron (1992), Bowling Green State University (1952), University at Buffalo (1998), Kent State University (1951), Miami University (1947), Ohio University (1946). West Division: Ball State University (1973), Central Michigan University (1971), Eastern Michigan University (1971), Northern Illinois University (1975-86, rejoined in 1997), University of Toledo (1950), Western Michigan University (1947). The University of Massachusetts (2012) competes in the East Division in football only. The conference office is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

WAVERLY, Iowa -- Jim Miller, Wartburg College's co-head wrestling coach, announced today he will step down from his wrestling coaching position following the 2012-13 season. Current co-head coach Eric Keller will continue to oversee the program. Miller, a member of six athletic halls of fame, will remain at Wartburg and serve in other capacities still to be determined. Jim Miller (Photo/Julie Drewes)Since coming to Wartburg in 1991, Miller has amassed a career record of 394-34-2, won nine NCAA Division III team championships, beginning with the school's first title in 1996; 20 consecutive Iowa Conference championships; and six National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) national dual championships. The Knights haven't lost in 157 dual meets against Iowa Conference opponents since 1993-94. Miller has coached 34 individual national champions, 138 All-Americans and 70 NWCA Academic All-Americans. "This was not a spur of the moment decision. I've thought about it a great deal over these last five years," said Miller. "Sometimes in life you may not have a lot of specific reasons why you know it's right at this time, but you just know. "The Wartburg College wrestling program has been the majority of my life's work," he continued. "This coming season will be my 22nd at Wartburg and 37th overall (seven at the high school level and eight as top assistant at Northern Iowa before coming to Wartburg.) I am very, very proud of what has transpired here with our student-athletes on and off the mat." "For me Wartburg College wrestling became my dream job," said Miller. "I found that there were no limits on what you could accomplish here, if you were willing to work hard at it and dedicate yourself to your dream, no matter how high that dream might be. I am excited about this season and I wanted to get this announcement behind us so all would know the situation up front and our team/staff could move on and attack the upcoming year." Wartburg Athletic Director Rick Willis said, "Jim Miller's impact on our wrestling program, athletic department and college is immeasurable. We are all indebted to Jim for his tremendous work and service." He praised Miller for "diligently preparing our program and the college for this eventually." "Sooner or later," Willis said, "we all reach that moment when we know it's the right time to make a change. Jim has made sure we have the perfect succession plan in place. We couldn't ask for a better choice to step into Jim's shoes." Miller's new role at Wartburg remains under discussion. "We are indeed fortunate that Jim will remain at Wartburg," Willis said. "Jim has many skills and talents to offer. He is a teacher, a motivator and a leader. We look forward to engaging his energy, insight and passion in new ways. We have several ideas about how best to use his talents. We'll take the next several months to choose exactly the right ideas that mesh with Jim's goals and Wartburg's needs." Wartburg President Darrel Colson lauded Miller's contributions as a coach and teacher -- and his legacy. "Not only has Coach Jim Miller put together a wrestling program that is the envy of the nation, but he has lived the Wartburg mission in a way that I envy," Colson said. "His coaching really is teaching, guiding and mentoring in the ways that all of us can admire. "Many of his wrestlers have gone on to become coaches," he added. "They've carried with them the Wartburg mission that Jim has lived out. They know that when they are wrestling here and when they are coaching elsewhere, they are called to leadership and service. Dozens and dozens of his wrestlers live out the lessons they learned here in every conceivable workplace." Miller wrestled at the University of Northern Iowa, where he had a 128-22 record while winning NCAA Division II championships in 1974 and 1975. After coaching at the high school level, he was the top assistant coach at UNI from 1983-91. Miller has been inducted into six halls of fame -- NWCA Divisions II and III, Glen Brands Wrestling, University of Northern Iowa Athletics, East Waterloo High School Athletics and Iowa Wrestling in Cresco. Among Miller's many other accomplishments are: Division III Rookie Coach of the Year and National Rookie Coach of the Year in 1992 (AWN) NCAA Division III Coach of the Year in 1993, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2009 Iowa Conference Coach of the Year in 1993, 1995-98, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 Dan Gable All-Division Coach of the Year in 2004 (W.I.N. magazine) Iowa's Man of the Year in 2003 (Wrestling USA magazine) D3Wrestling.com Coach of the Year (2012) Keller was named co-head coach of the program in March 2010. He had served as Miller's assistant at Wartburg from 2000-05 and was part of five consecutive IIAC championships and NCAA national championships in 2003 and 2004. He left Wartburg briefly to become head coach at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., where he guided the Cardinals to a perfect dual-meet record in 2006 with three Division III All-Americans. He was named the NWCA's Rookie Coach of the Year. He returned to Wartburg the next year as associate head coach. In 2008-09, he was named NWCA's Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. In the last three years, the Knights have won the Iowa Conference tournament title each year and claimed three national championships. The duo of Miller and Keller received Coach of the Year honors from both the Iowa Conference and D3wrestle.com. The Indianola, Iowa, native earned his degree in health and physical education at UNI in 1999. He was an NCAA All-American and Academic All-American for the Panthers and was also a world team wrestling trials qualifier and Northern Plains Regional Olympic. He had been a two-time Iowa state high school champion for Indianola High School, compiling a 161-10-1 record. "I am extremely humbled and honored to be taking over a program that has meant so much to me over the past 12 years both personally and professionally," said Keller. "I want to thank President Colson, Gary Grace, Rick Willis, Coach Miller and the entire Wartburg College family for this opportunity." "Coach Miller has created a legacy here at Wartburg over the past 21 years," he continued. "I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to coach beside him for the past 12 years. The lessons I have learned from him extend far beyond the wrestling mat. He is a coaching legend and I truly believe there is no one better at mentoring young coaches. I am forever grateful for all he has taught me, and for his guidance both in and out of wrestling." "I couldn't be happier that Eric Keller is here to lead this transition," said President Colson. "It's a blessing to have him in place, and we all know that he is the perfect choice to lead this team into the future." Miller called Keller a "special coach. He could have done this five years ago." "Obviously, it makes it easier knowing that Eric Keller is totally ready to take the full reins," he said. "The more he has taken over in the last five years the better we have done, and that's not a coincidence. "We have won four out of five NCAA Championships in that time span," Miller continued. "He came here right out of college, left after five years to become the head coach at North Central College, where they had their best year in history -- to that point and was voted National Rookie Coach of the Year. None of that surprised me. So when the opportunity came to get him back I did, knowing he was the right guy to take over at some point." Willis agreed. "No one knows better than Eric Keller how big those shoes are, but at the same time, no one is better prepared to step into them. He knows the value we place on excellence, whether in sports, class or life. We will make this transition at the end of the season without missing a beat." "Looking ahead to the future, the goals remain the same. For me, helping our student-athletes graduate, become great men both on and off the mat, and winning championships is my passion," said Keller. "There is a tradition of excellence that Coach Miller has established, and I look forward to continuing it." Six All-Americans will return for the Knights when they open the season Nov. 13 at the Loras Open, beginning the quest for the program's 10th NCAA title. Additional Quotes: "Jim is hearing a new call, and we'll support his process of discernment. I'm delighted that he's called to stay here at Wartburg." -- Wartburg President Colson "The leadership Coach Miller has provided on the mat has been unprecedented and obvious. Most would not be aware of the contribution he has made in shaping the environment and culture of the Wartburg athletic department as a whole. He has mentored many young coaches and provided a blueprint for numerous teams to be successful, not only winning championships, but also in nurturing the lives of young men and women participating in intercollegiate athletics. His pursuit of excellence enhanced the athletic experience at Wartburg and positively impacted the sport of wrestling in the IIAC and NCAA." -- Gary Grace, Wartburg's Vice President for Administration and former Athletic Director "Part of the Iowa Conference's Vision Statement speaks to academic and athletic success nationally, and that's exactly what Jim Miller has done during his time at Wartburg. Our league, overall, has been strengthened by Wartburg's remarkable success in wrestling. As we celebrate 90 years of Iowa Conference athletics this year, it's been an honor and pleasure to get to know one of the coaching giants in our league. I'm also very happy for Eric Keller, who is also a huge proponent of Iowa Conference wrestling and a terrific young coach." -- Chuck Yrigoyen, Iowa Conference Commissioner

Trevor Franklin

TEMPE -- A mainstay in the Arizona State University wrestling program, former Sun Devil wrestler Aaron Simpson will return to the bench this season as a volunteer assistant coach, head coach Shawn Charles has announced today. Aaron SimpsonSimpson returns to the program for his second stint in a coaching role. Prior to this, Simpson spent nine years as an assistant coach after his wrestling career at ASU until 2007. During that time, he played a vital role in helping several Sun Devils complete successful ASU careers, including All-Americans C.B. Dollaway (184), Ryan Bader (197) and heavyweight Cain Velasquez. Simpson broke away from coaching full-time in order to pursue a mixed martial arts career where he has compiled an impressive 12-3 record overall and is 7-3 on the UFC Slate. Most recently, Simpson defeated Kenny Robinson by unanimous decision in his welterweight debut and is next slated to take on Mike Pierce on Oct. 5. In addition to his work on the UFC slate, Simpson co-founded Power MMA and Fitness with Dollaway and Bader in 2010, a state of the art mixed martial arts facility and fitness gym in Gilbert, Ariz. During his tenure as a Sun Devil coach, Simpson mentored six different grapplers to All-America honors, including Velasquez (fourth), Dollaway (fifth) and Bader (seventh). All told, those six wrestlers combined to collect a total of 10 All-America awards with the late Steve Blackford (three), Bader (two) and Velasquez (two) earning multiple honors while Dollaway, Curtis Owen and Kellan Fluckiger garnering single awards. On the conference level, Simpson has guided six athletes to 12 Pac-10 Championship crowns, most recently helping two Sun Devils win the league title as Bader (197) collected the third title of his career and Velasquez ended his campaign with his second win in a row. On a staff that has guided the Sun Devils to four Pac-10 titles, Simpson also helped two wrestlers earn Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year honors with Blackford (2000) and Velasquez (2005) bringing home the award. A two-time All-American with the Sun Devils, Simpson placed fourth at the 1998 NCAA meet and eighth in 1996, both at 177 pounds. During his Sun Devil career, he collected 110 career wins for 12th on the ASU all-time chart. Simpson also ranks eighth in career dual victories with 53. Simpson concluded his ASU career with a stellar senior season in 1997-98, posting a 34-4 slate that included a perfect 20-0 dual mark. He also was ranked second in the nation for the much of the year. He claimed his second Pac-10 championship and was named the "Outstanding Wrestler" of the Cliff Keen National Team Duals after going 5-0 in the two-day event. He recorded a team-high 10 falls in 1997-98, with his quickest fall coming in 25 seconds. He also posted a streak of pins in three straight matches and enjoyed a 25-match win streak that lasted 2 1/2 months. Simpson graduated from ASU in May 1998 with a bachelor's degree in broadcasting. Demonstrating discipline in the classroom as well, he earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors three times (1996, 1997, 1998). He was also named the recipient of the Varsity "A" Association Bill Kajikawa Outstanding Male Senior Award. A walk-on who went on to earn a scholarship, he was a Maroon and Gold Scholar-Athlete and a member of the Athletic Director's High Honor Roll. A native of Wellton, Ariz., Simpson is a 1993 graduate of Antelope Union High School where he was a four-time state champion and three-time All-American. He closed out his prep career with a 142-1 record. The 1997 Pan-American Games silver medalist at 187 pounds, Simpson also pursued a freestyle career with the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club and competed in both the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Team Trials. A former USA National Team member, Simpson was a member of the inaugural season of Real Pro Wrestling (RPW) and competed for the Texas Shooters with former Sun Devils Danny Felix, Eric Larkin and Fluckiger. The 2006 calendar year saw Simpson utilize his broadcasting degree as he wrote weekly journals for thesundevils.com and also served as the host of the nationally televised replays of the first season of RPW, introducing the bouts to the viewers at home. Simpson and his wife, Kendra Sirignano, were married in November 2002 and reside in the Phoenix area with their two daughters, Claire and Mia and son, Domenico.

Bobby Douglas

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join Guest Hosts Bob Selby, Chad Kriz and Brad Johnson this Saturday from 9 to 11 AM CST/ 10 AM to 12 Noon Eastern. TakedownRadio.com This week's guests: 9:03 Heath Eslinger, Chattanooga head wrestling coach 9:20 Robbie Waller, Lock Haven head wrestling coach 9:40 Jimmy May, Baker head wrestling coach 9:50 Ty Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Anniversary Weekend 10:03 Bobby Douglas, former Iowa State and Arizona State head wrestling coach 10:20 Yero Washington, Beat the Streets LA 10:40 Andy Lausier, Sacred Heart head wrestling coach 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation live. Ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app. (Click on KXNO under Sportsradio.)

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? View archives. I know you are all wondering the same thing? Can we discuss something other than the National Duals? Yes, we can discuss something other than the National Duals, just not today. The wrestling fans really piped up these past few weeks and I was sent some really insightful emails, many of which I was unable to answer directly, or include in this week's mailbag. However, those emails will be answered in the below summation of where the proposal goes from here. Let's start the final discussion of the duals with a snippet of the NCAA's response written by the organization's in-house PR department, Gary Johnson:The cabinet voted to refer the concept back to the Wrestling Committee for additional development. Specifically, the cabinet wants additional feedback on how the proposed championship would affect the current championship, information on the views of the NCAA's media partner(s), and an analysis of the budget impact related to the championship's current budget. In addition, the cabinet requested results from a survey of Division I wrestling coaches and input from student-athletes.You have to read into this and assume that one of the wrestling coaches against the proposition got into the ear of their administrator and said "Hey, you need to get them to release the survey results, because it only passed by a single vote ..." How inflammatory and possibly detrimental is the implication that the NWCA falsified the results of the survey? Very. If the NCAA isn't given that original survey they might withhold future judgment, and if for some reason that survey wasn't one-hundred percent accurate there will be serious questions to face. Right now there is no evidence to support the idea that anything was falsified, but for the NCAA to compel the NWCA to see he survey shows there are some accusations being made and that more than one person has questioned the validity of the NWCA's last-minute survey. One of wrestling's most pressing problems is the abysmal communication between many coaches and administrators. Several Division I head coaches admitted that they hadn't addressed the possible change with their bosses until late last Thursday, and at least one said that he did so only because he heard on Twitter of the unresolved issues. But it's not just coaches living in solitary confinement that created the issues of the last month. The leadership class within wrestling can't be allowed to shut itself off to critique or discussion. To have good PR you need to grant access and help build support for a system that employs natural checks and balances. Had it not been for social media there is almost no chance that the dissenting opinions would have made it into articles and onto forums. The NCAA committee members and NWCA board members were quoted to me by coaches as having said something to the affect of "you are either for this proposal, or against wrestling" and "We have to all stand together, there can't be any disagreement." That's a preposterous and headstrong way to go about politicking. Shutting your doors to the press and to debate is nothing but obstinate and shortsighted. The NWCA and the NCAA needed to embrace an open process from the beginning to not only ensure that all the stake holders had a chance to voice their opinion, and that ideas were vetted by more than a single back room of characters, but because wrestling fans and coaches are the very last people on the planet to take kindly to having change rammed down their gullet. Hopefully these lessons have been learned. The coaches' convention in late October should give everyone enough time to relax and regain their composure, but doubt remains. Will the NWCA bring new data to the meeting? Will coaches who were against the proposal or had better ideas also present them? Will media be allowed access? Will the results of the survey be published? I hope that the spirit of cooperation prevails because the nastiness and poorly executed politicking of the past month has left our sport damaged and fractured. For the sport to grow we'll need to create a better atmosphere. Also, wrestling in an arms race? Now, your questions ... Q: Saw the video of Chance Marstellar's injury in Baku. Have you heard anything about how bad it is or when he will be back? -- Douglas O. Foley: How awful. Chance is one of the nation's top wrestlers and I think everyone, even the teams that won't end up with him on their roster, want to see him make a full recovery. I have no insight on how long he'll be out, but it's rare that any injury takes more than a year to recover from and that timeline speeds up when you are an in-shape 17-year-old wrestler. I'd expect that he'll be back for midseason, if not before. But that isn't based on insider info, and I am sprinkling that answer with my hopes for his health. Q: Virginia is about to go to seven state championships. Your thoughts? -- Joe S. Foley: First, let's all give respect to the finest Commonwealth in the nation by recapturing the brilliance of this anonymous quote. (I vote on it having been Thomas Jefferson!) To be a Virginian, either by birth, marriage, adoption, or even on one's mother's side, is an introduction to any state in the union, a passport to any foreign country, and a benediction from the almighty God. -- Anon.That's right, "a benediction from the almighty God." We win. My brother is a wrestling coach and teacher in the state of Virginia and he informs me that the seven state titles are being debated by the coaches. The counter plan by coaches is to shift the divisions into the traditional three state titles by grouping similar-sized schools. If it remains in the current format you'd have six public school champions and a private school reaction. The worst part? There are only EIGHT wrestlers in the bracket. Virginia is the greatest state/commonwealth in the country, but this a really stupid idea. Q: What's the story with Max Askren moving back to Wisconsin? -- @ZachLambertski Foley: No real story. He's still wrestling, just training in Wisconsin. U.S. wrestlers Joe Betterman and Deanna Rix recently welcomed the birth of their first child, MasonQ: Have the men wrestlers at the USOTC been known to hit on or date the female wrestlers? Somebody told me that Henry Cejudo dated Clarissa Chun for a while. -- Nick T. Foley: Yes, they do. Clarissa Chun actually dated Stephen Abas before Henry Cejudo, making for one hell of a potential love triangle. As for more recent love interests that are confirmable and not complete gossip, Joe Betterman and Deanna Rix just welcomed the birth of their first child! Also, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Patricia Miranda married her college teammate Levi Weikel-Magden, who later became one of her coaches on the U.S. National Team. I don't think there are any rules against fraternization, nor do I think there really should be. All's fair. Q: Heavyweight is going to be absolutely loaded this season in Division I! We have NCAA champion Tony Nelson returning, plus All-Americans Bobby Telford, Jeremy Johnson, Mike McMullan and Nick Gwiazdowski. Then throw in Russian stud Alan Gelogaev and a couple All-Americans coming off redshirt, Dom Bradley and Jarrod Trice. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about Chad Hanke, who beat Gelogaev! Who knows, maybe Jimmy Lawson can get in the mix! It's going to be an amazing weight class! Who are your top four finishers at heavyweight when the dust settles in Des Moines? -- Mike C. Foley: Not often we get to talk about a loaded heavyweight class. What I find most interesting is that these guys are all exceptionally athletic heavyweights, which means they are a little more watchable than some of the more lumbering and dominant heavyweights of last decade. I'm taking my boy McMullan! Speaking of heavyweights ... two-time NCAA champion and undefeated MMA heavyweight Cole Konrad retired from the sport yesterday to pursue a career in trading. Q: Just curious what you thoughts are on the following 3 teams: Iowa, Missouri, and Virginia? -- J. Nickal Foley: In one sentence or less. Iowa will finish in the top ten, but will be the most vulnerable they've been since Brands took control. Adding Sammie Henson will result in three All-Americans for Mizzou and at least one NCAA finalist. Virginia has a team that will challenge for the ACC title and should put six wrestlers into the All-American round. Q: Who's the favorite at 174 pounds with Howe redshirting? -- @BrentParkey Foley: Penn State's Matt Brown.

HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- Coker College announced today that it will add men's wrestling as an intercollegiate sport beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. Wrestling brings the number of Coker's NCAA Division II programs to 17. "Wrestling offers us the unique opportunity to offer a sport that has broad appeal in the Pee Dee region, yet is also wildly popular outside of South Carolina as well," said Coker College President Robert Wyatt. "We look forward to adding another athletic program designed to help us meet the aggressive enrollment growth and diversity goals outlined in our strategic plan." The Cobras' wrestling team will operate as an independent program with no conference affiliation. "Bringing the sport of wrestling to Coker greatly advances the experience for our student-athletes," said Lynn Griffin, vice president of athletics and facilities. "Wrestling has a wonderful tradition of being a competitive individual sport, and it's one we feel will thrive on our campus and within the area." The search for a head coach begins immediately. Wrestling becomes the fourth sport added since Griffin took her post at Coker in 2010. Others were men's lacrosse (2011-12), men's volleyball (2012-13) and women's lacrosse (2013-14). Coker is the 57th Division II institution to offer men's wrestling. "The leadership of Dr. Wyatt and Dr. Griffin has been nothing short of excellent, and I'm glad to see Coker College embrace this great opportunity," said Stan Bikulege, a member of the Coker College Board of Trustees. "Speaking as a father of a wrestler, I know first-hand the values and lessons taught on the wrestling mat are tough to duplicate. It was a no-brainer for the board to approve this decision." Wrestling, a winter sport, will have its first match in November 2013. Although the South Atlantic Conference, which Coker begins to compete in next year, does not sponsor wrestling as a conference sport, longtime opponents and fellow SAC members Anderson and Newberry offer wrestling. About Coker College Coker College has a total undergraduate enrollment of approximately 1,200 students and offers 50 areas of study. The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the National Association of Schools of Music and the South Carolina Board of Education. Coker College readies undergraduates for personal and professional success through a distinctive four-year program that emphasizes a practical application of the liberal arts as well as hands-on and discussion-based learning within and beyond the classroom. Coker is ranked among the "Best Colleges" in the South by U.S. News & World Report as well as The Princeton Review. Located in Hartsville, S.C., Coker is within two hours of the cultural, financial and recreational resources of Charlotte, Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach. For more information, contact Chris Dougherty, manager of athletics media relations, at 843-383-8018 or cdougherty@coker.edu .

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Tickets for the inaugural "Grapple at the Garden, benefiting Beat the Streets”, the first collegiate wrestling event in Madison Square Garden’s history, are set to go on sale Friday, Sept. 14 at 10 a.m. The Dec. 16 duals match head coach Scott Goodale’s Rutgers wrestling team against Nebraska (10:30 a.m.) and Tennessee-Chattanooga (12:30 p.m.). A Ticketmaster.com pre-sale of tickets will take place Thursday, Sept. 13, beginning at 10 a.m. and concluding on Friday, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. Scarlet Knight supporters have the opportunity to purchase seats in a Rutgers-only section inside MSG for optimal viewing of RU’s two matches. For the pre-sale, fans are asked to use MSG’s TicketMaster.com website along with the pre-sale code “RUTGERS”. After the one-day pre-sale concludes, Scarlet Knight wrestling fans will be able to purchase tickets via Ticketmaster.com (with no presale code required) and the MSG Box Office. Season tickets for Rutgers wrestling are set to be available later in the month of September. Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.

Which NCAA Division I wrestling programs will be strongest in 2012-13? Which will continue to improve? Which have the most to gain, or lose? The following list is comprised of ten programs with something to prove in 2013. 10. Stanford It's always interesting to see what happens on The Farm, and with Jason Borrelli entering his fifth season as head coach, the program seems poised for another great season. The team is headlined by two-time All-American Ryan Mango (125), if he doesn't redshirt, and are hoping to see performances from heavyweight Dan Scherer and Spence Patrick (184) 9. Oklahoma State The word here is talent, and the Cowboys have a ton of it. Coming back from last year's squad is 2011 NCAA champion Jordan Oliver (133) and All-American Chris Perry (174) But maybe most incredibly the Cowboys and John Smith also get 2011 NCAA finalist Tyler Caldwell (165) off transfer from Oklahoma. Three NCAA finalists would be a major haul for a program coming off a sixth-place NCAA finish, so it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the program's talent matures throughout the season, including Jon Morrison (125), Josh Kindig (141), and possibly Austin Marsden (285) if he's called upon. 8. Penn State They will likely win their third consecutive title with talent that's been on campus for more than two seasons. However, it will be interesting to see how the newcomers to the lineup Matt Brown (174), Jimmy Lawson (285) and possibly Jimmy Gulibon (133) transition into the starting lineup. Should they perform as expected and join the four other NCAA finalist candidates, then Penn State has the chance to dominate like no other team in history, and that is worth noting. Northwestern sophomore heavyweight Mike McMullan will be looking to improve on his NCAA third-place finish in 2012 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com7. Northwestern Head coach Drew Pariano has returning NCAA third-place finisher Mike McMullan (285) and fourth-place finisher senior Jason Welch (157). In addition to several other NCAA qualifiers, Pariano also hired NCAA champion Jay Borschel to his staff and recruited Jason Tsirtsis, InterMat's High School Wrestler of the Year in 2012. If the Wildcats have even equal performances from their team leaders and one wrestler makes a significant national impact, the team will be in position to crack the top ten, and provide a scare to many of the more traditional programs. 6. Oklahoma The only program on this list many expect to have a down season in 2013, the Sooners will be expecting to prove the naysayers wrong. Head coach Mark Cody is returning NCAA All-Americans Kendric Maple (141) and Nick Lester (149) to the lineup to join top talents Matt Lester (157) and Bubby Graham (165). But the real story is who the Sooners will be sitting in 2013: NCAA champion Andrew Howe (165) and All-Americans Travis Rutt (197) and Jarrod Patterson (125). That's massive amounts of firepower on the bench, but if the Sooners can do it without their help in 2013, just imagine what they'll be capable of in 2014? 5. Cornell The EIWA has become a two-team race between Lehigh and Cornell, but it's the latter that has a shot at history in 2013. Nobody doubts that Lehigh will continue to improve, as head coach Pat Santoro has proven over and over that he can build a championship program, what interests almost every wrestling fan this year is Kyle Dake, the three-time defending NCAA champion. Should Dake win his fourth title and join Pat Smith and Cael Sanderson as the only four-time NCAA Division I winners, he'll make an argument for the greatest collegiate wrestler of all time. In addition to Dake, Cornell's Steve Bosak, if he stays at 184 pounds, will try to defend his title against Ed Ruth, the defending champion at 174, who is moving up to make room for teammate Matt Brown at 174. Cornell has plenty of other studs, but it's these two guys each vying for another title that make Cornell a compelling team in 2013. 4. Binghamton Matt Dernlan landed in Binghamton after Pat Popolizio made the jump to N.C. State. The new head coach will have a big role to fill, with fans looking for a reason to criticize anything less than the year-to-year improvement the team showed almost every season under Popolizio. Dernlan will be missing All-American heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski, who transferred to N.C. State. 3. Michigan They have the talent and they have the coaches. Can the Wolverines make something happen in 2013? The school hasn't tipped their hand on whether or not super-stud freshman Taylor Massa will enter the starting lineup, but it might not matter to the overall picture. Fans and supporters want to see the new-look Wolverines win another NCAA title in 2013 and place several All-Americans. The best candidate is Eric Grajales (149), but the entire team is loaded with top 20 talent, including Stephen Dutton (141) Jake Salazar (157), and Ben Apland (285). Ohio State sophomore Logan Stieber, a returning NCAA champion, will lead a young but talented Buckeye squad (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)2. Ohio State You thought they were good as freshmen? Wait until you see them this season. One of the most consistent programs in the nation, the Buckeyes were the surprise of 2012 when many prognosticators believed their youth would hinder their chances at making an impact at the NCAA tournament. Head coach Tom Ryan and his staff made sure that wasn't case, bringing eight wrestlers to the NCAA tournament, crowing four All-Americans and finishing fifth as a team. The 2013 season looks bright with returning NCAA champion sophomore Logan Stieber (133) leading a pack of talented wrestlers including All-Americans Cam Tessari (149), Hunter Stieber (141), and Nick Heflin (174). This team is fully-loaded and with a little luck, and some more stellar performances it's at least conceivable that they could compete for the Big Ten and NCAA team titles. 1. Virginia Tech No team outside the Big Ten or Big 12 has flirted more with a sustained national impact than the team from Blacksburg. The 2013 season seems to be the perfect opportunity for the Kevin Dresser-led squad to become a top ten program at the end of the season. Returning All-Americans Devin Carter (141), Pete Yates (165) lead the program into the next season ranked in the top five. That would be enough for mention, but it's the roster of other wrestlers that makes this team very dangerous. Add in the oft-injured but exceedingly talented Jesse Dong (157), superlative Jarrod Garnett (125), and Wisconsin redshirt junior transfer Derrick Borlie (197), and you get a Virginia Tech squad positioned to crack the top ten and make a run at a team trophy in Iowa City.

The debate is over. After two days of meetings, the NCAA has decided to send a proposal that would have changed the way wrestling crowns its team champion, back to the sport's committee. It has been a wild few weeks for wrestling fans and coaches. What in early August was a side note at the NWCA's national convention quickly became a news story with constant changes to vital components of the proposal and full-scale resistance from some of the most high-profile coaches in the sport. There were accusations of intentional deception and heated discussions about what a change in format would mean for the long term economic viability of the sport at the national level. The NWCA, an organization that has championed the cause, became a lightning rod for controversy. Members' correspondence with the NCAA were unintentionally leaked revealing what many coaches thought was proof that they were trying to mislead the public through manipulations of the truth. Statements made by NWCA executive director Mike Moyer and NWCA president Rob Koll last Thursday night signaled that the NWCA was going to pull support. Then on Friday night support was reinstated, contingent on the results of an online survey of coaches. That vote came back in support of the proposal by a single vote. On the other side of the argument was Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson who used the power of social media to disseminate a very anti-duals agenda. The NWCA and Coach Sanderson have always had a tepid relationship, but the duals proposal seemed to turn that standing tolerance into a bucket on ice. Northwestern University will be hosting a coaches convention in late October to discuss the proposal along with many other agenda items. The proposal, or any adaptation of the proposal, won't be up for another vote until next summer.

InterMat's T.R. Foley and Michael Riordan discuss the proposed change to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Notre Dame heading to the ACC, and what it really takes to grow wrestling. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

Rob Koll and Kerry McCoy will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, September 12. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with questions or comments about the show. Koll is the current head wrestling coach at Cornell University. He was an NCAA champion for North Carolina in 1988. McCoy is the current head wrestling coach at the University of Marylan. He was an NCAA champion for Penn State in 1994 and 1997.

Former Strikeforce lightweight challenger Jorge Masvidal would be a tough fight for pretty much anyone in the 155-pound division. Unfortunately, with Strikeforce's limited scheduling options on Showtime, the American Top Team fighter is getting frustrated waiting for another chance to get back in the cage. Masvidal talks about that, his most recent win over Justin Wilcox, and more. Also on this week's show, Bellator and Strikeforce vet Zach Underwood talks about his latest win on the Bellator 73 undercard and working on his mixed martial arts game at Roufusport in Milwaukee. To top things off, Richard and John break down the big injuries news for UFC 153 and play matchmaker to see what Zuffa can do to salvage the card. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

With the high school wrestling season' start approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce fans to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and Maine to California, fans will gain exposure to future college and senior level stars. Here is a look at Michigan's top ten wrestlers from the Class of 2013 ... 1. Adam Coon (Fowlerville) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Fowlerville's Adam Coon won a USA Wrestling Junior National Triple Crown this year (Photo/Dave Jedlicka)Analysis: Coon entered the high school ranks with high expectations and an even higher ceiling. Needless to say, he has not failed to disappoint, dominating his way to three consecutive state titles in the process of developing into the country's top high school heavyweight. He has perennially been a monster on the USA Wrestling circuit, winning a total of four national championships in Fargo during his prep career, as well as claiming a folkstyle national title this spring. But the accolades do not stop there, as Coon's most impressive accomplishment came last summer when he traveled to Hungary and became the United States' first Cadet World champion since 1999. Despite his brutal schedule of elite competition, Coon's most impressive attribute throughout his career has been his consistency. He approaches every tournament with the same mindset, and is relentless the entire time he is on the mat. There is nothing flashy about his offense, but he dominates with powerful tenacious hand-fighting backed by outstanding position and reaction time. Due to his lack of close folkstyle matches in recent years, his mat skills probably stand to improve and will continue to develop over the course of his college career. Given his tremendous seasoning and impressive physical ability, Coon is as college-ready as any heavyweight in recent memory and will enter his collegiate career poised to compete for multiple individual national titles in the near future. Coon committed to the University of Michigan on Aug. 23. 2. Ben Whitford (St. Johns) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Ben Whitford, like Adam Coon, will be takings his talents to Ann Arbor to wrestle for the University of Michigan (Photo/MichiganGrappler.com)Analysis: It's hard to remember a wrester as fun to watch as Ben Whitford, who has gained notoriety around the nation for his high-flying style as well as his dominance on the mat. Whitford, a Michigan native who spent the first two years of his high school career at Marmion Academy in Illinois, has been a one-man wrecking crew since bursting onto the scene and winning a Cadet National freestyle title in 2009 prior to his freshman season with a classic finals win over Mark Grey of Blair Academy. Since then, he has annihilated competition with regularity in the process of winning national championships in all three styles to go along with three consecutive high school state titles. A string of injuries kept him out of the big spring and summer events, which is virtually the only thing separating him from Coon for the top spot in this class. Offensively he may be the most dangerous wrestler in the country, and his vast toolbox of filthy attacks on his feet will make Whitford an instant-impact recruit when he hits the mats at the University of Michigan next season. The only area where he may need work transitioning to college is on the mat. However, his athleticism and wide-open style of wrestling should give him the ability to score big points on the best in the Big Ten and the NCAA right away. Regardless of whether or not he redshirts Whitford will immediately be expected to contend for All-American honors, and with continued polishing to his already sensational skills a NCAA championship will be a very attainable objective before his days in Ann Arbor are complete. 3. Ken Bade (Detroit Catholic Central) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 135 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Analysis: If college recruiting was like the stock market, chances are that Ken Bade would be a pretty darn good investment. The kid has done nothing but improve throughout his high school career, and shows no signs of slowing down or hitting his plateau. Not only did he dominate the state meet en route to his second state title this season, but he also turned in his best national performance to date by placing fifth in a loaded weight at FloNationals this spring and he was runner-up at the Grappler Fall Classic, losing a great finals match to Oregon State recruit Jack Hathaway of Iowa. His biggest knock is a lack of freestyle success, but everything Bade has shown over the past few years both in and out of state suggest he should be able to make a smooth transition to the collegiate scene. As previously mentioned his motor is terrific, and it is a accompanied by good combination of strength and quickness. Bade's mat wrestling is solid also, and he has proven that he can score points against quality wrestlers from the top position. He can scramble as well as anyone in this class, and he has displayed good mat awareness that should help ease his transition from high school to college. Likely he will be competitive from the onset his college career, and if he continues the trend of improvement he has exhibited in high school Bade could be contending for All-American status a few years down the road. 4. Jacob Schmitt (St. Johns) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 130 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Analysis: Since breaking into the high school ranks Schmitt has steadily been one of the class of 2013's premier wrestlers, dominating his in-state competition and excelling on the national stage throughout his career. He has been a model of consistency, with a multitude of strong performances at prestigious national tournaments including a Cadet National Greco-Roman title in 2010, back-to-back runner-up finishes at the FILA Cadet Nationals in 2010 and 2011 along with an All-American performance at the Super 32 Challenge in 2010. All of this success has come with little flash or frill, and a whole lot of old school hardnosed wrestling. He is a banger by nature who is not scared to mix it up with the top guys in the country, as well as a competent rider who doesn't give away any easy points on the mat. In order to maximize his success at the next level, Schmitt will need to tighten up his neutral defense a bit and improve his fluidity in scramble situations. He may be able to come in and wrestle at 125 for a year or two, further valuing his recruiting value. However, Schmitt projects to be a 133-pounder in the long run. He fell short of All-American honors in Fargo this year. However, he has scored notable wins over just about all the big name lightweights in the country over the past couple years. Regardless of the weight he competes at, his brute physicality and wealth of national experience will make Schmitt a highly sought after lightweight investment for a top-tier Division I program. 5. Josh Pennell (St. Johns) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 145 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: It only takes one glance to see that Josh Pennell is powerful kid that can do some serious damage on a wrestling mat. He is built like a house and his overall strength and squatty build make him a nightmare to match up with. Just as importantly, Pennell has great mat awareness and understands how to use his strength to score points without inducing a lot of risk. For proof, look no further than the US Wrestling Greco-Roman Nationals in 2010 and 2011 where Pennell utilized his excellent power and positioning to earn second and third-place finishes at the prestigious event. He has also had a great deal of success on the freestyle circuit, finishing fourth in Fargo in 2010 followed up by a runner-up performance at FILA Cadet Nationals in 2011. Last fall he added a notable folkstyle achievement to his impressive r�sum�, finishing seventh in a stacked weight at Super 32. Over the course of his career he has done a very good job grinding out close matches, combining his strength with superb patience and mat awareness. At times he does seem a bit choppy, so Pennell will need to improve his scrambling ability in order to thrive to the fullest of his abilities at the next level. While a state title has eluded him, falling short in the some of the toughest weights of D2 each year, his plethora of national success should give college coaches nationwide the ease of mind that he can and will be highly competitive at the collegiate level. 6. Mitch Rogaliner (Temperance Bedford) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 119 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: While he may not be as gifted as the other wrestlers on this list athletically, it has not prevented Mitch Rogaliner from proving wrong a slew of doubters and developing into one of Michigan's finest lightweights. A classic overachiever, Rogaliner has developed a style that suits his strengths well and has led to a pair of state titles and some big wins on the national scene. Generally he does not wrestle very well in space, but he neutralizes this weakness by dictating the pace of the match and forcing opponents to wrestle within the positions he is best suited for. His short counter-offense is simply the best I have ever seen, highlighted by a wicked short dump that makes him an extremely frustrating opponent, and his mat wrestling is top notch with a series of dangerous turns and pinning combos on top. Many wrote off Rogaliner's first state title as fluke, but he has silenced any skeptics with several impressive performances on the national stage to validate his status as a top recruit. Rogaliner enjoyed a breakout junior season in terms of national success that raised his recruiting stock significantly, starting when he won one of the strongest weight classes at last year's Grappler Fall Classic in convincing fashion. He then went on to earn All-American honors in the Junior National folkstyle competition and has been very active on the freestyle and Greco-Roman circuit, highlighted by a 10-2 overall record at the Junior National Duals. Rogaliner still needs to add some strength before he can be competitive at the collegiate level, and it would be nice to see him develop a go-to shot for situations when he needs a quick takedown, but the intangibles are there for him to succeed at a major NCAA program. He flies under some national radars. However, with his status as potential lifetime 125-pounder in college, Rogaliner has huge upside and could be a great asset for a big time college to land that will be a force to reckon with atop their lineup for a few years. 7. Payne Hayden (St. Johns) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 189/215 Projected College Weight Class: 197 Analysis: College coaches will be hard-pressed to find any 197-pounders capable of matching the motor of Payne Hayden. After spending the first two years of his career at 135 and 140, Hayden made the move up to 189 pounds last year and didn't miss a beat. In fact he posted his best season to date, placing second at the Grappler Fall Classic and fourth at Super 32 before narrowly missing out on a state title at 215 pounds. This offseason Hayden has continued to be one of Michigan's most frequent competitors on the national scene, wrestling well at the Junior National Duals and coming a match away from placing in both styles in Fargo. He possesses a very unique skill set for a wrestler his size, and has the potential to develop into a very good 197-pounder. Hayden wrestlers at a terrific pace that opponents struggle greatly to match, and his scrambling ability will be a huge asset at the college level. If he can put in some additional work in the weight room and continue to gain the strength and size for his weight class Hayden should develop into a very successful college wrestler. 8. Gage Hutchinson (Buchanan) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: 285 Analysis: Perhaps the most intriguing prospect in this class is Gage Hutchison, a returning undefeated Division 3 state champion who will be wrestling at heavyweight this season after beginning his career at 160 pounds. There is a lot to like about Hutchison as a recruit, who just recently made a verbal commitment to Eastern Michigan. He has great wrestling skill for a big man, and excellent athleticism that he uses to generate points from all positions. Hutchison's biggest strength may be his upper body wrestling, where he holds very solid position and is not afraid to throw. He is also very capable on the mat, particularly in the down position where his movement is very good and will be critical to his success in college. While his national r�sum� may not be as long as others, he made a big statement last fall when he defeated Ohio state champion Josh Lehner to win the Grappler Fall Classic. Now the biggest task ahead of him will be making the necessary tweaks to his style that will allow him to excel as he makes the transition to heavyweight this season. 9. Brant Schafer (St. Johns) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Physically, few wrestlers in the state of Michigan are as gifted as Brant Schafer. He possesses an ideal blend of strength, athleticism, explosiveness, and overall wrestling ability that is special to watch when firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, and he has struggled with consistency at some points of his career. His national outings have been a bit of a mixed bag, but none were as impressive as his trip to Fargo last summer where he rattled off wins in his first seven matches to place sixth on an absolutely stacked Junior freestyle chart. On his feet Schafer is an absolute force, and when his offense is clicking his attacks can be almost impossible to stop. He is a solid rider as well, but will need to continue to improve his overall mat game at the next level. Developmentally he is an interesting recruit, and if he finds the right fit in a college program his potential will be sky high. 10. Anthony Gonzales (Holly) Projected 2012-13 High School Weight Class: 135/140 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Certainly not a traditional folkstyle wrestler, Gonzales has used a unique and unorthodox style to enjoy a great deal of success in his high school career. A two-time Division 2 state champion, Gonzales is an interesting prospect who has a lot of upside. He is an excellent athlete, and has elite upper body strength and crazy hips that have led to a lot of Greco-Roman success and makes him a very dangerous opponent. In 2011 he put together a phenomenal offseason, winning a Cadet National folkstyle title and following it up with a fifth-place finish at in the Cadet National Greco-Roman competition. However he has been very quiet this offseason, hurting his stock a bit in these rankings. The biggest challenge he will face heading into college is his mat wrestling, where significant progress will need to be made in order to thrive at the Division I level. Gonzales is a little bit of a project and needs to continue to develop technically, but he has a very high ceiling and his combination of athleticism, strength and attitude should make him a highly sought-after recruit.

Mike Powell, head wrestling coach at Oak Park and River Forest High School (Oak Park, Ill.), will be one of three coaches featured on the second episode of Sports Illustrated on NBC Sports Network, which will air on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 9 p.m. ET, with subsequent re-airs throughout the month. The other coaches featured on the episode are football coaches Daron Roberts and Aazar Abdul-Rahim. Mike PowellSports Illustrated's Chris Ballard, who wrote a profile story on the Oak Park and River Forest wrestling coach earlier this year, reports on Powell's battle with polymyositis, a rare muscle disorder, and commitment to coaching and mentoring his athletes while battling the disease. Powell has coached and mentored several wrestlers who have gone on to have success in wrestling after high school, including University of Minnesota wrestlers Chris and Nick Dardanes and 2012 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Ellis Coleman.

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota State head wrestling coach Roger Kish announced the 2012-13 schedule for the Bison today. NDSU will host five duals, one quadrangular and the annual Bison Open. NDSU opens the season with a slew of home action. The Bison Sports Arena will host the exhibition Alumni Dual on Nov. 2, and the annual Bison Open is set for Nov. 10. NDSU’s first dual of the season comes on Nov. 16 when the Bison host Boise State. NDSU will then hold the Bison Quad on Nov. 24, welcoming Minnesota, Eastern Michigan and a team yet to be determined to the Bison Sports Arena. Minnesota took runner-up honors at the 2012 NCAA Championships. After a trip to the Las Vegas Invitational on Nov. 30-Dec. 1, the Bison return home for a Dec. 9 dual with Oregon State, who placed 10th as a team at the NCAA Championships last season. Other non-conference duals include trips to Iowa State on Dec. 16 and Missouri on Jan. 19. The Bison will close out 2012 at the Midlands Championships in Evanston, Ill., on Dec. 29-30, competing in the tournament for the second time. NDSU will travel to the Virginia Duals in Hampton, Va., on Jan. 11-12, where the opponents are still to be determined. In Western Wrestling Conference action, the Bison travel to Air Force (Jan. 25), defending conference champion Wyoming (Jan. 27) and South Dakota State (Feb. 15). Home conference duals include Northern Iowa (Feb. 3), Utah Valley (Feb. 8) and Northern Colorado (Feb. 10). This year’s NCAA West Regional will be held in Laramie, Wyo., on Mar. 9. The NCAA Championships will run Mar. 21-23 in Des Moines, Iowa. “We made it a point to strengthen our schedule, and that shows with teams like Minnesota, Iowa State, Oregon State, Boise State and Missouri,” said Kish. “We also thought it was important to see teams from both the East Coast and West Coast. Between the Las Vegas Invite and Midlands, our boys will have an opportunity to compete with many of the Big Ten and Big 12 wrestling programs and see the best wrestlers in the country.” “At the end of the day, we’re confident our guys will be prepared physically and mentally going into the conference and NCAA Tournament,” said Kish. 2012-13 NDSU Wrestling Schedule Nov. 2 Alumni Dual Fargo, N.D. 6:30 p.m. Nov. 10 Bison Open Fargo, N.D. 10:00 a.m. Nov. 16 Boise State Fargo, N.D. 7 p.m. Nov. 24 Bison Quad Fargo, N.D. 1/3/5 p.m. (NDSU, Minnesota, Eastern Michigan & TBD) Nov. 30-Dec. 1 Las Vegas Invitational Las Vegas, Nev. All Day Dec. 9 Oregon State Fargo, N.D. 2 p.m. Dec. 16 Iowa State Ames, Iowa 2 p.m. Dec. 29-30 Midlands Championships Evanston, Ill. All Day Jan. 11-12 Virginia Duals Hampton, Va. All Day Jan. 19 Missouri Columbia, Mo. 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 Air Force Colorado Springs, Colo. 8 p.m. Jan. 27 Wyoming Laramie, Wyo. 3 p.m. Feb. 3 Northern Iowa Fargo, N.D. 2 p.m. Feb. 8 Utah Valley Fargo, N.D. 7 p.m. Feb. 10 Northern Colorado Fargo, N.D. 2 p.m. Feb. 15 South Dakota State Brookings, S.D. 7 p.m. Mar. 9 NCAA West Regional Laramie, Wyo. All Day Mar. 21-23 NCAA Championships Des Moines, Iowa All Day All times Central. Home meets in Bold and held at Bison Sports Arena.

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Three freshmen will join the Central Michigan wrestling program as a part of its 2012 recruiting class this fall, head coach Tom Borrelli announced Tuesday. Nick Becker (165) (Hartford, Wis./Hartford Union), Corey Keener (125) (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain) and Austin Severn (184) (New Lothrop, Mich./New Lothrop)will join the Chippewas as they seek their 12th straight Mid-American Conference Championship as well as their 12th regular season title in 14 years. Below are complete bios of the three student athletes. Nick Becker … 165 … Hartford, Wis./Hartford Union No. 12 ranked 165-pound recruit in the country by InterMat Finished career with a mark of 182-25 … claimed WIAA Division I 152 state championship senior season … placed at state four times … finished fourth as a freshman, third as a sophomore and fifth as a junior … finished fifth at the 2012 Flonationals … claimed championship at 2011 Asics Preseason Nationals … finished seventh in freestyle and Greco at 2011 Junior Nationals. Corey Keener … 125 … Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain No. 19 126-pound recruit in the country by InterMat Four-time Schuylkill league champion, four-time District 11 Class AA and four-time Northeast Regional Class AAA champion … won back-to-back PIA-AAA state championships, claiming the 126 pound title as a senior and 119-poundtitle as a junior … finished runner-up at 112 pounds a sophomore … placed at state four times with a fifth place as a freshman … holds Pennsylvania District II careers win record with 190 victories … two-time USA National Champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman … only student-athlete in high school’s history to place four times at state championships … named a 126-pound All-American by InterMat. Austin Severn … 184 … New Lothrop, Mich./New Lothrop No. 12 195-pound recruit in the country by InterMat Two-time MHSAA state champion … went a perfect 61-0 as a junior en route to the Division 4 171-pound championship … claimed second-straight title as a senior, going 56-3 to claim 189-pound title … pinned all four opponents at 2012 state championships … finished runner up at 160 pounds as a sophomore … finished career with 188-27 record … named the 2012 Argus-Press Wrester of the year and to the All-Area wrestling squad.

Three All-American wrestlers for the University of Oklahoma, Jarrod Patterson, Andrew Howe, and Travis Rutt, will redshirt during the 2012-13 season, according to a report by WIN Magazine. Patterson, a three-time NCAA qualifier, earned All-American honors in 2011 at 125 pounds, but fell short of reaching the podium in 2012 after advancing to the round of 12. He has a career record of 87-28 with one season remaining. Andrew Howe finished runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials to Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Howe and Rutt both transferred to Oklahoma from Wisconsin this year after Olympic redshirt seasons. Howe is a 2010 NCAA champion, two-time NCAA finalist, and three-time All-American at 165 pounds. He has been a U.S. Open champion in freestyle and is currently No. 2 on the U.S. freestyle ladder at 74 kilos behind 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs. Rutt became an All-American in 2011 with a seventh-place finish at 184 pounds. He has a career record of 60-32. Rutt competed at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman and finished 1-2 at 84 kilos.

NWCA president and Cornell head wrestling coach Rob Koll sent an email update to wrestling stakeholders on Monday. The email is below. To: Wrestling Stakeholders Fr: Rob Koll, President/NWCA Re: DI National Duals Update Date: September 10, 2012 On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, we want to provide you with a status report on an NCAA DI National Duals proposal that is going before the NCAA Championship Cabinet for a vote on September 11. If it passes there, it must still make it through the Presidents Council in November. I'm guessing that many of you have heard bits and pieces of this because it has been quite controversial among our DI wrestling coaches and extended community. As a matter of background, National Wrestling Hall of Fame member, John Graham, initially created this national dual meet concept in 1981 by forming Virginia Duals. In 1989, John Graham asked that the NWCA assume control of the event so it could eventually become a true National Dual Meet Championship. The National Duals was eventually titled, the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals in honor of one of the founding members of the NWCA (Cliff Keen). Over the years, the event enjoyed considerable success but never really became the true national dual meet championship it was intended to be because one or more of the top teams would routinely abstain from participating each year. It has become apparent to us that the only way a true National Dual Meet Championship will ever be realized is if the NCAA sanctions it. For this reason, we have been communicating this strategy to the wrestling community for a period of time. The need for a national dual meet championship has never been greater as evidenced by the following: 1. We need a way to make intercollegiate wrestling more relevant on every college campus. Here is our DI trend from 1982 to 2012 operating under the current individual NCAA Championship model: 147 teams/1982, 110 teams/1992, 87 teams/2002, 77 teams/2012. We believe growing our spectator base during the regular season around exciting dual meets (that lead to a post season championship) will substantially grow our spectator base and make wrestling more relevant on each college campuses. 2. The DI wrestling spectator base has been stagnant for over a decade. Ten years ago, we had 3 teams with an average fan base of 4000 or more and 10 other teams with 1000 fans or more. Ten years later, it is relatively unchanged. A careful analysis of every mainstream spectator sport in America tells us that they have one thing in common. Essentially, the outcome of every regular season competition ultimately determines advancement to the post season. This dynamic is critical for creating fan and media excitement in intercollegiate wrestling. 3. The new duals concept provides an opportunity for more student athletes to participate in a national championship who otherwise would not have the opportunity to compete in the individual championships. 4. Our sport needs and deserves to have a second marquee event that is nationally televised (ESPN is interested in televising NCAA National Duals in addition to an NCAA individual championship). 5. The NCAA has conducted a demographic study of the spectators who attend the NCAA DI Championships and has discovered that we have an aging fan base we need a strategy to attract a younger crowd and/or new fans to our sport. We believe the dual meet format will be much more attractive to school alumni and non-wrestling fans. 6. Historically, university administrations have not hesitated to eliminate intercollegiate wrestling programs even though they have placed high in the NCAA individual championships. Some recent examples would be Fresno State, UC Davis, and University of Oregon all had recent Top 25 finishes and NCAA champions within a few years of being dropped. Examples of smaller schools are: a. Liberty University dropped wrestling after advancing 4 wrestlers to the NCAAs b. UNC Greensboro dropped wrestling after advancing 5 wrestlers to the NCAAs that year (most ever). c. Slippery Rock dropped wrestling after advancing 5 wrestlers to the NCAAs (most since 1973) The NCAA will continue to completely support the Individual NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships as is (recognizing All Americans, providing per diems, etc.). The one caveat that has clearly created the most controversy among our coaches is that the official team champion would be crowned at the dual meet championship and no longer the individual championship. While the NWCA hoped to have team scores at both championships, it became clear that the NCAA can't bend on this, however the NWCA can keep team score at the Individual Championships and award team trophies. On August 3, 2012, the DI representatives of the NWCA Board of Directors (Brian Smith/Missouri, Rob Koll/Cornell, Mark Cody/Oklahoma, Chris Ayers/Princeton, Mike Rogers/F&M, Jim Zalesky/Oregon State, Tom Ryan/Ohio State, Steve Garland/Virginia), discussed the caveat of the NCAA no longer keeping team score at the individual NCAA Championships. The discussion ended in unanimous support of the NCAA National Duals concept with the following strategies to overcome the team scoring concern at the individual championships (should this get passed): The NWCA can keep team score at the individual NCAA Championships much like the independent BCS group keeps a national ranking for football teams. The NWCA can sponsor secondary national dual meet championship (like the NIT for basketball) for all teams that do not advance to the NCAA DI National Duals. Immediately following our August 3 Board meeting, this concept was presented in its entirely to all DI coaches who were in attendance at our convention. Approximately 2/3 of our 77 DI wrestling programs were represented at the NWCA convention. As you can imagine, there was some very spirited debate but when all of the dust settled, we were able to get unanimous support from every head/assistant coach in attendance. Over the past few weeks, numerous coaches called for yet one more vote so that EVERY coach could voice his opinion. We subsequently conducted a vote where all 77 DI coaches voted and the measure passed 39-36-2. In addition to being supported by a majority of DI coaches, we also have the support of some very prominent and influential administrators such as: Bob Bowlsby, Big12 Commissioner and former athletic director at Stanford & Iowa. Col Billy Walker, Deputy Athletic Director at Air Force and former chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee. Dave Martin, Associate Athletic Director at Oklahoma State University and current chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee. Derek van der Merwe, Deputy Athletic Director at Central Michigan University and former chair of the NCAA Wrestling Committee. Jim Fallis, former Athletic Director at Northern Arizona University and former NCAA Championship Cabinet member. Dan Gable All that said, the NWCA has decided to lend its full support to the proposal as the NCAA Wrestling Committee puts it in front of the NCAA Championship Cabinet for a vote on September 11. Of course, it is impossible to speculate how that vote will turn out. We recognize that the new National Duals concept is NOT a "silver bullet" by itself as it relates to saving college wrestling teams. That is why the NWCA is contracting with Dr. Coyte Cooper at University of North Carolina to develop/implement a comprehensive marketing kit for FREE to all college programs. We must also dedicate considerable time to addressing our DI conference infrastructure challenges (football and basketball conference realignment have made numerous wrestling conferences vulnerable). Further, we must continue to improve intercollegiate wrestling's overall ranking with the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR) so we have better eligibility and graduation rates. Moreover, we have also invested heavily into coaching development so that our coaches are the absolute best stewards of their respective programs. Needless to say, we still have a lot of work ahead of us but we are making great progress on all fronts. Simply stated, growing the spectator and media support and convincing the key decision-making administrators on each campus that there is a huge community outpouring of support for their wrestling program is imperative to protecting the precious 77 DI wrestling programs we have remaining. It's hard for many administrators to justify spending $300,000 to $500,000 per year for a wrestling program with home dual meet crowds of less than 50 and multiple forfeits in the lineups (despite whatever success a few wrestlers might have at the individual NCAA Championships). While there are some calculated risks in this move, we believe it pales in comparison to the risk of doing nothing. We believe Albert Einstein said it best. "The definition of insanity is when you continue to do the same things and expect a different outcome." We have lost over one half of the DI wrestling programs since 1975 under the current NCAA Championship model. We believe that if we don't act, we could end up like men's gymnastics with 16 college teams remaining. For us to think we can transform intercollegiate wrestling into a mainstream spectator sport under our current NCAA Championship infrastructure is to suggest we can accomplish something that no mainstream spectator sport in America has been able to do. In summary, I believe legendary wrestler and wrestling coach Dan Gable said it best: "I am for moving forward whether it works or not, especially if there is little risk that it can set us backward. Going from there, I am not a status quo guy. If this works, we will have improved college wrestling 100% by going from one great event to two. There isn't much in life we can improve by 100%." One thing is for certain. We have a passionate wrestling community that will NEVER let wrestling fail. If this concept doesn't pass, we will find an alternative. We will be sure to keep you abreast on our progress of the National Duals proposal as well as other important initiatives. Please don't hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Kevin Jackson

Teague Moore